Squawk Box Europe Express

Apple launches the largest share buyback in U.S. corporate history after beating Q1 expectations, despite a 10 per cent fall in iPhone sales. U.S. markets have rallied strongly ahead of today’s jobs report with investors anticipating signals about the Fed’s next policy moves. In the UK, local and mayoral election vote-counting is under way. We are live in Blackpool where Labour has regained the Red Wall constituency of Blackpool South, a significant blow to Rishi Sunak and the Conservative Party. And in mining news, Glencore launches its own bid for Anglo American which may trigger a bidding war following last week’s approach by rival BHP. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Federal Reserve leaves rates unchanged with its fight against inflation faltering. Chairman Jerome Powell has signalled any return to rate hikes would be ‘unlikely’. Asia-focused bank Standard Chartered beats expectations to post a 5.5 per cent increase in Q1 pre-tax profit, benefiting from higher trading income. Qualcomm shares are up in extended trade as Chinese demand fuels an earnings beat. Meanwhile, Apple is expecting a double-digit decline in China sales when it reports later today. And in currency news, the yen soars to its strongest level in a fortnight before paring gains back, prompting further speculation the BoJ will intervene. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. stocks see out April in the red – their worst monthly performance in seven months with tech earnings leading the losses. Amazon posts a Q1 beat on the back of solid cloud growth and A.I. demand. However, guidance is softer than expected and CEO Andy Jassy warns of higher capex to come. Tesla CEO Elon Musk shuts down his supercharger team, costing two executive positions and hundreds of job losses as the EV maker struggles with waning demand and competition from China. A surprise fall in same-store sales at Starbucks prompts the coffee chain giant to slash its outlook. Shares have slumped to a 21-month low as a result. And Spanish luxury beauty giant Puig aims for the top of the price range ahead of its near €14bn IPO – the largest in Spain in almost a decade. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

HSBC CEO Noel Quinn is to retire after a 5-year tenure at the UK lender which is eyeing a further $3bn in buybacks following a Q1 beat. Santander is buoyed by its European retail banking sector, posting an 11 per cent rise in Q1 net profit. It has also confirmed its full-year targets. Wall Street is on track to break a five-month winning streak despite an upbeat session yesterday. Tesla shares saw their best performance in three years. We speak to IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva who says she is concerned about global central bank divergence as Europe is making quicker progress in the fight against inflation than the U.S. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk makes a surprise visit to China, meeting with Premier Li Qiang. Beijing has moved to cut back on certain restrictions on Tesla vehicles made in the country. Rate cut expectations have been further dampened after another sticky inflation print out of the U.S. However equities Stateside still finished last week in the green, enjoying their best week since November. The yen/dollar trade remains volatile, briefly dropping below the key psychological level of 160. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken travels to Riyadh while a Hamas delegation prepares for ceasefire talks in Cairo. We hear from Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry who urges both sides to meet to end the conflict. And in banking news, Deutsche Bank warns that long-term litigation costs may leave a €1.3bn hole in its bottom line. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

New data out of the U.S. shows the economy growing at its slowest pace in almost two years, causing equities to tumble and Treasury yields to spike. Tech earnings Stateside beat expectations in extended trade. Google owner Alphabet announces its first dividend with CEO Sundar Pichai hailing the company’s next wave of A.I. innovation and adoption. In Japan, the BoJ holds rates steady pushing the yen to a new 34-year low. Traders are now concerned whether policy makers will choose to intervene. Airbus confirms its guidance and backs its higher delivery goals as it boosts production of its A350 to extend its lead over troubled rival Boeing. And in Sydney, BHP shares struggle following reports that mining competitor Anglo American is unimpressed by yesterday’s takeover offer. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Meta posts an earnings beat but shares tumble in extended trade as CEO Mark Zuckerberg sparks further concerns over excessive spending plans for A.I. Deutsche Bank sees Q1 pre-tax profits rise by 10 per cent as credit loss provisions shrink. There are also earnings from BNP Paribas with the French lender looking to increase cost-cutting. In commodities news BHP has made a bid for rival Anglo American in what could be a mega-merger for the world’s largest listed miner. And Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez steps away from public duties and threatens resignation after a court launches an investigation into his wife’s business dealings. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tesla shares surprisingly hold up despite the EV maker missing massively on both the top and bottom lines. Elon Musk has hinted to investors that more affordable options are in the pipeline. The S&P 500 posts its best day since February with investors shrugging off rate concerns. We hear from Oaktree Capital’s Howard Marks who says the days of easy capital are unlikely to return. Luxury giant Kering posts double-digit Q1 sales declines and warns that profits could fall by up to 45 per cent in H1. On Capitol Hill, the U.S. Senate votes overwhelmingly to pass a $95bn aid package to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. And we are live in Rotterdam at the WEC where RWE CEO Markus Krebber tells CNBC that green transition costs could soar due to capital and geo-political risks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The S&P 500 see its six-day losing streak come to an end and Nvidia enjoys its best trading day in more than a month with Mag 7 earnings in focus. Tesla shares fall a further 3 per cent – its seventh straight loss – with investors concerned for what could be the EV maker’s worst earnings in seven years. SAP posts a 24 per cent surge in quarterly cloud revenue and targets greater growth through A.I. services. And we are live in Rotterdam at the World Energy Congress where the Dutch Deputy PM tells CNBC that Brussels can do far more to accelerate the energy transition. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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.