Marketplace Morning Report

Diane Swank, KPMG chief economist, gives quick analysis of the Fed’s rate pause and economic risks. Carla Javier, Marketplace reporter, breaks down the new $1,000 newborn investment accounts: eligibility, opt-in mechanics and how public/private contributions could stack. They also touch on Latino-owned business growth and broader economic tensions.

Samantha Fields, a Marketplace reporter who covers how policy affects health care, walks through recent federal actions targeting transition-related services. She reports on proposed HHS rules and executive directives. Short segments describe hospitals pausing care, clinics overwhelmed, and how providers are responding under pressure.

Mo Ali, a BBC reporter on South African agriculture, and Anjana Tawari, a BBC correspondent covering UK-China politics, discuss trade talks between the U.K. and China. They explore Starmer’s trade visit to Beijing and which UK sectors could see deals. They also report on South African stone fruit gaining access to Chinese markets and how farmers are adapting for new export opportunities.

Susan Schmidt, portfolio manager at Exchange Capital Resources, weighs in on jobs and market reactions to tech and AI. Chris Farrell, senior economics contributor, unpacks why forecasts often miss recessions and how data-driven ranges still aid planning. They debate Fed signals, investor optimism about AI, and using forecasts for bets and hedges.

Mitchell Hartman, Marketplace correspondent on the 2026 World Cup and visa rules. Nancy Marshall-Genzer, immigration and homeland security reporter explaining ICE funding and policy shifts. They discuss a possible DHS funding standoff and how special ICE funds could affect agent pay. They also cover tightened visa vetting for World Cup visitors and which countries face travel restrictions.

A tech CEO warns of a possible AI stock bubble and the risk of market carnage. Discussion of claims that AI could surpass the internet in impact. Conversation about which jobs may be reshaped or lost by AI. Reports on chip industry moves and halted mega-projects in Saudi Arabia, including an enormous suspended skyscraper.

Catherine Ann Edwards, labor economist and Bloomberg Opinion columnist, explains Fed signals and labor-market clues. Jenny Schutz, housing policy lead at Arnold Ventures, breaks down proposed mortgage bond buys, private equity’s role in single-family rentals, and why building more homes matters. They debate Trump's affordability proposals and what policies might actually move the needle.

Nancy Marshall-Genzer, Marketplace business and health-care reporter, breaks down policy and market moves. She unpacks insurer reactions to Medicare Advantage rate changes and CMS coding shifts. Then the conversation moves to a deep freeze hitting southern agriculture: timber, sugar cane, crawfish, cattle and poultry all feel the chill.

From the BBC World Service: India and the European Union have agreed to a major trade deal after nearly two decades of on-and-off negotiations. The wide-ranging agreement will see a number of huge tariff cuts and a joint security partnership. And later, President Donald Trump says that he's jacking up tariffs on South Korea. Plus, French lawmakers have passed a bill that will ban children under 15 from accessing social media.

A deep dive into how Pentagon funding is being reshaped and a look at a huge $156 billion boost to military spending. A conversation about new missile defense projects and broad future plans for defense. Analysis of yen moves and how Japan’s actions could influence U.S. Treasury markets. Reports on travel chaos, heating oil price jumps, and extreme weather disruptions.