Marketplace Morning Report

Will consumers spend big this Black Friday weekend? Investors sure hope so. World leaders meet in Spain to talk climate change. The maker of a popular punch-in clock is clocking out. Plus, upside-down Christmas trees are all the rage this season.

How President Trump’s legislative rebuke of Hong Kong’s policies could actually hurt the region. A record number of packages shipping out this holiday season means a record amount of returns. Plus, despite going mainstream, sales of electric vehicles are expected to remain low.

From the BBC’s World Service… India’s growth rate is at its lowest in six years. What business wants from the COP25. Plus, a Yorkshire town stages a movement to buy nothing.

Will post-Thanksgiving shopping prime lagging consumer spending? The small businesses who choose and choose not to participate in Black Friday. Plus, the grounded Boeing 737-MAX is still squeezing airlines this holiday season.

A look at the effectiveness of Chinese boycotts against foreign companies. Travel insurance is gaining popularity, and with good reason. Plus, if you need to celebrate Thanksgiving in London for some reason, one local butcher’s got you covered.

From the BBC World Service… Farmers in Paris, Dublin and Berlin protest on tractors, saying their livelihoods are under threat. Why did South Koreans stop drinking Japanese beer? Plus, Britain has a growing appetite for America’s favorite holiday food.

The Trump Administration puts conditions on its support of the WTO. Black Friday is the American consumer’s time to shine. Plus, dinner ingredients and travel make Thanksgiving a very non-green holiday.

The White House says it’s close to being done with “phase one” of a trade deal with China. Black Friday sales are expected to beat last year’s lackluster numbers. Plus, how Amazon is straining social services on the West Coast.

From the BBC World Service… Zimbabwe’s health crisis worsens as more doctors go on strike. How shops in Hong Kong are coping after months of protests. Plus, ministers meeting in Spain could help fund another U.S. moon landing.

Airline food service workers protest low pay. Will consumer confidence continue to carry through the shopping season? Plus, ranging from pig picnics to llama walks, Airbnb adds animals to their “experiences”.