The Dow plunges almost 300 points on the back of perceived Fed hesitation with minutes showing uncertainty about rate cuts. Richmond Fed President Thomas Barkin told CNBC colleagues Stateside he will not rule out hikes. Chinese services activity hit a five-month high but this is offset by a poor employment report which has led to calls for more monetary easing. Disney wins the backing of twin hedge funds as it attempts to see off challenges from activist investor Nelson Peltz. Spanish telco Telefonica agrees a deal with unions as it launches a cost-cutting drive affecting up to 20 per cent of its workforce. And in energy news, markets are on edge with oil spiking following a bomb attack in Iran which killed around 100 people.

SQUAWK BOX, THURSDAY 4TH JANUARY, 2024

CNBC's flagship show in Europe sets you up with everything you need to know for the European business day. Anchors Steve Sedgwick, Karen Tso and Arabile Gumede engage in unscripted and dynamic debate on the day's top stories. They are joined by leading business executives, policymakers, financial strategists, fund managers and other newsmakers to provide original points of view and instant analysis of the latest business news and key market themes.

Business

Investing

Careers

Management & Marketing

Business News

Shopping

News

U.S. futures are up following the long Memorial Day weekend as investors speculate about the next inflation print. Israel launches an investigation into an airstrike that killed dozens of Gazan civilians in Rafah. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the ‘tragic’ incident was caused by a technical failure. French President Emmanuel Macron has made a speech denouncing authoritarian regimes during a state visit to Germany ahead of next month’s European Parliament elections. In the UK, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer receives a boost from business as 120 of the sector’s leaders throw their support behind his party while Lord Mayor of London Michael Mainelli tells CNBC the UK requires a business-friendly approach to immigration.

U.S. futures up following holiday weekend

Nvidia powers the Nasdaq to a fresh record high, and its fifth straight positive week but the Dow tails off, closing down more than 2 percent for the week. Chinese industrial profits bounce back to growth in April, providing a boost to policymakers as they try to reignite the world's second largest economy. G7 finance ministers hit out at China's trade policies, while edging closer to a deal that would see a fresh loan to Ukraine using seized Russian assets. And French President Emmanuel Macron kicks off a rare state visit to Germany, urging voters to reject the far right in European parliamentary elections.

Nvidia powers the Nasdaq to a fresh record high and its fifth straight positive week

We are live in Paris at Vivatech where Tesla CEO Elon Musk slams President Joe Biden’s China EV tariffs, telling CNBC his company is very competitive in the country without them. French President Emmanuel Macron tells our U.S. colleagues exclusively that Europe is lagging behind the U.S. in the field of A.I. and that France should be leading the field in innovation. Nvidia shares pop on Wall Street but it’s not enough to reverse a losing session off the back of strong jobs and manufacturing data Stateside. On this side of the Atlantic, UK retail numbers disappoint, potentially heaping pressure on European equities. And speaking at the G-7 on the shores of Lake Maggiore, Italy, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen calls for greater cooperation among the member countries in the face of Chinese overcapacity.

'I'm not in favour of China tariffs,' says Musk

Tech giant Nvidia smashes Q1 expectations with record AI chips sales. The share prices soars beyond the $1,000 mark in extended trade. The Federal Reserve minutes reveal continuing concerns over lingering inflation which has impacted Wall Street. We hear from JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon in Shanghai who says the sticky inflation could still yield a hard landing. Miner Anglo American rejects BHP’s improved offer for a third time but also extends merger talks for a further week. UK Prime Minister announces the country will go to the polls on Thursday 4th July.

Nvidia shares top $1,000 on stellar Q1 results

Microsoft holds its developer conference where CEO Satya Nadella hails the tech giant’s new A.I. software. However, Amazon says its decision to hold out and wait for Nvidia’s more powerful offering was a mutual decision between the two companies. Wall Street predicts Nvidia earnings could triple amid particularly choppy trade. U.S. equities once again hit fresh new highs on rate cut timing speculation. Our colleagues Stateside hear from Christopher Waller who urges patience and says he requires ‘several more months’ of favourable inflation data. And in the UK, headline CPI is due to fall close to the BoE’s 2 per cent target. Governor Andrew Bailey signals a rate cut is appearing on the horizon.

SQUAWK BOX, THURSDAY 4TH JANUARY, 2024

Download our free app to listen on your phone