Marketplace Morning Report

(U.S. Edition) There's a section in the new tax law that aims to help chronically poor, underdeveloped areas in the U.S. The law creates an Opportunity Zones program, which gives incentives to draw businesses to these regions. But do they actually work? We'll dive into that question on today's show. Afterwards, we'll look at the group that President Trump's 2019 budget would most likely impact — if it were to go into effect. Plus: We discuss the economics of two presidential libraries: Ronald Reagan's in California and Herbert Hoover's in Iowa.

(Markets Edition) Foreign countries hold about $6 trillion of the $20 trillion worth of Treasury bills, notes and bonds that the U.S. government has issued. China is one of them, but it turns out that U.S. debt is becoming less attractive to China and other countries. We'll talk to Chris Low — chief economist at FTN Financial — about why they're starting to back off. Plus: How one Seattle nieghborhood is fighting airplane noise.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … Young buyers have long been considered the “lost generation” when it comes to home buying. But we’ll delve into new figures out this morning that show that while that might be true in Britain, the trend has actually started to reverse in America. Then, the growing economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has led to tens of thousands of residents to flee to the north of Brazil. We’ll explain why authorities there are now declaring a state of social emergency to cope with the high number of immigrants. Afterwards, how was your commute this morning? Any coffee spills, late trains, or traffic jams on the route? For some in Sweden, none of those are things to fear because, as we’ll explore, rather than hopping in a car or boarding mass transit … they ice skate to the office.

(U.S. Edition) A group of Chinese-based companies has been trying to buy the Chicago Stock Exchange, but the Securities and Exchange Commission has finally given an answer and it's...no. On today's show, we'll look at why the SEC is putting a halt to the deal, and what the Chicago Stock Exchange's parent company could do next. Afterwards, we'll discuss the state of the housing industry, and then find out how figure skaters at this year's Winter Olympics are getting the chance to skate to pop songs. Who pays for the rights to use them?

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … After months of pressure to resign, embattled South African president Jacob Zuma will leave office today. We’ll tell you what’s next for the nation and how its new leader will try to revive the battered economy.  Then, Iranian authorities have arrested nearly 100 currency traders and shut foreign exchange bureaus – all aimed at trying to stop the Rial falling in value amid concerns the nuclear deal with the U.S. could collapse. Afterwards, custom-tailored clothing is nice to have, but can hit your wallet hard. But thanks to the Internet, some European companies are offering bespoke items at a lower price tag.

(U.S. Edition) Cyril Ramaphosa will take power as South Africa's president after Jacob Zuma stepped down amid corruption allegations. On today's show, we'll look at Ramaphosa's political experience, along with the type of economy Ramaphosa will inherit. Afterwards, we'll discuss how people who own cryptocurrencies aren't disclosing their gains on their tax returns. Plus: A conversation with New York University law professor Barton Beebe — co-author of a study called "Are We Running Out of Trademarks?" — about how new companies are having an increasingly hard time finding good names to call themselves.

(Markets Edition) Amid all the hubbub about the Consumer Price Index's inflation figures yesterday, retail sales were looking a little low. Diane Swonk, chief economist at accounting firm Grant Thornton, joined us to explain why and what tax refund delays may have to do with it. Afterwards, we'll talk to Stephan Richter — editor in chief of the publication The Globalist — about the cheap costs of living in Germany.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service… Japan notched its eighth-straight quarter of growth – the longest such streak since the 1980s. Though it was a slower pace than earlier in 2016, we explain what’s propelling growth forward. Afterward, in the wake of Hollywood’s Harvey Weinstein scandal, the British film industry is setting out new guidelines to tackle sexual harassment and bullying in the UK entertainment industry. Then, French President Emmanuel Macron has pushed through key labor and corporate tax cuts. Now, he’s pushing a new online marketing drive urging investors to “Choose France.”

(U.S. Edition) We'll get a reading on inflation today with the release of the Consumer Price Index, which looks at the prices on goods including food, gas and clothing. Let's dive into the causes of inflation and how it's affected the markets. Afterwards, we'll take a look at how Trump's infrastructure plans calls to boost workforce training programs, and then we'll chat with Brad Grossman — creator of the Zeitguide, a periodical that gives advice to C-suite leaders — about why employers are starting to put a greater emphasis on employee satisfaction.

(Markets Edition) It turns out inflation is running higher, based on new data from the Consumer Price Index. We'll talk to Susan Schmidt, senior portfolio manager at Westwood Holdings Group, about whether we should worry about these figures and what we should expect from the Federal Reserve. Afterwards, we'll look at allegations that the VIX Index, a measure of the stock market's expectations of volatility, is rigged.