Squawk Box Europe Express

We kick off our second Squawk Box from Davos with the latest news on the outbreak of the Coronavirus. The World Health Organisation prepares to hold an emergency meeting as China confirms 440 cases and the first patient is diagnosed in the U.S. Fears of a pandemic are keeping markets on edge. We speak to the boss of pharma giant AstraZeneca to get his take on the mysterious pneumonia-like illness.

Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam tells CNBC she is disappointed with yesterday’s Moody’s rating downgrade, defending her reaction to the unrest in the territory seen throughout 2019. But she adds that her resignation is not the answer.

In the U.S., Boeing takes the wind out of the Dow with shares sinking on a fresh warning that the 737 Max will now not be back in the air before mid-2020.

And, later today CNBC hosts a star-studded WEF panel discussing the 'Future of Financial Markets', featuring U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, UK Chancellor Sajid Javid and UBS Chairman Axel Weber.

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A digital tax truce. We kick off our coverage of the World Economic Forum in Davos, as French President Emmanuel Macron and U.S. President Donald Trump reach an agreement to avoid a levy on big tech and retaliatory tariffs on French goods until the end of this year.

But the forum braces for a showdown between President Trump and Greta Thunberg, as both the American leader and the 17-year-old climate activist prepare to take the stage at the World Economic Forum today.

In Asia, equities turn negative amid heightened concerns over the spread of a virus in China that is being compared to the SARS outbreak of 2002-2003.

Moody's cuts Hong Kong's credit rating, saying officials have no tangible plans to address the unrest in the territory.

And we speak to the CEO of EY who tells us the U.S. economy is looking good, thanks to strength in the labour market, while the boss of Schneider Electric says sustainability is a mega-trend that will not hurt profits.

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Davos descent… top business leaders and policy makers begin arriving in Davos, Switzerland, as Oxfam reports that the planet’s roughly 2,000 billionaires own more wealth than 60 per cent of the global population. We will be live at the 50th World Economic Forum all week, starting today at 1600 CET. In energy news, oil prices surge after a military blockade in Libya causes the closure of the country’s two biggest oil fields. In France, President Macron attempts to woo top Davos-bound executives and investors at the third ‘Choose France’ summit. While in the UK, Chancellor of the Exchequer Sajid Javid warns businesses they will not align with Brussels after Brexit, prompting criticism from manufacturers.

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Taking its toll…China posts its weakest growth data in almost three decades, suggesting that the trade war with Washington is weighing heavily on the economy despite the 6.1% print for the full-year GDP coming in line with estimates. In the U.S., the Senate hears the charges against President Trump ahead of his impeachment trial as a government watchdog finds that the White House broke the law by withholding military aid to Ukraine. The S&P 500 hits a new record high, crossing the 3,300 mark for the first time, buoyed by robust bank earnings and data. And Google parent company Alphabet joins the trillion-dollar valuation club, only the fourth member in history, joining tech peers Amazon, Apple and Microsoft. We also hear from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella who tells this channel his company is pledging to neutralise its carbon footprint within the next four years, investing up to $1bn in removal technology.

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The biggest ever seen…President Trump hails the signing of Phase 1 of the trade agreement between Washington and Beijing but insists tariffs will remain in place until Phase 2 of the deal is completed. Vice-Premier Liu He says the deal is 'win-win' for both sides as well as on a global level and promises to increase foreign access to Chinese markets. In Russia, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and the government resign following President Putin’s sweeping proposals to reform the constitution which could see his reign extended. We are also live in Riyadh where the Kingdom’s former head of intelligence, Prince Turki al-Faisal, tells CNBC exclusively that the Iranian regime is imploding.

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Sign on the dotted line…Beijing and Washington are on the verge of inking Phase 1 of the trade deal but U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin insists that tariffs shall remain in place until China signs the second phase of the agreement. President Trump voices anger at Apple for refusing to work with U.S. authorities, helping to unlock its cell phones involved in criminal investigations. Meanwhile, earning season kicks off on Wall Street. Bond trading revenues have buoyed Citigroup and JPMorgan in the fourth-quarter, with the latter enjoying its most profitable year on record. And, the Obama-era Iran nuclear deal looks closer to unravelling as the E3 powers – the UK, France and Germany – trigger a formal dispute device in a bid to force Tehran to comply with the JCPOA. The move could lead to fresh UN sanctions. We also hear exclusively with BlackRock CEO Larry Fink who says climate change is the most serious challenge he has seen in four decades in finance.

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Label lost…the offshore yuan surges to its highest level in half a year after the U.S. ceases calling Beijing a currency manipulator, just a day ahead of the expected signing of the Phase 1 trade deal in Washington. Asian shares rise to seven-month peaks on the positive sentiment generated, which has seen Chinese trade data post better-than-expected gains in December. In the U.S., the Nasdaq and S&P 500 are also in the green, reaching fresh record highs buoyed by tech stocks but it’s the big Wall Street banks in the spotlight at the start of earnings season. And in telecom news, U.S. officials voice their anger at UK ‘madness’ ahead of a key decision on whether to allow the Chinese tech giant Huawei access to Britain’s launch of 5G.  

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Tehran in turmoil…furious anti-government protests spread from the Iranian capital across the country. Demonstrators demand the regime’s leaders step down after they admit Iranian forces mistakenly shot down a Ukraine International Airlines plane last week, killing 176 people on board. Asian stocks soar to 19-month highs as Beijing and Washington prepare to sign their ‘phase one’ trade deal, but weaker-than-expected jobs data and ongoing Middle East tensions caused Wall Street to close in the red last week. And Taiwan re-elects President Tsai-Ing-wen in a landslide victory, sending a strong message to Beijing about its attempts to gain control of the island's democratic government.

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An avoidable tragedy…intelligence from the U.S., UK and Canada suggests that the downed Ukraine International Airlines passenger jet was likely hit by an unintentional Iranian missile near Tehran. In Washington, Congress votes to curb President Trump’s ability to take military action against the Islamic Republic in the wake of the killing of General Qasem Soleimani but the resolution will remain non-binding. Wall Street rises, boosted by a new all-time high from Apple shares after Chinese iPhone sales were reported to have grown up to 18 per cent in December. And in Brexit news, the House of Commons finally passes Boris Johnson’s withdrawal bill with a majority of 99 and without any amendments. The bill now passes to the House of Lords to be approved.

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Back from the brink? Wall Street and Asian stocks rebound after President Trump claims that Tehran is stepping down from further confrontation with Washington following the killing of General Qasem Soleimani and retaliatory Iranian missile strikes on U.S. targets in Iraq. The news also helps to stabilise oil prices with WTI back in correction territory, as Trump also vows further sanctions on Iran. Former Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn has made his first public appearance since fleeing bail in Japan, declaring his innocence in the face of financial misconduct charges. He tells CNBC that the charges form part of a conspiracy by Nissan executives to challenge Renault’s control over the alliance. In London, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Ursula Von Der Leyen lay out their Brexit lines. The European Commission President said that an in-depth trade deal between the UK and the EU is impossible to achieve by the end of the year.

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