Good morning, Quartz readers!
What to watch for today
Women across the US go on strike. “A Day Without a Woman,” a follow-up to the anti-Trump Women’s March in January, aims to demonstrate economic solidarity. Participating women should take the day off from work (easier for the more privileged), wear red clothing, and avoid shopping. Today is also International Women’s Day, which in China is all about shopping.
India launches a women’s cricket league. Organizers want to popularize the game among women and create a world-class platform for female cricketers. Even though India has had a women’s cricket team for nearly three decades, the players live in the shadow of the wildly popular men’s league.
The ADP National Employment Report is released in the US. Economists expect it to show (pdf) that private employers added 190,000 jobs last month. Traders will use it to fine-tune expectations ahead of the March 10 US jobs report. If the positive numbers hold up the Fed will likely raise interest rates next week—creating worldwide ripple effects.
While you were sleeping
Trump reportedly picked his NATO ambassador. It will be Richard Grenell, a former US spokesperson at the United Nations, according to Bloomberg. In 2014 Grenell pushed for Ukraine to join NATO, a move that would enrage Russia. If confirmed he’d be the highest-ranking openly gay member of Trump’s administration.
WikiLeaks published a giant trove of CIA files describing the agency’s hacking methods. The 8,761 documents detail the tools that the agency uses to break into iPhones, Android devices, and even smart TVs. Whistleblower Edward Snowden said the documents appear to be authentic, in part because of their bizarre codenames.
Consumer borrowing in the US posted its smallest gain since July 2012. The advance of $8.8 billion in January was below expectations, as American households reduced their credit-card balances following the holidays. The data helped explain a moderation in consumer spending so far in the current quarter.
Opposition mounted to the Republican plan to replace Obamacare in the US. Democrats resolutely opposed the plan, which maintains many of the Obama health-care reforms while cutting taxes for the rich and benefits for the poor. Many conservatives also came out against it, calling it “Obamacare-lite,” though Trump said he was “proud” to support it.
Japan revised its fourth-quarter GDP upward. The economy grew at an annualized 1.2% during the period, better than earlier estimates. Surprisingly strong capital expenditure helped, increasing 2% from the previous quarter, the biggest quarterly gain since early 2014.
Quartz obsession interlude
Leah Fessler on the subtle office cues that signal if employees are happy: “If you have the opportunity to check out the communal kitchen, take it. Dirty dishes and clogged sinks are obvious evidence of employee laziness and disregard for common areas. The fridge culture, meanwhile, is more nuanced.” Read more here.
Markets haiku
One company bought
Six million tons of sugar
A whole lot of Pez
Matters of debate
Is Nevada the Greece of America? The state’s economy is still reeling from the financial crisis (paywall), even as most other states have recovered.
Bitcoin’s boom might not be a fluke. The cryptocurrency does not show most of the telltale signs of a financial bubble.
A four-day workweek could be hazardous to your health. Compressing hours has serious implications for mental health, stress levels, and fatigue.
Surprising discoveries
Jimmy Buffett is opening a real-life Margaritaville for the olds. Residents can waste away in the singer’s new Florida retirement community.
Nike is making a performance hijab. It’s for female Muslim athletes who have had few options for their workouts.
Women make up less than 5% of Fortune 500 CEOs. That frustratingly small number is even lower than last year.
Switzerland bumped off Germany as the world’s No. 1 country. The Swiss were praised for citizenship, entrepreneurship, and quality of life.
Netflix is making choose-your-own-adventure shows. New interactive storylines will give viewers control over how plots unfold.
IKEA’s new furniture may save your relationship. Snap-together designs may eliminate the fight over who misplaced the pesky hex-wrench.
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