Business Matters

President Donald Trump claims further renovation budget overruns, adding pressure on US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell to lower interest rates. Roger Hearing hears a reaction from Loretta Mester, the former Cleveland Fed President. World’s largest fan convention, Comicon 2025 is kicking off in San Diego, which brings over $180 million into the city. And as women’s football has been dominating the sporting agenda this week, both in Africa and Europe, we look at where women’s teams must compete for investment and coverage with the men. Throughout the program, Roger will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world—Alexander Kaufman, award-winning reporter and the author of the newsletter Field Notes on Substack, who's in New York, and Mehmal Sarfraz, journalist and analyst, normally based in Lahore but currently in California.

The US president, Donald Trump, has made public the tariffs he intends to slap on imports from another group of countries, including Brazil, from the start of August. The chipmaker Nvidia has become the first company in the world to reach a market value of $4tn on Wednesday. David Harper hears from experts. And Donald Trump has said the United States is shifting from aid to trade in its relationship with Africa as he welcomed five presidents from the continent to the White House.Throughout the programme, David will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Zyma Islam, Senior Reporter at the Daily Star in Dhaka in Bangladesh, and Silicon Valley journalist and author Mike Malone in California in the USA.

US President Donald Trump has threatened a 50% tariff on copper imports. Sam Fenwick hears how critical the metal is in electric vehicles, military hardware, semiconductors and a wide range of consumer technology. Mass federal job cuts can proceed for now after an update from the US Supreme Court. Plus how WeightWatchers, the weight management business, has emerged from a major debt restructuring. Sam Fenwick will be joined by Jessica Khine, a business development consultant based in Malaysia, and Rema Rahman, White House and Legal Affairs editor at The Hill, in Washington.

Japan and South Korea face 25% US tariffs in August. Donald Trump also sent tariff letters to twelve other countries on Monday with details of the tariffs of up to 40% that they could face. We hear from the US Consumer Technology Association on what tariffs could mean for stores across America. Also, as the trading day starts in Tokyo and with elections on the horizon, we ask how Japan's government will interpret President Trump's latest tariff threat.And how street art is encouraging thousands of tourists back to a once-deserted village in southern Italy. Throughout the programme, Sam will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Peter Landers, Wall Street Journal Asia Business and Finance Editor in Beijing, and Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist at the Conference Board in new York.

After hours of stalemate, Republicans in the US Senate have narrowly passed Donald Trump’s mega-bill on tax and spending, meaning the proposed legislation has cleared one of its key hurdles. Also, US President Donald Trump has suggested that Doge, the cost-cutting agency Elon Musk helped set up, could be used to hurt the billionaire's companies – as the former allies continue their public dispute over Trump's budget plans. And it's 25 years since one of the world's first and longest transnational bridges was opened in northern Europe – the Öresund Bridge – but it is facing new challenges. Throughout the programme, Roger Hearing will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Mehmal Sarfraz, the Pakistani journalist and analyst who's in Sunnyvale, California, but usually based in Lahore; and Dante Disparte, Chief Strategy Officer at the financial technology company Circle in Washington.

Global supply chains are in trouble, driven by crises due to tariffs, geopolitical shocks and Middle East instability, according to the latest survey carried out by CIPS Pulse of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply. Roger Hearing hears from Ben Farrell, CIPS CEO. Also, Italian luxury fashion brand Prada has said it acknowledges the Indian roots of its new footwear line, days after the design sparked a controversy in India. Why is it that cassava, a major food source across the world, doesn't make more money for one of the biggest producers – Nigeria? And President Donald Trump blamed AT&T for technical issues in a conference call he has been holding with American faith leaders. Throughout the programme, Roger Hearing will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Peter Morici, economist and professor of business at the University of Maryland, who's in Alexandria, Virginia - and Jennifer Pak, China correspondent at Marketplace, usually based in Shanghai but today she's

Global markets, including the US, have been quietly calm, although there have been warning signs of looming risks and uncertainty after Donald Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs announcement. What’s behind such market “silence”? Roger Hearing hears from Gillian Tett, the chair of the Editorial Board of the Financial Times and the Provost of Kings College Cambridge, who has been writing about this. And how are businesses navigating global sourcing and supply chain risks and disruptions? A Global Sourcing Risk Index, produced by Proxima and Oxford Economics, shows how much business leaders still need to do. Also, a group of economists, backed by the Vatican, are calling for a reshaping of the international financial system to help developing countries that are heavily in debt and struggling to finance important social issues in their countries like healthcare and education.Throughout the programme, Roger Hearing will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Tony Nash, CEO and founder of Complet

A war with Iran has been harming Israel, not just in the physical effect of missile strikes but also the impact of the conflict and instability on Israel's economy. Roger Hearing hears about how the country’s economy is coping with this. Greenland's minister for business and mineral resources, Naaja Nathanielsen, tells us how she deals with threats of an invasion by US President Donald Trump. And Thailand, a country that has long kept a tight lid on gambling, could be about to change as the government is looking at legalising casinos to boost tourism. Throughout the program , Roger Hearing will be joined by Anneke Green, a Republican political strategist at Reach Global Strategies and former political speechwriter in Washington; and Sushma Ramachandran, an independent journalist and columnist with the Tribune newspaper in Delhi.

The new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to meet with US President Donald Trump on Thursday to discuss tariffs and the war in Ukraine. A report by the US Congressional Budget Office in Washington found Wednesday that President Donald Trump’s tax bill adds $2.4 trillion to US debt. Also, Rahul Tandon looks at the impact that hackers are having on some of the world's best-known retailers and other brands – North Face, Cartier and Victoria Secret are the latest companies being targeted. Throughout the programme, Rahul Tandon will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Karen Percy, a senior freelance reporter in Melbourne, Australia, and Walter Todd, President & Chief Investment Officer, Greenwood Capital, based in South Carolina, US.

The global steel industry prepares for impact as Donald Trump signs an order for a 50% tariff on steel and aluminium. He announced the move last week in front of a crowd of steel workers in Pennsylvania. In South Korea, the liberal candidate, Lee Jae-myung, has been confirmed as the clear winner of the presidential election. The tech billionaire, Elon Musk, has stepped up his criticism of Donald Trump's planned tax and spending bill, calling it a "disgusting abomination". A White House spokeswoman said the president would not change his position on what he calls the "big beautiful bill".Throughout the programme, Rahul Tandon will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Andy Xie, an independent economist in Shanghai, China, and Anneke Green, Republican Political Strategist at Reach Global Strategies in Washington, US.

It's election day in South Korea, where voters are choosing the country's next president after months of unprecedented political turmoil affecting the country’s economy. For South Koreans, today's vote offers an opportunity to restore stability and forge ahead. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold a phone call to discuss tariffs and trade issues, according to the White House. In Canada, the Prime Minister is meeting with regional leaders to remove interprovincial trade barriers and making it easier for Canadians to trade with each other. Also, the Microsoft founder Bill Gates says improving the health and education of people in Africa will be the priority when he gives away most of his two hundred billion dollar fortune over the next twenty years, the majority of which will go to Africa. Throughout the programme, Rahul Tandon will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Peter Morici, economist and professor of business, who is in Alexandria, V

Nvidia, a huge success in the tech world, reported its latest quarterly earnings. The chipmaker, vying with Apple for the position of the world's richest company, beat expectations despite export controls. Elon Musk, , the billionaire and co-founder and CEO of Tesla, has criticised one of the signature policies of President Donald Trump, marking a break from the US president who he helped to win re-election in 2024. And the meat of brown bears, a protected species in the EU, could soon be available to eat in Slovakia after the populist government approved plans for sale. Roger hears from a food tour guide who tested the meat before.Throughout the programme, we will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Michael Malone, a veteran Silicon Valley journalist and host of the Silicon Insider podcast in the US, and Zyma Islam, senior reporter for The Daily Star in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

The US President, Donald Trump's administration, has ordered its embassies abroad to pause new applications for student and exchange visitor visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of foreign students. We hear from former US Education Secretary Arne Duncan – who was in office during Obama’s presidency. Japanese-owned steelmaker Nippon Steel is expected to close its “partnership” with U.S. Steel at $55 per share, as the US media have reported. On Friday, last week, President Donald Trump said that he has cleared the deal. And Rahul Tandon hears how one woman’s quest to buy only US-made goods has been surprisingly difficult. Throughout the programme, we will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Erin McLaughlin, Senior Economist, The Conference Board in the US, and Simon Littlewood, President of ACG Global or a business consultant based in Singapore.

The United States President, Donald Trump, has agreed to drop his threat to impose 50% tariffs on European Union imports and extend a deadline to negotiate tariffs with the EU by more than a month. In Argentina, the government has announced that its easing currency reporting rules to deal with dollars kept under mattresses. The Argentine government aims to unleash some $271 billion stashed away in mattresses, safes and foreign bank accounts.And Rahul Tandon will look at how Disney's live-action Lilo and Stitch remake beat Tom Cruise at the US box office. Lilo and Stitch, which revisits the 2002 animated family favourite, exceeded expectations with takings of $341m (£252m) around the world. Throughout the programme, we will be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Sushma Ramachandran, an independent journalist and columnist with the Tribune newspaper in India, and Fermin Koop, a reporter on environmental and climate change in Argentina.

The credit rating agency Moody’s has stripped the United States of its triple-A credit rating, warning investors about rising levels of government debt and a widening budget deficit. The agency has shifted the US rating down one notch to AA1, while changing its outlook from negative to stable. Novo Nordisk, the company that makes the weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy, is abruptly ousting its chief executive, Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen, over concerns the firm is losing ground in the popular weight-loss drug market. Consumer boycotts of countries and companies are on the rise, with the latest being an Indian tourism boycott of Turkey and Azerbaijan. This comes as some Canadians boycott the US, while others refuse to buy from some specific companies over their policies. We will be joined throughout the programme by Rahul Tandon is joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Lori Ann Larocco, senior editor at CNBC Business News in the US, and Peter Ryan, ABC's senior business correspondent in Aus

Walmart is preparing to raise prices in the US as soon as this month, as its own costs increase as a result of the new tariffs on imports imposed by President Donald Trump. And we will look at President Trump saying that India offered to drop all tariffs on US goods, something India swiftly denied. Total airline revenue is expected to top 1 trillion US dollars for the first time ever this year, according to the International Air Transport Association. We will be joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the world: Shoeb Kagda, an Indonesian journalist and businessman, and Alison Van Diggelen, host of Fresh Dialogues based in Silicon Valley, the US.

Voters are going to the polls in Australia to choose their next government following a hard-fought campaign during which living costs, climate concerns and the impact of Donald Trump's trade tariffs have featured strongly. Shares of Rockstar's parent company, Take-Two Interactive, tumbled by as much as 8% on Friday morning after it announced that it has delayed the launch by a year – to May 26, 2026. With the company being valued at around 40 billion US dollars, that is a lot of money being shaved off. The U.S. President Donald Trump repeated that he will revoke Harvard University's tax-exempt status, saying that "We are going to be taking away Harvard's tax-exempt status. It's what they deserve!" Harvard, which is already suing the Trump administration, said that this is unlawful. And Skype Will Shut Down on Monday, May 5, As Microsoft Shifts to Teams. Davina Gupta will hear from one of the creators of the Skype ringtone. Throughout the programme, we’ll be joined by two guests on opposite sides of th

On the programme we are looking at Donald Trump's first 100 days in power, during which he has talked a lot about tariffs, and there have been many changes to trade policies. Rahul Tandon looks at the key important economic events of the initial 100 days and the way they have upended global trade. Also, Mark Carney is celebrating his election victory in Canada, although Canadian broadcaster CBC projects his party will fall just short of the 172 parliamentary seats needed for a majority.Throughout the programme, we’ll be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Rebecca Choong Wilkins, Senior Asia correspondent for Bloomberg, and Tony Nash, CEO of Complete Intelligence.

Canadians are voting in a general election which has been dominated by Donald Trump's trade war and threats to annex the country. The leaders of the two main parties rejected a renewed assertion by Mr Trump on election day that Canada should become the fifty-first US state.Devina Gupta hears from the BBC’s economics editor Faisal Islam, who is in Ottawa, and Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses. And the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, has urged people not to speculate over the cause of a massive power cut that's affected millions of people across Spain and Portugal.Also, the Chinese online retailer Temu, known for its cheap products, adds ‘import charges’ of about 145% in response to President Trump’s tariffs on China. Throughout the programme, we’ll be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Jessica Khine, a business development consultant based in Malaysia but now joining us from London, and Sergio Guzmán, director of the Colombia Risk Analysis

The White House has insisted that President Trump’s tariffs will make the United States richer, despite the falling value of the US dollar. We hear from Tomas Philipson, a former acting chairman of President Trump's Council of Economic Advisers. Also, a global deal to tackle shipping emissions has been agreed after nearly ten years of negotiations. The UN's maritime agency (the IMO) brokered the accord, which requires ship owners to use less carbon-intensive fuels or face a penalty. Roger Hearing speaks to IMO's secretary general, Arsenio Dominguez, about how it would work. And on Saturday, the UK is going to see an emergency recall of parliament when members had already departed for their Easter break, and they are recalled to discuss a law to take control of the Chinese-owned British Steel and save it from imminent closure.Throughout the programme, we’ll be joined by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Peter Ryan, ABC's senior business correspondent, who's in Sydney, and Takara Small, national t