GoKawiilThis is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Friday. If you're already starting to think about how to maximize next year's tax return, my colleague Hayley Cuccinello breaks down how the wealthiest among us are preparing. Stock futures are rising this morning after a winning session. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. Peace talks
US President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on the South Lawn of the White House before boarding Marine One in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, April 16, 2026. Graeme Sloan | Bloomberg | Getty Images
2. Closing credits
Reed Hastings attends the annual Allen and Co. Sun Valley Media and Technology Conference at the Sun Valley Resort in Sun Valley, Idaho, U.S., on July 9, 2025. David A. Grogan | CNBC
Netflix easily beat analyst expectations on both lines for the first quarter yesterday. The streaming giant saw a big jump in earnings per share thanks partly to the $2.8 billion breakup fee it received following the termination of its proposed Warner Bros. Discovery deal. The California-based company also announced a key leadership change: Chairman, co-founder and former CEO Reed Hastings will step down from Netflix's board after his term ends in June. Co-CEO Ted Sarandos wrote off the idea that Hastings' departure is tied to the WBD deal, calling Hastings a "big champion" for Netflix's bid for WBD's assets. Netflix shares tumbled around 10% in premarket trading.
3. At odds
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) signage on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in New York, US, on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
There's a tale of two sectors playing out in tech as the Nasdaq continues its big win streak. Quantum stocks have surged this week amid investor optimism that Nvidia 's open-source artificial intelligence models will boost quantum computing adoption. IonQ and D-Wave Quantum shares have soared more than 50% just this week, while Quantum Computing and Rigetti Computing have climbed more than 30%. At the same time, shares of Taiwan Semiconductor and ASML sank despite strong earnings reports from both chip manufacturers. As CNBC's Katie Tarasov reports, their moves are the latest example of chipmaker stocks buckling under the weight of lofty expectations.
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