Squawk Pod: 5 Things to Know Before the Opening Bell – November 5, 2025

Host: Becky Quick (CNBC)
Theme: The episode delivers a concise rundown of the five most important market-moving stories to watch before trading opens for the day, including notable corporate earnings, stock movements, and a major federal nomination.

Episode Overview

In this episode, Becky Quick outlines the top five headlines set to impact the markets on November 5, 2025. The topics covered range from tech and social media earnings reports, notable stock moves in the EV and pizza industries, to a high-profile re-nomination at NASA. The episode provides listeners with the essential knowledge needed to understand the pre-market environment, with insider context and quick analysis.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AMD Earnings Beat and Amazon Share Sale

• Earnings Report: AMD exceeded Wall Street expectations on both earnings and revenue, and delivered "upbeat guidance" for the coming quarter.
• Amazon’s Exit: Despite the positive report, Amazon revealed it sold all of its 822,000 AMD shares, prompting a negative reaction in the market.
  • "Net result that stock is off by about 5 1/2% this morning." (00:33)
• Insight: This segment underscores how even positive earnings can be overshadowed by significant institutional selling.

2. Pinterest Shares Plunge on Weak Results

• Summary: Pinterest reported a profit that missed expectations and issued disappointing forward guidance.
  • "Pinterest shares plunging after the company reported profit that was below expectations and gave weak guidance. That stock down by close to 18% this morning." (00:45)
• Insight: The market reacted sharply, with the stock dropping nearly 18%, highlighting the sensitivity of social media stocks to earnings and guidance surprises.

3. Rivian Beats on Revenue and Narrows Loss

• Financial Performance: Rivian, the electric vehicle maker, reported a smaller-than-expected adjusted loss and revenue that topped analyst estimates.
  • "The gross profit came in at $24 million. The street had actually expected a loss of more than $38 million." (00:55)
• Share Reaction: As a result, Rivian shares gained 3% pre-market.
• Insight: Wall Street rewarded Rivian’s “beat,” particularly noting the surprise move to profitability at the gross level.

4. Papa John’s Drops Further on Buyout Withdrawal

• Background: Pizza chain Papa John's is under pressure after a 10% fall the previous day.
• Trigger: Reuters reported that Apollo Global has withdrawn its offer to take Papa John’s private, causing further slippage.
  • "That stock down another 1% this morning." (01:07)
• Insight: The segment highlights how failed buyout talks can add to a company’s share price woes.

5. Jared Isaacman Re-Nominated to Lead NASA

• White House Move: President Trump has re-nominated Jared Isaacman to head NASA, after an earlier nomination was withdrawn in May due to tensions with Elon Musk.
  • "Isaacman is friends with Elon Musk. Back in May, Trump pulled his nomination amid a spat with the Tesla CEO. Yesterday, Elon Musk was happy about this, tweeting out a heart emoji." (01:15)
• Notable Moment: Elon Musk’s visible approval on social media.
• Insight: This reflects ongoing personal and professional dynamics at top levels of government and industry.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the AMD stock move:
  "Net result that stock is off by about 5 1/2% this morning." – Becky Quick (00:33)
• On Pinterest’s dramatic drop:
  "Pinterest shares plunging...down by close to 18% this morning." – Becky Quick (00:45)
• On Rivian’s better-than-expected profit:
  "The street had actually expected a loss of more than $38 million." – Becky Quick (00:55)
• On Musk’s reaction to the NASA nomination:
  "Yesterday. Elon Musk was happy about this, tweeting out a heart emoji." – Becky Quick (01:22)

Key Timestamps

• 00:23 – Becky Quick introduces the “Five Things to Know” segment
• 00:25–00:42 – AMD earnings, Amazon’s stock sale, and resulting price impact
• 00:43–00:48 – Pinterest earnings disappoint
• 00:49–00:58 – Rivian’s earnings, gross profit surprise, and stock reaction
• 00:59–01:08 – Papa John’s drops on news that Apollo Global withdrew its bid
• 01:09–01:28 – President Trump re-nominates Jared Isaacman for NASA; Elon Musk’s social media response

Takeaway

This episode equips listeners with a clear and concise briefing on the five most impactful market movers to watch as the trading day begins. From surprising earnings and sharp stock swings to the intersection of business and government, Becky Quick connects the morning’s news with the likely market and industry implications.