Business daily

Former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is set to become the United Kingdom's new Prime Minister this Monday. He will do so having reiterated a commitment to help raise the standard of living in the country. However, the Labour leader's agenda will be tested by the country's financial situation and his prior commitments, both of which will limit the scope of his plans. In this segment, we'll look at how his policies promise to deliver higher growth in the short and long term.  

The United States will slap 25 percent tariffs on some Brazilian goods starting July 22 following a yearlong investigation under the Trade Act of 1974. The probe concluded that Brazil engaged in unfair trade practices. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the move, saying it was politically motivated to favour his rival for upcoming elections, Flavio Bolsonaro. Also in this edition, we look at the Japanese firm trying to bring back 1980's style corporate culture.

Official data released on Wednesday shows China's GDP grew 4.3 percent in the second quarter, compared to a year prior. The last time quarterly growth was that weak was in late 2022, when China was feeling the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. Slow consumer demand, despite a surge in exports, helps explain the slowdown. Also in this edition, Gibraltar's business community breathes a sigh of relief as the physical border between the British overseas territory and Spain is removed.

Ukrainian drone strikes have brought shipping in the Sea of Azov to a near standstill, disrupting a corridor that carries up to a quarter of Russia's wheat exports and sending tremors through global grain and oil markets. They have also knocked out a significant share of Russia's refining capacity, prompting Moscow to ban diesel exports until the end of July and further unsettling global oil markets. In Russian-occupied Crimea, petrol prices have reached a record high.

Crude oil prices surge as renewed US-Iran strikes fuel market fears. In France, real-estate agents say property buyers are changing priorities as heatwaves become more frequent. And Cuba suffers another nationwide blackout amid the impact of US sanctions.

As the World Cup quarterfinals get under way, the race to number one between Nike and Adidas heats up. India and Australia sign a new uranium deal. And, OpenAI rolls out its newest model GPT-5.6 Sol to the general public.

Italy's second biggest bank, Unicredit, is closing in on a takeover of Germany's second biggest bank Commerzbank after saying it secured 47.6% of the lender's shares on Wednesday. The move is facing widespread opposition in Germany, notably from the federal government, which has a 12% stake in the company. Also, new "freedom fuel" filling stations are appearing across the United States, offering cheaper petrol and receiving strong backing from the White House.

The IMF has cut its global growth forecast for the second time this year, flagging "uncertainty and risks" brought on by the war in Iran. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez responds to threats from Donald Trump that the US will cut off all trade with his country. And, the heatwave is putting France's power system under pressure.

The US Treasury Department has announced it will no longer allow Iranian oil sales to be conducted in US dollars on global markets after several tankers were hit by projectiles while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz. The move has left more than 60 million barrels of Iranian crude stranded at sea without any clear buyers. Also in this edition, we go inside a Chinese air conditioning factory racing to meet soaring European demand as heatwaves drive up sales.

French President Emmanuel Macron said Tuesday that France is ready to help rebuild Syria's economy and banking sector, as he continued his Damascus visit undeterred by two bomb blasts near the hotel he was staying in. 

South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics posted record quarterly profits Tuesday thanks to the global AI infrastructure buildout coupled with a memory chip shortage. Also in this edition, oil futures rise as tensions reignite in the Hormuz Strait and Canada commits to its biggest-ever defence contract. Finally, Cuba experiences its third nationwide blackout of the year as its fuel reserves dwindle.

A handful of OPEC+ countries have agreed to increase their output targets from August, but the cartel is fighting for its survival after the UAE's departure. Also, A French company is using the River Seine to cool down Paris's buildings. Finally, Sky says it's buying ITV's broadcast channels and streaming service for £1.6bn.

The earthquakes that hit Venezuela in late June have devastated seaside towns where tourism has been a vital economic lifeline for an already struggling population. Also, tanker traffic picks up through the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe seeks to convince the US that it's boosting defence spending. 

In today's edition, FRANCE 24's Charlotte Lam takes a look at Germany's new tax and pension reforms, Google's big loss in EU courts and the “Swiftonomics” bonanza that the star's wedding could bring to New York City.

Anthropic's Mythos 5 and Fable 5 are back online this Wednesday after the company said it had productive conversations with the US government. Also, Kevin Warsh makes his first public appearance as Federal Reserve chairman. Plus shares of Meta rise after news that the company is building out a new cloud business.

US President Donald Trump made over a billion dollars with various crypto-related ventures in 2025, according to his annual financial disclosure report. The earnings, coming from royalties tied to the Trump memecoin and token sales from crypto firm World Liberty Financial, have prompted accusations of conflicts of interest from watchdog groups. Also in this edition: the US commerce department lifts its export ban on Anthropic's latest AI models.

The British government says it could step in to challenge Paramount Skydance's $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros Discovery. Also, French inflation slowed to just 1.8 percent in June year-on-year, down from 2.4 percent in May. Plus, more than 1 million undocumented people in Spain apply to obtain legal status as part of an economic bet that immigration is what's keeping the country's growth alive. 

Tomatoes cook on the vine and cereal crops get scorched – climate change is hitting French agriculture, and shoppers are poised to bear the brunt of it. Also, the EU and China set an October deadline to make progress on trade disputes, while the ECB Chief Christine Lagarde says the Eurozone economy is resilient enough to withstand an end to exceptional monetary policy measures.

South Korea bets big on artificial intelligence with nearly $1 trillion worth of investment through 2029. Also in this edition, Comcast announces it will spin off NBCUniversal into a separate, publicly traded company. Plus France takes aim at Shein, Temu and AliExpress with a new law aimed at curbing ultra-fast fashion.

EU Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic and his Chinese counterpart are meeting in Brussels as Europe prepares countermeasures to battle a flood of cheap imports. Also, oil prices climb after a weekend of renewed strikes between the US and Iran, and South Korea unveils a massive new investment in chip production.  

Oil prices continue their slide on Thursday as traffic through the Hormuz Strait has picked up over the past few days. Uncertainty lingers for the shipping industry, though, as disagreements over a potential toll to pass through the Strait could be a stumbling block in US-Iran talks. Also in this edition, US chipmaker Micron's better-than-expected sales forecast sends AI stocks surging again.

Power outages, train delays, and melting roads – the current heatwave is straining France's infrastructure. Electricity provider EDF says it has had to reduce its nuclear power output, but that it still has enough capacity to meet demand. Also in the show: the UN's International Maritime Organization starts evacuating some of the 11,000 sailors stranded in the Strait of Hormuz, and Europe's defence industry prepares for a boost with the IPO of Franco-German tank maker KNDS. 

Tech stocks around the world fell on Tuesday, with the flagship Nasdaq index closing 2.2 percent down at the end of the session. In this edition, we look at how markets reacted this Wednesday and some of the reasons why investors sold their shares: massive projected capital expenditure on AI, as well as the prospect of higher interest rates. Also, we examine Spain's pioneering climate leave policy.

As Europe swelters under a major heatwave, the high energy consumption of artificial intelligence has come into the spotlight. At a climate conference in London, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres called on AI companies to disclose the environmental impact of their systems. Plus, Iran rejects the US's claim that any potentially unfrozen Iranian assets would be controlled by the US and Qatar and used exclusively to buy American food and medicine.

The United States temporarily waived sanctions on Iranian oil exports on Monday, opening the door for Tehran to return to global energy markets as negotiations between the two countries continue. In this edition, we look at the impact this has had on oil prices, while also examining major job cuts at Oracle linked to AI-driven restructuring and a sharp sell-off in technology stocks that's rippled from Wall Street to Asian and European markets.

As consumers increasingly turn to AI assistants for advice and recommendations, companies are rethinking how they reach and engage with customers. Speaking to FRANCE 24 at VivaTech in Paris, L'Oréal Chief Digital and Marketing Officer Asmita Dubey explains how the beauty leader is deploying artificial intelligence across marketing, product discovery and personalised consumer experiences.

How can Europe better support tech startups? That's a question being asked at VivaTech, Europe's biggest event for innovation and technology. Business Editor Kate Moody has been speaking to Eleonore Crespo – co-founder and co-CEO of Pigment, a business planning platform that helps firms make strategic decisions using artificial intelligence. The company was founded as a startup in 2019 and has since become one of just a handful of French tech unicorns, valued at over $1 billion. 

With France's Emmanuel Macron and India's Narendra Modi championing the idea of tech sovereignty, French startup BeeAlp is trying to build a circular smartphone designed and manufactured in Europe. CEO Olivier Dufour joins FRANCE 24 to discuss the company's subscription model, Europe's industrial ambitions and the challenges of competing with global smartphone leaders.

From boosting productivity to transforming recruitment and consulting, artificial intelligence is changing the way companies operate. Speaking to FRANCE 24 at VivaTech in Paris, EY executive Jad Shimaly explains where AI is delivering results and what it could mean for the future of work. 

What role will artificial intelligence play in business development and daily life? It's one of the questions dominating this year's VivaTech, Europe's biggest event focused on startups and innovation. Our Business Editor Kate Moody sat down with Julia White, Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer of Amazon Web Services, to find out about the tech giant's new AI shopping assistant, what jobs AI can and cannot do, and how to bring more women into leadership positions in Silicon Valley. 

Demand for skills linked to so-called AI agents has surged across Europe, according to new data from freelance marketplace Malt. At VivaTech 2026, CEO Vincent Huguet tells FRANCE 24 how companies are racing to hire AI talent, why demand is spreading beyond the tech sector and what this means for the future of work.

As the war in Ukraine took centre stage at the G7 summit in the French town of Evian, US President Donald Trump said Moscow should make peace with Kyiv and suggested that the US could bring back sanctions on Russian oil, now that the Strait of Hormuz is expected to reopen. Also in the segment: the iconic BHV department store in Paris has announced it will end its partnership with ultra-fast fashion giant Shein, as it changes ownership. 

Ahead of his arrival in the French Alps for a G7 summit, US President Donald Trump said in a media interview that the US had "no choice" but to impose 100 percent tariffs on French wines if Paris didn't scrap its digital services tax on tech firms. French President Emmanuel Macron has already ruled out dropping the tax, which brings hundreds of millions of euros into state coffers annually. We take a closer look.

Expectations are high for the IPO of SpaceX. The company - which includes rockets, satellites, and AI units - could become one of the most valuable in the world following its market launch on Friday. Founder Elon Musk is set to retail near total control of SpaceX, with 85% of the voting rights. Igor Pejic, Tech Investing Strategist and author of the book "Tech Money," says Musk's personal influence is likely to draw in more investors - but the company is overvalued at $1.75 trillion. 

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off in Mexico this Thursday, we take a look at the tournament's expected economic impact – both globally and on host countries. But the real winner, it seems, is FIFA, with record revenues forecast at $11 billion. Also in this edition, markets react to a fresh flare-up in violence in the Strait of Hormuz, and SpaceX faces a lawsuit from an environmental group ahead of its blockbuster market debut this Friday.

Wall Street is counting down to what could be the biggest market debut in history, with SpaceX preparing to go public. The IPO is expected to value the company at $1.75 trillion and make founder Elon Musk the world's first trillionaire. Also, US inflation has surged to its highest level in three years, driven by rising energy prices since the start of the war with Iran. President Donald Trump has hailed the figures as "great".

The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico is on track to be the most expensive one ever for match-going fans. The cheapest general sale tickets for the final are four times as expensive as they were for the final in Qatar in 2022, and represent only a small proportion of total seats. We look at the reasons for this surge in prices. Also in this edition: solar power overtakes coal in the US, in spite of Donald Trump's policies. 

The EU has ordered Meta to grant rival AI chatbots free access to its WhatsApp platform within five working days, while it completes its antitrust investigation into the company. Meta says it will appeal, accusing the EU of "regulatory overreach". Meanwhile, Brussels hits back at Apple after the iPhone maker blamed the EU's Digital Marketing Act for its decision to delay the rollout of its new Siri AI in Europe. 

The maker of ChatGPT, OpenAI, has kicked off the process of selling its shares on public markets by submitting a confidential filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. The AI startup is looking to capitalise on its dominant position on the AI chatbot market in order to boost its financing needs. Also in this edition: Chinese exports continued to grow in May in spite of the war in Iran. Plus a new report suggests another retirement age hike in France.

Anthropic, the firm behind AI assistant Claude, submitted a confidential filing to go public with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday. The firm, valued at close to a trillion dollars, could make its market debut by the end of the year as it sees a surge in interest for its range of AI products. Also in this edition: as France welcomes new data centre investments, we see what's driving that interest and what impact it could have on local communities. 

The European Union has slapped a €200 million fine on Chinese retailer Temu for selling products considered toxic or unsafe, including baby toys and electronics. The e-commerce giant disputes the ruling, which came under the EU's Digital Services Act, requiring online platforms to protect consumers from harmful content or products. Also in the show:  Global air travel dips for the first time since the pandemic, and France is set to reimburse the cost of weight-loss drugs for obese patients.

Benchmark prices for crude oil rose on Thursday as Iran said it targeted a US airbase in response to American air strikes. Commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which had slightly ticked up in previous days, dwindled down to almost nothing again. Also in this edition: Australia takes legal action against US consumer goods giant 3M over "forever chemicals" in firefighting foam. Plus Brazilian leader Lula endorses more oil and gas exploration in the Amazon.