Hope for a U.S.-Iran deal, Apple's anniversary, OpenAI's podcast deal and more in Morning Squawk

In this articleThis is CNBC's Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.Happy Monday. My alma mater is in tonight's March Madness championship game. While I'm not a big sports person, I have too many friends whose brackets depend on this game to not mention the Wolverines.S&P 500 futures are higher this morning after a winning week.Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:S&P 500 futures ticked higher this morning with investors once again hoping for a deal to end the U.S.-Iran war. Axios reported that the U.S. and Iran were considering terms with mediators for a potential 45-day ceasefire. Reuters reported that the two countries have received a plan to establish a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.Here's what to know:Mark your calendars: The Senate Banking Committee will have a hearing on April 16 for Kevin Warsh, Trump's pick to lead the Federal Reserve, a source familiar with the matter told CNBC.Both Warsh and a committee spokesperson declined to comment, and the committee has not put the hearing on its public calendar. As CNBC's Matt Peterson notes, a hearing would come despite a promise by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., to block the nomination amid the criminal probe of Fed Chair Jerome Powell.Meanwhile, monetary policymakers got some good news on Friday: nonfarm payrolls blew past economists' expectations with growth of 178,000 in March. That's a reversal from the drop of more than 130,000 seen in the prior month.Apple is celebrating its 50th anniversary. As CNBC's Jennifer Elias reports, the technology giant — which is also one of the world's largest publicly traded companies — is facing a host of questions as it enters its second half-century.The iPhone creator has to plan for succession and maintain its position as a premium brand. On top of that, it's grappling with difficulties in its supply chain, as the U.S.-China relationship comes under intensifying pressure.But there's perhaps no larger question for Apple than its place within artificial intelligence. While the company is seen as relinquishing its multi-year lead on the technology, former Apple insiders said there's still hope.CNBC's Morning Squawk recaps the biggest stories investors should know before the stock market opens, every weekday morning.Subscribe here to get access today.OpenAI announced Thursday that it was buying TBPN, the popular technology news podcast that began streaming last year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.As CNBC's Zach Vallese reports, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has appeared on the podcast multiple times. In a social media post, Altman called TBPN — which is reportedly on track to bring in more than $30 million in advertising revenue this year — "my favorite tech show." OpenAI said TBPN would operate within its strategy organization and keep its editorial independence.But as CNBC's Ashley Capoot notes, the deal can be confusing for a company that appeared to be tightening operations ahead of a potential IPO.

As Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman put it: OpenAI is "chasing vibes a little bit."China was once considered a sought-after market for American films. But as CNBC's Sarah Whitten writes, government content controls and broader Hollywood trends have made the region less desirable.More than a dozen films grossed over $100 million in China in 2017, but only two flicks have reached that milestone annually over the last several years. That's due in part to the end of the U.S.-China Film Agreement and the expansion of domestic film production in the Asian country.That isn't stopping U.S. studios from taking their works to the world's second-largest economy. "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie," "Mortal Kombat II" and "The Devil Wears Prada 2″ are all slated to hit Chinese theaters this year.Here's what we're monitoring this week:— CNBC's Garrett Downs, Sean Conlon, Annie Palmer, Fred Imbert, Spencer Kimball, Matt Peterson, MacKenzie Sigalos, Zach Vallese, Ashley Capoot and Sarah Whitten contributed to this report. Terri Cullen edited this edition.Got a confidential news tip? We want to hear from you.Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inboxGet this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services.© 2026 Versant Media, LLC.

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