World Business Report
Analysis of the big global business and economic issues, as they affect consumers and investors. Broadcast on weekdays.
Australia's under-16s social media ban faces courtroom test
Gideon Long takes a look as online discussion forum Reddit challenges Australia’s ban on social media for under-16s. Plus, after Ben from Ben & Jerry’s criticises the ice-cream maker’s owners, they hit back — speaking exclusively to the BBC. And why are general strikes spreading across several European countries?
Disney & OpenAI deal: Threat or opportunity?
Disney is investing $1bn in OpenAI, letting fans create AI-generated videos with its characters. But what will the deal mean for the future of entertainment? We hear from people across the creative industry. Tickets for next year’s World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico have gone on sale but…
“Piracy” in the Caribbean?
Gideon Long speaks to a former Venezuelan diplomat about the US seizure of an oil tanker off the country's coastline. Where was it going and what could it mean for global oil supplies? Plus, the typhoon survivors from the Philippines taking oil giant Shell to court. And how does the…
Interest rates: Will the cuts help Americans?
Could Americans finally get some financial relief? The Fed has cut interest rates to a three-year low, and President Trump promises to make ‘America affordable again.’ We speak to a business owner and a former Federal Reserve economist. Why is silver hitting record highs? And in Italy, the nations food…
What’s up with surging silver prices?
Silver is trading at record highs as demand from the tech industry soars — Leanna Byrne finds out why the precious metal has become one of the market’s hottest assets. The boss of Coupang, South Korea’s largest online retailer, resigns after the country’s biggest-ever data breach. And Amazon plans to…
The chip race heats up as the White House eases rules on China
President Donald Trump has opened the door for China to buy Nvidia’s most advanced semiconductors — a U-turn on President Biden’s policy and a move that could reshape the global AI race. We'll also look at what’s behind sweeping raids across Argentine football, with tax officials targeting the football federation…
Does China actually want Nvidia’s AI chips?
President Donald Trump has given Nvidia the green light to sell more advanced AI chips to China, reversing a key Biden-era restriction. Hannah Mullane asks what economic impact could this have? Plus, in Hollywood, the battle to buy Warner Brothers is far from over. And the surge in demand for…
Paramount Skydance has made another offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery
Paramount is back, challenging Netflix in a takeover battle for Warner Brothers Discovery that could reshape the global streaming industry. What could the bidding war mean for Hollywood? We'll get reaction from an Oscar-winning producer. And as Syria marks a year since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad, we hear why…
Paramount challenges Netflix
Paramount Skydance is launching a hostile bid worth more than 100 billion dollars in a last ditch effort to stop its sale to Netflix. Leanna Byrne asks, what does Netflix need to do to get the deal done? Also, China is running a massive trade surplus, and other countries aren't…
Netflix to take over Warner Bros film and streaming business
Netflix has agreed to buy the film and streaming businesses of Warner Bros Discovery for $72bn in a major Hollywood deal. Warner Bros owns the streaming service HBO Max, as well as major franchises like Harry Potter and Game of Thrones. Is this the beginning of a radical reshaping of…
Netflix buys Warner Bros
In Hollywood’s biggest plot twist of the year, Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros' streaming and studio business for $72bn (£54bn) in a deal that can potentially pave the way for a radical reshaping of the US media industry. Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to provide uninterrupted fuel supplies…
Will Putin's visit to India help Russia to continue to trade oil?
President Putin has arrived in India for talks expected to focus on trade and expanding defence ties. India, like China, has been a big purchaser of Russian oil and has been accused by the West of financing the war. We hear from Russia and oil industry experts. Also, why scam…
Putin in India
Russia's president Vladimir Putin is visiting India. Economic cooperation is high on the agenda and, for India, its relationship with Russia is even more important with high US tariffs hurting the country's export market. The maker of the diabetes drug, Ozempic, could be facing a major headache after a court…
EU set to put forward proposal to spend Russian state assets
The EU's proposal would see €140bn of Russian state assets held in Belgium transformed into a "reparations loan". We hear the concerns from the Belgians - do they have cause for concern? Also, how the current tensions between the US and Venezuela will impact oil exports. And, what are your…
Can Europe survive without Russian gas?
The European Union says it will stop buying Russian gas from 2027, but why is it taking so long as Russia continues to use money from fossil fuels to fund its campaign in Ukraine? William Lee Adams finds out. Also, France's president heads to China hoping to resolve a series…
Trump launches savings scheme for newborn babies
Ed Butler explores Invest America, a new US government initiative aimed at boosting long-term investment among younger citizens. The plan gives every newborn Americans $1,000 to invest in stocks and shares for their future, and is part of President Trump's controversial 'Big, beautiful' spending bill. We’ll also look at concerns…
Oil shortage could leave country without fuel
Today, Serbia's only oil refinery is due to shut down, all because of US sanctions on the national oil company, which is mostly Russian-owned. So, what will this mean for the country's energy and how badly will it harm its economy? And Netflix has reportedly put in a second-round bid…
US manufacturing sounds alarm bells on the economy
The two sides of the American economy today as consumers spend on Cyber Monday but manufacturers issue dire warnings. Presenter Bisi Adebayo hears from Jamaica which has just been promised a $7b billion boost as it rebuilds after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. And Serbia is warning it could be…
Online retail giant hack exposes nearly 34 million customers' data
South Korea's largest online retailer, Coupang, has apologised for a massive data breach potentially involving nearly 34 million local customer accounts. And why did China’s factory activity unexpectedly contracted in November? Also, smartphone makers are asked to preload an India state-owned cybersecurity app that cannot be deleted on all new…
US Black Friday sales
Bisi Adebayo examines the sales statistics for Black Friday in the US to find out how confident the US consumer is feeling in an economy squeezed by higher prices and tighter budgets. And as Chancellor Merz writes to the EU Commission to ask for a reprieve on a deadline to…