Business News

Our Business English News lessons are a great way to learn advanced English vocabulary and collocations using news articles. Every lessons includes an extensive glossary and definitions in a PDF transcript.

Business English News 55 – 2024 Global Economic Outlook

BEN 55 LESSON - 2024 Global Economic Outlook

In this Business English News lesson on the economic outlook for 2024, we look at business English vocabulary related to the global economy and finance.

At the start of every year, economists love to make predictions. But in such a volatile world, predictions are tough to make accurately. For 2023, many economists forecasted rising inflation and a “hard landing” for the global economy. But that didn’t happen. So, what’s in store for 2024? Will the challenges of 2023 snowball into a recession? Not according to MSN.com:

Although growth is estimated to be even slower in 2024, the worst is perhaps over and headwinds are expected to ease, analysts say. For next year, the IMF expects global gross domestic product to expand by 2.9 per cent, while the World Bank forecasts 2.4 per cent growth. “Looking at 2024, we anticipate uncertainty to persist, with sub-trend growth projected across the world’s economies,” State Street Global Advisor said in its 2024 Outlook report.

All of this amounts to what many people are anticipating as a “soft landing” for the U.S. economy. The fight against inflation isn’t over, and consumers are still taking it on the chin. But turning the inflationary tide didn’t require high unemployment, as is often the case.

Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Business English News 54 – Tech Takeovers

Business English News 54 - Tech Takeovers

In this Business English News lesson we look at business English vocabulary related to tech takeovers or mergers and acquisitions.

Takeovers are a huge part of the tech business, and they’re not always hostile. In fact, many young entrepreneurs build niche companies hoping to be acquired. And for the giants of tech, mergers and acquisitions are a critical growth strategy. With the personalities and egos involved, takeovers keep the news cycle buzzing, as the drama at Twitter has shown. According to the Guardian:

Elon Musk’s $44 billion acquisition of Twitter in 2022 promised the biggest shake-up since the company was founded. The former world’s richest man was keen to take on the project after becoming disillusioned by the site’s perceived biases and content moderation policy. But Twitter’s revolution became a bloodbath in the process, cutting staff by 80% to hone in on the new direction. Then they lost users and advertisers as a lean team struggled to manage disinformation, trolling and impersonation online.

Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Business English News 53 – TikTok

Business English News 53 - TikTok

In this Business English News lesson we look at business English vocabulary related to technology and TikTok.

It seems like every week there’s news of another attempt to ban TikTok. Indeed, the federal government and half the states in the U.S. have outlawed use of the app on government-owned devices. Never before has there been such a reaction to an app’s sudden popularity. So just how did the app reach one billion downloads and 150 million active users in the U.S.? According to the Guardian:

TikTok owes its phenomenal success to a host of canny choices. They feature easy-to-use video, with creation tools that blur the line between creator and consumer. Their vast library of licensed music allows teens to soundtrack their clips without fear of copyright strikes. And a billion-dollar advertising campaign on Facebook brought in new users as quickly as Zuckerberg’s company could send them over.

Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Business English News 52 – ChatGPT

Business English News 52 - ChatGPT

In this Business English News lesson we look at business English vocabulary related to artificial intelligence and ChatGPT.

For a while, it seemed like the hype around artificial intelligence had died down. But a recent development in AI has taken the world by storm. It’s called ChatGPT, and unless you live in a cave, you’ve surely heard about it. But what exactly is it? As the Guardian explains:

Trained by AI and machine learning, ChatGPT is designed to provide information and answer questions through a conversational interface. OpenAI said the new AI was created with a focus on ease of use. “The dialog format makes it possible for ChatGPT to answer follow-up questions, admit its mistakes, challenge incorrect premises, and reject inappropriate requests.”

Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3

Business English News 51 – Energy Costs

Business English News 51 - Energy Costs

In this Business English News lesson we look at business English vocabulary related to energy costs.

Consumers around the world are feeling the pinch as inflation bites. And it’s not just at the grocery store. Prices are going up across the board. A key factor driving this rampant inflation is the cost of energy, which impacts all industries and translates into even higher prices for the average consumer.

A global surge in wholesale power and gas prices means households across Europe face higher energy bills this year and beyond. In the worst-case scenario, many of the region’s most vulnerable are facing fuel poverty according to consumer groups. Prices started to rise above historical levels last September and have soared further this year.

Free Resources: PDF Transcript | Quizzes | Lesson Module

Download: Podcast MP3