SQUAWK BOX, WEDNESDAY 3RD JANUARY, 2024

The Wall Street Santa rally fizzles out with the Nasdaq posting its worst first trading day since 2016. Apple shares fall after Barclays cuts its rating to ‘underweight’. Shipping giant Maersk halts Red Sea shipping, prolonging its 2-day pause indefinitely following sustained attacks on vessels from Houthi rebels. Lebanon’s Prime Minister accuses Israel of attempting to drag the country into the conflict following the drone assassination of a senior Hamas leader in Beirut. In autos news, Tesla loses out to China’s BYD as the world’s top EV maker in the final three months of 2023. It did however retain its crown for the full year. The bull run continues for Bitcoin, breaking through the $45k mark with optimism seemingly growing for an ETF later this year.