Boeing ‘guilty plea,’ French far-right gains

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.

Dow lags tech rally 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 3.8% in the first six months of the year, lagging way behind the Nasdaq, up 18.1%, and the S&P 500, which jumped 14.5% — as investors plowed into artificial intelligence-related stocks. On Friday, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit record highs before pulling back. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose as investors digested the latest inflation data. U.S. oil prices rose for the third straight week amid fears of a war between Israel and the Iran-backed militia Hezbollah. 

Boeing ‘guilty plea’
U.S. prosecutors plan to seek a guilty plea from Boeing over a charge related to two fatal 737 Max crashes in 2018 and 2019, attorneys for the victims’ family members said. The Justice Department is reviewing whether Boeing violated a 2021 settlement that shielded the company from federal charges. Boeing agreed then to pay a $2.5 billion penalty for a conspiracy charge tied to the crashes. The DOJ revisited the agreement after a door panel blew out of a new 737 Max 9 in January, sparking a new safety crisis. Separately, Boeing agreed to buy Spirit AeroSystems for $4.7 billion in an all-stock deal to improve safety and quality.

Far-right gains
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party made significant gains in the first round of France’s parliamentary election, securing 34% of the vote, according to exit polls. The leftist New Popular Front (NFP) alliance received 28.1%, while while President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist bloc was pushed into third place with 20.3%. Macron called a snap election to counter far-right influence, but it seems his gamble has strengthened his political adversaries. The final outcome will be determined after a run-off on July 7.

Under fire
Nike CEO John Donahoe faces growing discontent as the company’s stock plummeted 20% on Friday, its worst day since 1980, after forecasting a significant decline in sales. As Wall Street digested the dismal outlook from the world’s largest sportswear company, at least six investment banks downgraded Nike’s stock. Analysts at Morgan Stanley and Stifel took it a step further, specifically calling the company’s management into question.

Asian stocks mixed, China dips
Mainland China’s CSI 300 fell 0.1% as official PMI figures showed manufacturing contracted for a second straight month. However, a private manufacturing survey showed the sharpest improvement in business conditions in three years. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index was closed for a public holiday. Elsewhere, Japan’s Nikkei 225 was little changed as revised first-quarter GDP data…