| Ticker | Direction | Speaker | Thesis | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVOID |
Dr. Scott Gottlieb
Former FDA Commissioner; Board Member (Pfizer, Illumina, UnitedHealth); Partner at NEA (Venture Capital) |
Gottlieb cites a Wall Street Journal editorial noting FDA leader Vinay Prasad rejected Moderna's (MRNA) mRNA vaccine without a cursory review. This "arbitrary" regulatory behavior increases the cost of capital and unpredictability for the entire sector. Gottlieb notes investment in vaccines and cell/gene therapies is drying up in the US and shifting to China (where half of the global mRNA pipeline now sits). The regulatory environment in the US has become hostile to innovation, making the sector uninvestable in the medium term until leadership changes. A change in FDA administration or successful appeals by pharma companies could reverse sentiment. | 34:43 | |
| AVOID |
Steven Fulip
Partnership for New York City President and CEO |
NYC Mayor is threatening a property tax hike if a wealth tax isn't passed. Fulip notes this would push NYC corporate taxes to ~22% compared to 11% in neighboring New Jersey. The tax disparity creates a "trip wire" for businesses. Fulip highlights that JPMorgan (JPM) now has more employees in Texas than in NYC, signaling a structural shift of business operations away from the city due to fiscal policy. Avoid NYC-centric real estate and commercial exposure as the tax burden threatens to drive further corporate exodus. The Governor (Hochul) may block the tax proposals, maintaining the status quo. | 0:13 | |
| WATCH |
Andrew Ross Sorkin
Co-Anchor, Squawk Box |
Netflix (NFLX) is giving Paramount (PARA) a week to negotiate with Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) before pressing its own "better bid" (guaranteed deal, less debt). WBD is the prize in a bidding war between two major players. Netflix is "flooding the zone" to convince shareholders directly, bypassing the board. WBD is in play. The competitive tension between NFLX and PARA suggests a floor or premium for WBD shares, though regulatory hurdles remain a massive question mark. DOJ/Antitrust regulators could block either deal, leaving WBD as a standalone entity with high debt. | 6:06 | |
| WATCH |
Andrew Ross Sorkin
Co-Anchor, Squawk Box |
Amazon snapped a 9-day losing streak that shaved $450B off its market cap following the announcement of a $200B capex plan for 2026 (AI spend). The market initially panicked at the spending scale (4x estimates), but the rebound suggests investors are beginning to digest the necessity of this AI infrastructure build-out. The stock is at a pivot point; execution on this capital deployment is critical. It is a high-stakes bet on AI integration preventing the company from being "put out of business." If the $200B spend does not yield additive revenue or distinct AI advantages, returns on invested capital will crush the stock. | 1:03 | |
| SHORT |
Andrew Ross Sorkin
Co-Anchor, Squawk Box |
Sorkin visited an AMC theater for a recent movie ("Crime 101") and noted only ~12 people were in the audience. The stock is trading under $2. Despite having "good movies," the theaters remain empty. The business model relies on consistent blockbusters, which are not materializing frequently enough to support the overhead. The fundamental business is broken ("How is this whole place even in business?"). A surprise mega-hit or "meme stock" rally could temporarily squeeze shorts. | 12:48 |