CNBC's Morning Squawk outlines five issues investors are watching: September jobs, Nike's China weakness, General Motors' EV sales, AI, and Burger King's refranchising. Economists expect 84,000 jobs added and unemployment to hold at 4.1%; Nike says China weighs on results and forecasts a high-single-digit revenue decline in fiscal 2027. It also reports OpenAI Chairman Bret Taylor's safety comments, AT&T's 45 billion daily AI-token use, and Burger King's plan to leave about 300 U.S. restaurants company-owned and more than 6,000 franchised.
The Department of Energy proposes canceling more than $500 million in grants awarded to over a dozen startups, alongside grants for major automakers and other companies. The proposed cuts target Bipartisan Infrastructure Law awards, including $189 million for materials startup Brimstone, $55.2 million for battery recycler Li Industries, and funding for low-carbon cement and building-materials companies. The proposals come after the administration announced plans to cut more than $7.5 billion in other contracts.
