SQUAWK BOX, MONDAY 16TH MARCH, 2020

Big bazooka…the U.S. Federal Reserve launches a round of emergency measures, cutting interest rates by 100 points to zero, initiating a $700Bn QE programme, which includes treasuries and mortgage-backed-securities purchases. It also injects additional dollars in a coordinated action with other central banks around the world. Chairman Jerome Powell says liquidity is the top priority in light of the volatility caused by the Coronavirus outbreak. The markets, however, are not convinced. U.S. futures plunge, hitting limit-down, as the Dow drops 1,000 points. Asian indices fare no better, despite additional measures by the Bank of Japan. Europe shuts down, with Spain quarantining its 46m citizens and France and Germany closing large parts of their economies and beefing up border security. Boris Johnson’s government is pressured to do more as President Trump’s travel ban is extended to the U.K. and Ireland as of tomorrow. And there is dismal data from China as industrial production and retail numbers collapse. Fixed asset investment falls for the first time ever.