Bloomberg Daybreak: Europe Edition

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast: (1) Donald Trump tightened his grip on the Republican presidential nomination after Iowa voters delivered him a victory in Monday's caucuses and moved him one step closer to returning to the White House. (2) Houthi militants hit a US-owned commercial vessel with an anti-ship ballistic missile on Monday, underscoring warnings that the world's most important trade artery remains too risky for navigation. (3) Easing pressure from food and energy bills will help drive UK inflation down to 1.5% in May, well under the Bank of England's target, according to ING. (4) Elon Musk said he would rather build AI products outside of Tesla if he doesn't have 25% voting control, suggesting the billionaire may prefer a bigger stake in the world's most valuable electric vehicle maker. (5) British pension funds, which sold so many bonds two years ago the Bank of England was forced to intervene, are gearing up to flood the market with billions of pounds of private assets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's podcast:(1) UK police said they arrested six people over a plot to target the London Stock Exchange. Activists from the Palestine Action group were allegedly planning to cause damage to the LSE and to prevent the building from opening for trading Monday morning, the Met said in a statement.  (2) UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will address Parliament on Monday after his government said it's ready to carry out further strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen if the group continues to attack commercial vessels in the Red Sea. (3) As the Israel-Hamas war enters 100 days, the question remains whether it will spread from Gaza and turn into a wider conflagration. But with the appetite in Israel for war against Hezbollah growing and American influence on its ally seemingly waning, the answer is more likely to be found in Tel Aviv or Jerusalem than Beirut or Washington. (4) Taiwan elected current vice president Lai Ching-te as leader of the global chip hub at the center of US-China tensions, putting in power a man Beijing has branded an "instigator of war." (5) The US state of Iowa kicks off the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination today. Caucuses are set to take place this evening but there are fears sub zero temperatures of below -30 could dampen turnout. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Tom Busby takes a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US - we preview the week's upcoming economic data, including retail sales.  In the UK - we look ahead to the World Economic Forum in Davos In Asia - we discuss the current climate for chipmakers in China  In Washington - with the Iowa caucuses right around the corner, new polling suggests that the Republican race is tightening. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast:(1) The US and UK launched airstrikes on more than 60 Houthi rebel targets in Yemen, sparking vows of retaliation and a rise in oil prices after weeks of attacks in the Red Sea disrupted commercial shipping. (2) Oil jumped as the US and allies launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, stepping up retaliation for attacks on ships in the Red Sea that have imperiled flows of fuel and goods through the vital waterway. (3) European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde warned that a look at Donald Trump's first term as US president raises concerns about his potential return to power in 2025.  (4) First Citizens Bank can proceed with a $1 billion lawsuit accusing HSBC of poaching dozens of employees and stealing trade secrets from Silicon Valley Bank shortly after its acquisition by First Citizens. (5) Some of the most influential investors are giving the world's largest private equity firms a message: if you want money for your next fund, here's our list of demands. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast:(1) US regulators have for the first time approved exchange-traded funds that invest directly in Bitcoin. The approvals mark a rare capitulation by the SEC following opposition that lasted for more than a decade. (2) President Joe Biden's administration is backing legislation that would let it seize some of $300 billion in frozen Russian assets to help pay for reconstruction of Ukraine. (3) Barclays said the final three months of the year were challenging for its traders and investment bankers, joining rivals across Wall Street in lamenting a continued slump in revenue from dealmaking and markets.   (4) Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie said he is ending his long-shot 2024 campaign centered on denying onetime ally Donald Trump the Republican presidential nomination. Before his event, Christie was caught on a hot mic disparaging other GOP candidates who will be courting his supporters. (5) France's government says it wants foreign investment but some companies find their plans derailed by Sisse, the national agency with an outsized reach. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast:(1) A highly anticipated decision by the US Securities and Exchange Commission on whether to approve a spot-Bitcoin exchange-traded fund quickly morphed into a major cybersecurity incident on Tuesday. (2) Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun fought back tears as he said the plane maker must own up to its shortcomings as it grapples with a safety incident that has renewed questions over the quality of its manufacturing. (3) BlackRock will dismiss about 600 employees, or roughly 3% of its global workforce, as it seeks to reallocate resources amid rapid changes in asset management. (4) Britain's foreign secretary, David Cameron, said he's "worried" that Israel might have broken international law during the conflict in the Gaza Strip, and that the country must to do more to allow aid to flow. (5) The UK government is pressuring councils to run down their reserves to help stave off a financial crisis beginning to rip through the country's town halls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes. On today's podcast:(1) United Airlines says it found loose bolts in multiple Boeing 737 Max jets and Alaska Air indicated some loose hardware was visible on its fleet during checks following the latter's midair blowout. (2) US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Houthi militants in Yemen must know they'll face "consequences" for continued attacks on ships in the Red Sea, even as a top regional leader warned against military action by a US-led coalition. (3) Barclays says its global headcount dropped by about 6% over 2023, the most visible sign yet of the bank's cost-cutting push. (4) The UK Treasury is facing a hit of more than £10 billion per year as higher interest rates push up the cost of financing student loans, meaning the taxpayer will now take a loss even on debt that is fully repaid, new analysis shows. (5) The crucial Christmas shopping period was weaker than expected in the UK as consumers burdened by higher inflation carefully watched their spend. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:(1) The grounding of Boeing Co.’s 737 Max 9 has quickly gathered pace, with carriers from the US to Panama to Turkey pulling the model from service for inspections after a fuselage section on a brand-new Alaska Airlines jet blew out during flight.(2) US congressional leaders announced a $1.59 trillion deal on spending for the current fiscal year, lessening the chances of a partial government shutdown on Jan. 20.(3) The Czechs and Slovaks make more cars per capita than anywhere else in the world. Now, the transition to EVs is putting a vast supply chain in jeopardy.(4) China has detained the head of an overseas consulting firm for allegedly spying on the Asian nation for the British government, putting renewed focus on an industry targeted by Beijing’s national security crackdown(5) The Wall Street Journal says Elon Musk's continued drug use worries executives in business empire. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg Daybreak Weekend with Tom Busby takes a look at some of the stories we'll be tracking in the coming week. In the US - As earnings season kicks off, we preview what we can expect from some of Wall Street's biggest banks.  In the UK -  The economic trajectory will be back in focus in the coming days - as a batch of data will help tell us whether Britain may avoid a recession. A recent survey of company executives highlighted their pessimism about the outlook - despite the encouraging signs coming from some quarters.  In Asia - Taiwan's presidential election is set for January 13th.The results will help shape the course of US-China relations for years to come.   In DC - With the race for President in full swing, we look at a new series of new Gallup polls focusing on the election. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing, the business news you need in just 15 minutes.On today's podcast:(1) Islamic State claimed responsibility for Wednesday’s attack in Iran that killed scores of people and threatened to further inflame tensions in the Middle East. (2) The options market for US Treasuries was abuzz Thursday following the emergence of a large bearish wager that Friday’s jobs report will trigger the biggest backup in benchmark yields in more than nine months. (3) As housing shortages cause rents and home prices to surge across major European cities, investors have the capacity to inject an estimated 82 billion euros in new residential projects over the next two years.(4) Huawei’s newest laptop runs on a chip made by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, a teardown of the device showed, quashing talk of another Chinese technological breakthrough.(5) Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suggested he plans to call a UK general election in the fall, as he sought to silence growing calls from opposition parties for a vote in May. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.