Squawk Pod

As the specter of omicron looms large over the festive season, governments around the world are desperately trying to deploy Covid-19 booster shots in order to bolster people’s protection against the more transmissible variant. Meanwhile, Pfizer is working on the first antiviral Covid-19 pill. CNBC’s Meg Tirrell broke down the final analysis of Pfizer’s Covid-19 pill that showed a near 90% efficacy in preventing hospitalizations and deaths in high-risk patients. Companies from Lyft to Ford have had to delay and reassess return-to-office plans in recent weeks. Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman walked back an edict that employees should be back at the office by now and issued a new forecast for how long companies would delay the return. Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield also discussed the future of work, the metaverse and the company’s merger with Salesforce. Plus, Apple’s march to $3 Trillion and Elon Musk – on the tweets and on Time's 2021 Person of the Year.In this episode:Stewart Butterfield, @stewartMeg Tirrell, @megtirrellJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKlaire Odumody, @klairemarie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

14 Des 202126min

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed today that at least one patient infected with the new omicron variant of Covid-19 has died in the country. In a televised statement yesterday, Johnson warned Britain faces a “tidal wave” of omicron infections. Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former FDA commissioner and CNBC contributor, discusses the latest developments surrounding the worrisome omicron coronavirus variant and says the world should take notice. The biggest question looming over Capitol Hill is whether the Senate will pass President Joe Biden’s $1.7 trillion economic safety net and climate bill. CNBC’s Ylan Mui reports Senators will have just two weeks to meet their self-imposed Christmas deadline. Former U.S. Congresswoman Donna Edwards and Mick Mulvaney, former acting White House chief of staff, also discuss Biden’s Build Back Better bill and what it means for the U.S. economy. Plus, a critical software flaw and Peloton firing back at its portrayal in the ‘Sex and the City’ reboot. In this episode:Dr. Scott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDMick Mulvaney, @MickMulvaneyDonna Edwards, @DonnaFEdwardsYlan Mui, @ylanmuiJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinZach Vallese, @zachvallese Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

13 Des 202137min

Inflation accelerated at its fastest pace since 1982, putting pressure on the economic recovery and raising the stakes for the Federal Reserve. CNBC’s senior economics reporter, Steve Liesman, breaks down the latest consumer price index data. Dr. Kavita Patel, former White House health policy director and fellow at the Brookings Institution, reports on the latest CDC recommendations around Covid-19 booster shots. Restaurateur Lidia Bastianich discusses the pandemic’s impact on the restaurant industry and her new PBS special, ‘Lidia Celebrates America: Overcoming the Odds’. Starbucks employees have voted to join a union at one store in Buffalo, New York, the first unionized company-owned location in the U.S. Workers at a second location in the city voted to reject the drive to organize. Thursday’s vote count for a third Starbucks store in upstate New York ended without a definitive result because a number of ballots were still under review. Plus, Rutgers upsets #1 ranked Purdue with buzzer-beater game winner.In this episode:Dr. Kavita Patel, @kavitapmdLidia Bastianich, @LidiaBastianichSteve Liesman, @steveliesmanJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinZach Vallese, @zachvallese Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

10 Des 202129min

Cathie Wood, CEO and CIO of Ark Invest, says bitcoin’s value could go up by $500,000 over time as hedge funds and other large investors move in. She also shared her most recent thoughts on Twitter, Tesla, as well as details on Ark Invest’s newest exchange-traded fund. Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri, testified for the first time before Congress and refused to commit to permanently ending the paused plans to create a version of the platform for kids under 13. Lawmakers expressed frustration and distrust of the service, owned by Meta, which recently changed its corporate name from Facebook. Apple promised China's government it would make economic investments worth hundreds of billions of dollars. CNBC’s Jon Fortt argues if that was wise, or worrisome. Plus, Starbucks employees in the Buffalo, New York-area have concluded their unionization votes, which are set to be tallied today.In this episode:Cathie Wood, @CathieDWoodJon Fortt, @jonforttBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

9 Des 202133min

Pfizer and BioNTech say three doses of their vaccine provide a high level of protection against the omicron variant of the virus that causes Covid-19. CNBC’s Meg Tirrell breaks down the latest data and reports the third shot shows virus-fighting abilities comparable with the 95% protection provided by two doses against the original strain of the virus. CNBC’s Ylan Mui reports how Congress is trying to block the Biden administration’s nationwide Covid-19 vaccine mandate on businesses. Sen. Mark Warner, chairman of the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, discusses Capitol Hill’s latest focus on Big Tech as Instagram’s Adam Mosseri prepares to testify. Plus, the House passed a bill that would allow the Senate to raise the debt ceiling with a simple majority vote.In this episode:Sen. Mark Warner, @MarkWarnerYlan Mui, @ylanmuiJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Des 202126min

Congress and the Federal Reserve will have more impact on what happens to the economy and markets than the pandemic, according to Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon, who joins Squawk Box exclusively from the bank’s headquarters in Manhattan. With support from both starting to fade in the days ahead, Solomon says investors should take heed and plan accordingly. He also discussed China, recent market uncertainty, cryptocurrencies, and why he thinks inflation could run ‘above trend’ for a period of time. British drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline says new data from early stage studies showed its antibody-based Covid therapy was effective against all 37 identified mutations of omicron. Plus, Tesla CEO Elon Musk says “it might be better” if President Joe Biden’s $1.75 trillion social spending plan, which includes incentives to buy EVs, doesn’t become law. The bill has cleared the House but not the Senate. Of course, Tesla has been helped by government subsidies. In this episode:David Solomon, @DavidSolomonJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

7 Des 202130min

At least 17 states have detected the omicron coronavirus variant and that number is expected to rise according to the CDC. Former FDA Commissioner, Scott Gottlieb and CNBC’s Meg Tirrell report on the spread and severity of the omicron variant. Buzzfeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti discusses the digital media company’s debut as a public company through a SPAC merger, after an unusually high number of investor redemptions. Peretti also breaks down the company’s planned path to profitability and its valuation. Bitcoin is trading under $49,000 after a terrible weekend for the world’s biggest cryptocurrency. Bitcoin tumbled more than 17% from Friday night into Saturday, hitting a low near $43,000, before stabilizing yesterday. Plus, Joe’s favorite fast food – by coast - and Andrew’s meditation techniques.In this episode:Scott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDJonah Peretti, @perettiMeg Tirrell, @megtirrellLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinKatie Kramer, @Kramer_Katie Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

6 Des 202137min

As the international business community responds to China’s treatment of Peng Shuai, CNBC’s Eunice Yoon gives more details from Beijing and Yale School of Management’s Jeffrey Sonnenfeld discusses how leaders could and should be supporting the tennis Olympian. As cases of the omicron variant pop up in New York, Minnesota, and Colorado, questions arise about effective vaccination manufacturing and overall preparedness for yet another Covid wave. Plus, Ylan Mui reports on the debt ceiling drama in DC and a new plan from lawmakers as the Treasury rapidly approaches its last day of cash.  In this episode:Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, @JeffSonnenfeldEunice Yoon, @onlyyoontvYlan Mui, @ylanmuiJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

3 Des 202126min