Trade agent functions
When player aquire trade agent on station, station marked with "eye" icon on map. Every player build station has trade agent installed after construction.
Trade agent provides realtime updates of every trade offer on station.
Aquiring trade agent also automatically scans all station storage.
Obtaining trade updates subscription
Trade agent is offered as a reward for small-talk.
These will only be offered by a subset of NPCs.
NPCs that can offer Trade Updates:
Inventory item traders (eg Food Merchant, Arms Dealer, Recruitment Officer or Black Marketeer).
License broker
Mechanic
Police Chief
Ship Dealer (unconfirmed)
Specialist
Non-hirable station crew (they are working on the station) - typically found on Administration platforms (ie Defense Officer, Engineer, Manager).
NPCs that never offer Trade Updates:
Architect (even if they are working on plot-rated NPC CVs)
Hirable crew if they are available for hire (ie Defense Officer, Engineer, Manager but NOT Specialists: Specialists will always offer Trade Updates atm (v4b6)).
Your own hired (green as opposed to blue NPCs) crew if on your own station (v4b6 - needs checking)