General Motors

Bessent toolkit, US brands in China, data center backlash

CNBC’s Morning Squawk highlights five market and political developments: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is under pressure as his efforts to calm the bond market haven’t stopped rising yields and he says the Treasury has a “big toolkit,” including smaller auctions and changing debt maturities; many American brands are losing market share in China though some (Lululemon, Ralph Lauren) are growing there; California AG Rob Bonta and 11 other states are challenging the Paramount–Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery deal and say any settlement would need robust structural remedies; US vaccination rates are falling with many Americans expressing uncertainty rather than outright opposition; and there is growing political and voter backlash against AI data centers, which the National Republican Senatorial Committee called a “sleeper issue.”

Rivian Autonomy+ vs Tesla FSD: Hands-Free ADAS Compared

A CNBC reporter drove Rivian’s Autonomy+ and Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD, Supervised) across hundreds of miles to compare hands-free advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS). Rivian’s Autonomy+ represents a major upgrade for the automaker—using a multimodal sensor stack (cameras, radars, planned lidar) and a new in-vehicle AI assistant—while Tesla’s FSD remains superior today at non-highway, point-to-point driving, handling traffic signals, roundabouts, exits and parking. Rivian plans point-to-point driving later in the year and has subscription and lifetime pricing options; Tesla and GM also offer subscription models. Safety and regulatory concerns persist: the NHTSA has escalated a probe into Tesla’s FSD after several crashes. The piece highlights differing technical approaches (vision-first vs multimodal sensor stacks) and the near-term roadmap for both companies.

Trader Khouw Proposes 'Jade Lizard' for Range-Bound Amazon

CNBC Options Action host Michael (Mike) Khouw says Amazon shares look likely to remain range-bound in the weeks before the next quarterly earnings, and outlines a short-options strategy known as a “jade lizard” to profit from limited movement. The article notes Amazon’s estimated FY2026 revenue above $828 billion (15.5% YoY growth), a market multiple near 22x FY2027 adjusted EPS estimates of $12.35, and very large FY2027 capital expenditures (nearly $280 billion) alongside forecast EBITDA north of $280 billion. Khouw’s recommended trade (expiring Sep 25) is: sell the 240 put, sell the 300 call, and buy the 320 call, betting the stock won’t make new all-time highs before late September.