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Happy Tuesday. jet blue Spirit Airlines has acquired a vacant slot at LaGuardia Airport. I would like to keep an eye on whether it will be relocated to the art deco-style marine air terminal at the airport, which I have visited many times on Spirit flights.
Stock futures are rising this morning. The market is coming off a down day.
Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.
1. Iran Watch
US President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One upon arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, July 19, 2026.
Mandel Gunn | AFP | Getty Images
The United States continued its attacks on Iran for the 10th night in a row yesterday after President Donald Trump promised to avenge the deaths of American service members killed in the conflict. While stocks don’t seem unduly spooked by the fighting, red flags are flashing in other areas of the market.
Here’s what you need to know:
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps announced the attack this morning. AmazonDestroying Bahrain’s infrastructure with missiles. CNBC was unable to independently verify this claim. On Monday, Iran’s Houthi allies announced a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, a move that could further exacerbate oil supply disruptions caused by Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz. Mediators reportedly want the US and Iran to agree to a 10-day ceasefire. Still, oil prices are rising this morning, adding to Monday’s gains. Yesterday’s trading ended with all three major indexes declining. S&P500 Meanwhile, Trump administration officials announced yesterday that the United States would impose new 50% tariffs on certain Canadian products in response to allegations of trade discrimination. Follow us here for live market updates.
2. Put it into high gear
General Motors logo at GM’s world headquarters in Detroit, Michigan, January 12, 2026.
Jeff Kowalski | Bloomberg | Getty Images
shares of general motors Stocks had been rising before the bell after the automaker beat expectations for the second quarter and raised its full-year forecast, citing strong sales in North America. GM reported adjusted earnings of $3.57 per share and revenue of $48.03 billion, both of which beat Wall Street expectations.
GM Chief Financial Officer Paul Jacobson said in a post-earnings interview with CNBC’s “Squawk Box” that the company’s first-half earnings per share were 25% higher than any first half in its history. He also said GM’s “momentum is clear.”
As CNBC’s Mike Weiland reported, the automaker raised its forecasts for full-year earnings before interest and taxes and adjusted auto free cash flow. However, GM has revised downward its forecast for net income attributable to shareholders for the second consecutive quarter.
3. Notice of resignation
In this photo illustration, the Google AI Studio application is displayed on a mobile phone with Google in the background on October 26, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium.
Null Photo | Null Photo | Getty Images
CNBC confirmed yesterday that Chris Fall, director of the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, has resigned after just three months in the role.
As CNBC’s Ashley Caputo points out, the departure creates further uncertainty about who will lead the White House for artificial intelligence, as the Trump administration takes an increasingly hands-on role in regulating artificial intelligence. Arvind Raman, director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, will serve as acting director of the center, a Commerce Department spokesperson said.
Elsewhere in A.I. alphabet Shares rose yesterday after reports that Google’s parent company is internally developing a new server chip called “Frozen v2.” This will be announced ahead of Alphabet’s earnings, scheduled for tomorrow after the bell.
4. Production delays
Jakub Porzycki | Null Photo | Getty Images
of paramount–warner bros discovery The merger is officially on hold.
On Monday, a California judge approved a temporary restraining order on the deal following a lawsuit from a group of state attorneys general. The order halts the $110 billion acquisition deal for 14 days.
A Paramount spokesperson said: “We are confident that the evidence will demonstrate that the antitrust claims made by the National Audit Corporation are without merit.” Warner Bros. declined to comment.
5. Root of the problem
A package of Taylor Farms salad greens is displayed at a Safeway store on July 16, 2026 in Kings Beach, California.
Justin Sullivan | Getty Images
The Food and Drug Administration yesterday stood by its main conclusions about the origins of the cyclosporiasis outbreak, after the announcement of false-positive tests sparked confusion.
The agency announced late Sunday that testing of iceberg lettuce from Mexico’s Taylor Farms had a false positive result for the parasite, but it still believes the outbreak was caused by shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Farms. The company said it would stand by its voluntary recall of related lettuce from central Mexico, and regulators continue to advise consumers not to eat the recalled iceberg lettuce.
Meanwhile, Taco Bell is removing suspect lettuce from restaurants in affected states. Fast food chains’ foot traffic on Fridays was 19% lower than the average Friday so far this year, according to data from Placer.ai.
daily dividend

— CNBC’s Sam Meredith, Kai Nicole-Schwartz, Lim Hui Jie, Sarah Ming, Sean Conlon, Kevin Breuninger, Michael Weiland, Ashley Caputo, Mackenzie Cigarros, Lillian Rizzo, Brandon Gomez, Raya Neelakandan, Angelica Peebles and Samantha Subin contributed to this report.
Luke Fountain helped produce this newsletter. Josephine Rozzelle edited this version.
