Business Daily

Taking Stock: what French protests, Netflix data and the Alberta referendum reveal

Thu, 22 Oct 2026 17:30:00 +0000

Will Bain is joined by Toronto-based tech journalist Takara Small and Zambia-based consultant Trevor Simumba to examine the impact of protests in France on businesses and the wider economy, what Netflix's latest data and job-cut plans signal about the streaming giant's future, and what a referendum in Alberta, Canada, highlights about the province's future.

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Power Players: Has Netflix hit a wall?

Wed, 21 Oct 2026 12:06:00 +0000

Netflix transformed the entertainment industry, changing how audiences around the world discover and consume media. But after announcing plans to cut 1,000 jobs and losing its content and film chiefs, questions are growing about the streaming giant's future. Has Netflix reached a turning point, or does it still have room to grow? Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Simon Gallagher, a former Netflix head of content and acquisition who worked with co-founder Reed Hastings and later at Hulu.

Producer: Matt Lines

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Founders: Olio CEO Tessa Clarke's fight against food waste

Tue, 20 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Tessa Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Olio, the food-sharing app helping millions of people reduce waste by sharing food and household items with their neighbours. She explains how a simple idea grew into a global movement, the challenges of convincing investors to back it, and why changing human behaviour may be key to tackling climate change.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara George

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Tessa Clarke. Credit:Annabel Staff)

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Follow the Money: The cost of sending money home

Mon, 19 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Some economies are increasingly dependent on migrants sending money home to their families. But how much does it cost, and who's making money from a business worth around $900 billion a year? Sam Fenwick follows a transfer from a housekeeper in London to her family in the Philippines, tracking the money every step of the way. We talk to one of the world's biggest transfer companies about the fees involved, and to a remittances expert who argues that while costs have fallen, they still need to come down further.

Producer: Gideon Long

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A delivery worker in Manila, Philippines. Prices have been rising in the country this year, which receives remittances from many of its citizens living abroad. Credit: ROLEX DELA PENA/EPA/Shutterstock)

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What China's solar panel obsession means for the world

Sun, 18 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

China's latest trade data show another huge surplus, putting the country on course for what could be a record $1.5 trillion trade surplus this year. In the first of two episodes examining China's export machine, we look at the country's massive solar panel industry. We hear from the so-called Sun King, Dr Jerry Shi, China's first solar billionaire, about the rise of solar power in China. Ed Butler also examines how solar power and other green technologies have helped drive the global response to climate change, while critics raise concerns about oversupply and its impact on industries and economies around the world.

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Taking Stock: Who owns Space?

Thu, 15 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

From Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, to China and India, companies and countries are pouring billions of dollars to get ahead in the space industry.

It's not just about interplanetary exploration, huge investment is going into satellites, defense systems and location technology.

Rahul Tandon speaks to Carissa Bryce Christensen, Founder and CEO of BryceTech and Professor of Space Security, Dr Namrata Goswami to discuss who winning the race and who might be coming up from behind.

Producers: Amber Mehmood and Matt Lines Editor: Stephen Ryan

PHOTO: The planet Mars is shown in this NASA Hubble Space Telescope view taken May 12, 2016. NASA/Handout via Reuters

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Power Players: How did VW go off track?

Wed, 14 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Competition from China, weaker sales and a slower-than-expected shift to electric vehicles have left Volkswagen facing its biggest challenge in decades. VW says up to 100,000 jobs could go, with some of its biggest German plants facing closure. Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain look at whether VW can turn things around, and whether its troubles reflect wider problems in Germany's economy.

Producer: Matt Lines

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Volkswagen's main German plant in Wolfsburg, Germany, September 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Liesa Johannssen)

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Listen again: The supermarket billionaire, John Catsimatidis

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Greek-born billionaire John Catsimatidis rose from working in a New York grocery store to build the Gristedes supermarket chain and a wider business empire after leaving university before graduating. Now head of the Red Apple Group, with interests spanning real estate, energy, aviation and media, he remains a prominent figure in US business and politics, regularly discussing business with President Trump, despite setbacks including a collapsed airline venture and an unsuccessful run for New York mayor.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Amber Mehmood

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

[This episode was first broadcast on 17 June 2026]

(Picture: John Catsimatidis attends the Economic Club of New York in New York City, U.S., May 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

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Follow the Money: why is diesel so expensive?

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The war in the Middle East has pushed up crude oil prices this year and that's had a knock-on effect on the price of refined oil products like diesel. But after months of conflict, the Gulf's oil-producing nations are now getting most of their exports out, so why hasn't the price of diesel come down? And will it fall now that Donald Trump has reached a deal allowing Russia to export diesel again? The BBC's Sam Fenwick traces the journey of a barrel of oil from the Middle East to the petrol pump, looking at the rising costs along the way.

Producer: Gideon Long

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A worker fills a lorry with diesel in London on 02 October 2026. Credit: Yui Mok/PA Wire)

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Why are birth rates falling across the world?

Sun, 11 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Birth rates are falling across much of the world, raising questions about the future of ageing populations and economies. We look at why people are having fewer children, from the financial pressures facing couples in the US to changing social attitudes. We also examine government efforts to reverse the trend, including Finland's generous family support system and Hungary's costly incentives for larger families.

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Listen again: Power Players - Why are young Indians joining the Cockroach protests?

Sat, 10 Oct 2026 13:18:00 +0000

A chance to listen again as Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by the BBC's India Business Correspondent Arunoday Mukherjee to look at the rise of the 'Cockroach movement'. They discuss the economic concerns of young people and the difficulties getting well paid jobs

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

Editor: Stephen Ryan

Image description: Supporters of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) take part in a protest demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar in New Delhi, India, 10 October 2026. Thousands of security personnel were deployed across the Indian capital as demonstrators gathered to demand electoral reforms and the resignation of the chief election commissioner following allegations surrounding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter lists. CJP protest demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, New Delhi, India - 10 Oct 2026

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Taking Stock: Is Gen Z the first generation to be worse off than their parents?

Thu, 08 Oct 2026 23:01:00 +0000

Young people in France are protesting over schooling conditions, whilst in Spain they have taken to the streets over housing. We ask if there is hope them, and how we can make a better future. Also, we unpack the deal for Paramount Skydance to officially take over Warner Bros Discovery in a $110bn merger. Connecting the time zones this week are Rahul Tandon in Salford, David Kuo in Malaysia and Emily Peck in New York to unpack the week's biggest business stories.

(Photo: Student protests over school conditions spread across France, Montpellier - 08 Oct 2026 Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Matt Lines

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The most economy-focused mid-term ever?

Wed, 07 Oct 2026 20:52:00 +0000

With less than a month to go until the US mid-term elections, voters are preparing to head to the polls with the economy high on the agenda.

From the cost of living, interest rates and tariffs, how much will economic concerns shape the result?

Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain look at whether the economy could prove to be the defining issue of these mid-terms.

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Meet the first black woman to own a billion-dollar company

Tue, 06 Oct 2026 23:01:00 +0000

We meet Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder of ActOne Group. She arrived in Los Angeles with just $900 borrowed from her mother and went on to build a multi-billion-dollar business, becoming the first Black woman to own and run a billion-dollar company.

But Janice says the foundations of her success were laid much earlier, growing up as one of 11 children in the segregated American South. So, how did those early experiences shape the entrepreneur she would become?

Presented by Leanna Byrne Produced by Bisi Adebayo and Barbara George

(Picture: Janice Bryant Howroyd)

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Follow the Money: Why does chocolate cost so much?

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The El Nino in 2023 had a detrimental impact on the cocoa harvest in West Africa, prices quadrupled and businesses reacted.

Chocolate prices skyrocketed around the world, chocolate makers were reducing their cocoa content and in some cases making their products smaller.

Since then cocoa prices have come back down, but the cost of chocolate products hasn't followed, Hannah Mullane takes a look at why.

Now, the 2026 El Nino threatens to repeat history, cocoa prices have already started rising again as bad weather is expected to impact the next harvest.

Farmers, wholesalers, and chocolate makers explain how the volatile market is impacting them.

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Gideon Long

Photo credit: Olivia Richwald. Copyright BBC

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Listen again - Bonds: Heroes or villains?

Sun, 04 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

With the cost of government debt reaching its highest for several decades, we're giving you another chance to hear our exploration of how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world.

We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown.

If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Rob Young Producer: Gideon Long

[This episode was first broadcast on 12 Jan 2026]

(Photo: A bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water board to finance improvements to a local dike system. The bond, written on vellum, is held at Yale University Beinecke Library and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world that still pays interest. Credit: Yale University)

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Taking Stock: How evicting an 87-year-old woman in Spain disrupted the debate on housing

Thu, 01 Oct 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Protests in Spain about 87-year-old Mariacarmen Abascal's eviction from social housing reignited the housing affordability debate globally, as inflation ticks up and career prospects for the young have been impacted by the rise in AI. We head to Nigeria, India and the UK to take stock on the issue.

Elsewhere, what can sliding sales at the world's largest automaker tell us about how drivers feel about big purchases?

We get the view from Jennifer Pak China and Professor Justin Wolfers in the US, where former MAGA fans are up in arms about the rising cost of diesel amid the war in Iran.

Presented by Rahul Tandon Produced by Josh Martin

(Image credit: Demonstrators protest demanding political action to stop evictions and address the housing crisis, following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home, in Madrid, Spain, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Violeta Santos Moura)

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Power Players: Can AI really regulate itself?

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The AI race is speeding up: and so are the warnings about where it could lead. After President Trump met AI leaders to discuss how to make the technology safer without slowing America's progress, Michelle, Will and Rahul ask: can the AI industry really regulate itself?

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the White House driveway following a luncheon for tech leaders in the East Room, in Washington, D.C., US, September 29, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

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From blogger to billionaire, Canva's co-founder on what failures at Google Wave taught him

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Who studies law but then forgets to apply for any graduate jobs because they've started blogging about web design and javascript? Cameron Adams, the billionaire co-founder of design app Canva. He did eventually land a coveted job at Google (thanks to that blogging), but failure on its Google Wave project ’ led to an introduction to Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, whose vision for making design accessible to everyone became Canva. In this interview, Cameron Adams reflects on the twists, setbacks and connections that shaped his entrepreneurial journey, and why he doesn't fear AI in th edesign process. Presented by Leanna Byrne. Produced Victoriya Holland and Huma Shah.

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Follow the Money: Why does an Oktoberfest beer cost €16?

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

A litre of beer at Munich’s Oktoberfest costs nearly €16; almost four times what a litre cost in 1991 after adjusting for inflation.

We follow the money behind the famous Maß, from the Munich brewery that supplies it, through the tent and the servers who sell it, to the City of Munich that runs the festival.

Who gets the biggest share, who carries the financial risk, and how much does Oktoberfest really make for the city?

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann

(Picture: Visitors pose for a photograph in traditional Bavarian clothing during the world’s largest beer festival Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, September 26, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

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Can Route 66 towns survive on nostalgia?

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

We're heading west along America's famed Route 66. As the road celebrates its 100th birthday, Victoria Craig finds out whether the pull of neon-drenched nostalgia is still attracting visitors and whether new investment can secure the future of the towns that depend on it. Presenter/producer: Victoria Craig

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo: A sign celebrating 100 years of Route 66: Credit: Victoria Craig)

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Taking Stock: Trump and Xi face the trade test

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:41:00 +0000

What's next for trade, tariffs and AI after Presidents Trump and Xi met at the White House? We examine what was agreed, whether tensions between the world's two biggest economies are easing, and what it could mean for technology, business and global trade. Vishala Sri-Pathma is joined by Henry Wang from the Center for China and Globalization and the AI researcher and author Stephanie Hare.

Producer: Josh Martin

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Trump meets Xi: what's at stake?

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The presidents of the world's two biggest economies are meeting in Washington. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet at the White House amid tensions over Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and international trade. Our North American business correspondent Samira Hussain and senior China correspondent Laura Bicker assess what both sides want from the visit and how the relationship between the two leaders could shape the outcome.

Presenter: Vishala Sri-Pathma Producer: Gideon Long

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, May 2026. Credit: Kenny Holston/Pool via REUTERS)

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Founders: The American who built his business in China

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Jacob Rothman moved from California to China and helped build a manufacturing business supplying some of the world's biggest retailers. We meet the co-founder of Velong Enterprises to hear how he built the company across Asia and how an unlikely career path took him to the heart of global manufacturing. He also reflects on entrepreneurship, manufacturing in China and how global trade is changing.

Producer: Bisi Adebayo

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Jacob Rothman)

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Follow the Money: The journey of a $30 toy from China to America

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Most toys sold in America are made in China. But cheap labour is no longer the main reason manufacturers stay there. As the US toy industry presses for tariffs on toys to be removed, we follow the journey of a $30 toy from a factory in Guangdong, through shipping and the US border, to the shelves of American retailers. Along the way, we find out how much the factory gets, what shipping costs add to the price, how much of the final price stays in America, and the impact of President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann

(Picture: Employees of Shaoguan Guanghua Plastic & Hardware Products Co., Ltd work to assemble toy parts in the factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong province, China May 9, 2025. Credit: REUTERS/Go Nakamura)

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From Mao and Nixon to Xi and Trump: A history of China-US trade

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

With Presidents Xi and Trump expected to meet in the United States this week, Will Bain looks back on the history of trade between the two great nations.

It's always been fraught with controversy but there's also been a need or desire to get along.

President Nixon was the first to visit China in 1972 and spoke with passion about the possibilities for the future between them.

Trade then grew quickly but it became very one sided as China developed as an industrial nation.

There have been several attempts to curb its dominance but cheaper production also meant cheaper goods for consumers.

Chad Bown, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute joins Will to assess how they have attempted to strike the right balance

Thanks to the Presidential Libraries of President Nixon and President Reagan for archive material.

(Photo: A staff member wearing a face mask walks past US and Chinese flags set up before a meeting between US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, China, 08 July 2023. Credit: Mark Schiefelbein/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Justin Bones

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Taking Stock: Can Big Tech rivals be trusted to develop safe AI?

Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

AI: Existential threat or billion-dollar opportunity? The increasingly loud and often stark warnings from inside the tech industry - about the dangers AI might already be posing.

Plus we dig into the interest rate rises facing US and European consumers. And ask whether an ABBA singalong of Mamma Mia was enough to swing the Swedish election.

Taking Stock looks back at the week in business, economic and geopolitical news with a panel that stretches across timezones. This week Rema Rahman the White House and Politics Editor from Bloomberg Government joins us from Washington DC and Katrine Kielos, author and columnist for Swedish financial broadcaster EFN, is with us in London.

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin

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Power Players: Does Xbox have a future?

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Xbox is 25 years old and faces some of its biggest challenges yet. As cloud gaming grows and the AI boom reshapes the technology industry, even Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has acknowledged that the business "hasn't been healthy" in recent years. So does Xbox have a future? Will Bain speaks to former Xbox executive Peter Moore and BBC technology reporter Laura Cress about whether Microsoft's gaming brand can reinvent itself.

Producer: Gideon Long

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Visitors play Stalker 2 in front of monitors at the Microsoft Xbox boot during the Gamescom gaming convention in Cologne, Germany, 23 August 2023. Credit: FRIEDEMANN VOGEL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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Can we control AI?

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence is developing faster than many experts predicted, bringing extraordinary opportunities as well as growing concerns. Some of the industry's leading figures are even calling for the pace of development to slow while governments and technology companies grapple with how best to manage the risks. So can humanity remain in control of AI, and how should we govern a technology that is advancing so rapidly? Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A Jio humanoid robot named Elixis at the AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra)

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Follow the Money: Why is a new Ebola vaccine taking so long to develop?

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has claimed more than 3,400 lives and infected thousands more. Despite the scale of the outbreak, there is still no approved vaccine for the latest strain.Leanna Byrne examines what it takes and who pays to develop a vaccine. We look at what's slowing vaccine development and whether the limited commercial market for Ebola vaccines means governments, charities and international donors must step in to fund research.

Producer: Matt Lines

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Sanitation measures underway at Bunia market to contain Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo - 23 May 2026. Credit: EPA)

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The cost of war: Inside Russia's economic unease

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Economic unease is growing among Russian workers as fuel shortages and Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt key sectors of the economy. Ed Butler examines the pressures facing businesses, workers and consumers, from damaged refineries to attacks on Wildberries warehouses. As concerns grow over prices, jobs and supply chains, what do these disruptions reveal about the resilience of Russia's wartime economy?

Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Victoriya Holland

(Picture: A queue at a petrol station due to fuel shortage following a spate of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries, amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, Russia, July 8, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov)

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Bonus: Could AI chatbots help Asia's socially isolated youth?

Sun, 13 Sep 2026 11:00:00 +0000

Across Asia, a growing number of young people are becoming hikikomori, a term used to describe individuals experiencing severe social withdrawal. They shut themselves away at home, retreating from work, school and even family life for months, sometimes years.Some countries, including South Korea, are trying an unexpected approach: government-backed AI chatbots designed to help socially isolated young people reconnect with society. But can artificial companions help tackle loneliness, or could they deepen it?

This bonus episode comes from Asia Specific, another BBC World Service podcast hosted by Mariko Oi. It discusses issues including social isolation and mental wellbeing. Listeners who identify with these experiences are encouraged to seek local support.

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Taking stock: Bad blood, bad neighbours and the return of Elizabeth Holmes

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Mark Carney and Donald Trump go tit-for-tat as the list of goods subject to tariffs between the US and Canada continues to grow. But will higher import taxes on products crossing the border make cost-of-living pressures even worse for Canadians and Americans? Takara Small in Toronto and Andy Uhler in Austin join Will Bain to discuss the highlights and lowlights of the week's business news, including the much-hyped launch of Apple's first foldable smartphone and the return, at least in cinemas, of convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes.

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin

(Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East, in Evian-les-Bains, France, 16 June, 2026. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

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Power Players: Can new BP leadership steady the ship?

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

This week on Power Players, Will Bain is joined by BBC Business Editor Simon Jack to explore the future of energy giant BP. The past six years have seen significant boardroom churn, while the company has sent mixed messages to investors after scaling back plans to become a greener energy business. We examine whether the company's new leaders can restore confidence and set a clearer strategy.

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A British Petroleum gas station with the BP oil refinery in background in Whiting, Indiana, U.S., July 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nicole Jao)

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Founders: Marcia Kilgore on still fighting imposter syndrome despite Beauty Pie success

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Many entrepreneurs would be happy to sell one great idea to a larger business, cash out and put their feet up. Not Marcia Kilgore. The Canadian swapped small-town Saskatchewan for the wealthy clients of Manhattan, New York and sold her first venture, Bliss Spa to luxury giant LVMH. She then went on to found another three multimiilion-dollar enterprises. What did she learn along the way, how does she back herself when imposter syndrome strikes and what is next on her list.

(Photo: Marcia Kilgore stands in a London street, wearing blue jeans and a pink shrt, she has cropped short hair and is smiling. Credit: Marcia Kilgore)

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Victoriya Holland

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Follow the money: Is a university degree worth the investment?

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

The number of students going to university globally has more than doubled in the last 20 years. 269 million students around the world are enrolled in higher education, if those students were a country, it would be the 5th most populous in the world. At the same time youth unemployment is growing and there’s a slowing of that graduate premium - the extra money you'll earn because of your degree - so is it still worth it?

(Photo: Graduates from abroad fling their graduation caps into the air during a graduation send-off party following the second commencement ceremony of the 2025 academic year at Seokdang Museum of Dong-a University in the southeastern port city of Busan, South Korea, 20 August 2026.Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Matt Lines

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Who's afraid of the AI job-snatchers?

Sun, 06 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

There's a general fear that artificial intelligence could make huge swathes of workers redundant, but are those fears unjustified? Rob Young asks what history can tell us about big technological leaps and how they changed the world of work at the time. And how much of the rate of change comes down to customer preference - would you rather deal with a bot or a person? Presented and produced by Rob Young.

(Photo: A square computer chip, with its circuitry illuminated in pink and white light and has the text Powered by AI on it as a logo is seen during the opening day of the IFA trade fair in Berlin, Germany, 4 September 2026. Credit:EPA/Shutterstock)

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Taking Stock: Is everything about to get more expensive?

Thu, 03 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

There has been a lot of talk about rising bond yields, from Japan to the UK and the US, and alongside this government debt is growing all around the world. That all plays into a feeling that many people have that life is about to get more expensive and that in many places interest rates are set to rise.

Rahul Tandon is joined by David Kuo, co-founder of The Smart Investor in Singapore and German business journalist Ellen Frauenknecht.

(Photo: Passersby stand before a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 2 September, 2026. Tokyo stocks plunged as Japanese government bond yields rose to its highest level in 30 years and escalating attacks between the United States and Iran. Credit: Franck Robichon/EPA/Shutterstock)

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Matt Lines

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Power players: Can Premier League transfer spending keep breaking records?

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

We dig into the finances behind "the beautiful game" after English football's Premier League just spent £3.57bn ($4.7bn) billion on new players. What is behind football's richest competition and is its success sustainable?

(Photo: Stamford Bridge, London, England, 30 August, 2026. Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Morgan Rogers. Credit: David Klein/Reuters)

Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

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Founders: Allison Ellsworth, co-founder of Poppi soft on the cider vinegar soft drinks that had PepsiCo paying $1.95bn

Tue, 01 Sep 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Allison Ellsworth, founder of Poppi soft drinks, started the beverage business as a kitchen experiment, with a Soda Stream and apple cider vinegar. She speaks to Leanna Byrne about pitching for funding on TV programme Shark Tank while nine months pregnant, relaunching during Covid lockdowns and becoming the number one soda on Amazon in the US and her $1.95 billion exit with PepsiCo.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne

Producer: Niamh McDermott and Victoriya Holland

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo credit: Allison Ellsworth)

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Follow the money: How China gained the competitive edge in EVs

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Think of an electric vehicle, and you'll probably imagine a Tesla. But China is the world's biggest EV exporter, despite being largely shut out of the US market. How has the country seemingly come from nowhere to dominate the world of electric mobility and how can its Evs be made so cheap? Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Josh Martin

(Photo: A man looks inside the Changan Deepal S05 REEV during a press conference for the unveiling of the Chinese model at the WesBank Festival of Motoring in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Nqobile Dludla)

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Is Turkey's clothing industry unravelling at the seams?

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Emily Wither reports from Istanbul finding out why that 'Made in Turkey' label in so much of our clothing could disappear as the industry faces competition from countries like Egypt, Turkey battles huge inflation and hundreds of factories go bankrupt leaving tens of thousands out of work (Photo: A worker in a Turkish garment factory in Istanbul works at a table. Credit: Emily Wither/Supplied)

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Taking Stock: Is this really the Golden Age of AI?

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 08:01:00 +0000

This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by journalist Nga Pham in Hanoi, Vietnam, and economist Justin Wolfers in Michigan, USA, to unpack Nvidia’s soaring quarterly results and what they signal about the global race in artificial intelligence.

They also discuss Meta’s settlement agreement and the wider regulatory pressures facing tech giants, as well as fresh sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

(Photo credit: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during a doorstep after attending the AI Ecosystem Reception in Tokyo, Japan, July 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada/File Photo)

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Power players: Evergrande and the unraveling of China’s property boom

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

For years, China’s property boom helped drive the country’s extraordinary economic growth. At the centre of it was Evergrande, which grew from a regional developer into a sprawling corporate empire, and one of the world’s most indebted companies.

Then the debts caught up with it. Evergrande’s collapse exposed the vulnerabilities of China’s property model, helping push the wider housing market into crisis and weighing on the country’s economy.

Now its founder, Hui Ka-yan, has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes including bribery and illegal use of funds.

Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Jennifer Pak in Beijing to explore how Evergrande became so big, what went wrong, how its collapse exposed the problems in China’s property model, and what it means for the wider global economy.

(Photo: China Evergrande Group then-Chairman, Hui Ka Yan, attends a news conference on the property developer's annual results in Hong Kong, China 28 March, 2017. He has short black hair with a side parting and wears a white shirt with a red patterned tie and a black suit jacket. In the background is a city skyline of skyscrapers, reflected in blue water. Credit: Bobby Yip/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Will Bain, Rahul Tandon and Jennifer Pak Producer: David Cann

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Founders: Nasty Gal's 'girl boss' on shoplifting, empire building and life after bankruptcy

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Sophia Amoruso, founded clothing company Nasty Gal after a successful stint of eBay upselling. It grew into a company worth hundreds of millions and allowed its founder to claim the title of original "girl boss" but eventually filed for bankruptcy.

In the space of a few years, she had swapped shoplifting items to sell on Amazon and eBay for clinking champagne flutes in the South of France, schmoozing investors and having her book turned into a Netflix series and dealing with unhappy employees. Did swift success stifle what Nasty Gal could have become?

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott, Barbara George, Aleeza Siddiq and Victoriya Holland

(Photo credit: Sophie Amoruso)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Follow the money: What a dry Danube means for Europe’s energy

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Europe's drought has reduced water levels on the Danube, causing headaches and lost income for companies generating electricity from hydro, coal-fired and nuclear power plants. We travel down the river, stopping off in Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Romania to look at how each country is dealing with the challenges and what ordinary people are doing to help.

(Photo: People check the Danube River as it flows at a record-low water level in downtown Budapest, Hungary, 28 July 2026. Credit: Zoltan Balogh/EPA/Shutterstock)

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Gideon Long

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Are Europe and China heading for a trade war?

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Europe is taking an increasingly tough line on trade with China, accusing Beijing of subsidising exports and flooding European markets with cheap goods. Businesses and governments warn that Chinese competition is putting European industries and jobs at risk, while China's growing dominance of supply chains is adding to concerns in Brussels. Ed Butler asks whether these accusations are fair, what Europe can do about them, and whether the two sides are heading for a new trade war.

Producer/presenter: Ed Butler

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo: A staff member prepares for the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and EU Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera during China-EU Sixth High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue, Beijing, 14 July 2025, Credit: Reuters)

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BONUS: What makes the LA Lakers worth so much money?

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 11:25:00 +0000

The proposed sale of the LA Lakers has reignited debate about the soaring value of sports teams. Here's another chance to hear our episode exploring what drives the value of a basketball franchise.

Presenter/producer: Guy Kilty Editor: Helen Thomas

Episode first published on 27 November 2025

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Image: Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James drives to the basket during the game against the Utah Jazz during the game on 23 November 2025. Credit: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

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Taking Stock: What’s next for social media?

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

What does the future hold for social media? Will Bain is joined by Takara Small in Toronto and Han Lin in Shanghai to discuss growing legal challenges facing Meta over how its platforms target and affect young users, and what the latest case could mean for the company and the wider industry. They also look at the extraordinary stock market debut of Chinese robotics company Unitree, whose shares jumped by 500%, and ask what could happen next as the US considers new tariffs on Canada.

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

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Power Players: The battle over AI's data centres

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

AI is driving a data-centre boom. The vast, energy-hungry facilities that power everything from ChatGPT to cloud computing are multiplying rapidly as governments and technology companies race to build them. But their growing demand for land, electricity and water is fuelling opposition in communities around the world. Rahul Tandon and Will Bain explore why demand for data centres is soaring, who's building them, and what happens when the demands of the AI economy collide with local communities.

Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann

(Picture: A sign that says ‘No Goodman Data Centre’ is displayed outside a home in the suburb of Lane Cove, in Sydney, Australia, August 14, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

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Founders: From sleeping under a bridge to SEO success in the age of AI

Tue, 18 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Harry Sanders is the founder of StudioHawk, an SEO agency that helps businesses around the world get found online. He talks about going from sleeping under a bridge at 17 to building a company that works with major brands including Fujifilm and New Balance and discusses how AI is reshaping his industry and the future of search.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Harry Sanders)

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Follow the Money: What's driving up the cost of flying?

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Whether you're heading off on holiday or travelling for work, flying could cost significantly more than it did a year ago. And it's not just the ticket price. From baggage fees to seat selection and priority boarding, the extras can quickly add up. Hannah Mullane explores the economics of aviation with the CEO of Berlin Brandenburg Airport, asking what's driving the rise in air travel costs and whether ultra low-cost flying is becoming a thing of the past.

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Josh Martin

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Travellers check on a departure board at Heathrow Airport in London on March 2, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)

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Are you a job hugger? Why workers are staying put

Sun, 16 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

As economic uncertainty continues, many workers are becoming more cautious about taking the next step in their careers. Vishala Sri-Pathma examines who's staying put and why.

Presenter/producer: Vishala Sri-Pathma

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A bored office worker. Credit: Getty)

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Taking Stock: The cost of heatwaves

Thu, 13 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

How is climate change reshaping the global economy? Rahul Tandon is joined by Carsten Brzeski in Germany and Jyoti Malhotra in India to discuss the growing economic impact of heatwaves, including the threat to trade as water levels on Germany's River Rhine fall. They also examine how China is becoming less reliant on European industry, and the latest leadership tensions at India's Tata Group. Plus, the story behind eclipse sunglasses becoming an unlikely sell-out success.

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A view of low water levels at Rheinau Harbour near the Rhine River in Cologne, Germany, 13 August 2026. Credit: EPA)

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Power Players: What's next for Guinness owner Diageo?

Wed, 12 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Diageo, the company that owns Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and more than 200 drinks brands worldwide, has announced a major reset after a tough couple of years in which its profits have fallen and its share price has struggled. British businessman Sir Dave Lewis has been brought in to steer a turnaround, including a $1bn savings plan over the next three years. Known as "Drastic Dave" for cost-cutting at other companies, can he revive growth as more consumers drink less alcohol or switch from global brands to local ones?

Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Gideon Long

(Picture: People drink Guinness at The Devonshire pub in Soho, London. Credit: REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

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Founders: How Vitaminwater founder Mike Repole built a drinks empire

Tue, 11 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Mike Repole is the entrepreneur behind drinks brands including Vitaminwater and BodyArmor. He tells Hannah Mullane how he went from stocking supermarket shelves in Queens, New York, to building billion-dollar businesses with investors including Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady.

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producers: Niamh McDermott and Amber Mehmood

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Mike Repole)

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Too many offices, not enough homes: can conversions work?

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

John Laurenson reports from La Défense in Paris on how Europe's biggest business district is turning vacant office space into housing. As hybrid working leaves more offices underused, cities are rethinking the future of these buildings. We compare developments in Paris with efforts in London and Washington DC and ask whether converting offices into homes could help tackle housing shortages and revive struggling business districts.

Presenter/producer: John Laurenson

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: People walking in La Défense business district in Paris. Credit: John Laurenson)

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Denmark is scrapping royal warrants. Will businesses miss them?

Sun, 09 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Denmark is preparing to scrap its royal warrant system, ending a centuries-old royal seal of approval used by businesses to market everything from beer to cars. Similar warrants are used by monarchies around the world and awarded to everyone from brewers and carmakers to pest controllers. What do the Danish companies affected think, and could other royal households follow Denmark's lead?

(Photo: Packets of sweets with a Danish Royal Warrant in a Copenhagen shop. Credit: Daniel Rosney)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney

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Taking stock: Global trade's new reality

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

What is driving the global shift towards economic protectionism? Will Bain is joined by Jennifer Pak, NPR's China correspondent, and Trevor Simumba, an international business consultant in Zambia, to discuss why the trend has accelerated since Donald Trump's tariffs and why global trade remains resilient despite growing barriers. Plus, why Africa's Lobito Corridor matters for trade, what AI means for jobs in China and beyond, and why drinks giant Diageo is cutting costs. And, two food heroes: China's baozi and Uganda's matoke.

(Photo: A ship docks at Lobito Port in Angola, 4 December, 2024. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann

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Power Players: Why does Trump care about the Japanese yen?

Wed, 05 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

In a highly unusual move, the US has stepped in to back Japan's currency, the yen. Donald Trump calls it a "signal of friendship" but what is Washington hoping to achieve? And what does the move reveal about Japan's economy, after years of deflation and ultra-low interest rates? Rahul Tandon and Will Bain assess the intervention with the help of the BBC's "yen geek" Mariko Oi.

Presenters: Rahul Tandon, Will Bain and Mariko Oi Producer: Gideon Long

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A woman walks past a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 03 August 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

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Founders: Ola Sars from Beats Music to the soundtrack of hospitality

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Ola Sars has spent two decades helping shape the way music is discovered, streamed and licensed. He co-founded Beats Music, the streaming service that helped lay the groundwork for Apple Music, before launching Soundtrack, a company that provides licensed music to restaurants, cafés and other hospitality businesses. After moving to the US as a child and learning English from scratch, how did he become a music-tech entrepreneur? And was selling his stake in Beats before Apple acquired the company the right decision?

(Photo: Ola Sars, seen from the shoulders up, wears a black jumper and has short shaved brown hair going grey at the sides, blue eyes and stubble growth. He looks at the camera with a neutral expression. Credit: Rickard Croy)

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Follow the money: Europe’s air-con economy

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

With Europe sweltering in intense heat and demand for air-conditioners soaring, who is making money from supplying them? We follow the supply chain from a factory churning out air-con units in China to retailers across Europe scrambling to secure stock as demand surges. In France, where repeated heat waves have driven sales higher, shoppers have been fighting in supermarkets to get hold of them.

We also examine the cost of powering air-conditioners and the impact their growing use is having on energy prices. How much pressure is Europe's growing appetite for air-conditioning putting on electricity grids?

(Photo: People cool off in the Trocadero fountain by the Eiffel Tower in Paris during a heatwave in June 2026. Credit: Yoan Valat/EPA/Shutterstock)

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Gideon Long

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Sierra Leone: Tracking a drug kingpin

Sun, 02 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

In the second of two episodes, Ed Butler tracks the whereabouts and connections of one of Europe's most wanted drug criminals. Despite denials from the President's family, law enforcement agencies say Jos Leijdekkers is enjoying privileged status in Sierra Leone. The country's Justice Minister responds.

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Taking stock: China gains in the AI race

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Is China rapidly catching up with the United States in the race to dominate artificial intelligence? Rahul Tandon is joined by Walter Todd in the US and Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore to discuss, following a week of sharp moves in AI-related markets and growing questions over where the next wave of innovation will come from.

They also explore what India's "cockroach protest" says about the growing challenge of youth unemployment around the world.

(Photo: People walk past the Unix AI booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, 17 July, 2026. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann

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Listen again - Follow the Money: FIFA's Billions

Thu, 30 Jul 2026 14:41:00 +0000

This Podcast was first published June 9th 2026

With the future of football's governing body under discussion, we're giving you another chance to hear how FIFA makes most of its money from the World Cup

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed the creation of a subsidiary body to run tournaments, which would include some outside investment.

Fifa has given all 211 member associations until 19 September to say whether they agree with the plan, with a straight majority to decide whether to proceed.

But there has been criticism of the plans over lack of clarity and the impact it could have on FIFA's independence.

Ahead of the World Cup, Sam Fenwick looked at how the event generates billions of dollars for FIFA - where the money comes from and how it gets spent.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Matt Lines Editor: Stephen Ryan

(photo: Silhouette of Gianni Infantino, FIFA President and rising stock graph are seen in this illustration taken, July 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

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Power Players: India's Gen‑Z jobs crisis

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 22:06:00 +0000

This week, Will and Rahul speak to business correspondent Arunoday Mukharji in Delhi about how India's youth unemployment crisis helped force the resignation of the country's Education Minister and why it could mark a turning point for India's Gen‑Z. Exam leaks and a shortage of opportunities have sparked some of the biggest youth protests in years, raising difficult questions for the government. Nearly two-thirds of Indians are under 35, and more young people are graduating than ever before. But many can't find jobs. Can India create enough jobs for a generation with rising expectations? And what happens if it can't?

Presenters: Will Bain, Rahul Tandon and Arunoday Mukharji Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Founders: Leah Solivan on building and selling TaskRabbit

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Leah Solivan, founder and former CEO of TaskRabbit, reflects on building one of the world’s most successful gig-economy platforms. She discusses the pressures of scaling a multi-million-dollar business, the stress-related illness that left her in hospital, and the decision to eventually sell TaskRabbit to IKEA.

Presenter: Sarah Rogers Producer: Niamh McDermott

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Leah Solivan. Credit: Audrey Anne Photography)

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Follow the money: The antidote economy

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

**This episode of Business Daily begins with a real call to 911** There is an antidote for an opioid overdose. It costs a few dollars. The nasal spray technology means it can be administered without needles and can restart a person's breathing within minutes. So why doesn't it always reach the person on the floor? We following the money through the antidote economy. A life-saving drug that costs pennies to make sold over the counter for $52. But when drug companies were sued for their role in America's opioid crisis, some pharmaceutical companies' settlements included paying out using antidote kits valued at $125. Who profits, who pays, and what determines whether an overdose kit is ever in the room when it is needed?

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producers: Josh Martin and Matt Lines

(Photo: Two naloxone nasal spray medications used for opioid overdose sit on a brown table on 11 September 2024. Credit: Peg Alexander/BBC Images)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Sierra Leone: The cocaine trail

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

In the first of two episodes, Ed Butler investigates how one of Europe’s most wanted drug smugglers, Jos Leijdekkers, ended up in Sierra Leone while evading justice. He also explores reports linking Leijdekkers to the family of Sierra Leone’s president, including claims that he has married the president’s daughter.

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Jos Leijdekkers attends a church service in Tihun, Sierra Leone. Credit: screen grab posted by First Lady Fatima Maada to Facebook/via Reuters)

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Taking stock: Is AI burning cash?

Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Will Bain is joined by Nga Pham in Hanoi and Takara Small in Toronto. Following the latest results from Alphabet and Tesla, both companies are under pressure to sustain spending as competition in artificial intelligence intensifies. Is Wall Street beginning to question the cost of the AI race?

Plus, the mounting economic impact of Canada's wildfires, why ketchup-flavoured crisps have become such a uniquely Canadian phenomenon, and what Donald Trump's renewed tariff negotiations could mean for global trade.

(Photo: The Google logo, made up of different coloured letters - blue, red, yellow, blue, green, orange - on the Google house at the CES consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, US, 10 January, 2024. Credit: Steve Marcus/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann

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Power players: Turbulent times for budget airlines

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 21:35:00 +0000

Cheap flights transformed the way we travel, helping millions of people fly more often and opening up destinations that were once out of reach. But rising fuel costs, changing passenger habits and growing pressure on the low-cost airline model are forcing budget carriers to adapt. Rahul Tandon and Will Bain explore what is driving the turbulence and what it could mean for fares, competition and the future of air travel.

(Photo: EasyJet aircraft at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, 21 April, 2026. Credit: Lisi Niesner/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

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Founders: Olio CEO Tessa Clarke's fight against food waste

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara George

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Tessa Clarke. Credit:Annabel Staff)

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Follow the Money: The Memecoin Economy

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Search for "memecoin" on social media and you'll find plenty of videos offering advice on how to invest and grow your money, with some claiming they can help you make a million. But you don't have to look far to find people who have lost money, and lots of it. So where does the money actually go? Sam Fenwick explores the cryptocurrency phenomenon that almost anyone can launch, including presidents.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producers: Matt Lines and Gideon Long

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A representation of cryptocurrency dogecoin is seen in front of a stock graph and U.S. dollar in this illustration taken, January 24, 2022. Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

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The hidden cost of the gold rush

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Artisanal mining accounts for around 20% of global gold production and generates an estimated $30 billion a year for some of the world's poorest communities. But the trade is also linked to criminal networks and environmental damage. Ed Butler explores the forces behind the global gold rush and who is bearing the cost.

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Gold miner Kelly Mbayo in Sierra Leone. Credit: Ed Butler/BBC News)

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Taking Stock: A slower China and a durian glut

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Connecting the timezones this week are Will Bain in London, David Kuo in Singapore and Emily Peck in New York to unpack the week's biggest business stories. China's economy has recorded one of its weakest quarterly growth rates on record, raising fresh questions about the country's outlook and the impact on the global economy. Plus, why prices for durian, the 'king of fruits', are tumbling across Asia. And New York's move to target AI data centres.

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: People walk in the Lujiazui financial district, in Shanghai, China, 14 July 2022. Credit: ALEX PLAVEVSKI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

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Power Players: Can the Paramount–Warner merger survive?

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 20:56:00 +0000

This week, Will and Michelle speak to Reuters entertainment business correspondent Dawn Chmielewski about how the Paramount–Warner merger could reshape Hollywood. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery want to combine in a $110 billion deal that would create an entertainment giant. Executives say it's the only way to survive the streaming wars, but now twelve attorneys general, regulators and a host of creators are saying "no deal". So how do Paramount and CEO David Ellison make this deal a reality? And what could it mean for what's on our screens, big, small or handheld?

Presenters: Will Bain and Michelle Fleury Producer: Rebecca Smyllie Editor: Stephen Ryan

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: California Attorney General Rob Bonta holds a press conference as he announces California will be suing to block Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 13, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Daniel Cole)

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The Jude Bellingham brand

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 12:00:00 +0000

With the 2026 World Cup underway, here's another chance to hear how England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham became one of football's most marketable names. The face of several major brands, Bellingham has built a successful business beyond football. We explore the Jude Bellingham brand, his sponsorship and endorsement deals, and what makes him so valuable to some of the world's biggest companies.

Presenter/producer: Matt Lines.

Episode first published on 15 August 2024.

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: England's Jude Bellingham during the football World Cup 2026 quarter final vs Norway. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar)

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Founders: Sumant Sinha's bet on a greener India

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Sumant Sinha is the founder of ReNew, one of India's largest renewable energy companies. He explains why he left a successful corporate career to pursue renewable energy, the challenges of building a business in a fast-changing market, and whether India can become a clean-energy superpower.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara George

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Sumant Sinha. Credit: Mushtak Mohammad)

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Follow the money: The beef with US beef

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Why have US beef prices risen around 13% over the past year? Who is making money from the burgers and steaks Americans eat? Presenter Sam Fenwick speaks to a cattle rancher in South Dakota, an agricultural economist in Wisconsin, a meat packer in North Carolina and a restaurant owner in Nebraska to find out what is happening in this quintessentially American corner of the food market. We unpack the US beef supply chain to discover why prices are rising, who is making money from it and who is getting squeezed.

(Photo: A cow waiting to eat at a feedlot in Saltillo, Mexico, 1 June, 2026. Credit: Daniel Becerril/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Gideon Long

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The BRIC architect's warning for the West

Sun, 12 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Ed Butler speaks to the man who coined the term BRIC for the emerging economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China. Now back in the headlines as an adviser to Britain’s likely next Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, Jim O'Neill argues that Western nations must abandon what he calls their neo-colonial attitudes towards the world's new industrial powerhouses.

(Photo: Chinese President Xi Jinping and India Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia, 23 October, 2024. Credit: China Daily/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Producer/presenter: Ed Butler

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Taking Stock: Is Trump happier with Nato on defence spending?

Thu, 09 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Will Bain is joined by Seijiro Takeshita in Japan and Yael Selfin in the UK to discuss the week's biggest business stories. As Nato members agree to greater defence spending, we examine how economic conditions in the UK and Japan are shaping their ability to fund these commitments, as governments balance growing security demands with pressure on public finances. Plus, what Microsoft's layoffs at Xbox reveal about the global gaming industry after years of rapid growth.

(Photo: Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, 08 July 2026. Credit: Filip Singer/Reuters)

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann

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Power Players: What does Mamdani's Manhattan mean for the world?

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment and cost-of-living pressures to win the New York City mayoralty. But talk of new taxes to fund spending spooked some on Wall Street. Six months in, has he found a balance? Presenters: Michelle Fleury and Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin Editor: Stephen Ryan

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Image: New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani waves to his supporters after winning the 2025 New York City Mayoral race. Credit: Jeenah Moon/ Reuters)

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Founders: Moderna's Noubar Afeyan

Tue, 07 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Noubar Afeyan helped bring one of medicine's biggest breakthroughs to the world through Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine. In this episode, he explains why what looked like an overnight success was actually decades in the making.

Presenter: Will Bain Producers: Barbara George and David Cann Researcher: Aleeza Siddiq

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Follow the Money: The Rolling Stones

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:49:00 +0000

They are one of the biggest rock bands in the world and are releasing their 25th album this week. So, in a world where artists can make billions from touring alone, should the band release new material or just go on the road?

They have earned more than $200 million across six tours, more than $100 million over 10, while many musicians earn less that $0.01 per stream of their songs.

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Matt Lines and Neil Morrow

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo: Mick Jagger on the Pyramid Stage during a Rolling Stones set at Glastonbury in 2013. Credit: BBC)

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Can Saudi Arabia move beyond oil?

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Sameer Hashmi travels to Riyadh to examine the progress of Vision 2030, an ambitious plan launched nearly a decade ago to transform one of the world's biggest oil producers into a more diverse economy. The kingdom has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in tourism, entertainment, sport and mega-projects, while introducing sweeping social reforms that have reshaped everyday life. But oil remains central to the economy, some flagship projects have been scaled back, and now the conflict with Iran is creating fresh uncertainty over the kingdom's plans to diversify its economy.

Presenter/producer: Sameer Hashmi

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: A Saudi man walks past the logo of Vision 2030 after a news conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia June 7, 2016. Credit: REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser)

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Taking stock: Trump's money

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 23:53:00 +0000

Rahul Tandon is joined by Han Lin in Shanghai and Allison Schrager in New York to examine a set of stories where markets, politics and consumer behaviour collide. They begin with Donald Trump’s financial disclosures and what they reveal about the relationship between politics, markets, and wealth, before discussing the growing role of governments and billionaires in major technology firms, including OpenAI. And are billionaires heroes or villains? Plus, in China, some western consumer brands are finding strong demand among local consumers, including unexpectedly popular pancake chains. So why are companies such as Nike reporting weaker sales in the country?

Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo: US President Donald Trump raises a clenched fist to shoulder height after stepping off the new Air Force One, a plane gifted by the Qatari government, after arriving at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, 1 July, 2026. Credit: Evan Vucci/Reuters)

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Power Players: Has Nike lost its magic?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 20:30:00 +0000

For decades, Nike was the sports brand - a global symbol of winning. One estimate suggests it sells 26 pairs of shoes every second. Elite athletes wore it as they chased titles, while millions of children wore it as they dreamed of sporting glory. But as competition intensified and consumer tastes changed, the company that once dominated the market began to lose momentum. This year alone, Nike's stock market value has fallen by around 35%. So what went wrong? And can Nike find a way back to winning?

Presenter: Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain Producer: Rebecca Smyllie Editor: Stephen Ryan

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Photo: Shoppers walk past a Nike store in the King of Prussia Mall in Pennsylvania, US, 3 April, 2025. A giant Nike tick is displayed in the window. Credit: Rachel Wisniewski/Reuters)

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Founders: Charlotte Tilbury on beauty, business and confidence

Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Charlotte Tilbury, makeup artist and founder of the global beauty brand Charlotte Tilbury, reflects on building an international cosmetics business after spotting a gap in the market. She discusses the role beauty and confidence have played throughout her career, the company's growth and the challenges of navigating Covid-19.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producers: Amber Mehmood and Barbara George

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Charlotte Tilbury)

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Follow the Money: The Wimbledon business model

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

It's the most successful tennis tournament in the world, expected to generate $500 million over two weeks. Yet day tickets still start at around $40, strawberries and cream cost less than $4, and courtside sponsorship remains remarkably restrained. So how does Wimbledon generate so much revenue? We examine the business model behind one of sport's most valuable brands and the debate over how its profits are shared with players.

Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Matt Lines

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at a Wimbledon practice session on 26 June 2026. Credit: TOLGA AKMEN/EPA/Shutterstock)

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Rebuilding Gaza and trying to get back to work

Sun, 28 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Rob Young reports on the huge task of rebuilding Gaza, which the United Nations estimates will cost $70 billion. Across Gaza City, earthmovers load piles of waste onto trucks bound for landfill, while in neighbourhood after neighbourhood, rubble stretches into the distance. Yet businesses are trying to get up and running again: markets are slowly refilling, and supply chains are beginning to reopen.

Presenter/producer: Rob Young

(Photo: Palestinians ride past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Gaza City, 23 June, 2026. Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)

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Taking Stock: Heatwaves, Pensions and Tech Turbulence

Thu, 25 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Will Bain is joined by Nga Pham in Jakarta and Carsten Brzeski in Frankfurt to take stock of the week's business stories.

They discuss the economic impact of heatwaves around the world, as extreme temperatures affect productivity, energy demand, and economic growth. The panel also examines Germany's plans to reform its pension system and what they could mean for Europe's largest economy.

Plus, a dispute over fruit imports is raising fresh tensions between China and Taiwan, as Beijing's purchases of custard apples spark concerns on the island. And after a volatile week for technology shares, including sharp movements in SpaceX stock, the panel asks whether investors are becoming more nervous about the future of the tech sector.

Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann Executive Producer: Justin Bones

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Photo: People cool off in the Trocadero fountain in front of the Eiffel Tower as temperatures rise in Paris during a heatwave affecting a large part of France, June 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Abdul Saboor)

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Can Toy Story help Disney's new CEO get the magic back?

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Toy Story 5 broke opening weekend box office records, handing Josh D'Amaro a welcome gift as he settles in to the top role at Disney. But he inherits many challenges at the global media company as well - theme park attendance has dipped, overall cinema sales are down compared with pre-pandemic box office takings, while its streaming service Disney+ faces strong competition from Netflix, Amazon and HBO Max. And while Toy Story 5 recreated the magic of the original animated adventure, recent releases linked to Marvel or Star Wars have bombed.

This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show, hosted by Rahul Tandon and Will Bain in the UK, and North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York.

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture:A general ambiance of atmosphere during the "Toy Story 5" Paris Premiere at Le Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione on June 14, 2026 in Paris, France. Credit Julien Hekimian/Getty Images)

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Founders: Duolingo's billionaire boss on rejecting Bill Gates

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

We hear how a childhood in Guatemala, a fascination with computers and a belief that education should be accessible to everyone helped inspire the world's most popular learning apps. Luis von Ahn tells us how he went from creating CAPTCHA and selling reCAPTCHA to Google, to building Duolingo into a multi-billion-dollar education technology company used by millions around the world. He reflects on his mother's sacrifices to fund his education, the lessons he learned as an entrepreneur, and why he struggles with conflict in his life as a tech CEO.

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Amber Mehmood

If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Follow the money: The chips powering AI

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries and creating vast new fortunes. But behind every chatbot, image generator and AI model is a physical product: a semiconductor chip.

We trace the global supply chain powering the AI revolution. From the companies designing the world's most advanced chips, to the factories manufacturing them, and the specialist machines needed to produce them, we examine who is profiting from the surge in demand.

We also explore why so much of the world's most advanced chip production is concentrated in one place, Taiwan, and what that means for the global economy at a time of growing tensions between China and the West.

As governments compete for technological leadership and businesses spend billions on AI infrastructure, we ask a simple question: who is getting rich from the AI boom, and what happens if the supply chain breaks?

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann

(Photo: Holographic robot arms making semiconductor Credit:Yuichiro Chino / Getty Images)

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The growing business of prepping

Sun, 21 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Preparing for the worst might sound a little paranoid, but more people are embracing the prepper mindset and buying emergency supplies. As preparedness becomes a growing business, we visit a survival demonstration, speak to a supplier of emergency kit, and hear from a Swedish Civil Defence official. What's behind the rise of prepping, and why are so many people getting ready for the unexpected?

Presenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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Taking Stock: Is your job safe from AI?

Thu, 18 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Rahul Tandon is joined by Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore and Walter Todd in South Carolina, USA. They discuss which jobs may be most resistant to the rise of AI and whether skilled trades such as plumbing and locksmithing could offer greater job security. They also compare the challenges facing the US and Chinese economies in light of the latest data releases. And can Toy Story 5 match the box-office success of its predecessors?

Producers: Neil Morrow and Bisi Adebayo Executive Producer: Justin Bones

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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When will petrol and gas get cheaper again?

Wed, 17 Jun 2026 21:13:00 +0000

The US and Iran interim deal is aimed at reopening one of the world's most important shipping lanes. But even if an agreement is signed, how quickly can things return to normal? How soon can oil tankers and LNG shipments return to service? When might energy supplies begin to ease? And how long before drivers, businesses and households actually feel the benefit through lower prices? Markets may react within hours, but the real-world impact could take much longer.

This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show. It's hosted by Rahul Tandon in the UK and our North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York, in conversation with the BBC's Economics Editor Faisal Islam.

Producer: Niamh McDermott Editor: Stephen Ryan Executive producer: Justin Bones

(Photo: People drive past an anti-U.S. billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, 17 May, 2026. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA - West Asia News Agency)

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Founders: The supermarket billionaire, John Catsimatidis

Tue, 16 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Founders - the stories of the emotions from the highs and lows of starting a successful business

Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Amber Mehmood

You can email the time: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: John Catsimatidis attends the Economic Club of New York in New York City, U.S., May 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

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Follow the money: Who profits from the Iran war?

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

When the US and Israel struck Iran in March 2026, Wall Street was opening as missiles were still flying. Within hours, a small number of investors and companies stood to make billions. The conflict has already cost an estimated $40 billion. Sam Fenwick follows the money; from defence contractors replacing weapons systems, to gas exporters benefiting from disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and to anonymous traders who appear to have bet on the strikes before the news broke.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Matt Lines

You can email the team on businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

(Picture: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner fires a missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, Mar. 1, 2026. Credit: U.S. Navy photo)

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Sherbro Island: can Sierra Leone build a global business hub?

Sun, 14 Jun 2026 20:30:00 +0000

Off the coast of Sierra Leone, Sherbro Island has been earmarked for an ambitious transformation: a new centre for international business and investment, designed to rival cities like Singapore or Hong Kong. The BBC’s Ed Butler travels to the island to investigate the project and speaks to developer Siaka Stevens, who is leading the effort alongside supporters including film-star Idris Elba, about the vision and what it will take to deliver it. But how realistic is the ambition, and can it become more than a promise?

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler Editor: Stephen Ryan

Each Monday on Business Daily, we take you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them.

You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

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