AI Spending Fears Hit Global Stock Markets

Volkswagen reports its biggest quarterly loss in more than a decade, losing almost $7 billion in three months. We look at the challenges facing the German car giant as it plans thousands of job cuts. Also, Christine Lagarde announces she's stepping down early as president of the European Central Bank, triggering a race to replace her. And fuel shortages loom in Kenya as independent petrol retailers clash with major oil suppliers over prices. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Bisi Adebayo

Microsoft and Alphabet have reported their latest earnings. We' ll be taking a look at their performance as Microsoft shares surged off the back of their results while Alphabet's took a dip.European gas prices spiked, with a key contract hitting €100 for the first time since 2022 - but how is that affecting European manufacturers?Elsewhere, why the passengers on a cruise ship have been left stranded in Cambodia - and a year after Hurricane Melissa, how Jamaica's tourism sector is recovering.Presenter: Ed Butler Producers: Barbara George & Amy Booth(Photo: Microsoft logo and a keyboard in this illustration. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo)

India's biggest telecom giant, the Meta and Google-backed Jio Platforms, made its stock market debut on Wednesday. The UK's finance minister, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, has revealed the government's budget plans for the next 12 months. And passengers on a round-the-world cruise ship have been told to disembark in Cambodia, because the company can't afford the current cost of fuel oil.

Subscription window for Africa's "People's IPO" closes today for the Dangote Refinery in Nigeria. Which has reportedly been almost three times oversubscribed, with billions of dollars' worth of orders from retail and institutional investors. We find out what it means for investment in the continent.The first three ships full of Russian diesel head for the US, but two of them are currently sanctioned by the EU, UK and Canada. We find out if they will be able to land and what could be the legal implications for any US companies handling the product.China's state television company has reportedly suspended broadcasts of La Liga matches after the Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe appeared to call the late Mao Zedong a "Chinese dictator" on a French TV chat show. We hear about the commercial fall out.Presenter: Ed Butler Producer: Barbara George & George Baylis(PHOTO: Aliko Dangote, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dangote Group speaks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of an East African oil refinery in Lamu, Kenya, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Monicah Mwangi)

French football star Kylian Mbappé has apologised after a joke about China's former leader Mao Zedong sparked a growing boycott.Major brands have dropped sponsorship deals, while Chinese broadcasters are reportedly pulling Spanish football matches. We examine the financial fallout.Also, Microsoft offers voluntary redundancy to thousands of workers as it increases spending on AI. What could it mean for India's IT industry?And, is the Labubu craze over? Sales slump at Pop Mart, the Chinese company behind the viral dolls.Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Bisi Adebayo

One of the world's most valuable AI companies is heading to wall street. Anthropic has warned artificial intelligence (AI) could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity" as it unveiled details of its planned stock market listing in the US. We hear what tech investors want from the listing.Brazil’s President Lula da Silva has won a fourth term in office and is promising unity and democracy. We hear what victory means for Brazil's economy.Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has suggested the country should prepare ways to work around potential banking sanctions. We hear about the country's economy and political mood.And London’s Oxford Street is about to get a lot quieter, as one of the world’s most famous shopping destinations goes traffic-free. We here from shoppers. (Photo: Anthropic logo in this illustration taken on 26 October, 2026, is a black rectangle with the brand name Anrhopic in white, bold type. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)Presenter: Vishala Sri-Pathma Producer: Barbara George and George Baylis

Lula da Silva wins fourth term as President in dramatic Brazil election comeback, but his opponent refuses to accept the result.India legalises E100 ethanol fuel for vehicles.And London's famous Oxford Street shopping district is going traffic

In the U.S., President Trump's war in Iran has caused pain for low-income Americans. As voters go to the polls for nationwide Congressional elections, people are struggling to pay for food and fuel. The cost-of-living crisis deepens. Brazilians will be voting for a new president on Sunday in a run-off election. The current president - Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva - is being challenged by right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro in a tight race that will have consequences for the region and the world. We speak to economists in the country. Presenter: Rahul Tandon Producers: Neil Morrow & Neggeen Sadid (Photo: A person pumps gas into their car at the 76 gas station at the corner of Roscoe Boulevard and Woodman Avenue in Los Angeles, California, USA, 04 September 2026. Credit: EPA/Shutterstock / Chris Torres)

Technology stocks face renewed pressure across US and Asian markets as investors grow increasingly concerned about the huge sums being poured into artificial intelligence. Luke Wilson examines what's driving the uncertainty. Also, Greece becomes the latest country to introduce a social media ban for children. And Volvo announces 2,000 job cuts after reporting a quarterly loss of more than $560 million. Producer: Bisi Adebayo Presenter: Luke Wilson

A New Mexico judge has fined Meta $25 billion for its handling of user data. It is the latest large legal payout for the tech firm, following an $18 billion settlement reached with California over child safety, and comes as it releases its latest financial results.Vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language have led to websites being down in several countries, including Japan, Finland and the UK. Around seven in 10 of the world's websites use PHP. Is this a new era of cyber insecurity and instability? ​And a BBC investigation finds that employees from Google have resigned due to the use of AI for military technologies. We hear from one former employee. (Photo: Meta logo and a keyboard in this illustration taken 18 October, 2026. Credit: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)Presenter: Luke Wilson Producer: Neil Morrow and Neggeen Sadid