Shares of Credit Suisse have plunged to a record low, after its top shareholder declined to increase its stake. The slide has added to market jitters over the state of Europe's banking sector, although it's not directly related to the recent collapse of two American lenders. Also in the show: the UK government outlines its budget, as it tries to protect households and businesses from the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

After a disastrous derailment in East Palestine, Ohio on February 3, the US state's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against the Norfolk Southern rail company, saying it prioritises profits over people. The state is seeking to hold the railroad financially accountable for the accident. Also in this edition, media reports in the US say investigations into Silicon Valley Bank's collapse by the US Justice Department and other agencies have started. Finally, we look at the latest economic data out of China.

The US Federal Reserve faces a tricky balancing act, as it tries to navigate high inflation and instability in the banking sector. Alexander Yokum, of CFRA Research, says the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank could affect the Fed's next interest rate decision, despite a 6 percent jump in consumer prices. Also in the show: Facebook's parent company Meta confirms a further 10,000 job cuts, and a California court rules that gig economy workers should not be considered employees.

Banking stocks around the world have fallen sharply following the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank and a subsequent intervention by US regulators to protect depositors. Smaller regional lenders in the US are particularly hard hit, with many requests being made to move deposits to some of the country's larger lenders. Also in this bulletin, we look at the calls for stricter regulation of the financial sector.

The US Treasury, Federal Reserve and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have unveiled a plan meant to stem any contagion from Silicon Valley Bank's (SVB) failure on Friday. The Federal Reserve will provide an emergency lending facility that will ensure all of the bank's depositors are repaid in full. Elsewhere, the UK government says SVB's UK subsidiary has been purchased by HSBC and Goldman Sachs says a Fed rate hike is no longer expected because of "stress in the banking system".

US President Joe Biden unveils a $6.8 trillion budget proposal with key provisions aimed at boosting American competitiveness against China, while Beijing rails against economic containment and suppression. Plus, a sell-off in US bank shares sparked by a run on a small California lender spreads to Asia and Europe as markets tumble.

The EU has loosened its own rules on state aid to be more competitive against America's sweeping green subsidies. Member states may be able to match the incentives offered by other countries, in order to keep clean tech businesses from shifting their investment. They aren't the only players in the game though: Latin America is poised to become a major producer of renewable energy over the next decade. We take a closer look.

In a letter to the Dutch parliament, the country's trade minister has said exporters of chip technology will have to ask for licences to do business abroad, citing concerns over international security. The Netherlands is home to one of the leaders in chipmaking equipment, ASML. Also in the show, FRANCE 24's Catherine Viette tells us what we can expect from the budget plan US President Joe Biden will unveil later this Thursday. Finally, China's consumer prices rise at their slowest pace in 12 months.

The cost of childcare in the UK is among the highest in the world, and is driving many women to leave the workforce. Access to affordable childcare is a crucial element in addressing gender inequality. On International Women's Day, we also look at efforts to promote female entrepreneurs in the tech industry – Delphine Rémy-Boutang of Digital Women's Day (JFD) says "education, regulation, investment and role models" are all needed. Finally, ECB President Christine Lagarde gives her perspective on being a female leader.

A US congressional report reveals the Federal Trade Commission has made repeated requests for internal communications related to Twitter owner Elon Musk. The agency is concerned that the layoffs at the social media company since he took over could have jeopardised users' data protection. Also in the show, we look at a US Senate bill that could give the US government the power to ban TikTok. Plus, Volkswagen puts plans for a European battery plant on hold in favour of another facility in the US.