Business Daily

With less than a month to go until the US mid-term elections, voters are preparing to head to the polls with the economy high on the agenda. From the cost of living, interest rates and tariffs, how much will economic concerns shape the result? Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain look at whether the economy could prove to be the defining issue of these mid-terms.

We meet Janice Bryant Howroyd, founder of ActOne Group. She arrived in Los Angeles with just $900 borrowed from her mother and went on to build a multi-billion-dollar business, becoming the first Black woman to own and run a billion-dollar company. But Janice says the foundations of her success were laid much earlier, growing up as one of 11 children in the segregated American South. So, how did those early experiences shape the entrepreneur she would become? Presented by Leanna Byrne Produced by Bisi Adebayo and Barbara George (Picture: Janice Bryant Howroyd)

The El Nino in 2023 had a detrimental impact on the cocoa harvest in West Africa, prices quadrupled and businesses reacted. Chocolate prices skyrocketed around the world, chocolate makers were reducing their cocoa content and in some cases making their products smaller. Since then cocoa prices have come back down, but the cost of chocolate products hasn't followed, Hannah Mullane takes a look at why. Now, the 2026 El Nino threatens to repeat history, cocoa prices have already started rising again as bad weather is expected to impact the next harvest. Farmers, wholesalers, and chocolate makers explain how the volatile market is impacting them. (Photo: A large machine mixing molten chocolate. Credit: Olivia Richwald) Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Gideon Long

With the cost of government debt reaching its highest for several decades, we're giving you another chance to hear our exploration of how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world. We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Rob Young Producer: Gideon Long [This episode was first broadcast on 12 Jan 2026] (Photo: A bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water board to finance improvements to a local dike system. The bond, written on vellum, is held at Yale University Beinecke Library and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world that still pays interest. Credit: Yale University)

Protests in Spain about 87-year-old Mariacarmen Abascal's eviction from social housing reignited the housing affordability debate globally, as inflation ticks up and career prospects for the young have been impacted by the rise in AI. We head to Nigeria, India and the UK to take stock on the issue. Elsewhere, what can sliding sales at the world's largest automaker tell us about how drivers feel about big purchases? We get the view from Jennifer Pak China and Professor Justin Wolfers in the US, where former MAGA fans are up in arms about the rising cost of diesel amid the war in Iran. (Photo: Demonstrators protest demanding political action to stop evictions and address the housing crisis, following the eviction of an 87-year-old woman from her home, in Madrid, Spain, 30 September, 2026. Credit: Violeta Santos Moura/Reuters) Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Josh Martin

The AI race is speeding up: and so are the warnings about where it could lead. After President Trump met AI leaders to discuss how to make the technology safer without slowing America's progress, Michelle, Will and Rahul ask: can the AI industry really regulate itself? Producer: Rebecca Smyllie You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the White House driveway following a luncheon for tech leaders in the East Room, in Washington, D.C., US, September 29, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque)

Who studies law but then forgets to apply for any graduate jobs because they've started blogging about web design and JavaScript? Cameron Adams, the billionaire co-founder of design app Canva. He did eventually land a coveted job at Google (thanks to that blogging), but failure on its Google Wave project ’ led to an introduction to Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, whose vision for making design accessible to everyone became Canva. In this interview, Cameron Adams reflects on the twists, setbacks and connections that shaped his entrepreneurial journey, and why he doesn't fear AI in the design process. Presented by Leanna Byrne. Produced by Victoriya Holland and Huma Shah.

A litre of beer at Munich’s Oktoberfest costs nearly €16; almost four times what a litre cost in 1991 after adjusting for inflation. We follow the money behind the famous Maß, from the Munich brewery that supplies it, through the tent and the servers who sell it, to the City of Munich that runs the festival. Who gets the biggest share, who carries the financial risk, and how much does Oktoberfest really make for the city? Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann (Picture: Visitors pose for a photograph in traditional Bavarian clothing during the world’s largest beer festival Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, September 26, 2026. Credit: Reuters)

We're heading west along America's famed Route 66. As the road celebrates its 100th birthday, Victoria Craig finds out whether the pull of neon-drenched nostalgia is still attracting visitors and whether new investment can secure the future of the towns that depend on it. Presenter/producer: Victoria Craig You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Photo: A sign celebrating 100 years of Route 66: Credit: Victoria Craig)

In 1997, after years working abroad, Pramod Bhasin returned to India and spotted an opportunity that would help transform his country's economy. Despite major telecommunications challenges, he went on to set up India's first call centre, laying the foundations for a new outsourcing industry. In 2019, he told Rebecca Kesby how he overcame unreliable phone lines, scepticism and technical hurdles to turn an ambitious idea into reality. Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories. When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015 to the behind-closed-doors talks that…

What is next for trade, tariffs and AI after Presidents Trump and Xi met at the White House? We examine what was agreed, whether tensions between the world's two biggest economies are easing, and what it could mean for technology, business and global trade. Vishala Sri-Pathma is joined by Henry Wang from the Center for China and Globalization and the AI researcher and author Stephanie Hare. You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Josh Martin (Picture: US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping before a state dinner at the White House in Washington, D.C., US, September 24, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein TPX)

The presidents of the world's two biggest economies are meeting in Washington. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping meet at the White House amid tensions over Iran, Taiwan, artificial intelligence and international trade. Our North American business correspondent Samira Hussain and senior China correspondent Laura Bicker assess what both sides want from the visit and how the relationship between the two leaders could shape the outcome. Presenter: Vishala Sri-Pathma Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: U.S. President Donald Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing, May 2026. Credit: Kenny Holston/Pool via REUTERS)

Jacob Rothman moved from California to China and helped build a manufacturing business supplying some of the world's biggest retailers. We meet the co-founder of Velong Enterprises to hear how he built the company across Asia and how an unlikely career path took him to the heart of global manufacturing. He also reflects on entrepreneurship, manufacturing in China and how global trade is changing. Producer: Bisi Adebayo You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Jacob Rothman)

Most toys sold in America are made in China. But cheap labour is no longer the main reason manufacturers stay there. As the US toy industry presses for tariffs on toys to be removed, we follow the journey of a $30 toy from a factory in Guangdong, through shipping and the US border, to the shelves of American retailers. Along the way, we find out how much the factory gets, what shipping costs add to the price, how much of the final price stays in America, and the impact of President Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports. Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann (Picture: Employees of Shaoguan Guanghua Plastic and Hardware Products Co Ltd work to assemble toy parts in the factory in Shaoguan, Guangdong province, China, 9 May, 2025. Credit: Go Nakamura/Reuters)

With Presidents Xi and Trump expected to meet in the United States this week, Will Bain looks back on the history of trade between the two great nations. It's always been fraught with controversy but there's also been a need or desire to get along. President Nixon was the first to visit China in 1972 and spoke with passion about the possibilities for the future between them. Trade then grew quickly but it became very one sided as China developed as an industrial nation. There have been several attempts to curb its dominance but cheaper production also meant cheaper goods for consumers. Chad Bown, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute joins Will to assess how they have attempted to strike the right balance Thanks to the Presidential Libraries of President Nixon and President Reagan for archive material. (Photo: A staff member wearing a face mask walks past US and Chinese flags set up before a meeting between US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng at the Diaoyutai State…

AI: Existential threat or billion-dollar opportunity? The increasingly loud and often stark warnings from inside the tech industry - about the dangers AI might already be posing. Plus we dig into the interest rate rises facing US and European consumers. And ask whether an ABBA singalong of Mamma Mia was enough to swing the Swedish election. Taking Stock looks back at the week in business, economic and geopolitical news with a panel that stretches across timezones. This week Rema Rahman the White House and Politics Editor from Bloomberg Government joins us from Washington DC and Katrine Kielos, author and columnist for Swedish financial broadcaster EFN, is with us in London. Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin

Xbox is 25 years old and faces some of its biggest challenges yet. As cloud gaming grows and the AI boom reshapes the technology industry, even Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has acknowledged that the business "hasn't been healthy" in recent years. So does Xbox have a future? Will Bain speaks to former Xbox executive Peter Moore and BBC technology reporter Laura Cress about whether Microsoft's gaming brand can reinvent itself. Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Visitors play Stalker 2 in front of monitors at the Microsoft Xbox boot during the Gamescom gaming convention in Cologne, Germany, 23 August 2023. Credit: FRIEDEMANN VOGEL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Artificial intelligence is developing faster than many experts predicted, bringing extraordinary opportunities as well as growing concerns. Some of the industry's leading figures are even calling for the pace of development to slow while governments and technology companies grapple with how best to manage the risks. So can humanity remain in control of AI, and how should we govern a technology that is advancing so rapidly? Presenter/producer: Ed Butler You can email us: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A Jio humanoid robot named Elixis at the AI Impact Summit, in New Delhi, India, February 17, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra)

The Ebola outbreak in the DRC has claimed more than 3,400 lives and infected thousands more. Despite the scale of the outbreak, there is still no approved vaccine for the latest strain. Leanna Byrne examines what it takes and who pays to develop a vaccine. We look at what is slowing vaccine development and whether the limited commercial market for Ebola vaccines means governments, charities and international donors must step in to fund research. (Photo: Sanitation measures underway at Bunia market to contain Ebola outbreak, Democratic Republic of the Congo, 23 May, 2026. Credit: EPA) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer: Matt Lines (Correction, 16 September 2026: In this episode, first published on 15 September 2026, we incorrectly stated the size of Gavi's First Response Financing Fund. The correct figure is $500 million. We apologise for the error, which has been corrected.)

Economic unease is growing among Russian workers as fuel shortages and Ukrainian drone strikes disrupt key sectors of the economy. Ed Butler examines the pressures facing businesses, workers and consumers, from damaged refineries to attacks on Wildberries warehouses. As concerns grow over prices, jobs and supply chains, what do these disruptions reveal about the resilience of Russia's wartime economy? Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Victoriya Holland (Picture: A queue at a petrol station due to fuel shortage following a spate of Ukrainian attacks on oil refineries, amid the Russia-Ukraine conflict, in the Russian Black Sea resort of Anapa, Russia, July 8, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Sergey Pivovarov)

Across Asia, a growing number of young people are becoming hikikomori, a term used to describe individuals experiencing severe social withdrawal. They shut themselves away at home, retreating from work, school and even family life for months, sometimes years.Some countries, including South Korea, are trying an unexpected approach: government-backed AI chatbots designed to help socially isolated young people reconnect with society. But can artificial companions help tackle loneliness, or could they deepen it? This bonus episode comes from Asia Specific, another BBC World Service podcast hosted by Mariko Oi. It discusses issues including social isolation and mental wellbeing. Listeners who identify with these experiences are encouraged to seek local support.

Mark Carney and Donald Trump go tit-for-tat as the list of goods subject to tariffs between the US and Canada continues to grow. But will higher import taxes on products crossing the border make cost-of-living pressures even worse for Canadians and Americans? Takara Small in Toronto and Andy Uhler in Austin join Will Bain to discuss the highlights and lowlights of the week's business news, including the much-hyped launch of Apple's first foldable smartphone and the return, at least in cinemas, of convicted fraudster Elizabeth Holmes. Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Josh Martin (Photo: US President Donald Trump speaks with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at a working lunch with leaders of G7 and the Middle East, in Evian-les-Bains, France, 16 June, 2026. Credit: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

This week on Power Players, Will Bain is joined by BBC Business Editor Simon Jack to explore the future of energy giant BP. The past six years have seen significant boardroom churn, while the company has sent mixed messages to investors after scaling back plans to become a greener energy business. We examine whether the company's new leaders can restore confidence and set a clearer strategy. Producer: Rebecca Smyllie You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A British Petroleum gas station with the BP oil refinery in background in Whiting, Indiana, U.S., July 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Nicole Jao)

Many entrepreneurs would be happy to sell one great idea to a larger business, cash out and put their feet up. Not Marcia Kilgore. The Canadian swapped small-town Saskatchewan for the wealthy clients of Manhattan, New York and sold her first venture, Bliss Spa to luxury giant LVMH. She then went on to found another three multimiilion-dollar enterprises. What did she learn along the way, how does she back herself when imposter syndrome strikes and what is next on her list. (Photo: Marcia Kilgore stands in a London street, wearing blue jeans and a pink shrt, she has cropped short hair and is smiling. Credit: Marcia Kilgore) Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Victoriya Holland

The number of students going to university globally has more than doubled in the last 20 years. 269 million students around the world are enrolled in higher education, if those students were a country, it would be the 5th most populous in the world. At the same time youth unemployment is growing and there’s a slowing of that graduate premium - the extra money you'll earn because of your degree - so is it still worth it? Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Matt Lines (Photo: Graduates from abroad fling their graduation caps into the air during a graduation send-off party following the second commencement ceremony of the 2025 academic year at Seokdang Museum of Dong-a University in the southeastern port city of Busan, South Korea, 20 August 2026.Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

There's a general fear that artificial intelligence could make huge swathes of workers redundant, but are those fears unjustified? Rob Young asks what history can tell us about big technological leaps and how they changed the world of work at the time. And how much of the rate of change comes down to customer preference - would you rather deal with a bot or a person? Presented and produced by Rob Young. (Photo: A square computer chip, with its circuitry illuminated in pink and white light and has the text Powered by AI on it as a logo is seen during the opening day of the IFA trade fair in Berlin, Germany, 4 September 2026. Credit:EPA/Shutterstock)

There has been a lot of talk about rising bond yields, from Japan to the UK and the US, and alongside this government debt is growing all around the world. That all plays into a feeling that many people have that life is about to get more expensive and that in many places interest rates are set to rise. Rahul Tandon is joined by David Kuo, co-founder of The Smart Investor in Singapore and German business journalist Ellen Frauenknecht. (Photo: Passersby stand before a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 2 September, 2026. Tokyo stocks plunged as Japanese government bond yields rose to its highest level in 30 years and escalating attacks between the United States and Iran. Credit: Franck Robichon/EPA/Shutterstock) Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Matt Lines

We dig into the finances behind "the beautiful game" after English football's Premier League just spent £3.57bn ($4.7bn) billion on new players. What is behind football's richest competition and is its success sustainable? (Photo: Stamford Bridge, London, England, 30 August, 2026. Chelsea's Cole Palmer celebrates scoring their fourth goal with Morgan Rogers. Credit: David Klein/Reuters) Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

Allison Ellsworth, founder of ​Poppi soft drinks, started the beverage business as a kitchen experiment, with a Soda Stream and apple cider vinegar. She speaks to Leanna Byrne about pitching for funding on TV programme Shark Tank while nine months pregnant, relaunching during Covid lockdowns and becoming the number one soda on Amazon in the US and her $1.95 billion exit with PepsiCo. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott and Victoriya Holland You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Photo credit: Allison Ellsworth)

Think of an electric vehicle, and you'll probably imagine a Tesla. But China is the world's biggest EV exporter, despite being largely shut out of the US market. How has the country seemingly come from nowhere to dominate the world of electric mobility and how can its Evs be made so cheap? Presenter: Felicity Hannah Producer: Josh Martin (Photo: A man looks inside the Changan Deepal S05 REEV during a press conference for the unveiling of the Chinese model at the WesBank Festival of Motoring in Johannesburg, South Africa, August 27, 2026. Picture taken with a mobile phone. REUTERS/Nqobile Dludla)

Emily Wither reports from Istanbul finding out why that 'Made in Turkey' label in so much of our clothing could disappear as the industry faces competition from countries like Egypt, Turkey battles huge inflation and hundreds of factories go bankrupt leaving tens of thousands out of work. (Photo: A worker in a Turkish garment factory in Istanbul works at a table. Credit: Emily Wither)

This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by journalist Nga Pham in Hanoi, Vietnam, and economist Justin Wolfers in Michigan, USA, to unpack Nvidia’s soaring quarterly results and what they signal about the global race in artificial intelligence. They also discuss Meta’s settlement agreement and the wider regulatory pressures facing tech giants, as well as fresh sanctions imposed on Iran by the United States. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: Rebecca Smyllie (Photo credit: Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks during a doorstep after attending the AI Ecosystem Reception in Tokyo, Japan, July 16, 2026. REUTERS/Manami Yamada/File Photo)

For years, China’s property boom helped drive the country’s extraordinary economic growth. At the centre of it was Evergrande, which grew from a regional developer into a sprawling corporate empire, and one of the world’s most indebted companies. Then the debts caught up with it. Evergrande’s collapse exposed the vulnerabilities of China’s property model, helping push the wider housing market into crisis and weighing on the country’s economy. Now its founder, Hui Ka-yan, has been sentenced to life in prison for crimes including bribery and illegal use of funds. Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Jennifer Pak in Beijing to explore how Evergrande became so big, what went wrong, how its collapse exposed the problems in China’s property model, and what it means for the wider global economy. (Photo: China Evergrande Group then-Chairman, Hui Ka Yan, attends a news conference on the property developer's annual results in Hong Kong, China 28 March, 2017. He has short black hair with a side parting and wears a…

Sophia Amoruso, founded clothing company Nasty Gal after a successful stint of eBay upselling. It grew into a company worth hundreds of millions and allowed its founder to claim the title of original "girl boss" but eventually filed for bankruptcy. In the space of a few years, she had swapped shoplifting items to sell on Amazon and eBay for clinking champagne flutes in the South of France, schmoozing investors and having her book turned into a Netflix series and dealing with unhappy employees. Did swift success stifle what Nasty Gal could have become? Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott, Barbara George, Aleeza Siddiq and Victoriya Holland (Photo credit: Sophie Amoruso) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Europe's drought has reduced water levels on the Danube, causing headaches and lost income for companies generating electricity from hydro, coal-fired and nuclear power plants. We travel down the river, stopping off in Austria, Hungary, Serbia and Romania to look at how each country is dealing with the challenges and what ordinary people are doing to help. (Photo: People check the Danube River as it flows at a record-low water level in downtown Budapest, Hungary, 28 July 2026. Credit: Zoltan Balogh/EPA/Shutterstock) Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Gideon Long

Europe is taking an increasingly tough line on trade with China, accusing Beijing of subsidising exports and flooding European markets with cheap goods. Businesses and governments warn that Chinese competition is putting European industries and jobs at risk, while China's growing dominance of supply chains is adding to concerns in Brussels. Ed Butler asks whether these accusations are fair, what Europe can do about them, and whether the two sides are heading for a new trade war. Producer/presenter: Ed Butler You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Photo: A staff member prepares for the arrival of Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and EU Executive Vice-President for Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, Teresa Ribera during China-EU Sixth High-Level Environment and Climate Dialogue, Beijing, 14 July 2025, Credit: Reuters)

The proposed sale of the LA Lakers has reignited debate about the soaring value of sports teams. Here's another chance to hear our episode exploring what drives the value of a basketball franchise. Presenter/producer: Guy Kilty Editor: Helen Thomas Episode first published on 27 November 2025 You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Image: Los Angeles Lakers star player LeBron James drives to the basket during the game against the Utah Jazz during the game on 23 November 2025. Credit: Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

What does the future hold for social media? Will Bain is joined by Takara Small in Toronto and Han Lin in Shanghai to discuss growing legal challenges facing Meta over how its platforms target and affect young users, and what the latest case could mean for the company and the wider industry. They also look at the extraordinary stock market debut of Chinese robotics company Unitree, whose shares jumped by 500%, and ask what could happen next as the US considers new tariffs on Canada. You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Will Bain Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

AI is driving a data-centre boom. The vast, energy-hungry facilities that power everything from ChatGPT to cloud computing are multiplying rapidly as governments and technology companies race to build them. But their growing demand for land, electricity and water is fuelling opposition in communities around the world. Rahul Tandon and Will Bain explore why demand for data centres is soaring, who's building them, and what happens when the demands of the AI economy collide with local communities. Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann (Picture: A sign that says ‘No Goodman Data Centre’ is displayed outside a home in the suburb of Lane Cove, in Sydney, Australia, August 14, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

Harry Sanders is the founder of StudioHawk, an SEO agency that helps businesses around the world get found online. He talks about going from sleeping under a bridge at 17 to building a company that works with major brands including Fujifilm and New Balance and discusses how AI is reshaping his industry and the future of search. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Harry Sanders)

Whether you're heading off on holiday or travelling for work, flying could cost significantly more than it did a year ago. And it's not just the ticket price. From baggage fees to seat selection and priority boarding, the extras can quickly add up. Hannah Mullane explores the economics of aviation with the CEO of Berlin Brandenburg Airport, asking what's driving the rise in air travel costs and whether ultra low-cost flying is becoming a thing of the past. Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producer: Josh Martin You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Travellers check on a departure board at Heathrow Airport in London on March 2, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Isabel Infantes)

As economic uncertainty continues, many workers are becoming more cautious about taking the next step in their careers. Vishala Sri-Pathma examines who's staying put and why. Presenter/producer: Vishala Sri-Pathma You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A bored office worker. Credit: Getty)

How is climate change reshaping the global economy? Rahul Tandon is joined by Carsten Brzeski in Germany and Jyoti Malhotra in India to discuss the growing economic impact of heatwaves, including the threat to trade as water levels on Germany's River Rhine fall. They also examine how China is becoming less reliant on European industry, and the latest leadership tensions at India's Tata Group. Plus, the story behind eclipse sunglasses becoming an unlikely sell-out success. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producer: David Cann You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A view of low water levels at Rheinau Harbour near the Rhine River in Cologne, Germany, 13 August 2026. Credit: EPA)

Diageo, the company that owns Guinness, Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker and more than 200 drinks brands worldwide, has announced a major reset after a tough couple of years in which its profits have fallen and its share price has struggled. British businessman Sir Dave Lewis has been brought in to steer a turnaround, including a $1bn savings plan over the next three years. Known as "Drastic Dave" for cost-cutting at other companies, can he revive growth as more consumers drink less alcohol or switch from global brands to local ones? Presenters: Will Bain and Rahul Tandon Producer: Gideon Long (Picture: People drink Guinness at The Devonshire pub in Soho, London. Credit: REUTERS/Hollie Adams)

Mike Repole is the entrepreneur behind drinks brands including Vitaminwater and BodyArmor. He tells Hannah Mullane how he went from stocking supermarket shelves in Queens, New York, to building billion-dollar businesses with investors including Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady. Presenter: Hannah Mullane Producers: Niamh McDermott and Amber Mehmood You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: Mike Repole)

John Laurenson reports from La Défense in Paris on how Europe's biggest business district is turning vacant office space into housing. As hybrid working leaves more offices underused, cities are rethinking the future of these buildings. We compare developments in Paris with efforts in London and Washington DC and ask whether converting offices into homes could help tackle housing shortages and revive struggling business districts. Presenter/producer: John Laurenson You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: People walking in La Défense business district in Paris. Credit: John Laurenson)

Denmark is preparing to scrap its royal warrant system, ending a centuries-old royal seal of approval used by businesses to market everything from beer to cars. Similar warrants are used by monarchies around the world and awarded to everyone from brewers and carmakers to pest controllers. What do the Danish companies affected think, and could other royal households follow Denmark's lead? (Photo: Packets of sweets with a Danish Royal Warrant in a Copenhagen shop. Credit: Daniel Rosney) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Producer/presenter: Daniel Rosney

What is driving the global shift towards economic protectionism? Will Bain is joined by Jennifer Pak, NPR's China correspondent, and Trevor Simumba, an international business consultant in Zambia, to discuss why the trend has accelerated since Donald Trump's tariffs and why global trade remains resilient despite growing barriers. Plus, why Africa's Lobito Corridor matters for trade, what AI means for jobs in China and beyond, and why drinks giant Diageo is cutting costs. And, two food heroes: China's baozi and Uganda's matoke. (Photo: A ship docks at Lobito Port in Angola, 4 December, 2024. Credit: Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters) You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann

In a highly unusual move, the US has stepped in to back Japan's currency, the yen. Donald Trump calls it a "signal of friendship" but what is Washington hoping to achieve? And what does the move reveal about Japan's economy, after years of deflation and ultra-low interest rates? Rahul Tandon and Will Bain assess the intervention with the help of the BBC's "yen geek" Mariko Oi. Presenters: Rahul Tandon, Will Bain and Mariko Oi Producer: Gideon Long You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture: A woman walks past a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 03 August 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock)

Ola Sars has spent two decades helping shape the way music is discovered, streamed and licensed. He co-founded Beats Music, the streaming service that helped lay the groundwork for Apple Music, before launching Soundtrack, a company that provides licensed music to restaurants, cafés and other hospitality businesses. After moving to the US as a child and learning English from scratch, how did he become a music-tech entrepreneur? And was selling his stake in Beats before Apple acquired the company the right decision? (Photo: Ola Sars, seen from the shoulders up, wears a black jumper and has short shaved brown hair going grey at the sides, blue eyes and stubble growth. He looks at the camera with a neutral expression. Credit: Rickard Croy) Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Niamh McDermott You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk