As Portugal heads into its third general election in four years, immigration is proving to be a key issue. The famously welcoming country is facing a backlash from residents who are experiencing rising living costs and a lack of housing. Now the country is tightening its immigration rules – so what could the economic impact be? Presented and produc…

From extra bags to choosing a seat, airline passengers are faced with an array of extras, for a fee. And stricter limits for luggage in particular have turned 'compatible' suitcases and bags into big business. From bag manufacturers, racing to design the next travel bag innovation, to the travel influencers building audiences by sharing money-savin…

The value of the US dollar has fallen in recent months. Currencies rise and fall all the time, but since US President Donald Trump announced a raft of tariffs in early April, the drops have been sharp and dramatic. The greenback, as the US dollar is known, has been the world’s main reserve currency since the end of World War Two. But is this changi…

The US president is flying in to Saudi Arabia for a high profile visit to the region. It's his first official foreign trip in office - apart from a brief visit to Rome. For Saudi Arabia, Trump's visit is about strengthening ties with their longest-standing Western ally - a relationship that grew strained during the Biden years. For President Trump,…

We’re in the French winemaking region of Burgundy which last year sold 400 million dollars of wine to the United States. The US is the region’s biggest export market, but could import tariffs put paid to that? On the other side of the Atlantic, you might think the winemakers of Oregon and California would be cracking open something special to celeb…

We're in Galicia, in Northern Spain, at the HQ of the global retailer Zara. It's a rare glimpse behind the scenes of how they create the clothes for a brand that's one of the most successful stories in fast fashion. But is Zara starting to lose its shine after posting slower sales growth at the start of this year? Mainstream rivals are trying to ca…

Mobile businesses - or businesses on four wheels - are growing in number. Seen as an affordable and flexible way to set up a venture, more of them are popping up all around the world and in all sorts of industries. We head to rural France, pioneer territory for van-trepreneurs where now, food trucks, mobile pet grooming services and even mobile cin…

With tariffs of up to 145% on US imports from China, we take a look at how its playing out in the country. China’s leaders are downplaying the potential impact of the trade war - we speak to Chinese exporters and economists to find out what’s really happening and whether the country’s economy is as resilient as senior officials are saying. The impa…

Millions of people in the country are struggling to find affordable homes. We’ll be looking at why rental costs have been rising so sharply. We hear from some of those affected, and find out why they have been taking to the streets to air their grievances. Plus – what are the solutions? Produced and presented by Guy Hedgecoe (Image: A woman is hold…

Raising a child is expensive - and in the US, families can pay more than their monthly rent to cover childcare and enable them to get back to work. We find out why costs in the US are so high compared to the rest of the world. We hear from parents who are struggling to make ends meet, and speak to providers who say they're operating in a difficult …

Judy Faulkner started Epic in 1979 from a basement, with $70,000 in start-up money and two part-time assistants. Now, the company has grown to become a global provider of healthcare technology - with more than half of the US population's medical information stored on its platform. Judy shares how she built the company from the ground up, her insigh…

Nearly a decade has passed since the Colombian government signed a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the Farc, the largest left-wing guerrilla group in Latin America. Thousands of Farc fighters came out of their jungle and mountain hideouts, handed in their weapons, and returned to civilian life. The state has helped …

What gift did you open for your birthday this year? Were you gifted any toys? Lots of adults were. In fact, figures suggest that adults buying toys for themselves is keeping the toy market alive, driving nearly a third of global sales. But what’s behind shift? In this episode we meet the makers, the sellers and the buyers. Produced by: Megan Lawton…

For thousands of years people have traded spices across continents, sharing recipes and wealth. But what could happen to the modern spice industry if costly barriers to free trade are imposed? As US President Donald Trump reaches 100 days in office, it is arguably his “reciprocal tariffs” that have caused the most upheaval in the US and global econ…

We're in Chile, where it’s grape harvesting time and vineyard workers are busy cleaning their barrels to make way for new batches. The South American country has more than a thousand different varieties of grapes, but it’s proving hard to reach a new generation of wine drinkers. It’s not just young people drinking less. Around the world wine produc…

Even before there was talk of a trade war between the US and EU, Europe was on the economic backfoot. But it wasn’t always the case. In 2008, the EU was the world’s biggest economy - today, the US economy is $9.5 trillion bigger than the EUs. So what has happened? Presented and produced by Rob Young (Image: An employee fixes the seat to a Volkswage…

From filming 'day-in-the-life' videos, to capturing casual conversations in the office, some employees are no longer just working behind the scenes. They're stepping into the spotlight as the creative forces behind their company's social media content. More businesses are moving away from paying for traditional social media influencers to market th…

Why are egg prices in the US so high? The price of a dozen eggs has risen dramatically this year, and in some stores, consumers face prices approaching the 10 dollar mark – five times the long-term average. Meanwhile, breakfasts are booming for US hospitality but restaurants are also raising their prices. In a country where the average citizen eats…

Consumer goods as well as fuel and cocoa are all crossing Ghana’s northern border illegally, and in large volumes. It's costing the government billions of dollars in lost revenues. Ed Butler looks at perhaps the biggest illegal trade - gold - Ghana’s number one cash export. But even as the informal economy, unmonitored and untaxed, continues to gro…

Consumer goods, fuel, gold and cocoa are all crossing the border illegally - it's costing the government billions of dollars - so can it be stopped? Ed Butler travels to the northern Ghanaian border with Burkina Faso, and hears from cocoa smugglers who are operating in the region. Produced and presented by Ed Butler (Image: A livestock market in no…

Argentina, a country often associated with economic turbulence, is emerging as a frontrunner in agricultural biotechnology and home to a third of Latin America's start-ups. From shrimp shells to super crops, we explore how a blend of scientific talent, venture capital and cutting-edge research is starting to transform farming - one of the country's…

The small country of Armenia in the South Caucasus has long been positioning itself as an emerging technology hub. Hundreds of tech start-ups with strong ties to the US market through the Armenian diaspora are now based there. From 2020 to 2022, investments in small Armenian tech companies reached $48 million. The industry has been partly fuelled b…

In India’s villages, innovation is being born from necessity. From a fridge made of clay, to silk fashioned from lotus stems, to smart devices helping blind farmers manage their land, we meet the country’s grassroots innovators. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] Presented and produced by Devina G…

We’re in Helsinki where Europe’s biggest campus for startup companies is being built. What role could it play as Finland strives to create the continent’s most supportive environment for new businesses? We’ll look at some of the challenges the country’s facing as it competes for global investment and tech talent. And hear from Sweden - does it see …

Thousands of businesses have 'spun-out' from universities - so is this an opportunity for further growth? The model has seen great success in the US, leading to booming commercial ventures such as Dropbox, iRobot, and Boston Dynamics. And now the UK government has plans for further investment in spin-outs from Oxford and Cambridge. But what evidenc…

From noticing a gap in the market, to launching a start-up with her husband, CEO Julia Hartz tells us how she's built Eventbrite to become one of the biggest event ticketing platforms in the world, distributing 272 million tickets to more than 1.7 million global events in 2024. The online site enables users to buy tickets to all kinds of community …

Colombia has emerged as the world's second-biggest exporter of cut flowers, and the largest supplier to the United States. Local growers suffered a scare this year when US president Donald Trump threatened to impose tariffs of 50% on imports from Colombia. The dispute was quickly resolved but, even so, the threat of tariffs remains. And the sector …

A shortage of workers is leading some retailers to forgo hiring altogether. The number of unmanned, or staff-less stores in South Korea has grown rapidly in recent years - from ice cream shops to bustling cafes and bars. We explore how these unmanned stores operate and if they can offer a solution to the country’s demographic problems. Is this the …

The country is facing a labour shortage following decades of low birth rate and depopulation. By the year 2032, it’s estimated South Korea will need more than 890,000 additional workers to maintain the country’s long term economic growth goal of 2%. But with 95% of the country’s population identifying as ethnically Korean, the public opinion on imm…

South Korea has grappled with an unprecedented decline in birth rate over the past nine years. However the latest figures show a slight rise in the number of babies born. Although the number remains low, the news is being welcomed with cautious optimism. The increase follows years of pro-parent policies and heavy investment by the government and bu…

In its 50th anniversary year, we chart Microsoft's history and look at where the tech giant is heading into the future. It's one of the world's biggest companies - we get exclusive access to the Seattle HQ. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: [email protected] Presenter: Zoe KleinmanProducers: Imran Rahman-Jones, Ge…

Two years ago, boxing was on the ropes. Fans were fed up, and rival promoters were playing the blame game, as egos, finances and broadcaster commitments got in the way. Now, it's all changed, largely thanks to investment from Saudi Arabia. We head to the boxing ring to look at the revival of this global sport – and find out whether the Kingdom's in…

More than 30 million pilgrims are expected to visit The Vatican city this year, to pass through the Holy Door at St Peter's Basilica, opened especially for 2025. In the Italian capital Rome, which surrounds The Vatican, officials have been planning for years to accommodate the extra tourists, including major disruption for locals, but three months …

We’re in Helsinki to find out why this small, cold, Nordic capital is spawning growing numbers of technologies designed to help countries protect and defend themselves against war. We meet some of the Finnish defence tech and dual-use start ups attracting global interest, hear why these sorts of businesses have become more attractive for European i…

Restrictions and government assistance varied, but for small business owners the challenges were similar. Five years on, we hear from three entrepreneurs about their experiences - the manager of a tourism company in Tanzania, a bar owner in England, and a former gym owner in the US. What have they learnt? And has it changed the way the operate and …

The CEO of the Italian luxury car maker tells Business Daily how his background in physics and electronics is helping him lead the company through unprecedented change, as the furious scream of high-powered petrol engines gradually gives way to the whisper of clean but quiet electric motors. How can Ferrari stay relevant in a rapidly changing world…

We're in Greece to find out what challenges await the new IOC president Kirsty Coventry - the first woman and first African to hold the most powerful role in sport. The IOC faces several challenges, including the issue of paying prize money to athletes, finding a host for the 2036 Summer games and climate change. There are also questions around the…

Despite its growing popularity and its success as a global export, the industry is facing a number of challenges. We found out how the South American country is adapting. Produced and presented by Jane Chambers (Image: Workers processing salmon. Credit: Multi Planta)By BBC World Service

'Made in Canada': Words that are now a common sight on Canadian shelves, after Donald Trump's tariffs sparked a trade war with the country. The US president has imposed 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports from Canada. Trump has also vowed to impose a sweeping range of "reciprocal" tariffs on 2 April. North of the United States' border, the t…

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order stopping USAID projects worldwide, saying he wants overseas spending decisions to align with his election policy to "put America first". USAID is the US government's main overseas aid agency and it administers humanitarian aid programmes on behalf of the US government. It …

Sim Tshabalala is the CEO of one of Africa's largest banks, Standard Bank. In this edition of Business Daily, he tells Ed Butler about his journey from growing up under apartheid in South Africa, to be becoming a lawyer, then investment banker. He discusses the risks of lending to companies; how the continent is improving its trade relationships; a…

We hear from a Sri Lankan woman who was trafficked and forced to conduct illegal online activity, including cyber fraud against vulnerable victims. Aneka Boram is one of thousands of people who've recently escaped from so-called scam centres. She talks about her captivity and describes the harsh punishments and conditions she was forced to work in.…

Many prominent US companies have been pulling back on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. US President Donald Trump and his allies have regularly attacked DEI policies. When he returned to the White House in January, President Trump ordered government agencies to eliminate such initiatives - and it appears some of the country's bigge…

Thousands of oil and gas rigs are becoming redundant around the world – and taking them out of service, known as decommissioning, is a multi-billion dollar business. It’s also a complex operation beset by sometimes opposing interests. In this programme, we meet the makers of the world’s biggest ship - a machine at the cutting edge of rig removal, a…

More than a year after a change in government, businesses are closing, unemployment is rising and workers are leaving for neighbouring Australia. As New Zealand's recession continues, uncertainty remains. So what is the government's plan? And could there be brighter times ahead? Produced and presented by Alexander van Wel (Image: Workers repairing …

The international gaming giant has more than 80 million daily users, and is hugely popular with children. It was started by Dave Baszucki and Erik Cassel, and Dave Baszucki is now CEO. In his first ever BBC interview, he tells us about developing the game, the struggle to monetize it, and concerns over child safety - Mr Baszucki insists Roblox is v…

Dr Joachim Nagel isn't just Germany's chief central banker, he's one of the most powerful economic policy-makers in Europe. In this exclusive interview, he tells Business Daily how he thinks Germany, and the European Union as a whole, should be responding to a time of unprecedented economic peril. It's a shaky time for the world's third-largest eco…

The internet is where much of our modern cultural, societal and political history is stored, but as researchers are discovering, the internet has a big memory problem. Without businesses paying to keep servers and archives up, more and more of our history online is disappearing forever. We take a look at what this so called 'link rot' means for our…

The south of France is among thousands of places around the world that now stage ultramarathons: extreme running events covering anything above 26.2 miles to more than 100. They often take place on challenging terrain and require considerable physical and mental resilience. And they've become big business. To find out more, Business Daily went to t…

An hour’s drive north of Buenos Aires is Pilar, a municipality that houses the largest industrial park in Argentina, as well as a population of 400,000. Some rich and middle class Argentines live in its many gated communities, but Pilar has a poverty rate of almost 60% - well above the national figure. We speak to residents and businesses about lib…