We start with a look at China's deleveraging program. President Xi Jinping said Monday that China will gradually lower its macro-economic leverage ratio as part of efforts to contain financial risks.

Xi said at the first-ever meeting of the Central Committee for Finance and Economics that China's state-owned firms should lower their leverage ratios as soon as possible. The president also said that the priority for China is to tackle problems that could threaten economic and social stability or trigger systemic risks. Meanwhile, the meeting decided that there should be measures aimed at improving the connection between impoverished areas' agricultural production and sales. The meeting also emphasized improving education while lowering the medical burden on impoverished people.