On today's podcast:
1) Nvidia surges to an all-time high on news it will resume Chip sales to China. US government officials told Nvidia they would green-light export licenses for the H20 artificial intelligence accelerator, according to the company. The move is seen as a "massive win" for Nvidia's Chief Executive Officer Jensen Huang, and is also viewed positively by Vey-Sern Ling, managing director at Union Bancaire Privee, who says it is "obviously positive" for Nvidia, the AI semiconductor supply chain, and China tech platforms.
2) The European Union puts out new tariff targets if it can't reach a deal with the US. The European Union has finalized a list of countermeasures to target US goods worth €72 billion, including Boeing Co. aircraft, automobiles and bourbon. The list includes US machinery products, chemicals and plastics, medical devices, electrical equipment, wines and other agricultural goods, according to a document prepared by the European Commission. The EU trade chief Maros Sefcovic says the US tariff policy is "effectively prohibitive" to transatlantic trade, and the EU insists any settlement must be mutually beneficial to both sides.
3) Big bank earnings begin with JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Citi reporting. America’s biggest banks are heading into earnings season with tailwinds from trading and lending as they benefit from market volatility and steady borrowing costs. Investment banking may be a weak spot as sluggish closings offset a pickup in deal announcements, Bloomberg Intelligence said.