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☆ Hungary votes to approve Sweden's NATO membership
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Budapest, as Hungary remains the last NATO member to not ratify Sweden's bid to join NATO, on (Photo by Balint Szentgallay/NurPhoto via Getty Images)Hungary on Monday voted to approve Sweden's NATO accession bid, ending months of diplomatic negotiations and finalizing Stockholm's membership almost two years after it first applied to join the military alliance. Hungarian lawmakers voted in favor of Sweden's membership after overcoming long-standing opposition from governing party members led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The Scandinavian country will become the 32nd NATO member, coming under the fold of Article 5 of the treaty, which vows that an attack on one member is an attack on all of them. Sweden applied to join NATO in May 2022 — at the same time as Finland — in a historic overhaul of its policy of military non-alignment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While a vast majority of NATO members backed Stockholm's bid from its early days, Orban was resistant amid Swedish criticism over Hungary's democracy.

Persons: Ulf Kristersson, Viktor Orban, Balint Szentgallay, —, Orban Organizations: Swedish, Hungarian, NATO, Getty Images, Monday, Finland —, Gripen Locations: Budapest, Hungary, Sweden, Finland, Ukraine, Europe, Swedish

☆ Microsoft invests in Europe's Mistral AI to expand beyond OpenAI
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

watch nowMicrosoft on Monday announced a new partnership with French start-up Mistral AI – Europe's answer to ChatGPT maker OpenAI — as the U.S. tech giant seeks to expand its footprint in the fast-evolving artificial intelligence industry. It will also see Microsoft bolster the start-up's access to new customers as it rolls out its ChatGPT-style multilingual conversational assistant "Le Chat," or "the cat." Mistral AI logo is displayed on a mobile phone screen. Anadolu | Getty ImagesMicrosoft President Brad Smith said on Monday that the deal was an "important" signal of the company's backing of European technology. "What we're fundamentally agreeing to a long-term partnership with Mistral AI so that they can train and deploy their next generation models for AI on our AI data centres, our infrastructure, effective immediately," he added.

Persons: OpenAI —, Le, Brad Smith, Smith, CNBC's Karen Tso Organizations: Microsoft, Monday, French, Anadolu, Getty, Europe, Mobile, Congress, Mistral Locations: U.S, Barcelona, Spain

☆ With global stocks at all-time highs, investors can't shake off the fear factor
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A trader works during the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on March 17, 2020 at Wall Street in New York City. Global markets hit record highs this week as the frenzy around artificial intelligence boosted risk sentiment and hopes of a return to economic growth. But some investors have urged caution, suggesting that high tech valuations could put the rally at risk. European markets extended gains Friday after the Stoxx 600 index closed at an all-time high in the previous session. In Asia Pacific, Japan's Nikkei 225 closed at a new all-time high of 39,098.68 on Thursday, surpassing the previous record of 38,915.87 set in 1989.

Persons: Oliver Bäte, CNBC's, Germany's DAX Organizations: New York Stock Exchange, Wall, Global, Allianz, French CAC, Nikkei, U.S Locations: New York City, Europe, U.S, Asia

☆ European markets set to open mixed after Stoxx 600 closes at all-time high
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

European stocks looked set to open mixed Friday, shaking some positive momentum after the pan-European benchmark closed at a record high in the previous session. The Stoxx 600 index ended the session 0.82% higher at 495.1 Thursday, surpassing its previous record close of 494.35 on Jan. 5, 2022, LSEG data showed. Investors will digest earnings from Allianz, BASF and Standard Chartered on Friday, while fourth-quarter gross domestic product data is due from Germany. In Asia-Pacific, markets were mostly higher Friday, with China stocks rising for the ninth straight session as investors digested property prices data. The CSI 300 index was flat by midday trading after rising about 0.4% at the open, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng index dipped 0.2%.

Persons: Hong Organizations: Allianz, BASF, Standard Chartered, Nasdaq Locations: Germany, GfK, Asia, Pacific, China

☆ AI can 'disproportionately' help defend against cybersecurity threats, Google CEO Sundar Pichai says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-23 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Justin Sullivan | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesMunich, GERMANY — Rapid developments in artificial intelligence could help strengthen defenses against security threats in cyber space, according to Google CEO Sundar Pichai. Amid growing concerns about the potentially nefarious uses of AI, Pichai said that the intelligence tools could help governments and companies speed up the detection of — and response to — threats from hostile actors. But AI, I think actually, counterintuitively, strengthens our defense on cybersecurity," Pichai told delegates at Munich Security Conference at the end of last week. Sundar Pichai CEO at GoogleHowever, Pichai said that AI was also lowering the time needed for defenders to detect attacks and react against them. Google last week announced a new initiative offering AI tools and infrastructure investments designed to boost online security.

Persons: Sundar Pichai, Emily Chang, Justin Sullivan, Pichai, —, Hillary Clinton, Mark Hughes, DXC, Hughes, That's Organizations: APEC, Summit, Moscone West, Getty, Munich, Cybersecurity Ventures, Britain's, Cyber Security, Google, MSC, Adobe, IBM, Meta, Microsoft, Twitter, U.S, Iran's, Guard, CNBC Locations: San Francisco , California, San Francisco, Munich, GERMANY, cybersecurity, GCHQ, Russia, China, Iran

☆ Space nukes are raising tensions between Moscow and Washington. Here’s what you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Kari Bingen director of the aerospace security project and senior fellow in the international security program at the Centre for Strategic International Studies. Space-based anti-satellite nuclear weapons — or so-called space nukes — are a type of weapon designed to damage or destroy satellite systems. "It's an indiscriminate weapon," Bingen said. The deployment of a space-based nuclear weapon would mark a major advancement of Russia's military capabilities and a serious escalation of geopolitical tensions. Kari Bingen director of the aerospace security project and senior fellow in the international security program at the Centre for Strategic International Studies.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Alexander Ryumin, Mike Turner, Joe Biden, It's, Kari Bingen, Bingen, Juan Barreto, Putin, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Organizations: Sputnik, Chelyabinsk, Afp, Getty, U.S, White, CNBC, . House Intelligence, Bloomberg, Centre, Strategic International Studies, Analysts, Strategic International, United Nations Office, Outer Space Affairs, Elon Musk, Reuters, U.S ., Space Foundation, The, NATO, General, Saturday, Munich Security Conference Locations: Russian, Chelyabinsk Region, Chelyabinsk, Washington, Moscow, Russia, Ukraine, China, Bogota, U.S, The U.S

☆ Bank of England rate cuts likely later but larger, Goldman Sachs says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-20 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mike Kemp | In Pictures | Getty ImagesThe Bank of England is likely to hold interest rates higher for longer before slashing them more sharply than expected in the second half of the year, new forecasts from Goldman Sachs show. But it said the central bank was then likely to cut rates more quickly than previously anticipated as inflation shows signs of cooling. Goldman now sees five consecutive 25 basis point interest rate cuts this year, lowering rates from their current 5.25% to 4%. Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey said Tuesday that bets by investors on interest rate cuts this year were "not unreasonable," but resisted giving a timeline. Goldman said there was a 25% chance the BOE would delay rate cuts beyond June if wage growth and services inflation remained sticky.

Persons: Mike Kemp, Goldman Sachs, Goldman, BoE, Andrew Bailey, Bailey, Huw Pill, BOE Organizations: Bank of England, of England, Treasury, Bank Locations: City of London, London, United Kingdom

☆ 'China has a lot more to lose': U.S. considering sanctioning Chinese firms aiding Russia's war
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Russia's President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands during a meeting in Beijing on October 18, 2023. The provisions would mark the first direct penalties against Beijing despite long-held Western suspicions over its support for Russia's military operations. So I would hope China would calculate carefully that there are consequences around the corner for supporting Russia's violence and depravity in Ukraine." Asked whether the U.S. is considering similar sanctions on China as those proposed by the EU, U.S. A separate January report found that China has become key conduit in funnelling critical Western tech into Russia.

Persons: Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Sergei Guneyev, Gerald Connolly, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Connolly, Ben Cardin, Biden, Josep Borrell, Alexei Navalny Organizations: Afp, Getty, Congress, CNBC, Democratic, U.S . House, Foreign Relations, European Union, Beijing, Saturday, Munich Security, EU, U.S, Russia, U.S . National Security Council Locations: Beijing, Munich, GERMANY, The U.S, Russia, Ukraine, China, Washington, U.S

☆ 'It is urgent': European leaders appeal for greater support for Ukraine as Russia makes major gain
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's prime minister, speaks on day two of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, Feb. 17, 2024. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized a waning sense of urgency among delegates at the Munich Security Conference on Saturday as Moscow's full-scale offensive nearly enters its third year. "The sense of urgency is simply not clear enough in our discussions," Frederiksen told a lunchtime session. Denmark has now donated its entire artillery to Ukraine, Frederiksen said, urging other countries to do the same as the war marks its second anniversary on Feb. 24. The policymakers were speaking at the 7th Munich Ukrainian Lunch, hosted on the sidelines of the MSC by the Yalta European Strategy (YES) forum and Ukrainian non-profit the Victor Pinchuk Foundation.

Persons: Mette Frederiksen, Denmark's, Frederiksen, Putin, Radosław Sikorski, Victor Pinchuk, Tobias Billström, Bakhmut, Nikolay Denkov, Denkov, Genya Savilov, Hillary Clinton, —, Niall Ferguson, Clinton, Petr Pavel, Kaja Kallas, Alexander De Croo, Bulgaria Nikolay Denkov Organizations: Munich, Bloomberg, Getty, Kyiv, MSC, Yalta European Strategy, Victor, Victor Pinchuk Foundation, Sweden's, Moscow, 47th Mechanized Brigade, Bradley, Afp, Former, U.S, CNBC Locations: Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Ukraine, Danish, Denmark, Poland, Ukrainian, Avdiivka, Moscow, Russia, Europe, U.S, Donetsk, Western, Czech Republic, Republic of Estonia, Belgium, Bulgaria

☆ Global fragmentation is making 'rivals rather than collaborators,' Open Society Foundations president says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailGlobal fragmentation is making 'rivals rather than collaborators,' Open Society Foundations president saysThe new fragmented world order is likely to lead to more rivalries than collaborations between countries, Open Society Foundations president Mark Malloch-Brown says.

Persons: Mark Malloch, Brown Organizations: Society

☆ Trump will quit NATO, Hillary Clinton says, as anxiety mounts over U.S. commitment to the alliance
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

"He will pull us out of NATO," Clinton told attendees during a lunchtime session. watch nowU.S. Republican Senator Jim Risch, ranking member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, on Saturday dismissed talk of the U.S. quitting NATO, saying: "We have answered that question." Clinton said, however, that Trump could actually just refuse to fund the alliance. Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte earlier Saturday referenced constant "moaning and whining" at the event about the future of NATO under Trump. Indeed, Germany's defense minister said that his country's commitment to spend 2% of GDP on defense should be just the start, noting that the threshold could rise to 3.5% if necessary.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Raedle, Hillary Clinton, Clinton, doesn't, Jim Risch, Trump, Europe's, Mark Rutte, Olaf Scholz, Mette Frederiksen, Frederiksen, Jens Stoltenberg, CNBC's Silvia Amaro Organizations: U.S, Getty, NATO, Saturday, White, Munich Security Conference, Trump, Congress, Republican, Foreign Relations, United States Senate, CNBC, U.S . House, Representatives, Dutch, Danish Locations: Lago, West Palm Beach , Florida, MUNICH, Germany, U.S, Russia, Munich, Ukraine, Europe, NATO, United States

☆ Zelenskyy ready to take Donald Trump to Ukraine's front line
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, speaks during the 2024 Munich Security Conference on February 17, 2024 in Munich, Germany. Johannes Simon | Getty Images News | Getty ImagesMUNICH, Germany — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he was willing to take U.S. presidential hopeful Donald Trump, a long-time skeptic of Washington's support for Kyiv, to the war-battered front lines of Ukraine. "If Mr. Trump will come, I'm ready to go with him to the front lines," he added. The wartime president is also due to hold talks at the conference with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Czech President Petr Pavel, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen and Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, among others. The European Union earlier this month passed an additional funding bill of 50 billion euros ($54 billion) for Ukraine, overcoming longstanding opposition from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Johannes Simon, Donald Trump, Zelenskyy, Trump, Olaf Scholz, Emmanuel Macron, Kamala Harris, Petr Pavel, Mette Frederiksen, Mark Rutte, Viktor Orban, Democratic Sen, Chris Coons Organizations: Conference, Getty, Kyiv, Munich Security, CNBC, Ukraine, U.S, Dutch, European, Hungarian, Democrat, Democratic Locations: Ukraine, Munich, Germany, MUNICH, Kyiv, Czech, Danish, Avdiivka, U.S, Russia

☆ Germany's Scholz commits to spending 2% on defense 'in the 2020s, in the 2030s and beyond'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz arrives for the weekly federal government cabinet meeting on Oct. 11, 2023 in Berlin, Germany. MUNICH, Germany — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Saturday reaffirmed Berlin's commitment to spend 2% of the national gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, this year and over the longer term. "Germany will invest 2% of its GDP on defense in the 2020s, in the 2030s and beyond," Scholz told the Munich Security Conference. It comes as NATO members across Europe have committed to upping their defense spending. Eighteen of the US-led military alliance's 31 members will meet the 2% spending target this year, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, Stoltenberg, Donald Trump Organizations: Munich Security, Reuters, NATO Locations: Berlin, Germany, MUNICH, Europe, Russia

☆ 'There's everything to play for' in U.S. election, Open Society Foundations president says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'There's everything to play for' in U.S. election, Open Society Foundations president saysMark Malloch-Brown, president of the Open Society Foundations, discusses the upcoming election cycle and the potential re-election of Donald Trump as U.S. president.

Persons: Mark Malloch, Brown, Donald Trump Organizations: Society, Open Society Locations: U.S

☆ U.S. troops will be on the front lines against Russia without further Ukraine aid, Senator Coons says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

MUNICH, Germany — The U.S. faces the prospect of direct combat with Russia if it fails to provide continued financial and military support for forces on the ground in Ukraine, U.S. Democratic Sen. Chris Coons said Friday. Calling for bipartisan support from the U.S. House of Representatives for a new $95 billion aid package that includes funds for Ukraine, Coons said that investment in Europe was the U.S.' best defense against Moscow. "In the next front against Russia, it will be Americans on the front lines," Coons told CNBC's Silvia Amaro at the Munich Security Conference. Without doing so, Coons said Putin was likely to target a NATO ally next. "If we don't stop Putin in Ukraine, he will next be attacking NATO allies of the United States," he said.

Persons: Sen, Chris Coons, Democratic Sen, Coons, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Vladimir, Putin, Joe Biden Organizations: Senate Armed Services, Foreign Relations, Capitol, Washington , D.C, Democratic, U.S . House, Ukraine, Moscow, Russia, Munich Security, U.S, Senate, NATO Locations: Afghanistan, Washington ,, MUNICH, Germany, The U.S, Russia, Ukraine, U.S, Europe, United States

☆ What to expect as the 'Davos of Defense' kicks off in Munich with beefed up security
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

MUNICH, Germany — Security forces descended on Munich, Germany on Friday as global leaders gathered for the city's annual security conference, which this year looks likely to be among the most consequential in its 60-year history. Dubbed the "Davos of Defense," the Munich Security Conference will see an estimated 60 heads of state and over 85 government officials meet for three days in the Bavarian city to discuss current and future global security issues. Front and center this weekend will be the ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East — and the potential paths to resolution. Rising tensions in the Indo-Pacific, NATO expansion, and the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House are also expected to be high on the agenda. Still, Trump's support for the Kremlin was seemingly rebuffed Wednesday when Russian President Vladimir Putin said he would prefer a "more predictable" President Joe Biden to win the 2024 U.S. election.

Persons: Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, Joe Biden Organizations: Davos of Defense, Munich, NATO, Trump, Kremlin Locations: MUNICH, Germany, Munich, Davos, Bavarian, Europe, Russia

Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny attends a rally in support of political prisoners in Prospekt Sakharova Street in Moscow, Russia on September 29, 2019. Sefa Karacan | Anadolu | Getty ImagesWorld leaders and the wife of prominent Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny reacted with dismay and suspicion to reports of the Kremlin critic's death in a Siberian penal colony. Yulia Navalnaya, Navalny's wife, was greeted on Friday with a standing ovation as she addressed the Munich Security Conference. "Alexei Navalny has been a strong voice for freedom, for democracy, for many years, and NATO and NATO allies have called for his immediate release for a long time." "We'll be talking to the many other countries concerned about Alexei Navalny, especially if these reports bear out to be true."

Persons: Alexei Navalny, Sefa, Yulia Navalnaya, Navalnaya, Vladimir Putin, Putin, …, Kai Pfaffenbach, Wagner, Yevgeny Prigozhin —, Navalny's, Navalny, Kamala Harris, Washington, Jens Stoltenberg, Yulia Morozova, Ursula von der Leyen, von der Leyen, Antony Blinken, Rishi Sunak, Olaf Scholz Organizations: Anadolu, Getty, Munich Security, Reuters, Ministry, Munich, NATO, IK Locations: Moscow, Russia, Munich, Germany, Vladimir, Russian

☆ Brexit Britain has 'significantly underperformed' other advanced economies, Goldman Sachs says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Pro-EU demonstrators protest outside Parliament against Brexit on the fourth anniversary of Britain's official departure from the European Union in London, United Kingdom on January 31, 2024. LONDON — Post-Brexit Britain has "significantly underperformed" other advanced economies since the 2016 EU referendum, according to new analysis from Goldman Sachs, which aims to quantify the economic cost of the Leave vote. Goldman Sachs attributed the economic shortfall to three key factors: reduced trade; weaker business investment; and labor shortages as a result of lower immigration from the EU. The U.K. voted 52% to 48% to leave the EU on June 23, 2016, but officially exited the union on Jan. 31, 2020. Over that period until today, U.K. goods trade has underperformed other advanced economies by around 15% since the Leave vote, according to the bank's estimates, while business investment has fallen "notably short" of pre-referendum levels.

Persons: Goldman Sachs Organizations: EU, Brexit, European Union, LONDON Locations: London, United Kingdom, LONDON —

☆ 10-year Treasury yield is little changed as investors look ahead to key inflation print
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

The 10-year Treasury yield held steady at 4.168%, and the yield on the 2-year Treasury was little changed at 4.474%. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was flat on Tuesday, as investors look ahead to key inflation data. The consumer price index report is slated for release at 8:30 a.m. Economists polled by Dow Jones expect CPI to have risen 0.2% month over month in January and 2.9% year over year. The producer price index, retail sales figures and further data points are also slated for release later in the week.

Persons: Dow Jones Organizations: Treasury, CPI, Federal Reserve

☆ China and Russia no longer perceived as top security threats, research finds
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-13 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

China and Russia are considered less of a threat to Western populations now than a year ago, as public concern pivots to non-traditional risks such as mass migration and radical Islam, new research said. Public perception of traditional hard security risks remains higher now than three years ago but has fallen since 2022, the year Russia invaded Ukraine, survey results from the Munich Security Index 2024 showed. Top of the agenda will be the ongoing wars between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas, as well as NATO expansion and a potential return of Donald Trump to the White House. In the polling of 12,000 people across G7 countries plus Brazil, India, China and South Africa, few Western respondents believed that their country would be more secure and wealthy in 10 years' time. By contrast, most of those in emerging economies thought they would be better off financially and in political terms.

Persons: Donald Trump Organizations: Munich Security Locations: China, Russia, Ukraine, Munich, Israel, Brazil, India, South Africa

☆ L'Oreal shares down 7% on lower-than-expected sales, slowdown in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

LONDON — L'Oreal shares fell more than 7.3% in early deals Friday, before slightly paring losses, as the company reported lower-than-expected sales and pointed to a slowdown in demand in Asia. The world's largest beauty brand on Thursday reported fourth-quarter sales below estimates, rising 2.8% to 10.6 billion euros. Barclays analysts had anticipated a figure near 10.9 billion euros, according to Reuters. The company also logged a 7.6% increase in 2023 full-year sales to 41.18 billion euros ($44.37 billion). The quarterly shortfall was led by activity in North Asia, including China, where sales fell 6.2% over the three-month period.

Organizations: LONDON, L'Oreal, Barclays, Reuters Locations: Asia, London, North Asia, China, Europe, North America

☆ European markets set to open mixed as investors digest fresh economic data; German inflation falls
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European markets are set to open mixed Friday as investors digest the latest slew of corporate earnings and look ahead to fresh economic data. German inflation fell in January to 3.1%, new data from the the federal statistical office showed Friday. Regional markets closed slightly lower on Thursday as investors digested a slew of earnings from Unilever, Societe Generale, Maersk, Siemens and Adyen. In Asia-Pacific, Japan's Nikkei hit fresh 34-year highs on Friday, while most markets were either fully or partially closed for the Lunar New Year holiday. Stateside, U.S. futures were lower Friday morning after the S&P 500 crossed the historic 5,000 milestone for the first time during intraday trading.

Organizations: Unilever, Societe Generale, Maersk, Siemens, Adyen, Nikkei Locations: Italy, Asia

☆ Shipping giant Maersk suspends share buybacks amid Red Sea disruption, flags 2024 earnings uncertainty
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON — Danish shipping giant Maersk on Thursday flagged "high uncertainty" in its 2024 earnings outlook as Red Sea disruptions continued to weigh on the industry. The company also said that it would be suspending share buybacks on the back of the uncertainty. Maersk said it expected underlying EBITDA (or earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization) of between $1 billion and $6 billion this year, compared to the $9.6 billion recorded in 2023. "The impact of this situation is causing new uncertainty for how this is going to play out from an earnings perspective throughout the year," CEO Vincent Clerc told CNBC's "Squawk Box Europe." Global supply chains have faced serious disruption since late 2023 after major shipping companies began diverting journeys away from the Red Sea following a string of attacks by Yemen's Houthi rebels.

Persons: Maersk, Vincent Clerc, CNBC's, Yemen's Houthi Organizations: LONDON Locations: Ocean, Iran, Gaza, Israel

☆ 'Stability is fragile': An overlooked European conflict zone is at a tipping point between peace and combat
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The clash broke out in the village when a group of armed Serbs blocked a bridge with two trucks. A shootout erupted after the group opened fire on police, leaving one police officer dead and another injured. Relations between Serbia and Kosovo, which have been fraught since the pair's brutal conflict in the 1990s, remain delicate one year on from a tentative agreement on a new path to normalization. We cannot take peace and stability for granted," Miroslav Lajčák, EU special representative for the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue and Western Balkans, told CNBC in Davos, Switzerland last month. The Belgrade-Pristina dialogue is a series of talks facilitated by the European Union designed to ease hostilities between the neighboring southeastern European countries.

Persons: Milan Radoicic, Vudi Xhymshiti, Miroslav Lajčák Organizations: Kosovo Police, Kosovo Serb, Milan, Anadolu Agency, Getty Images, Belgrade, CNBC, European Union Locations: Banjska, Zvecan, Kosovo, Davos, SWITZERLAND, Russia, Ukraine, EU, Serbia, Pristina, Balkans, Switzerland, Belgrade, Serbs

☆ Dutch far-right Geert Wilders' hopes of becoming prime minister sink after coalition talks collapse
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

LONDON — Far-right Dutch lawmaker Geert Wilders' hopes of becoming prime minister of the Netherlands are dwindling after coalition talks fell into disarray Tuesday. Wilders took to social media Tuesday evening to berate Omtzigt's withdrawal, calling the decision "incredibly disappointing." I don't understand it at all," Wilders wrote in a post on X, according to a Google translation. However, former Labor Party minister Ronald Plasterk, who has been leading the talks, earlier flagged finances as a major sticking point in talks. Alternatively, if no combination of parties can agree to form a coalition, a new election could be called.

Persons: Geert Wilders, Pieter Omtzigt, vexing Wilders, Wilders, Omtzigt's, Omtzigt, Mark Rutte, Caroline van der Plas, Ronald Plasterk, European Union —, Plasterk, Frans Timmermans Organizations: Party for Freedom, NSC, BBB, Labor, Reuters, European Union, Labour, Green Locations: Netherlands, Dutch, Europe

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