World Business Report
Analysis of the big global business and economic issues, as they affect consumers and investors. Broadcast on weekdays.
UAW strike enters fourth day
Union negotiators continued talks with representatives from General Motors, Ford and the Jeep-maker Stellantis today, as a historic strike by workers at America's top three car manufacturers entered the fourth day. The United Auto Workers union is seeking a 40% pay rise over a four year term, far more than…
UAW and automakers try to reach a final deal
The car workers strike in the US enters day 4 today with the president of the United Auto Workers union, Shawn Fain preparing to meet again with bosses at General Motors, Ford and Stellantis. The workers want a 40% pay increase - the same rate their CEOs’ pay grew in…
Biden supports UAW workers
US President Joe Biden has sided with workers who have gone on strike in a pay dispute with three of America's biggest car-makers. In a meeting on Friday he said "workers deserve a fair share". We hear what the workers are accusing the plants about which are owned by General…
UAW strike: thousands of workers at three of the biggest US carmakers have gone on strike
More than 10-thousand employees at three of America's biggest car makers have gone on strike over pay and conditions. It's the first time that the United Autoworkers Union has simultaneously targeted all three of the main US car manufacturers - General Motors, Ford and Stellantis.
US on the road to industrial action
Nearly 150 thousand U.S. auto workers are set to go on strike this week if General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis fail to meet their demands for big pay raises. Workers want a 46% pay increase and the restoration of concessions workers made years ago when the companies were in financial…
ECB hikes rates up to 4%
The European Central Bank has hiked interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point to 4% today. That's the highest level since the launch of the euro currency in 1999. Officials say interest rates need to go higher in order to tame inflation.
US inflation highest in 14 months
Driven by things like petrol prices, the consumer price index increased by 0.6% last month, the largest gain since June 2022. However underlying inflation was the smallest in nearly two years, so what could that mean for further interest rate rises by the Federal Reserve? Roger Hearing finds out how…
EU launch investigation into Chinese electric vehicles
The European Commission has started an investigation to assess whether China is using unfair subsidies to boost the sale of its electric vehicles in Europe. Certain state subsidies are illegal under international trade rules.
BP boss Bernard Looney resigns
The head of BP Bernard Looney has suddenly resigned following allegations over personal relationships with colleagues. We find out what this means for the company going forward. What happens when the NFL's Most Valuable Player gets injured right at the start of the season. Well it happened to the Jet's…
Google takes on the US Department of Justice in historic antitrust trial
US prosecutors are taking Google to court over allegations it made deals with smartphone makers to ensure it was the default search engine on billions of devices. The Department of Justice claims the tech giant engaged in illegal practices, which Google denies. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is forecasting…
North Korea's Kim Jong Un travels to Russia to meet Putin
The two leaders are likely to discuss North Korea supplying weapons in support of Russia’s war in Ukraine. We will hear the latest on the economic friendship between the two countries. And Thailand's new prime minister has announced a cash handout in a bid to revive the economy. $300 will…
What is the economic impact of the Morocco earthquake?
The interior ministry of Morocco says nearly two-thousand five hundred people have died following Friday's earthquake. Rescue teams are still battling to find survivors trapped in the rubble. We look at the economic impact on the country. The EU is considering scrapping plans to impose regulations designed to improve animal…
African Union expected to join G20
Officials at the G20 summit in Delhi say the African Union could become a member. The proposal has been backed by the US and by India, which is hosting the meeting.
Apple shares tumble after Chinese government tells staff not to use iPhones
Apple's stock market valuation has fallen by almost $200bn in two days after reports that Chinese government workers have been banned from using iPhones. We take a look at the implications this might have for the firm. Chevron workers at two of the companies' LNG facilities in Australia have begun…
WeWork: Are more of us returning to the office?
The co-working company, WeWork, is looking to renegotiate nearly all of its office leases following a significant decline in its share value since the beginning of the year. The company has 777 locations in 39 countries with long term lease obligations totalling more than $13 billion.
What does China's economic slowdown mean for the rest of the world?
As imports and exports fall again in China, we ask what the economic slowdown means for the rest of the world. A separate report also shows a decline in the services sector of the world's second-largest economy. Senior Bloomberg correspondent in Hong Kong Rebecca Choong Wilkins gives us her analysis…
African leaders propose global carbon taxes to fight climate change
African leaders have issued a declaration proposing new taxes across the world to fund action against climate change. The Nairobi Declaration was issued at the end of the three-day Africa Climate Summit in the Kenyan capital. Turkey pushed up its inflation forecasts and cut those of economic growth on Wednesday,…
The German economy in focus: is the age of prosperity nearing an end?
With inflation up, consumer sentiment down and business activity contracting in Germany, we ask if two decades of prosperity in the European powerhouse are at an end. In a special programme, Vivienne Nunis is joined by BBC correspondent Damien McGuiness in Berlin to discuss the core issues. We hear from…
Oil prices jump after Saudi Arabia and Russia extend output cuts
The cost of oil climbs above $90 a barrel for the first time in 2023. We look at the reasons and the consequences this can have in countries that are already struggling with high fuel prices like Pakistan. A new law has taken effect in New York City that restricts…
Qantas CEO steps down: what next for Australia's largest airline?
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce is stepping down two months earlier than planned, as the airline faces growing controversies. In the past two years Qantas has faced a slew of criticism for expensive airfares, mass delays and cancellations, and its treatment of workers. Labor Senator Tony Sheldon gives his reaction to…