Business Matters

Wall Street has just wrapped up one of its most volatile weeks in years, with investors rattled by Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs on global imports. The fallout? Trillions wiped from US stock markets—the S&P 500, Dow, and Nasdaq all plunging more than 5%, with tech stocks entering bear market territory. What does this mean for trade on the ground? Gene Seroka, head of the Port of Los Angeles—the busiest container port in the US—tells us how these tariffs could disrupt the flow of goods across the Pacific. As panic ripples through the markets, we ask: should people nearing retirement be worried? Maria Johannssen of AON breaks down the risks to global pension funds heavily invested in Wall Street. Also in the programme: TikTok gets yet another reprieve in the US. But who’s really in line to buy it? We look at the high-stakes politics and business deals shaping its future. And finally— our reporter gives us an insight into the thinking inside Microsoft, and the celebrations as it turns 50 years old.

Donald Trump defends tariffs on US imports. This is despite Wall Street suffering its worst day since the early months of the Covid pandemic. The Dow Jones fell by nearly four percent. Pharmaceuticals have been excluded from the 20% tariffs on all EU exporters. Gareth Sheridan, the founder of Nutriband inc. from Dublin tells us more And why have Japanese convenience stores caught the attention of North America. The BBC’s Ruth Alexander reports

President Donald Trump has announced comprehensive new import taxes on all goods entering the United States, marking a significant shift in global trade policy. The proposal establishes a minimum tariff rate of 10 percent on all imports. Rahul Tandon gathers reactions on the potential implications of these tariffs.

What do we know about Donal Trumps ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs? On Wednesday Trump will announce the tariffs the US will impose on its trading partners Argentina’s poverty rate has fallen dramatically. Argentinien journalist Fermin Koop tells us more And Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan have been confirmed as part of the all-star line-up who will play members of the Beatles in four major new films about the band

Businesses prepare for Trumps ‘Liberation Day’ as the United States heads towards massive introduction of import taxes later this week Japan is one of the US’s biggest investors. How will they cope with tariffs? We hear from Stephen Nagy Professor at the International Christian University in Tokyo. We also hear from Cleveland-Cliffs steel, a US steel company that supports the implementation of tariffs

Myanmar's military leader, Min Aung Hlaing, has made a rare request for international help after a powerful earthquake hit the centre of the country, flattening buildings and bridges. The US vice president, JD Vance, has accused Denmark of underinvesting in the security of Greenland and leaving it vulnerable. And Rahul Tandon will discuss how Dua Lipa has won the dismissal of a lawsuit that accused her of copying her hit single Levitating from two other songs. We will be joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the world – From the US, Andy Uhler, Journalism fellow at the University of Texas Energy Institute and Columbia University's Centre on Global Energy Policy – and Nga Pham, a journalist based in Taiwan.

The Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, has said the United States is no longer a reliable partner after President Donald Trump imposed 25% tariffs on car imports. Rahul Tandon speaks to businesses in both the US and Canada. China's biggest company, Tencent Holdings, has made more than a billion-dollar investment in a new spin-off company of the French gaming giant Ubisoft, which owns franchises including Assassin’s Creed and Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six. And if you speak a language other than English, are there terms that English just doesn’t have or can't do justice to? Well, the Oxford English Dictionary feels your pain, and so it's incorporating "loan words" – words that would be coined as "untranslatable". We will be joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the world – Dante Disparte, Head of Policy at the Libra Association, who is in Washington, and Sushma Ramachandran, an independent business journalist and columnist for The Tribune, who is in Delhi, India.

The US President Donald Trump has announced plans for long-promised tariffs on automotive imports shipped into the United States, and the tariffs will go into effect on 2nd April and will apply to finished cars and trucks that are shipped into the United States. Also, Maryland is marking one year since a cargo ship crashed into Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge. The owner of the ship agreed to pay 102 million in damages back in September, and now it’s expected that the new bridge will be finished in 2028. And Rahul Tandon discusses Marvel announcement of the production for Avengers: Doomsday, which is underway and appears to have revealed its cast. We will be joined throughout the programme by two guests on opposite sides of the world - Stephanie Hare, a researcher on technology and ethics originally from Illinois but living in London and KAREN PERCY – senior freelance reporter in Melbourne.

Roger Hearing is joined by Shoeb Kagda, an Indonesian journalist and Takara Small, national technology columnist for CBC in Toronto. Ukraine's President Zelensky says Russia is "lying" about the terms of their Black Sea ceasefire. Russia, in turn, insists that certain sanctions on banks, insurers, and food exporters must be lifted before the ceasefire takes effect. In Indonesia, why are academic performances among the lowest despite the government investing $31bn last year? Plus, would you pay $30 for a bread basket before your meal?

Roger Hearing is joined by Peter Morici, Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland in Virginia and Jyoti Malhotra, Editor-in-Chief at The Tribune in Chandigarh, India. President Trump said that any country buying oil or gas from Venezuela will pay a 25% tariff on trades with the US. He also said he may give some countries a tariff break. How has a Chinese electric vehicle company taken over Tesla? We hear from Tu Le, founder of Beijing-based advisory company Sino Auto Insights, and co-host of the 'China EVs & More' podcast.

Ed Butler is joined by Peter Ryan, ABC's senior business correspondent in Sydney Australia and Gaby Castro Fontoura, Director of Sunny Sky Solutions - a business consultancy from Uruguay. We look at the impact of Western aid cuts on Africa. Heathrow Airport has lifted its usual night-time restrictions to help restore normal air travel after Friday’s widespread disruption. Plus, the side hustle is on the rise in the U.S. even among professionals as more people take on second jobs amid growing economic uncertainty.

Thousands of people have been trafficked into Myanmar and forced to work in scam compounds, running online fraud operations that target victims globally. We hear from one of the most senior people at the United Nations trying to tackle the problem. Indonesia—once hailed as one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies—is facing a sharp sell-off in its stock market. We break down what’s driving investor anxiety. And we examine whether Apple’s smartphone tech is falling behind the hype.

The US Federal reserve holds interest rates. The rate remains unchanged despite the uncertainty created by tariffs Argentina's economy has shrunk 1.7% in 2024 compared with 2023. We hear from Professor of Economics at Belgrano University, Luis Arguero And how will the second hand clothes marker benefit from tariffs?

Ukraine's power plants have been the subject of missile assaults since the beginning of the war. We ask how has Ukraine’s energy infrastructure survived the war? Germany’s Parliament has passed historic ‘debt backed’ defence spending measures, so the country can borrow far more for weapons and infrastructure. And one of Hollywood’s biggest producers, Village Roadshow, has filed for bankruptcy. The production house was responsible for titles such as ‘The Matrix’ and ‘Ocean’s Eleven’.

The OECD has said Mexico’s economy will shrink due to tariffs imposed by the US. Mexico is now forecast to contract by 1.3% this year and shrink a further 0.6% next year, instead of growing by 1.2% and 1.6% as previously expected. A Peruvian farmer has taken RWE, the German energy giant, to court arguing the company’s greenhouse gas emissions are causing glaciers to melt, increasing the flood risk to his home And consumer protection group in Hong Kong has advised people looking for a new mattress to take an in-store nap before buying

The US government narrowly avoids a shutdown after Democratic senators back a Republican-led spending bill, exposing deep party divisions. Was this a necessary compromise or a political defeat? Steff Chávez from the FT breaks it down. Meanwhile, gold hits a record $3,000 per ounce as investors seek stability. But who really benefits? Adrian Ash of BullionVault and Julia Yansura from FACT discuss the legal and illicit gold trade. Also, Canada’s new PM, Mark Carney, faces economic challenges, including potential US tariffs. We assess his road ahead with expert Fen Hampson. Plus, as LA’s wildfire cleanup continues, concerns grow over debris being dumped near parks and schools. Marketplace’s Caleigh Wells reports.

President Trump has threatened a 200% tariffs on alcohol imported from the EU in response to the EU's plan to impose a 50% tariff on US whiskey Donatella Versace is standing down as creative officer of the luxury fashion label, Versace And carmaker Nissan says it has just completed the latest stage of an eight-year project to develop technology for self-driving cars. The BBC’s Theo Leggit went to find out more.

The Canadian government says it will follow ‘dollar-by-dollar’ approach and institute 25% tariffs on US imports. This comes after the EU announced its own tariffs on US goods. President Trump says "whatever they charge us with, we're charging them". Rahul Tandon speaks to EU, Canadian and US businesses. Spotify paid out a record £7.7 billion to the music industry last year. And why does the internet have a memory problem?

Canada and the United States have each backtracked on some tariff threats amid further trade turmoil. But America still plans a 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminium imports on Wednesday. As the world awaits to hear if Russia will agree on a ceasefire, we hear what it could mean for Ukraine’s economy. Why is China's president pushing for the country to be a global leader of AI by 2030? And, as Manchester United plans to build a $2 billion stadium, Rahul Tandon asks can they afford it?

How are tariffs fuelling the decline in US markets and Canadian patriotism? US markets are down today after President Trump refused to rule out recession in an interview. The Nasdaq suffered its worst day in several years, closing down by four percent. The tariffs have also prompted a surge in Canadian patriotism. Rahul Tandon speaks to an app developer making buying local easier. And why are we talking about instant noodles?