SQUAWK BOX, THURSDAY 18TH FEBRUARY, 2021

It’s another busy day for earnings in Europe. Credit Suisse pre-tax Q4 profit slumps to a CHF88m loss as a slow post-virus recovery weighs on the lender. However, recent client activity is positively impacting its wealth management arm. Full-year revenue for 2020 at Airbus nose-dives by 30 per cent with an operating loss of €510m. The plane maker will also withhold its dividend this year. Meanwhile, digital discord Down Under after Facebook blocks news-sharing in Australia over a proposed law that will force social media platforms to pay for journalistic content. Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says Facebook’s “heavy-handed” actions will damage its reputation in the country. In the U.S., retail sales spike as consumers spend their stimulus cheques, but the Fed warns economic recovery is far from complete.