Business Matters

Business Matters episodes:

• 04.19.2024

  Ecuador faces severe energy crisis

  Businesses in the South American nation have been told to shut down for two days due to power cuts caused by drought. We find out more. The Scottish government is to scrap its flagship target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions...

  
• 04.18.2024

  Biden calls for tripling tariffs on China steel

  President Jo Biden is set to call for a tripling of US tariffs on steel and aluminium. His demand for tariff hikes comes as he tackles fraught relations with China. A Boeing engineer has told US lawmakers that he was...

  
• 04.17.2024

  Flash floods hit the Gulf State

  Flash floods have bought Dubai to a standstill. Devina Gupta speaks to a tourist from India who is one of thousands stuck at a mall The Mall of Emirates throughout the night after roads became gridlocked and the metro system...

  
• 04.16.2024

  Tesla announces global job cuts

  US electric car maker tesla has announced job cuts - is the ride getting rough for the global electric vehicle market? Also, should China face sanctions for buying oil from Iran? We speak to a Congressman from the US...

  
• 04.13.2024

  Iran and Israel tensions escalate

  On today’s programme we discuss the likelihood and nature of an Iranian attack on Israel. Also, find out why a hunger strike has begun on the island of Tenerife in response to the damaging effects of tourism on the Canary Islands. Plus,...

  
• 04.12.2024

  South China Sea threat discussed as Biden hosts Kishida and Marcos

  Joe Biden has pledged to protect the Philippines from any attack in the South China Sea. He made the comments at a White House summit with Philippine president Marcos and Japan's Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida. We look at...

  
• 04.11.2024

  Cost of living shock: US Inflation is up

  Consumer prices in the US rose faster than expected last month. The CPI measure of inflation rose 3.5% over the 12 months to March, up from 3.2% in February, the US Labor Department said. How will the new law restricting...

  
• 04.10.2024

  How is the surging price of commodities affecting the global economy?

  Commodities - the raw materials that power business around the globe - are surging in price. And that suggests investors betting on a prolonged expansion—and a potential rebound in inflation. The S&P; GSCI, which tracks commodity prices has advanced 12%...

  
• 04.09.2024

  Solar Eclipse lights up businesses in the US

  More than thirty million people live along the path of the solar eclipse; many others have travelled to share the experience. NASA conducted experiments to study the Sun's atmosphere during the phenomenon. A quarter of Airbnb guests in the US...

  
• 04.06.2024

  Impact of a rare earthquake being assessed across NYC and US East Coast

  A rare earthquake that struck New York City has swayed landmarks and cracked roads. Roger Hearing has been speaking to an NYC based stockbroker who describes the moment of impact plus we hear from the Co-Director of the Global Resilience...

  
• 04.05.2024

  Gucci's new $1.3bn dollar office

  We examine one the biggest property deals in Europe since 2022 as Gucci has splashed out on a new $1.3bn office in Milan. British businessman Joe Lewis is sentenced by a US judge to three years' probation for orchestrating an insider...

  
• 04.04.2024

  Taiwan chipmaker resumes production

  Staff at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company are back at work . Roger Hearing examines how the leading chipmaker has been affected by the earthquake from Bob O'Donnell, the President of California based TECHnalysis Research. Tesla expands its ambition into India....

  
• 04.03.2024

  Rebuilding Gaza estimated to cost $18.5 billion.

  A report led by the World Bank and UN estimates costs to rebuild Gaza’s critical infrastructure to be $18.5 billion dollars. We look at how this will be funded and find out why a charity has suspended shipments of humanitarian...

  
• 04.02.2024

  What could minimum wage rises mean for workers?

  A number of countries around the world, including the US, UK and Canada, are making changes to their minimum wage. We examine the impact these increases could have. Plus, why the manufacturing sector in the US expanded for the first...

  
• 03.29.2024

  Sam Bankman-Fried 'Crypto King' sentenced to 25 years in prison

  The co-founder of FTX has been jailed for "one of the biggest financial frauds" in US history. Also, we find out why the Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi has launched its first electric vehicle. France votes on a law to prevent...

  
• 03.28.2024

  What does bridge collapse mean for business in Baltimore?

  A local brewery founder near the Francis Scott Key Bridge reacts to the aftermath and we hear from the United States Chamber of Commerce. Also, China buys flying-car technology from a Slovakian company. And, we look ahead to the sentencing...

  
• 03.27.2024

  Baltimore bridge collapse spurs supply-chain uncertainty

  Rahul Tandon is joined by a reporter in Baltimore to assess the economic impact of the accident.. The port near the bridge is the largest in the US for specialised cargo. And why are young people recording their bosses firing...

  
• 03.26.2024

  Boeing boss leaves after crisis over firms safety record

  Rahul Tandon examines the impact of the departure of the company’s Chief Executive David Calhoun. He is leaving Boeing after problems over the company's safety record. The US, UK and New Zealand, and the UK have raised...

  
• 03.23.2024

  Moscow concert hall shooting

  At least 40 people have been killed after gunmen attacked a packed concert venue on the outskirts of Moscow, Russian intelligence have said. Our Presenter Roger Hearing will be hearing the latest from our reporter. The FBI say there's a...

  
• 03.22.2024

  Apple's latest lawsuit

  The US has filed a landmark lawsuit against Apple in which they are accused monopolising the smartphone market and crushing competition. Roger Hearing will be looking at what this means for the company going forward. Turkey has raised interest...

  
• 03.21.2024

  Federal Reserve sees three rate cuts this year

  The US central bank has left interest rates unchanged this month but says they will be cut three times before the end of the year. We look into the details. The world's most expensive drug will soon be available in...

  
• 03.20.2024

  Hong Kong's lawmakers pass tough security bill

  The new law broadens the definition of state secrets in a way that could scare away investors. Will the city be able to maintain its place as a top financial hub? The British band Chumbawamba is trying to prevent its...

  
• 03.19.2024

  Will Japan end its negative interest rate regime?

  The country has had negative rates since 2016. Now, the central bank could raise them for the first time in 17 years. We find out what consequences this could have. Rare protests have emerged in Cuba over electricity and fuel...

  
• 03.16.2024

  US Opioid epidemic

  The United States is warning the rest of the world that the US is the canary in the coalmine when it comes to the global opioid crisis. Our presenter Will Bain will be hearing what the US plans on doing....

  
• 03.15.2024

  TikTok buyout plan

  Former Secretary of the U.S. Treasury Steven Mnuchin said he is arranging a team of investors to purchase Chinese social media giant TikTok. Our presenter Roger Hearing will be looking at how significant this move will be to stop Chinese...

  
• 03.14.2024

  How will a new bill aimed at TikTok affect US businesses?

  The US House of Representatives has approved a landmark bill that could see TikTok banned in America. The measure would give the social media giant's parent company ByteDance six months to sell its controlling stake, or the app will be...

  
• 03.13.2024

  US inflation rises to 3.2%

  The inflation rate in the US picked up in February, as prices for petrol and housing pushed higher. The annual rate, which measures the pace of price increases, was 3.2% in February, up from 3.1% in January, the Labor Department...

  
• 03.12.2024

  US pledges $100M for crisis-hit Haiti

  The US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, and leaders of the Caribbean bloc have held emergency talks in Jamaica on the state of anarchy sweeping Haiti. The United Nations-backed multinational security force will receive $100 million to help Haitian police...

  
• 03.09.2024

  OpenAI reinstates Sam Altman to board

  The firm's CEO has been cleared of any wrongdoing in an investigation of the events that led to his brief ouster last year. We get the latest. TikTok urged users to call politicians to complain about a bill that would...

  
• 03.08.2024

  State of the Union: What will Joe Biden say?

  The US president will deliver his speech as he tries to convince Americans he should be re-elected. We get the latest. A US congressional panel has approved a bill that would force TikTok's parent company ByteDance to sell the app...

  
• 03.07.2024

  Nikki Haley drops out of Republican presidential race

  Republican candidate Nikki Haley suspends her presidential campaign after losing against Donald Trump on Super Tuesday. Vivienne Nunis will be looking at what happens now to the billionaire backers funding her campaign. With global cocoa prices soaring, we speak...

  
• 03.06.2024

  Polls begin to close on Super Tuesday

  Polls are beginning to close across the 15 primary states in the U.S as Super Tuesday comes to an end. Our presenter Roger Hearing will be bringing us up to date on what the polls are saying. We'll be hearing...

  
• 03.05.2024

  China: National People's Congress preview

  The National People's Congress starts on Tuesday, bringing together China’s political elite, as well as leaders in business, tech, media, and the arts. Rahul Tandon will be looking ahead to the congress as China’s leading economics official, premier Li Qiang...

  
• 03.02.2024

  Musk v OpenAI: ideology or money?

  Elon Musk is suing OpenAI, the makers of ChatGPT, arguing it has breached the principles he agreed to when he helped found it in 2015. The lawsuit - which has also been filed against OpenAI boss Sam Altman - says...

  
• 03.01.2024

  Why junior doctors in South Korea are fighting for their rights?

  South Korea is dealing with another day of a doctors' strike. Most junior doctors there have so far defied a government order to return to work by the end of Thursday, despite the threat of legal action. About eighty percent...

  
• 02.29.2024

  US Fed await new inflation data

  US Inflation is down significantly from peak levels but there is some chance its underlying level is not at the Fed’s 2% annual goal, as they await figures due out on Thursday. Sam Fenwick will be hearing what investors are...

  
• 02.28.2024

  Michigan: The critical swing state

  As the people of Michigan head to the polls to choose their candidates for the up-coming US election. Democrats will be watching to see the results of a protest movement - calling for voters unhappy with Biden's handling of the...

  
• 02.27.2024

  Farmers in Europe continue protests

  Farmers in Europe have been protesting about low food prices, cheap imports, and new EU environmental measures. Sam Fenwick will be hearing if there is any progress on negotiations as Europe comes to a halt. Meanwhile a billion-dollar donation to...

  
• 02.24.2024

  Ukraine Russia war hits two year mark

  President Biden promises more sanctions against Russia. The invasion of Ukraine started two years ago, and we examine the economic fallout. Chipmaker Nvidia has lifted its earnings to new record levels. Does this suggest a wider boom amongst companies...

  
• 02.23.2024

  US firm becomes first private company to successfully land a spacecraft on the Moon

  The Houston-based company hopes to send another spacecraft in March that would drill to find underground ice. We discuss what this means other private firms hoping to explore space Google fixes its new AI-powered tool for creating pictures, after...

  
• 02.22.2024

  US moves to prevent ports from cyber attacks

  The US government is announcing a series of actions to strengthen the cybersecurity of US ports - the move is aimed at targeting Chinese cyber-attacks. Ed Butler finds out what kind of plans are being put in place. The...

  
• 02.21.2024

  Biden's re-election campaign raises $42 million

  U.S. President Joe Biden's re-election campaign and his Democratic Party allies raised more than $42 million in January. Our Presenter Ed Butler will be finding out how much money is needed to have a successful campaign. A billionaire former...

  
• 02.20.2024

  The Red Sea crisis three months on

  The Houthis have launched dozens of missiles and drones at merchant vessels and Western warships in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden since mid-November. Ed Butler looks back at how we got here and if there is any reconciliation...

  
• 02.17.2024

  Trump ordered to pay $354.9m in financial fraud case

  A New York judge has ordered Donald Trump to pay $354.9 million over fraud allegations and banned him from running companies in the state for three years. What could this mean for Trump, his family and his business empire? Alexei...

  
• 02.16.2024

  Xbox- exclusive games available on other consoles

  Microsoft's Gaming CEO Phil Spencer has announced four of its Xbox- exclusive games will be available on other consoles for the first time, the news comes after an increase in multi-platform games by Microsoft. Roger Hearing finds out what this...

  
• 02.15.2024

  Japan slips into recession

  Japan's economy slips into recession as domestic demand weakens and could lose its title as the world's third-largest economy. People in Indonesia wake up to the news that former military chief, Prabowo Subianto, is likely to be Indonesia's next...

  
• 02.14.2024

  Gig workers go on strike

  Takeaway delivery drivers are planning to strike on Valentine's Day to demand better pay and improved working conditions. The action, impacting four food apps including Deliveroo and Uber Eats, is thought to involve as many as 3,000 drivers and riders....

  
• 02.13.2024

  Indian farmers plan new protests over produce prices

  Millions of farmers in India are taking to the streets to demand more help for the industry. The protests come ahead of a General Election year and farmers hope this will help them achieve their aims. Also, in the...

  
• 02.10.2024

  Venezuela builds up troops near Guyana border

  The government of Nicolas Maduro increases military presence in the border with the disputed oil-rich Essequibo region despite the recent commitments it made in talks with Guyana. We take a look at how recent oil discoveries have escalated a historic...

  
• 02.09.2024

  Vladimir Putin's first interview to Western media since war in Ukraine

  The Russian leader talks to American commentator Tucker Carlson about his plans on Ukraine. We discuss what he said and why now. Authorities in Pakistan suspended calls and mobile internet data during a controversial election. We get the latest. And...