SQUAWK BOX, WEDNESDAY 30TH JUNE, 2021

It’s the end of a half that has seen numerous policy changes spurred by uncertainties surrounding the pandemic. We take a look at how the markets have fared during these turbulent times and look ahead to the second half as well. In the U.S., the S&P 500 is set to finish its fifth straight month of gains. Oil has also enjoyed it best H1 since 2009. We hear from the Bank of International Settlement’s Claudio Borio who says that transitory higher inflation should be welcomed. In IPO news, Chinese ride-hailing app Didi Chuxing has reportedly valued its listing at the top of its range - $70bn – ahead of its U.S. debut. However, Chinese grocery delivery tech firm Dingdong has wiped out its double-digit gains on its first day of trade on the NYSE. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturing activity has slowed to a fourth-month low, while Japanese factory output falls by its largest amount in a year. Both have been severely affected by the global car production slowdown.