Business Daily

Festive celebrations at Christmas and New Year often involve increased alcohol consumption in many parts of the world. For some, that’s followed by a decision to take a break from drinking. It's become widely known as Dry January.However, data shows that more people are choosing to reduce their alcohol intake all year round. Alcohol-free drinks only make up about 1% of the total industry, but their popularity has risen quickly, and the vast majority of those drinks - 90% according to analysts Mintel - are beer. How influential is Dry January really in this growing trend? And how will the smaller producers, who pioneered the non-alcoholic sector, fare now that the drinks giants are producing their own zero percent products? We examine the changing adult drinks market. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Imran Rahman-Jones(Picture: Sonja Mitchell, founder of Jump Ship Brewing, based in Scotland, UK, holding a glass of non-alcoho

Outrage has been growing in Iran over the country's struggling economy. Any growth this year or next looks unlikely.Protests starting in the capital have spread around the country, driven by mounting economic pressures, sanctions and rising consumer prices. They've been met with a violent crackdown by the government. More than two thousand people are reported to have been killed since the protests began and Iran remains under a days-long internet blackout.In this edition of Business Daily, we examine what has gone wrong with Iran’s economy and why financial pressures have led to so many people taking to the streets.If you'd like to contact the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rahul Tandon Producers: David Cann and Matt Lines(Picture: An employee arranges a shelf at a store in the Iranian capital Tehran on the 7th of January 2026. Credit: Getty Images)

The power of the global bond market seems to have grown in recent years, to the extent that it can now dictate government policy and even topple political leaders. How much clout do the debt markets actually have and should they be reined in? Many rich nations are more indebted than they have ever been in modern times, meaning that some are spending more simply on servicing their debt than on schools, hospitals or military defence. In the second of two programmes on the bond market, we ask, how sustainable is that debt and should we be worried about it? If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Ed Butler Producer: Gideon Long(Photo: A view of financial buildings in the City of London. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore how the world became so dependent on bonds, those IOUs from governments and firms that helped build the modern economy. Bonds are often dismissed as a dull corner of finance, but behind the scenes they have played a central role in major economic dramas around the world. We hear about their history, how they have shaped companies and countries, and why some fear the bond market could trigger the next global meltdown. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rob Young Producer: Gideon Long(Photo: A bond issued in 1648 by a Dutch water board to finance improvements to a local dike system. The bond, written on vellum, is held at Yale University Beinecke Library and is believed to be one of the oldest in the world that still pays interest. Credit: Yale University)

We hear from a man who is immersed in the world of startups, innovation, venture capital, and the work of policymakers whose job it is to strengthen Europe's standing in all those fields. He's also a Prince of the Netherlands and the brother of the Dutch King. Constantijn van Oranje has worked as a business consultant and at the European Commission. He is now a champion of the Dutch tech sector through his organisation, Techleap, set up to support the founders and startups hoping to shape the future of Europe's economy. It's given him a platform to have his say on some of the most pressing issues facing Europe today - but how does he balance his role with that of Prince? We talk politics, regulation and unicorns. If you'd like to get in touch with Business Daily, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Matthew Kenyon(Photo: Prince Constantijn of the Netherlands presents the annual report of Techleap during the conference State of Dutch Tech on 12 February, 2025 in The Hague, Neth

The United Arab Emirates has become the largest state investor in Africa. It's spending billions of dollars across the continent; building ports, power plants and renewable energy projects. We look at why Emirati companies are expanding so rapidly, and find out how much this investment is reshaping economies.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Sameer Hashmi(Picture: General view of Berbera Port and Bebera city in Somaliland in the Horn of Africa, on 31st August 2021. Dubai-based port operator DP World and the Government of Somaliland, opened a container terminal at Berbera Port in June 2021. Credit: Getty Images)

Will the boom in artificial intelligence continue in 2026? We hear how the world’s biggest companies are jockeying for position in the race to dominate the field. After a year of record spending on AI, we look at how sustainable that type of investment might be in the year ahead. Plus - what gadgets could become mainstream in 2026? The BBC's Technology Editor, Zoe Kleinman, and North America technology correspondent in Silicon Valley, Lily Jamali, give Will Bain their predictions. If you would like to get in touch with the show, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Will Bain Producer: Matt Lines(Picture: Guests including CEO of Meta Mark Zuckerberg; Amazon founder Jeff Bezos; CEO of Google Sundar Pichai; and CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, X and xAI Elon Musk, arrive before the 60th Presidential Inauguration in Washington, on Monday, 20th of January 2025. Credit: Getty Images)

We explore how economies and companies rode out the tariff-driven economic storms of 2025 and hear how many continue to forge new partnerships in a changing world of global trade. Asia business correspondent, Suranjana Tewari, and India business correspondent, Arunoday Mukharji, join us from Singapore and Delhi to discuss what the year might hold for the region's biggest economic players. If you'd like to contact the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Will Bain Producer: Matt Lines(Picture: India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and China's President Xi Jinping shaking hands at the Brics summit of emerging economies held in Russia in 2024. Credit: Getty Images)

After American forces arrested and removed the leader of Venezuela, Rahul Tandon looks at what the future might hold for the world's largest oil reserve, and what can we learn from the country's past.Many US companies were forced out of Venezuela when the oil industry was nationalised in the 1970s. The type of oil found there is also hard to reach and complicated to refine. We look at its difficult history, where the oil it produces now goes to, and whether US oil companies will want to spend the tens of billions of dollars it is thought will be needed to fix Venezuela's oil infrastructure. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Rahul Tandon Reporter: Gideon Long Producer: Justin Bones(Picture: A man wearing a face mask walks past a mural depicting an oil pump and the Venezuelan flag in a street of Caracas, on 26 May, 2022. Credit: Getty Images)

Tariffs and trade wars dominated 2025, but what does the year ahead have in store? And what about the prospect for rising prices we’ve seen around the world? The BBC’s Deputy Economics Editor, Dharshini David, and North America Business Correspondent, Michelle Fleury, pick through what we learned last year and explore the trends likely to shape the global economy in 2026. If you would like to get in touch with the programme, please email: businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Will Bain Producer: Matt Lines(Picture: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, French President Emmanuel Macron, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, US President Donald Trump, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Germany’s Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the G7 summit in Kananaskis on June 16, 2025. Credit: AFP via Getty Images)

Doorstep delivery services boomed during the Covid-19 pandemic and they're still popular in many parts of the world: ordering hot meals, or groceries, via a mobile app to your door at the click of a button. For the customer, it's a fast and convenient service. For the rider, it's flexible work, but there's no guaranteed income, the work is physical and the hours are often antisocial - especially during major holidays like Christmas and New Year. Why, then, do so many people do it? We speak to riders in the US and UK about their experiences delivering food, drinks and other essentials to customers at all hours of the day.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, you can send us an email to businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: David Harper Producer: Victoria Hastings(Picture: A delivery rider on a scooter, travelling through a city at night. Credit: Getty Images)

With 250 years of brewing history behind his family, Arthur Edward Guinness was discouraged from taking on the responsibility that the men of his family had for centuries. Now Ned, or Lord Iveagh, grows crops, brews beer and is in pursuit of being able to pour the perfect pint in one of the two pubs he owns in the rural east of England. He tells Leanna Byrne about the extraordinary family history he sees as his legacy, and talks about how the famous brewery at St James's Gate in Dublin, Ireland became one of the most successful in the world. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Hannah Bewley(Image: Ned Guinness, 4th Earl of Iveagh, attends the "House Of Guinness" London Premiere at Picturehouse Central on 23 September 2025 in London, England. Credit: Getty Images)

We're in Santa’s grotto – sort of - a Chinese city that some call the Christmas capital of the world. With 75,000 traders, across 50,000 stores, Yiwu offers the world’s largest wholesale market across a labyrinth of arcades. But at a time of growing trade tensions with the US, who’s actually buying the tinsel this year? If you'd like to send us an email, our address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Ed Butler Producer: David Cann Additional production: Victoriya Holland(Picture: Crowds of people walking through Yiwu wholesale market. Credit: BBC/Wang Xiqing)

We look at what makes a great Christmas marketing campaign. From a budget-friendly advert based around coffee cups, to multi-million dollar epic commercials featuring Hollywood A-list celebrities.We unwrap the secrets behind the world's most iconic festive advertising.If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Elizabeth Hotson(Picture: A woman and a man wearing Santa hats, sitting in front of a TV with Christmas tree, candles and food. Credit: Getty Images)

Festive spending habits are changing, with many, especially younger shoppers, predicted to cut back.We look at what’s driving the shift, the impact on retail, and how artificial intelligence is starting to shape the way shoppers choose gifts and search for lower prices.Plus - we hear from members of the World Service audience on what their holiday spending priorities are. You can get in touch with the programme - our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet(Picture: Nelmar Cornes, a stationary enthusiast and the owner of the Toronto Pen Shoppe in Toronto, Canada.)

As millions of households around the world put up their Christmas trees, we hear from the founder and CEO of US-based company Balsam Hill - one of the world’s biggest artificial Christmas tree retailers. Mac Harman tells us about his journey as an entrepreneur, how he's addressing sustainability concerns, and how the company's managing the pressures of tariffs.If you'd like to contact the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Ed Butler Producer: David CannCorrection, 22 December 2025: This episode, which first aired on 19 December, has been amended to include more detail and to clarify the sourcing of the materials used in the manufacture of Balsam Hill's trees. (Picture: Mac Harman. Credit: Balsam Hill)

You might be familiar with the term "ghosting" when it comes to dating. One minute you’re talking to someone, the next they disappear.The same thing is now happening in the job market, with employers not responding to candidates or posting roles that never existed.It’s a problem thought to affect millions.In this programme, we hear why "ghost jobs" have become so common, look at the new rules meant to curb the practice, and hear directly from job seekers about how it makes them feel.You can email us - our address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Megan Lawton Producer: Sam Gruet(Picture: Woman applying for a job online. Credit: Getty Images)

We return to Peru’s mega port - the Chancay Port. This $3.5bn project is a joint venture between China’s state-owned shipping company Cosco Shipping and Peruvian mining company Volcan. It’s already starting to have an impact on local businesses. We find out what’s giving it the edge, how local fruit producers are particularly benefiting, and what obstacles still need to be overcome, both politically and logistically. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresented and produced by Jane Chambers(Picture: Fruit producer, Percy Perez, in Peru.)

It’s transforming the world of road haulage, but has the recent ‘Uberisation’ been good news for truckers? From Nanjing to Nairobi, we discover how digital freight matching platforms are changing the way drivers access work, plan routes and the impact it’s having on the climate. But with driverless trucks on the horizon, what does the future hold for truckers and trucking firms? If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Sam Gruet Producer: Megan Lawton(Picture: A white 18 wheeler truck on the road. Credit: Getty Images)

Pakistan closed its border with Afghanistan in October following sporadic fighting between the two countries.Since then, the movement of goods has stopped, and lines of trucks have been waiting to cross. We look at the impact of this key trade route being shut and what it means for livelihoods and businesses on both sides of the border. If you'd like to get in touch with the programme, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.ukPresenter: Will Bain Producer: Hannah Mullane(Picture: Lorries and a group of people congregating at the border of Pakistan and Afghanistan. Credit: BBC)