The combined group could put pressure on rival telecommunications firms BT, Vodafone and Sky.

Bubble-like tech stocks remain among the biggest winners this year, and their strength pushed the Nasdaq Composite into positive territory on Thursday.

"We view this as a massive opportunity for us to drive trial and win consumers over into our segment," Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said in a "Mad Money" interview.

The U.S. shed a record number of jobs in April, Trump's personal valet tests positive for virus: This weeks news recap and our best reads.

CNBC's Jim Cramer said Friday that he's done with fossil fuel stocks because young investor's concerns about climate change are holding them down.

Stocks were down slightly on Tuesday, but beneath the surface lies the continuation of a powerful rally.

"Our death toll curve is now worse than when China was at the same stage," Haven CEO Dr. Atul Gawande tells CNBC.

"My own sense is the Fed went too far in going into the high-yield market," the Allianz economic advisor told CNBC on Monday. "You get people who shouldn't be borrowing raising money."

Amazon will invest heavily in Covid-19 testing for its employees.

Citing uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic that's shuttered much of the dine-in restaurant industry around the world, the company suspended its full-year forecast.

European Commission may be preparing for formal case against Google, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Dr. Fatima al-Kaabi of the Sheikh Khalifa Medical City discusses a stem cell treatment currently being tested for its efficacy in alleviating coronavirus symptoms, and the easing of the lockdown in the UAE.

A rush to open the economy could cause a second wave of infections, even as the Corona curve is flattening and possibly rolling over.

A team of international experts said that while there was no "magic bullet" for treating Covid-19, successfully identifying a drug that could treat the virus was likely to take less time than rolling out a vaccine.

Interest rates are in free fall, but that could be good news for one group of stocks that are already off to a strong start this year.

"Beyond Meat is just a huge seller," CNBC's Jim Cramer says. "There are people who are getting appalled by what's happening to meat packers and the more we read about it the more we think Beyond Meat is the way to get protein that skips that thing called the industrial cow."

CNBC's Jim Cramer says Beyond Meat is one of the most dangerous shorts in the market right now because people are turning to the meat substitutes as coronavirus makes retail demand rise.

Plant-based protein is not a passing fad, CNBC's Jim Cramer said.

Kare Schultz, CEO of Teva Pharmaceuticals, joins "Squawk on the Street" to discuss the coronavirus pandemic and potential treatments.

Tim League, executive chairman of Alamo Drafthouse, joins "Squawk on the Street" to discuss its strategy for opening theaters in a post-coronavirus world, as well as its new on-demand service.

The streaming service pulled the episode hours after CNBC brought it to the company's attention, but Apple is yet to pull the same podcast.

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading.

The unilateral repudiation of the multilateral agreement with Iran and the threat by the US to impose sanctions of countries that continue to do business with Iran carries a much broader threat to the Euro and Euro pairs.

CNBC's Deirdre Bosa reports quarterly earnings from Lyft.

Brent Thill, managing senior analyst at Jeffries and Rohit Kulkarni, analyst at MKM Capital, join "Closing Bell" to discuss markets.

CNBC's Diana Olick reports quarterly earnings from Zillow.

A group of state AGs are raising concerns about the meat industry. CNBC's Ylan Mui reports.

While some of the underlying thinking behind the so-called 4% rule was prudent, it was hatched in an era in which interest rates were much higher, capital markets less volatile and, most important, Americans had shorter lifespans. Given today's market volatility and changed retirement landscape, it's safe to assume that the 4% rule may be obsolete.

As Congress considers ideas in the coming weeks seeking to help America recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, the Insured Retirement Institute has proposed a five-point plan to help American retirement savers enhance their ability to save for retirement today and ways to strengthen their financial security for tomorrow.

Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown said the meat industry is "reaching a tipping point" and the plant-based meat producer sees a chance to win over new consumers.

Waste Management CEO Jim Fish made an appearance on CNBC's "Mad Money" to discuss the trash collector company's three-month performance and what's ahead.

Many Gen Z and millennial professionals have one question: Will I still have a job? Worrying about day-to-day expenses puts them at risk for financial burnout. And that could mean they neglect their long-term plans, particularly retirement savings.

Eating more healthy food? More junk food? Nearly everyone's eating and shopping habits are feeling the fallout of the pandemic — and boredom and anxiety are driving plenty of change.

Continue reading...

Alexia Howard, Bernstein analyst, with a Beyond Meat earnings preview. With CNBC's Melissa Lee and the Fast Money traders, Guy Adami, Tim Seymour, Dan Nathan and Karen Finerman.

The US and Europe have taken different approaches to tackling pandemic-induced unemployment but which is best long term?

In two, terrible, months the coronavirus pandemic has driven unemployment in the US to levels unseen since the 1930s Great Depression. Did it have to be this way?

Covid-19 has cost more than 33 million Americans their jobs in the last seven weeks – 10% of the entire US population. The official unemployment rate had shot up from 4.4% to 14.7% on Friday – a figure that probably wildly underestimates the true scale of job losses.

Iquitos, still reeling from a dengue fever outbreak and plagued by poverty, relies on air deliveries for medicine, equipment and oxygen

In the final hours before Covid-19 claimed her life, Cecilio Sangama watched helplessly as his eldest sister Edith gasped for breath.

Hospitals across Peru’s largest Amazon city had run out of oxygen, and the shortage had pushed the black market price of a cylinder well above $1,000 (£810).

Gilles Peterson and Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers pay tribute to the Fela Kuti collaborator, described by Brian Eno as ‘perhaps the greatest drummer who ever lived’

The Nigerian drummer Tony Allen, who is credited with creating Afrobeat along with his old bandmate Fela Kuti, died suddenly at the age of 79 in Paris on Thursday, his manager said. “We don’t know the exact cause of death,” Eric Trosset said, adding it was not linked to the coronavirus pandemic.

“He was in great shape,” said Trosset. “It was quite sudden. I spoke to him at 1pm then two hours later he was sick and taken to Pompidou hospital, where he died.”

Related: Tony Allen: Afrobeat’s master on Hugh Masekela, Damon Albarn and friction with Fela Kuti

The epic Tony Allen, the greatest drummer on earth has left us. What a wildman with a massive, kind and free heart and the deepest one-of-a-kind groove. Fela Kuti did not invent afrobeat, Fela and Tony birthed it… https://t.co/qXqMAP7QzT

RIP TONY ALLEN. THE GOAT AMONGST GOATS. DO YOUR RESEARCH. LEGENDS NEVER DIE. THE INVENTOR OF RHYTHM #Afrobeat

Merci Tony Allen....https://t.co/Oizisc8wWd

US president again criticises Beijing as European countries prepare to ease lockdown

• Coronavirus – latest updates
• See all our coronavirus coverage

Donald Trump has said he is “very confident” there will be a vaccine for coronavirus by the end of the year, revising up his estimate of the final US death toll as several European countries prepare for a cautious easing of lockdowns.

The president used a Fox News “virtual town hall” on Sunday night to repeat his regular virus talking points, including that a vaccine was not far away, Covid-19 was China’s fault and the economy would not only recover but “grow like crazy”.

Related: Mike Pompeo: 'enormous evidence' coronavirus came from Chinese lab

Global coronavirus cases have surpassed 3.5 million with more than 247,000 deaths.

In New York, the centre of the US outbreak, an emergency field hospital erected in Central Park is set to close. Dozens of New Yorkers were fined for violating social distancing guidelines as they flocked to beaches and parks in balmy weekend weather.

China reported three new coronavirus cases, versus two the day before.

Japan’s state of emergency is expected to be extended until the end of the month.

France will not quarantine anyone arriving from the EU, the Schengen area or Britain due to the coronavirus.

New Zealand has reported no new coronavirus cases for the first time.

South Korea plans to ease a ban on some gatherings and events as long as they “follow disinfection measures”.

Brazil has become the first country in Latin America to report more than 100,000 cases.

The Iranian president, Hassan Rouhani, announced mosques will reopen across large parts of the Islamic republic after they were closed in early March.

Microsoft confirms key specs of games console plus new ‘Smart Delivery’ feature allowing one-size-fits-all game purchases

Microsoft has confirmed that its next games console, the Xbox Series X, will feature a 12 teraflops graphics processor, eight times more powerful than the Xbox One graphics chipset.

The announcement, made by the Xbox chief, Phil Spencer, via Microsoft’s Wire news site, confirmed recent rumours about the machine, which is launching this winter.

Related: Follow your Dreams: how the future of playing video games is making them

Related: Xbox chief: 'We discussed whether we should even do another console'

From being a goose on the loose to controlling whole galaxies, here’s a world of experiences for all the family

• Modern Toss on video games ...

The cinemas may be shut, the gig venues closed, but there is one place you can still meet your friends and be entertained without leaving your house: the world of gaming. For many of us, it has been years since we could really justify spending all day in our pyjamas slaying virtual dragons – now that way of life, for some at least, is a little less frowned-upon. But if you’re returning to serious gaming after a few years away, where exactly should you be spending your valuable money and time? Here are no less than 100 highly recommended titles, from family favourites to epic sci-fi sagas – all available on current platforms, be it PC, smartphones or consoles. Whether you want to be moved, terrified, relaxed or intellectually challenged, alone or with pals, we’ve got more than enough here to keep you occupied until you’re out and about again …

Adam Philipson, The Count Basie Center for the Arts president and CEO, joins 'Power Lunch' to discuss how the company is making it through the Covid-19 pandemic and how long the PPP loan will carry them.

CNBC's Aditi Roy talks about meat shortages in the U.S. and the growing demand for products like Impossible Foods with the company's CEO Pat Brown.

Investment is bound to suffer in the post-Covid weeks of return but the outlook is cautiously positive for the women’s game

Ominous warnings have been sounded by the international players’ union that women’s football faces an existential threat. When AFC Fylde disbanded their women’s team last week it was probably the tip of an iceberg – but how gloomy is the game’s future?

Although everyone agrees there will be casualties, opinion is split about the extent of any setback. Alan Naigeon offers his assessment from a position of authority as a managing partner of the agency A&V Sports, which represents players such as Chelsea’s Sam Kerr and Lyon’s Ballon d’Or winner Ada Hegerberg.

• President calls for resumption of football despite crisis
• Brazil has more than 5,900 deaths due to the coronavirus

Brazil’s president Jair Bolsonaro wants to see football competitions restart soon despite the country’s high number of coronavirus cases, arguing that players are less likely to die from Covid-19 because of their physical fitness.

Bolsonaro is one of the few world leaders that still downplays the risks brought by the coronavirus, which he has likened to “a little flu”.

• Amiens relegated, Lyon miss out on European qualification
• Lyon president says club will seek damages for financial losses

Amiens and Lyon have both reacted angrily to Ligue 1’s decision to officially end their season on Thursday and determine final league placings, European qualification and relegation amid the Covid-19 crisis.

The 2019-20 campaign was suspended as part of the French government’s steps to contain the spread of coronavirus last month. With some teams having played 27 matches and others 28, the French league (LFP) drew up the final standings according to a performance index – number of points per game weighed by head-to-head record.