Squawk Box Europe Express

The Kospi rollercoaster continues - Korea's main stock index records its best day ever as SK Hynix and Samsung increase their valuations by more than a quarter. The Nasdaq breaks a 6-day losing streak as Microsoft adds the most to its market cap in a single day of any company, ever. Elsewhere, the Bank of England delivers its fifth hold in a row, with the MPC voting 6 to 3 to keep rates unchanged. And Italian defence giant Leonardo upgrades its profit and order forecasts for the year as new contracts surge 45-percent in the first half.

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American equities plummet and borrowing costs hit their highest in nearly two decades as investors find little to like in the Fed's fifth 'hold' in a row. But, Chairman Warsh hints that a hike could be on the way. Elsewhere, investors digest a mixed bag of tech earnings from across the pond. Microsoft's cloud growth accelerates at its fastest pace in nearly five years, but Meta takes a hit as Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on AI spending. And strong EV demand boosts Renault sales in the first half, as the French carmaker withstands pressure from its Chinese peers.

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Another day, another circuit breaker on the Kospi: AI capex fears spill across Asian equity markets, on the back of a five-percent slump in Nvidia shares that sees Apple regain its crown as the world's most valuable public company. In other news, oil prices extend yesterday's declines amid hopes for some kind of resolution to the Iran conflict. LVMH gets a lift as sales inch higher in the second quarter, with US strength helping the company to shrug off weaker demand in Europe. And Mercedes-Benz sees a boost in second quarter operating profit but warns of intense competition and subdued demand in China.

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Oil prices plunge as Iran reportedly says it will hold off on strikes as long as the US does the same, while Trump advisers fear over munitions supplies. Calming hostilities in the Middle East helps lift equity futures on both sides of the Atlantic - investors brace for a big week of corporate earnings and central bank decisions. Elsewhere, CXMT becomes the biggest China-listed company by total market cap in its blockbuster IPO - surging more than 500-percent in Shanghai. And French President Emmanuel Macron is set to hold a crisis cabinet meeting today, as hundreds of thousands of people are displaced as wildfires tear across France and Spain.

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Middle East concerns push Brent to $100 a barrel while equity and debt markets see sell-offs on both sides of the Atlantic. European stocks suffer their biggest losses in a fortnight with German yields spiking to their highest level in 15 years. President Trump launches his latest round of tariffs with most major trading partners affected. Eu foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas has called the measures a ‘negative surprise’. German software giant SAP pares back its FY guidance but its cloud order backlog is up by 26 per cent. Meanwhile, VW shares are lower in pre-market sales after the car maker predicted 2026 sales to fall by 3 per cent.

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Alphabet shares pare back overnight as investors scrutinise its ever-increasing capex plans. Tesla is also down after missing on earnings while free cash flow turns negative. Elsewhere, Unicredit raises its outlook after posting a beat on both the top and bottom lines as CEO Andrea Orcel tells CNBC the bank is firing on all cylinders. And forex headwinds take a bite out of Roche's first half sales, but the Swiss drugmaker confirms its full-year targets.

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UK inflation data hits the tape - new Prime Minister Andy Burnham vows to practice fiscal discipline, scrapping VAT on electricity bills and facing calls to extend tax breaks for young workers. Elsewhere. three tankers carrying Saudi oil are forced to U-turn in the Red Sea amid Houthi threats, as a new front opens up in the US-Iran conflict. On the tech front, Samsung is reportedly in talks to invest up to 1 billion euros in French AI firm Mistral. And Santander says it's on track to meet its targets for the year after underlying net profit jumps by nearly a fifth amid higher revenues.

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New UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledges immediate action on the cost of living: scrapping VAT from electricity bills. That, after announcing John Healey as his surprise pick for Chancellor. Elsewhere, Yemen's Houthis impose a naval embargo on Saudi Arabia, while President Trump warns Iran "will pay" for the deaths of US soldiers. And Novartis reaffirms its guidance after beating on the top and bottom lines, with second quarter net sales coming in at almost 14-and-a-half billion dollars.

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Andy Burnham is set to enter No. 10 later today to become the UK’s fifth prime minister in 4 years. We are live at Downing Street for the latest. Brent crude surpasses $90 per barrel, up 2.9 per cent in session as the U.S. targets Iran for a ninth consecutive night. Three U.S. troops have been confirmed dead following Iranian retaliatory strikes in Jordan and Iraq. Ryanair posts a miss for the first quarter, down by more than a third on the year. Passenger revenue slumps and jet fuel spikes with prices trending lower in the current quarter.  

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Asian markets suffer a sell-off as jitters over the AI rally persist Stateside. The U.S. hits Iran for a sixth consecutive day, targeting bridges in the south while Tehran retaliates with a barrage of missile strikes at U.S. positions across the Gulf. The handover process of power within the UK Labour party begins today with Andy Burnham set to take over as Prime Minister on Monday.

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