Kevin McCarthy gives his first interview since leaving his role as House Speaker, weighing in on the 2024 election, supporting former President Trump, and the opportunities afoot for the Republican Party. Semafor business and finance editor Liz Hoffman has a scoop: a group of lawyers and investors are planning a lawsuit, targeting corporate DEI policies and claiming those policies have hurt shareholders. Boeing CEO David Calhoun is under pressure to fix the fuselage issues on the now-grounded 73...
Jan 09, 2024•34 min
171 Boeing 737 Max 9 aircrafts have been grounded after a door plug blew out of a plane in the middle of an Alaska Airlines flight over the weekend. CNBC’s Phil LeBeau explains what happened on that flight and what happens now at Boeing and the airlines that carry these crafts . Former FAA Administrator and pilot J. Randolph Babbitt discusses industry concerns and airline safety regulation. The crypto community awaits the SEC’s decision on spot Bitcoin ETFs ; former SEC chair Jay Clayton is expe...
Jan 08, 2024•31 min
The last jobs report of 2023 came in much better than economists expected, but former Fed Vice Chair Roger Ferguson projects a cautious road forward. Other good economic news: America’s burgeoning electric vehicle industry. U.S Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is seeing the “diminishment of demand” for gasoline in America, but she’s confident in the country’s EV manufacturing future, from charging stations to battery supply chains. Despite good economic news, American sentiment remains low . H...
Jan 05, 2024•38 min
Eli Lilly will now sell weight loss drugs directly to consumers . In a big move, the drugmaker has announced LillyDirect, a platform that uses telehealth to improve consumer access to weight loss drugs like Lilly’s Mounjaro and its recently approved Zepbound . CNBC’s Bertha Coombs explains the impact LillyDirect will have on health care and on pharmacy benefit providers like those of CVS, UnitedHealth, and Cigna. Primary care physician Dr. Kavita Patel underscores the health care access problem ...
Jan 04, 2024•34 min
Claudine Gay has resigned from her post as Harvard University President amid plagiarism allegations and pressure from Harvard’s donors. Crisis management expert Eric Dezenhall explains the shareholder mindsets of the university’s donors and the role they play in the future of higher education and the workforce. Another shareholder fight is underway at Disney ; activists ValueAct and Blackwells are backing Bob Iger and Disney in the ongoing proxy battle with another activist investor, Nelson Pelt...
Jan 03, 2024•33 min
2024 trading begins after a strong market finish to 2023 , with the Nasdaq 100 closing its best year since 1999. Just over 300 days before the 2024 election, former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is pushing for an option outside of President Biden and President Trump. Once on the Presidential ticket himself, Lieberman started nonprofit No Labels, which hopes to offer a third, bipartisan, centrist “unity ticket” to the Americans unsatisfied with the current political playing field. Plus 2023 w...
Jan 02, 2024•29 min
Google might owe you $5,000. This week, the tech giant settled a $5b lawsuit over ‘incognito mode.’ The Boeing 737 Max is once again suffering a quality issue. The company’s best-selling jetliner must now be checked for a ‘possible loose bolt’ before reaching customers. Global energy prices are ending a year of fluctuation, most recently because of shipping interruptions to the fleet originally routed through the Red Sea and Suez Canal . Energy expert Helima Croft explains the oil supply chain a...
Dec 29, 2023•29 min
The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft over copyright infringement, opening big media’s first legal case against content use in training large language models. Tusk Ventures CEO Bradley Tusk explains the timing and the repercussions of this action for tech innovation and the future of news. Apple’s sales in 2023 have declined, but Apple’s stock is soaring . CNBC’s Steve Kovach discusses the company’s headwinds and tailwinds, as well as the temporary pause on a ban of some US Apple Watc...
Dec 28, 2023•32 min
NASA and Apple engineer turned YouTube sensation Mark Rober shares his joy for inventing–and how he’s cashing in on the broad appeal of his glitter bomb packages, squirrel obstacle courses, engineering projects, and kids excited to learn while they play. Media analyst Paul Dergarabedian considers the box office’s bumpy ride in 2023. Between Hollywood strikes and shifting viewer tastes, Dergarabedian says that streaming has an edge. For streamers on Amazon Prime, though, ads are coming ! And in t...
Dec 27, 2023•30 min
7.5 million travelers are hitting the skies between Christmas and New Years this year, passing the pre-pandemic record of 7.2 million. International president of the Association of Flight Attendants Sara Nelson discusses the pilots and flight attendants renegotiating contracts and managing unruly passengers during a busy holiday schedule. And the “she-cession” may be over, but Yale Lecturer and journalist Joanne Lipman warns that working women may lose many of their workplace participation gains...
Dec 26, 2023•34 min
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) returns to Squawk Pod for its annual tradition: tracking Santa Claus’s Christmas journey through the night sky. Deputy Commander of the Continental US NORAD Region Major-General S.T. Boyle explains how Rudolph helps light the way for Santa and for NORAD tracking his progress. Also spreading holiday cheer, chef, restaurateur, and author of “Eat, Drink, and Be Murray” cookbook, Andy Murray. Murray shares family recipes and stories from his Caddy...
Dec 22, 2023•32 min
Markets are confused, at least according to some economists . The markets snapped 7 straight weeks of gains this week, as Wall Street interpreted the Federal Reserve’s pivot from hiking rates to cutting them. Chief economics correspondent at The Wall Street Journal Nick Timiraos penned a splashy op-ed pointing to confusion among investors and Fed governors. Elon Musk biographer and Tulane professor Walter Isaacson discusses the billionaire’s tendency to polarize his advertisers and consumers. Pl...
Dec 21, 2023•38 min
The market rally surges on , after the Federal Reserve announced its pivot . Former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh discusses the rally and the Fed’s next move. FedEx shares tumbled after disappointing Wall Street in its second quarter report and lowering its revenue guidance; Broughton Capital’s Donald Broughton explains why this company is often considered a bellwether for macroeconomic conditions. CNBC’s Steve Liesman reveals America’s public opinion on its billionaires, and coming out on top was th...
Dec 20, 2023•45 min
The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group backed by Iran, have amped up attacks on ships traveling through the Suez Canal since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas War. Director of Harvard’s Belfer Center Meghan O’Sullivan explains the disruptions to global shipping and the geopolitics at play in the Red Sea. The AI arms race is set to enter a new year, as 2023 winds down. CNBC’s Technology Correspondent Steve Kovach discusses Microsoft, Nvidia, and other winners so far, and Activate CEO Michael Wolf expl...
Dec 19, 2023•27 min
As holiday travel ramps up, Southwest Airlines is landed with a $140 million fine for last holiday season’s travel meltdown. U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg emphasizes airline obligations to passengers, as well as the infrastructure needed to protect American consumers and travelers. Companies must now disclose cyberattacks in a timely manner, in compliance with new rules from the SEC. Former CEO of FireEye and current Mandiant CEO Kevin Mandia explains the implications of this new ...
Dec 18, 2023•36 min
The Senate will wait another week to go on holiday recess, after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer delayed the break until lawmakers reach a deal on immigration and foreign aid. Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Ok.) discusses the packages for Ukraine, Israel, and securing America’s own border. After a meeting in St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Venezuela President Maduro and Guyana President Arfaan Ali have not reached a resolution to their territorial dispute. Former international correspondent ...
Dec 15, 2023•34 min
Federal Reserve Chair Jay Powell surprised Wall Street with his announcement of a more dovish approach to inflation , moving forward. Powell signaled a 2024 of rate cuts from the central bank. OpenAI scored a deal with Politico and Business Insider parent Axel Springer, the company’s second deal with a news organization. Tulane Professor and Perella Weinberg Advisory Partner Walter Isaacson discusses AI’s role in newsrooms and the deals’ impacts on journalism. The Project Liberty founder Frank M...
Dec 14, 2023•32 min
Billionaire investor, Home Depot co-founder, and NYU Langone Health board chair Ken Langone discusses his latest market buys, his calls for pharma stocks, and his apprehension about investing in China. Former SEC Chair and University of Pennsylvania professor Jay Clayton joins Ken Langone in a discussion about leadership on American college campuses in the aftermath of controversial testimonies from university presidents on Capitol Hill. Plus, Netflix has released viewership numbers, Presidents ...
Dec 13, 2023•34 min
In a recent op-ed , Ariel Investments Co-CEOs Mellody Hobson and John Rogers predict investors’ best bets for 2024. Hobson and Rogers explain why, after a big year for tech’s ‘magnificent seven, ’ it may be time to cash in on smaller stocks. Boomers are driving spending! Bank of America Institute has released new data on consumer spending in November; head of the Institute Liz Everett Krisberg discusses the highlights, including spending trends across Gen Z, millennials, Gen X, and boomers. Plus...
Dec 12, 2023•31 min
Occidental Petroleum will buy CrownRock for $12 billion, deepening its foothold in the Permian basin. Energy expert and author of “The New Map: Energy, Climate and the Clash of Nations” Daniel Yergin explains what the recent flurry of oil industry mergers means for geopolitics. The FDA has approved treatment for sickle cell disease , the first treatment to use the gene-editing tool CRISPR. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb discusses a treatment’s journey from lab to patients, as well as...
Dec 11, 2023•30 min
After the presidents of Harvard, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania testified on Capitol Hill this week, UPenn President Elizabeth Magill’s comments sparked backlash among the public and one of her colleagues. Concerns that university presidents are equivocating on the issue of condemning antisemitism on their campuses has prompted a nationwide debate over the role of academia and the business of higher education . President of Brandeis University Ron Liebowitz says, there’s no gray area in...
Dec 08, 2023•30 min
Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) discusses her concerns about cryptocurrency, after big bank CEOs appeared before Congress this week. It turns out, Sen. Warren and JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon agree on the dangers of bitcoin . JetBlue and Spirit await the fate of their proposed merger. Columbia Law School Professor and former advisor in the Biden administration Tim Wu explains his perspective on airline consolidation : it isn’t great for consumers. In an op-ed in The New York Times, Wu concl...
Dec 07, 2023•41 min
Bitcoin is building on its upward momentum . Robinhood co-founder and CEO Vlad Tenev discusses the 75% increase in crypto trading volume from October to November, what’s behind the crypto rally, and how the Federal Reserve’s decisions play out for retail investors. Former Congresswoman and ‘Oath and Honor’ author Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.) discusses the 2024 presidential election, her efforts to prevent a Donald Trump reelection, and the state of her own party, the GOP. Plus, former U.S. ambassador to ...
Dec 06, 2023•36 min
Bitcoin hit $42,000 for the first time in over 19 months; crypto investor and bitcoin bull Anthony Pompliano discusses the asset’s rise , regulatory tailwinds for the U.S. crypto companies, and the crypto community’s worldview on central banks and stores of value. In a thoughtful discussion, author, Harvard professor, The Atlantic contributing writer and fellow podcaster Arthur Brooks considers the toll America’s polarizing political climate is taking on the average citizen’s happiness. As tensi...
Dec 05, 2023•29 min
After Fed Chair Jay Powell’s comments on Friday, investors are hopeful that the Federal Reserve is done hiking interest rates, and the interest rate environment has led to highs in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, gold prices , and bitcoin. Restaurateur Cameron Mitchell shares his consumer’s spending habits in the inflationary environment, including new trends in how Americans are dining out. Plus, Israeli forces announced an expansion of ground attacks against Hamas in Gaza, Yemen’s Iran-backe...
Dec 04, 2023•30 min
“I’m an accidental guru.” This is the second episode of a series remembering and celebrating billionaire investor Charlie Munger. At age 99, the right-hand man to Berkshire Hathaway Chairman Warren Buffett sat down with Becky Quick in what became their last interview together - after years of Becky covering the company and facilitating shareholder questions at the raucous Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meetings . Munger passed away two weeks after this interview was recorded, just a month shy of his ...
Dec 02, 2023•45 min
He was irreverent, he was focused, he was one of the world’s most successful investors. And he was one of a kind. Billionaire investor Charlie Munger - the longtime right-hand man and close friend of Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett - died at age 99, a few weeks shy of what would have been his 100th birthday.. Becky Quick, Squawk Box co-host, interviewed Munger two weeks before his death. She traveled to his home in Los Angeles for a discussion on how to live a long life, pragmatic investin...
Dec 02, 2023•34 min
Chris Krebs, cybersecurity expert and former CISA Director, explains the online threats from China, Russia, and others, as the 2024 election draws nearer. As respiratory illnesses surge in Ohio and in China, Dr. Kavita Patel, Stanford University Professor of Medicine and former White House official, discusses the global health surveillance system set in place since the Covid-19 pandemic. Plus, the temporary ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas War has ended. Other headlines today: Tesla’s Cybertrucks a...
Dec 01, 2023•32 min
Elon Musk’s interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at the NYT DealBook Summit has gone viral, in part thanks to Musk’s message to advertisers pulling their ad spend from his platform: “Go f— yourself.” In a wide-ranging interview, the X owner and Tesla CEO apologizes for the post on X, FKA Twitter, responding to an antisemitic post. He discusses his own mental health, his trip to Israel, his original vision for OpenAI when he co-founded and named it, and so much more. Andrew Ross Sorkin recaps the hi...
Nov 30, 2023•36 min
Academy Award-winning producer and bestselling author Brian Grazer is out with a new book, “A Curious Mind Expanded: The Secret to a Bigger Life.” The creative behind “A Beautiful Mind,” “Apollo 13, “Arrested Development,” and “The DaVinci Code,” among others, weighs in on Hollywood’s strikes, AI in art, and the ways he keeps his mind curious and growing. Two Federal Reserve governors are pointing to the end of rate hikes, Mark Cuban is selling his stake in the Dallas Mavericks, and Disney CEO B...
Nov 29, 2023•25 min
