Business Matters

The spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are beginning in Washington - the major global financial institutions - are gathering at a time of profound concern about persistent inflation, struggling countries, and the health of the banking system. It follows several failures of regional banks and uncertainty in giant finance houses like Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank There’s another twist in the story of FTX - the crypto-currency exchange that collapsed spectacularly last year in what US prosecutors say was an "epic" fraud. It's now emerged that the former bosses of FTX joked about losing tens of millions of dollars and even signed off expenses with emojis. These are just some of the findings of an initial report from the new management team at the company. And President Joe Biden arrives in Northern Ireland on Tuesday to join ceremonies marking the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement. He will be meeting business leaders there - and that's significant because

Healthcare company Johnson and Johnson has offered nearly $9 billion to settle a claim from tens of thousands of people who claim its talc product caused cancer. We hear from a lawyer whose firm is representing 17,000 claimants who say they've been affected by the company's trademarked talcum powder product. The housing boom is definitely over. In Europe anyway. House prices in the EU have suffered their first quarterly fall since 2015, according to the EU statistics office this week. House-hunters in Germany and Denmark tells us of their difficulties finding a home. Police forces around the world have launched a major joint operation to dismantle one of the biggest criminal marketplaces online. Genesis Market is thought to have sold personal information, such as passwords, stolen from more than two million people in the past six years. The details have allowed fraudsters to impersonate their victims online without raising suspicions. Globally, 200 searches were carried out and 120 people were arrested.

US House committee votes to release Donald Trump’s tax information to the public Japan’s central bank catches markets off guard by making a move to tackle inflation. And what impact will the Taliban government’s decision to close universities for women have on the economy ? Devina Gupta discusses these and other business news stories with the Editor of National and Strategic Affairs at The Print website in India Jyoti Malhotra, and Walter Todd, the President and chief investment officer of US based Greenwood Capital.

One of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, Binance, has pulled out of a deal to acquire its struggling rival FTX, leaving the latter's future in doubt. The near-collapse of FTX which was valued at $32 billion at the start of the year has shaken the crypto market, with Bitcoin and other currencies suffering steep falls. Rahul Tandon is joined by Tracy Wang, the deputy managing editor at Coindesk in New York, and entrepreneur Candy Valentino, the author of Wealth Habits: Six Ordinary Steps to Achieve Extraordinary Financial Freedom. It is investment day at the climate change conference COP27 in Egypt. We hear from the Makhtar Sop Diop, the managing director of the International Finance Corporation, which is the private arm of the World Bank, about how Africa can pay for climate change. Yongwook Ryu, assistant professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, talks to us about the ASEAN summit in Cambodia. The summit brings together the major economie

There are warnings people could starve across the globe due to food shortages caused by the war in Ukraine. The World Trade Organisation is seeking solutions to the crisis - we'll hear from UNICEF's Rania Dagesh along with University of Maryland economist Peter Morici, and Sushma Ramachandran, a Delhi-based independent journalist. Our live guests will also discuss turbulence in the Asian markets and a potentially lucrative deal in cricket's Indian Premier League. Also on Business Matters, India's biggest sporting league - the IPL - is on the verge of a multi-billion dollar deal over broadcasting rights. We'll hear from sports journalist Saurabh Somani and the self-styled 'image guru' Dilip Cherian about what it will mean. Have robots finally overcome their one big challenge - becoming human? Or is it still in the realms of sci-fi fantasy? We speak to Dr Radhika Dirks, the head of US firm Ribo AI, about why Google's latest showpiece may not be a harbinger of the future. (Picture: A Ukrainian serviceman surve

In three months, conflict in Ukraine has destroyed parts of the country, hurt Russia's economy, and sent shockwaves across the globe. Countries are experiencing never-before-seen inflation, and a critical lack of supplies is forecast to worsen. Then there's the matter of who should pay for the colossal damage inflicted on towns and cities in Ukraine. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, world leaders are trying to solve the problem. A former Ukranian Finance Minister Natalie Jaresko, gives her view on the true cost. Much of the world's focus is on the outcome of that summit, but there's another one happening in Tokyo which could set the course of Asian trade relations for years to come. The Quad countries - Australia, the US, Japan and India - are meeting to discuss matters like China, inflation in the south of the continent, and a new US-led Pacific trading agreement. Tanvi Madan. Director of the Indian Project at the Brookings Institute, takes us through what to expect. ABC's senior business corresponden

Cryptocurrency markets are being rocked after a popular token lost 99% of its value. We get the latest analysis from Anita Ramaswamy of the TechCrunch website. Oil giant Saudi Aramco has overtaken Apple to become the world's most valuable company. Indrajit Sen of the Middle East Economic Digest in Dubai discusses the significance of the shift. Russian shipping company Sovcomflot is reportedly selling off a third of its fleet to pay off some European debts before an EU sanctions deadline expires. It's one of the world's biggest transporters of oil and gas. We ask Richard Meade of the shipping journal Lloyd's List what this will mean for international shipping. An investigation in the US has revealed that the state of Louisiana is suing some families for making unlawful repairs to their homes - with government grants given out following Hurricane Katrina. We speak to David Hammer of WWL-TV, the investigative reporter following the story. And we have an extended report from the BBC's Russell Padmore explori

There are warnings inflation will continue to soar around the world, despite the US and UK increasing interest rates. Stock markets have reacted by falling - the Nasdaq has had its worst day for two years. The Philippines are gearing up for hotly contested elections this weekend - we get analysis from our correspondent in the Philippines, Karishma Vaswami. A special report from Sam Fenwick examines how the war in Ukraine has impacted tourism all around the globe. Rahul Tandon is joined throughout by Jyoti Malhotra, senior consulting editor at the Print in Delhi and Paddy Hirsch, Editor at large at Planet Money in Los Angeles. (Picture: New York Stock Exchange, Wall Street. Credit: Matteo Colombo; Getty Images)

As many as 300 vessels are backed up in Shanghai, waiting to load up or discharge compared to this time last year. We get the latest from the BBC's Monica Millar in Singapore and we also hear about the knock on affects from Steve Lamar, President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association. Amid a worsening humanitarian crisis, the UN is seeking $4.4bn in aid for Afghanistan. We hear from Mark Malloch-Brown, president of the Open Society Foundations, and former deputy secretary general of the UN, discusses what role western sanctions are playing in the extreme hunger faced by many in Afghanistan. Also in the programme, with just a few days to go before the first round of France's presidential election, the BBC's Theo Leggett reports from the east of the country on how concerns about the rising cost of living are impacting the rival campaigns. Plus, with the current high cost of natural gas, there are renewed calls for countries to move away from the fossil fuel as a way of heating our homes. One

U.S. President Joe Biden could reportedly invoke a Cold War-era defence law to encourage domestic production of minerals. Josh Siegel of Politico explains why. Also in the show, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan faces a no-confidence vote in the next few days, over questions regarding his performance amid double-digit inflation and rising deficits. Russian forces have reportedly repositioned away from around the Chernobyl nuclear power facility, with Russian troops crossing back into neighbouring Belarus. Amid concern about supply from Russia, Germany has invoked its emergency gas plan. Plus, we have an extended report from Vivienne Nunes on a row brewing in Australia over a proposed new gas field in the Timor Sea. And Bruce Willis has announced he will step back from acting citing health concerns. All through the show we'll be joined by journalists Mehmal Sarfraz in Lahore and Andy Uhler in Austin. (Picture: U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington DC, March 30, 2022. Picture credit: Getty Images.)

Russia has said it will "drastically reduce combat operations" around Kyiv and the northern city of Chernihiv, during negotiations in Turkey. Financial markets reacted positively to the news, as Brian Dorst from Themis Trading in New Jersey explains. We'll also hear from President Biden's top official on sanctions, who says companies have a choice to make on whether they continue to do business in Russia. Also in the programme, the war in Ukraine is halting moves aimed at limiting the use of palm oil, which is a cause of deforestation in Asia. The price of one alternative, sunflower oil, has increased massively since the conflict began, and supermarket chain Iceland has reversed its pledge to remove palm oil from its own-label food. We find out more from Glenn Hurowitz of the Washington DC campaign group, Mighty Earth.Talks in Geneva to reverse the loss of nature and halt extinctions are in their final day. We'll hear from Patrick Greenfield, biodiversity reporter for the Guardian, on the details of the negot

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet leaders of the "Quad" grouping, a US-led bloc which includes Australia, Japan and India, to shore up Indo-Pacific partnerships in the face of China's growing power. We get analysis from Cleo Paskal, Associate Fellow at Chatham House. The Dutch central bank has said it "deeply regrets" its founders' role in the slave trade. We get reaction from Linda Nooitmeer, chair of the National Institute for the History and Legacy of Dutch Slavery. Also in the programme, we look at what's happening on the US-Canada border where the ongoing vaccine protests first started. Truck drivers have blocked the most important commercial crossing, Ambassador Bridge. We get the latest from Nate Tabak who's been covering the story. As the cost of living rises rapidly in America, so has the use of gifting platforms such as the BuyNothing project. It is one of a number of schemes that help people give away things they no longer need, as the BBC's Michelle Fleury reports. And as the US p

We start the programme looking at the the angry clashes between Russian and US envoys at the UN Security Council. The US called a meeting to discuss the build up of some 100,000 Russian troops on on its borders with Ukraine. US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the mobilisation was the biggest Europe had seen in decades. Her Russian counterpart accused the US of fomenting hysteria and unacceptable interference in Russia's affairs. The US and UK have promised further sanctions if Russia invades Ukraine. UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said legislation was being prepared which would target a wider range than currently of individuals and businesses close to the Kremlin. A US official said Washington's sanctions meant individuals close to the Kremlin would be cut off from the international financial system. Next we spoke to our North American Tech Correspondent James Clayton about whether Spotify had to take responsibility for the material it was hosting - and what the implications of and responsibility wer

The big event of 2021 that will shape economies all over the world for decades to come was the COP 26 climate conference in Glasgow in November. The meeting saw a deluge of promises, but what was actually achieved? Martin Webber speaks to Tim Gould, chief energy economist at the International Energy Agency and economist Irwin Stelzer, from the Hudson Institute in the United States. It was another boom year for the pharmaceutical industry as it crafted the vaccines that have saved so many lives. Of the 8 billion coronavirus vaccinations worldwide, one billion have been delivered by the US logistics company, UPS. We hear from Wes Wealer, President of UPS healthcare. And small business owners have had a bleak time for much of the past year. But many of those that have survived now feel optimistic. We hear from the owner of the Aroma speciality coffee shop in Bologna in Italy, Cristina Caroli, about her year. (Image: climate activists demonstrate outside of the COP26 Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Cre

A key senator has indicated he will not vote for President Biden's Build Back Better plan. We explore the potential impact on the economy with US economist Ken Rogoff. Also in the programme, the government of Ghana intends to introduce an e-levy tax on "mobile money" transactions. Plus, business correspondent Carrie Davies explains how the BBC has discovered that Covid passes are being advertised for sale on social media to people who have not been vaccinated. Rahul Tandon is joined by Jyoti Malhotra senior consulting editor at the Print based in India and Alexander Kaufman Huffington Post in America. Programme producers: Benjie Guy and Nisha Patel ( PIC : President Biden CREDIT: Getty Images)

Tesla surpassed a market value of $1 trillion on Monday, making it the fifth such firm to reach the milestone. Shares in the electric automaker climbed 12.6% after it struck a deal to sell 100,000 vehicles to the international car rental company Hertz. We speak to Bloomberg's Business reporter Dana Hull about Tesla's fortunes. Also in the programme, Facebook's latest financial results showed better than expected earnings. It comes as the whistleblower Frances Haugen appeared in front of the UK parliament and told MPs that the social media company was "unquestionably making hate worse". We ask Imran Ahmed, Chief Executive of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, if he agrees. And should the private sector intervene to save the Amazon jungle from destruction? We hear how a new platform aims to connect tropical forests with private sector cash. Later, Coca-Cola was named the world's biggest plastic polluter. Emma Priestland from the Break Free from Plastic Research Group, tells us how to reduce the amount of p

Residents in north-east China are experiencing unannounced power cuts, as an electricity shortage which initially hit factories spreads to homes. Philippe Benoit at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, explains why this is significant. Also in the programme, Germany's centre-left SPD party has claimed victory in the federal election. Parties will now try to form a coalition government, the BBC's Victoria Craig in Frankfurt assesses what the outcome of the vote means for the German economy. We discuss urban reforestation across the globe and the impact of latest wildfires in California. Plus, regular contributor Peter Morgan asks whether it's time for greater transparency in the workplace about how much money people are paid. All through the show we're joined by Alison van Diggelen of Fresh Dialogues in Silicon Valley. (Picture: power pylons. Credit: Getty Images.)

Huawei’s Chief Financial Officer Meng Wanzhou is released after nearly three years under house arrest in Canada, the BBC’s Gordon Correra has the details. China’s central bank bans all cryptocurrency activity in the country, sending the price of Bitcoin tumbling – cryptocurrency author Glen Goodman tells us more. Marketplace’s Kai Rysdell talks toothpaste, deodorant and supply chain woes, and Victoria Craig is in Germany for the Bundestagwahl – the country’s general election. We discuss New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Adern’s climate change policies and it’s twentyfive years since Spice – the Spice Girl’s debut album put Girl Power on the pop podium; we talk to Safiya Lambie-Knight at Spotify. Throughout the programme we’re joined by Sharon Brett-Kelly, host of The Detail podcast on Radio New Zealand in Auckland. (Picture: Meng Wanzhou speaks to reporters outside court Credit: EPA)

The embattled Chinese real estate firm Evergrande reaches the deadline for interest payments on its bonds – will Beijing step in to shore up the company? We speak to Sara Hsu, Associate Professor of Economics at the State University of New York. Erin Delmore is in Berlin to take us through the last days of campaigning in Germany’s general election, the vote will decide who replaces Angela Merkel after 16 years as Chancellor. Speakers at the UN General Assembly address the inequalities of Covid vaccine distribution around the world, America’s FDA withdraws nearly a million e-cigarettes from the market, and the European Commission wants all smart phones to have the same type of charging socket to cut down on waste, but will manufacturers go for it? Throughout the programme we’re joined by Robin Harding of the Financial Times and Hayley Woodin, editor of Business in Vancouver.

Biden said there was never a good time to withdraw US forces from Afghanistan, but the situation has "unfolded quicker than expected". Dr Kamran Bokhari, director of analytical development at the Newlines Institute in Washington DC tells us that a lack of effective political and economic governance led the Afghan National Army to melt away and let the Taliban re-take the country. Plus, Daniel Arango, Disaster Management Coordinator at International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, gives us the latest on the situation in Haiti, where tropical storm Grace is making landfall, only days after a deadly earthquake hit the country. Also in the show, extra countries have been added to the service expected to be provided by the new 2Africa undersea internet cable being laid between Europe and two dozen African nations. The BBC's Zoe Kleinman explains why the new cable is needed. Plus, our regular workplace commentator Peter Morgan examines the lessons learned from an experiment in Iceland to offer