Squawk on the Street

Craig Packer, Co-President of Blue Owl Capital and head of its credit arm, discusses the firm’s $1.4B loan sale, fund redemptions and how fundraising and asset sales are being handled. He addresses who bought assets, pricing and transparency. Conversation also touches on lending standards for software and plans to return capital to investors.

A lively discussion about why cybersecurity may hold up as AI adoption grows. Conversation highlights how CrowdStrike could benefit from widespread agent use and a new Microsoft marketplace listing. There is also debate over SaaS growth worries and what seat compression means for software companies.

Richard Haass, President Emeritus of the Council on Foreign Relations, offers a concise geopolitical read on rising U.S.-Iran tensions and options for pressure. Steve Cahillane, CEO of Kraft Heinz, outlines a paused separation, a $600M push to restore growth, and brand and capital priorities. The conversation jumps between geopolitics and corporate turnaround, energy price moves, and consumer trends.

Market reaction to Walmart’s surprise Q4 beat and what the new CEO said about consumer spending. A tense AI summit photo moment and candid comments from OpenAI and Anthropic leaders on China competition and job displacement. Big fundraising buzz around OpenAI and fresh pressure on software stocks. Corporate moves include Etsy's Depop sale and a Blue Owl redemption scare.

Eric Trump, co-founder of World Liberty Financial and businessman modernizing finance and stablecoins. Donald Trump Jr., co-founder of World Liberty Financial and businessman focused on prediction markets and crypto adoption. They discuss stablecoin utility, prediction markets revealing public sentiment, conflict-of-interest optics, and broader crypto adoption trends at Mar-a-Lago.

Tech stocks rebound and Amazon breaks a long skid as Nvidia and Meta strike a massive chip deal. Big cloud players’ heavy CapEx and data center power needs get debated. AI titans, Anthropic and enterprise adoption are mapped out without definitive answers. Energy moves on U.S.-Iran tensions and MSG considers splitting its Knicks and Rangers businesses.

Mark Fields, former Ford CEO, weighs in on possible Chinese joint ventures and EV strategy. Mohamed El-Erian, Allianz chief economic adviser, breaks down jobless growth, rates outlook, and how to pick software names amid AI-driven volatility. They also touch on media deal drama and AI-proofing software portfolios.

A market panel digs into tech and software weakness tied to AI fears. Corporate drama heats up around a bidding battle for a major studio. Ford pushes back on reports about Chinese EV technology and joint ventures. Finance moves include a $10 billion acquisition, activist-driven stock swings, and Amazon’s extended losing streak.

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, offers quick macro context. Brian Chesky, Airbnb co-founder and CEO, talks earnings, international growth, new business lines, and AI for search and service. Anthony Wood, Roku founder and CEO, covers ad and subscription strategy, bundles, and how AI changes streaming. Short, fast-paced conversation on earnings, AI impacts, and industry trends.

Conversation centers on cooler-than-expected CPI and how markets reacted to it. They dig into AI-driven jitters that slammed mega-cap tech and sparked a tech sell-off. Discussion of extreme single-stock moves and which sectors are rebounding. Coverage includes Rivian and EV dynamics, chip-equipment strength, and debates over hyperscaler AI spending and potential malinvestment.