World Business Report

Today, as world leaders gather in South Africa, Andrew Peach takes a look the agenda for the G20 and asks whether it matters that Donald Trump isn't there. Plus, The International Committee of the Red Cross is cutting thousands of jobs after losing aid funding. And why millions of Mexicans are holding on to bank notes. A man walks past a G20 South Africa 2025 sign inside the secured area of the G20 Summit venue at the Nasrec Expo centre, ahead of the summit scheduled for November 22–23 in Johannesburg, South Africa. November 21, 2025. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Japan has signed off a $135 billion stimulus package aimed at lifting wages, easing living costs, and boosting the economy. But can the country really afford it? We look at why some major airlines are banning power banks on flights. Is AI putting graduate careers at risk? The BBC speaks to the boss of accountancy giant, PwC. And it’s Wicked day! With the hit musical’s sequel finally landing in cinemas, how much could the box office magic be worth? Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott Editor: David Cann

Is the “Trump Effect” working on the US economy? New figures show 119,000 jobs were added in September, sharply beating expectations after a slow summer. We’ll look at what’s driving the pickup. Also, novelists are increasingly worried that AI could replace them. Andrew Peach asks one writer whether a computer could ever produce a book as good as a human. And how seafood has become a weapon in the latest row between China and Japan. Photo by WILL OLIVER/EPA/Shutterstock A member of the public passes the US Department of Labour in Washington DC, USA, 05 September 2025.

Is the AI boom far from over? Yes, according to Nvidia, the world's most valuable company. The chip giant that's been at the heart of the boom has beaten market expectations again. We’ll break down the important numbers from its latest results. Why is Meta under pressure on two sides of the world? And, who bought a famous solid gold toilet for more than $12 million? Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott Editor: Stephen Ryan

Nvidia has smashed market expectations with more than $57bn in revenues in its latest results. It's a sign from the world’s most valuable company that the AI boom may be far from over. Andrew Peach hears reaction from a company which owns Nvidia shares. Also, why the Dutch government has reconsidered taking control of Nexperia, the Chinese computer-chip firm. And ahead of the Ashes tournament, why the global growth of cricket increasingly favours shorter formats.

The global markets are on edge, fears of an AI bubble burst are circling and investor anxiety is building as the world awaits Nvidia's earnings report. The chip giant which is the world’s most valuable company, has powered the AI boom and helped drive stock markets to record highs. But what could the results mean for the future of AI? We hear how online retail giant, Amazon, lost a legal battle with a European court after requesting to be exempt from the EU's Digital Services Act. The period of volatility and tensions in global trade is far from over, according to the boss of parcel delivery giant, DHL Group. We hear from their CEO, Tobias Meyer, whose company is investing €1 billion in India. And why is a court in Paris suspending the sale of the world’s ‘first calculator’ invented in 1642? Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott Editor: David Cann

We look at the AI boom in detail, in the wake of comments by Sundar Pichai, the Google boss, in a BBC interview. He acknowledges the risks of a potential AI bubble. We hear the thoughts of the Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoglu as well as from a future of work strategist and a campaigner for tighter AI regulation. Also, what has Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince gained from a visit to the White House? And TotalEnergies faces war crime allegations over a Mozambique massacre. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

Global stocks and shares have plunged for the fourth day in a row. The markets are falling as worries about AI valuations, the US economy and central bank rates hit sentiment. What happens if the AI bubble burst? We hear from the boss of Google in an exclusive BBC interview. What's next for the global car industry? Next year, one in four global car sales will be electric, that's according to a report by the International Energy Agency. A court in France will rule today if Perrier bottles will be forced to remove their bottles from shelves. And in the UK, selling tickets for a profit could be banned. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott Editor: Justin Bones

Myanmar government takes effort to dismantle Southeast Asian-based call centre scams and human trafficking networks. We hear more from Erin West, Founder and President of Operation Shamrock and former Deputy District Attorney in Santa Clara County. Also, why are we witnessing so many mergers in the US business environment? And the Amazon rainforest could face a renewed surge of deforestation as efforts appear to be growing to get a long-standing ban on deforestation overturned. You can contact us on WhatsApp or send us a voicenote: +44 330 678 3033.

Shares in Japanese retail and travel-related companies have fallen sharply in Tokyo, after China urged its citizens not to visit the country. The tensions spiked after Japan’s prime minister suggested Tokyo could take military action if Beijing attacked Taiwan, which China claims is its sovereign territory. Meanwhile, why has Bitcoin lost more than $600 billion in market value, just weeks after hitting a record high? And for Bridget Jones fans, the rom-com icon is getting her own statue, joining the likes of Harry Potter and Paddington Bear on a new trail celebrating 100 years of British cinema. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh Mc Dermott Editor: Justin Bones

Switzerland and the US have reached a trade deal which cuts US tariffs on Swiss imports from 39% to 15%. That's the same as on goods from its neighbours in the European Union. In return Switzerland will shift some manufacturing to America and Swiss companies will invest $200 billion in the US by the end of 2028. But whether Swiss cheese will be included is yet to be confirmed. Andrew Peach speaks to sellers of Swiss cheese in America about how the tariffs have been affecting their business. Plus we look at how people are using apps to help them reduce their screentime

Leanna Byrne explores why global tech stocks have taken a hit this week, as investors dump AI favourites like Nvidia and Alphabet, wiping billions off market values. Google is offering to adjust parts of its advertising system to comply with a European Union order tied to a $3.4 billion antitrust penalty. And Dominos UK says Britain has reached “peak pizza” and is now turning to fried chicken in an effort to revive sales.

Lawmakers in Europe vote to limit green reporting rules for business. A boost for European competitiveness - or a backward step for the environment? And we examine the reasons why Starbucks workers in the US are going on strike.

Leanna Byrne looks at the fallout from America's federal government shutdown, which has finally come to an end, but with a warning from the White House that October’s jobs and inflation numbers might never be released. Also, the Starbucks workers going on strike on Red Cup Day. And why Scotland is issuing "kilt bonds"

We examine pledges to ease the tariff burden on some US grocery staples. How will a reduction in levies on coffee and bananas help the consumer? We also find out why food prices are going down in India and hear from Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz on what's driving increased global inequality. Photo by JOHN G MABANGLO/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock. Coffee selection at a Safeway grocery store in Oakland, California, USA, 14 August 2024.

In Brazil, Indigenous protesters have stormed the COP30 venue in Belém over broken land rights promises. Inside, climate talks continue with shipping under scrutiny. Leanna Byrne chats with the secretary-general of the International Maritime Organisation, who’s pushing for a global carbon levy despite US and Saudi opposition. Also, a Chinese tycoon accused of running a vast scam compound in Myanmar is extradited to Beijing. And Greek farmers protest soaring costs, delayed subsidies and livestock diseases.

We examine how the longest shutdown in the US history has affected the airline industry and hear from stranded passengers and furloughed air traffic controllers. And, on day two of the COP climate conference in Brazil, we talk a South African minister on what it will take to help poorer nations fund the transition to clean energy.

Leanna Byrne gets reactions as a woman known as the Chinese crypto queen has been sentenced to jail in London for laundering billions in stolen bitcoin. Qian Zhimin was convicted of trying to launder more than sixty thousand bitcoins now worth around six and a half billion dollars. In Germany, OpenAI faces a legal setback after a court ruled it infringed copyright by reproducing song lyrics without permission. And Japan's SoftBank cashes out of Nvidia.

We hear from a worker who hasn't been paid in weeks and examine the wider impact on America's economy. And, what's happening on the opening day of the COP30 climate conference in Brazil.

Leanna Byrne looks at signs that the United States may finally be nearing an end to its record-breaking forty-day government shutdown. The Senate has voted to advance a bill to pay federal workers and reopen parts of the government but it still needs approval from the House. Also, two of Africa’s biggest diamond producers Botswana and Angola, are in talks to take control of De Beers, the world’s most famous diamond company. And in Japan, a surge in bear attacks prompting the government to roll out emergency measures and forcing companies, farmers, and local authorities to spend millions on safety precautions.