Paramount Skydance Corporation Chairman and Chief Executive Officer David Ellison (center) outside the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) on Monday, December 8, 2025 in New York, USA.
Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
This is CNBC’s Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.
Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.
1. Battles occur one after another
paramount skydance CEO David Ellison hasn’t accepted his loss Netflix in a bidding war for warner bros On the chin. Paramount announced yesterday that it would make an all-cash hostile bid of $30 per share directly to WBD shareholders, with Ellison telling CNBC: “We want to finish what we started.”
Here’s what you need to know:
Paramount’s offer is the same one that Warner Bros. Discovery executives passed up last week in favor of Netflix. But this time, the decision will be in the hands of WBD stakeholders. President Donald Trump said over the weekend that the Netflix and WBD deal “could be problematic,” citing the streamer’s potential market share if the deal goes through. President Trump also said he would be “involved” in the confirmation process. Paramount’s hostile takeover is backed by Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law, according to regulatory filings. comcast President Mike Kavanagh said he believes his company’s offer is “cash light” compared to the other two bids. Paramount stock rose 9% in yesterday’s trading, while Warner Bros. Discovery stock rose more than 4%. Netflix stock fell more than 3%. Follow live market updates here.
Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal, which owns CNBC. With Comcast’s planned Versant spinoff, Versant will become CNBC’s new parent company.
2. DC AI movement
8 GPU Nvidia HGX system with Nvidia H200 chip.
Nvidia
President Trump announced yesterday Nvidia will be allowed to ship its H200 artificial intelligence chips to “approved customers” in China and other countries. Note: Only if the US gets the 25% tax cut.
In a social media post, President Trump said the Commerce Department was finalizing details, adding: “The same approach will apply.” AMD, intelShares of Nvidia, AMD, and Intel all rose in overnight trading. Trump also said that Chinese President Xi Jinping had “reacted positively” to the plan.
Meanwhile, House Democrats have set up a committee on AI, hoping to position themselves as a leader on the issue. As CNBC’s Emily Wilkins points out, the move comes as the tech industry increases its presence in D.C. and beefs up campaign financing.
3. From llamas to avocados
Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg delivers the keynote speech at the MetaConnect annual event held at the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, California, on September 25, 2024.
Manuel Orbegoso | Reuters
meta The company has spent billions of dollars overhauling its AI strategy. But as CNBC’s Jonathan Bunyan reports, the change led to internal confusion and ad hoc strategies.
CEO Mark Zuckerberg touted Meta’s Llama family of AI models earlier this year, saying they would be “the most advanced in the industry.” However, CNBC has learned that Meta is now focusing on a new AI model codenamed “Avocado” that may be proprietary rather than open source.
Elsewhere in Big Tech, apple has seen significant changes at its top in recent days, including the departure of its AI division head and top lawyer. The iPhone maker’s chip leader, Johnny Srouzi, reassured staff in a memo yesterday that he has no plans to leave “any time soon,” following reports that he was considering leaving the company.
4. Agricultural aid
Dan Duffy uses a tractor to plant soybeans on the land he farms with his brother on April 28, 2025, near Dwight, Illinois.
Scott Olson | Getty Images
President Trump yesterday announced a $12 billion aid package for farmers affected by the tariffs, saying it would be funded from revenue generated by the tariffs.
A White House official told CNBC that up to $11 billion of that money will go to the USDA’s new Farmer Bridge Assistance Program, which will distribute one-time payments to raw crop farmers. The remaining $1 billion will be kept while the department evaluates the market, officials said.
Meanwhile, Trump suffered a blow in court yesterday. A federal judge overturned a ban on new wind projects, calling it “arbitrary, capricious and contrary to law.”
5. McDonald’s New Year’s resolution
A customer waits to order food at a McDonald’s fast food restaurant on July 26, 2022 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Radle | Getty Images
mcdonalds McDonald’s aims to appeal to price-sensitive consumers, and the fast food giant said it will consider how its prices align with its value goals, according to a memo seen by CNBC.
According to the memo, McDonald’s plans to update its standards and conduct a “comprehensive evaluation” of pricing for its franchisees, which operate about 95% of McDonald’s restaurants. If franchise owners do not comply with the new standards, they could be subject to penalties such as being prohibited from opening additional stores or having their contracts with the company terminated.
daily dividend
IBM CEO Arvind Krishna appeared on CNBC’s “Squawk on the Street” yesterday to discuss the acquisition of the company’s data streaming platform. Confluence In an $11 billion deal. Confluent stock soared 29% following the announcement.

— CNBC’s Alex Sherman, David Faber, Lillian Rizzo, Sean Conlon, Emily Wilkins, Dan Mangan, Kevin Breuninger, Jonathan Vanian, Kiff Lethwing, Chris Udaly, Steve Kobach, Spencer Kimball and Amelia Lucas contributed to this report. Josephine Rozzelle edited this version.
