Business Daily

BBC

4.5 (132)
Business
Updated Daily

The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.

19 hrs ago

Rebuilding Gaza and trying to get back to work

Rob Young reports on the huge task of rebuilding Gaza, which the United Nations estimates will cost $70 billion. Across Gaza City, earthmovers load piles of waste onto trucks bound for landfill, while in neighbourhood after neighbourhood, rubble stretches into the distance. Yet businesses are trying to get up and running again: markets are slowly refilling, and supply chains are beginning to reopen. Presenter/producer: Rob Young (Photo: Palestinians ride past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the Israeli offensive, in Gaza City, 23 June, 2026. Credit: Dawoud Abu Alkas/Reuters)

17 min
3d ago

Taking Stock: Heatwaves, Pensions and Tech Turbulence

Will Bain is joined by Nga Pham in Jakarta and Carsten Brzeski in Frankfurt to take stock of the week's business stories. They discuss the economic impact of heatwaves around the world, as extreme temperatures affect productivity, energy demand, and economic growth. The panel also examines Germany's plans to reform its pension system and what they could mean for Europe's largest economy. Plus, a dispute over fruit imports is raising fresh tensions between China and Taiwan, as Beijing's purchases of custard apples spark concerns on the island. And after a volatile week for technology shares, including sharp movements in SpaceX stock, the panel asks whether investors are becoming more nervous about the future of the tech sector. Presenter: Will Bain Producer: David Cann Executive Producer: Justin Bones You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Photo: People cool off in the Trocadero fountain in front of the Eiffel Tower as temperatures rise in Paris during a heatwave affecting a large part of France, June 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Abdul Saboor)

22 min
4d ago

Can Toy Story help Disney's new CEO get the magic back?

Toy Story 5 broke opening weekend box office records, handing Josh D'Amaro a welcome gift as he settles in to the top role at Disney. But he inherits many challenges at the global media company as well - theme park attendance has dipped, overall cinema sales are down compared with pre-pandemic box office takings, while its streaming service Disney+ faces strong competition from Netflix, Amazon and HBO Max. And while Toy Story 5 recreated the magic of the original animated adventure, recent releases linked to Marvel or Star Wars have bombed. 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: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk (Picture:A general ambiance of atmosphere during the "Toy Story 5" Paris Premiere at Le Cirque d’Hiver Bouglione on June 14, 2026 in Paris, France. Credit Julien Hekimian/Getty Images)

22 min
5d ago

Founders: Duolingo's billionaire boss on rejecting Bill Gates

We hear how a childhood in Guatemala, a fascination with computers and a belief that education should be accessible to everyone helped inspire the world's most popular learning apps. Luis von Ahn tells us how he went from creating CAPTCHA and selling reCAPTCHA to Google, to building Duolingo into a multi-billion-dollar education technology company used by millions around the world. He reflects on his mother's sacrifices to fund his education, the lessons he learned as an entrepreneur, and why he struggles with conflict in his life as a tech CEO. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Amber Mehmood If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

21 min
6d ago

Follow the money: The chips powering AI

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries and creating vast new fortunes. But behind every chatbot, image generator and AI model is a physical product: a semiconductor chip. We trace the global supply chain powering the AI revolution. From the companies designing the world's most advanced chips, to the factories manufacturing them, and the specialist machines needed to produce them, we examine who is profiting from the surge in demand. We also explore why so much of the world's most advanced chip production is concentrated in one place, Taiwan, and what that means for the global economy at a time of growing tensions between China and the West. As governments compete for technological leadership and businesses spend billions on AI infrastructure, we ask a simple question: who is getting rich from the AI boom, and what happens if the supply chain breaks? Presenter: Sam Fenwick Producer: David Cann (Photo: Holographic robot arms making semiconductor Credit:Yuichiro Chino / Getty Images)

20 min
Jun 21

The growing business of prepping

Preparing for the worst might sound a little paranoid, but more people are embracing the prepper mindset and buying emergency supplies. As preparedness becomes a growing business, we visit a survival demonstration, speak to a supplier of emergency kit, and hear from a Swedish Civil Defence official. What's behind the rise of prepping, and why are so many people getting ready for the unexpected? Presenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

17 min
Jun 18

Taking Stock: AI and jobs, affordability and Toy Story

Rahul Tandon is joined by Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore and Walter Todd in South Carolina, USA. They discuss which jobs may be most resistant to the rise of AI and whether skilled trades such as plumbing and locksmithing could offer greater job security. They also compare the challenges facing the US and Chinese economies in light of the latest data releases. And can Toy Story 5 match the box-office success of its predecessors? Producers: Neil Morrow and Bisi Adebayo Executive Producer: Justin Bones You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

29 min
Jun 17

When will petrol and gas get cheaper again?

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 Editor: Stephen Ryan Executive producer: Justin Bones (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)

17 min

See All (2K)

Hannah Mullane

Host
Devina Gupta

Host
Rebecca Choong Wilkins

Guest
Walter Todd

Guest
Siaka Stevens

Guest
Rahul Tandon

Guest
Emily Peck

Guest
David Kuo

Guest
Jim McCarthy

Guest
Harshil Mathur

Guest

4.5

out of 5

132 Ratings

Short selling series

2023-10-29

bf2019

Well done
Fantastic podcast

2020-06-12

Miklas53885

I’ve been following this podcast for many years. Overall this is a high quality podcast. But please BBC buy a professional microphone for Manuela.
Disappointed

2023-10-28

mngn05

I can’t believe your news is posting straight up lies about Israel-Palestine. Shame on you.
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

2020-03-25

JBridgeHudson

Great job!