GoKawiilThis is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox. Happy Thursday. The NFL is going Down Under. The San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Rams will face off tonight in Melbourne in the league's first regular-season game in Australia. Stock futures are down this morning. All three major averages closed Wednesday's session lower. Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. After the election
US President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before boarding Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Sept. 9, 2026. Brendan Smialowski | AFP | Getty Images
2. Into the fold
Apple’s new iPhone Duo is on display during the “Surprise and Shine” event at the company's corporate headquarters, Apple Park, on September 9, 2026 in Cupertino, California. Benjamin Fanjoy | Getty Images
Apple officially joined the foldable phone race yesterday. The company's newly-minted CEO John Ternus unveiled the iPhone Duo at its annual product launch in Cupertino, California. The passport-sized device opens into a 7.6-inch display and starts at $1,999 — below the price point Wall Street expected. It will be available for purchase on Oct. 23. But that wasn't Apple's only announcement. The tech giant showed off its new AI-powered Siri, the A20 Pro chip and an Apple Watch feature that can listen to, summarize and recall parts of conversations. The iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max are also getting a $100 price hike compared to last year's models, as the company contends with higher component costs. Catch up on everything Apple announced here.
3. Buy it back
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent answers questions during the 2026 G20 Financial meetings on Sept. 1, 2026 in Asheville, North Carolina. Melissa Sue Gerrits | Getty Images
The Treasury Department said yesterday that it will buy back up to $6 billion of government debt, triple the normal level, as it looks to stabilize the bond market. Future operations will total at least $4 billion, it said. The move comes after a brutal stretch for Treasury yields, which have recently hit highs not seen since before 2008. But the Treasury's announcement Wednesday appeared to do little to calm the market: The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield climbed to above 4.8%, its highest level since November 2023, after the news. Hours later, Treasury chief Scott Bessent spoke at the Republicans' midterm convention in Texas, an unusually political move for a sitting Treasury secretary. As CNBC's Matt Peterson writes, Bessent's partisan appearance could raise questions about his credibility, which analysts say is crucial to the Treasury's bond market operation.
4. Department check
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