Business Daily

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 X...

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 m...

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

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: Hann...

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 remai...

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, includi...

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 s...

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...

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 pr...

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 reope...

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 d...

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...

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...

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 ex...

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? Pr...

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 bo...

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 rea...

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 Presiden...

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...

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...

Connecting the timezones we get different perspectives on the key global business stories of the week, setting you up for the weekend. Rahul Tandon discusses OpenAI’s plans to sell shares with Emily Peck from Axios and David Kuo from The Smart Investor. Plus, who are their business heroes and villains of the week? Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Josh Martin You can email the team: businessdaily@...

It’s not just about rockets. This week, Michelle, Rahul and Will explore one of the most anticipated stock market debuts in history: the SpaceX IPO. With a potential $1.75 trillion valuation and intense global investor interest, it’s widely tipped as one of the biggest market launches ever. But can the company live up to the hype — or is this Elon Musk’s biggest gamble yet? Plus: what does SpaceX...

We meet Caecilia Chu, founder of one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fintech companies, YouTrip. Growing up in a small public housing flat in Hong Kong, she watched her father study at night for years to become an accountant, only to later struggle to secure a bank loan to start his own business. The experience left a lasting impression and sparked her interest in making financial services mor...

World Cup 2026 will span the United States, Canada and Mexico, with demand for tickets at record levels. Fifa stands to earn nearly $9 billion from the tournament, more than the entire Paris 2024 Olympics. So who pays, and where does the money actually go? Sam Fenwick follows the cash through the business of the World Cup: the rising price of tickets, Fifa’s own resale platform, the billions gener...

Each Monday, Ed Butler takes you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them. West Africa is currently the global epicentre for illegal fishing, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. An estimated 40% of the world's illegal industrial fishing occurs in its waters, costing the region up to 10 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, and severe...