Halftime Report Stocks Face a Critical Week 8/18/25
Aug 18, 2025
Eamon Javers, a CNBC correspondent well-versed in political analysis, and Jim Labenthal, an Investment Committee member, dive into critical stock market dynamics. They discuss the high-stakes diplomatic meetings involving Ukraine and European leaders, exploring market reactions to such geopolitical events. The conversation also touches on the Federal Reserve's upcoming decisions, theories around a potential AI bubble, and the implications of the government's involvement with Intel. The mix of politics and economics makes for an insightful listen!
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European Leaders Rush To White House
- European leaders scrambled schedules to attend the White House meeting, underscoring its urgency.
- Many arrived on the South Lawn while Zelensky would be greeted separately at the West Wing.
Security Guarantees Are Hard To Define
- Europeans seek joint security guarantees to deter future Russian aggression.
- Ukraine fears any pause could let Russia regroup, making guarantees hard to define and accept.
Anchorage Optics Fueled European Anxiety
- Anchorage meeting was framed as a propaganda win for Putin, fueling European wariness.
- President Trump's sensitivity to media criticism shaped his social media defense before today's talks.