GoKawiilThis is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Tuesday. It looks like that Lakers sale we told you about last week isn't shaping up to be a slam dunk. CNBC's Alex Sherman reported yesterday that team governor Jeanie Buss is opposing the potential sale of her family's stake in the Lakers. S&P 500 futures are lower before the bell following a negative day on Wall Street. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. 30-year itch
A VIX volatility index chart on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on March 19, 2025. Photographer: Michael Nagle | Bloomberg | Getty Images
2. Follow the blueprint
A worker pushes shopping carts inside a Home Depot store in San Jose, California, US, on Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026. David Paul Morris | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Shares of Home Depot are 2% higher this morning after the home improvement retailer beat analysts' top- and bottom-line expectations for the second quarter. The company also reaffirmed its guidance for the 2026 fiscal year as it operates in what CFO Richard McPhail called "'frozen housing market' conditions." McPhail said that tariff refunds will help Home Depot "maintain value" as the returned cash partially counteracts other costs pressures. Home Depot kicks off a big week for retailer reports in an otherwise quiet period for corporate earnings. Lowe's and Target report tomorrow, followed by Walmart on Thursday.
3. Day rate
In an aerial view, the Paramount logo is displayed on a water tower at the Paramount Studios lot on July 13, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
Paramount Skydance wants state attorneys general to foot the bill for the delay of its deal with Warner Bros. Discovery . The media giant on Monday asked a judge to force the states challenging its merger to cover the fees and costs tied to the deal's delay — a number Paramount put at $1.88 billion. There are a dozen state AGs involved in the antitrust lawsuit, which is set to head to trial in March. About one in four prediction market traders believe the deal won't happen by July 2027, an increase from before the AGs filed their suit.
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