Marketplace Morning Report

The supply chains of gold and precious gems are notoriously difficult to track. Human rights abuses and environmental devastation are often at the root of the work. This morning, we'll hear the story of one jeweler trying to change this by bringing women together from regions scarred by conflict to create a more ethical business model. But first: Microsoft is considering suing Amazon and OpenAI, and we look at what's behind a run on red yarn.

Why not report earnings twice a year? The Securities and Exchange Commission is preparing a proposal to eliminate the requirement for publicly traded companies to report quarterly earnings, according to The Wall Street Journal. It's a move that companies are cheering, but it also means less transparency for investors. Also on this morning's show: a preliminary deal between the WNBA and its players' union, and what older adults should keep in mind this tax season.

Two of the three major credit bureaus are dismissing a larger share of consumer complaints. At the same time, the Trump administration has attempted to gut the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — the government watchdog agency established following the Great Recession. Today, we'll delve into what it means for consumer protections. Also, the price of a barrel of Brent crude is about 50% higher than it was a month ago. Where do things go from here?

If you are one of the millions of people who haven't done your taxes yet, you've got a month and a day left to file. Something to look forward to, though? Refunds are up over 10% on average so far this year, and more people are receiving tax refunds. But first, we'll check in on how discount retailers are doing and learn how the war in the Middle East is impacting Federal Reserve officials' thinking about a rate cut.

Is Europe's reliance on U.S. tech a vulnerability? With geopolitical uncertainties growing under the second Trump administration, governments and institutions abroad seem to think so. The International Criminal Court announced that it's ditching Microsoft, and government employees in France will use an open-source alternative to Zoom. Today, we dig into "digital sovereignty." Also on the show: new homeowners turn to buy now, pay later to deal with expenses, and we'll preview the Fed's interest rate meeting this week.