Taking Stock: Anthropic's mega-IPO, US mid-term battle and peak pumpkin spice

Why does artificial intelligence sometimes make things up? From law firms to consultants, businesses are grappling with the risks of AI hallucinations. What's causing them, and can they be prevented? Presenter/producer: Ed ButlerYou can email us: [email protected]

Rahul Tandon and Will Bain are joined by the BBC's Silicon Valley correspondent Lily Jamali to look at issues being faced by Google and if it's a sign of wider tech sector problems. Google and You Tube's parent company, Alphabet, saw its value fall by half a trillion dollars on Thursday after warning about spending on AI as its advertising revenue growth also cooled off. It's not the only tech company to warn of problems in the latest round of results. In this special edition of Business Daily, we ask is Google a victim of wider worries about AI spending, or is AI coming for the crown of the unquestioned king of search?

This week on Taking Stock, Rahul Tandon is joined by Katrine Kielos, journalist for Swedish financial broadcaster EFN based in London and Dan Ives, tech analyst based in New York. We look at Anthropic’s reported plans for a mega-IPO that could value the AI company at close to two trillion dollars, what the US midterm elections could mean for the consumers in America and across the globe and if the seasonal favourite Pumpkin Spice has gone too far.

Meta is a social media giant. It's so big, a second Hollywood movie about the company was released just last month. More than three billion people access its biggest apps - Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram - every single day. And those apps make the company a ton of cash. In the last three months alone, they generated $64bn in revenue. Meta now appears to be focused on developing AI, particularly wearable technology. So despite its enormous social media success, will Meta be primarily an AI company in the future?Presenters: Rahul Tandon, Michelle Fleury and Will Bain Producer: Guy Kilty(Picture: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg tries on Meta smart glasses during the Meta Connect event on September 23, 2026. Credit: REUTERS/Carlos Barria)

Burning cars, looted shops and clashes on the streets of France have dominated headlines around the world. The chief executive of Carrefour has warned that the unrest is taking a toll on business. But beyond the violence lie deeper questions about living standards and the state of the French economy. Vishala Sri-Pathma hears from protesters, businesses and the French government about what recent protests tell us about France's economy.(Photo: A masked protester holding an umbrella and a French flag reacts as French police use a water canon amid clashes during demonstrations against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in France, 24 October, 2026. Credit: Hannah McKay/Reuters)You can email the team: [email protected]: Rebecca Smyllie Editor: Stephen Ryan

After decades in which borrowing has been virtually free, Japan is raising interest rates, affecting savers and borrowers alike. We talk to a former rate-setter at the Bank of Japan, to a homeowner who is braced for the cost of her mortgage to rise, and to a saver who ponders whether now is the time to finally bring her investments back to Japan. And we explore who's making money from the rising cost of borrowing.(Photo: A Japanese man cycles pass by a stock market indicator board in Tokyo, Japan, 15 October 2026. He has short black hair, going grey at the sides and wears black trousers and a black T-shirt. Credit: EPA)You can email the team: [email protected]: Sam Fenwick Producer: Gideon Long

China's booming export figures, driven in part by demand for AI-related products, suggest a high-tech economy that's thriving. Yet many consumers at home continue to face economic pressures. Ed Butler asks whether there's a link between weakness at home and strength abroad, and what China's export surge could mean for other countries and trading partners.Presenter/producer: Ed ButlerYou can email us: [email protected](Picture: Security guards walk past containers at a port in Shanghai, China. Credit: REUTERS/Aly Song)

What impact have the protests in France had on businesses and the wider economy? What does Netflix's latest data and job-cut plans signal about the streaming giant's future? And what does a referendum in Alberta, Canada, highlight about the province's future? Will Bain is joined by Toronto-based tech journalist Takara Small and Zambia-based consultant Trevor Simumba to discuss.(Photo: A protester throws a projectile through tear gas amid clashes with the French riot police at the Place de la Republique during a demonstration against the cost of living and rising fuel prices in Paris as part of nationwide protests in France, 17 October, 2026. Credit: Stephanie Lecocq/Reuters)You can email the team: [email protected]: Rebecca Smyllie

Netflix transformed the entertainment industry, changing how audiences around the world discover and consume media. But after announcing plans to cut 1,000 jobs and losing its content and film chiefs, questions are growing about the streaming giant's future. Has Netflix reached a turning point, or does it still have room to grow? Will Bain and Rahul Tandon are joined by Simon Gallagher, a former Netflix head of content and acquisition who worked with co-founder Reed Hastings and later at Hulu.Producer: Matt LinesYou can email the team: [email protected]

Tessa Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Olio, the food-sharing app helping millions of people reduce waste by sharing food and household items with their neighbours. She explains how a simple idea grew into a global movement, the challenges of convincing investors to back it, and why changing human behaviour may be key to tackling climate change. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: Barbara George You can email the team: [email protected](Picture: Tessa Clarke. Credit:Annabel Staff)