but he warns that confidence remains fragile, in his words. in other news, richmond president says the decent that we saw in the last central bank's decision this week, because he thinks rates will need time to rise sometime next year in a statement posted on the richmond's web site, lacquer says the economy is expanding at a moderate pace. he was the only vote, you might recall, against that decision. >> in corporate news, apple's new ipad goes on sale today. the tablet has a sharper screen than most sophisticated television sets. but because of a bigger battery, it's heavier than some of its predecessors. some camped out to be the first to have this new device. others simply went to a walmart that was open all night. the ipad went on sale there at midnight. this is interesting. this is a new line of sales for apple. it's becoming and having these ipad sales there to have lines at the walmart as well. apple shares topping $600 during yesterday's trading session. >> they didn't close there. 585 and indicated at 587 this morning. >> it only hit the 500 mark about a month ago. >> it's 545, 545 billion. so well above that. the most valuable company in the world. >> let's go to a check on marks. by the way, this is a quadruple friday. so we'll see if that has any sort of impact on the markets as we. take a look right now. you're going to see oil prices. at this point, are up about 39 cents. 105.50. what happened with the petroleum story yesterday, first the indication that the white house and britain had cut a deal. and then the white house saying that was not the case. so we did see some pretty crazy moves yesterday. >> would be crazy to do it. at 1:05, the other point is why do it now when you know prices always go up. >> nothing's happened with iran yet. >> reuters are standing by their story. they were standing saying there was some sort of a deal cut to do it somewhere down the road as we head into the summer. now that we've got the story out, crazy back and forth. you wonder if it would have a less impact if they did it at this point. >> and the historical impact on what it does to the commodity prices. it's an initial impact. a short term impact. it really hasn't had much of an impabalate. and, therefore, why do it now? oil has stayed above 1:05. but then it's obviously there's different currencies that factor into the price. >> the issue here is that the geopolitical premium, i always loved the analysts. this $18.75 political premium. whatever they think it is, it's clearly more than think think it is right now. that ice all about iran. and what we may see. >> let's take a look at the ten your right now. as you saw the yield pushing back, still standing there at this point, 2.3%. and the dollar, which has been strong all week long, you can see up again today. the euro is at 130.56. gold prices, which have collapsed as joe just mentioned this week are down about $9.70. >> in global news this morning, u.k. chancellor george os born wants to slash the top income tax rate in next week's budget. and ross westgate is going to fill us in. he joins us from london with the details. how did your picks do in the beginning of march madness, ron. >> well, look. you know, my march madness was related to the rugby joke rather than u.s. sports. it's an overboard. you'll be familiar with games and overbulls. >> are there 64 teams -- or 68 teams? they're not, are there? >> no, there aren't. no, there aren't. it's a different thing. i've got enough problems trying to focus on my own sports. i can't do your guys, as well. >> your loss. your loss. >> another big day. >> boy, and i watched -- and i must have watched six games, i think, yesterday. but it's fun. but i guess rugby could be okay. >> yeah, you know, yeah. it's the by nation of our international championship this weekend. i'm going to focus on that. i'll come back to you in just a second. you mentioned george. he's got a buts next week. there's been speculation in the press here this morning that he may try and reverse the -- well, some have regarded selling business circles, the damaging increase by the last government, the labor government, from the high rate of tax from 40% to up to 50%. speculations following that may get cut. i'm -- i would still be fairly skeptical of that. it would come because of the coalition with something else and some other money-raising excise like matching tax. so we'll have to see how that story goes. it would be welcomed by business generally. european stocks at fresh 201 highs in germany and france. today, just holding onto those levels. underperforming yesterday, we saw oil stocks dip down. so just out from this morning, up about a 30% flat elsewhere. what has been good is we continue to see bond yields edging higher again through this morning. now, we started the week down around 1.8% on the yield. we're near 2%. 1.988, 2% has been sited as a key for yields. guilds have not had a great week. we're up to 2.140 and.220. what has done okay italian btp yields down below 5%. and the spread, of course, has continued to narrow between italy and germany, as well. so on that metric, it shows people are feeling a little bit better. but all to play for, you've got quadruple witching to get through, as well. so nobody's necessarily putting on major investments this morning. that's where we stand here in europe ahead of the u.s. session. what i was thinking, guys, next week, what i might do is i might come there with you and sit on the set with you and do my hit there, if that's all right. >> wait a second. i hear you may join us a little longer, ross. >> you never know. that's the problem. i'm going to be with you monday morning. >> that is good. on the first board, there was a lot of green. that has -- i forgot about tomorrow. is tomorrow saint patrick's day? >> i didn't wear green. >> i didn't, either. i forgot. there have been times in the past where i forgot and i wear orange and i get nailed from people say wag are you some kind of british -- i didn't know orange was -- now, are you guys getting along? you don't care there's a lot of green behind you today? you're sure? >> yeah, i know i'm comfortable. there won't be, you know, it's a big day in london, as well. it's actually my birthday on the 18th. so i'm kind of focused more on that. you know where saint patrick's day started? boston. not ireland. >> are they still turning the river green there? >> in chicago they do. in chicago. still on fire in cleveland. and then you know mcilroy, both of these guys, ireland is suddenly pretty good. >> and darren, the open champion. >> we've got three major champions out of northern ireland. >> and you'll always have u 2. >> you see he's wearing a narrow tie? he's not wearing that big tie that goes out there. he's getting ready. you look at that? you see? he's -- i'm going to -- >> are you going to have one of those tie that is goes where the knot goes all the way out to here? bring one of those from over there. >> you got it. >> okay. >> i can't wait to see you. happy birthday, we will see you right here in the flesh. when we come back this morning, well, in the flesh and clothes. >> oh. you -- all right. i mean -- >> that is not indicative of my mind. >> i didn't say it. >> this squawkward moment has been brought to you by joe kirby. >> no, that was all -- that was not even a set up. that was all sort of -- that was all becky right off the tong. . >> we'll see ross in the flesh. >> that's a common phrase. >> i wouldn't use it. >> all right. when we come back, we have a live report from an apple store in new york where fans are waiting on line for the new ipad. first, we have a little march madness. top seeds advancing to the next round of the ncaa men's basketball tournament. number 12, vcu and number 11, colorado, were the only double digit seeds to win yesterday. at least it was your alma mater, so i'm sure you picked them. >> i normally would have. but i've gotten burned in the past with my sentimental picks. >> i lost three. but i think that's average. >> i let my son do the bracket and we only lost one. long beach. >> that's the only one you lost? >> well, i can't take real credit for it. it was his bracket. >> you really only lost one? >> that's the way i was told, yes. >> wow. i need to see this. >> all right, squawk, we'll be right back. tell us how you're doing in your brackets, too. squawk at cnbc.com. see ya. orrow. for more than 116 years, ameriprise financial has worked for their clients' futures. helping millions of americans retire on their terms. when they want. where they want. doing what they want. ameriprise. the strength of a leader in retirement planning. the heart of 10,000 advisors working with you one-to-one. together for your future. ♪ all right, welcome back, everybody. u.s. equity features are indicated relatively flat. this isn't quadruple witching day. we've been watching very closely about whether or not the sbr is going to be tapped. we're watching oil very closely. it's around $105 and change. in our headlines, boeing says it will move production at the horizontal tale of its 787 dreamliners from seattle to salt lake city by the end of this year. >> the u.s. chamber of commerce filing a motion to challenge president obama's recess appointments to the national labor relations board. in january, the president set off a furer when he bypassed congress and installed nominees. they were possibly illegal because they were made when the senate was still technically in session. >> it was business as usual with his white house. i don't even know why i'd sue. i'd sue for defamation of character, i guess. >> this reflects the steady growth in global demand. probably also reflects the steady growth in oil prices, too. >> now to this weekend's forecast. scott williams joins us from the weather channel. boy, i'm glad -- wednesday, it was about 70 degrees. i ate outside by yesterday back to wishing it was wednesday, scot. >> temperatures up down, up down. now, for today, new york city, look for highs in the low 60s. scattered showers and some thunderstorms. toward raleigh. minneapolis today, temperatures in the mid 70s. what about your saturday. sainted patrick's day looking at the parade weather in new york city. temperatures topping out in the low 60s. >> scattered showers and thunderstorms up around the ohio river valley and parts of the mid atlantic on your sunday, but, once again, temperatures above average. if you have air travel plans today because of the weather and new york city watching out for major airport as showers and storms move in. san francisco, wet weather there, thunderstorm activity, we'll slow your comgo around atlanta. 81 degrees in chicago. two consecutive days at or above 80 degrees for the month of march. unprecedented. 81 degrees was the record high in st. louis. right now, stepping out doors, it's 44 degrees in new york city. we're looking at mid 50s in charlotte and also mid 50s in san francisco. >> scott, you too. and happy saint patrick's day, too, by the way. >> thank you, but i'm not wearing green. >> i know. somebody's going to get pinched. >> let's get to the buzz of the story. the new apple eyepad. >> let's talk about the apple ipad, the new hot story that's out there. natalie, good morning. >> good morning. this is a different kind of march madness. some of them have been here since 4:00 a.m. handing out ponchos, just kind of huddling together. even though apple sold 15 million units in the last quarter, people wanted to wait for their christmas present people are probably not going to want to upgrade. people get crazy. i talked to the first guy in line. he says he's been here since monday eating pretty much nothing but hammerings. apple has been kind enough to let him use their facilities. as to his personal hygiene, i'll just let you guess. you're going to see what this could mean to apple. it's the managing director and senior i.t. hardware analyst and global sector coordinator of technology. this -- i wouldn't call it a game changer. this is going to keep apple going, isn't it? >> i would think so, joe. and it's pseudocomb eas's got a features and could probably attract more users, as well. >> what are the best ones? >> actually, what you don't hear a lot about is the software. we have to remember, this is probably the only time that you can do stuff with. an iphoto is really ground breaking. the more futures they put into the -- the more software features they put into this thing make it more usable. i think some people forget that, that this is actually -- the software is one of a kind. and the ecosystem, one of a kind. and you can do the most with it with this company's products. >> you know, ben, i think it's pretty cool. and you're right. i'm sure it is attacking the p.c. market. but isn't it the more things that they put on it, isn't it more than it attacks the imacmarket, as well? >> well, it does. but given the apple halo effect. when you do want to sit down and use a p.c.-like device, more and more folks are going to the mac. we're seeing it do more growing. when you do want that kind of device, more and more folks are saying, you know, i've got an iphone, i love it. >> you can't just keep doing this, though, i guess. with the stockware, it is. obviously, it's been -- once you get up -- i don't see too many companies go above 600 billion. and i've been saying this since 300 billion with apple. so i've been wrong. i remember when nbc was losing frien friends. >> well, i think that they are working on something. it's pretty obvious. >> i think they want to make sure that the service is good. and that when they launch this tv, that the service is really intact. it's a great, one-of-a-kind service. >> you were right. remember, i gave you some grief that day. i'm talking about gary. you've got to let your profits run. and then it went from 540 back down to 50. >>. >> ben, ret me ask you a question in terms of the profit margins on each ipad unit that was sold. do you have any sense on what it looks like today and what that may mean for the fifth and sixth generation? in the past couple launches, we think that the gross margin has dipped down and then it scales a little higher. so eh think this one might go into the 30s. so i think when they start, there's a little bit of lower margin. >> and, joe, that's really the amazing thing about it. the facts that the margins are going higher. everybody knows if apple wanted to squeeze the supplier, they have the leverage to do it. >> i guess my question is if you're feeling really good about apple, would you also say by the nasse doc 100 and is there a point where you get concerned that both the stock and the index have risen? >> they feel that their firms are under way to apple. apple got so big and maybe it reverts to the mean and people are saying to themselves, wow, this is for real. tim cook is doing a great job. many funds are trying to earn more where they're scared that this is actually sustainable. this is a juggernaut. let's also make sure that we're not structurally overweight. and that we're strategically right here because if apple is sustainable, then we might actually be overweight companies that apple is hurting. so it's an interesting thing we've noticed rielgts here. i think it's contributed to the recent run that firms that have started 2012 and said hey, this is sustainable. let's get on board. and let's also make sure that we don't have overexposure to companies. >> it's now like how many companies. >> i don't think you have enough minutes in this program. but what's cool -- >> and we keep finding more. >> yeah, you go through books to music. but also, there are a bunch of companies that help apple. we have a list of names that are in the food chains. and there are lists of compan s companies. and we do have a list of names that are helped by apple and are along for the ride, as well. >> coming up, we're going to head to the futures for a preview of the trading week ahead. and then we'll be talking to former top shell executive. fist, though, as we head to a break, let's take a look at yesterday's winners and losers. an airline has planes... and people. and the planes can seem the same so, it comes down to the people. because, bad weather the price of oil those are every airlines reality. and solutions won't come from 500 tons of metal and a paint job. they'll come from people. delta people. who made us one of the biggest airlines in the world. and then decided that wasn't enough. if you are one of who have used androgel 1%, there's big news. presenting androgel 1.62%. both are used to treat men with low testosterone. androgel 1.62% is from the makers of the number one prescribed testosterone replacement therapy. it raises your testosterone levels, and... is concentrated, so you could use less gel. and with androgel 1.62%, you can save on your monthly prescription. 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