CNBC Daily Open: Investors really like Trump’s Treasury secretary pick

This report is from today's CNBC Daily Open, our international markets newsletter. CNBC Daily Open brings investors up to speed on everything they need to know, no matter where they are. Like what you see? You can subscribe  here .

Markets rally
U.S. stocks saw a broad rally on Monday with major indexes hitting record highs. The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed near the flatline. UniCredit, an Italian bank, offered to buy its domestic rival Banco BPM for roughly 10 billion euros ($10.5 billion). UniCredit has also been eyeing German lender Commerzbank.

Wall Street likes Bessent
Scott Bessent, President-elect Donald Trump's pick for U.S. Treasury secretary, has got a big thumbs up from the stock as well as bond markets. Wall Street strategists heaped praise on Bessent; global analysts also think Trump's pick is favorable for markets.

Intel's close to clinching deals
The U.S. CHIPS and Science Act office is nearing a deal with Intel, which would award the chipmaker with a grant worth around $8.5 billion, according to a source close to the matter. The Department of Defense is also poised to award Intel a $3 billion contract to manufacture chips. Those are some bright spots in Intel's difficult year.

Bitcoin struggles to break barrier
After hovering near the $100,000 mark, bitcoin lost some momentum and has dropped to $94,228.47, according to Coin Metrics. Investors are likely taking profit, said Andre Dragosch, head of research for Europe at Bitwise. There's also "a ton of leverage in the system," Mark Novogratz, CEO of digital asset management firm Galaxy Digital, told CNBC.

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