Marketplace Morning Report

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … When Saudi Aramco floats on public markets, it’s likely to be the world's biggest-ever stock listing. Officials at the oil firm were expected to announce which exchanges it would be traded on fairly soon, but now, it seems that investors will have to wait until next year. We hear more from the BBC's Philip Hampsheir. Next: over 30,000 farmers have spent days walking across India in protest at their economic situation, calling on the government for help. From the protest, the BBC’s Suranjana Tewari tells us about the kinds of measures they want to see. Plus: the Fukushima earthquake and nuclear disaster caused Japan to invest more in renewable energy – seven years on, are the benefits beginning to show?

(Markets Edition) The U.S. economy added 313,000 jobs last month, and the markets seem to be pretty happy about this. Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial, explains why the markets aren't too worried about the possibility of interest rate hikes from the Fed. Afterwards, amid reports that Toys R Us is planning to shut down all of its U.S. stores, we'll look at how the toy retailer got to this point. Plus: What might North Korea ask for this time in its upcoming talks with the U.S.?

(U.S. Edition) With President Trump's announcement that he'll meet with the leader of North Korea (a first for an American president), Asian markets rallied. We'll look at how a conflict on the Korean peninsula would affect East Asian economies. Afterwards, we'll discuss why Trump's steel tariffs might not be very effective, and then examine why workers are seeing bigger paychecks these days.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Markets in Asia are reacting positively to news President Trump will sit down with North Korea’s leader to talk denuclearization. We’ll bring you the very latest about what the warmer relationship could mean for global geopolitics. Then, China this morning described Trump’s aluminium tariffs as a serious attack on the world’s international trade system. We’ll explain how international players are reacting to America’s new policy. Afterward, with just over a year to go until Brexit, British companies at the British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference are split over what the new trade relationship with Europe should be.

(U.S. Edition) More than a hundred GOP lawmakers sent a letter to President Trump asking him to reconsider his proposed tariffs on steel and aluminum, but the White House says it might make the plan official today. However, this might all be a distraction from a different trade fight we should be thinking about. Chris Farrell, senior economics contributor for Marketplace, explains why. Afterwards, we'll discuss how the "right" kind of conflict can lead to better management.

(Markets Edition) Cigna is planning to buy the pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts in a $67 billion deal. We'll talk about the background of these two companies and why they want to merge. Afterwards, we'll chat with economist Diane Swonk about what we should watch out for in the February jobs report, which the Labor Department will release tomorrow. Finally, as part of the latest Marketplace-Edison Research Poll, we'll look at the state of the gig economy.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … China saw a spike in exports last month compared to a year ago, but how much of it was due to the Lunar New Year holiday? We’ll explore what’s driving the nation’s trade and how possible U.S. import tariffs could impact their future. Then, one year after America’s withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the 11 remaining countries today sign a new deal worth $14 trillion. Afterward, with the European Central Bank set to make a decision on policy rates, it seems fitting on this International Women’s Day that we explore why only 6 percent of global central bank governors are women … and discuss what can be done to put more women in those top jobs.

(Markets Edition) With news that Gary Cohn — President Trump's chief economic adviser — has resigned, we'll look at whether the business community has lost a major ally in the Trump administration and why markets aren't pleased with the news. Afterwards, we'll discuss where we are in the process of renegotiating NAFTA, and then explore whether the U.S. steel industry would be able to meet demand if imports fall off.

(U.S. Edition) Markets so far aren't reacting particularly well to the news that President Trump's chief economic adviser, Gary Cohn, is resigning. On today's show, we'll look at why Cohn's departure is creating such uncertainty. Afterwards, we'll discuss the latest data from our Marketplace-Edison Research poll that shows how people feel about the economy. The results: Your view likely depends on your political party. About 63 percent of Republicans say the U.S. economy is doing better than a year ago, while only 23 percent of Democrats do.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … One of President Trump’s key economic advisers has resigned, so what will his departure mean for the rest of the world with increasingly protectionist trade policies coming out of the U.S.? Then, one of the most powerful men in the Arab world is meeting with the U.K. prime minister today to talk business. What will Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have highest on his agenda? Afterwards, the world’s largest book fair takes place in India … we’ll explore how rising literacy rates are helping boost the publishing industry.