Squawk Box Europe Express

Deal delay? Asian equities sink and the S&P posts its worst day in a month following reports that a ‘phase one’ trade agreement between Washington and Beijing may not be agreed before Christmas. However, during a tour of an Apple factory in Texas, President Trump hints that the tech giant could receive an exemption on tariffs for Chinese imports. We are live in Paris at the Women’s Forum Global Meeting where French economy minister Bruno Le Maire tells Karen exclusively that Europe cannot prosper and grow amid the trade war between the U.S. and China but he offers a glimmer of hope, saying that a limited resolution could be imminent. And in M&A news, LVMH has reportedly increased its bid for Tiffany’s with the classic jeweller granting the French luxury group access to its books.

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U.S. President Donald Trump threatens to increase tariffs on China sending Asian stocks lower if there is no 'phase one' agreement on a trade deal. The U.S. Senate passes a bill in support of Hong Kong protesters, eliciting swift criticism from China. Beijing calls it a blatant interference in internal affairs and vows to retaliate, also weighing on market sentiment. U.S. retail stocks take it on the chin amid weak results and forecasts from Kohl's and Home Depot, ahead of the Christmas holiday shopping season. And we are live in Moscow where we speak to VTB chairman Andrey Kostin about his view on the global slowdown and how much political tensions are weighing on the Russian economy.

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Under siege… Hong Kong tensions run high as anti-government protestors remain barricaded inside the city’s Polytechnic University for the past three days. Martin Soong reports from the site as the territory’s CEO Carrie Lam urges a peaceful solution to the crisis. U.S. stocks rise to fresh record highs but are tempered, as CNBC learns that Chinese officials are pessimistic about the prospect of an early trade agreement between Washington and Beijing. We speak to top investors, including Pimco’s vice chairman, about hopes for a deal in Nansha at CNBC’s East Tech West summit. We also hear from the VP of Chinese ride-hailing group and Uber rival Didi Chuxing, who talks about the prospect of expanding the business beyond China in an on-stage fireside. And we break results from Swiss lender Julius Baer, which lowers its full-year targets, saying net new money flows from clients will be lower than previously anticipated.

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A positive start to the week in Asia. Equities move higher as China cuts a key liquidity rate for the first time in more than four years and touts progress in the U.S. trade talks. Washington reportedly prepares to grant Huawei a license extension, but the chairman, Liang Hua, taking the stage at CNBC’s East Tech West conference in Nansha, says any decision will have a limited impact. Elsewhere, violent clashes grip Hong Kong as police and protesters engage in a fierce battle at a university campus, while the high court rules that a ban on face masks is unconstitutional. In corporate news, Saudi Aramco aims for a $1.7tn valuation in its highly anticipated IPO, short of the $2tn goal set by the Kingdom's crown prince. We are also live at the Dubai Airshow which so far has failed to attract the big spenders. The CCO of Airbus tells this channel that Boeing’s troubles with its 737 Max model don't benefit anyone in the aerospace industry.

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On trade tenterhooks… Asian equities are mixed, looking for clues on trade negotiations, as White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow strikes a positive tone and China’s ambassador to the U.K. tells CNBC exclusively that Beijing wants to get a deal done. Speaking before the House Finance Committee, Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell says the U.S. economy is stellar and there is no reason it shouldn’t continue to grow, despite risks in manufacturing. The fallout from the first public impeachment inquiry hearings continues, with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi saying that President Trump’s behavior towards Ukraine is tantamount to bribery - a charge he vehemently denies. And in corporate news, Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is upbeat about the future in spite of the ongoing violence in Hong Kong, where it is launching its retail campaign for a $13bn listing.    

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Stalemate snag…trade talks between the U.S. and China hit an impasse with Beijing missing industrial output and retail sales expectations in October. In the U.S., Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell dismisses President Trump’s call for negative rates, telling Congress that the move would be ‘inappropriate’ for the robust American economy. Media giant Disney’s shares soar, contributing to three-quarters of the Dow’s record gains after its new streaming service Disney+ garners 10 million subscribers on the day of its launch. Not to be outdone, the S&P 500 posts its 20th record day of trade in 2019, one of its best calendar years in decades.   

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No trade transparency! U.S. President Donald Trump leaves markets on edge as he threatens to ‘substantially’ raise tariffs on China if a deal can’t be reached, but suggests that an agreement is imminent. In a speech at the Economic Club of New York, Trump also criticises Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell for not following other central banks into negative rates, ahead of Powell’s testimony to Congress. The ongoing violence in Hong Kong also weighs on markets in Asia. Geoff joins the show from Singapore in a special edition of Global Squawk Box, while Steve and Hadley discuss energy market uncertainty in Abu Dhabi, as the IEA warns that global oil demand will contract from 2025 as the transition to alternative sources gathers pace.

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Lift-off… Boeing flies the Dow Jones to a new record high. The planemaker posts its best day in five months on news that it will resume using its troubled 737 Max planes as soon as January. The unrest continues in Hong Kong with more violent scenes overnight. Protestors have converged on the financial district, bringing it to a standstill this morning. But trade news lifts sentiment, as multiple media reports suggest President Trump will delay a decision on European auto tariffs for another six months. Logistics and mail giant Deutsche Post DHL kicks off another busy earnings day, tripling its operating profit in the third quarter. It also forecasts a strong holiday season amid an e-commerce boom and growth in its freight division. We are also live at the ADIPEC summit in Abu Dhabi where the CEO of French oil conglomerate Total, Patrick Pouyanné, tells this channel that there is a hysteria attached to the issue of energy transition and climate change.  

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Retail records…Chinese online giant Alibaba is set to smash last year’s Singles’ Day sales, already earning $23bn within the first nine hours of the event. We have the latest from Hangzhou. In energy news, Saudi Aramco has announced that it will sell 0.5 per cent of its shares to retail investors in its IPO but refuses to give a figure for the size of the eagerly anticipated listing, potentially the world’s largest. We hear more on the prospectus from the ADIPEC conference in Abu Dhabi. And we are also live in Madrid where there is no end in sight to the political deadlock after Spain’s fourth election in as many years.

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U.S. stocks hit fresh record highs as investors ditch bonds amid renewed trade deal hopes, but uncertainty over progress on a U.S.-China agreement sends Asian shares down from a six month peak. In China, there’s a sigh of relief from the tariff-hit economy as October imports/exports fall less than expected. But trade jitters overshadow a meeting of European finance ministers in Brussels, despite Economic Commissioner Pierre Moscovici saying disputes among ‘friends’ can be resolved. In corporate news, Disney shares soar after the media giant beats Q4 expectations. CEO Bob Iger speaks to CNBC exclusively about the upcoming deals for Disney+ ahead of its launch next week.  

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