World Business Report
Analysis of the big global business and economic issues, as they affect consumers and investors. Broadcast on weekdays.
Qantas hit with a record fine of $58 million
An Australian court has fined airline giant Qantas a record A$90m (£43m; $59m) for illegally sacking more than 1,800 ground workers during the Covid-19 pandemic. The Swiss watchmaker Swatch has withdrawn advertisements featuring an Asian model pulling the corners of his eyes after facing a backlash in China.
Trump Putin summit is under way in Alaska
The Donald Trump Vladimir Putin summit is underway in Alaska. We hear from economic experts ahead of this important meeting . We examine what this means for both the Russian and the Ukrainian economies. Presenter Rahul Tandon also talks to guests from the US, Ukraine and Russia to assess what…
Is China loosing its steam?
China’s economy hits the brakes as factory output, retail sales and investment all come in weaker than expected. Over in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promises to build a self-reliant nation, laying out his latest economic vision. And as Donald Trump meets Vladimir Putin in Alaska for talks on the…
Los Angeles Olympics 2028 to allow naming rights to be sold
Organisers of the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028 have agreed a landmark deal with the International Olympic Committee allowing venue naming rights to be sold to commercial partners for the first time in the games history. Honda and Comcast are the first naming partners. Presenter Roger Hearing also examines why…
Trump and Putin meeting: how further sanctions could hit the Russian economy
President Trump and President Putin meet in Alaska tomorrow. We’ll look at what’s at stake for Russia’s economy, with sanctions on its oil and gas still biting. Plus a last push in Geneva for the world’s first treaty to end plastic pollution… but with more than a hundred countries rejecting…
Brazil offers $5 billion for companies hit by tariffs
Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says more than $5 billion in credit will go to companies which face 50 per cent tariffs to export goods to the US. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says a controversial deal that the White House struck with chipmakers Nvidia and AMD,…
Are US tariffs driving stock market highs?
Stocks continue to rally following better-than- expected US inflation data, but what is the global economic picture likely to be longer term? We hear from the US Small Business Association - and the EU’s International Trade Committee. Rare earths have been a flashpoint in US–China trade talks, with Beijing restricting…
US inflation holds at 2.7% in July
US inflation held steady in July despite import tariffs, bolstering bets that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next month. After the partial dollarisation of the economy in Cuba, the country’s peso is trading at an all-time low of 400 to 1 dollar on the informal market. And horror…
Will China buy more US soybeans?
As the US and China pause any hike in tariffs for 90 days, we’ll be in Beijing looking at what soybeans have to do with the trade truce. Meanwhile, could US recognition of Somaliland finally become a reality? A former diplomat in Somaliland explains what it could mean for both…
US-China tariff deadline extended by 90 days
President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending tariffs on China for another 90 days. Chip giants Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of Chinese revenues as part of an "unprecedented" deal to secure export licences to China. And remember that distinctive sound of…
Nvidia and AMD to give 15% of China chip sales to US
In what’s being described as an ‘unprecedented’ deal, Nvidia and AMD agree to pay the Trump administration 15 percent of their sales to China in exchange for export licences. We’ll be in Asia and the US examining what the move means for the US microchip makers - and the industry…
Germany halts arms exports to Israel
Germany's halted its arms sales to Israel in the wake of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to takeover Gaza City. But despite supplying $565 million worth of military hardware since the 7 October 2023 attacks, how important are Germany's weapons to Israel? We hear what the economic benefits are of…
US firm Lyten acquires assets of bankrupt European battery maker Northvolt
A fresh start for what was once Europe’s most ambitious electric battery manufacturer. We explore why California-based Lyten has stepped in to acquire the bankrupt Swedish firm Northvolt and whether a startup can truly take on China’s dominance in battery technology. Climate change is threatening the purity of France’s famous…
Can countries defy Trump's new tariffs?
As US president Donald Trump's new tariffs begin to take hold, Roger Hearing finds out whether India, Brazil and Canada can survive without a trade deal with the world's largest economy. We hear how scientists and engineers in Sweden are trying to revolutionise the global steel industry by using new…
Can the world survive Trump's new tariffs?
A whole swathe of the tariffs threatened by Donald Trump for months finally come into force in dozens of countries. It sees 15% to 50% added on a variety of imports into the United States. David Harper hears the thoughts of importers, exporters and industry experts.
Trump slaps a further 25% tariff on India
As president Donald Trump's tariff regime on goods entering the United States from 69 countries around the world comes into effect, we discuss the impact it will have on global trade. With India facing a threat of 50% tariffs on exports to the US due Delhi's purchase of oil from…
What do US tariffs mean for Brazillian coffee?
50% tariffs on some Brazillian goods being imported into the US come into force. We look at the details, and ask how much of an effect they will actually have. We're also looking at debt, and its continuing impact on African economies. And - Disney makes a big commitment to…
Trump warns of steep tariffs on pharmaceuticals
President Trump signals pharmaceuticals could be next on his tariffs list. But what does that mean for the makers and distributors of non-branded medicines? We’ll be speaking to an association representing them. Love it or loathe it, AI is creeping into everyday life. But how much of a threat does…
Marketing or misfire? Sydney Sweeny ad fuels 23 percent stock surge
Is American Eagle’s latest ad campaign genius marketing or just bad taste? The play on words, featuring actress Sydney Sweeney, has divided opinion and even caught the attention of former President Trump. David Harper explores whether the backlash actually worked in the brand’s favour. We also speak to the OECD’s…
Tesla awards $29bn of shares to Elon Musk
The world’s richest man could get richer as Tesla’s board moves to give CEO Elon Musk a bigger stake to keep him at the company. We’ll hear from a Tesla investor. Meanwhile, more tariff threats from President Trump - this time against India over its Russian oil purchases. India called…