Business Daily

Will Bain is joined by Seijiro Takeshita in Japan and Yael Selfin in the UK to discuss the week's biggest business stories. As NATO members agree to greater defence spending, we examine how economic conditions in the UK and Japan are shaping their ability to fund these commitments, as governments balance growing security demands with pressure on public finances. Plus, what Microsoft's layoffs at Xbox reveal about the global gaming industry after years of rapid growth.
Presenter: Will Bain
Producer: David Cann
You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
(Picture: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and US President Donald Trump meet on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, 08 July 2026. Credit: Filip Singer/Pool via REUTERS)

Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani rode a wave of anti-Trump sentiment and cost-of-living pressures to win the New York City mayoralty. But talk of new taxes to fund spending spooked some on Wall Street. Six months in, has he found a balance?
Presenters: Michelle Fleury and Will Bain
Producer: Josh Martin
Editor: Stephen Ryan
You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
(Image: New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani waves to his supporters after winning the 2025 New York City Mayoral race. Credit: Jeenah Moon/ Reuters)

Noubar Afeyan helped bring one of medicine's biggest breakthroughs to the world through Moderna's Covid-19 vaccine. In this episode, he explains why what looked like an overnight success was actually decades in the making.
Presenter: Will Bain
Producers: Barbara George and David Cann
Researcher: Aleeza Siddiq

They are one of the biggest rock bands in the world and are releasing their 25th album this week. So, in a world where artists can make billions from touring alone, should the band release new material or just go on the road?
They have earned more than $200 million across six tours, more than $100 million over 10, while many musicians earn less that $0.01 per stream of their songs.
Presenter: Hannah Mullane
Producer: Matt Lines and Neil Morrow
You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
(Photo: Mick Jagger on the Pyramid Stage during a Rolling Stones set at Glastonbury in 2013. Credit: BBC)

Sameer Hashmi travels to Riyadh to examine the progress of Vision 2030, an ambitious plan launched nearly a decade ago to transform one of the world's biggest oil producers into a more diverse economy. The kingdom has invested hundreds of billions of dollars in tourism, entertainment, sport and mega-projects, while introducing sweeping social reforms that have reshaped everyday life. But oil remains central to the economy, some flagship projects have been scaled back, and now the conflict with Iran is creating fresh uncertainty over the kingdom's plans to diversify its economy.
Presenter/producer: Sameer Hashmi
You can email the team: businessdaily@bbc.co.uk
(Picture: A Saudi man walks past the logo of Vision 2030 after a news conference in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia June 7, 2016. Credit: REUTERS/Faisal Al Nasser)