[citation needed] Dubbed "our pre-game show" by regular co-host Joe Kernen,[2] Squawk Box features early-morning analysis of and breaking news from the financial markets, along with considerable banter between the hosts and their guests – original host Mark Haines stressed the need to "inject a little fun" into business news in the early morning.

Squawk Box’s core on-air team remained intact for many years – the program was originally presented by New Jersey lawyer Mark Haines, along with in-studio reporters Joe Kernen, David Faber and Maria Bartiromo at the New York Stock Exchange.

During the period when CNBC's online presence was housed at MSN Money, the show held its own daily Squawk Back Poll on the website, where viewers voted on a topical issue.

The program underwent a significant revamp on December 19, 2005, with the show moving to the 6:00 am ET timeslot and Kernen, Quick and Carl Quintanilla helming a new tri-anchor format alongside on-air editor Charles Gasparino.

There was a significant amount of initial negative feedback about the changes made to Squawk, most notably the removal of Mark Haines from the team.

Andrew Ross Sorkin of The New York Times, joined Kernen and Quick in order to succeed Quintanilla's anchoring duties.

On November 15, 2017, Squawk Box moved downstairs to a new street-level studio overlooking Times Square, also at the NASDAQ MarketSite.

It is relayed in its entirety live on CNBC Europe although it is sometimes partially pre-empted for local programming, particularly to cover European Central Bank interest rate announcements and the subsequent press conferences.

The winner of the Squawk Box Fantasy Portfolio Challenge, which was announced live at the end of the 2 June 2006 episode, was Thomas Ko of California.