Business Daily

Artificial intelligence is transforming industries and creating vast new fortunes. But behind every chatbot, image generator and AI model is a physical product: a semiconductor chip.In this edition of Follow the Money, we trace the global supply chain powering the AI revolution. From the companies designing the world's most advanced chips, to the factories manufacturing them, and the specialist machines needed to produce them, we examine who is profiting from the surge in demand.We also explore why so much of the world's most advanced chip production is concentrated in one place, Taiwan, and what that means for the global economy at a time of growing tensions between China and the West.As governments compete for technological leadership and businesses spend billions on AI infrastructure, we ask a simple question: who's getting rich from the AI boom, and what happens if the supply chain breaks?Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: David Cann

Preparing for the worst might sound a little paranoid, but more people are embracing the prepper mindset and buying emergency supplies. As preparedness becomes a growing business, we visit a survival demonstration, speak to a supplier of emergency kit, and hear from a Swedish Civil Defence official. What's behind the rise of prepping, and why are so many people getting ready for the unexpected?Presenter: David Harper
Producer: Victoria HastingsYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Rahul Tandon is joined by Rebecca Choong Wilkins in Singapore and Walter Todd in South Carolina, USA. They discuss which jobs may be most resistant to the rise of AI and whether skilled trades such as plumbing and locksmithing could offer greater job security. They also compare the challenges facing the US and Chinese economies in light of the latest data releases. And can Toy Story 5 match the box-office success of its predecessors?Producers: Neil Morrow and Bisi Adebayo
Executive Producer: Justin BonesYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

The US and Iran are on the verge of a major deal aimed at reopening one of the world's most important shipping lanes. But even if an agreement is signed, how quickly can things return to normal? How soon can oil tankers and LNG shipments return to service? When might energy supplies begin to ease? And how long before drivers, businesses and households actually feel the benefit through lower prices? Markets may react within hours, but the real-world impact could take much longer.This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show. It's hosted by Rahul Tandon in the UK and our North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York, in conversation with the BBC's Economics Editor Faisal Islam.Producer: Niamh McDermott
Editor: Stephen Ryan
Executive Producer: Justin Bones(Picture: People drive past an anti-U.S. billboard depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 17, 2026. Credit: Majid Asgaripour/WANA - West Asia News Agency)

Greek-born billionaire John Catsimatidis rose from working in a New York grocery store to build the Gristedes supermarket chain and a wider business empire after leaving university before graduating. Now head of the Red Apple Group, with interests spanning real estate, energy, aviation and media, he remains a prominent figure in US business and politics, regularly discussing business with President Trump, despite setbacks including a collapsed airline venture and an unsuccessful run for New York mayor.Founders - the stories of the emotions from the highs and lows of starting a successful businessPresenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: Amber MehmoodYou can email the time: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: John Catsimatidis attends the Economic Club of New York in New York City, U.S., May 28, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

When the US and Israel struck Iran in March 2026, Wall Street was opening as missiles were still flying. Within hours, a small number of investors and companies stood to make billions. The conflict has already cost an estimated $40 billion. Sam Fenwick follows the money; from defence contractors replacing weapons systems, to gas exporters benefiting from disruption in the Strait of Hormuz, and to anonymous traders who appear to have bet on the strikes before the news broke. Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: Matt Lines You can email the team on businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Thomas Hudner fires a missile in support of Operation Epic Fury, Mar. 1, 2026. Credit: U.S. Navy photo)

Off the coast of Sierra Leone, Sherbro Island has been earmarked for an ambitious transformation: a new centre for international business and investment, designed to rival cities like Singapore or Hong Kong. The BBC’s Ed Butler travels to the island to investigate the project and speaks to developer Siaka Stevens, who is leading the effort alongside supporters including film-star Idris Elba, about the vision and what it will take to deliver it. But how realistic is the ambition, and can it become more than a promise?Presenter/producer: Ed Butler
Editor: Stephen RyanEach Monday on Business Daily, we take you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them.You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

Connecting the timezones we get different perspectives on the key global business stories of the week, setting you up for the weekend. Rahul Tandon discusses OpenAI’s plans to sell shares with Emily Peck from Axios and David Kuo from The Smart Investor. Plus, who are their business heroes and villains of the week?Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producer: Josh MartinYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman waves as he speaks with reporters, following meetings on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C. in June 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper)

It’s not just about rockets. This week, Michelle, Rahul and Will explore one of the most anticipated stock market debuts in history: the SpaceX IPO. With a potential $1.75 trillion valuation and intense global investor interest, it’s widely tipped as one of the biggest market launches ever. But can the company live up to the hype — or is this Elon Musk’s biggest gamble yet? Plus: what does SpaceX actually do, and why does it matter to investors?This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show, hosted by Rahul Tandon and Will Bain in the UK, and North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York.Producer: Rebecca SmyllieYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk reacts during an event in London, UK in 2023. Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

It’s not just about rockets. This week, Michelle, Rahul and Will explore one of the most anticipated stock market debuts in history: the SpaceX IPO. With a potential $1.75 trillion valuation and intense global investor interest, it’s widely tipped as one of the biggest market launches ever. But can the company live up to the hype — or is this Elon Musk’s biggest gamble yet? Plus: what does SpaceX actually do, and why does it matter to investors?This is the latest episode of our weekly Power Players show, hosted by Rahul Tandon and Will Bain in the UK, and North America Business Correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York.Producer: Rebecca SmyllieYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk reacts during an event in London, UK in 2023. Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

It's not just about rockets. So what does SpaceX actually do and what do you need to know about what's being dubbed the biggest-ever IPO? And could this be Elon Musk's biggest business gamble yet?The latest in our weekly show and podcast about the power players in business hosted by World Business presenters Rahul Tandon and Will Bain in the UK, and our North America business correspondent Michelle Fleury in New York.Producer: Rebecca SmyllieYou can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Tesla and SpaceX's CEO Elon Musk reacts during an event in London, UK in 2023. Credit: Kirsty Wigglesworth/Pool via REUTERS/File Photo)

We meet Caecilia Chu, founder of one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing fintech companies, YouTrip.Growing up in a small public housing flat in Hong Kong, she watched her father study at night for years to become an accountant, only to later struggle to secure a bank loan to start his own business. The experience left a lasting impression and sparked her interest in making financial services more accessible. She tells Leanna Byrne how she went from a failed first startup and hundreds of investor rejections to building a company that now processes billions of dollars in payments each year. She also shares how the pandemic-era collapse in travel nearly wiped out the business overnight, forcing a dramatic pivot that ultimately helped YouTrip survive.Founders with Leanna Byrne - The stories of the emotions from the highs and lows of starting a successful business
Producer: Amber Mehmood(Picture: Caecilia Chu)You can contact us by email to businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

World Cup 2026 will span the United States, Canada and Mexico, with demand for tickets at record levels. FIFA stands to earn nearly $9 billion from the tournament, more than the entire Paris 2024 Olympics. So who pays, and where does the money actually go? Sam Fenwick follows the cash through the business of the World Cup: the rising price of tickets, FIFA’s own resale platform, the billions generated by broadcast rights and sponsors, and the host cities covering security and transport costs while receiving little direct revenue in return.Featuring Mark DiDonato (Florida State University), ticketing consultant Jim McCarthy, Amir Somoggi (Sports Value), and Alan Rothenberg, who led the 1994 US World Cup and now sits on the Los Angeles host committee.On Tuesdays, we Follow the Money with Sam Fenwick. Discover where the cash you're spending goes.Presenter: Sam Fenwick
Producer: Matt LinesYou can contact the team on businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: A Germany fan during training at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North Carolina, USA. Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Chuck Burton)

Each Monday, Ed Butler takes you around the globe to the heart of the stories and meeting those living through them. West Africa is currently the global epicentre for illegal fishing, according to the UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation. An estimated 40% of the world's illegal industrial fishing occurs in its waters, costing the region up to 10 billion dollars a year in lost revenue, and severely depleting stocks essential for the food security and livelihoods of over 7 million people. Ed Butler has been hearing about the practice in Sierra Leone, trying to ascertain who is behind it, and finding out how much the government is doing to help. Presenter/producer: Ed Butler(Picture: Thomas Turay, Sierra Leone Artisinal Fishermens Union. Credit: BBC/Ed Butler)Our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk

We hear how karate, being laughed out of a bank boardroom in a cash-obsessed country helped shape one of India’s most valuable fintech companies. Harshil Mathur shares how discipline, resilience and a leap of faith helped him build Razorpay into a $7.5 billion company at the heart of India’s digital payments revolution.If you'd like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk Presenter: Rahul Tandon
Producer: Amber Mehmood and Niamh Mc Dermott(Picture: Harshil Mathur)

This week, Michelle, Rahul and Will explore the world of dynamic pricing, where prices go up when demand is high and come down when demand drops. It’s already standard in travel and hospitality. Now, it’s expanding into live events, and this year, it reached the World Cup. Supporters say it’s simple economics, charging what people are willing to pay. Critics argue it risks pricing ordinary fans out of the experiences they love. So how does dynamic pricing really work? Why has it become one of the most controversial trends in live entertainment? And as organisers push to maximise revenue, are we seeing the future of events, or the point where fans push back?Hosts: Will Bain, Michelle Fleury and Rahul Tandon
Producer: Rebecca Smyllie(Picture: The 2026 FIFA World Cup logo is placed over the original logo of the Hard Rock stadium in Miami, Florida, USA. Credit: CRISTOBAL HERRERA-ULASHKEVICH/EPA/Shutterstock)

Renowned for its multi-step skincare routine and its foundation in the ever trendy Korean culture, K-beauty has become a multi-billion dollar industry across the globe.The term covers a wide range of skincare, make-up and cosmetics from South Korea and is lauded for its quality and value.But as demand grows, tens of thousands of companies are claiming to be K-beauty, and not all of them are based in South Korea. This has raised questions about its identity and authenticity. In the midst of its identity crisis, counterfeiters are now getting involved.So, what puts the K in K-beauty?We hear from manufacturers, retailers and industry bodies who might have an idea.Presented and produced by David Cann
Sound mix: Ben Houghton[This episode was first broadcast on 28 October 2025](Picture: A young Asian woman applying a moisturising cream in front of a mirror. Credit: Getty Images)

Many graduates are reluctant to work in the country’s large tourism and service sectors, looking instead for roles that match their university skills. That can make finding a first job after graduating a real challenge.Presenter/producer: Ashish SharmaIf you’d like to get in touch with the team, our email address is businessdaily@bbc.co.uk(Picture: Spanish Secretary of State for Labour Joaquin Perez Rey speaking about how unemployment in April 2026 fell below 2.4 million people for the first time since June 2008. Credit: JAVIER LIZON/EPA/Shutterstock)

From cafes and gyms to supermarkets and restaurants, content creators are moving into everyday spaces, searching for attractive backdrops for their photos and videos. But as the influencer economy grows, their presence is dividing companies, customers and creators. Megan Lawton speaks to business owners, influencers and digital culture experts about what the rules should be.Presenter: Megan Lawton
Producer: Sam Gruet(Photo: Tony Marks, owner of the Starfish and Coffee cafe in Brighton in the UK; Credit: Megan Lawton)

Nigeria pharmacist Abimbola Adebakin tells us how a failed start-up and the struggle to access essential medicines inspired her to build Advantage Health Africa, a company connecting pharmacies and helping deliver medicines across Nigeria.Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer Amber Mehmood(Photo: Abimbola Adebakin. Credit: Studio 24)