SQUAWK BOX, FRIDAY 31ST DECEMBER, 2021

Chinese manufacturing activity beats expectations for December, in spite of continuing Covid restrictions. U.S. markets are set to end 2021 strongly with Wall Street eyeing its best three-year run since the late 1990s. The WHO warns of a ‘tsunami’ of global Covid cases as the Omicron variant peaks in at least 20 countries. And Presidents Biden and Putin hold talks about de-escalating tensions over Ukraine but find no resolution as they trade warnings and threats.