Business Matters

President Donald Trump and the Russian President Vladimir Putin end summit in Alaska without a deal. We get reaction from business experts after this important meeting. We examine what next for both the Russian and the Ukrainian economies. Presenter Rahul Tandon also talks to guests from the US, Ukraine and Russia to hear what this outcome means for the global economy.

Organisers of the Los Angelos Olympics in 2028 have agreed a landmark deal with the International Olympic Committee allowing venue naming rights to be sold to commercial partners for the first time in the games history. Honda and Comcast are the first naming partners. Presenter Roger Hearing also examines why some Americans are drinking less and what this means for the big drinks companies like Carlsberg. And PostNord in Denmark has decided to bring to an end to 400 years of letter deliveries - and focus instead solely on parcels from 2026. We hear from there about what this means for the future of the industry.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says more than $5 billion in credit will go to companies which face 50 per cent tariffs to export goods to the US. The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, says a controversial deal that the White House struck with chipmakers Nvidia and AMD, handing over 15% of their Chinese sales in return for export licences, could be rolled out to other industries. Startup companies in the US have started a no-shoes-in-the-office policy, meaning that you take your shoes off when you come into the office and wear optional slippers. Throughout the programme, Leanna Byrne will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Diane Brady, Executive Editorial Director at Fortune magazine in New York, and Han-Shen Lin, China Country Director, The Asia Group, in Shanghai.

US inflation held steady in July despite import tariffs, bolstering bets that the Federal Reserve may cut interest rates next month. After the partial dollarisation of the economy in Cuba, the country’s peso is trading at an all-time low of 400 to 1 dollar on the informal market. And horror films are at a record high in shares of the US box office. Weapons took $42.5m in its opening weekend in US movie theatres, and Sinners has become the highest-grossing original movie of the 2020s. Throughout the programme, Roger Hearing will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Andy Uhler is an Energy Journalism Fellow at the University of Texas, US, and Zyma Islam is a journalist for The Daily Star in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order extending tariffs on China for another 90 days. Chip giants Nvidia and AMD have agreed to pay the US government 15% of Chinese revenues as part of an "unprecedented" deal to secure export licences to China. And remember that distinctive sound of dialling in via the internet in the early days of connecting? Well. It’s days are numbered….Yahoo has announced that it will discontinue AOL Dial-up Internet on September 30th. Throughout the programme, Rahul Tandon will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world - Jennifer Pak who is China Correspondent for American Public Media, based in Shanghai; and Allie Garfinkle, Senior finance reporter at Fortune who's in the US.

Germany's halted its arms sales to Israel in the wake of prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu's plans to takeover Gaza City. But despite supplying $565 million worth of military hardware since the 7 October 2023 attacks, how important are Germany's weapons to Israel? Roger Hearing is joined by Dana Peterson and Colin Peacock to discuss, among other things, why US wine exports to Canada have declined drastically…whether the growing Philippines microchip-making industry is being throttled by US president Donald Trump's tariffs…. and whether Las Vegas' drop in tourism hints at broader economic woes facing the world's largest economy. Plus the big controversy bubbling up over mineral water in France, and why are people not wearing Crocs any more? Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.

With India prime minister Modi and Brazil president Lula vowing to "defend multilateralism" against what they see as "rising US protectionism", Roger Hearing is joined by Alison van Diggelen and Travis Paterson to discuss how businesses in countries that don't have a trade deal with Washington will be impacted by US president Trump’s new tariffs. We hear how scientists and engineers in Sweden are using new technology to revolutionise the global steel industry and make the material green. Elsewhere, how good is the latest AI app - GPT5? Plus the strange case of the fluffy toys and a million-dollar lawsuit. Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.

As US president Donald Trump's global tariffs regime comes into place, we discuss what effect it will have on the international trade architecture. India faces a threat of 50% mark ups on what it sells to the US, with Washington unhappy over Delhi's purchase of oil from Russia. But will India ever wean itself off Russian supplies? Meanwhile Trump's claiming a big win as Apple commits to an extra hundred billion dollars in investment in the States. Elsewhere we hear of the summer of stink as bin workers strike in many US cities, and Roger Hearing talks about 'the sage of Omaha' during his last months as the world's most famous investor. Global business news, with live guests and contributions from Asia and the USA.

US tariffs of up to 250 percent - that’s what pharmaceutical imports could soon be facing But what would this mean for the makers and distributors of non-branded medicines? We’ll be speaking to an association representing them. Is Europe turning its back on Tesla? Electric car sales from the company continue to drop in Europe, but sales from Chinese electric carmaker BYD are on the rise. An automotive analyst tells us why. And WhatsApp says it has shut down almost seven million accounts linked to scammers in the first half of the year. WhatsApp’s external affairs director explains more.

India is one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil, but President Trump wants that to stop. He’s threatened India with even more tariffs, a move that India says is both‘unjustified’ and ‘unreasonable.’ We’ll be getting reaction to the mounting tensions between the two countries. The world’s richest man could get richer as Tesla’s board moves to give CEO Elon Musk a bigger stake to keep him at the company. We’ll hear from a Tesla investor. And we look at the new trend of 'fake' weddings - for those who enjoy wedding parties, but don’t know anyone getting married.

The US jobs market has taken a sharp turn - 73,000 jobs were added last month, marking the weakest monthly gain since the Covid pandemic. Economists were caught off guard, and revised figures show earlier job creation was also far lower than first reported. Democrats blame President Trump’s trade policy for hurting business confidence. Meanwhile, trade tensions are rising. Trump has imposed steep new tariffs on some Canadian goods. A jury in Florida has ordered Tesla to pay more than $2,000,000 after finding the company's autopilot technology was partly to blame for a fatal crash. And we take a lighter look and head to Edinburgh, where the world's largest arts jamboree is underway.

The final countdown in on for President Trump's tariff deadline. Without deals in the next few hours, dozens of countries will face the cost of sharply higher tax rates on goods they export to the US - up to close to 50% in some cases. We hear from some of these countries, and ask is Donald Trump winning his trade war? You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

The U.S. and China may extend their tariff truce, but it hinges on Trump’s approval. We hear from a former U.S. Ambassador to China and check in with small business owners. Is Boeing showing signs of recovery? The plane maker narrowed its losses and reported a sharp rise in aircraft deliveries. Plus, Sam Fenwick finds out how natural disasters have cost the world $131 billion so far this year. Throughout the program, Sam will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world - Takara Small, National Technology Columnist for CBC in Canada and Zyma slam, Senior Reporter for The Daily Star in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

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

It's been a busy few weeks on Wall Street's financial market, as stock valuations are close to record levels. The S&P 500 index has hit a string of all-time peaks this month, while US corporate borrowing costs are nearing their lowest level in decades, and Nvidia became the first company worth $4 trillion. The United States Treasury has lifted sanctions on several individuals and companies accused of supplying arms to Myanmar's military regime, leading to an outcry by human rights groups. And with Donald Trump doing diplomacy on the golf course in Scotland—is doing business on the green a good thing? Throughout the program, Roger Hearing will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world—Gaby Castro-Fontoura, Director, Sunny Sky Solutions, who's in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, and Michael Janda, Business Editor, ABC News Australia, in Sydney.

President Donald Trump claims further renovation budget overruns, adding pressure on US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates. Roger Hearing hears a reaction from Loretta Mester, the former Cleveland Fed President. World’s largest fan convention, Comicon 2025 is kicking off in San Diego, which brings over $180 million into the city. And as women’s football has been dominating the sporting agenda this week, both in Africa and Europe, we look at where women’s teams must compete for investment and coverage with the men. Throughout the program, Roger will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world—Alexander Kaufman, award-winning reporter and the author of the newsletter Field Notes on Substack, who's in New York, and Mehmal Sarfraz, journalist and analyst, normally based in Lahore but currently in California.

After the Japanese trade deal with the US, there are reports that an agreement with the European Union is very near. Also, presenter Roger Hearing takes a look at how algae is damaging the fishing industry in Australia. And Iran struggles under a heatwave that makes normal life impossible.

President Donald Trump has announced a major trade deal with Japan, introducing a 15% U.S. tariff on Japanese goods. The news comes as the Philippines and Indonesia join Vietnam in securing tariff reductions from Washington. Plus Roger Hearing examines a tough road ahead for U.S. car-makers grappling with global trade tensions. And could modern science finally crack the age-old quest to turn other metals into gold?

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is under increasing pressure after his coalition government lost its majority in the upper house of parliament. Mr. Ishiba says Japan needs political stability to address its mounting economic challenges. Also, Rahul Tandon examines global container shipping volumes to see how tariffs are redrawing trade routes. And two former U.S. Federal Reserve chairs, Ben Bernanke and Janet Yellen, issue a rare warning that political interference could seriously damage America’s economic credibility.

Voters head to the polls in Japan this weekend in a crucial Upper House election. The vote comes amid rising economic pressures, including the threat of US tariffs on key exports like cars, high inflation, low productivity and a rapidly ageing population. Also, the EU cuts its price cap on Russian crude oil to 47 dollars a barrel. France says it could force Moscow into a ceasefire in Ukraine. And after three decades on air, could The Late Show become too expensive for US television to sustain?