Squawk Box Europe Express

French luxury giant LVMH smashes expectations to post almost $24bn in Q4 sales on rebounding Chinese demand. CEO Bernard Arnault has urged the need to focus on quality over quantity. On Wall Street the S&P 500 hits a record high to close in the green for a fifth consecutive session while the Dow also scores a new record peak on the back of stronger-than-expected economic growth Stateside. Tesla shares sink the most in a year with the EV maker seeing $80bn wiped off its valuation as demand weakens. And in tech news, Intel also sees a fall in its share price in extended trade as poor demand for data centre chips affect Q1 guidance. 

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Tesla earnings disappoint, sliding by 40 per cent in Q4. The EV maker has warned of weaker sales throughout 2024. Meanwhile, streaming giant Netflix sees shares hit double digits, helping the Nasdaq along with 34 points as new subscribers topped 13 million for the quarter. In aviation news, the FAA has limited production of Boeing 737 Max 9 jets but has approved existing craft for service with the first planes expected to fly from tomorrow. And we are counting down to the ECB’s first rate decision of 2024 where investors expect a ‘hold’ and more guidance on the future path of cuts.  

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Netflix shares are up in extended trade as the streaming giant boosts subscriber numbers and revenue beats expectations. The company has also inked a $5bn deal to stream live WWE. Former U.S. President Donald Trump secures victory in the New Hampshire primary over Nikki Haley who has refused to bow out of the race to become GOP presidential nominee. The contest will now move to Haley’s home state of South Carolina in late February. German software titan SAP announces a €2bn streamlining project which could affect up to 8,000 jobs in order to focus more directly on A.I. ambitions. In Ankara, the Turkish parliament finally ratifies Sweden’s NATO membership bid with Hungary’s approval now the remaining obstacle.  

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The Dow hits a record 38,000 points for the first time as major U.S. indices finish in the green for a second consecutive session ahead of a number of corporate earnings this week. The Nikkei follows suit in Japan – its highest level since 1990 - after the BoJ maintains its ultra-loose monetary policy. It has, however, cut its FY 2024 guidance. Israel has offered a two-month ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza in exchange for the release of 130 hostages. Hamas has demanded a full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip. And in Hong Kong, shares are surging after Chinese authorities consider a trillion-yuan rescue package for the country’s declining stock market.    

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U.S. markets are in the green with the S&P 500 surging to a new record high on the back of positive consumer data. In U.S. politics, Florida governor Ron DeSantis bows out of the race to become the GOP presidential candidate two days before the New Hampshire primary, endorsing former president Donald Trump. Former UN ambassador Nikki Haley is now Trump’s sole challenger for the nomination. United Airlines cancels all flights using Boeing’s troubled 737 Max 9 model. Meanwhile, the FAA has urged all carriers to carry out door plug checks on yet another Boeing model – the 900ER. And in Europe, cities across Germany see a second week of mass protest against an AfD ‘re-migration’ policy.

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We are live in Davos where Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba tells CNBC he feels reassured by the Biden administration’s commitment to military aid for his country and that the tone of discussions remains constant. U.S. jobless claims hit a 16-month low while U.S. Tech stocks fuel a rebound on Wall Street. The Dow and the S&P 500, however, are set for their second negative week in three. In the Red Sea, Houthi rebels hit a U.S. owned commercial vessel just hours after President Joe Boden talks down the effectiveness of strikes on Yemen. KSA finance minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan tells this channel his country is desperate to de-escalate tensions in the region. Former BoE governor Mark Carney claims that whatever the result of the U.S. elections this November, the President will be faced with a rapidly transforming energy and intelligence scenario. In Washington, U.S. lawmakers manage to avert a partial government shutdown until March passing a stop-gap bill. And in M&A news, online community site Reddit is reportedly eyeing an IPO in early March, putting up to 10 per cent of its stock for sale.   

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European equities react negatively following hawkish comments from ECB President Christine Lagarde who warns not to expect interest rate cuts until the summer. In Davos we hear from outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who says centrist parties in Europe must be clearer on tough issues in the face of populist party challenges. We also speak to UK Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves who is positioning Labour as a pro-business party, with no plans to increase income tax. French President Emmanuel Macron issues a rallying cry for the EU project but bemoans the bloc’s fragmentation. Tech giant Apple will remove a blood oxygen feature from Apple watches after an appeals court reinstates a U.S. sales ban following an I.P. dispute with med-tech firm Masimo.

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China manages to attain its FY GDP targets, however its weak property sector and a fourth quarter miss drags on Asian equities. In Davos, we hear from Polish President Andrzej Duda who says he is not surprised that Ukraine refuses face-to-face talks with Moscow and warns military spending must increase in order to ward off Russian aggression in Europe. The U.S. launches fresh strikes on Houthi rebels in Yemen while the Iranian foreign minister tells CNBC that America is the root cause of the current tensions in the Middle East and Red Sea. Google CEO Ruth Porat says A.I. is the ‘great equaliser’, with the potential to help both the developed and developing world in areas of healthcare and food security. The U.S. 10-year Treasury yield tops 4 per cent after the Fed’s Christopher Waller calls for a more cautious approach to rate cuts later this year.

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Former U.S. President Donald Trump wins a resounding victory in the Iowa caucus, solidifying his position as the GOP presidential frontrunner. Florida governor Ron DeSantis pips Nikki Haley to second place while Vivek Ramaswamy bows out of the race. We are live in Davos at the World Economic Forum where ECB board member Robert Holzmann tells CNBC exclusively that the central bank may not cut interest rates at all this year. Holzmann warned those expecting cuts may be ‘deeply disappointed’. Meanwhile, IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva says she expects a soft landing for the global economy but that central banks are still exposed to risk this year. In the Gulf of Aden, Houthi rebels hit a U.S. owned commercial ship following last week’s U.S. and UK airstrikes. And in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng leads declines while the Dow is likely to open 100 points lower following the MLK Day long weekend.  

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Taiwan’s incumbent Democratic Progressive Party win a historic third term in office with incoming president Lai Ching-te resisting pressure for reunification with China. The Nikkei rallies to breach 36,000 points for the first time in almost 34 years while Wall Street posts its tenth week in the green out of eleven. U.S. banks kick off earnings season. JPMorgan and Bank of America both see a drop in profits while Citi also posts losses for the quarter. Former U.S. president Donald Trump leads GOP rival Nikki Haley by 28 points in the final NBC poll ahead of today’s Iowa caucus. And we are live in Davos, Switzerland where Ukraine peace talks have ended with scant progress, with the Russian contingent once again absent. We hear from the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, who says the current administration will never accept a frozen conflict.  

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