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☆ Shares of Italy's UniCredit jump 10% and hit eight-year high on earnings beat
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

A logo on the UniCredit SpA headquarters in Milan, Italy, on Saturday Jan. 22, 2022. Shares of Italian bank UniCredit hit their highest level since 2015 on Monday, after announcing that it would return 8.6 billion euros ($9.2 billion) to investors on the back of higher-than-expected profits. The Milan-based bank shared details of the planned payout after reporting fourth-quarter profits of 1.9 billion euros, almost three times analysts' expectations. Shares of the stock were up 10% by 11 a.m. London time. The payout, which will be delivered through a combination of buybacks and dividends, follows a strong year for the bank, which has been buoyed by higher interest rates.

Locations: Milan, Italy, London

☆ Why is Switzerland home to so many billionaires?
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Switzerland is populated with billionaires — there's one for every 80,000 people. As of 2022, the country was home to an estimated 110 billionaires with a combined wealth of $338 billion, outranking other super-rich hotspots such as Saudi Arabia, Singapore and the United Arab Emirates. Swiss residents are also among the richest in the world, with a mean net worth of almost $700,000, ahead of U.S. and Hong Kong. So, what makes Switzerland such an attractive place for the uber wealthy, and how does that extreme wealth affect the rest of Swiss society? Watch the video above to find out.

Persons: — Organizations: United, United Arab Emirates Locations: Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab, U.S, Hong Kong, Swiss

☆ Russia's war in Ukraine has had an unlikely consequence — it has revived the EU's plans to get even bigger
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

People hold a banner and Ukrainian flags during a rally to mark the one-year anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2023 in Belgrade, Serbia. As part of the Western Balkans block waiting for EU-membership, Serbia is caught in a geostrategic rivalry between its Western allies and Russia. Davos, SWITZERLAND — As spiking geopolitical tensions thrust the European Union into the spotlight, attention has turned to the strategically important Western Balkans. The Western Balkans, comprised of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo and Serbia, represent a notable gap in the map of EU membership in southeastern Europe. "I see the European Union more ready for the Balkans than the Balkans for the European Union," Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and Western Balkans, told CNBC last month.

Persons: —, Miroslav Lajčák, Lajčák Organizations: EU, Union, European Union, Belgrade, Pristina, CNBC Locations: Ukraine, Belgrade, Serbia, Balkans, Russia, Davos, SWITZERLAND, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Europe, Yugoslavia, European, Western Balkans

☆ Ukraine war live updates: Kremlin dismisses threat from anti-war election hopeful; Zelenskyy visits front-line war hot spot
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Holly Ellyatt | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

As part of the Western Balkans block waiting for EU-membership, Serbia is caught in a geostrategic rivalry between its Western allies and Russia. Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine brought fresh political momentum to the European Union and its plans for enlargement in the Western Balkans. "I see the European Union more ready for the Balkans than the Balkans for the European Union," Miroslav Lajčák, EU Special Representative for the Belgrade-Pristina Dialogue and Western Balkans, told CNBC last month. Within days of Russia's invasion, Ukraine, neighboring Moldova and, soon after, nearby Georgia applied for EU candidate status — which they were granted in quick succession. "Now, it's very clear that the European Union is serious."

Persons: Russia's, —, Miroslav Lajčák, Lajčák, — Karen Gilchrist Organizations: EU, European Union, Belgrade, Pristina, CNBC, European Locations: Ukraine, Belgrade, Serbia, Balkans, Russia, Western Balkans, European, Albania, Bosnia, Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Europe, Yugoslavia, Moldova, Georgia, European Union

☆ Bank of England chief hints the market could be getting it right on rate cuts
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON — Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey on Thursday signaled that financial markets may be correct in their expectations for the future path of rate cuts. Speaking to CNBC, Bailey said he was "not going to commit" to a specific timeline for rate cuts, but added that he did not object to the market consensus. "I'm not going to give a view on how many cuts there'll be and when they will be. But I think that view that the market is taking is not one I object to," he told CNBC's Steve Sedgwick. Investors priced in four rate cuts by the end of this year after the central bank voted to hold interest rates steady at 5.25% earlier Thursday.

Persons: Andrew Bailey, BOE, Bailey, I'm, CNBC's Steve Sedgwick Organizations: Bank of England, City of, LONDON — Bank of England, CNBC, Monetary Locations: City, City of London

☆ Renault shares jump after scrapping plans to list Ampere EV unit
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Shares of French car maker Renault jumped 5% in early deals on Tuesday, after the company canceled plans to publicly list its new electric vehicle and software business. Renault's share price rose 5.13% at the market open Tuesday before dipping to trade up 1.7% by 8:30 a.m. London time. De Meo originally announced plans to take Ampere public in 2022, as part of a wider strategy to overhaul the automaker and capitalize on the growing EV market. De Meo said Monday that "market conditions" and the increased profitability of the wider business made the listing untenable. He also pointed to a slowdown in EV sales in Europe, but insisted that the electric market would remain "dominant" in the region due to its decarbonization regulations.

Persons: Luca de Meo, De Meo, Ampere Organizations: Renault, Chinese EV, Financial Times Locations: Chinese, London, Europe

☆ Hungary accuses EU of blackmail over Ukraine aid stand-off
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Viktor Orban, Hungary's prime minister, arrives on day one of the European Union (EU) leaders summit at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on Monday, May 30, 2022. Hungary accused the European Union of blackmail after a leaked document reportedly suggested that the bloc plans to sabotage Budapest's economy if it vetoes fresh aid for Ukraine at a summit later this week. "Hungary does not give in to blackmail," Bóka János wrote in a post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. "The document drafted by Brussels bureaucrats only confirms what the Hungarian Government has been saying for a long time: access to EU funds is used for political blackmailing by Brussels," he added. It added that budget talks remain ongoing and will continue to be based on reaching a compromise that is acceptable to all 27 member states.

Persons: Viktor Orban, Hungary's, Bóka János Organizations: European Union, EU, European, Ukraine, Financial Times, Hungarian Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Hungary, European Union, Kyiv, Hungarian Government, Budapest, Hungarian, Ukraine

☆ Shein rejects Amazon 'clone' talk as it prepares for U.S. listing
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Chinese-founded online retail giant Shein is not positioning itself as an Amazon "clone," the company told CNBC, as it prepares for a U.S. public listing later this year. But that expansion will vary from market to market, and skew heavily toward Generation Z — born between the late 1990s and early 2000s — and younger Millennial consumers, who were born between the early 1980s and late 1990s. "I don't see us an an Amazon clone per se," Pernot-Day said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. "So, product categories vary across these markets. But the core point is that being receptive and responsive to Generation Z, younger Millennial shoppers, is something that leads to growth," he added.

Persons: Peter Pernot, —, Inditex Organizations: CNBC, Economic Locations: U.S, Davos, Switzerland, The Singapore, Zara

☆ Shein not vying to be Amazon 'clone' ahead of U.S. IPO
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | 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 EmailShein not vying to be Amazon 'clone' ahead of U.S. IPOShein is not positioning itself as an Amazon "clone" ahead of a U.S. public listing later this year, Peter Pernot-Day, head of strategic communications for the U.S. and U.K., told CNBC.

Persons: Peter Pernot Organizations: U.S, CNBC Locations: U.S

☆ European markets set to open higher following ECB decision, U.S. data
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

European markets are expected to open higher Friday as investors digest the European Central Bank's latest decision and fresh economic data from the U.K. and U.S. The ECB met market expectations Thursday and held interest rates steady at their current record high. U.K. consumers are their most confident since January 2022, buoyed by falling inflation, new survey data showed Friday. Stateside, U.S. stock futures were higher after economic growth for the quarter came in well above expectations. Meantime, Asia-Pacific markets mostly declined Friday as electric vehicle stocks in the region dropped for a second day, while investors also digested inflation data from Tokyo.

Organizations: Central, ECB Locations: Asia, Pacific, Tokyo

☆ Shein delves deeper into U.S. market ahead of anticipated IPO
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | 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 EmailShein delves deeper into U.S. market ahead of anticipated IPOCNBC's Karen Gilchrist discusses the growth strategy for Chinese-founded fashion giant Shein ahead of its hotly anticipated U.S. listing.

Persons: Karen Gilchrist Locations: U.S

☆ SAP shares surge to all-time high after results, plans to restructure 8,000 jobs in push to AI
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

An employee works in an office at the SAP SE campus in Walldorf, Germany. Shares of German software company SAP jumped to an all-time high in early deals Wednesday after the company released its latest financial results and announced plans to restructure 8,000 jobs in a push toward artificial intelligence growth. SAP shares were trading up 7% by 8:30 a.m. London time. "SAP will further increase its focus on key strategic growth areas, in particular Business AI. It also intends to transform its operational setup to capture organizational synergies, AI-driven efficiencies and to prepare the company for highly scalable future revenue growth," the company said.

Organizations: SAP Locations: Walldorf, Germany, London

☆ World's largest hedge funds record bumper year of profits, research shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Signage for Citadel Investment Group LLC hangs outside their office in Chicago, Illinois, U.S. The world's top hedge funds raked in record profits last year amid a resurgence in stock markets, new analysis showed. The 20 leading fund managers made $67 billion in investor profits in 2023, up from the $65 billion recorded during the pandemic-era rally of 2021, according research Monday from LCH Investments, a fund of hedge funds. Overall, the fund management industry recorded gains of $218 billion after fees, according to LCH Investments estimates. Included among the best performers were Christopher Hohn's TCI, Ken Griffin's Citadel and Andreas Halvorsen's Viking.

Persons: Christopher Hohn's, Ken Griffin's, Andreas Halvorsen's Viking Organizations: Citadel Investment Group, LCH Investments, Christopher Hohn's TCI, Ken Locations: Chicago , Illinois, U.S

☆ Attack is the best market defense in international competition, ECB's Christine Lagarde says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

President of the European Central Bank (ECB) Christine Lagarde attends a session on the closing day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, on January 19, 2024. Being strong means having a strong, deep market. Europe faces an uncertain future in its relationship with its closest international ally, following the U.S. vote. With that in mind, Lagarde said Europe should invest more in its capital markets in order to fund investments, such as, for instance, in the green transition. "Our competitive disadvantage compared to the U.S. is not subsidies but the function of our private capital market."

Persons: Christine Lagarde, Lagarde, Joe Biden, —, Donald Trump, Christian Linder, Linder Organizations: European Central Bank, Economic, Republican, German Finance Locations: Davos, Europe, U.S, United States

☆ Saudi Arabia goes big in Davos as it looks to become a top AI tech hub for the Middle East
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

A pop-up showcasing Saudi Arabia's Neom development features among the most prominent on the Davos promenade in 2024. But Saudi Arabia is keen to capture some of the limelight, and talent, from its neighbor on the Arabian Peninsula — an ambition laid bare on the Davos Promenade this year. "He's driving entrepreneurship, he's diversifying the economy ... And there are a lot of people that are really interested in working in Saudi Arabia," said Bremmer. "In the Emirates and in Saudi Arabia, you have millions of people that need upskilling, particularly Saudi Arabia which has a much larger population," Hidary said. Hidary, who was recently in Saudi Arabia, says that the UAE and Saudi Arabia are looking at countries like Singapore and Israel that have supported start-ups and are driven by technology.

Persons: Mohammed al, Jadaan, Prince Mohammed bin Salman's, Ian Bremmer, he's, Bremmer, Jamal Khashoggi, King Abdullah, KAUST, Harri Jarvelainen, Vera Futorjanski, Futorjanski, Israel Jack Hidary, Hidary, — CNBC's Karen Gilchrist Organizations: Saudi, CNBC, United Arab, prince's, —, Economic, Al, U.S, Eurasia Group, MBS, World Bank, Research Technology Centers, King, King Abdullah University of Science, Technology, UCLA, Riyadh's, Center, AI Research, AI, Artificial Intelligence Authority, Veritas Ventures, Emirates Locations: Davos, CNBC DAVOS, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Neom, Saudi, Riyadh, China, Istanbul, UAE, Singapore, Israel, Emirates

☆ Pushback against Trump plays into the hands of the Chinese, Austria minister says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump gestures during a campaign rally ahead of the New Hampshire primary election, in Atkinson, New Hampshire, U.S. January 16, 2024. Davos, SWITZERLAND — Liberal pushback against a likely highly divisive U.S. election will play into the hands of the Chinese, Austria's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Alexander Schallenberg, said Thursday. "They treat democracy as a weakness, making us slower, making us more cumbersome. A spokesperson for the Chinese embassy in the U.K. wasn't immediately available for comment when contacted by CNBC. Trump, for his part, was considered highly skeptical of China during his time in office, opting for a protectionist approach.

Persons: Donald Trump, Alexander Schallenberg, Schallenberg, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Trump, Biden Organizations: New, Liberal, Foreign Affairs, CNBC, Economic, wasn't, Republican Locations: New Hampshire, Atkinson , New Hampshire, U.S, Davos, SWITZERLAND, Switzerland, China

☆ China courts global elite at Davos with largest presence in years
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Participants walk in the street of the Alpine resort of Davos during the World Economic Forum. Davos, SWITZERLAND — China returned to Davos in full force this week as it attempts to thaw relations with the international community and court investment following years of Covid-19 lockdowns and rising geopolitical tensions. A delegation led by Chinese Premier Li Qiang is estimated to be the largest since 2017, when President Xi Jinping led an 80-strong cohort of Chinese business leaders and billionaires up the Swiss mountain. Li went on to meet for lunch with a host of top business leaders, including the CEOs of JPMorgan, Bank of America, Standard Chartered and Blackstone. He was joined by several other high ranking ministerial representatives including the Deputy Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu and Commerce Minister Wang Wentao.

Persons: Premier Li Qiang, Xi Jinping, Li, Ma Zhaoxu, Wang Wentao Organizations: Economic, Premier, JPMorgan, Bank of America, Standard Chartered, Blackstone, People's Bank of China, CNBC Locations: Davos, SWITZERLAND, China

☆ Europe must be more assertive ahead of uncertain U.S. election, Macron says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-17 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Emmanuel Macron, France's president, delivers a special address on day two of the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. Photographer: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesFrench President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that Europe must be more assertive on the world stage as it confronts an uncertain future for its relations with the U.S. In a possible nod toward the potential re-election of Donald Trump, Macron said that Europe should charge its own path on consequential issues rather than relying too closely on its ally across the Atlantic. Central to those issues are the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, as well as the climate transition, Macron said. Though absent from Davos this year, Trump's potential reelection has been a key topic of conversation at the Alpine resort after he won the Iowa caucuses on Monday.

Persons: Emmanuel Macron, Hollie Adams, Donald Trump, Macron, Republicans — Trump, —, Trump Organizations: Economic, Bloomberg, Getty Images, U.S, Republicans Locations: Davos, Switzerland, Europe, United States, Ukraine, U.S, Iowa

☆ 2024's wave of elections predicted to derail food security progress
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

DAVOS, SWITZERLAND — The slew of upcoming global elections could derail international efforts to secure long-term food supplies, according to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Almost half of the governments in the world are going to go through elections," Lario said Monday at the World Economic Forum in Davos. Those include actions which enable more local food production, greater integration of regional markets and further crop diversification. "We thought after the Ukraine shock that [tackling the root causes] was going to be a given, and there was a lot of momentum. It is estimated that around one in 10 people globally suffer from food insecurity or reliable access to nutritious food, according to UNICEF.

Persons: Alvaro Lario, Lario, —, It's Organizations: International Fund for Agricultural Development, CNBC, Economic, UNICEF Locations: DAVOS, SWITZERLAND, Davos, Europe, Ukraine

☆ Private company valuations 'going nuts again' amid AI boom, Cisco CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The valuations of some private companies are "going nuts again," returning to highs not seen since the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Cisco's chief executive. Chuck Robbins told CNBC Tuesday that businesses focused on new technologies like artificial intelligence were garnering price tags akin to those seen during the era of low interest rates. "When you get into gen [generative] AI and some of these other things, we are seeing some of the private valuations are going nuts again," he said during a CNBC-moderated panel event at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. Robbins said that it was "ironic" that the cycle had recurred so soon after higher interest rates had put an end to the era of easy money and seemingly corrected sometimes overinflated valuations. "It is ironic to me that we're so quickly doing this after what we experienced 48 months ago.

Persons: Chuck Robbins, Robbins Organizations: CNBC, Economic Locations: Davos, Switzerland

European markets closed higher Friday, rounding off a largely negative week, as investors digested fresh U.K. economic data and a fall in U.S. wholesale inflation. The Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed 0.77% higher, with most sectors trading in positive territory. Retail stocks climbed 1.46% despite luxury British brand Burberry trading down 7% after the company issued a profit warning in response to slowing demand, sending other luxury lines lower in morning trade. U.S. wholesale prices, measured in the producer price index, recorded an unexpected monthly decline of 0.1% in December. The U.S. consumer inflation report released Thursday had showed an increase in consumer prices of 0.3% on the month and 3.4% year on year, higher than forecast.

Organizations: Burberry Locations: U.S, Asia, Japan

European markets closed lower Thursday after U.S. inflation came in above expectations. After a choppy session, the regional Stoxx 600 index finished 0.77% lower, with all sectors in the red. December's U.S. inflation report showed an increase in consumer prices of 0.3% on the month and 3.4% year-on-year. "While the critical core inflation measure, which strips out volatile items such as food and energy, continues to ease from its highs, the downward trend in this measure also appears to have stalled. U.S. stocks also turned lower on Thursday morning as Wall Street digested the inflation data and the start of the fourth-quarter earnings season.

Persons: Spencer, Dow Jones, Matthew Ryan Organizations: Bank, Marks, Tesco, Investors, Federal Reserve, Nikkei Locations: U.S, Asia

☆ Sanctioned Western tech is still entering Russia and powering its military machine, new analysis shows
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-11 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Russia is still obtaining large volumes of Western technology critical to its war in Ukraine, even as sanctions show some sign of taking hold, new analysis shows. Moscow imported more than $22 billion worth of critical components between January and October 2023, Russian trade data shows. Over the same period, it also imported almost $9 billion worth of "high-priority" battlefield components, which Western authorities have specifically sanctioned. The report's authors said the data suggests that some export controls are working, and that Russia has been unable to find reliable substitutes for many Western components. Zelenskyy did not provide evidence for his assertion, and Russia has separately said that its production of military equipment has stepped up.

Persons: —, Russia —, Bilousova, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Zelenskyy Organizations: United Arab, KSE Institute, Russia, CNBC Locations: Russia, Ukraine, China, Hong Kong, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Western, Japan, South Korea, UAE, Moscow

European markets dipped for a second straight session on Wednesday, as last year's rally continues to stutter. The Stoxx 600 index provisionally closed 0.17% lower, with sectors trading in mixed territory. Mining stocks remained one of the week's worst performers, down 1.07%, while media stocks rose 0.75%. Asia-Pacific markets mostly turned lower overnight, although Japan stocks extended gains after notching a 33-year high in the previous session. In recent weeks, traders have boosted their bets on a Federal Reserve pivot, bracing for rate cuts as soon as March.

Organizations: Federal Reserve, Group Locations: Asia, Pacific, Japan, U.S

☆ Election disruption from AI poses the biggest global risk in 2024, Davos survey warns
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Karen Gilchrist | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The World Economic Forum's "Global Risks Report 2024," released Wednesday, ranked AI-derived misinformation and disinformation — and its implications for societal polarization — ahead of climate change, war and economic weakness in its top 10 risks over the next two years. "How that is going to play out is going to be quite important for us to watch," she added. watch nowThe WEF report, which was also produced in collaboration with Zurich Insurance Group, surveyed over 1,400 global risk experts, policymakers and industry leaders in September 2023 about their biggest global concerns. Top 10 global risksThe most cited risks for the next two years were, in order: misinformation and disinformation, extreme weather events, societal polarization, cyber insecurity and interstate armed conflict. Also in the top 10 were lack of economic opportunity, inflation, involuntary migration, economic downturn and pollution.

Persons: Alfieri, Carolina Klint, Marsh McLennan, CNBC's Silvia Amaro, Saadia Zahidi Organizations: Zurich Insurance Group Locations: Carolina, Europe

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