Squawk Pod

Music mogul and entrepreneur Shawn “JAY-Z” Carter is selling half of his Armand de Brignac “Ace of Spades” champagne to the Wine and Spirits arm of LVMH, Moët Hennessy. JAY-Z and Moët Hennessy CEO Philippe Schaus discuss the deal, the alcohol landscape, and the impact that both Moët Hennessy and JAY-Z have had on the world of luxury liquor. Plus, Bitcoin’s roller coaster continues, and former FDA...

Two participants in the House Financial Services Committee “Game Stopped” hearing debrief on the marathon day on Capitol Hill. Ken Griffin, the billionaire CEO of hedge fund Citadel, defends his $2 billion investment in short seller Gabe Plotkin’s Melvin Capital amid the height of the GameStop mania. Griffin says that there is “no doubt” that the amount of short selling will be reduced thanks to t...

In an extended interview, business magnate and philanthropist Bill Gates discusses his new book, “How to Avoid a Climate Disaster” with Andrew Ross Sorkin. In a wide ranging conversation, Gates weighs in on Elon Musk and Tesla, the Reddit Rebellion and subsequent GameStop drama, vaccination strategies, Bitcoin, and President Biden’s policies for a greener future.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz...

Operation Hope’s John Hope Bryant and Shark Tank co-host Kevin O’Leary discuss what’s at stake in the House Financial Services Committee’s hearing on the Reddit- and Robinhood-fueled market volatility this week. Real estate developer Roderick Hardamon tells CNBC’s Diana Olick how he’s helping to rebuild Detroit and improve access to capital for women and minorities in his community. Plus, Bezos is...

President of the St. Louis Federal Reserve James Bullard shares his outlook for the U.S. economy in 2021, from vaccination and pandemic recovery to the tech sector’s sky high valuations. Haley Sacks, AKA the millennial investing influencer “Mrs. Dow Jones,” discusses social media’s role in gamifying the stock market. Plus, mainstream corporate interest has bumped Bitcoin up and over $50,000, and T...

Cannabis stocks have been on a roller coaster this week, as Reddit traders piled into the biggest names in pot. CEO of Aurora Cannabis Miguel Martin discusses the Reddit-fueled market volatility and his hopes for the marijuana industry. Data shows remote work could become the norm for most companies. Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and author of “Think Again: The Power of Knowing What You...

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi is betting on widespread vaccination to help the ride sharing business recover in 2021. He discusses UberEats, the competition, and accepting Bitcoin for rides. Surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and staff writer for The New Yorker Dr. Atul Gawande discusses vaccination strategies across the U.S., and considers best practices for reaching underserved populations. Pl...

Strategist and pollster Frank Luntz breaks down America’s response to the “Reddit Rebellion,” and considers the collective power of the public, threatening to topple the U.S. financial system as we know it. New Jersey has vaccinated over 1 million people, and Governor Phil Murphy discusses the state’s (long) path to the end of the pandemic. Plus, Bitcoin is once again on the move after yet another...

As valuations for Tesla and Bitcoin climb higher and higher, Joe, Becky, and Andrew consider the roots of the hype and the consequences for the market. Operation Hope’s John Hope Bryant delves into what the “Reddit Rebellion” is teaching America about equity and financial literacy in this country. Plus, DoorDash is betting on restaurant robots; automation is coming soon to a salad near you.  Hoste...

Elon Musk’s Tesla announced that it has bought $1.5B in bitcoin, and the company plans to accept the currency as payment for its products. Galaxy Digital’s Michael Novogratz says this should be the first corporate move of many, but Tesla’s announcement intensifies concerns that Elon Musk is irresponsibly wielding his power to hype stocks and cryptocurrency--like Dogecoin--on his social media. Sout...

23andMe is set to go public in a merger with a SPAC backed by Sir Richard Branson. Company co-founder and CEO Anne Wojcicki and Branson himself discuss the “delight” offered by the company’s genetic sequencing, and they look ahead to what they’re hoping is a lucrative future. In a special conversation exclusive to Squawk Pod, Joe Kernen reflects on his own family’s journey with 23andMe, including...

Apple is finally hitting the road, closing in on a deal with Hyundai-Kia to manufacture an Apple-branded autonomous electric vehicle in Georgia. Merck CEO and social justice leader Ken Frazier is stepping down from his role, effective in June. CNBC’s Meg Tirrell discusses his legacy while at the helm of the pharma giant, as well as his role in pushing progress in corporate America. Senator Amy Klo...

 Jeff Bezos is stepping back from his role as Amazon CEO, passing leadership to AWS head Andy Jassy. Walter Isaacson, author of the introduction to Bezos’s book, “Invent and Wander,” discusses the Amazon founder’s infinite thirst for innovation and the transition of power at the “store” that changed everything. In the wake of the Redditor rebellion, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is calling for a...

The endgame may be near for the GameStop squeeze trade as investing enthusiasm and volume wane. Silver prices, another hill in the battle between Redditor retail investors and Wall Street hedge funds, fell after hitting an eight-year high on Monday. Ray McGuire, Democratic candidate for New York City mayor and former Citigroup vice chairman, discusses his strategy for overcoming the pandemic and s...

Starting off a new week and a new month, Wall Street continues to weather concerns about the Reddit-sparked retail trading frenzy around GameStop. Joe Moglia, former chairman and CEO of TD Ameritrade, puts the Reddit traders’ short squeeze into perspective with the broader market. Elon Musk turned to social media audio app, Clubhouse, for a conversation with Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev about the reta...

In a conversation exclusive to Squawk Pod, singer, actress, activist, and Presidential Inauguration performer Lady Gaga shares her hopes for rebuilding community spirit post-pandemic. She and Becky Quick discuss her inauguration performance, mental health amid Covid, and the WELL Health-Safety Seal initiative to bolster consumer confidence in shared indoor spaces like live concert and sport venues...

In this Squawk Pod bonus episode, Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev returns to speak to Andrew Ross Sorkin following the free brokerage’s controversial decision to suspend buying of certain volatile stocks like GameStop. Near the end of a wild week, Tenev is getting criticism from a virtual army of Reddit-reading retail investors for the move.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com...

Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian reflects on social media’s role in the GameStop short squeeze drama. He considers the evolution of the Internet and the advent of a new normal where equity investing and communication are democratized. Plus, Mavericks owner, entrepreneur, and investor Mark Cuban weighs in on the Wall Street heat, the role of regulators, and the importance of an investing education-...

Retail investing Redditors are gaming GameStop. The social media-driven roller coaster ride for the GameStop stock has lost Wall Street’s biggest short sellers billions of dollars--and has made everyone else a hefty profit. The Squawk Box team breaks down why it’s happening, what it means, and which stock might be next. In an interview with Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev, Andrew Ross Sorkin discusses th...

President Biden’s director of the National Economic Council, Brian Deese, shares the new administration’s strategy for combating the simultaneous crises now facing the nation. Axios reporter Sara Fischer discusses MyPillow’s Twitter drama, Washington’s agenda for Big Tech, and hurdles for bipartisan tech regulation. CNBC’s Leslie Picker reports on Wall Street’s ties to infamy: Apollo’s Leon Black’...

Former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein speaks out on President Biden’s minimum wage pitch, the SPAC frenzy, and cryptocurrency regulation. He considers the trajectory of markets under a new administration and weighs in on the Fed’s moves in 2021. Presidential-turned-mayoral candidate Andrew Yang discusses New York City’s road to recovery amid the pandemic. He shares his plans for keeping NYC str...

Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY), co-chairs of the Problem Solvers Caucus, discuss the legislative path forward under the Biden administration. After a divisive start to 2021, they’re urging for bipartisanship. Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary and Galaxy Digital’s Michael Novogratz debate President Biden’s proposed $15 minimum wage; the two weigh the benefits of higher wages against...

Just over 24 hours in office, President Biden has signed a series of executive actions on the pandemic, immigration, and climate change. CNBC’s Eamon Javers breaks down his agenda to get the nation past the pandemic and back on its feet, some parts of which are a direct rollback of Trump-era policies. New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu discusses President Biden’s $1.9T relief plan and expresses h...

Billionaire investor and philanthropist Leon Cooperman, Chairman and CEO of Omega Family Office, discusses his vote for President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Cooperman considers where and when he’ll find alpha in the markets under the nation’s new leader. Plus, CNBC’s Eamon Javers recaps Donald Trump’s last acts in office: a string of pardons.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.co...

Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses coronavirus vaccine supply, likelihood of bottlenecks, and threats to equitable distribution. Harvard Professor, AEI President Emeritus, and contributing writer for The Atlantic Arthur Brooks says reconciliation and healing in America are possible, if we refocus on offering opportunities for success. The host of “The Art of Happiness with Arthur Brooks” considers what’...