Business Matters

US markets have suffered their worst week since the global financial crisis of 2008, as fears over the impact of the coronavirus continued to grip investors; we hear from Chris Low at FTN Financial in New York. The coronavirus outbreak has exposed the economic vulnerabilities of Australia, a country heavily dependent on trade with China. Bilateral ties may be lucrative, but they are complicated as the BBC’s Phil Mercer reports from Sydney. Tattoos were once seen as a sign of rebellion and edginess but are now a firm fixture on high streets from Stockholm to Milan. But does the popularity of tattoos translate into social acceptability or could you be damaging your career prospects? The BBC's Elizabeth Hotson’s been finding out. And we're joined throughout the programme by Peter Ryan, ABC's Senior Business Correspondent in Sydney. Photo description: New York Stock Exchange Photo by Scott Heins/Getty Images

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has said all schools should close from Monday to prevent the spread of coronavirus. We ask Dr Norio Ohmagari - who heads both the Disease Control and Prevention Center in Tokyo and the WHO Collaborating Centre for Prevention, Preparedness and Response to Emerging Infectious Diseases - what he thinks of the decision to close Japan's schools. Goldman Sachs has warned that the spread of coronavirus could wipe out any growth in American company profits this year, as stocks slump for a sixth success day. We get the latest from John Mervin, our New York Business Editor. Plus, we look at US billionaire Mike Bloomberg's bid to be the Democratic presidential nominee, with the help of his biographer, Eleanor Randolph. All this and more discussed with our guest Yoko Ishikura, Professor Emeritus at Hitotsubashi University, in Tokyo. (Photo: Elementary school children in Ichikawa, Japan. Credit: Getty Images)

He made the comments while putting Vice President Mike Pence in charge of the US response to the outbreak. As the new coronavirus hits more countries, companies warn of the impact on supply chains. Last weekend the mining and minerals group Teck Resources astonished its investors by saying it was abandoning its US$15bn Frontier mine project in Alberta's tar sands. Laura Lau, Senior Vice President of asset management company Brompton, in Toronto, explains why Teck have taken this decision. Malaysia is still dealing with the unexpected resignation last weekend of Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamed. The government collapsed and there is now a race to form a new administration. The BBC's South Asia correspondent Jonathan Head explains why Dr Mahathir resigned. All this and more discussed with our two guests throughout the show: Ralph Silva of the Silva Research Network, in Toronto. And Jeanette Rodrigues, Bloomberg's bureau chief in Mumbai. (Photo: President Donald Trump speaks at a news conference on the COVID-19 outbreak as US Vice President Mike Pence watches. Credit: Getty Images.)

Iranian officials now say fifteen people in the country have died as a result of the virus. Other reports suggest the real figure is much higher and the US is deeply concerned that Iran may have covered up information about the outbreak. Flights cancelled due to coronavirus in and around China alone could knock 30 billion dollars off airline revenues. The BBC's Theo Leggett explains how the outbreak had been starting to affect flights elsewhere. While we're on air seven Democratic candidates for president are on stage in Charleston, South Carolina, in the last head to head debate before Saturday's South Carolina primary and the last before voters in 16 states and territories go to the polls on Super Tuesday, on March 3. We get the latest from the debate and the BBC's US State Department Correspondent, Barbara Plett Usher. Plus, one of the biggest names in corporate America is standing down. Disney has announced the resignation of its long standing CEO, Bob Iger. And Amazon opens its first high street grocery store, in Seattle. All this and more discussed with our two guests throughout the show: Erin Delmore, political reporter in Washington DC. And Mehmal Sarfraz – co-founder of The Current PK, in Lahore. (Photo: a Tehran Municipality worker cleans a bus to avoid the spread of the COVID-19. Credit: Getty Images.)

The American film producer Harvey Weinstein has been found guilty of sexual assault and rape by a jury in New York. Rebecca Gill, Director of the Women's Research Institute at the University of Nevada, gives us her reaction. A spike in cases of coronavirus in Italy has fuelled concerns of a possible pandemic. Professor Michele Geraci, until recently the undersecretary of state at the Italian Ministry of Economic Development, discusses the possible economic implications of parts of Italy being put into lockdown. Worldwide stock markets saw sharp falls because of concerns of the coronavirus. Peter Jankovskis of Oakbrook Investments in Chicago watched the day's trading on Wall Street. Fake news stories about the cause of coronavirus are putting social media companies under pressure to stop the spread of malicious content. We hear from Alistair Brian, lead fact checker with the website Ferret, which uncovers false news online. And a picture is worth a thousand words - at least according to Graham Shaw, who advises businesses that using drawings and diagrams is the best way to get your message across in a presentation or meeting. All this and more discussed with our two guests throughout the show. Eleanor Jones, a former technology consultant and founder of Skintelligent, in Singapore. And Professor Peter Morici, an economist at the University of Maryland, who's in Washington DC. (Photo: Harvey Weinstein entering New York City Criminal Court. Credit: Getty Images.)