The world runs on dollars. It's the most commonly used currency in international transactions, an important reserve for central banks around the world, and a safe haven in troubled times. There are, however, some countries trying to move away from King Dollar, so what effect is it having? Bloomberg's Senior Washington Correspondent Saleha Mohsin wrote a book on the subject, called 'Paper Soldiers'. She joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. 

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Like the weather, the markets have seasonal trends. January is usually good; September is bad. So how do money managers trade around these periods, and what could upset the usual expectations? Our Markets Live Managing Editor Kristine Aquino joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. 

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Two and a half years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine began, Europe's energy woes still aren't resolved. Current prices are much lower than the all-time high of €300 per megawatt-hour in 2022 but are still double what they were before Putin's invasion. Our senior energy reporter Stephen Stapczynski joins to explain why there are concerns about supplies of gas in the coming months, even though the continent has filled stockpiles to 90 per cent capacity.

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Central bankers are like celebrities in the finance world: every word they say gets closely scrutinised. Did their comments always elicit such interest, and do they ever tell us anything they shouldn't? Bloomberg Opinion columnist and avid central bank watcher, Daniel Moss, joins Stephen Carroll to discuss. 

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 It's a trading strategy that was at the heart of the market turmoil in early August: investors have been ditching the carry trade as the value of the Japanese yen fluctuates. Our Managing Editor for Foreign Exchange and Rates Rachel Evans explains what the carry trade is, and what its future looks like now. Hosted by Stephen Carroll. 

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 Since the Hamas attack on Israel on the October 7 and the ensuing war in Gaza, tensions in the Middle East have been running high. But in the background, there has been a flurry of diplomatic activity: negotiations over a truce in Gaza, and attempts to de-escalate the conflict among the various actors. Our head of Middle East and North Africa coverage Stuart Livingstone-Wallace explains to Stephen Carroll why diplomacy still matters in the Middle East. 

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A plan by conservatives to reshape the US government, known as Project 2025, has become a key talking point in the presidential campaign. Its architects see it as a resource for Donald Trump if he wins in November, but the Republican nominee has distanced himself from it. Democrats, meanwhile, are eager to tie Trump to its more controversial proposals. Our senior editor Wendy Benjaminson joins Stephen Carroll to explain what Project 2025 is, and why it's getting so much attention. 

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Notoriously volatile, cryptocurrency has long been seen as a niche investment on the verge of going mainstream.

But increasingly digital tokens are being integrated into traditional finance.

The US approved the sale of exchange traded funds linked to Bitcoin in January.

The industry also seems to have moved on from the collapse of FTX, the digital currency exchange, in 2022. Bitcoin, up some 50% in 2024, is even in focus in the US Presidential race.

Our cross asset reporter Emily Graffeo joins Caroline Hepker to explain why it's getting easier to invest in cryptocurrencies and who is buying them.

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China's economy has been having a tough time. The latest growth figures show the slowest pace of expansion in more than a year. Consumer spending is weak and the property slump is ongoing. The official target of growing the economy by 5% a year is still within reach - thanks to a boom in exports. But there are risks there too. Our Executive Editor for Greater China John Liu joins Stephen Carroll to help explain why China's outlook keeps getting worse. 

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The June 27th debate between Donald Trump and Joe Biden has become a watershed moment in the US Presidential race. Joe Biden's stumbles have raised concerns among donors and Democrats, but in the two weeks after the event, the President's poll ratings haven't shifted dramatically. Our US Money and Politics Czar Laura Davison joins Stephen Carroll to help explain why. 

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The European Union this week moved ahead with plans to impose provisional tariffs on electric vehicles imported from China that would raise rates to as high as 48%, a step likely to escalate trade tensions with Beijing. The EU move follows a US decision to impose a 100% duty on EVs from China, though shipments are currently close to zero. Canada last month said it’s weighing tariffs as well. While China has threatened to retaliate, the EU’s comparatively well-off consumers represent an important outlet for domestic EV makers battling overcapacity. So why are so many countries taking aggressive action to protect their electric vehicle industries? Craig Trudell, Bloomberg’s Global Automotive Editor joins Stephen Carroll to explain. 

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