Squawk Pod

Eli Lilly will now sell weight loss drugs directly to consumers. In a big move, the drugmaker has announced LillyDirect, a platform that uses telehealth to improve consumer access to weight loss drugs like Lilly’s Mounjaro and its recently approved Zepbound. CNBC’s Bertha Coombs explains the impact LillyDirect will have on health care and on pharmacy benefit providers like those of CVS, UnitedHealth, and Cigna. Primary care physician Dr. Kavita Patel underscores the health care access problem that millions of Americans face, and whether Eli Lilly’s effort could alleviate some of those pressures. Plus, CNBC’s Jon Fortt sees Apple’s 2024 going two very different directions after 2023’s stock strength and sales weakness. Microsoft keyboards are ready for their biggest change in almost 30 years, and the market’s Santa Claus rally is officially behind us–maybe.  Bertha Coombs - 14:05Dr. Kavita Patel - 24:11Jon Fortt - 31:22 In this episode: Dr. Kavita Patel, @kavitapmdBertha Coombs, @berthacoombsJon Fortt, @jonforttBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickMichael Santoli, @michaelsantoliSteve Liesman, @steveliesmanKatie 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.

Claudine Gay has resigned from her post as Harvard University President amid plagiarism allegations and pressure from Harvard’s donors. Crisis management expert Eric Dezenhall explains the shareholder mindsets of the university’s donors and the role they play in the future of higher education and the workforce. Another shareholder fight is underway at Disney; activists ValueAct and Blackwells are backing Bob Iger and Disney in the ongoing proxy battle with another activist investor, Nelson Peltz’s Trian. Plus, the family that went viral for their “Christmas Jammies” video in 2013 has amassed millions of followers across platforms since then. Kim and Penn Holderness discuss how they turned a family music video into a business with 7 revenue streams, joining the rising tide of the creator economy.  Eric Dezenhall - 17:30Kim & Penn Holderness - 25:05 In this episode:Kim Holderness, @KimDHoldernessPenn Holderness, @pennholdernessBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickRobert Frank, @robtfrankMichael Santoli, @michaelsantoliKatie 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.

2024 trading begins after a strong market finish to 2023, with the Nasdaq 100 closing its best year since 1999. Just over 300 days before the 2024 election, former Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman is pushing for an option outside of President Biden and President Trump. Once on the Presidential ticket himself, Lieberman started nonprofit No Labels, which hopes to offer a third, bipartisan, centrist “unity ticket” to the Americans unsatisfied with the current political playing field. Plus 2023 was the year of weight loss drugs for pharma companies like Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly. Former FDA Commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb sits on the boards of Illumina and Pfizer, and he expects more good news–and more secondary benefits–from weight loss drugs on the market. Plus, Michigan is celebrating a big sports weekend, and X is now worth 71.5% less than when Elon Musk bought it, according to Fidelity, one of the co-investors that backed his takeover. Joe Lieberman - 12:30Dr. Scott Gottlieb - 24:46 In this episode: Scott Gottlieb, @ScottGottliebMDBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickRobert Frank, @robtfrankMichael Santoli, @michaelsantoliKatie 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.

Google might owe you $5,000. This week, the tech giant settled a $5b lawsuit over ‘incognito mode.’ The Boeing 737 Max is once again suffering a quality issue. The company’s best-selling jetliner must now be checked for a ‘possible loose bolt’ before reaching customers. Global energy prices are ending a year of fluctuation, most recently because of shipping interruptions to the fleet originally routed through the Red Sea and Suez Canal. Energy expert Helima Croft explains the oil supply chain and its impact on the American consumer. Reporters at The Wall Street Journal investigated iPhone thefts for a year; what they found was a common scheme to nab both the device and the passcode from their victims, emptying literal pockets and digital wallets and racking up thousands of stolen dollars. WSJ senior personal tech columnist Joanna Stern explains her reporting and her interview with one of the convicted iPhone thieves, including his advice to protect your phone and your assets. Plus, on the last workday of 2023, we’re sharing one of Squawk’s favorite interviews of the year. Andrew Ross Sorkin and Becky Quick speak with NBA All Star and 4-time championship winner Andre Iguodala. After 19 years on the court, he’s officially hanging up his basketball shoes and turning to his venture capital career full time. His advice for athletes looking to follow his lead: be obsessed.  Helima Croft - 3:51Joanna Stern - 15:42Andre Iguodala - 23:28 In this episode:Joanna Stern, @JoannaSternAndre Iguodala, @andreHelima Croft, @CroftHelimaLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerMichael Santoli, @michaelsantoliBrian Sullivan, @SullyCNBCAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickCameron Costa, @CameronCostaNY Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New York Times is suing OpenAI and Microsoft over copyright infringement, opening big media’s first legal case against content use in training large language models. Tusk Ventures CEO Bradley Tusk explains the timing and the repercussions of this action for tech innovation and the future of news. Apple’s sales in 2023 have declined, but Apple’s stock is soaring. CNBC’s Steve Kovach discusses the company’s headwinds and tailwinds, as well as the temporary pause on a ban of some US Apple Watch sales. Youth sports are an estimated $37.5B market, and private equity is deepening its stake. Waud Capital’s youth sports management company TeamSnap has acquired MOJO, a kids sports streaming platform. MOJO founder and former media executive Ben Sherwood joins TeamSnap CEO Pete Frintzilas to discuss the network of kids, parents, and coaches paying for youth sports resources. The Plus, Vail Resorts CEO Kirsten Lynch is in the midst of ski season. She shares how her company is expanding its network of slopes in the US, Europe, and even Australia.  Steve Kovach - 5:30Bradley Tusk - 11:25 Ben Sherwood & Pete Frintzilas - 17:19Kirsten Lynch - 27:00 In this episode: Ben Sherwood, @BenSherwoodLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerMichael Santoli, @michaelsantoliBrian Sullivan, @SullyCNBCKatie 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.

NASA and Apple engineer turned YouTube sensation Mark Rober shares his joy for inventing–and how he’s cashing in on the broad appeal of his glitter bomb packages, squirrel obstacle courses, engineering projects, and kids excited to learn while they play. Media analyst Paul Dergarabedian considers the box office’s bumpy ride in 2023. Between Hollywood strikes and shifting viewer tastes, Dergarabedian says that streaming has an edge. For streamers on Amazon Prime, though, ads are coming! And in the oil patch, a mild winter and conflict concerns in the Middle East have contributed to fluctuating energy prices. CNBC’s Pippa Stevens discusses the rise of “virtual power plants” to meet electricity demand.  Pippa Stevens - 9:19Dergarabedian - 16:01Mark Rober - 24:00 In this episode:Mark Rober, @MarkRoberPippa Stevens, @PippaStevens13Contessa Brewer, @contessabrewerLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerSteve Liesman, @steveliesmanKatie 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.

7.5 million travelers are hitting the skies between Christmas and New Years this year, passing the pre-pandemic record of 7.2 million. International president of the Association of Flight Attendants Sara Nelson discusses the pilots and flight attendants renegotiating contracts and managing unruly passengers during a busy holiday schedule. And the “she-cession” may be over, but Yale Lecturer and journalist Joanne Lipman warns that working women may lose many of their workplace participation gains to rigid back-to-office mandates. Plus, 2023’s market year was a roller coaster, OpenAI is aiming to raise more funds at an estimated valuation of $100 billion, holiday returns just got a little trickier, and Meta might have beat Apple under the trees and menorahs this year, as the Apple Watch ban takes effect.  Sara Nelson     20:20Joanne Lipman   28:39 In this episode:Joanne Lipman, @joannelipmanSara Nelson, @FlyingWithSaraContessa Brewer, @contessabrewerLeslie Picker, @LesliePickerSteve Liesman, @steveliesmanKatie 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.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) returns to Squawk Pod for its annual tradition: tracking Santa Claus’s Christmas journey through the night sky. Deputy Commander of the Continental US NORAD Region Major-General S.T. Boyle explains how Rudolph helps light the way for Santa and for NORAD tracking his progress. Also spreading holiday cheer, chef, restaurateur, and author of “Eat, Drink, and Be Murray” cookbook, Andy Murray. Murray shares family recipes and stories from his Caddyshack-themed restaurants. Plus, New York Times foreign affairs columnist Thomas Friedman explains the geopolitics at play in the Red Sea, and Joe Kernen, Becky Quick, and Andrew Ross Sorkin discuss the other business headlines before the holiday weekend: China’s limits on teen tech use, and the US Department of Transportation is scrutinizing frequent flier programs.  Thomas Friedman - 12:28Andy Murray - 20:02Major-General S.T. Boyle - 27:42 In this episode:Thomas Friedman, @tomfriedmanJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickKatie 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.

Markets are confused, at least according to some economists. The markets snapped 7 straight weeks of gains this week, as Wall Street interpreted the Federal Reserve’s pivot from hiking rates to cutting them. Chief economics correspondent at The Wall Street Journal Nick Timiraos penned a splashy op-ed pointing to confusion among investors and Fed governors. Elon Musk biographer and Tulane professor Walter Isaacson discusses the billionaire’s tendency to polarize his advertisers and consumers. Plus, Puck’s Matt Belloni discusses Warner Bros. Discovery’s early talks with Paramount Global for a potential merger, and Apple lost a bid to delay an import ban on certain Apple watches, but it’s reportedly gearing up to release its new mixed reality headset.  Matt Belloni - 6:48Nick Timiraos - 16:30Walter Isaacson - 29:03 In this episode:Nick Timiraos, @NickTimiraosWalter Isaacson, @WalterIsaacsonMatthew Belloni,@mattbelloniJoe Kernen, @JoeSquawkAndrew Ross Sorkin, @andrewrsorkinBecky Quick, @BeckyQuickKatie 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.

Former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh discusses the market rally and the Fed's next move. Donald Broughton explains FedEx's impact as a bellwether for the economy. The Colorado Supreme Court blocks Donald Trump's appearance on state ballots. Rite Aid shelves its facial recognition strategy. The hosts discuss the public opinion on billionaires, with Warren Buffett coming out on top.