Business Matters

BBC World Service

Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.

  • 55 minutes 27 seconds
    Dow Jones hits record high

    As the Dow Jones hits a record high Rahul Tandon looks at how a strong stock market is helping some people retire earlier than expected.

    Two months after a container ship crash saw the collapse of a road bridge in Baltimore, killing six workers, we explore the reasons why 21 seamen are still stranded on the vessel.

    And on the day that Singapore Airlines announces staff bonuses worth nearly eight months' salary we examine how they came to receive such a generous payout. (Picture credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images.)

    17 May 2024, 1:09 am
  • 49 minutes 30 seconds
    President Putin in China for two-day state visit

    President Putin’s visit comes as Russia has become more economically dependent on China following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago; Rahul Tandon examines the economic benefits for both nations.

    The Ambassador-at-Large with Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Chan Hen Chee, talks to us about the country’s future direction after its long serving Prime Minister steps down.

    India and Iran have signed a deal allowing a company to develop and control the management of an Iranian port for 10 years. We look at this will potentially bring new economic benefits to India. (Picture: Russian President Vladimir Putin chairs a meeting on development of Russia's military industrial complex .Credit: Sputnik/Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Pool via REUTERS)

    16 May 2024, 1:02 am
  • 48 minutes 31 seconds
    US President Joe Biden puts tariffs on Chinese-made products

    Presenter Sam Fenwick discusses the impact of the tariffs on US China relations with guests from Canada and China. Analysts said the tariffs were largely symbolic and intended to shore up votes in a tough election year.

    Protests are taking place in Georgia over a new bill which requires organisations receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to declare themselves as “foreign agents”, or face hefty fines and possible imprisonment. We hear how this could affect businesses in the country.

    Google is introducing AI-generated answers to search engine queries from US users in one of the biggest updates in years. We examine what this all means for Google and it’s rivals Microsoft's CoPilot and Open AI. (Picture: Credit

    15 May 2024, 1:06 am
  • 48 minutes 31 seconds
    Melinda Gates leaves her namesake foundation - what's next for her?

    Sam Fenwick dives deep into the philanthropic world - and how it's changing - amid the news that Melinda Gates is leaving the Gates Foundation. Why has she made the decision? And what's next for this philanthropic giant?

    Elsewhere, we explore the resurgence of "meme stocks", the science behind work rituals, and what to expect from the Australian budget

    (Photo: Polio vaccination campaign in Pakistan, Peshawar, where the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have worked. Credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

    14 May 2024, 1:01 am
  • 52 minutes 58 seconds
    US Consumer sentiment sags to a six-month low

    US Consumer sentiment sags to a six-month low. Americans cite high inflation and fears around unemployment

    A free bottle of wine has finally been claimed after being hidden in the privacy policy of a tax-focused think tank's website for three months. We hear more from the Director of consumer protection for Consumer Federation of America

    The Oscars have launched a global fund raising campaign to boost its finances following a decade long decline in its viewership

    Mandatory Credit: Photo by Adam Davis/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock (14441942o) A customer walks past the fresh fruit section at a H-E-B supermarket in Austin, Texas, USA, 19 April 2024

    11 May 2024, 1:11 am
  • 53 minutes 24 seconds
    Apple apologises over controversial ad

    The tech giant Apple has faced an online backlash in response to an advert featuring books and musical instrument being crushed, to demonstrate how their creativity has been compressed into the latest iPad.

    Also, with music catalogue company Hipgnosis facing a takeover, is it worth a price tag of $1.6 billion?

    And remarks by a boss at China's biggest search engine reignite the debate around China's 9-9-6 work-all-hours culture.

    10 May 2024, 1:28 am
  • 55 minutes 23 seconds
    Whistleblower: Parts sent to Boeing had 'serious defects'

    A former employee of Boeing's biggest supplier has claimed that sections of 737 Max aircraft regularly left its factory with serious defects.

    Spirit Aerosystems builds fuselages for the 737 Max, which are then shipped to Boeing’s own plant for final assembly.

    Speaking publicly for the first time, former quality inspector Santiago Peredes told the BBC that some managers actively tried to discourage him from flagging up flaws in half-finished planes.

    Also, Rahul Tandon, finds out why there are a lot of concerns about whether the plan to use Russian assets for weapons is legal and why not everyone was keen to see the Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Hungary.

    (Photo: A worker walks past Boeing's 737 MAX-9 under construction at their production facility in Renton, Washington, US. Credit: Reuters)

    9 May 2024, 1:02 am
  • 49 minutes 25 seconds
    TikTok takes revenge

    TikTok has filed a lawsuit aiming to block a US law that would ban in the video app in the country unless it is sold by its Chinese parent company.

    In the filing, the social media company called the act an "extraordinary intrusion on free speech rights" of the company and its 170 million American users.

    Also, Rahul Tandon, looks at the Disney financial results and finds out what can you buy with Argentina's new 10 000 pesos banknote.

    (Picture: The offices of TikTok in Culver City, California. Picture credit: Reuters)

    8 May 2024, 1:03 am
  • 49 minutes 23 seconds
    EU and France holds talks with Xi

    On his first visit to Europe since 2019, president Xi Jinping has been talking about trade ties. The West is worried about cheap Chinese imports of electric cars.

    Also, Rahul Tandon finds out why global petrol demand growth could halve in 2024 and what impact the shutdown in Israel would have on Al Jazeera's business operations.

    (Picture: State dinner in honour of Chinese President Xi Jinping visiting Paris, France - 06 May 2024. Picture credit: EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

    7 May 2024, 1:03 am
  • 49 minutes
    Israel stops trade with Turkey

    The Israeli Foreign Ministry is to reduce Turkish imports both to Israel and to the occupied Palestinian territories. It’s also appealing for sanctions against Turkey for violating existing trade agreements.

    Also, in the programme, we look at Brazil’s plans to propose a global annual tax for billionaires at the G20 in July

    4 May 2024, 1:08 am
  • 49 minutes 26 seconds
    Turkey says it is stopping trade with Israel over the war in Gaza

    Last month, Ankara introduced partial restrictions citing being refused permission to drop aid into Gaza. Their response was to introduce restrictions on trade. Now, it appears that all imports and exports from Israel have been blocked. The country’s Foreign Minister, Israel Katz said this was "how a dictator behaves" "and they will lose."

    Also, in the programme, we look at Pandemic-era fitness darling Peloton is showing more signs of trouble, as the CEO steps down and announcing staff redundancies.

    (Picture: Turkish President Erdogan addresses his supporters ahead of the local elections in Istanbul. Picture credit: Reuters)

    3 May 2024, 1:01 am
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