The daily drama of money and work from the BBC.
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
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 ...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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)...
In the UK, brides spend an average of £1,400 on a dress for the big day. But inflation and the rising cost of living means that's starting to change. We look at the trend of spending less on wedding dresses - buying them ready-to-wear from a boutique in London, or even from a supermarket. And we're in India where some brides are starting to spend less - not always easy when spending lavishly on weddings is often the expectation. Produced and presented by Deborah Weitzmann with additional present...
Paris is the most visited city in the world and one of the things it’s known for, is fashion. But what is it about the City of Light that makes it a popular destination for businesses? In this programme, Hannah Mullane speaks to a personal shopper, who relies on fashion tourists for her business, as well as fashion start-ups choosing to base themselves in Paris. Hannah also meets a stylist and fashion agent, who moved from Italy to Paris, to make the most of the opportunities that the fashion in...
Duplicate products, or dupes, are flooding social media. Dupes are clothes, beauty products, homeware that are cheaper than the recognisable brand, but still look similar. We hear from shoppers and fashion experts about this growing trend and its impact on the market. And we speak to athleisure wear company Lululemon, who are trying to work out how to respond to the number of dupes of their products that are now on the market. Producer/presenter: Deborah Weitzmann (Image: Leggings on mannequins....
Twenty-five years ago Puma became the first big sports brand to collaborate with a fashion house. Since then all of the big players have been collaborating with celebrities, sports stars and high fashion brands. Hannah Mullane speaks to Heiko Desens, the creative director at Puma about how these big collaborations work behind the scenes and what they mean for business, and fashion designer Alejandro Gómez Palomo explains how collaborating with a sports brand has elevated his business. Presenter/...
The shipping industry is looking for solutions to it's emissions problem. Shipping giant Maersk has just unveiled the world’s first container ship to run on green methanol - is this the answer? We hear from Maersk’s CEO about why they’ think this is the best bet. And we find out more about some of the different options in development, such as hydrogen and green ammonia, all vying to become the future fuel for the world's ships. Presenter/producer: Adrienne Murray (Image: Maersk's first green met...
Xi Jinping announced a massive building project along the ‘New Silk Road’ to very little fanfare in Kazakhstan 10 years ago this month. Infrastructure including railways, roads and ports have been built in 165 countries to date, as part of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Billions of dollars has been lent to countries in Africa, Asia, Europe and South America. Some are now struggling to afford the payments and China is reducing the amount being loaned. We look at what this means for Beijing’s...
You may not be familiar with the vicuna, but in Peru, where it's the national animal, the smallest relative of the llama is revered - particularly for its fine and insulating coat. In this programme, Stefania Gozzer travels to the Peruvian Andes, to meet the animals that produce one of the most expensive wools in the world. Demand for their coveted fleece once led them near extinction, but now it has become the best tool to preserve them. Stefania visits Pampa Galeras, to talk to the scientists ...
What used to be a fairly niche industry is now on the increase, with companies setting up removal clinics around the world. And no surprise – as more people get tattoos, more people night change their minds and want them removing. We meet the regretful clients and the companies cashing in, and also explore the world of cosmetic and medical tattooing. Presenter and producer: Elizabeth Hotson (Image: A laser tattoo removal. Credit: Getty Images)
Where do you go to get financial advice? More and more people are turning to Instagram, YouTube and TikTok for money matters. David Harper meets the ‘Finfluencers’ – financial influencers entertaining and educating young people around the world, and bringing in big numbers in the process. Caleb Hammer is a YouTuber with over 600,000 subscribers who conducts financial audits on the forensic financial details of individuals in the hope of helping them to budget better. He also speaks to Hannah Rim...
How do you make an artisan product at scale? We head to the UK factory of Biscuiteers, where millions of biscuits are hand-iced every year, from treats shaped like designer bags to edible versions of favourite cartoon characters. Harriet Hastings is the co-founder of the company - in this episode, she shares her business advice, explains why marketing is key and talks about running a business with her husband. Producer / presenter: Sam Everett (Image: A ballerina biscuit being iced. Credit: BBC)...
It’s been a long wait for tech billionaire Elon Musk to push into India’s EV market. High import duties have kept Tesla out of India so far. Mr Musk has repeatedly sought to lower those duties, but the government wants the company to manufacture cars locally before considering tax breaks. Now there seems to be an agreement on the horizon. But is India’s EV ecosystem ready for it? Presenter/producer: Devina Gupta
In the third and final programme of this series on the economics of irregular migration across the Mediterranean, the BBC’s Frey Lindsay sits down with two spokespeople from the European Commission to discuss how irregular crossings across the Mediterranean affect European States, and how the bloc is using its resources to attempt to stop them. Presenter: Frey Lindsay (Image: Italian coast guard vessels patrol alongside the SOS Méditerranée rescue ship The Ocean Viking, near the Italian port of ...
In the second of three programmes, we’ll hear about the increasing running costs facing charities involved in running search-and-rescue operations in the Mediterranean Sea. Inflated fuel prices, cost of living crises and political interference are all driving the costs of the operation up. So can the boats continue to operate? Presenter: Frey Lindsay (Photo: Search and rescue crew onboard the SOS Méditerranée rescue ship The Ocean Viking)
In the first of three programmes, the BBC’s Frey Lindsay accompanies the charity rescue vessel the Ocean Viking to explore the myriad costs involved in irregular migration across the Mediterranean. Each year hundreds of thousands of people attempt the extremely dangerous crossing from Libya to Italy, paying smugglers thousands of dollars. We meet some of those people and find out how and why they're making the journey. Presenter/producer: Frey Lindsay (Picture: Rescuees huddle onboard the SOS Mé...
From losing his job in the 2008 financial crash, to a billion dollar idea. We speak to Mohit Lad, who teamed up with his old college friend Ricardo to trawl through the trash cans of shuttered businesses in Silicon Valley to get the first server for their tech start-up, ThousandEyes. A combination of grit, determination and a shortage of ready cash saw them think outside the box for solutions to grow the business and get customers. Twelve years later, the company described as the 'Google Maps' o...
We hear from people protesting in the government-controlled city of Sweida. Criticism of President Bashar al-Assad has been growing in Sweida since demonstrations began in mid-August over the removal of fuel subsidies. It's the latest measure that has put a strain on people suffering from an economic meltdown. A resident and activist tells us what life is like for him living in the city, plus we hear from a Syrian economist, and a form adviser to President al_Assad now based in the US. Presenter...
K-Pop, short for Korean Popular music, has become a global phenomenon with millions of fans worldwide. It’s a multi-billion dollar industry with 80 million units of physical albums sold in 2022. But a huge chunk of it goes straight to landfill. Why are the fans buying so many albums just to throw them away? We hear from fans, artists and tech companies who are trying to make the industry greener. Presenter: David Cann (Picture: Victon; Credit: IST Entertainment)...
