Business daily

Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban has asked the EU for a fact-finding mission over disruptions to a pipeline which delivers Russian crude oil. Hungary has accused Ukraine of "deliberately threatening" its energy security ahead of key parliamentary elections. The Soviet-era Druzhba pipeline is still used by Hungary and Slovakia, which remain dependent on Russian oil imports despite European efforts. Also in the show: German lawmakers consider ending the eight-hour workday. 

Despite headwinds from US tariffs and Chinese competition, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development's latest report shows stronger-than-expected GDP growth, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa as decelerating inflation boosts consumer spending power. In Business, we spoke to the report's lead author, EBRD chief economist Beata Javorcik.

In his State of the Union address, US President Donald Trump sought to reassure Americans that the economy is doing well ahead of key midterm elections. Also in this edition: the Pentagon tells Anthropic it has until Friday to loosen AI safeguards, or lose its $200 million contract. Plus the Louvre's president resigns after a series of crises and what auditors consider to be a mismanagement of funds.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is visiting China on a two-day trip starting Wednesday.  He's the latest in a string of Western leaders to try and seek new partnerships with the Asian giant in recent weeks, amid Donald Trump's trade war against the rest of the world.  It's a delicate balancing act for the German leader as the country's industry has been squeezed by competition from China. But first, we take stock of what four years of war have done to Ukraine's economy. 

Four years to the day after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we take a look at the state of the country's economy. The World Bank estimates it will take $588 billion over the next 10 years to make up for damage and destruction incurred during the conflict. The housing, transport and energy sectors have seen the biggest losses. Also in this edition: Panama takes control of two key ports on the Panama Canal.

After the US Supreme Court struck down his "Liberation Day" tariffs as unlawful, US President Donald Trump has doubled down on his trade policy and warned countries around the world not to "play games" with the court ruling and stick to recently agreed trade deals. The EU, meanwhile, has decided to hold off on ratifying its agreement with the US while waiting for clarity. 

After a weekend of trade upheaval in the wake of the US Supreme Court's decision to invalidate US president's tariffs that invoked the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, and Donald Trump's subsequent decision to apply 15 percent global tariffs based on another law, we look at the latest developments in global trade. Also in this edition, robotaxis are vowing to hit the streets of London by the end of 2026. 

What fate awaits Europe's Future Combat Air System? The joint programme to modernise military aviation in France, Germany and Spain has hit turbulence, as tensions rise between the partners designing a next-generation fighter jet – and questions grow over whether Berlin might quit the defence scheme altogether. Also, Apple is being sued over its alleged role in distributing child sexual abuse material, and the Trump administration is threatening to withdraw from the International Energy Agency over its net-zero emissions goals.

As world leaders and tech executives congregate in New Delhi for the AI Impact Summit, we spoke to Metin Taskin, CEO of Airties, about the impact the technology is having on the telecom sector. He explained that AI allows for faster and more reliable coding, which was one of the industry's biggest bottlenecks. He also addressed other telecom sector trends, notably the high "customer churn" between operators as clients seek out better connectivity.

Christine Lagarde, the president of the European Central Bank, has decided to leave her position as the EU's top central banker before the end of her mandate in October 2027, according to a report in the Financial Times. The move could allow for her successor to be named ahead of presidential elections in France. Also in this edition, Venezuela's interim government issues its first statement on the disputed oil-rich territory of Essequibo. 

The European Commission has opened a formal investigation into Shein over suspicions that the online retail giant has violated the EU's Digital Services Act. The probe comes months after the online retail giant came under fire for allowing child-like sex dolls to be sold on its site. But first, France is inching closer to finalising a massive deal over the sale of 114 Rafale fighter jets to India, as French President Emmanuel Macron kicks off his three-day visit. 

India has kicked off the 4th edition of the AI Summit, the first such event in the global south. The five-day event will draw world leaders including the French and Brazilian presidents, as well as tech bosses like Google's Sundar Pichai and OpenAI's Sam Altman, serving as an opportunity for New Delhi to showcase its burgeoning AI industry. Also in the segment, a Pokemon card owned by wrestler Logan Paul has fetched a whopping $16.5 million in an online auction. 

According to preliminary data released on Monday, Japan's economy grew by 0.2 percent annually in the last quarter of 2025, bouncing back from a contraction in the previous quarter but far below expectations of +1.6 percent growth. Also in this edition, Warner Bros. Discovery is reportedly considering reopening sale talks with Paramount Skydance. Plus, China's successful "winter economy" could be a blueprint to bolster domestic consumption. 

Indian farmers and trade unions have staged a day of nationwide strikes and protests over a recently announced trade deal with the United States. While the government says measures to safeguard the country's agriculture sector have been put in place, Indian farmers worry the agreement will lower barriers for US farm products. We take a closer look.

In a rare move, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives has approved a resolution to undo President Donald Trump's ability to impose tariffs on Canadian goods. We take a closer look. Also in this edition: EU leaders meet for an informal retreat aimed at setting a course to improve competitiveness in a "new global economy".

US President Donald Trump is threatening to block the opening of a new cross-border bridge between the US and Canada over concerns Washington has been treated unfairly over the course of the project. In this edition, we see whether Trump's claims about the bridge are fair and whether other motives could explain his threats. Also, Argentinians want an update on the method used to calculate inflation, which hasn't changed since 2004.

French metal giant ArcelorMittal has confirmed it will go ahead with a plan to build a new electric furnace to replace one of its coal-powered ones at its steel mill in northern France. Half of the €1.3 billion investment will come from a state-backed energy efficiency mechanism. President Emmanuel Macron toured the Dunkirk site to mark the occasion. Also in the segment, we look at the state of Cuba's economic crisis amid severe fuel shortages. 

Meta Platforms and YouTube defended themselves in a landmark civil suit in Los Angeles on Monday, where they were accused of purposely designing their products to cause addiction in children. The US's leading tech companies are facing several similar court cases across the country. Also in this edition, French President Emmanuel Macron calls for the EU to launch a joint borrowing mechanism to invest in AI, green tech and quantum computing.

The digital economy now accounts for 17 percent of global GDP and is worth over $20 trillion, according to a new report by the International Data Centre Authority (IDCA). But growth has been uneven across the world, with more than 1 billion people having poor access to electricity. IDCA's CEO Mehdi Paryavi tells FRANCE 24 that poorer nations can develop digital economies that can empower those nations and improve energy access and education. 

The Nikkei 225 index in Tokyo, which tracks the performance of Japan's largest companies, hit a new record on Monday after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's ruling Liberal Democratic Party secured a two-thirds majority in the lower house over the weekend. Takaichi ran on an ambitious big-spending agenda, welcomed by investors, although concerns over the country's debt load –around 230% of GDP – are likely to persist.

Businesses across Italy could see a windfall of some $6 billion, as spectators head to the Alps for the Winter Olympics. The Milano-Cortina 2026 Games have run over budget, although by a smaller amount than previous competitions. Giulia Wedam, co-Founder & CEO of the tourism agency Cortina IN, says she's expecting a boost in business that will outlast the Games themselves.   

Taiwanese chipmaker TSMC, Asia's most valuable company, has announced plans to produce 3-nanometre cutting-edge chips in Japan. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi lauded the announcement as "the missing piece for the country" since she's looked to bolster domestic chipmaking ahead of lower house elections on February 8. Also in this edition: Cuba is on the edge of a "humanitarian collapse" as it faces an oil siege imposed by the United States.

The Trump administration has put aside its tariff threats, and is calling for a new trade bloc to focus on critical minerals. Ministers from 55 countries attended talks in Washington aimed at reducing their reliance on China, which dominates the production and processing of the elements. Meanwhile, Japan hopes to revolutionise its own mineral supplies, becoming the first country to retrieve deep-sea mud containing rare earth elements. 

A deal between Senate Democrats and President Donald Trump has ended a short-lived partial US government shutdown, but funding for the Department of Homeland Security remains up in the air as lawmakers push for reforms to ICE and Border Patrol. Also in this edition: the EU seeks a partnership with Washington on critical rare earth minerals.

Following a social media announcement by Donald Trump about a trade deal, Indian officials hailed the agreement as "the best in the region", while making no explicit comment about the US president's claim that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had agreed to stop buying Russian oil. Moscow, meanwhile, says it hasn't heard from India about any plans to do so. We take a closer look at how much crude oil India imports from Russia. 

Elon Musk's rocket company SpaceX has acquired his artificial intelligence startup xAI in a deal that values the combined companies at $1.25 trillion. We take a closer look. Also in this edition: the US and India agree to a landmark trade deal, and precious metals rebound from a massive selloff.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has survived the last of a series of no-confidence votes, allowing the full 2026 budget to be adopted. The centrist prime minister had pushed the bill through parliament without a vote after securing the backing of the Socialist Party in exchange for some costly concessions. Also in the segment: US President Donald Trump says he will lower tariffs on Indian goods after New Delhi committed to ending its purchases of Russian oil. 

Precious metals continued to lose ground this Monday following steep declines last week, with investors piling out of the safe haven assets after US President Donald Trump picked Kevin Warsh to lead the Federal Reserve. Also in this edition: French tech giant Capgemini plans to sell off the US subsidiary that provides immigrant tracking data to ICE.

Both Meta Platforms and Microsoft shared their latest quarterly results on Wednesday and showed they are still planning on sustained spending on artificial intelligence. Similarly, Telsa posted a drop in annual revenue for the first time in its history and announced a shift away from electric vehicles and towards AI and robotics. Meanwhile, hardware providers like Samsung Electronics are fuelling the boom in AI, and reaping the benefits.

The US Federal Reserve has defied pressure from President Donald Trump by holding interest rates steady. The policy announcement was partly overshadowed by ongoing tensions with the administration. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell – who is facing a criminal probe he describes as politically motivated – insisted the US central bank would maintain its independence. Also in the show: the US dollar slides to its lowest level in four years, and Paris Fashion Week deals with the rise of ultra-fast fashion. 

The US dollar weakened to its lowest level in four years on Tuesday after President Donald Trump responded to a question about the currency's fall by saying he thought it was "great". In this edition, we try to understand why Trump favours a lower currency and the factors that have been weighing on the greenback. Also in the headlines, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer heads to China with a delegation of 60 business executives.

The EU and India have hailed their new free trade agreement as "the mother of all deals". While the pact eliminates or significantly reduces tariffs on a vast majority of goods traded between the two sides, it excludes politically sensitive farming products. We take a closer look. Also in the segment, some Cypriot fishermen have taken their battle against invasive fish to the dinner table. 

After the presidents of the EU Commission and EU Council signed a free trade deal in New Delhi with India's Prime Minister this Tuesday, we take a look at what the pact actually entails. Tariffs will be reduced on a large number of goods going both ways, but some sectors will remain protected. Both sides are looking to further diversify their trade relationships as Donald Trump's global tariff war upends commercial flows.

India has rolled out the red carpet, hosting top EU leaders as guests of honour at its Republic Day parade, a day before the two sides are expected to sign a free trade agreement at an EU-India summit. Negotiations had started long before US President Donald Trump started imposing new tariffs on the rest of the world, but have taken on a sense of renewed urgency amid rising geopolitical and trade tensions. 

The price of an ounce of gold surged past $5,100 on Monday as investors flock to precious metals and away from currency and treasury markets. The trend underlines growing global uncertainty fuelled by debt concerns, US President Donald Trump's attacks on the Federal Reserve and general geopolitical uncertainty. Also in this edition, Canadian PM Mark Carney says he has "no intention" of pursuing a free trade agreement with China. Finally, a plush toy horse with a frown could be the star of the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Just hours after doubling down on his claim that the US should "get Greenland", Donald Trump made an abrupt U-turn on the tariffs he had threatened to slap on European nations that opposed his bid.  Announcing the news on his Truth Social platform, the US president said he and NATO chief Mark Rutte had reached a "framework of a future deal" on Greenland and that in light of that, he would not be imposing the 10 percent import duties that were slated to go into effect on February 1. 

A new report by professional social media platform LinkedIn shows that while jobseekers currently outpace job openings, a "new-collar" era of work is opening, focused on AI-related skills. In this edition, we speak to LinkedIn's EMEA Managing Director Sue Duke from the World Economic Forum in Davos about her insights on new labour market trends and how to navigate geopolitical uncertainty.

French President Emmanuel Macron has spoken out against Donald Trump's latest tariff threat, describing the US president's approach to trade deals as bullying and an attempt to weaken and subordinate Europe. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the French leader called on the EU to be ready to activate its powerful anti-coercion mechanism, colloquially known as the "trade bazooka". We take a closer look.

It's been one year since Donald Trump started his second term as US president, and he's pointing to the country's strong GDP growth rate and stock market performances to paint a glowing picture of the economy. But a closer look shows that while activity is booming, it's mostly benefitting the country's wealthier households. Also in this edition, we see how Trump's tariffs have pushed German winemakers to look to China for their exports.

French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has announced he will invoke Article 49.3 of the Constitution to pass the 2026 budget bill into law without parliamentary approval. He admitted that resorting to this tool represented a "partial failure", as he had promised not to use it. But after a host of concessions the government has made, he is betting he now has enough political support, notably from the Socialists, to survive even if no-confidence motions are tabled. 

US President Donald Trump's latest threat of tariffs on eight European nations if Greenland is not sold to the US has EU leaders in crisis mode. Meanwhile, Trump will be a marquee guest at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week amid a rapid increase in global wealth inequality.

In his New Year's address to the armed forces, French President Emmanuel Macron unveiled a plan to add €36 billion to the country's multi-year defence budget in its next update, as he said France needed to be more powerful in order to be feared amid rising geopolitical tensions. We take a closer look.