Squawk Box Europe Express

In the U.S. First Republic Bank scrambles to secure a rescue deal as its share price plunges on collapse fears. Deutsche Bank posts its strongest quarterly profit for a decade. The lender reported pre-tax of earnings of €1.9bn and €12bn of inflows. In tech news, Meta shares are at a 14-month high following its first sales rise in three quarters. CEO Mark Zuckerberg insists investment in AI and the metaverse will continue. And Microsoft is denied its acquisition of Activision Blizzard by the UK competition watchdog.  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wall Street is in the red across all three major indices which have suffered their deepest declines this month after First Republic Bank reports more than $100bn of deposit outflows for the first quarter. Standard Chartered beats forecasts with pre-tax profits surging 21 per cent in Q1 on high interest rates and rising trading income. Google parent Alphabet announces a $70bn share buyback and beats forecasts which sends its stock price higher in extended trade. Microsoft follows suit with a beat on estimates thanks to a robust performance from its cloud business. And a potential 2024 U.S. presidential re-match with Donald Trump is on the cards in the U.S. following Joe Biden’s announcement he will run for re-election.  

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 Zurich where UBS has posted a 52 per cent drop in net profit for the first quarter. The lender says it does, however, see strong inflows of net new money and highlights its stability ahead of the integration of Credit Suisse. Meanwhile, Santander tops estimates to post a €2.5bn net profit and says it is on track to meet 2023 targets. Deposits at First Republic Bank have fallen by $100bn in Q1, causing the share price plunging. The lender is also set to slash up to 25 per cent of jobs. We hear from Standard Chartered CEO Bill Winters who says that the recent banking crisis is now over. And in luxury news, LVMH becomes the first European company to hit $500bn in market value on the back of a 17 per cent surge in Q1 revenue.  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Credit Suisse posts an adjusted pre-tax loss of CHF1.3bn following net Q1 outflows of CHF60bn. The Dow snaps a 4-week winning streak following last week’s U.S. bank earnings with investors bracing themselves for results from the tech sector. Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is reportedly set to list its logistics arm in Hong Kong. Several investment banks are interested in under-writing the IPO. And in Germany security workers stage a one-day walk-out over a wage dispute, causing all flights from Berlin to be cancelled.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tesla appears to hike U.S. prices for its Model S and X cars following yesterday’s share slump by almost 10 per cent as investors scrutinized falling margins. Meanwhile, Mercedes-Benz posts a 15 per cent Q1 return on net sales. Preliminary results also show strong sales and robust pricing. Asian markets are in the red with bond yields coming in lower on the back of several poor U.S. corporate earnings and concerning data reports. We speak to French Trade Minister Olivier Becht who says his country is returning to ‘business as usual’ following the passing of President Macron’s highly unpopular pensions reforms. Demonstrations, however, continue, with rail workers striking and protestors targeting the Euronext exchange in Paris.  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Tesla shares are down in extended trade after posting a 24 per cent fall in Q1 net profit. In a conference call, CEO Elon Musk says that following a series of price cuts, he accepts a loss in profits in exchange for growth in sales and market share. U.S. markets are steady following positive results from Morgan Stanley while regional lender Western Alliance shrugs off deposit concerns. This, as the Federal Reserve warns that banks are tightening credit access. We hear exclusively from Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu who warns against Chinese involvement in brokering peace in the Middle East. And in retail news, L’Oréal sees sales surge 30 per cent in the first quarter in Europe and North America. However, performance in China is flat since the country’s emergence from strict Covid regulations.  

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

There are mixed first quarter results for U.S. banks. Goldman Sachs posts a revenue miss while pulling away from its consumer business but BofA beats on higher rates despite CEO Brian Moynihan warning of a recession in the second half of the year. Streaming giant Netflix records a beat on EPS while missing out on revenue after delaying a clampdown on password sharing. Shares have clawed back ground after plunging by 12 per cent in afterhours trade. Atlanta Federal Reserve President Raphael Bostic tells CNBC he believes in a May rate hike and then pause to assess how tightening is affecting the U.S. economy. And in media news, Fox News settles with electoral machine maker Dominion for $788m over its reporting of the 2020 U.S. presidential election.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Chinese GDP grows by 4.5 per cent in the first quarter – faster than expected – following the lifting of strict Covid restrictions back in December. Manufacturing and retail have also show strong signs of rebounding. In the U.S., financial groups Charles Schwab, State Street and M&T witness combined deposit outflows of almost $60bn as investors flee to seek out higher returns. Apple announces it is launching its own higher-yield account. Asian indices are down but Wall Street remains buoyant ahead of further key bank earnings due later today. French President Emmanuel Macron uses a prime time TV address to the nation to defend his controversial pension reforms.   

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

U.S. banking earnings see JP Morgan post record Q1 revenues while Citi and Wells Fargo also beat expectations. In France, President Macron signs his controversial pension reform bill into law after the country’s highest court backed the bill and rejected calls for a referendum. Paris saw further protests over the weekend as a result. ECB policymakers have said that the recent banking turmoil has prompted a re-think about the rate hiking path, but Portuguese central bank governor Mario Centeno and his Finnish counterpart Ollie Rehn have told CNBC that pausing prematurely would be wrong. In pharma news, Merck reports promising test results for its mRNA cancer vaccine, while also sealing its $11 billion merger with biotech firm Prometheus. 

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 record their best performance so far this month as U.S. PPI data comes in softer than expected. IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva tells CNBC the Fed must persist in its fight to rein in inflation. We also hear from Austrian bank governor Robert Holzmann who says that recent financial instability may require a stronger rate hike response from the ECB. Paris sees further violence following pension reform demonstrations. Dozens of the capital’s transport workers stormed the headquarters of LVMH ahead of a key ruling from the French constitutional council. And in banking news, HSBC has warned that shareholders’ proposals to restructure the bank will significantly hit dividend payouts. 

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.