Squawk Box Europe Express

Higher net interest in the U.S. helps Bank of America and Morgan Stanley to record bumper quarterly profits. BofA CEO Brian Moynihan tells our colleagues Stateside that a soft landing is now very much a possibility. The strong bank earnings on Wall Street see the Dow posting its longest winning streak in more than two years. Microsoft reveals pricing for its new A.I. subscription sending shares rocketing to a new all-time high. The firm’s Activision Blizzard deal extension talks now go down to the wire. The UK could see further hot inflation data coming through later on, as continuing price pressures mean the Bank of England is likely to maintain tightening.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street’s top banks slash FY Chinese GDP with both Hong Kong and mainland shares underperforming and the property sector shedding value. U.S. equities are in the green at the start of a busy week of earnings, with major banks’ earnings in the spotlight. Microsoft’s deal for Activision Blizzard is closer to completion after Berkshire Hathaway reveals it has offloaded 70 per cent of its stock in the game maker. Russia crashes the Ukraine grain deal blaming the West for not upholding its side of the bargain. Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy slams the move, saying extortion will not be tolerated. And in retail news, the board of beleaguered French supermarket Casino approves rescue talks with Czech billionaire Daniel Kretinsky.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Chinese economy continues to stutter, only growing by 0.8 per cent in Q2, raising expectations of vital stimulus efforts from Beijing. Asian equities respond in kind slipping on the news, however Wall Street and European markets enjoy their best week since March. Microsoft and Sony agree to a 10-year deal to keep the best-selling ‘Call of Duty’ game on the PlayStation console. The move brings Microsoft a step closer to sealing the Activision Blizzard deal. And U.S. banks kick off earnings season posting bumper profits via rising net interest rises. Citi CFO Mark Mason tells CNBC it is still too early to rule out a recession.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street posts its fourth-straight day in the green while Asian equities are on track for the best week of the year after U.S. producer prices come in muted for June. However, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly tells CNBC the fight against inflation is not over yet. Earnings season is set to kick off in the U.S. with the larger banks are braced for a surge in loan losses as high rates affect borrowers. In crypto news, a U.S. judge rules that a Ripple token does not represent a security which offers a potential supervisory escape route for other altcoins. The FTC’s Chair Lina Khan is grilled on Capitol Hill as the regulatory body fails in another attempt to block Microsoft’s $69bn takeover of Activision Blizzard.   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 and the Nasdaq close Wednesday’s session at a 15-month high after U.S. inflation drops to its lowest level in two years. Chinese exports suffer their worst decline since February 2020. We are live in Vilnius where following a difficult and testy NATO summit, G-7 countries provide Ukraine with long-term security guarantees but President Volodomyr Zelenskyy tells CNBC that full NATO membership is his ultimate goal. German industrial giant BASF surprises by slashing FY guidance as weakening industrial demand weighs. And in tech news, the U.S. FTC appeals the court ruling which green-lit Microsoft’s $69bn of game maker Activision Blizzard.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We are live in Vilnius, Lithuania where NATO members stop short of an outright invitation to Ukraine to join the alliance. German defence minister Boris Pistorius tells CNBC that Kyiv will have to wait until the conflict ends to become a fully-fledged member. Speaking ahead of important bilateral meetings, Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelenskyy slammed the delay as ‘absurd’. In tech news, Activision shares surge after a U.S. judge green-lights Microsoft’s bid to buy the game maker. UK authorities have now indicated they may welcome the deal. U.S. equities close in the green with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq within 1 per cent of their 52-week highs.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Turkey clears the path for Sweden’s NATO accession with Ukraine’s membership bid now the focus of attention at the bloc’s summit in Vilnius. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda tells CNBC full integration for Kyiv is paramount. U.S. equities break a three-day losing streak with financial and energy stocks balancing out tech losses ahead of key inflation reports and the beginning of quarterly earnings. UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt calls for wage restraint in a bid to rein in inflation. BoE governor Andrew Bailey says salary increases are contributing to price pressures.  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 Secretary Janet Yellen hails a constructive trip to China after holding 10 hours of talks with senior officials, as the U.S. considers curbs on investment. Chinese producer prices fall at their fastest pace in over 7 years while CPI comes in on the brink of deflation, underscoring the challenges facing the world's second largest economy. U.S. President Joe Biden says Ukraine is not yet ready for NATO membership, acknowledging divisions within the defence alliance as Kyiv marks 500 days of war ahead of a key summit in Lithuania. Headline U.S. non-farm payrolls come in below forecasts, but strong wage growth fuels concerns of further rate hikes from the Fed - sending the Dow to its worst weekly performance since March. ECB governing council member Francois Villeroy de Galhau pushes back against suggestions central banks should raise their 2% inflation targets, while Eurogroup President Paschal Donohoe tells CNBC there's more work to do.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California

Private sector jobs in the U.S. grew by almost half a million last month with the labour market showing no signs of abating. Non-farm payroll numbers are out later today. Equites and bonds see a sell-off as investors anticipate the U.S. Federal Reserve to continue its hiking cycle further into the year. The 2-year U.S. Treasury bill hits its highest level in 16 years while Europe’s Stoxx 600 plunges to its steepest one-day drop since March. U.S. Treasury Secretary is in Bejing attempting to thaw difficult trade relations between the world’s two largest economies. An emphasis on healthy competition is top of the agenda. In tech news, Samsung expects a 96 per cent fall in quarterly profit in what would be the Korean electronics giant’s worst performance since 2009. Hydrogen firm Thyssenkrupp Nucera is due to list on the Frankfurt stock exchange in what will be one of Europe’s largest IPOs this year. Nucera shares are priced at €20 providing the company with a market cap of €2.5bn.See Privacy Policy at https://a

U.S. markets are slightly down after June’s FOMC minutes indicated that more rate hikes are on the way despite the Fed opting to pause last month. Asian equities mirror the losses Stateside. U.S. Treasury Secretary, Janet Yellen, is due to visit China but tensions have been ramped up as Beijing warns that export restrictions on no chip raw materials are ‘just a start’. We are live in Vienna at the Opec seminar where the CEOs of TotalEnergies and Saudi Aramco tells CNBC that the oil sector remains robust despite recent signs of faltering demand. In IPO news, ThyssenKrupp’s hydrogen arm is set to list in Frankfurt valued at €2.5bn while Romanian energy firm Hidroelectrica is to go public on the Bucharest Stock Exchange next week and will be Europe’s biggest IPO of 2023 so far. Meta’s social media platform Threads goes live, earning 5 million subscribers within its first 4 hours.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-i

The Chinese post-Covid recovery continues to stutter with services activity growing at its slowest pace in five months. Meanwhile, Beijing has said it will no longer exploit its own rare material resources only to be subject to U.S. restrictions in producing semi-conductors. Tesla and BYD both post record Q2 deliveries as the EV race in China gathers momentum. We are live in Vienna for the Opec Seminar where despite Russian and Saudi Arabian production cuts to come, a price rally has failed to materialise. Brent pulls back as concerns over a Chinese slowdown and higher rates mount. And U.S. markets are back online today following yesterday’s 4th July celebrations as investors await the latest Fed minutes over its decision to pause its rate hiking cycle.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. indices start H2 positively ahead of today’s 4th July holiday. Meanwhile the RBA’s hiking cycle pause has buoyed investor sentiment in Asia. In tech news, China imposes export controls on vital rare materials gallium and germanium which are used in semi-conductor production. The move is seen to be in retaliation against Western chip curbs on Beijing. Russian and Saudi oil cuts fail to sustain a crude rally as recession fears and the Chinese slowdown continue to hamper demand. Social media giant Meta unveils Threads to rival Twitter. The platform is set to go live on Thursday.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Asian markets begin H2 in the green with strong business sentiment in Japan outweighing slowing factory activity in China. U.S. equities end the first half of the year in very positive territory. The Nasdaq surges more than 30 per cent to close its best H1 in 40 years. Apple closes Friday’s session as the world’s first-ever $3tn company. In autos news, Tesla boasts of record production numbers in Q2 while deliveries are up by 83 per cent on the year with CEO Elon Musk’s move to cut prices appearing to have worked. And France suffers a sixth night of nationwide violence following the police shooting of a 17-year-old. President Emmanuel Macron has postponed a long-planned state visit to Germany in a bid to quell the unrest.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Nasdaq is on track for its best H1 in 40 years with A.I. demand fuelling tech stocks. China’s post-Covid recovery, however, continues to stutter with factory activity contracting for a third consecutive month. EU leaders meet in Brussels and make pledges to shore up military and financial aid to Ukraine in the wake of last week’s attempted Wagner Group mutiny in Russia. In retail news, U.S. sportswear giant Nike reports its first quarterly miss in three years. And there are signs of a thaw in the IPO market as shares in the U.S. thrift store chain Savers Value Village jump on the Wall Street debut. Online Chinese fashion brand Shein is also reportedly eyeing a New York listing later 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 world’s top central bankers meet at the ECB annual forum in Sintra, Portugal and stand firm on further rate hikes. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell says restrictive policies have not been restrictive for long enough to rein in inflation. ECB President Christine Lagarde tells CNBC that more hikes remain a prospect and that the central bank requires more time to assess its previous moves. U.S. markets are flat on the comments coming from Sintra but Apple stands out closing close to a record $3tn market cap. The main U.S. banks easily pass the Federal Reserve’s stress tests but concerns remain about the health of smaller regional lenders. In tech news, Micron beats Q3 earnings expectations on soaring A.I. demand and supply bottlenecks clearing.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

ECB officials attending the central bank’s annual forum in Sintra have played down talk of rate cuts. We hear from ECB chief economist Philip Lane who says the bank must remain data-dependent when making rate decisions. U.S. housing and consumer data shows resilience but Chinese industrial further declines by double digits. On Wall Street, the Dow breaks a six-session losing streak to stay on track to record its best month since November. Resurgent tech stocks have pushed the Nasdaq towards its best H1 for forty years. In banking news, UBS is reportedly ready to cut Credit Suisse staff by half starting next month.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Russian President Vladimir Putin makes his first public remarks since the abandoned coup by the PMC Wagner Group at the weekend. Chinese Premier Li Qiang addresses the ‘Summer Davos’ in Tianjin, calling form more foreign direct investment and warns against global economic fragmentation. We are live in Sintra, Portugal for the ECB’s annual summit where the Bank of Lithuania governor Gediminas Šimkus tells us the there is some way to go for the current rate-hiking cycle. In the U.S., the Dow sees its longest losing streak since September last year. Investors have profited on well performing tech stocks. The VIX hits its lowest level since before the pandemic.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Russian President Vladimir Putin’s grip on power is severely tested over the weekend after the private military company Wagner Group marches on Moscow before performing an abrupt u-turn. Asian equities remain sanguine despite the tumult as the Wall Stret rally recedes. Oil, however, is slightly higher. We are live at the first ‘summer’ Davos in Tianjin since the Covid pandemic. And in Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s New Democracy party secures a landslide victory, winning enough parliamentary seats to govern outright.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tech stocks u-turn on Wall Street but the Nasdaq is on course for its worst run since April. The Bank of England raised rates by 50bps but Governor Andrew Bailey played down fears of a looming UK recession. Siemens Energy shares fall sharply lower after it scrapped its FY outlook upon discovering further technical problems within its turbine unit Gamesa. The company warns it now faces costs of €1bn. The White House welcomes Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and unveils a slew of new partnership deals between Washington and New Delhi.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 records its worst session this month while short positions on U.S. shares hit their highest level in more than a year. U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell tells the House Financial Services Committee that efforts to rein in inflation are far from over. The Bank of England faces pressure do the same after a shock inflation print sends two-year gilts surging to a 15-year high. In the wake of the collapse of Credit Suisse, the SNB has called for more robust capital buffers and a framework to stabilise or wind down important lenders. And in retail news, the FTC sues Amazon, accusing it of duping customers into subscribing to its Prime service without their consent.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.