Bloomberg Daybreak: Europe Edition

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day

On today's podcast:

(1) Federal Reserve officials appeared surprisingly wary of cutting interest rates when they met last month, with several even suggesting the central bank may need to raise rates if inflation remains stubbornly high.

(2) OpenAI is close to finalizing the first phase of a new funding round that is likely to bring in more than $100 billion, according to people familiar with the matter, a record-breaking financing deal that would give the startup additional capital to build out its artificial intelligence tools.

(3) French President Emmanuel Macron said the free speech defense of social media platforms is “pure bullshit,” pushing back against a key foreign policy goal of President Donald Trump.

(4) Oil steadied after its biggest daily gain since October, following a report that American military intervention in Iran could come sooner than expected.

(5) Nestlé is considering further reducing its footprint in the ice cream business, as new Chief Executive Officer Philipp Navratil reviews the company’s sprawling operations, people with knowledge of the matter said.

(6) Denmark's economy looks robust on paper, with employment at a record high and public finances strong, but many Danes are anxious about their professional futures due to layoffs at major companies.

Podcast Conversation: Travellers Are Dying To Solve A Murder Mystery On Vacation
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day

On today's podcast:

(1) The US and Iran made progress in nuclear talks in Geneva on Tuesday, with Tehran’s negotiators scheduled to return with a new proposal in two weeks, a US official said on Tuesday, a cautiously upbeat assessment that suggests the chances of an imminent military clash are low.

(2) Japan plans to invest up to $36 billion in US oil, gas and critical mineral projects, the first tranche of its $550 billion commitment under the trade agreement it struck with President Donald Trump.

(3) The ECB says Christine Lagarde hasn't made any decision about leaving her job as President early. That follows a report from the Financial Times - citing one person familiar with Lagarde's thinking - saying she wants to step down before France's Presidential election in April 2027.

(4) Anthropic is releasing a new artificial intelligence model that’s intended to be better at using people’s computers in increasingly complicated ways, building on the startup’s efforts to make AI tools more effective at streamlining tasks.

(5) Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway slashed its stake in Amazon. by more than 75% in the fourth quarter, while also building a stake in the New York Times Co., his last new bet as chief executive officer of the conglomerate.

(6) In the two years since the ban on internal combustion engine vehicles in Ethiopia, EV adoption has grown from less than 1% to nearly 6% of all of the vehicles on the road in the country — according to the government’s own figures — some way above the global average of 4%.

Podcast Conversation: Downsizing Is The Biggest Trend in Restaurants and Hotels Right Now
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day

On today's podcast:

(1) UK unemployment reached its highest since the pandemic and wage growth eased as the labor market continued to weaken, prompting traders to increase bets on further interest-rate cuts from the Bank of England.

(2) Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with the head of the UN’s atomic watchdog in Geneva on Monday, ahead of a second round of nuclear negotiations with the US.

(3) BHP Group posted earnings at the upper end of analyst expectations, as a years-long effort to shore up copper production combined with a historic metals rally to offset a lackluster period for its giant iron ore business.

(4) Elon Musk’s SpaceX and wholly owned subsidiary xAI are competing in a secretive new Pentagon contest to produce voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology, according to people familiar with the matter.

(5) The UK government abandoned plans to cancel local elections scheduled for May in 30 areas, after the move sparked a fierce backlash including a lawsuit from Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK party.

(6) Secretary of State Marco Rubio showered Viktor Orban with praise on a visit to Hungary as the US doubled down on its support for the strongman leader before an election that could bring an end to his 16 years in power.

Podcast Conversation: Why ‘Burnout’ Feminism Is Replacing the Girlboss, Lean In Era
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day

On today's podcast:

(1) Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held talks with the head of the UN’s atomic watchdog in Geneva on Monday, ahead of a second round of nuclear negotiations with the US.

(2) BHP Group posted earnings at the upper end of analyst expectations, as a years-long effort to shore up copper production combined with a historic metals rally to offset a lackluster period for its giant iron ore business.

(3) Elon Musk’s SpaceX and wholly owned subsidiary xAI are competing in a secretive new Pentagon contest to produce voice-controlled, autonomous drone swarming technology, according to people familiar with the matter.

(4) The UK government abandoned plans to cancel local elections scheduled for May in 30 areas, after the move sparked a fierce backlash including a lawsuit from Nigel Farage’s populist Reform UK party.

(5) Secretary of State Marco Rubio showered Viktor Orban with praise on a visit to Hungary as the US doubled down on its support for the strongman leader before an election that could bring an end to his 16 years in power.

Podcast Conversation: Why ‘Burnout’ Feminism Is Replacing the Girlboss, Lean In Era
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your morning briefing. All the news you need to start your day

On today's podcast:

(1) Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Europe’s fate is intertwined with the US while faulting the continent for what he said was a drift away from their shared Western values.

(2) The European Union’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas rejected the picture of the bloc’s decline painted by the Trump administration and urged member states to accelerate Ukraine’s membership bid as a sign of the bloc’s power.

(3) Warner Bros Discovery is considering reopening sale talks with rival Hollywood studio Paramount Skydance Corp. after receiving its hostile suitor’s most recent amended offer, people with knowledge of the matter said.

(4) John Hurley, the Trump administration’s top sanctions official, is set to leave his post after friction with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to people familiar with the matter.

(5) Great Britain took their record gold medal tally to three at the Winter Olympics in Italy over the weekend.

Podcast Conversation: We’re Living in a Golden Age of Close-Up Magic
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.