World Business Report

US employers added a greater-than-expected 130,000 jobs in January, helping nudge the unemployment rate lower to 4.3%, according to official government statistics released on Tuesday The figures could help ease fears about the health of the job market, after last year's sharp slowdown as firms wrestled with changes, including major cuts to government spending and a crackdown on immigration. The US added just 181,000 jobs in 2025, according to the latest data, even weaker than previously reported.
The Dutch brewers Heineken cuts thousands of jobs after it finds drinkers are consuming less beer. Heineken - which also brews Amstel and Tiger lagers - said the cuts would come from brewing and white-collar roles among its 87,000-strong global workforce.
And China teeters on the edge of stagflation as inflation slows and worries continue over why consumers just don’t appear to be spending - putting pressure on firms to sell their goods abroad and make profits there.
Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Senior Producer: Craig Henderson

Cuba has warned international airlines that jet fuel will no longer be available, signalling a deepening energy crunch as the US seeks to squeeze Cuba’s oil supply. We find out what this means for tourism.
Transparency International says corruption is worsening worldwide, with the global average score in its Corruption Perceptions Index at its lowest level in more than a decade. Our International Business Correspondent Theo Leggett explains what is driving the deterioration - and why it matters for investment and growth.
And one Insurance company says it has launched the first insurance comparison app built on ChatGPT, letting customers shop for cover by “chatting” rather than filling in forms. The move has unsettled investors, knocking shares in comparison and insurance sites amid fears AI could disrupt the sector. We hear from one Insurance CEO on how AI could change the way people buy insurance.
(Picture: Airplane on a runway in Cuba. Credit: Getty Images).

Oil giant BP is pulling back billions that had been earmarked for shareholders as it looks to steady its finances after a fall in profits. Leanna Byrne asks what it means for BP’s longer-term strategy in energy?
Also, how unusual is it for a major artist to walk away from a powerful talent agency?
And Spotify wraps its fourth quarter with good numbers.

A landmark US trial begins today in Los Angeles, where plaintiffs say Instagram and YouTube were built to addict kids. We hear from our North America Technololgy Correspondent on what the families said today in court.
Then to Japan, where Sanae Takaichi’s decisive election win is being read by markets positively - sending the Nikkei to record highs. We’ll hear from Tokyo and the US on what her strengthened mandate could mean for the Japan-US relationship.
And there's a major pharma-versus-telehealth clash: Novo Nordisk is suing Hims & Hers, accusing it of patent infringement linked to semaglutide - seeking to halt sales of unapproved compounded versions and pursuing damages, in a case that could ripple through the booming online weight-loss market.
(Photo: Parents who lost children to alleged social media–related harms hold a vigil ahead of a social media addiction trial in Los Angeles on February 5, 2026. Jill Connelly/Reuters: Reuters).

Long:Japanese stocks have surged after Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s resounding election win, pushing the Nikkei to a record high. Andrew Peach looks at what it means for Japan’s economy.
We’ll also hear about concerns from Indian farmers over the country’s interim trade agreement with the United States.
And why a major new international report says businesses often have more financial incentive to damage nature than protect it.