Squawk Box Europe Express

European equities are largely flat in the holiday-shortened session but the Stoxx 600 is set to deliver a second year in the green for the first time since 2015. The U.S. Treasury Department claims Chinese hackers have stolen documents in a major cyber breach. Beijing has said the allegations were smear tactics. Growth in China slows in December but President Xi Jinping said the country remains on track to hit its 5 per cent target for the year. And Chinese toy company Bloks Group is set to float on the Hong Kong Exchange in a listing that could be worth $188m.

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President-elect Donald Trump makes a shocking pick for Attorney General, tapping controversial Florida Representative Matt Gaetz for the role. This as NBC News projects Republicans will maintain control of the House in a ‘red sweep’. Meanwhile the Trump trade eases as fresh U.S. inflation data that supports expectations for a December Fed cut. Hedge fund billionaire David Einhorn warns of further price pressure volatility at CNBC’s Delivering Alpha Investor summit. But the crypto rally gathers pace, with Bitcoin briefly topping $93,000 for the first time, and the Dogecoin doubled its price following Trump’s election victory. In Germany, expert advisors to Chancellor Olaf Scholz cut their growth forecast for next year, delivering another blow to the beleaguer economy as political parties shift into campaign mode ahead of the February elections.

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The Federal Reserve announces its eagerly awaited first rate cut of 50 basis points since the outset of the Covid pandemic with policy makers predicting one further cut this year. The market reaction was mixed with Wall Street closing lower, despite the Dow and S&P 500 initially scaling fresh all-time highs. Equities in Asia saw strong gains following the news from the Fed. Our colleagues in Asia speak to Bridgewater Capital’s Ray Dalio who warns that soaring debt levels Stateside will still prove challenging for the central bank. We are live in Brittany, north-west France, where Spanish green energy giant Iberdrola opens a €2.4bn offshore wind farm. Chairman Ignacio Galan tells CNBC grid expansion is crucial. Investors await today’s Bank of England rate decision with a potential expansion of quantitative tightening expected.

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Wall Street’s top banks suffer a $50bn market cap wipeout following Silicon Valley Bank’s $2bn loss while shedding assets to cover deposit outflows. The rout has triggered contagion fears among those holding bond portfolios and has dragged U.S. indices firmly lower. The Dow is now on track to post its worst week in almost half a year. Asian equities are also down as a result. President Joe Biden unveils his $6.8tn budget blueprint but faces strong opposition from the GOP. Biden is due to hold talks with European Commission President Ursula Von Der Leyen in D.C. where European concerns about the IRA impact will be top of the agenda. In Beijing, President Xi Jinping is re-confirmed as leader for a historic third term. Former Shanghai party boss Li Qiang is expected to be named Premier later this weekend. And in Japan, the BoJ keeps interest rates and yield control policies in place as Haruhiko Kuroda bids farewell as governor.

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U.S. President Donald Trump orders government agencies to work with Elon Musk’s Department Of Government Efficiency to make cut-backs. Musk slams critics of the project and says the American electorate has voted for the reforms. We are live in Paris at the AI Action Summit where the U.S. and UK have refused to sign up to an official communiqué as differences over regulation and governance continue. U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance says Europe’s approach to the sector is “excessive”. On Capitol Hill, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell touts the strength of the U.S. economy but refuses to comment on President Trump’s trade policies. The UK’s OBR has warned Chancellor Rachel Reeves may have to break her own fiscal rules following a disappointing first draft forecast. And Deutsche Boerse posts a 25 per cent Q4 profit rise but warns of headwinds later this year due to lower interest rates.

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