There are two candidates: one is the current economy minister who has a wealth of experience in power; the other is a maverick libertarian economist who wants to ditch the country’s currency, the peso, and strip the central bank of its ability to print money. We speak to his senior economic advisor, and also to a wine producer from the western province of Mendoza, who tells us about the challenges of doing business in a country with two exchange rates, severe restrictions on imports, a heavy tax...
Nov 16, 2023•18 min
We’re looking ahead to the meeting between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco – the first time the two leaders will have met in 12 months. Diplomatic ties between Washington and Beijing have deteriorated this year, with tensions rising over Taiwan and the South China Sea. Meanwhile, there’s been a tit-for-tat trade spat over semiconductors and raw materials. As the presidents meet on the side lines of the APEC summit, Vivienne Nunis takes stock of the relationship between the w...
Nov 15, 2023•18 min
Some owners are converting their vehicles into EVs. The idea is to boost the performance of these cars and make them ready for a green future. The process is not cheap - it requires specialists who can retain the vintage value of these cars while fitting them with a modern electric engine. Critics feel that such a transition takes away the emotional and engineering legacy of these vehicles. So we travel across the UK to find out about the challenges and the future of this niche business that is ...
Nov 14, 2023•18 min
The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 saw millions of Ukrainian women and children flee to safety; causing massive upheaval and hitting the economy hard. For the women who have stayed, their lives have been transformed; many have taken on new roles, like Tetiana, who is now working underground in a coal mine, and Evgeniya, who is now a sniper on the frontline. Others, like Alina Kacharovska, have managed to grow their businesses; in this case, shoes and accessories, or are stepping in...
Nov 13, 2023•18 min
The Argentinian-American tech entrepreneur moved to the US in 1997 and carved out a career in the corporate world before breaking free and setting out on her own. In late 2020, the remote working company TransparentBusiness, which she co-founded 12 years earlier, achieved a $1bn valuation. Now she continues to push for gender and racial equality in the workplace, is an investor on the TV show Unicorn Hunters, and has also established a new asset-backed cryptocurrency. She explains her journey, t...
Nov 10, 2023•19 min
Fears are growing for the future of the country's bars - especially in rural areas. In less than 20 years almost a quarter of Irish pubs have closed, many of them businesses which have been run by the same family for generations. R Russell Padmore travels across the Emerald Isle to hear how the closure of pubs is a setback for rural communities, but also a worry for the country’s tourism industry. We hear from owners of pubs in County Donegal, a beer brewing company and a hospitality sector expe...
Nov 09, 2023•22 min
There is a growing debate in the US about the caste system - an ancient social ranking system where the community you are born into determines what kind of job you do, who you marry, and much more. The caste system in India dates back over 3,000 years and divides Hindu society into different social strata. In many South Asian countries, it is outlawed. But members of the South Asian diaspora in the US say this type of caste bias persists, and there is often very little protection at workplaces a...
Nov 08, 2023•19 min
We travel to South America to meet the Chinese migrants who are making their way to the United States using an unexpected route - the established migrant trail through South and Central America to the southern border with Mexico. Citing economic challenges at home - and using inspiration from social media - a growing number are making this perilous trek. Reporter Shawn Yuan travels along the route speaking to migrants about their journey and their aspirations for the future. Presenter: Shawn Yua...
Nov 07, 2023•18 min
The Saudi Pro League has attracted some of the top players from around the world - with transfer fees and salaries amounting to millions of dollars. We travel to Saudi Arabia to look at the country's ambitious plan to become a global football powerhouse - is it an economic move or simply sportswashing? With Saudi Arabia now it's looking set to be confirmed as the host of the World Cup in 2034, we look at its relationship with football. Presenter: Sameer Hashmi (Image: Saudi football club Al Hila...
Nov 06, 2023•18 min
The region of Bordeaux in the south-west of France is perhaps the most famous wine-producing area in the world. But it’s struggling. While the prestigious, most expensive wines – Saint-Émilions, Pomerols and Margaux are selling well, others are not. For the producers of the 850 million bottles of the region's famous red wine, it’s a difficult time due to a major decline in consumption. We look at the reasons for this, the impact it’s having, and what winemakers are doing to help protect their li...
Nov 02, 2023•19 min
Have you tried learning a language online? We explore the growth of language learning platforms with Babbel CEO Arne Schepker, and how the Covid pandemic lead to an increase in learning digitally. Mr Schepker explains how more international working and personal relationships has led to an increase in demand. And how smartphones and the internet have changed that age-old aspiration of gaining fluency in another language. Presenter: Dougal Shaw (Image: Arne Schepker. Credit: BBC)...
Nov 02, 2023•19 min
Sam Bankman-Fried, the American crypto entrepreneur who went from billionaire to bankrupt, is on trial in New York for fraud. The 31-year-old who founded the cryptocurrency exchange FTX is accused of lying to investors and lenders. He has denied those charges, and instead says he was acting in good faith but made mistakes. He says he never set out to defraud anyone. In the coming days, 12 jurors will decide his fate - he could face a life sentence in prison if convicted. Vivienne Nunis speaks to...
Nov 01, 2023•18 min
Trick or treat and other traditions are now at the centre of a global multi-billion business. The ancient Celtic and Pagan festival, which started thousands of years ago in Ireland, was taken by emigrants to North America, where it was turned into a major annual event. The National Retail Federation in the US tells Russell Padmore how spending by consumers is forecast to be a record of more than $12bn. Jadrain Wooten, an economist at Virginia Tech, says the sales promotions for Halloween are get...
Oct 31, 2023•18 min
Countries around the world are racing to achieve targets on the ban of new petrol and diesel cars - but they are hitting stumbling blocks, meaning some are pulling back on their commitments. Although global sales of electric cars are rising, some countries are struggling to persuade drivers to make the switch. Reasons given include insufficient or unsuitable charging points, and the price tag: criticism is often put to governments that the shift to electric cars is hardest for the least well off...
Oct 30, 2023•18 min
After many months of news headlines about whether Elon Musk was going to buy Twitter, he eventually completed the purchase on 27 October 2022. Since then, the company’s been through some big changes; laying off most of its 8000 employees, a rebrand to ‘X’, and reinstating some previously banned accounts on the platform. Mr Musk describes himself a free speech absolutist and says he bought Twitter – now called X - to create a space where “a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner...
Oct 26, 2023•18 min
In 2015, Akinwumi Adesina was elected President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), and since then he's become a symbol of optimism across the continent. How did he become known as Africa's "optimist-in-chief"? In this edition of Business Daily, Dr Adesina tells Peter MacJob what has shaped him as an economist, his outlook for the continent and how Africa could determine the future of renewable energy and green minerals. He says the international financial architecture should be more inclusi...
Oct 25, 2023•18 min
Short selling has gone mainstream. Inspired by the noisy success of activist short sellers, amateur investors are now trying this highly risky strategy themselves. They’re aided by a slew of new trading apps making it possible to short a stock or currency in seconds. Peter Roscoe is a YouTube investing vlogger who’s experienced the highs and lows of short selling. We also hear from the UK boss of trading app E-Toro – who says shorting has exploded on the platform. Producer: Ciaran Tracey Present...
Oct 23, 2023•18 min
What’s it like to be on the wrong side of a big short? Former CEO Paul Pittman's company was shorted by an anonymous short seller who made false allegations in order to drive its share price down - way down. This is the story of how Paul and his firm overcame the short attack that cost them millions: and why it’s not just big companies that stand to lose money from rogue shorters on the markets. Producer: Ciaran Tracey Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Oct 23, 2023•18 min
Short selling – the trade where you hope a stock’s value will fall rather than rise. If it does, the trader can win. Big. That’s led to the growth of what’s called the activist short seller. A trader who comes out to tell the world why a company’s stock should be lower than it is. They’re betting on its failure. Carson Block from the firm Muddy Waters is one of the most prominent new short sellers – vocal on the news and social media, he explains why the companies he shorts are usually the ones ...
Oct 22, 2023•18 min
Andre Schwammlein once wanted to be a pilot – but ended up behind the wheel of a bus and train company instead. The chief executive and co-founder of Flix – the driving force behind Flixbus and Flixtrain - says he was never much of a traveller, but now leads a company that has changed the way millions of people cross countries and continents. In just 10 years, Flixbus has gone from German startup to global brand - even taking a piece of American heritage: Greyhound. In this edition of Business D...
Oct 19, 2023•18 min
The development of new sports stadiums and facilities can bring regeneration to deprived areas. They hold a special place in the hearts of sports and live music fans. But have some of the new ones lost their spark? In this edition of Business Daily, Sam Fenwick asks, what gives a stadium its atmosphere and can it be designed in? Sam speaks to Christopher Lee, whose architecture practice, Populous, has designed 3000 arenas all over the world. He shares his experience of designing iconic grounds l...
Oct 18, 2023•18 min
We’re in Kentucky, where an area which had long ago been abandoned as an industrial site is once again coming to life. US manufacturer Ascend Elements has chosen the site to build a factory for electric car batteries made from recycled ones - an industry previously almost entirely based in China. We explore the government incentives that have drawn the company to build here with US Climate Envoy John Kerry. And we hear from the local mining community which is hoping the new green manufacturing f...
Oct 17, 2023•18 min
For years, balsa wood has been a key component in the giant rotor blades on the top of wind turbines. Most of it comes from the rain forests of South America and, in particular, from Ecuador. As the world transitions to green energy, lots of countries – particularly China – have been looking for more balsa to make blades. That pushed up prices, raised questions over sustainability and prompted some companies to look for alternatives to balsa wood. One alternative is PET, a foam made from recycle...
Oct 17, 2023•18 min
In an effort to insulate domestic prices, India has banned exports of non basmati white rice - its largest rice category. We ask what the impact of this is on large importing countries. A rice mill owner in Northern Nigeria tells us how the country is expanding its domestic rice production as a result of India’s curb, and we hear from a retailer in the UAE about the purchasing restriction it placed on customers as soon as the announcement was made. We look at whether other countries can meet the...
Oct 16, 2023•18 min
From Bangladesh to Wall Street and back again, the founder and CEO of Impact Investment Exchange talks to Devina Gupta. Durreen Shahnaz explains how her childhood in socialist Bangladesh and then move to a job on Wall Street in the 1980s shaped the person and businesswoman she is today. From trading stamps with her friends and buying pickles with the profit, she moved on to bigger trades at the heart of capitalism. What she learnt there set her up for a life dedicated to trying to make the finan...
Oct 13, 2023•18 min
Shares in GameStop, the video game store, experienced a dramatic rise in early in 2021. The stock had captured the imagination of many individual investors who heard about it on social media platforms such as TikTok and Reddit. Some investors made a lot of money, while some hedge funds, who had bet against the stock, lost billions. Eventually, though, GameStop shares crashed back to earth and many investors lost the lot. The story has been dramatised by Hollywood in ‘Dumb Money’, currently scree...
Oct 12, 2023•18 min
In May this year, Nigerian president Bola Tinubu took office – and announced an end to fuel subsidies. He said the move would free up money for investment in public services and infrastructure projects, but it caused a spike in prices and, in some cases, triggered street protests. We explore the impact of removing the subsidy on residents and businesses, and the knock on-effect for neighbouring countries like Cameroon. Presenter/producer: Bisi Adebayo (Image: Members of the Nigerian Labour Congr...
Oct 11, 2023•10 min
In 2020, Napa Valley experienced its most destructive wildfire ever. Vineyards burned, leaving not only direct damage, but more long lasting impact with wine affected by smoke taint. We hear how the perennial presence of wildfires means local businesses face a harsh reality of living with the risk of fire. Sophie Long visits wine makers who are using inflammable materials to build new wineries, changing growing techniques and using technology to deal with tainted wine. And she meets local reside...
Oct 10, 2023•18 min
The event is facing its biggest financing challenge in its 93-year history. There is no host city for the next edition in 2026, and the Commonwealth Games Federation is struggling to persuade other cities to host after that. We speak to academics who say the model of structuring and paying for the Games is broken. Some observers go further – saying the Games and the Commonwealth itself are relics of the British Empire and should be wound up. We also hear from athletes who have competed at the Ga...
Oct 09, 2023•18 min
We speak to Greek designer Dimitra Petsa - founder of Di Petsa - a brand which has been worn by celebrities around the world. She graduated from fashion school five years ago and since then has launched her own fashion brand. Very few make it in the fashion world - Dimitra explains how she did it from mentors and getting exposure to creating business plans and coming up with business strategies. Producer/presenter: Hannah Mullane (Picture: Models wearing Di Petsa clothing. Credit Di Petsa)...
Oct 06, 2023•16 min
