Business Daily

This week we've heard lots of talk about rising bond yields, from Japan to the UK and the US, and alongside this government debt is growing all around the world.And that all plays into a feeling that many people have that life is about to get more expensive and that in many places interest rates are set to rise.This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by David Kuo, co-founder of The Smart Investorin Singapore and German business journalist Ellen FrauenknechtPresenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Matt Lines(Image: Passersby stand before a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 02 September 2026. Tokyo stocks plunged as Japanese government bond yields rose to its highest level in 30 years and escalating attacks between the United States and Iran. By Franck Robichon, EPA/Shutterstock)

We dig into the finances behind "the beautiful game" after English football's Premier League just spent $4.7 billion on new players. What's behind football's richest competition an dis its success sustainable.Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie(Image: Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - August 30, 2026 Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Morgan Rogers REUTERS/David Klein)

Allison Ellsworth, founder of ​Poppi soft drinks, started the beverage business as a kitchen experiment, with a Soda Stream and apple cider vinegar. She speaks to Leanna Byrne about pitching for funding on TV programme Shark Tank while nine months pregnant, relaunching during Covid lockdowns and becoming the number one soda on Amazon in the US and her $1.95 billion exit with PepsiCo.Presenter: Leanna ByrneProducers: Niamh McDermott and Victoriya Holland.You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Photo credit: Allison Ellsworth/Supplied)

Think of an electric vehicle, and you'll probably imagine a Tesla. But China is the world's biggest EV exporter, despite being largely shut out of the US market. How has the country seemingly come from nowhere to dominate the world of electric mobility and how can its Evs be made so cheap? Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Josh Martin(Photo: A man looks inside the Changan Deepal S05 REEV during a press conference for the unveiling of the Chinese model at the WesBank Festival of Motoring in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Nqobile Dludla)

Emily Wither reports from Istanbul finding out why that 'Made in Turkey' label in so much of our clothing could disappear as the industry faces competition from countries like Egypt, Turkey battles huge inflation and hundreds of factories go bankrupt leaving tens of thousands out of work (Photo: A worker in a Turkish garment factory in Istanbul works at a table. Credit: Emily Wither/Supplied)

This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by journalist Nga Pham in Hanoi, Vietnam, and economist Justin Wolfers in Michigan, USA, to unpack Nvidia's soaring quarterly results and what they signal about the global race in artificial intelligence.They also discuss Meta's settlement agreement and the wider regulatory pressures facing tech giants, as well as fresh sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie(Photo credit: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during a doorstep after attending the AI Ecosystem Reception in Tokyo, Japan, July 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada/File Photo)

For years, China's property boom helped drive the country's extraordinary economic growth. At the centre of it was Evergrande, which grew from a regional developer into a sprawling corporate empire, and one of the world's most indebted companies.Then the debts caught up with it. Evergrande's collapse exposed the vulnerabilities of China's property model, helping push the wider housing market into crisis and weighing on the country's economy.Now its founder, Hui Ka-yan, has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes including bribery and illegal use of funds.Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Jennifer Pak in Beijing to explore how Evergrande became so big, what went wrong, how its collapse exposed the problems in China's property model, and what it means for the wider global economy.Presenters: Will Bain, Rahul Tandon and Jennifer Pak Producer: David CannYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: China Evergrande Group then-Chairman Hui Ka Yan attends a news conference on the property developer's annual results in Hong Kong, China March 28, 2017. Credit:REUTERS)

Sophia Amoruso, founded of Nasty Gal after a successful stint of eBay upselling. It grew into a company worth hundreds of millions and allowed its founder to claim the title of original "girlboss" but eventually filed for bankruptcy. In the space of a few years, she had swapped shoplifting items to sell on Amazon and eBay for clinking champagne flutes in the South of France, schmoozing investors and having her book turned into a Netflix series and dealing with unhappy employees. Did swift success stifle what Nasty Gal could have become? Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producers: Niamh McDermott, Barbara George, Aleeza Siddiq and Victoriya Holland. (Photo credit: Sophie Amoruso/Supplied)You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Europe's drought has reduced water levels on the Danube, causing headaches and lost income for companies generating electricity from hydro, coal-fired and nuclear power plants. We travel down the river, stopping off in Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Romania to look at how each country is dealing with the challenges and what ordinary people are doing to help. Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Gideon LongCredit: Photo by ZOLTAN BALOGH/EPA/Shutterstock People check the Danube River as it flows at a record-low water level in downtown Budapest, Hungary, 28 July 2026)

Europe is taking an increasingly tough line on trade with China, accusing Beijing of subsidising exports and flooding European markets with cheap goods. Businesses and governments warn that Chinese competition is putting European industries and jobs at risk, while China's growing dominance of supply chains is adding to concerns in Brussels. Ed Butler asks whether these accusations are fair, what Europe can do about them, and whether the two sides are heading for a new trade war.Producer/presenter: Ed ButlerYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Photo: A staff member prepares for the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and EU Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera during China-EU Sixth High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue, Beijing, 14 July 2025, Credit: Reuters)

The proposed sale of the LA Lakers has reignited debate about the soaring value of sports teams. Here's another chance to hear our episode exploring what drives the value of a basketball franchise.Presenter/producer: Guy Kilty Editor: Helen ThomasEpisode first published on 27 November 2025You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Image: Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James drives to the basket during the game against the Utah Jazz during the game on 23 November 2025. Credit: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

What does the future hold for social media? Will Bain is joined by Takara Small in Toronto and Han Lin in Shanghai to discuss growing legal challenges facing Meta over how its platforms target and affect young users, and what the latest case could mean for the company and the wider industry. They also look at the extraordinary stock market debut of Chinese robotics company Unitree, whose shares jumped by 500%, and ask what could happen next as the US considers new tariffs on Canada.You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Will Bain Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

AI is driving a data-centre boom. The vast, energy-hungry facilities that power everything from ChatGPT to cloud computing are multiplying rapidly as governments and technology companies race to build them. But their growing demand for land, electricity and water is fuelling opposition in communities around the world. Rahul Tandon and Will Bain explore why demand for data centres is soaring, who's building them, and what happens when the demands of the AI economy collide with local communities.Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann(Picture: A sign that says ‘No Goodman Data Centre' is displayed outside a home in the suburb of Lane Cove, in Sydney, Australia, August 14, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

Harry Sanders is the founder of StudioHawk, an SEO agency that helps businesses around the world get found online. He talks about going from sleeping under a bridge at 17 to building a company that works with major brands including Fujifilm and New Balance and discusses how AI is reshaping his industry and the future of search. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Harry Sanders)

Whether you're heading off on holiday or travelling for work, flying could cost significantly more than it did a year ago. And it's not just the ticket price. From baggage fees to seat selection and priority boarding, the extras can quickly add up. Hannah Mullane explores the economics of aviation with the CEO of Berlin Brandenburg Airport, asking what's driving the rise in air travel costs and whether ultra low-cost flying is becoming a thing of the past.Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Josh MartinYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Travellers check on a departure board at Heathrow Airport in London on March 2, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)

As economic uncertainty continues, many workers are becoming more cautious about taking the next step in their careers. Vishala Sri-Pathma examines who's staying put and why. Presenter/producer: Vishala Sri-PathmaYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: A bored office worker. Credit: Getty)

How is climate change reshaping the global economy? Rahul Tandon is joined by Carsten Brzeski in Germany and Jyoti Malhotra in India to discuss the growing economic impact of heatwaves, including the threat to trade as water levels on Germany's River Rhine fall. They also examine how China is becoming less reliant on European industry, and the latest leadership tensions at India's Tata Group. Plus, the story behind eclipse sunglasses becoming an unlikely sell-out success.Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David CannYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: A view of low water levels at Rheinau Harbour near the Rhine River in Cologne, Germany, 13 August 2026. Credit: EPA)

Diageo, the company that owns Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and more than 200 drinks brands worldwide, has announced a major reset after a tough couple of years in which its profits have fallen and its share price has struggled. British businessman Sir Dave Lewis has been brought in to steer a turnaround, including a $1bn savings plan over the next three years. Known as "Drastic Dave" for cost-cutting at other companies, can he revive growth as more consumers drink less alcohol or switch from global brands to local ones?Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Gideon Long(Picture: People drink Guinness at The Devonshire pub in Soho, London. Credit: REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

Mike Repole is the entrepreneur behind drinks brands including Vitaminwater and BodyArmor. He tells Hannah Mullane how he went from stocking supermarket shelves in Queens, New York, to building billion-dollar businesses with investors including Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady.Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producers: Niamh McDermott and Amber MehmoodYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Mike Repole)

John Laurenson reports from La Défense in Paris on how Europe's biggest business district is turning vacant office space into housing. As hybrid working leaves more offices underused, cities are rethinking the future of these buildings. We compare developments in Paris with efforts in London and Washington DC and ask whether converting offices into homes could help tackle housing shortages and revive struggling business districts.Presenter/producer: John LaurensonYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: People walking in La Défense business district in Paris. Credit: John Laurenson)

Denmark is preparing to scrap its royal warrant system, ending a centuries-old royal seal of approval used by businesses to market everything from beer to cars. Similar warrants are used by monarchies around the world and awarded to everyone from brewers and carmakers to pest controllers. What do the Danish companies affected think, and could other royal households follow Denmark's lead?(Photo: Packets of sweets with a Danish Royal Warrant in a Copenhagen shop. Credit: Daniel Rosney)You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukProducer/presenter: Daniel Rosney

What is driving the global shift towards economic protectionism? Will Bain is joined by Jennifer Pak, NPR's China correspondent, and Trevor Simumba, an international business consultant in Zambia, to discuss why the trend has accelerated since Donald Trump's tariffs and why global trade remains resilient despite growing barriers. Plus, why Africa's Lobito Corridor matters for trade, what AI means for jobs in China and beyond, and why drinks giant Diageo is cutting costs. And, two food heroes: China's baozi and Uganda's matoke.(Photo: A ship docks at Lobito Port in Angola, 4 December, 2024. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters)You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann

In a highly unusual move, the US has stepped in to back Japan's currency, the yen. Donald Trump calls it a "signal of friendship" but what is Washington hoping to achieve? And what does the move reveal about Japan's economy, after years of deflation and ultra-low interest rates? Rahul Tandon and Will Bain assess the intervention with the help of the BBC's "yen geek" Mariko Oi.Presenters: Rahul Tandon, Will Bain and Mariko Oi Producer: Gideon LongYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: A woman walks past a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 03 August 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Ola Sars has spent two decades helping shape the way music is discovered, streamed and licensed. He co-founded Beats Music, the streaming service that helped lay the groundwork for Apple Music, before launching Soundtrack, a company that provides licensed music to restaurants, cafés and other hospitality businesses. After moving to the US as a child and learning English from scratch, how did he become a music-tech entrepreneur? And was selling his stake in Beats before Apple acquired the company the right decision? Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermottYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Ola Sars. Credit: Rickard Croy)

With Europe sweltering in intense heat and demand for air-conditioners soaring, who is making money from supplying them? We follow the supply chain from a factory churning out air-con units in China to retailers across Europe scrambling to secure stock as demand surges. In France, where repeated heat waves have driven sales higher, shoppers have been fighting in supermarkets to get hold of them.We also examine the cost of powering air-conditioners and the impact their growing use is having on energy prices. How much pressure is Europe's growing appetite for air-conditioning putting on electricity grids?(Photo: People cool off in the Trocadero fountain by the Eiffel Tower in Paris during a heatwave in June 2026. Credit: Yoan Valat/EPA/Shutterstock)Presenter: Sam Fenwick   Producer: Gideon Long

In the second of two episodes, Ed Butler tracks the whereabouts and connections of one of Europe's most wanted drug criminals. Despite denials from the President's family, law enforcement agencies say Jos Leijdekkers is enjoying privileged status in Sierra Leone. The country's Justice Minister responds.

Is China rapidly catching up with the United States in the race to dominate artificial intelligence? Rahul Tandon is joined by Walter Todd in the US and Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore to discuss, following a week of sharp moves in AI-related markets and growing questions over where the next wave of innovation will come from. They also explore what India's "cockroach protest" says about the growing challenge of youth unemployment around the world. (Photo: People walk past the Unix AI booth during the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC) in Shanghai, China, 17 July, 2026. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters)You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann

This Podcast was first published June 9th 2026With the future of football's governing body under discussion, we're giving you another chance to hear how FIFA makes most of its money from the World CupFIFA President Gianni Infantino has proposed the creation of a subsidiary body to run tournaments, which would include some outside investment.Fifa has given all 211 member associations until 19 September to say whether they agree with the plan, with a straight majority to decide whether to proceed.But there has been criticism of the plans over lack of clarity and the impact it could have on FIFA's independence. Ahead of the World Cup, Sam Fenwick looked at how the event generates billions of dollars for FIFA - where the money comes from and how it gets spent.Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Matt Lines Editor: Stephen Ryan(photo: Silhouette of Gianni Infantino, FIFA President and rising stock graph are seen in this illustration taken, July 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration)

This week, Will and Rahul speak to business correspondent Arunoday Mukharji in Delhi about how India's youth unemployment crisis helped force the resignation of the country's Education Minister and why it could mark a turning point for India's Gen‑Z. Exam leaks and a shortage of opportunities have sparked some of the biggest youth protests in years, raising difficult questions for the government. Nearly two-thirds of Indians are under 35, and more young people are graduating than ever before. But many can't find jobs. Can India create enough jobs for a generation with rising expectations? And what happens if it can't?Presenters: Will Bain, Rahul Tandon and Arunoday Mukharji Producer: Rebecca SmyllieYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Leah Solivan, founder and former CEO of TaskRabbit, reflects on building one of the world's most successful gig-economy platforms. She discusses the pressures of scaling a multi-million-dollar business, the stress-related illness that left her in hospital, and the decision to eventually sell TaskRabbit to IKEA. Presenter: Sarah Rogers Producer: Niamh McDermottYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Leah Solivan. Credit: Audrey Anne Photography)

This episode of Business Daily begins with a real call to 911There's an antidote for an opioid overdose. It costs a few dollars. The nasal spray technology means it can be administered without needles and can restart a person's breathing within minutes. So why doesn't it always reach the person on the floor? We're following the money through the antidote economy. A life-saving drug that costs pennies to make. Sold over the counter for $52. But when drug companies were sued for their role in America's opioid crisis, some pharmaceutical companies' settlements included paying out using antidote kits valued at $125. Who profits, who pays, and what determines whether an overdose kit is ever in the room when it's needed?Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producers: Josh Martin and Matt LinesYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

In the first of two episodes, Ed Butler investigates how one of Europe's most wanted drug smugglers, Jos Leijdekkers, ended up in Sierra Leone while evading justice. He also explores reports linking Leijdekkers to the family of Sierra Leone's president, including claims that he has married the president's daughter.Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Will Bain is joined by Nga Pham in Hanoi and Takara Small in Toronto. Following the latest results from Alphabet and Tesla, both companies are under pressure to sustain spending as competition in artificial intelligence intensifies. Is Wall Street beginning to question the cost of the AI race? Plus, the mounting economic impact of Canada's wildfires, why ketchup-flavoured crisps have become such a uniquely Canadian phenomenon, and what Donald Trump's renewed tariff negotiations could mean for global trade.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David CannYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(The Google logo on the Google house at the CES consumer electronics trade show, in Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. January 10, 2024. Credit: REUTERS/Steve Marcus)

Cheap flights transformed the way we travel, helping millions of people fly more often and opening up destinations that were once out of reach. But rising fuel costs, changing passenger habits and growing pressure on the low-cost airline model are forcing budget carriers to adapt. Rahul Tandon and Will Bain explore what's driving the turbulence and what it could mean for fares, competition and the future of air travel.Producer: Rebecca SmyllieYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: easyJet aircraft at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, April 21, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner)

Tessa Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Olio, the food-sharing app helping millions of people reduce waste by sharing food and household items with their neighbours. She explains how a simple idea grew into a global movement, the challenges of convincing investors to back it, and why changing human behaviour may be key to tackling climate change.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara GeorgeYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Tessa Clarke. Credit:Annabel Staff)

Search for "memecoin" on social media and you'll find plenty of videos offering advice on how to invest and grow your money, with some claiming they can help you make a million. But you don't have to look far to find people who have lost money, and lots of it. So where does the money actually go? Sam Fenwick explores the cryptocurrency phenomenon that almost anyone can launch, including presidents.Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producers: Matt Lines and Gideon LongYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: A representation of cryptocurrency dogecoin is seen in front of a stock graph and U.S. dollar in this illustration taken, January 24, 2022. Credit: Reuters/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

Artisanal mining accounts for around 20% of global gold production and generates an estimated $30 billion a year for some of the world's poorest communities. But the trade is also linked to criminal networks and environmental damage. Ed Butler explores the forces behind the global gold rush and who is bearing the cost. Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Gold miner Kelly Mbayo in Sierra Leone. Credit: Ed Butler/BBC News)

Connecting the timezones this week are Will Bain in London, David Kuo in Singapore and Emily Peck in New York to unpack the week's biggest business stories. China's economy has recorded one of its weakest quarterly growth rates on record, raising fresh questions about the country's outlook and the impact on the global economy. Plus, why prices for durian, the 'king of fruits', are tumbling across Asia. And New York's move to target AI data centres.Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David CannYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: People walk in the Lujiazui financial district, in Shanghai, China, 14 July 2022. Credit: ALEX PLAVEVSKI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

This week, Will and Michelle speak to Reuters entertainment business correspondent Dawn Chmielewski about how the Paramount–Warner merger could reshape Hollywood. Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery want to combine in a $110 billion deal that would create an entertainment giant. Executives say it's the only way to survive the streaming wars, but now twelve attorneys general, regulators and a host of creators are saying "no deal". So how do Paramount and CEO David Ellison make this deal a reality? And what could it mean for what's on our screens, big, small or handheld?Presenters: Will Bain and Michelle Fleury Producer: Rebecca Smyllie Editor: Stephen RyanYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: California Attorney General Rob Bonta holds a press conference as he announces California will be suing to block Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery in Los Angeles, California, U.S. July 13, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Daniel Cole)

With the 2026 World Cup underway, here's another chance to hear how England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham became one of football's most marketable names. The face of several major brands, Bellingham has built a successful business beyond football. We explore the Jude Bellingham brand, his sponsorship and endorsement deals, and what makes him so valuable to some of the world's biggest companies.Presenter/producer: Matt Lines. Episode first published on 15 August 2024.You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: England's Jude Bellingham during the football World Cup 2026 quarter final vs Norway. Credit: REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Sumant Sinha is the founder of ReNew, one of India's largest renewable energy companies. He explains why he left a successful corporate career to pursue renewable energy, the challenges of building a business in a fast-changing market, and whether India can become a clean-energy superpower.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara GeorgeYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Sumant Sinha. Credit: Mushtak Mohammad)

Why have US beef prices risen around 13% over the past year? Who is making money from the burgers and steaks Americans eat? Presenter Sam Fenwick speaks to a cattle rancher in South Dakota, an agricultural economist in Wisconsin, a meat packer in North Carolina and a restaurant owner in Nebraska to find out what is happening in this quintessentially American corner of the food market. We unpack the US beef supply chain to discover why prices are rising, who is making money from it and who is getting squeezed. (Photo: A cow waiting to eat at a feedlot in Saltillo, Mexico, 1 June, 2026. Credit: Daniel Becerril/Reuters)You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Gideon Long