A new report from the United Nations finds the cost of corruption increased by 40 percent in Afghanistan between 2009 and 2012. President Obama is meeting with House Democrats today to rally support for immigration reform and whether a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants should be contingent on tighter border security. And how productive were we in the last three months of 2012?

What’s causing global stock markets to approach new records? Starting this summer, for the first time since 1856, you won’t be able to trade wheat in Kansas City. In 2011, borrowers defaulted on almost a billion dollars in Perkins loans, federal loans for the lowest-income students, and now some schools are going to court to get their money. And finally, Hasbro will announce which one its famous Monopoly tokens it plans to retire.

The company that makes  the iPhone, iPad, Kindle and a host of other electronics is beefing up its union. Foxconn has been under pressure to improve worker pay and conditions and announced this week that it is enhancing its labor union. The maker of the video game Grand Theft Auto reports earnings today. And finally, he ran the University of Minnesota, the University of Texas, and since 2008, he’s been the President of the University of California. Mark Yudof joins us to discuss higher education, online learning, and his legacy.

Gas prices begin their seasonal slide upward. The British treasury secretary has given an ultimatum to the country’s banks: Obey new rules or be broken up. Should the U.S. do the same?  And a new documentary airs tonight on CNBC about one of the riskiest bets out there. It’s not a stock, or a bond, or a startup company. It’s the business of theater on Broadway. CNBC host Maria Bartiromo joins us for a preview of the program, Betting Big on Broadway.  

This morning, the Labor Department is set to deliver its all important monthly jobs report. Economists expect roughly 155,000 jobs were created in the U.S. in January, and that the unemployment rate will stay at 7.8 percent. Later on today, at the White House, energy pioneer John Goodenough, a physicist, will receive the National Medal of Science. Goodenough helped develop the lithium ion battery that is used in cars, phones, and Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner. He discusses why the Dreamliner batteries have had so many problems. And, the Dow is off to its strongest start since 1994, up six percent in January. Some economists think this is because individual investors have returned to the market.

President Obama’s nominee to head the Pentagon, Chuck Hagel will appear before the Senate Armed Services Committee today, where he’s expected to be grilled on his views of Israel. But he’s also prepared to talk business, including the Pentagon’s contentious enegry bill. A controversial Chinese acquisition of an American company is going through, despite objections to putting U.S. technology in Chinese hands. China’s largest auto parts maker is now cleared to buy A123 Systems, and critics are saying the deal will wipe out American jobs. And, it’s quiz time again. Today, we test your knowledge of worldwide poverty.

President Obama is praising a plan that has emerged in the Senate for comprehensive immigration reform offering the nation’s 11 million illegal immigrants an avenue to citizenship while tightening border security. We talk with one of the senators behind the plan, Michael Bennet, Democrat of Colorado. Facebook will release its quarterly earning today. The company’s stock is down about 19 percent since going public last May. But some analysts are giving Facebook another look thanks to its mobile strategy. The Federal Reserve wraps up its latest meeting today in Washington. The expectation is that there won’t be any big news coming out of it, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t listen. We’ll tell you why.

President Obama will unveil his plan for immigration reform today, after a bipartisan group of senators released theirs yesterday. It’s expected that both plans will provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally. What would immigration reform mean for your paycheck? Research in Motion is set to release its new Blackberry 10 tomorrow — and the stakes could not be higher for the company. The Blackberry once dominated the U.S. smart phone market, but now only 10 percent of smart phone users carry one. And, a look at a new PBS documentry on Henry Ford, one of the most successful businessmen in all of history.

This morning, we’ll get a look at quarterly earnings from Caterpillar. The construction and mining equipment company’s performance is seen as a key bellwether for the global economy, and Caterpillar’s latest numbers could provide some insight about the strength of U.S. exports. Over the weekend, a new rule went into effect for smart phones: It is now illegal to unlock your phone without your provider’s permission. And, a look at a Canadian company that makes the special paper on which money is printed.