Marketplace Morning Report

(Markets Edition) Warren Buffett is teaming up with Amazon and JPMorgan to create a company aimed at tackling the issue of health care costs. We'll look at what they want to offer to their employees, and how insurance and pharmacy stocks are faring amid the news. Afterwards, we'll discuss why bond yields have been rising for the past several months, and then talk about the new method some workplaces are using to concentrate (hint: it actually involves noise).

(U.S. Edition) That's right — that's the smell of tax season in the air. The IRS officially begins accepting returns today. But that also means that the scammers will be out in full force, an issue exacerbated by Equifax's data breach. We'll look at the ways you can get scammed, and what you can do to protect yourself. Afterwards, we'll discuss how Strava — an app that tracks athletic activity — has released a map of the world that gives away the location of military bases where U.S. soldiers are using the app. Plus: With underrepresented groups like blacks, Latinos and women getting a leg up in bidding on public contracts, advocates are pushing for LGBT-owned businesses to be included in that group.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … A controversial plan down under: Why Australia has outlined a new effort to ramp up arms production. Then, nearly half of Mozambique’s population is under the age of 15, and finding education and training opportunities is crucial. We’ll take you to the nation’s capital where a classical music project for young people is striking just the right tone.

(Markets Edition) The CEO of Wynn Resorts — billionaire casino mogul Steve Wynn — has stepped down as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee because of sexual harassment allegations against him. On today's show, we'll look at how the board of his company might respond. Afterwards, we'll talk to economist Julia Coronado from MacroPolicy Perspectives, about the state of the bond market and the future of interest rates. Plus: We explore why African-American men and leaving are leaving Cook County, Illinois — which has the largest black population in the country — for Indiana.

(Markets Edition) Trump delivered a 15-minute speech at the World Economic Forum, where he touted the performance of the U.S. economy. Figures for global economic growth have also been looking good, but BBC reporter Joe Miller joins us to explain why things may not be as positive as they seem. Afterwards, we'll hear from Chris Low, chief economist at FTN Financial, about the weakening dollar, and then look at the state of the manufacturing industry.

(U.S. Edition) The White House has released a framework that would create a path to citizenship for people who arrived in the U.S. as undocumented immigrant children, but the plan comes with some caveats. We'll talk about what those are, and the pushback this proposal is receiving from both Republicans and Democrats. Afterwards, we'll discuss Apple's foray into the smart speaker market through the release of its HomePod, which comes with a price tag of $349. Then to cap off today's show, we'll look at how some states are taking a cue from Germany's apprenticeship model to fill manufacturing jobs.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service…The British economy expanded more than expected in the last three months of 2016, but it’s experiencing a short-term Brexit drag, according to Bank of England governor Mark Carney. What can be done to combat it as trade negotiations continue this year? Then, Blockchain has made a big splash on Wall Street but it’s so much more than bitcoin. We went to the fourth annual Blockchain Week in London to find out how businesses are using the technology. Afterwards, more than $10 million will be spent at auction of more than a thousand top cricket players for the Indian Premier League.

(Global Edition) From the BBC World Service … If you had two minutes with President Trump, what would you say? We put that question to world leaders at the World Economic Forum in Davos.  Then, before the 2016 Brexit referendum, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon warned about shifting thousands of his bank’s London jobs elsewhere in the European Union. Now, he shares revised forecasts for his operations doing business in Europe. Afterward, a chat about cutting plastic waste with Procter & Gamble’s head of global sustainability, Virginie Helias.

(Markets Edition) President Trump is set to give his speech tomorrow about "America First" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, a gathering of the world's political, business and thought leaders. Could all of the rhetoric and policy coming from the Trump administration set the country up for a trade and currency war? We'll dive into that question, and then look at a more domestic issue: housing. There's been talk that another bubble could arise, based on factors like the country's sky-high housing prices.

(U.S. Edition) Earlier this week, the Trump administration announced plans to raise tariffs on imported solar panels and washing machines. While these measures could actually end up hurting workers, some manufacturing areas like Greenville, Michigan, see it differently. Mike Huckleberry, formerly of the Michigan State House of Representatives, joined us to explain why. Afterwards, we'll discuss Congress' plan to reboot the nation's student financial aid system.