World Business Report

This precious metals rally has been tarnished after a sudden slide in prices.
So what does this tell us about metals like gold, known to be the ultimate safe haven.
Can we still call it a refuge when things get rocky?
Presenter: Leanna Byrne
Producer: David Cann
Editor: Justin Bones

US President Donald Trump has nominated Kevin Warsh to lead the US central bank, the Federal Reserve, when the four-year-term of current chairman Jerome Powell's ends in May. Rahul Tandon hears from people who worked closely with Warsh.

Also, the BBC visits Maracaibo, once the heart of Venezuela's booming oil industry.

And silver and gold prices plummet after their recent rise.

(Photo: Kevin Warsh, speaking during the Sohn Investment Conference in New York City, U.S., May 8, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan Mcdermid/File Photo)

The former Federal Reserve governor has deep ties to Wall Street, was previously interviewed for the job in 2017, and has been an outspoken critic of America's central bank. We’ll ask how financial markets have responded to the news.

Also, Venezuelan MPs have approved a bill to open up its oil sector to private firms.

And, Panama's Supreme Court has voided a Hong-Kong based company's canal port contracts.

The Japanese auto giant Toyota says its global sales set a new record last year, despite trade tensions. What did Toyota do differently to others? Also, in a week where gold hit another record high, Rahul Tandon hears about what a gold boom means for Ghana. And, strong iPhone demand boosts Apple's profits, as Microsoft faces pressure over spending on data centres.
(Photo: Members of the media inspect a Toyota Yaris car displayed during a media preview at the 46th Bangkok International Motor Show 2025 automobile showcase in Nonthaburi, on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand, 24 March 2025. Credit: by RUNGROJ YONGRIT/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock

The dollar is normally seen as the ultimate safe haven, it's the currency most other currencies benchmark themselves against – so why is it taking a downward spiral?

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been in Beijing meeting President Xi and says steps have been taken to improve trade with China.

And Germany is experiencing a potato glut, we find out why.