World Business Report
Analysis of the big global business and economic issues, as they affect consumers and investors. Broadcast on weekdays.
Oil prices ease as Trump says Iran war over “pretty quickly”
President Donald Trump’s announcement comes hours after G7 finance ministers said they were ready to use strategic oil reserves if necessary. Also, Anthropic sues the US government for calling it a risk. And we mark 250 years since the publication of Adam Smith’s iconic economics book, The Wealth of Nations…
Bangladesh rations fuel to private motorists
Bangladesh starts rationing fuel for private motorists. It's a result of the rapid rise in oil prices as a result of the US/Israel war on Iran. And Nepal has a elected a new government, six months after the previous administration was toppled by Gen Z protests. Leanna Byrne hears from…
Middle East crisis: Israel bombing Beirut
Israel bombards Beirut and Tehran and many people are being displaced. We hear from the restaurant owner keeping the ddors open for her customers despite the explosions. Also, Ed Butler finds out why hundreds of trafficked workers were released from scam centres in Cambodia, only to end up wandering the…
US allows Russian oil sales to tackle rising prices
The US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, says he will grant India a 30-day waiver to buy sanctioned oil from Russia to help ease supply concerns in the global market. It comes as the Qatari energy minister warns that all energy producers in the Gulf region could shut down exports within…
The economic hardship rather Iran and its citizens
What do people in Iran think about the war? We hear from Iranians across the country who tell us how life is changed and how it stayed the same. Also, we look at the life of the foreign workers living in neighbouring countries. We've received the thoughts of two Indian…
Can Gulf countries export oil before storage runs out?
As global oil prices continue to climb, crude oil supplies from Iraq and Kuwait could stop shipping within days if travel through the Strait of Hormuz remains virtually halted. Plus, China cuts its economic growth forecast to the lowest level since 1991.
How are shipping delays at the Strait of Hormuz impacting global business?
The US-Israel war with Iran brought the crisis in global shipping. We hear how it's affecting seafarers and speak to the Head of the International Maritime Organisation. Also, all provinces in Iraq have experienced a power blackout, which the government has attributed to a technical fault. We get the latest…
Crude warning: Energy experts say Strait of Hormuz closure could force energy prices higher
Oil and gas traders took a breath on Wednesday after Trump pledged help in the Strait of Hormuz, but experts say there are still signs the price of crude could break through the $100 mark as hundreds of tankers are anchored and unused in the vital waterway. Meanwhile, TikTok has…
Trump: US Navy could escort tankers through Hormuz
President Trump says the US Navy will escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz "if necessary", after shipping traffic almost entirely halted through the key sea passage following Iranian threats to "set fire" to ships. We hear the latest on shipping in the region. We also head to Lebanon as…
Strait talking: Energy markets rocked as conflict intensifies
Natural gas prices spike in Europe after Qatar closes its LNG base. Meanwhile the Strait of Hormuz closure sends crude oil higher and its importance in the shipment of fertiliser ingredients could have major effects on global crop production this year, the boss of Yara says
What the US-Israel war with Iran means for global trade
The conflict has caused the closure of shipping lanes, with up to a fifth of global energy and as much as a third of other commercial shipping impacted. Thousands of flights have also been suspended, with airports as well as refineries the target of Iranian attacks. We get reaction to…
Iran: War in Middle East rattles global markets
Airlines have grounded flights, one of the world’s busiest airports has shut, and oil prices are climbing after strikes in the Middle East. We hear from investors and analysts as they react in real-time to the US-Israel war with Iran. And we find out how the disruption is affecting air…
Paramount–Skydance looks set to buy Warner Bros Discovery
A plot twist in Hollywood has taken place in the last 24 hours, but in the spreadsheets rather than on the screens, as Netflix decides it's not willing to counter Paramount–Skydance's US$111bn bid for Warner Bros Discovery. We discuss what this means for the studio house that brought Bugs Bunny,…
The battle for Warner Brothers takes a dramatic turn
Paramount-Skydance is the only show in town for ownership of Warner Brothers, with a deal valuing the movie maker and media empire at $111bn. But even if it seals the deal with shareholders and boards it still needs to get past regulators on both sides of the Atlantic. We head…
The legal spotlight falls on tech giants Meta and Google
With a landmark court case in California hearing from a woman who says tech giants Meta and YouTube’s owner Google harmed her mental health as a child, we catch up with our correspondent in Los Angeles, Peter Bowes, on the legal proceedings and discuss how damaging and addictive social media…
Another business leader steps down over ties with Jeffery Epstein
The president and chief executive of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende is stepping down after an investigation into his links with Jeffrey Epstein. The Forum says it found no additional concerns. The price of lithium, a key ingredient in EV batteries, has surged after one of the world’s top…
US eases restrictions on Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba
The United States says it will ease restrictions on Venezuelan oil exports to Cuba's private sector as Washington's blockade leads to a worsening crisis on the Caribbean island. Former US treasury secretary and onetime Harvard president Larry Summers retires from his roles at the university. Elsewhere in Milan, Gucci is…
China and Germany’s leaders meet, seeking closer ties
The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, says there is a 'great opportunity' to develop a relationship with China, following a meeting with its leader Xi Jinping, in Beijing. Merz is currently on his first visit to China, which is Germany's biggest trading partner, since becoming leader 10 months ago. Plus a…
President Trump is set to deliver the 2026 State of the Union address
President Donald Trump is delivering the 2026 State of the Union address to the nation. We examine how this might affect the state of the US economy. Also what does the business community want to hear in the coming year ? A Florida based business shares his thoughts with us…
What does Trump's new 10% tariff mean for consumers?
President Trump's new global 10% tariff comes into force today, and could rise to 15% for all of the US's trade partners. We find out what it means for Americans, and who if anyone could get a refund from the original tariffs. Plus after four years, what is the economic…