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This is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Tuesday. We're not even a week into the new year and I've already started telling myself that my resolution to read more can include reviewing drafts of this newsletter. Stock futures are little changed this morning. The market is coming off a winning session. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. Maduro's plea
Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores are escorted, as they heads towards the Daniel Patrick Moynihan United States Courthouse in Manhattan for an initial appearance to face U.S. federal charges including narco-terrorism, conspiracy, drug trafficking, money laundering and others, at Downtown Manhattan Heliport, in New York City, U.S., Jan. 5, 2026. Adam Gray | Reuters
2. Bank teller
Neel Kashkari, President and CEO, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, speaks at the Milken Conference 2024 Global Conference Sessions at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., May 7, 2024. David Swanson | Reuters
Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkari told CNBC yesterday that interest rates may not need to come down much further. "My guess is we're pretty close to neutral right now," Kashkari said on "Squawk Box." He said he believes inflation is still too high and that monetary policy appears to not have been tight enough in recent years. On the labor front, Kashkari said artificial intelligence has caused a slowdown in hiring among big companies while also creating productivity gains. His comments come ahead of tomorrow's ADP employment report and November's Job Openings and Labor Turnover data, followed by the all-important nonfarm payroll report on Friday.
3. Mileage may vary
The Camp Jeep outdoor terrain at the New York International Auto Shown on April 16, 2025. Danielle DeVries | CNBC
General Motors reported a 5.5% annual U.S. sales increase in 2025 yesterday. As CNBC's Michael Wayland notes, that should make it a top performer: Cox Automotive expects the broader sector to rise around just 2%. On the other hand, Chrysler parent Stellantis saw its sales slide 3.3%. But it wasn't all bad: The automaker's Jeep brand posted growing sales for the first time since 2018. Electric vehicle maker Lucid , meanwhile, said deliveries surged 55% in 2025, driven by a 70% annual increase in the fourth quarter. Lucid has been building out production of its Gravity SUV despite supply chain snafus.
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