After President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping met in South Korea late last month, some tariffs have been suspended or lowered, and China said it will restart purchases of U.S. soybeans and other agricultural goods. To hear about the mood among Chinese buyers and U.S. exporters, Marketplace's Jennifer Park recently attended a trade show in Shanghai. But first: an ethics violation by a former Fed and the impacts of delayed government data.

Tomorrow's when we’re supposed to learn more about how imports and exports have been faring from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, though the 43-day government shutdown may still delay that data release. What might those numbers be able to tell us (whenever they do come out) about some of the impacts of the president’s tariffs? Plus, China has a glut of EVs, and that oversupply is starting to spill over into the rest of the world.

From the BBC World Service: As COP30 in Brazil enters its second week, one of the key agreements protecting the Amazon rainforest is under threat from powerful Brazilian agri-business interests. Currently, a pact bans the sale of soy beans — Brazil’s largest agricultural export — grown on Amazon land deforested after 2008. Then, shares in Japanese retail and travel-related companies fell after China urged citizens not to visit the country over remarks made by Japan's prime minister about Taiwan.

Even though we haven’t gotten recent economic data because of the government shutdown, there’s still plenty of speculation that the next Fed meeting will be a contentious one. We hear from Diane Swonk, chief economist at KPMG, about how the slowing job market and creeping inflation may force the guardians of interest rates into uncomfortable compromises. Plus, a look at why the Trump administration is lowering some tariffs on imported food items from Latin America. And, a chat with McKinsey’s Michael Chui about how companies are utilizing AI and what that means for the workforce.

How optimistic are small business owners nowadays? According to a recent survey, the picture is downbeat — many owners have been dealing with tariffs and other stressors. We delve into the data. And, a chat with the co-founder of a non-profit restaurant in New York City that serves up economically inclusive meals priced with a sliding scale based on what diners can pay.

From the BBC World Service: Donald Trump is set to cut import taxes on products like coffee, bananas, and beef as part of trade agreements with four Latin American countries, aimed at easing food prices. A tariff of 10% will stay on most goods from Guatemala, Argentina, and El Salvador, as will a 15% tax on imports from Ecuador. But staples like coffee and bananas, which the U.S. can’t produce enough of, will be exempt.

The longest government shutdown ever ended last night when President Donald Trump signed a stopgap bill to keep federal agencies going through Jan. 30. But the shutdown deal also included spending bills funding military construction, the legislative branch, the Agriculture Department, and the VA. We went through the lesser-known provisions so you don't have to. Also: the state of Canada's energy exports and potential limits to the power of proxy advisory firms.

By now, you know that the House passed legislation last night to reopen the government. But you might not know about a provision that would completely change the way hemp is regulated. It was tucked into the new farm bill, which was also approved last night, and funds the Agriculture Department through September. We'll hear more. Plus, are government institutions shifting resources away from the working class? Professor Clara Mattei argues that's the case.