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European Union and Chinese officials are to hold talks about the bloc’s planned tariffs on Chinese EVs. Asian markets are mixed after a soft end to the week on Wall Street in the longest stretch of low volatility since the GFC. In France, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance loses more ground in the polls, trailing Marine Le Pen’s National Rally ahead of next weekend’s electoral first round. Former U.S. President Donald Trump holds a rally in Philadelphia while Joe Biden prepares for this week’s presidential debate.  

We hear exclusively from IMF managing director Kristalina Georgieva who says Europe is on the right economic path but must take advantage of the single market or fall behind. The Nasdaq breaks its longest winning streak of the year as Nvidia shares pare back. However Wall Street is on course for a positive end to the week with energy stocks leading gains. The BoE signals it may cut interest rates in August after keeping them steady yesterday with a finely balanced decision. And in the Netherlands, Prime Minister Mark Rutte is on course to become the new NATO secretary-general after his only remaining rival, Romanian president Klaus Iohannis, withdraws from the race.

The BoE and Norges Bank are expected to hold rates steady today while the SNB looks set to make a second consecutive cut today. UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak suffers another blow to his chances of re-election with one poll predicting the Tories are on track for its lowest ever seat total next month. In Brussels, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s ECR party overtakes Macron’s Renew bloc to become the third-largest party in the European Parliament. In autos news, Chinese automakers reportedly urge Beijing lawmakers to hike duties on ICE imports in retaliation for tariffs placed on EVs.

The world’s most valuable company Nvidia overtakes Microsoft in terms of market cap following a 170 per cent rally this year. Treasury yields fall following lower-than-expected retail sales numbers bolster hopes of a Fed rate cut later this year. Luxury trainer maker Golden Goose shelves plans to list on the Milan stock exchange blaming a deterioration of market conditions following the recent European elections. And in the UK, inflation looks set to return back to target – the last print before next month’s general election.  

Europe's competition chief Margrethe Vestager will soon be ending her mandate in Brussels, after ten years of taking on Big Tech and others. In an exclusive conversation with Squawk Box Europe's Silvia Amaro, she addressed some of the ongoing investigations into Microsoft and Apple and offered a sobering perspective on Europe's place in the world.

We are live in Brussels where the European Commission top job is up for grabs. The EPP is demanding the presidency is split into two terms of two-and-a-half years. Wall Street enjoys a mega-cap rally with the S&P 500 notching a 30th record close this year. In aviation news, Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun prepares to face lawmakers on Capitol Hill over the plane maker’s recent safety record troubles. And Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dissolves his war cabinet as discontent grows over the ongoing war in Gaza.