Business Daily podcast

Business Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

 

#1804

Guatemala's circular migration

We’re in the Central American country of Guatemala to hear how temporary work permits to the United States are changing some Guatemalan’s lives. We find out how this circular migration is benefiting both businesses in the US, and the economy back home in Guatemala. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Jane Chambers (Picture: Sandra Noemi Bucu Saz in her plot of land that she rents with her family in Guatemala. Credit: Jane Chambers/BBC) ... Read more

Yesterday

17 MINS

17:43

Yesterday


#1803

Business Daily meets: Pascal Lamy

The French businessman was Director-General of the WTO from 2005–2013, and European commissioner for trade for five years from 1999 – 2004. Ed Butler speaks to Pascal Lamy about the trading relationships between the US and China, and the US and the EU, what a second Trump presidency might mean for world trade. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Amber Mehmood (Picture: Pascal Lamy, photo taken in Paris, November 2022. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

17 Jan 2025

18 MINS

18:54

17 Jan 2025


#1802

What next for US-Africa relations under a second Trump administration?

We look at what a second Donald Trump presidency could mean for Africa, hearing from economists and business owners. We explore some of the existing trade pacts between the US and Africa, and consider the significance of remittances - the money sent back home by African migrants living overseas. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Michael Kaloki (Picture: Then President Donald Trump walks with the former Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on the White House colonnade as they make their way to the Oval Office, on February 6, 2020 in Washington, DC. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

16 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:28

16 Jan 2025


#1801

What could tariffs mean for Canada?

Donald Trump has said he will impose new tariffs on goods entering the US from Canada on his first day in office. Tariffs are a central part of the President-elect's economic vision - he sees them as a way of growing the US economy, protecting jobs and raising tax revenue. But some warn they could inflate consumer prices. We look at how Canada is preparing, hearing from those in key sectors like farming and car manufacturing, and explore how the resignation of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau could affect things. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton (Picture: Ben Loewith, a third-generation dairy farmer, who runs summit dairy in Hamilton, Ontario, pictured in the dairy. Credit: Sam Gruet/Megan Lawton/BBC) ... Read more

15 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:28

15 Jan 2025


#1800

What could Donald Trump's return mean for Latin America?

Even before taking office, President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose huge trade tariffs on Mexico, deport millions of undocumented Latino migrants out of the United States and crack down on the flow of drugs like fentanyl from Latin America into the US. And he's threatened to take control of the Panama Canal and re-name the Gulf of Mexico as the “Gulf of America”. He has criticised the BRICS group of developing nations – which includes Brazil – for floating the idea of a new currency to challenge the dominance of the US dollar in international trade. And he has praised Argentina’s maverick right-wing president Javier Milei for cutting state expenditure. So what will Trump’s second presidency mean for Latin America – a region that used to be known as “America’s back yard”? If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presented and produced by Gideon Long Additional reporting by Vianey Alderete in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico (Picture: The border wall on the US-Mexico border, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico October 23, 2024. Credit: Reuters) ... Read more

14 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:29

14 Jan 2025


#1799

How did global trade start?

As US president-elect Donald Trump prepares to re-enter the White House, global trade has become a contentious issue. Mr Trump has threatened to impose tariffs – that is taxes at the border – on all goods imported from a host of nations, including neighbours Canada and Mexico as well as economic rival China. That risks igniting another trade war, with companies and consumers around the world affected. Has global commerce always been so contentious? Rob Young looks at some of the key developments in international trade throughout history to work out how we got to the system and practices we have today. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Hands of woman showing seeds in a souk. Seeds are believed to be one of the earliest items to be traded in the world. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

13 Jan 2025

23 MINS

23:08

13 Jan 2025


#1798

Business Daily meets: Jimmy Choo

Sam Fenwick meets the renowned fashion designer and shoemaker, Jimmy Choo. From learning the craft under his father's guidance in Malaysia, we hear about his journey building a fashion empire in London, starting from the basement of a run-down hospital. Today, Jimmy Choo, who now designs for fashion house The Atelier, wants to share his knowledge with a new generation. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: Amber Mehmood (Picture: Jimmy Choo at an event run by his fashion college, the London Fashion Academy. Credit: BBC) ... Read more

10 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:29

10 Jan 2025


#1797

Peru's new Chinese funded 'megaport'

In our second programme looking at the future of the world's ports, we head to the South American country at the centre of a global tug-of-war between China and the US. One key infrastructure project, in the small Peruvian fishing town of Chancay, is caught in the middle. We speak to businesses and locals about what's happening. Produced by Natalie Jiminez Presented by Ritika Gupta (Image: Aerial view of the Chancay "megaport" in the small town of Chancay, 78km north of the Peruvian capital Lima, in October 2024.Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

09 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:29

09 Jan 2025


#1796

How does port automation work?

In October 2024, dockworkers in the US went on strike for three days. Members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) walked out at 14 major ports along the east and Gulf coasts, halting container traffic from Maine to Texas. A tentative agreement was made over wages, and they've just returned to the bargaining table to negotiate "all other outstanding issues". This includes plans to introduce automation to the ports. In the first of two programmes looking at the future of ports, we head to the Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where the port has been using automation since the 1990s - and to Cape Town in South Africa which is looking for solutions to its efficiency issues. Presented and produced by Matthew Kenyon, with additional reporting from Mohammed Allie. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Shipping containers are transported by automated guided vehicles (AGV) beside gantry cranes on the dockside at the Delta Terminal at the Port of Rotterdam in Rotterdam, Netherlands. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

08 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:27

08 Jan 2025


#1795

The cost of Valencia’s floods

At the end of October 2024, deadly flash floods and torrential rain hit the Valencia region of Spain. More than 220 people were killed. As well as claiming lives, the disaster also devastated livelihoods. Valencia's chamber of commerce estimates that 48,000 companies have been affected. Ashish Sharma visited the region shortly after the flooding, to speak to businesses and workers affected. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Produced and presented by Ashish Sharma (Image: Residents clean up a mud-and-debris-covered street after flooding hit large parts of the country on October 31, 2024 in the Paiporta municipality of Valencia, Spain. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

07 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:43

07 Jan 2025


#1794

What’s next for the global economy in 2025?

How will countries handle challenges like rising debt, inflation, and political tensions? And what new opportunities might arise as the world adapts? The BBC’s Economics Editor, Faisal Islam, and our Chief Economics Correspondent, Dharshini David, join Ed Butler to discuss the year ahead. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Izzy Greenfield (Picture: Numbers 2-0-2-5 printed on blocks of wood, each sitting on top of a stack of coins. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

06 Jan 2025

17 MINS

17:28

06 Jan 2025


#1793

Business Daily meets: Dean Forbes

We meet the CEO of software firm, Forterro. Dean Forbes twice became homeless as a teenager, then got dropped from a career as a professional footballer. He points to that failure as a key moment in his eventual success, because it made him more determined. Now the business executive has topped a list celebrating influential black Britons. (Picture: Dean Forbes. Credit: Getty Images) Presented by Theo Leggett Produced by Theo Leggett and Sam Clack ... Read more

20 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:28

20 Dec 2024


#1792

Putting a financial crash on stage

We explore the ongoing fascination of the Lehman Brothers story. A play - The Lehman Trilogy - is currently being shown in London to five-star reviews. It documents the rise and fall of the financial services firm, which filed for bankruptcy in 2008 - the largest insolvency in history, and considered a defining moment in the global financial crisis. The play has been seen by half a million theatregoers globally - and now Business Daily has been to watch it too. We speak to the cast, adapting playwright, and the audience about the story's appeal. Produced and presented by Elizabeth Hotson (Image: Howard W. Overshown performs the role of Emanuel Lehman during a media preview of The Lehman Trilogy at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, in February 2024) ... Read more

19 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:31

19 Dec 2024


#1791

Lapland: The world’s biggest Christmas economy?

How has Lapland, the northernmost region of Finland, become a global hub for the Christmas economy? Known as the official home of Father Christmas, Lapland attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors every year - generating significant revenue. We head to the most popular Christmas spot, Rovaneimi, to hear how a resort there benefits from this tourism. And the head of the tourist board, Sanna Kärkkäinen, tells us how records are about to be broken. Presented and produced by Izzy Greenfield Reporter: Erika Benke (Picture: Lapland at night, showing illuminated buildings. Credit: BBC/Erika Benke) ... Read more

18 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:29

18 Dec 2024


#1790

Why are kids asking for anti-ageing skincare?

Skincare used to appeal to an older demographic, often with the aim of slowing down visible signs of ageing. But as trends in skincare have evolved, with ever more products on the market, the audience has grown too. Children as young as eight are now saving up their pocket money to buy different creams, serums and moisturizers. But some of these products contain active ingredients, not designed for their young skin - and this can lead to problems. Dermatologists have told the BBC they're seeing children with dermatitis and other skin conditions who have used certain products. Today, we take a look at why young people are becoming obsessed with skincare, and what could be done to protect these young consumers from buying unsuitable products. (Picture: 11 year-old Tilly, from the UK, sitting at her vanity desk. Credit: BBC) Presented and produced by Hannah Mullane ... Read more

17 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:28

17 Dec 2024


#1789

Crisis at Northvolt

We’re in snowy Skellefteå in northern Sweden, where hundreds of people are looking for work after losing their jobs at Europe’s largest electric battery factory. Will the crisis at green tech company Northvolt impact future investments in the region — and damage Sweden’s reputation? Produced and presented by Maddy Savage (Image: Northvolt workers at the factory. Credit: Northvolt) ... Read more

16 Dec 2024

18 MINS

18:49

16 Dec 2024


#1788

Business Daily meets: Fintech founder Upasana Taku

Upasana Taku is the co-founder of an app that changed the way millions of Indians use digital technology to make payments. Mobikwik now has more than a 150 million registered users. When Upasana set up the business in 2009 with her co-founder Bipin Preet Singh, India was still a cash-dependant society, but having worked for big tech companies in the US, Upasana knew there was a gap in the market. Devina Gupta asks her about her decision to leave a high-powered job in the US to move back to India to start a fintech company, and how she convinced both investors and her family that it was a smart business move. Presenter/producer: Devina Gupta (Photo: Upasana Taku. Credit: Mobikwik) ... Read more

13 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:28

13 Dec 2024


#1787

Has graphene lived up to the hype?

It was hailed as a wonder material that would transform industry – and all our lives. But 20 years on, companies are still racing to commercialise it. We speak to the people working with graphene and find out what sort of products their developing. Produced and presented by James Graham (Image: Graphene slurry, containing graphene and polymer binders, sits in a beaker inside a laboratory at the National Graphene Institute facility, part of the The University of Manchester. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

12 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:28

12 Dec 2024


#1786

Keeping the lights on in South Africa

In July, South Africa unveiled a new coalition government, after the ruling African National Congress (ANC) party lost its majority in May's elections. The coalition was welcomed by the business community who said it would ensure economic stability. So what's happened since? And will any optimism last? We hear about a reduction in power cuts - also known as loadshedding - and positivity on the stock market, as well as young people who are looking forward to the future. Produced and presented by Rob Young (Image: A worker connects a diesel generator to supply power to a sports complex during loadshedding in Frankfort, South Africa, in June 2023) ... Read more

11 Dec 2024

20 MINS

20:32

11 Dec 2024


#1785

Making money from internet outrage

How do online platforms profit from our anger? In this episode, we explore the business of 'rage-baiting' – content designed to provoke outrage and drive engagement. We hear from creators who thrive on stirring emotions, critics warning of its societal impact, and academics explaining why anger is such a powerful tool online. From its role in content algorithms, to the dangers it poses offline, we uncover the economics behind the clicks. (Picture: A man dramatically gestures towards his laptop, conveying surprise. Credit: Getty Images) Presenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet ... Read more

10 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:28

10 Dec 2024


#1784

Is Donald Trump's comeback bad news for green energy?

Donald Trump's return to the White House has raised big questions about what he'll do to the US' growing green energy sector. On the campaign trail he promised to undo Joe Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, the biggest piece of climate legislation in US history. The IRA gives incentives and tax breaks for green industries and has created hundreds of thousands of jobs, many of those in Republican voting states. President-elect Trump also pledged to end offshore wind "on day one" and reverse emissions rules aimed at increasing the number of electric cars on America's roads. Will he keep those promises? And what of the influence of Elon Musk, the world's richest man, now in Donald Trump's inner circle? Is he worrying about what a Trump presidency might mean for his car company Tesla and will he be lobbying behind the scenes on behalf of electric vehicles? We hear what people in those sectors think will happen under Trump 2.0. Can the renewables industry survive or even grow over the next four years? Produced and presented by Lexy O'Connor (Image: President-elect Donald Trump and Elon Musk talk during a UFC event in New York. Credit Chris Unger / Getty Images) ... Read more

09 Dec 2024

19 MINS

19:43

09 Dec 2024


#1783

Business Daily meets: Uniqlo's Tadashi Yanai

The Japanese billionaire is the founder and president of Fast Retailing, parent company of Uniqlo. He's the richest man in Japan, and despite being in his 70's, has big plans to grow the company even further. We speak to Tadashi Yanai about fast fashion, Chinese manufacturing, and global expansion. And we find out how Japan's richest man spends his leisure time. Produced and presented by Mariko Oi (Image: Tadashi Yanai in 2017. Credit: Getty Images) ... Read more

06 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:29

06 Dec 2024


#1782

Could footballers go on strike?

Earlier this year, Manchester City midfielder Rodri issued a warning that players were "close" to taking strike action over their increased workload. Rodri played 63 competitive games for club and country last season. But a recent report found that a player welfare 'red line' was a maximum of between 50 and 60 matches per season, depending on a player's age. Some of the game's biggest names have joined Rodri in threatening to walk out, and the union that represents them is launching legal action against the sport's governing body, FIFA. But there's a lot of money invested in football, so what's the likelihood the sport might change to stop players feeling over-stretched? And is strike action likely or even possible? (Picture: Empty stadium with floodlights shining down on a football on the pitch. Credit: Getty Images) Presented and produced by Matt Lines ... Read more

05 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:28

05 Dec 2024


#1781

Sweden’s #softgirls trend

We find out why, in a country famous for championing gender equality, some women are choosing to become stay-at-home wives and girlfriends. The social media #softgirl trend is a small but growing minority, who say they do not want the stress of juggling family and work. They want a 'softer' life - with more balance and not having to focus on a career. It has triggered cultural and political debates across Sweden where feminism has been a part of mainstream politics since the 1950s. Producer/presenter: Maddy Savage (Image: Vilma Larsson) ... Read more

04 Dec 2024

17 MINS

17:43

04 Dec 2024