Bloomberg Daybreak: Europe Edition

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) Democratic lawmakers accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of using the US Justice Department to target enemies of President Donald Trump and bungling the release of files on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during a fiery hearing Wednesday. (2) Donald Trump’s tariff policies suffered their strongest political blow yet with the Republican-led US House passing legislation aimed at ending the president’s levies on Canadian imports. (3) The UK economy grew less than forecast in the fourth quarter as business investment shrank and services stagnated, adding to pressure on embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (4) Nuveen is buying Schroders Plc in a £9.9 billion ($13.5 billion) deal, creating one of the world’s largest active asset managers with nearly $2.5 trillion of assets. (5) French President Emmanuel Macron returned to his “Made in Europe” push on the eve of a key European Union meeting, putting him at odds with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over how best to tackle Europe’s economic woes. Podcast Conversation: In Defense of Fakes: A Provocation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) Democratic lawmakers accused Attorney General Pam Bondi of using the US Justice Department to target enemies of President Donald Trump and bungling the release of files on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein during a fiery hearing Wednesday. (2) Donald Trump’s tariff policies suffered their strongest political blow yet with the Republican-led US House passing legislation aimed at ending the president’s levies on Canadian imports. (3) The British Prime Minister has labelled comments on immigration made by Manchester United's Co-Owner Jim Ratcliffe as 'offensive and wrong'. A spokesperson for Number 10 also called on the billionaire boss of Ineos Chemicals to apologise for the remarks made during an interview with Sky News. During the conversation Ratcliffe said the UK couldn't sustain its current population growth. (4) French President Emmanuel Macron returned to his “Made in Europe” push on the eve of a key European Union meeting, putting him at odds with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over how best to tackle Europe’s economic woes. (5) WhatsApp said Russia’s government has moved to “fully block” its popular encrypted messaging service in the country as part of an effort to drive adoption of a new, state-sponsored app. Podcast Conversation: In Defense of Fakes: A Provocation See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) At least 10 people are dead and 25 injured after a mass shooting in northeastern British Columbia, according to the police. The shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020. (2) European Union leaders are finally ready to unify their markets to compete globally, European Council President Antonio Costa said, arguing that the fracturing world order is driving the continent to act. (3) The European Parliament is moving closer to approving a trade deal with the US after senior lawmakers agreed to make some changes ahead of a vote planned this month. (4) Russia’s crude shipments are holding steady in the face of mounting pressures on its critical oil trade, but the steeper discounts that are keeping the barrels flowing have hammered the Kremlin’s revenues. (5) Kimbal Musk, a longtime director at Tesla and the brother of Elon Musk, was connected with at least two women through Jeffrey Epstein several years after the disgraced financier pleaded guilty to sex crimes, emails released by the US Justice Department show. (6) Poland has never been more prosperous or more influential since regaining its independence as a sovereign state a little over a century ago. Data compiled by Bloomberg show that companies from Poland announced 22 acquisitions in Western Europe last year, the highest number on record, and another four are in the works this year. Podcast Conversation: Young Car Collectors Snap Up the Classics They Idolized as Teens See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) Keir Starmer’s cabinet members voiced their support for the prime minister on Monday, buying him time to shore up his beleaguered premiership after the Labour Party’s leader in Scotland urged him to quit. (2) The European Union is preparing a series of options to embed Ukraine’s membership in a future peace deal, according to people familiar with the matter. (3) The European Central Bank is striving to ensure inflation remains under control as part of efforts to fortify the continent’s economy, President Christine Lagarde said, urging lawmakers to follow through on a list of necessary reforms. (4) US insurance broker stocks were pummeled Monday as the launch of an artificial intelligence tool from privately held online insurance shopping platform Insurify sparked fears about the industry facing disruption. (5) A typical lower-income British household would have to wait 137 years to see its living standards double, according to the Resolution Foundation — more than three times longer than in the past. (6) Aberdeen, with its windswept views of the North Sea, has for decades carried the title of Europe’s oil capital. Yet that status has been slipping for years, sharpening a political fight in Westminster over whether the industry is even worth salvaging at this point. Podcast Conversation: Ferrari Shows Interior of EV Designed by Ex-Apple Executive Ive See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) Keir Starmer’s future is in the balance after a crisis over the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington claimed the UK prime minister’s closest aide. (2) Chinese regulators have advised financial institutions to rein in their holdings of US Treasuries, citing concerns over concentration risks and market volatility, according to people familiar with the matter. (3) Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi secured a historic election triumph, positioning her as the nation’s strongest leader in the postwar era in an outcome that sent stock prices and bond yields soaring. (4) Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian described the Friday nuclear talks with Washington as “a step forward,” even as he pushed back against any attempts at intimidation. (5) The Seattle Seahawks have won the Superbowl -- beating the New England Patriots 29 to 13, with the halftime performance by Puerto Rican artist Bad Bunny being attacked as "an affront to the Greatness of America". (6) American activist investor Steven Wood’s one-man mission to overhaul the governance and culture of Swatch Group just became a lot harder. The company’s shares — the most shorted in Europe — recently had their best day ever, and are up 15% this year. Podcast Conversation: Why Some People Live to 100 Despite Bad Habits See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) Amazon shares dropped after the company announced plans to spend $200 billion this year on data centers, chips and other equipment, worrying investors that its colossal bet on artificial intelligence may not pay off in the long run For More on this story you can read Vlad Savov's newsletter here (2) All across Wall Street, day by day, the headlong rush into the most popular trades, from tech stocks to gold to cryptocurrencies, has given way to a sudden retreat from risk. (3) Bitcoin whipsawed in a volatile trading session in Asia after a selloff that briefly dragged the token to a more than 50% retreat from its October peak. (4) Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey appeared to endorse markets betting on a 50% chance of an interest-rate cut in March after a more dovish-than-expected decision to maintain the cost of borrowing this month. (5) The euro zone will need time to see further productivity gains from an AI-related investment boom, European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde said. Podcast Conversation:At $7,700 a Day, Aman’s Cruises Test Travelers’ Price Limits See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) There have been many AI-driven selloffs in the three years since ChatGPT burst into the mainstream. Nothing, though, quite rivals the rout rippling through stock and credit markets this week. (2) Silver fell sharply, wiping out a two-day recovery, as the white metal struggled to find a floor following a historic market rout. Gold also declined. (3) Keir Starmer is not the first Labour prime minister to be plunged into crisis by Peter Mandelson. It’s not even the first time it’s happened to Starmer. The difference is that members of his own party are now starting to number his days as leader. (4) The European Central Bank is set to hold interest rates steady for a fifth meeting, judging that the latest bout of global tensions and euro strength haven’t thrown the economy off course yet. (5) The Bank of England will almost certainly leave interest rates on hold on Thursday and wait for more evidence that inflation is under control, despite mounting concerns about the UK labor market. Podcast Conversation: Sack a Prince? Easy. Fire a Lord? Not So Much: Matthew Brooke See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) A new AI automation tool from Anthropic PBC sparked a $285 billion rout in stocks across the software, financial services and asset management sectors on Tuesday as investors raced to dump shares with even the slightest exposure. (2) Almost half a trillion dollars has been wiped off cryptocurrencies in less than a week as a selloff led by Bitcoin accelerated. Total crypto market value has slumped by $467.6 billion since Jan. 29, according to CoinGecko data. (3) The European Union will pitch the US on a critical minerals partnership to curb China’s influence, looking to shape the Trump administration’s push to strike global agreements this week. (4) London’s Metropolitan Police has started a criminal probe into Peter Mandelson over alleged misconduct in public office, after the UK government said it had referred communications between him and Jeffrey Epstein to the authorities. (5) Novo Nordisk A/S shocked investors by forecasting a steep decline in sales this year, a sign of how intensifying price wars in obesity drugs and the Trump administration’s pressure on pharmaceutical prices will hit the company’s results. Podcast Conversation: What happens when the Winter Olympics can’t rely on winter See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) Elon Musk is combining SpaceX and xAI in a deal that values the enlarged entity at $1.25 trillion, as the world’s richest man looks to fuel his increasingly costly ambitions in artificial intelligence and space exploration. (2) Documents released by the US Department of Justice appear to show that Britain’s Peter Mandelson leaked sensitive government information to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein while serving as a minister. (3) France’s parliament adopted a budget for 2026 after Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived two no-confidence votes Monday, bringing the curtain down on months of political upheaval that’s rattled investor confidence in the country. (4) The UK government is increasingly concerned that more protectionist policies pursued by the European Union could exclude British companies from supply chains in key sectors, derailing a reset in post-Brexit relations and potentially costing firms billions of pounds. (5) President Donald Trump said he would roll back punitive tariffs on India in return for an agreement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi would stop buying Russian oil, easing months of tension between the two countries. Podcast Conversation: From New York to London, There's Now a Martini on Every Menu See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, resigned from the UK’s ruling Labour Party to avoid causing it “further embarrassment” after the latest revelations about his links to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. (2) Gold extended losses, after its biggest plunge in more than a decade on Friday, as silver also sank deeper, reversing a record-breaking rally that appeared to have run too far, too fast. (3) Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he still wants the UK to join the European Union’s flagship €150 billion ($178 billion) defense fund after negotiations last year ended in failure. (4) Iran’s supreme leader warned of a “regional war” as tensions continued to mount over potential US strikes on Tehran and top Israeli military officials visited Washington. (5) British engine maker Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc has halted a plan backed by millions in government funding to put a mini nuclear reactor on the Moon, the Telegraph reported. Podcast Conversation: The Em Dash Wars: How LinkedIn Users Are Policing AI Writing See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. - Michael McKee, Bloomberg International Economics and Policy Correspondent, to preview the January jobs report in the U.S. - Mandeep Singh, Global Tech Research Head at Bloomberg Intelligence, to preview U.S tech earnings. - Tommaso Ebhart, Bloomberg’s Milan Bureau Chief, to preview 2026 olympic games. - Paul Jackson, Bloomberg EcoGov Editor for Japan/Koreas, to preview snap Japan election. - James McIntyre, Bloomberg Economist for Australia and New Zealand, to preview RBA decision. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Breaking news from the White House. President Donald Trump said he intends to nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the Federal Reserve, according to a post on his Truth Social platform. “I have known Kevin for a long period of time, and have no doubt that he will go down as one of the GREAT Fed Chairmen, maybe the best,” Trump wrote. “On top of everything else, he is ‘central casting,’ and he will never let you down.” Warsh, who served on the US central bank’s Board of Governors from 2006 to 2011 and has previously advised Trump on economic policy, would succeed Jerome Powell when his term at the helm ends in May. It marks a comeback for Warsh, 55, whom the president passed over for the top job in 2017 when he selected Powell. If confirmed by the Senate, the former Fed governor will take charge of US monetary policy at a time when many economists and investors see its traditional insulation from elected officials as being under threat from the White House. Warsh aligned himself with the president in 2025 by arguing publicly for lower interest rates, going against his longstanding reputation as an inflation hawk. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) The Trump administration is preparing for the president to nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next Federal Reserve chair, according to people familiar with the matter. (2) The arrival of a US aircraft-carrier strike group in the Middle East has given President Donald Trump new, more forceful options to carry out his threats to attack Iran, but the choices carry serious risks of retaliation from Tehran. (3) Apple delivered record quarterly sales and a better-than-anticipated forecast for the current period, even as the company warned that rising component costs are threatening to squeeze margins. (4) Chinese automakers built nearly one in 10 passenger cars sold in Europe last month, a record share that caps a year of rapid growth led by brisk sales of hybrid and battery-powered vehicles. (5) President Donald Trump warned the UK and Canada against striking fresh business deals with China, after their leaders visited Beijing this month in an effort to deepen ties with the world’s second-largest economy. Podcast Conversation: Boosting Your Brain With a Chip Carries a Price: Parmy Olson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) The world’s largest tech firms show no signs of easing up on AI spending, a record wave that’s propelling hardware providers like Samsung Electronics Co. and SK Hynix Inc. That’s even as doubts persist about the staying power of artificial intelligence demand to justify all that capital. (2) Gold surged to a record above $5,500 an ounce, as a lack of liquidity accelerated a nine-day rally fueled by a weaker dollar and investor flight from sovereign bonds and currencies. (3) Deutsche Bank AG was raided by German authorities as part of a money laundering probe looking at past dealings by staff with firms linked to the now-sanctioned Roman Abramovich, setting back the lender’s long-running effort to shed a previous reputation as a magnet for scandals. (4) US, Danish and Greenlandic officials met Wednesday to discuss a new framework deal over Greenland, an attempt to satisfy President Donald Trump’s desire to see a greater American presence on the Arctic island that stops short of ceding it to the US. (5) President Donald Trump warned Iran to make a nuclear deal with the US or face military strikes far worse than the attack he ordered last June, increasing pressure on the regime and propelling oil prices higher. Podcast Conversation: London Developers Are Snapping Up Empty Air Above Rooftops See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day On today's podcast: (1) President Donald Trump’s relaxed tone about the dollar selloff is fuelling speculation the US currency is at the start of a longer-term decline. (2) Gold surged to a record high above $5,200 an ounce, extending a breakneck rally fuelled by US dollar weakness and a flight from sovereign bonds and currencies. (3) UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing on Wednesday confident he can do what few leaders have shown the political dexterity to pull off: broaden trade ties with China without annoying President Donald Trump. (4) Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu survived renewed attempts to oust him over his plans for France’s public finances, bringing the country a step closer to securing a 2026 budget. (5) Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the two parties are in talks with the White House over US government funding as Democrats threaten to force a partial US government shutdown following a mounting public backlash over President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. Podcast Conversation: Claude Can’t Pay for Your Retirement See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning news briefing: On today's podcast: (1) Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK wouldn’t have to choose between the US and China, as he heralded “significant opportunities” for British businesses ahead of his trip to Beijing this week. (2) The European Union and India are set to announce an agreement on a long-awaited trade deal on Tuesday, forging closer economic ties to hedge against US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. (3) President Donald Trump threatened to hike tariffs on goods imported from South Korea to 25%, citing what he said was the failure of the country’s legislature to codify the trade deal the two nations reached last year. (4) Gold rose, holding above $5,000 an ounce for a second day, as a weak US dollar helped to extend a blistering rally fueled by geopolitical risks and investor flight from sovereign bonds and currencies. (5) Greg Bovino, the US Border Patrol commander who became the face of President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, is leaving the city following a mounting public outcry over the killing of two US citizens by federal agents in recent weeks. Podcast Conversation: ‘Melania’ Film Debuts at a Low Ebb for Documentaries in Theaters See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) Senate Republican leaders plan to reject Democratic demands to split off funding for the Department of Homeland Security and pass the rest of a giant funding package needed to avert a partial government shutdown this week, a Senate GOP aide said. (2) Gold surged past $5,000 an ounce for the first time, extending a breakneck rally fueled by US President Donald Trump’s reshaping of international relations and investor flight from sovereign bonds and currencies. (3) Canada won’t be derailed in its efforts to diversify trade away from the US despite the latest threats from the Trump administration, Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said. (4) The yen extended gains to as much as 1.2% against the dollar as traders started the week on heightened alert for authorities intervening in the market following its recent slide. (5) Keir Starmer’s rivals were looking for a pretext to mount a leadership challenge. The prime minister impeded one would-be successor this weekend but in doing so may have given others the reason they need to strike. Podcast Conversation: Free-Solo Climber Honnold Conquers Taipei 101 Live on Netflix See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Host Nathan Hager take a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) Europe is ready to get back to work with the US, wary, frustrated and knowing it can’t trust an ally it’s relied on for decades. (2) The US wants to rewrite its defense agreement with Denmark to remove any limits on its military presence in Greenland, people familiar with the matter said, in what’s become a focal point for negotiators looking to meet President Donald Trump’s demand for control over the territory. (3) Russian President Vladimir Putin held about four hours of talks with US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in the Kremlin on the latest peace plan aimed at ending his war on Ukraine, with further negotiations set to begin Friday. (4) TikTok and its Chinese parent ByteDance have closed a long-awaited deal to transfer parts of their US operations to American investors, securing the popular video app’s future in the US and avoiding a nationwide ban. (5) JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon was heading home after another whirlwind trip to Davos, when the news hit: President Donald Trump was suing him and his bank for $5 billion. (6) Keir Starmer is bracing for a potential showdown with a key left-wing rival in a test of the British prime minister’s power to stave off the gathering threats to his job. (7) Scientists have discovered the potential of the animals’ antibodies to thwart multiple diseases, and now drug developers are collectively plowing billions of dollars into the field and llama farms. Podcast Conversation: From TACO to Widowmaker, a Guide to the Trades Driving Markets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.