"Disaster": Merz Reacts to Record German Election Defeat

Bloomberg Daybreak Europe is your essential morning viewing to stay ahead. Live from Brussels, 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. Friedrich Merz said he would stay put as German chancellor even after his party suffered its worst-ever result in a state election, with a tally showing the conservatives crashing out of a regional assembly for the first time in the country’s post-World War II history. "We can’t sugarcoat it, it was a disaster,” Merz told reporters in Berlin. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent lauded “very successful” talks with his Chinese counterparts on artificial intelligence, trade and investment, while China described the discussions as positive ahead of this week’s summit between leaders Donald Trump and Xi Jinping. (Source: Bloomberg)