Market Open: AI Earnings, UK Inflation, and French Unrest

This program covers the European market open on Wednesday, October 21, focusing on AI-related earnings, inflation data, and corporate news from France and the UK.

■ Markets and AI trade
- Nasdaq futures higher after AI-related earnings; debate over AI bubble and capex financing
- Berlin Global Dialogue: Larry Fink on rates, deficits, data centers, and retirement
- NVIDIA conference: Jensen Huang speech, GPU and token pricing, CME partnership

■ Macro and UK policy
- UK inflation above expectations; Bank of England rate expectations
- UK budget, energy policy, North Sea gas, and grid connections

■ Corporate and France
- Carrefour cuts guidance on unrest; Michelin volumes; EssilorLuxottica results; Randstad hiring
- Stock movers and sector performance

Designed for investors and market watchers seeking a concise overview of opening drivers, macro data, and corporate updates. It provides context for assessing AI spending, UK rate risk, and French political impact.