What Bessent's US Treasury Intervention Means for Stocks & Mortgages | Daybreak Europe 8/20/2026

Bloomberg Daybreak Europe is your essential morning viewing to stay ahead. Live from London, we set the agenda for your day, catching you up with overnight markets news from the US and Asia. And we'll tell you what matters for investors in Europe, giving you insight before trading begins. With a slew of unexpected maneuvers this year, Scott Bessent has emerged as the most interventionist Treasury secretary in financial markets in decades — putting his credibility on the line in an effort to quell a potentially damaging rise in US borrowing costs. President Donald Trump announced plans to inflict what he called an “economic D-Day” against Iran, underscoring his frustration with the country’s refusal to capitulate despite weeks of strikes and a US blockade that’s crimped its oil exports. And Bloomberg understands Banca Monte dei Paschi's board of directors is set to review strategic alternatives to Intesa Sanpaolo's takeover bid. Chapters: 00:00:00 - Daybreak Europe 00:00:15 - Treasury Gains Extend, Lift Asian Stocks and Bonds 00:03:46 - SK Hynix May Add Another $130 Billion to Returns, JPMorgan Says 00:06:33 - Treasury Debt Buyback Plan Pushes Yields Lower 00:10:16 - Trump Says US Starting ‘Economic Warfare’ Operation Against Iran 00:13:14 - Ukraine's Grain Exports Buckle 00:16:46 - Monte Paschi Said to Review Alternatives to Intesa Bid 00:21:22 - Hudson River Trading Posts Record $11.4 Billion Trading Revenue 00:24:38 - Gold Holds Near $4500 on Treasury Bond Buyback 00:26:55 - Lowe's Cuts Outlook After Earnings Miss Estimates 00:30:49 - Energy, Banks & Healthcare Drove 2Q Upside 00:36:14 - Alibaba Pulls Ahead in China AI 00:40:05 - WEF Pursues Lagarde 00:42:40 - UK Greens Call for Bank Tax -------- More on Bloomberg Television and Markets Like this video? Subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss any videos from Bloomberg Markets & Finance: https://tinyurl.com/ysu5b8a9 Visit http://www.bloomberg.com for business news & analysis, up-to-the-minute market data, features, profiles and more. Connect with Bloomberg Television on: X: https://twitter.com/BloombergTV Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BloombergTelevision Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloombergtv/ Connect with Bloomberg Business on: X: https://twitter.com/business Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloombergbusiness Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bloombergbusiness/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@bloombergbusiness?lang=en Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/bloomberg/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/bloomberg-news/ More from Bloomberg: Bloomberg Radio: https://twitter.com/BloombergRadio Bloomberg Surveillance: https://twitter.com/bsurveillance Bloomberg Politics: https://twitter.com/bpolitics Bloomberg Originals: https://twitter.com/bbgoriginals Watch more on YouTube: Bloomberg Technology: https://www.youtube.com/@BloombergTechnology Bloomberg Originals: https://www.youtube.com/@business Bloomberg Quicktake: https://www.youtube.com/@BloombergQuicktake Bloomberg Espanol: https://www.youtube.com/@bloomberg_espanol Bloomberg Podcasts: https://www.youtube.com/@BloombergPodcasts