Business Daily

The US and Iran interim deal is aimed at reopening one of the world's most important shipping lanes. But even if an agreement is signed, how quickly can things return to normal? How soon can oil tankers and LNG shipments return to service? When might energy supplies begin to ease? And how long before drivers, businesses and households actually feel the benefit through lower prices? Markets may react within hours, but the real-world impact could take much longer.

This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show. It's hosted by Rahul Tandon in the UK and our North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York, in conversation with the BBC's Economics Editor Faisal Islam.

Producer: Niamh McDermott

(Photo: People drive past an anti-U.S. billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, 17 May, 2026. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA - West Asia News Agency)

Greek-born billionaire John Catsimatidis rose from working in a New York grocery store to build the Gristedes supermarket chain and a wider business empire after leaving university before graduating. Now head of the Red Apple Group, with interests spanning real estate, energy, aviation and media, he remains a prominent figure in US business and politics, regularly discussing business with President Trump, despite setbacks including a collapsed airline venture and an unsuccessful run for New York mayor.

Founders - the stories of the emotions from the highs and lows of starting a successful business

Presenter: Leanna Byrne

You can email the time: [email protected]

(Picture: John Catsimatidis attends the Economic Club of New York in New York City, U.S., May 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

When the US and Israel struck Iran in March 2026, Wall Street was opening as missiles were still flying. Within hours, a small number of investors and companies stood to make billions. The conflict has already cost an estimated $40 billion. Sam Fenwick follows the money; from defence contractors replacing weapons systems, to gas exporters benefiting from disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and to anonymous traders who appear to have bet on the strikes before the news broke.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick

You can email the team on [email protected]

(Picture: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner fires a missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, Mar. 1, 2026. Credit: U.S. Navy photo)

Off the coast of Sierra Leone, Sherbro Island has been earmarked for an ambitious transformation: a new centre for international business and investment, designed to rival cities like Singapore or Hong Kong. The BBC’s Ed Butler travels to the island to investigate the project and speaks to developer Siaka Stevens, who is leading the effort alongside supporters including film-star Idris Elba, about the vision and what it will take to deliver it. But how realistic is the ambition, and can it become more than a promise?

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

Each Monday on Business Daily, we take you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them.

You can email the team: [email protected]

Connecting the timezones we get different perspectives on the key global business stories of the week, setting you up for the weekend. Rahul Tandon discusses OpenAI’s plans to sell shares with Emily Peck from Axios and David Kuo from The Smart Investor. Plus, who are their business heroes and villains of the week?

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

You can email the team: [email protected]

(Picture: CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman waves as he speaks with reporters, following meetings on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. in June 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper)

It’s not just about rockets. This week, Michelle, Rahul and Will explore one of the most anticipated stock market debuts in history: the SpaceX IPO. With a potential $1.75 trillion valuation and intense global investor interest, it’s widely tipped as one of the biggest market launches ever. But can the company live up to the hype — or is this Elon Musk’s biggest gamble yet? Plus: what does SpaceX actually do, and why does it matter to investors?

This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show, hosted by Rahul Tandon and Will Bain in the UK, and North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York.

Producer: Rebecca Smyllie

You can email the team: [email protected]

(Picture: Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk reacts during an event in London, UK in 2023. Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

We meet Caecilia Chu, founder of one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fintech companies, YouTrip.Growing up in a small public housing flat in Hong Kong, she watched her father study at night for years to become an accountant, only to later struggle to secure a bank loan to start his own business. The experience left a lasting impression and sparked her interest in making financial services more accessible.

She tells Leanna Byrne how she went from a failed first startup and hundreds of investor rejections to building a company that now processes billions of dollars in payments each year. She also shares how the pandemic-era collapse in travel nearly wiped out the business overnight, forcing a dramatic pivot that ultimately helped YouTrip survive.

Founders with Leanna Byrne - The stories of the emotions from the highs and lows of starting a successful business

(Picture: Caecilia Chu)

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World Cup 2026 will span the United States, Canada and Mexico, with demand for tickets at record levels. Fifa stands to earn nearly $9 billion from the tournament, more than the entire Paris 2024 Olympics. So who pays, and where does the money actually go? Sam Fenwick follows the cash through the business of the World Cup: the rising price of tickets, Fifa’s own resale platform, the billions generated by broadcast rights and sponsors, and the host cities covering security and transport costs while receiving little direct revenue in return.

Featuring Mark DiDonato (Florida State University), ticketing consultant Jim McCarthy, Amir Somoggi (Sports Value), and Alan Rothenberg, who led the 1994 US World Cup and now sits on the Los Angeles host committee.

On Tuesdays, we Follow the Money with Sam Fenwick. Discover where the cash you're spending goes.

Presenter: Sam Fenwick

You can contact the team on [email protected]

(Photo: A Germany fan during training at the Fifa World Cup 2026 in North Carolina, USA. Credit: Chuck Burton/Reuters)

Each Monday, Ed Butler takes you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them. West Africa is currently the global epicentre for illegal fishing, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. An estimated 40% of the world's illegal industrial fishing occurs in its waters, costing the region up to 10 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, and severely depleting stocks essential for the food security and livelihoods of over 7 million people. Ed Butler has been hearing about the practice in Sierra Leone, trying to ascertain who is behind it, and finding out how much the government is doing to help.

Presenter/producer: Ed Butler

(Picture: Thomas Turay, Sierra Leone Artisinal Fishermens Union. Credit: BBC/Ed Butler)

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We hear how karate, being laughed out of a bank boardroom in a cash-obsessed country helped shape one of India’s most valuable fintech companies. Harshil Mathur shares how discipline, resilience and a leap of faith helped him build Razorpay into a $7.5 billion company at the heart of India’s digital payments revolution.

If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is [email protected]

Presenter: Rahul Tandon

(Picture: Harshil Mathur)