World Business Report
Analysis of the big global business and economic issues, as they affect consumers and investors. Broadcast on weekdays.
Will Putin's visit to India help Russia to continue to trade oil?
President Putin has arrived in India for talks expected to focus on trade and expanding defence ties. India, like China, has been a big purchaser of Russian oil and has been accused by the West of financing the war. We hear from Russia and oil industry experts. Also, why scam…
Putin in India
Russia's president Vladimir Putin is visiting India. Economic cooperation is high on the agenda and, for India, its relationship with Russia is even more important with high US tariffs hurting the country's export market. The maker of the diabetes drug, Ozempic, could be facing a major headache after a court…
EU set to put forward proposal to spend Russian state assets
The EU's proposal would see €140bn of Russian state assets held in Belgium transformed into a "reparations loan". We hear the concerns from the Belgians - do they have cause for concern? Also, how the current tensions between the US and Venezuela will impact oil exports. And, what are your…
Can Europe survive without Russian gas?
The European Union says it will stop buying Russian gas from 2027, but why is it taking so long as Russia continues to use money from fossil fuels to fund its campaign in Ukraine? William Lee Adams finds out. Also, France's president heads to China hoping to resolve a series…
Trump launches savings scheme for newborn babies
Ed Butler explores Invest America, a new US government initiative aimed at boosting long-term investment among younger citizens. The plan gives every newborn Americans $1,000 to invest in stocks and shares for their future, and is part of President Trump's controversial 'Big, beautiful' spending bill. We’ll also look at concerns…
Oil shortage could leave country without fuel
Today, Serbia's only oil refinery is due to shut down, all because of US sanctions on the national oil company, which is mostly Russian-owned. So, what will this mean for the country's energy and how badly will it harm its economy? And Netflix has reportedly put in a second-round bid…
US manufacturing sounds alarm bells on the economy
The two sides of the American economy today as consumers spend on Cyber Monday but manufacturers issue dire warnings. Presenter Bisi Adebayo hears from Jamaica which has just been promised a $7b billion boost as it rebuilds after the devastation of Hurricane Melissa. And Serbia is warning it could be…
Online retail giant hack exposes nearly 34 million customers' data
South Korea's largest online retailer, Coupang, has apologised for a massive data breach potentially involving nearly 34 million local customer accounts. And why did China’s factory activity unexpectedly contracted in November? Also, smartphone makers are asked to preload an India state-owned cybersecurity app that cannot be deleted on all new…
US Black Friday sales
Bisi Adebayo examines the sales statistics for Black Friday in the US to find out how confident the US consumer is feeling in an economy squeezed by higher prices and tighter budgets. And as Chancellor Merz writes to the EU Commission to ask for a reprieve on a deadline to…
India economy grows faster than expected
India’s economy grew 8.2% year-on-year for the period of July-September. The figures are largely being attributed to a boost in consumption, which makes up 60% of India’s GDP. General strikes are taking place across Italy today over the government's proposed 2026 budget law. And why are American retailers hiring a…
Hong Kong's deadliest fire in decades
With Hong Kong's emergency services dealing with their deadliest fire in decades, that's so far claimed the lives of 83 people at Wang Fuk Court, we look at the safety of the world's tallest buildings. Andrew Peach hears how relations between the United States and Venezuela are deteriorating, and what…
What a cyberattack means for Asahi beer
Japanese brewing giant, Asahi, has delayed publishing its latest financial results because of the major cyberattack that began in September. Leanna Byrne hears from an expert in Japan. Also, why has Venezuela banned six international airlines, including Iberia, TAP and Turkish Airlines? And the Swiss tariff deal with the US…
What does the UK budget show us about global debt challenges?
What’s the right approach when major economies are weighed down by growing debt? As the UK Government unveils its latest budget, Will Bain examines how debt is increasingly shaping economic decisions. We also look at the rise of California-based live-stream shopping platform Whatnot, now valued at around $11 billion and…
Taxing more to cut the debt
The UK's net financial debt this year will be £2.6tn, meaning "one in every £10 the government spends is on debt interest". How are UK markets reacting to this? Leanna Byrne examines with our experts. Also, in Australia, two 15-year-olds are taking their government to court over a new law…
Half of Venezuela flights cancelled
An airline industry body in Venezuela tells Will Bain flights in and out the country have already been cut by half, with major disruption looming as a dispute over the safety of Venezuelan airspace intensifies. Also, are American consumers starting to feel the pinch? We examine a series of data…
Can the UK Budget balance the books?
Britain's finance minister, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, is expected to raise taxes for both individuals and businesses in the UK's budget tomorrow. We hear from a restaurant owner on his concerns for the hospitality sector. And why Serbia says its main oil refinery may shut down within days. Presenter: Leanna Byrne…
Goodbye Doge
The US federal government's Department for Government Efficiency, Doge, has ended its cost-cutting mission eight months early. Bisi Adebayo examines whether it achieved what it set out to do. And as the latest iteration of the Wicked movie franchise hits the big screen, we ask what its success can tell…
Vodafone boss on the threat to the world’s internet
We hear from Vodafone's boss Margherita Della Valle on rising threats to vital undersea internet cables. We're days out from the UK's budget, what do we need to know? Britain's finance minister, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, is under presure to balance the country's books. And Japan once dominated the chip industry,…
G20 summit opens in South Africa, despite US absence
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…
Can Japan afford its billion dollar economic package?
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…