Musk’s Stock Sales; Pfizer’s Covid Pill; Slack and the Newest Normal

The day after Britain’s regulator, the UK Competition and Markets Authority, blocked Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick is on the record about his planned appeal. Britain’s decision could affect the FTC’s decision in the U.S., but Kotick says of the UK CMA, “they don’t really understand our business.” The House of Representatives has passed a bill to raise the debt ceiling, but it’s widely considered to be “dead on arrival” to the Senate. Plus, Meta reported a strong quarter despite a loss in its metaverse unit, and Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes is going to prison–but not yet.  In this episode:Bobby Kotick, @ATVI_ABJoe 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.

27 Apr 202327min

Microsoft and Alphabet have reported strong financial results, but as CNBC’s Steve Kovach reports, investors were only listening for big tech’s big plans for AI. RSE Ventures co-founder and “Burn the Boats” author Matt Higgins discusses the AI strategy for all the tech giants and what’s at stake for companies that slow their innovation. Elsewhere in the AI arms race, Apple is planning an AI-powered health coach. Biotech company Illumina is fighting to keep Grail, a product that tests for cancer with only a single drop of blood. CEO Francis Desouza discusses his proxy fight with activist investor Carl Icahn and the push to divest Grail from the rest of the biotech business. Plus, Wall Street is sizing up the balance sheets of regional banks including PacWest and First Republic. In this episode:Matt Higgins, @mhigginsSteve Kovach, @stevekovachJoe 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.

26 Apr 202335min

Famed investor Peter Lynch shares his tips for a successful portfolio. After turning Fidelity’s Magellan Fund into one of the most successful mutual funds of all time, Lynch retired in his 40s, but still invests personally, decades later. He shares his “buy what you know” philosophy, and urges investors to do their homework on the companies they’re betting on. In a whirlwind of news announcements, CNN’s Don Lemon and Fox’s Tucker Carlson are out of their respective networks. Semafor co-founder and editor in chief Ben Smith discusses what’s next for all parties, and the impact both departures might have on ratings. Troubled regional bank First Republic has reported much larger deposit outflows than Wall Street expected; Piper Sandler analyst Andrew Liesch discusses the report and the financial drama still to come. Plus, President Biden is running for another term. In this episode:Ben Smith, @semaforbenJoe 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.

25 Apr 202328min

A colossal week for corporate earnings awaits: a third of the S&P 500 and nearly half of the Dow report quarterly results over the next 5 days. JPMorgan Asset Management global market strategist Gabriela Santos explains what we may learn about the U.S. economy through the performance of equities and considers whether a slowdown is coming. Jeff Shell, CEO of CNBC parent NBCUniversal, left his role after admitting to having an inappropriate relationship with a company employee. CNBC’s Julia Boorstin and LightShed’s Rich Greenfield discuss what’s next for NBC’s leadership, business, and content. Plus, CNBC.com political finance reporter Brian Schwartz reports, some state financial officers who have criticized ESG have been simultaneously personally invested in the fossil fuel industry.  In this episode:Rich Greenfield, @RichLightShedJulia Boorstin, @JBoorstinBrian Schwartz, @schwartzbCNBCJoe 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.

24 Apr 202329min

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called for a “constructive” and “healthy” relationship between the United States and China, in spite of conflicting national security interests. Former Xerox CEO Ursula Burns and West Exec Advisors co-founder Michele Flournoy discuss the fine line that corporate leaders must walk to do business globally. Twitter has finally implemented a previously announced removal of blue check marks. The change means that only paying Twitter Blue subscribers will retain a blue check mark next to their name. Disney is telling its lobbyists to step up its fight against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his GOP allies by targeting land use related bills that could hurt the company.  Plus, Buzzfeed is laying off 15% of its staff and police in Canada are investigating a gold heist valued at around $15 million from Toronto’s Pearson airport. In this episode (no blue check marks here!):Michèle Flournoy, @micheleflournoyJoe 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.

21 Apr 202329min

Actor, comic, investor, and entrepreneur Kevin Hart discusses his new tequila brand, Gran Coramino, with partner and CEO of Global Brand Equities, James Morrissey. Hart discusses his many ventures, including VC, vegan fast food, and entertainment. As debt ceiling negotiations heat up in Washington, members of the Problem Solvers Caucus Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ) and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) emphasize the importance of finding common ground between parties and moving forward. Plus, Tesla has a margin problem, Florida Governor DeSantis’s fight with Disney is escalating, and news for Swifties of all ages: Taylor Swift dodged the FTX disaster by doing her due diligence.  In this episode:Kevin Hart, @KevinHart4realJosh Gottheimer, @RepJoshGPhil Lebeau, @LebeaucarnewsJoe 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.

20 Apr 202335min

Fox Corp. has agreed to pay $787.5 million to Dominion Voting Systems to settle a defamation lawsuit over false claims that Dominion’s machines swayed the outcome of the 2020 presidential election. Tom Rogers, Gamesquare executive chairman, and Barton Crockett, Rosenblatt Securities senior analyst, discuss the fallout from Fox Corp’s defamation lawsuit settlement and the future of Fox. CNBC’s Eamon Javers also discussed the settlement with Hootan Yaghoobzadeh, co-founder of Staple Street Capital, the private equity firm that owns Dominion Voting Systems. Nasdaq CEO Adena Friedman discusses A.I.’s role in the markets and how the exchange is implementing the technology for safety and efficiency. Plus, Google is launching its first foldable smartphone, and Netflix delays its password-sharing crackdown.In this episode:Adena Friedman, @adenatfriedmanEamon Javers, @EamonJaversJoe 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.

19 Apr 202333min

Fresh off his own trip to Taiwan and China, New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman discusses the complicated cultural and financial relationship between the U.S. and China. House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) discusses the tense debt ceiling negotiations across the aisle and a timeline for a resolution. CNBC’s Steve Kovack reports on Apple, which has opened its first store in India in a shift away from China. Plus, McKinsey is paying new hires to delay their starts, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is taking on Disney (again). In this episode: Hakeem Jeffries, @RepJeffriesThomas L. Friedman, @tomfriedmanSteve Kovach, @stevekovachJoe 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.

18 Apr 202332min