Tech Gains, Meta-Nvidia "Millions," Titans and the AI trade 2/18/26

Live from Mar-A-Lago at the World Liberty Forum: Sara Eisen — alongside David Faber and Carl Quintanilla, at the New York Stock Exchange — interviewed some of Wall Street's biggest newsmakers. This hour? Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong, alongside pro-crypto Senator Bernie Moreno, talking regulation and whether there's more pain to come for Bitcoin... Plus: Eric and Donald Trump Jr. joined Sara for a wide-ranging deep-dive spanning crypto, conflict of interest concerns, prediction markets, and a whole lot more.  Elsewhere in the hour: hear a fresh read from the ground when it comes to AI demand with the CEO of Cadence Design (as shares pop on strong earnings)... and the details on Nvidia's new AI chip deal with Meta. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, Jim Cramer and David Faber explored Wednesday's gains in the tech sector, one day after the Nasdaq snapped a four-session losing streak and Amazon ended nine consecutive days of losses. Meta expands its deal with Nvidia to purchase millions of chips from the world's most valuable company. The anchors also discussed the latest on Anthropic and the most dominant AI titans. Also in focus: Microsoft as this year's worst performer among the Magnificent 7, Palo Alto Networks slides, what Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos told CNBC about regulatory issues and the company's offer to buy Warner assets, Oil rises on U.S.-Iran tensions, "Faber Report" on MSG Sports exploring a split of its New York Knicks and Rangers businesses. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, Seema Mody, and David Faber broke down another morning of early pressure on the indices, with software stocks leading declines yet again. Hear market veteran Mohamed El-Erian's take on what he would do if he were a trader here - along with a deep-dive on how to 'AI-proof' your portfolio with one former Coatue director turned portfolio manager. Plus: If you can't beat them... Partner with them? Former Ford CEO Mark Fields joined the team to break down reports Ford is eyeing a possible joint venture with Chinese automakers... While David brought his own reporting around developments in the saga for Warner Bros. Discovery. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, David Faber and Michael Santoli led off the show with continuing weakness in tech, software and other sectors in wake of fears about AI. Warner Bros. Discovery says it will restart deal talks with Paramount Skydance despite urging shareholders to back Netflix's takeover offer. Ford refutes reports that it has asked the Trump Administration to allow Chinese EV technology into the U.S. — hear what Ford executives told CNBC about what the automaker is doing when it comes to joint ventures. Also in focus: Amazon's nine-session losing streak, Apple's podcast push, the stocks rising on activism moves, Danaher to buy Masimo in a $10 billion deal, why "The Late Show" host Stephen Colbert is slamming CBS. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, Courtney Reagan, and Michael Santoli capped off a big week of volatility and earnings with a panel of market veterans: Moody's Mark Zandi and former Leuthold Group CIO Jim Paulsen, before a deep-dive into 2 of the morning's biggest reports - Airbnb & Roku, with the CEOs of both companies. Hear how Roku is bullish on AI's opportunity to drive down costs - and why the CEO of Airbnb says his company's built to ride the disruption.  Plus: more on the day's biggest earnings reports - spanning Moderna's big earnings beat driving shares higher, to the tariff headwind slamming Pinterest shares.  Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, Scott Wapner and Michael Santoli led off the show with market reaction to January CPI: Consumer inflation was tamer-than-expected. The anchors drilled down on the stocks and sectors impacted by AI fears. In the mix after Thursday's tech sell-off: Weakness in shares of Apple and Amazon, Applied Materials surges on earnings thanks to the AI boom.Also in focus: A tale of two consumer sectors in February — staples surge while discretionary stocks slide, Rivian soars, the "surge in blowups," the "hedge America" trade, the anchors react to what Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon and Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky told CNBC in eye-opening interviews. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, Sara Eisen, and David Faber kicked off the hour with a look at inflation - including a new alternative data source cited by the Treasury - ahead of tomorrow's CPI report. Citi Wealth's CIO joined the team with more on what it all could mean for markets, and possible rate cuts ahead... Before the team did a deep-dive on software: spanning the names worth buying here, according to a longtime veteran in the space (who's also in investor in Anthropic) - and what the AI buildout means for private credit as concerns grow over possible contagion risks... Goldman's Head of Corporate Credit is bullish as ever here. Plus: more on the day's biggest earnings reports - spanning exclusive commentary from the CFO of McDonalds, to what the street's saying about Cisco's numbers (as shares look for their worst day since April of last year).  Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, David Faber and Michael Santoli discussed the markets and sectors that are thriving in wake of the recent pullback in tech. Add commercial real estate stocks to the list of equities hit by AI fears. Shares of Cisco down sharply as guidance on soaring memory chip costs overshadowed a Q2 earnings beat. McDonalds posted better-than-expected quarterly results, citing its emphasis on value meals and affordability. The anchors reacted to the House's passage of a resolution to overturn President Trump's tariffs on Canada. Also in focus: What the CEO of FedEx told CNBC ahead of the company's investor day, AppLovin's earnings and the slump in software stocks, a $13.5 billion deal to create a transatlantic asset-management giant. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

January payrolls coming in FAR above expectations:Carl Quintanilla, Sara Eisen, and David Faber broke down the numbers, and got the White House's first reaction to the print with Counselor to the Treasury Joe Lavorgna - before later discussing what it means for the Fed with Goldman Sachs' Chief Economist Jan Hatzius. Plus - AI concerns have crushed software stocks year-to-date... Are contagion concerns overblown here? Hear Apollo Asset Management Co-President John Zito's read from the ground on how it could be an opportunity for private credit markets. Around the edges: Sara brought new behind-the-scenes reporting on Kraft Heinz's decision to pause their planned split; David gave his take on T-Mobile results; and the CEO of Robinhood joined the team for a wide-ranging interview spanning crypto, quarterly results, and even what he thinks of a California wealth tax.  Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Carl Quintanilla, David Faber and Michael Santoli discussed the stronger-than-expected January jobs report — and what it could mean for Fed rate policy going forward.On the earnings front: Robinhood shares tumbled on weaker-than-expected crypto trading revenue, Mattel shares plunged on a quarterly miss and disappointing guidance, Shopify President Harley Finkelstein joined the program to talk about the e-commerce company's results and its outlook on AI growth. Also in focus: AI's impact on brokerage stocks, Elon Musk's comments on AI and jobs, Kraft Heinz pauses plans to split up the company, "Magnificent 7" movers, the FAA 's brief closure of El Paso, Texas airspace. Squawk on the Street Disclaimer Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.