Squawk Box Europe Express

The Nasdaq suffers its worst trading week since 2022 as the tech rally pauses with Nvidia shares falling 10 per cent. The sharp decline in demand for EVs and stiff Chinese competition again forces Tesla to slash prices in several markets. After months of delay, U.S. House lawmakers finally approve $60bn of aid to Ukraine. President Volodomyr Zelenskyy has called for the rapid transfer of arms to his country. Tik Tok is in focus Stateside after House lawmakers approve a bill which will force owner ByteDance to either sell the video-sharing platform or face a ban in the country. The bill now passes to the Senate. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Israel retaliates against Iran, reportedly carrying out a limited operation against the country. Iranian state TV said missiles were deployed to down drones over the central city of Isfahan. Asian equities are in the red as a result with oil rising and the dollar catches a bid as investors go risk-off. At the IMF/World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, we hear exclusively from German finance minister Christian Lindner who says the EU and the U.S. must cooperate closely in the face of trade competition from China. We hear from top ECB policy makers who are increasingly converging on the month of June as the likely beginning of rate cuts, barring any particularly bad news along the way. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As ECB policy makers increasingly appear to agree on a June rate cut, Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel tells CNBC that caveats still remain. In the U.S., a Boeing whistleblower testifies in the Senate, blasting his former employer over safety negligence and calling for the grounding of the Dreamliner. UBS is eyeing further lay-offs with cuts likely to fall in banking, markets and wealth management divisions. ABB hikes its full-year guidance after a Q1 beat on a stronger-than-expected order book.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell has said that inflation is likely to delay rate cuts this year and says recent data has not provided the central bank with enough confidence to move. However, ECB President Christine Lagarde tells our colleagues Stateside that cuts are due soon, barring any major shocks. The IMF raises global forecasts for growth and hikes its U.S. outlook. The group’s First Deputy MD tells CNBC that the Fed’s prudence is justified. And a lack of demand from Chinese consumers weigh on French luxury giant LVMH’s Q1 sales.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chinese GDP data comes in better than expected for the first quarter by a wide margin but monthly figures are softer, painting a mixed picture for the world’s second-largest economy. In the U.S., the major indices are in the red while yields spike. The greenback also hits a five-month high as very strong retail sales numbers dampens rate cut expectations even further. In Asia there are 2 per cent declines across equities. Investors are braced for potential policy intervention in Japan to shore up the yen. In autos news, Tesla is set to cut 10 per cent of its workforce as the EV maker struggles with waning consumer interest in the sector.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Israel is mulling its options after Iran’s first ever attack on Israeli territory over the weekend, using more than 300 missiles and drones. G-7 nations and the UN Security Council condemn the attack, seeking to diffuse tensions and avert any regional escalation. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz lands in Chongqing, China with a delegation of CEOs looking to shore up economic relations with Berlin’s biggest trading partner. Samsung overtakes Apple to become the largest smart phone maker after iPhone sales falter in the first quarter. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. producer prices come in soft, rising just 0.2 per cent and alleviate some jitters about persistent inflation. The Nasdaq posts a new fresh high with Apple leading the way. The iPhone maker enjoys its best day in nearly a year while Amazon hits a new record high. Shares at Morgan Stanley plunge after reports that the bank’s wealth management arm is under investigation by multiple regulators. German industrial titan ThyssenKrupp warns it may cut steel production by up to 20 per cent with job cuts also looming at a key plant.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. equities sell off and futures dip as traders scale back expectations for a June rate cut on the back of hotter-than-expected inflation - now eyeing a first move in September. Chinese deflationary pressures point to the potential for more government stimulus, as CPI cools more than expected, and producer prices slide. The Swiss government strengthens its rules for the country's banking sector as it looks to prevent another collapse of banks that are “too big to fail”. And, the ECB gets set for its latest rate decision, with investors eyeing signs of divergence from the Fed.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Fitch downgrades its outlook on China to negative from stable, citing increasing risks to the country's public finances. Global equities oscillate as investors brace for today's key U.S. inflation print, looking for clues on the Fed's next move. The FAA also launches an investigation into Boeing's whistleblower claims, piling more pressure on the plane maker as jet deliveries more than halve. And, Accor CEO Sébastien Bazin tells CNBC the Paris Olympics is an opportunity for France to refresh its image for an international audience.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

US Treasury yields hit four-month highs as traders look ahead to Wednesday’s inflation print, while JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon warns inflation may prove more stubborn than expected. A subsidy war is also heating up as the White House awards chip giant TSMC over $6 billion in grants, with Samsung reportedly set to get a similar deal. Meanwhile, Ether prices post their biggest jump in more than a month over speculation the cryptocurrency could see ETF applications approved soon. And, prices of gold hit another all-time high, the 15th record close this year.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The US jobs report beats expectations, sending equities higher and tempering expectations the Fed will start easing in June. Meanwhile, the UBS CEO Sergio Ermotti calls on Europe to create more competitive banks, telling CNBC at the Ambrosetti Forum the integration of Credit Suisse is a case study for the continent. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen threads the diplomatic needle as she urges China to rein in excess capacity, but China's commerce minister pushes back at accusations of overcapacity during a visit to Europe, rebutting claims the country's EV industry has benefited from unfair subsidies. And, Europe's largest travel group Tui gets set to ring the opening bell in Frankfurt, upgrading to the Prime Standard market after ditching its London listing.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dow sees its worst day in over a year and eyes its worst week in more than a year, as Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari raises the possibility of no rate cuts this year. The U.S. jobs report comes into view with markets expecting payroll growth to slide to 200,000 in March. President Biden warns Israel's leader that America's continued support for its war with Hamas depends on the treatment of civilians in Gaza, calling the humanitarian situation "unacceptable". Elsewhere Bob Iger looks to move on from his boardroom battle with activist Nelson Peltz. And Samsung Electronics guides for a more than 10-fold increase in first quarter operating profit amid a rebound in global chip prices.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the U.S., ADP data comes in hot but the service sector sees input prices fall to a four-year low. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says it is still too early to predict the path of inflation. Disney CEO Bob Iger fends off his boardroom challenge from activist investor Nelson Peltz, ending the multi-million dollar proxy giant. We hear from CEO of French dairy giant Danone Antoine Saint-Affrique who hails the company’s official partnership with the Paris Olympics as well as its support for the farming industry. Greenhorn Capital’s David Einhorn tells our colleagues Stateside that he has a stake in Belgian chemicals company Solvay which has a top 5 position within his portfolio.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. Treasury yields maintain a near fourth-month high while the S&P 500 suffers its worst session since early March as inflation fears persist. San Francisco Fed Chair Mary Daly says rate cuts this year are a ‘projection not a promise’. Taiwan is hit by a magnitude 7.4 earthquake, killing at least four and injuring dozens more in the eastern city of Hualien. Disney has reportedly secured enough votes to defeat activist investor Nelson Peltz’s challenge to its board. The results will be unveiled at the company’s AGM later today. Tesla shares slump, losing around $13bn in market cap valuation as deliveries decline for the first time in almost 4 years. And according to a poll conducted by Survey Monkey for CNBC, almost half of all adults around the world are stressed by their personal financial security with inflation the key concern.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. Treasury yields rise following better-than expected manufacturing data with odds of a June rate cut slightly slipping. In the UK shop price inflation falls below 2 per cent for the first time in two years, according to the British Retail Consortium. Iran accuses Israel of bombing its consulate in Syria with several senior Revolutionary Guard commanders killed. Tehran has vowed a “harsh” response. In Asia, Xiaomi shares are up boosting the Hang Seng after the tech giant enters the EV sector. This, as BYD sells 300k units in March.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street hits another record high ahead of crucial inflation data. But Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller says he still requires several more months of data to gather the confidence to move to cut interest rates. UBS takes a hit of more than $1bn to its 2023 net profit after cutting the negative goodwill from its rescue of Credit Suisse. The lender now admits it may not be able to realise all its expected gains. Outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte has sought to calm tensions following an important trade bilateral meeting in Beijing. Rutte told President Xi Jinping that chip restrictions with companies such as ASML, are not country-specific. In currency news, the yen is at nearly its lowest level against the dollar since 1990. Markets are carefully watching for any BoJ intervention following an emergency meeting in Tokyo.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Western executives in Beijing as his country increases efforts to attract FDI at the Bo’ao Forum on Hainan island. However, China also takes up a dispute with the U.S. at the WTO, claiming its EV sector is discriminated against, despite BYD having overtaken Tesla in sales. The yen falls to a 34-year low against the greenback, prompting Japan’s finance minister to warn the government could take ‘decisive steps’ once more to stem the currency’s slide. In Baltimore, MD, the search and rescue efforts to find further victims of yesterday’s catastrophic collapse of the city’s Francis Ford Key bridge now go into recovery mode. President Biden has promised “to move heaven and Earth” to rebuild and reopen the bridge and Baltimore’s port. Shares of Trump Media surge up to 50 per cent after going public in New York which could provide the embattled former President with a vast war chest as election season heats up.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Priv

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun is to step down at the end of the year as the plane maker scrambles to repair its safety reputation. This week’s upcoming U.S. inflation print pushes Wall Street lower after Fed officials unite to dampen expectations of an early rate cut. The UNSC passes a vote calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the release of all Israeli hostages with the U.S. notably abstaining. In tech news, Brussels begins its first investigation under the Digital Markets Act, with Meta, Apple and Alphabet targeted over potential anti-competitive market behaviour. And Adam Neumann has reportedly raised $500m to launch a WeWork comeback, attempting to buy the co-office space provider out of bankruptcy.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Dow and the S&P 500 record their best week of the year so far as investors applaud signs that major central banks are on track to begin slashing interest rates. Russia observes a day of mourning and four suspects are charged following Friday’s Moscow concert hall massacre and fire. At least 137 are now known to have been killed. IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva says the Chinese economy is facing ‘a fork in the road’ as policy makers and CEOs attend Beijing’s premiere business conference. German business morale ticks up slightly. We hear from the boss of KFW, Stefan Wintels, who says the German economy is once again regaining its confidence. And in autos news, Nissan is to launch its new business plan amid growing competition in the EV sector.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street hits record highs thanks to strong tech stocks but the rally fails to materialise elsewhere with the Hang Seng leading declines in Asia. Shares in social media company Reddit rise almost 50 per cent following its NYSE listing, giving it a market cap of almost $10bn. Airbus snags orders for 65 planes from two of Boeing’s key Asian clients but the plane maker’s CFO Thomas Toepfer tells CNBC he hopes the rival’s safety issues are resolved soon. Apple shares are down 4 per cent after the DoJ hits the company with a landmark anti-trust lawsuit, claiming it monopolises the smart phone market.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.