We start with an Epic Battle Raging On Wall Street that has seen small time Amateur Investors take on the titans of the hedge fund industry. Its all centred around this company the struggling us computer Game Retailer gamestop. It shares have soared at much as 1700 after a group of private investors used online forums to drive up their price. And that has raised serious questions about how Financial Markets operate in the era of social media, as paul hawkins reports. This is a story of david versus goliath, of the amateur online investor beating the Big Traditional Wall Street traders. At the centre of it, gamestop, a struggling American Retailer Selling dvds and video games. A number of the Wall Street Traders picked up on its problems and bet money that its share price would fall, known in the business as shorting a stock. Only for this particular stock, Amateur Investors swapping tips on the social media site reddit saw it as an opportunity. They bought shares, which actually drove up the price by 700 . So the Wall Street Traders, which act for hedge funds, lost money potentially billions of dollars while the Amateur Investors made money. But on thursday, the main platforms the small investors used to buy up the stocks, like robinhood, stopped them from buying more shares. The reddit investors, unsurprisingly, werent happy. They want the Hedge Fund Guys to win, they dont want the common man brokers, they dont want us to win. They said that i could only sell my amc stock, they said only sell my nokia stock, but i couldnt buy more this morning. Thats crazy how is that a free market in any way . Thats not a free market, that sounds like communism these are dirty, dirty people they deserve jail time money they will be able to repay the money they can pay millions of Dollars Worth of fines this isnt about money, this is aboutjail time, prison they should go to jail accusations like that will hurt platforms like robinhood, who have helped to democratise the stock market. Its co founder said the firm had taken its decision based on regulatory requirements and limited buys of the restricted stocks would be allowed from friday. You have a generation that feels it is their time, you have new weapons of influence, new trading platforms, and a lot of people at home with stimulus in their pocket and phones and access to trading. It all kind of spells a cocktail of volatility. Even american politicians are unusually united over their response, with the incoming chair of the Banking Committee promising to look into how the stock market works. Bell rings. Everyone loves the story of a plucky underdog but a black eye for wall street may have repercussions for the rest of us. To cover their losses, the big investors may need to sell their shares in other things like pension funds, and that means their share prices falls. Thats not good for the people who rely on them. Paul hawkins, bbc news. Lets talk to someone who has more than four decades experience in this investing game, Justin Urquhart stewart, co founder of seven investment management. We have been co ordinated action, flash mobs if you like, on social media before, but not to attack Financial Institutions but i have to say this bubble feels like a new version of an old phenomenon, what does it remind you of . Exactly, you mention the bubble, and the southsea bubble, and the southsea bubble, that didnt end well, so it is a strange little democratisation and as a result of technology more people have more power to do things. Hardly surprising and the fact that the hedge funds keep getting upset about it, the technical term would be. Adams this is been expected for some time, and you do get flash mob like that but theyre not called flash mob, you get groups of investors cheekily pushing shares in a direction and you will get them pulled and a suspension of trading and regulators would step in and do that. That is what they had to do in this circumstance. Dithums. Is this a crisis of capitalism . No they would like to try and make it one, i am sure but what it is doing is showing how the technology can impact on trading. What they need to do is make sure the regulatory structures are in place to make sure that trading is maintained in an orderly way. For example, when you see markets plummeting down you have to have breaks in the markets are people stop, take their breath and the automatic algorithms in trading do not plummet down into the depths and that has to happen with things like this, when markets get disorderly, you stop the market in the moment. It is an uneasy balance, though. In a Free Market Economy to have these checks and there are clearly some angry investors caught up on this in one of involved in the report there, and do you think the brokerages were right to stop trading . The brokerages were right to step trading . The brokerages were right to stop trading . There will always be eole stop trading . There will always be peeple angry stop trading . There will always be peeple angry at stop trading . There will always be people angry at it stop trading . There will always be people angry at it and stop trading . There will always be people angry at it and i be people angry at it and i suspect most people who are rather late on it, where they may be relieved, because you do not get in late, you get in early and people get caught up and end up losing money. Refer back to where we started, the southsea bubble, so be very careful. They do like to pull it when the markets get disorderly and went the Market Prices move too much. But how do you pull it . Well, the regulator need to look at that but on the other hand what it has done has made the bullying hedge funds, which can disrupt the markets but also help them as well, sometimes they will also try to add their own store to help their own prices, well, hard luck, the hedge funds got a black eye and sometimes you have to get one do a black eye and sometimes you have to get one have to get one do you think there is a have to get one do you think there is a shift have to get one do you think there is a shift of have to get one do you think there is a shift of power there is a shift of power toward the Retail Investor . Only to a small investment because they have the in power and money, and the power relies with the institutions but every now and then the Retail Investor can give someone a little bit of a biff on the nose and so be it. The surge in trading by private investors isntjust restricted to the us. Across asia, from south korea to thailand to hong kong Retail Investors are borrowing heavily to buy shares. Mariko oi is following this for us in singapore. Joining us now from singapore is mariko oi. It isa it is a risky strategy . Yes, some are it is a risky strategy . Yes, some are inspired it is a risky strategy . Yes, some are inspired by it is a risky strategy . Yes, some are inspired by whati it is a risky strategy . Yes, some are inspired by what has happened with gamestop and taking on shorted stocks as well in asia and around australia searching, i have to admit, i have never heard some of those companies but they are surging quite a lot, but not as much as gamestop, of course, as Amateur Investors try to emulate the squeeze, and small time traders have long played a relatively big role in hr but they are really becoming a younger and much more leveraged and influential, and as you say, many are Borrowing Money to buy the shares so that is what is worrying some experts, for example, there is a video sharing app injapan which is seen as a bit of a rival, and hong kong Retail Investors have already borrowed more than 50 billion to buy shares and that is raising concern. I thought it was interesting that in china traders has been quoted as saying if they saw similar swings in the market there, it would trigger action by chinese regulators, so we will see what happens in the us but definitely those huge moves have been closely watched by investors in asia. Have been closely watched by investors in asia. Have a good weekend. Investors in asia. Have a good weekend, thank investors in asia. Have a good weekend, thank you. Lets talk brexit now because its been one month since the uk began its new trading relationship with the european union. Along with tariff free access for uk goods, the Prime Minister promised no barriers for sending those products into the eu. However many Food Companies have said that they have faced multiple checks, form filling, and severe delays in getting their products across the border. Our economics editor, faisal islam, has been talking to one of them. A wonderful copperfish a wonderful copper fish that havejust come in. This morning. We didnt have to do that before. That before. You saw that the government that before. You saw that the government put that before. You saw that the government put out that before. You saw that the government put out 26 that before. You saw that the | government put out 26 steps. Yes, a new certificate, and this is the big one. So we have to cross off the boxes that are not ticked, they sign and stamp all the boxes to say that they checked it. And they add page numbers to every single page. One her truck . To numbers to every single page. One her truck . One her truck . To petracca. A summary one her truck . To petracca. A summary of one her truck . To petracca. A summary of declaration, one her truck . To petracca. A summary of declaration, that| summary of declaration, that this is the statement of value, two her truck. It is worth drawing attention to here, which outlines the vessels, the catch and this is all new, this is being manually imported, not a bulk upload we can do. Every day, we are importing onto a government website. find day, we are importing onto a government website. And then individual steps government website. And then individual steps at government website. And then individual steps at customs . Government website. And then l individual steps at customs . We were and individual steps at customs . Were and felt extremely prepared for brexit and we felt ready but all of this, there were elements that came in that were elements that came in that were a surprise to us. Were a surprise to us. Make sure we were a surprise to us. Make sure we have were a surprise to us. Make sure we have a were a surprise to us. Make sure we have a smooth were a surprise to us. Make sure we have a smooth exit| were a surprise to us. Make sure we have a smooth exit from the eu sure we have a smooth exit from the eu. There will be no nontariff barriers to trade. These nontariff barriers to trade. These are nontariff barriers . Absolutely. These are nontariff barriers . Absolutely these are nontariff barriers . Absolutel. � , absolutely. And the end result is that the absolutely. And the end result is that the price absolutely. And the end result is that the price being absolutely. And the end result is that the price being paid is that the price being paid for ourfish is that the price being paid for our fish that landed at the port very close to us, the price going down . Absolutely. And how long . Price going down . Absolutely. And how long . Up price going down . Absolutely. And how long . Up to price going down . Absolutely. And how long . Up to 6 price going down . Absolutely. And how long . Up to 6 eight| and how long . Up to 6 eight hours, and how long . Up to 6 eight hours. And and how long . Up to 6 eight hours, and the and how long . Up to 6 eight hours, and the other and how long . Up to 6 eight hours, and the other day and how long . Up to 6 eight hours, and the other day 12. L hours, and the other day 12. And before . And before . Went straight through and before . Went straight through i and before . Went straight through. I was and before . Went straight through. I was felt and before . Went straight through. I was felt we and before . Went straight| through. I was felt we were bound to have some sort of paperwork check but this is excessive. We are hearing from other fleet owners that it wont be before long before they consider other options, like moving to the European Market because if they believe the price is not Strong Enough in the british market, then it is up to them to move to the eu. � , eu. Are these Teething Problems . Eu. Are these Teething Problems . Definitely l eu. Are these teething i problems . Definitely not. Eu. Are these Teething Problems . Definitely not. These other big issues problems . Definitely not. These other big issues need problems . Definitely not. These other big issues need faster other big issues need faster action. ,. ,. , action. Now that we have the canned access action. Now that we have the canned access path, action. Now that we have the canned access path, it canned access path, it completes the paperwork for the driver, completes the paperwork for the driver, meaning they can go from driver, meaning they can go from kent to dunkirk but it doesnt from kent to dunkirk but it doesnt end there because we are being doesnt end there because we are being held from 6 eight hours are being held from 6 eight hours in are being held from 6 eight hours in dunkirk by border control, hours in dunkirk by border control, so to give you an update, control, so to give you an update, we had the same lorry held update, we had the same lorry held in update, we had the same lorry held in dunkirk for a total of 15 hours held in dunkirk for a total of 15 hours whereas pre brexit that 15 hours whereas pre brexit that would have gone through in minutes that would have gone through in minutes. We cannot go on like this minutes. We cannot go on like this we minutes. We cannot go on like this. We need urgent action. We need this. We need urgent action. We need it this. We need urgent action. We need it at this. We need urgent action. We need it at a this. We need urgent action. We need it at a government level. Simply need it at a government level. Simply to need it at a government level. Simply to save the few businesses like ourselves. Very powerful so how are businesses faring on the other side of the channel in france . Here are the experiences of two of them. Lets stay with that issue the Financial Sector is worth 130 billion a year to the uk economy. It is a crown jewel in terms of Revenue Generation and trade surplus. But its post brexit status is yet to be settled. Andrew hilton is director of the centre for the study of financial innovation. Commission pretty determined to onshore as much financial activity as is possible. Do you think think it will get its wish . It will get some, theres no doubt. Goldman sacks has moved some of its operations to paris, Bank Of America has moved some of its operations to dublin, but for the moment, very little has actually moved. That may not be very much to do with brexit, it may be a lot more to do with covid i9. I was in the city the day before yesterday and it was rather like that sort of north texas town in the last picture show, it was absolutely empty, desolate, and you kind of expected tumbleweed to come down the street. We are having to cope with covi first and then we will cope with brexit. I concur on that point. I drive through the City Of London on my way into the studio and as you say it is a ghost town at the moment. Lets turn to the issue of how easy it is to raise finance, both in london and across the rest of europe. Is it easy for businesses to raise the capital that we need in the eu . Raise the capital that we need in the eu . No, it isnt. Week, when we in the eu . No, it isnt. Week, when we were in the eu . No, it isnt. Week, when we were members in the eu . No, it isnt. Week, when we were members of. In the eu . No, it isnt. Week, | when we were members of the european union, pushed something called Capital Markets union which was an attempt to develop one single Capital Market for europe, and the reason for that is they dont have one. At the moment, there are 27 separate Capital Markets, very hard to raise any kind of significant amounts of money which is why it is being donein money which is why it is being done in london. The problem for the europeans at the moment as they are trying to take business back but they are not trying to take it to a single financial centre. Its being split. Paris wants some of the business, frankfurt wants of the business, dublin surprisingly wants a lot of the Fund Management business. Amsterdam is picking up of business. This is fragmenting financial services. Interesting, in terms of bank based finance, that suits the mid caps, the large caps, those with well established Balance Sheets but i wonder where this leaves start ups, Growth Companies and the like looking to scale new technologies. The innovators. Does that produce an opportunity for the likes of london . ~ ,. , ~ an opportunity for the likes of london . ~ ,. , an opportunity for the likes of london . ~ ,. ,. , london . Absolutely. We have a shortterm london . Absolutely. We have a shortterm problem london . Absolutely. We have a shortterm problem stopping i london . Absolutely. We have a i shortterm problem stopping the short term problem stopping the most immediate problem is how to get over the covid crisis because obviously we are all Working From Home and it is very difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel. Assuming there is light at the end of there is light at the end of the tunnel, we have a kind of medium term problem which is our european friends seem, rightly or wrongly, determined to pull as much business away as they can, but it is inefficient business. The way that we should be raising money in europe efficiently is through a single financial centre, where all the skills are, the Investment Banking skills, the accounting skills, the legal skills. They are altogether. Its easier to do it here than it is an half a Dozen European sentence, so yeah. There is an opportunity for us if there is cooperation on the other side. At the moment, unfortunately, we dont see many signs of that cooperation its a Zero Sum Game as far as the europeans is concerned. What we gain, they lose and vice versa. Concerned. What we gain, they lose and viceversa. Lose and viceversa. Ok, we will have lose and viceversa. Ok, we will have to lose and viceversa. Ok, we will have to leave lose and viceversa. Ok, we will have to leave it lose and viceversa. Ok, we will have to leave it there i lose and viceversa. Ok, we | will have to leave it there but as you say, cooperation needed and a little bit of hope in the idea of light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks very much. Stay with us on bbc news, still to come iron man takes on Climate Change, Hollywood Star robert downeer tells us about his new non fictional role. The Shuttle Challenger exploded soon after lift off. There were seven astronauts on board, one of them a woman school teacher. All of them are believed to have been killed. By the evening, tahrir square, the heart of official cairo, was in the hands of the demonstrators. They were using the word � revolution. The earthquake singled out buildings and brought them down in seconds. Tonight, the search for any survivors has an increasing desperation about it as the hours passed. The new government is finally in control of the entire republic of uganda. Survivors of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp have been commemorating the 40th Anniversary of their liberation. They toured the huts, gas chambers and crematoria, and relived their horrifying experiences. This is bbc world news, the latest headlines a new vaccines found to be highly effective against coronavirus, including the uk and south africa variants. Cities across poland see a second night of protests after the country brings in a near total ban on abortions. Should investors pull their cash out of polluting companies . This week the ceo of blackrock, which controls almost 9 trillion of pension and investments, wrote to the bosses of all the companies they invest in around the world, asking them how they plan to go zero emissions. Larry fink told the bbc� s Business Editor simonjack all firms are now under the climate microscope. We the climate microscope. Are now measuring compa through a different lens, through a different lens, through a different lens, through a sustainability lens, and we are able now to determine Company A Versus company be in terms of how are they moving forward. On things like net carbon zero. And on that we are beginning to see some companies are moving rapidly, some are in denial and thatis rapidly, some are in denial and that is starting to show up now in how companies stocks are performing. In how companies stocks are performing in how companies stocks are performing. You said you will be asking performing. You said you will be asking companies, performing. You said you will be asking companies, in performing. You said you will be asking companies, in youri be asking companies, in your letter you said you will be asking companies to explain how their Business Model is compatible with a net zero economy. Or what . Just spell out the sanctions you are having in mind. Are you saying that blackrock will jump dominic that Blackrock Willjump dominic dump their shares, what other sanctions . Other sanctions . First of all, none of it other sanctions . First of all, none of it is other sanctions . First of all, none of it is our other sanctions . First of all, none of it is our money. Other sanctions . First of all, none of it is our money. The j none of it is our money. The entire pool of money that we manage, which at the present time is approximately 8. 7 trillion, every dollar is somebody elses money. We are asking companies to move forward, and if we see companies not moving forward, we believe this is going to harm the viability of the company, we will sell those shares. Lets stay with Climate Change, because its been a major theme at the � virtual davos� conference taking place this week. Movie star robert downeer is best known for Playing A Fictional Tech Tycoon in iron man but hes been telling the bbc� s Rory Cellanjones about his new role, as the real head of an Investment Fund promoting green technology. Iv e ive realised a few years ago that i had amassed a pretty wide audience, i guess you would call that followers nowadays and it seemed like posting more videos of me dancing with my alpaca wasnt really moving the conversation on this existential threat. I felt moved to try to do something that would be impactful. 50 something that would be impactful something that would be imactful. , impactful. So you are hoping that ou impactful. So you are hoping that you can impactful. So you are hoping that you can not impactful. So you are hoping that you can not only impactful. So you are hoping. That you can not only mobilise a lot of money but a lot of interest . A lot of enthusiasm, really, for the potential of this technology . Really, for the potential of this technology . Sure. I mean, thats the big idea, this technology . Sure. I mean, thats the big idea, right . Thats the big idea, right . This kind of learned helplessness over these last several years and theyjust assault of preprogrammed opinions that we are given is, thats the real existential threat, because it divides us, and im kind of entering having stepped out of the make believe world of, you know, lets stop thanos and the real thanos has been lapping up against the door stopping by the time the malibu fires were, i head my hoses out trying to help my neighbour not his house, you kind of go, this is not the rhythm that was going on in California In The 80s or the 90s. � California In The 80s or the 90s. �. , California In The 80s or the 905. �. ,y 90s. But particularly in your country. 90s. But particularly in your country, there 90s. But particularly in your country, there is 90s. But particularly in your country, there is a 90s. But particularly in your country, there is a bit 90s. But particularly in your country, there is a bit of 90s. But particularly in your country, there is a bit of a l country, there is a bit of a culture war about Climate Change and still quite a large part of the population that doesnt believe the message they are hearing. Can you change that . Can a Hollywood Star change that . Star change that . When the first i man came out, a lot of your conservative friends said god damn it, bob, you stuck those lefties, and my liberal friends said, you really show them how to do it and ive said, ijust wanted to make a movie that appealed to a broad audience. So i think part of the coalitions mission in addition to trying to do correct storytelling around this, im in, you are right. It is crazy how politicised its become. But i think there is a way to appeal to my Brothers And Sisters in the heartland and sisters in the heartland and my conservative friends in the way you say, how can we help this feel like it meets your value set . Asking the question of how to become relatable rather than saying, youre wrong, youre crazy, and your bad. Youre wrong, youre crazy, and your bad your bad. What would success look like . Your bad. What would success look like . I your bad. What would success look like . I want your bad. What would success look like . I want people your bad. What would success look like . I want people to i look like . I want people to have gotten look like . I want people to have gotten a look like . I want people to have gotten a well look like . I want people to have gotten a well above l average return but also, certain of these Companies May really arent scaling these technologies in a way that is super impactful and i would feel like ive had some small part in that. Feel like ive had some small part in that feel like ive had some small part in that. Robert downey jr there. Back part in that. Robert downey jr there. Back in part in that. Robert downey jr there. Back in the part in that. Robert downey jr there. Back in the headlines | part in that. Robert downey jrj there. Back in the headlines there. Back in the headlines make back with the headlines at about five and its. I will see you soon. Hello there. It can be a fine line between rain and snow here in the uk, and the battle lines are certainly drawn over the next few days. Cold air to the north east of us, milderairto the south and west. On that dividing line, which this weekend pushes its way southwards, this is where we could see that rain snow mix, particularly on saturday. This swirl of winds, a developing Weather System, developing area of low pressure, which pushes into that cold air. And on the Weather Fronts that reach the cold air, we could see some significant snow, parts of wales and parts of Southern England especially. The exact details on that, though, will change. Well keep you updated. Today, though, is a fairly quiet one. There will be plenty of cloud around and some showers. A cold start, too, across parts of scotland. Here, were seeing snow throughout the night, temperatures low enough for some ice and made to feel colder by strong winds. Stronger but milder winds across the south as well. Here, well see some early showers across wales, south west england, pushing across the southern half of england and wales. The odd rumble of thunder possible, Brightening Up later. Some mist and fog around the midlands, Northern England to begin with, Brightening Up but then clouding over as rain and eventually a little bit of hill sleet pushes in. Brightening up, too, to parts of the northern half of scotland, compared with what weve seen. Patchy rain and sleet into southern areas as we finish the day and that north south contrast, as far as temperatures. The colder air on the move further southwards, then, as we go through friday night into saturday, and as this Weather Front approaches off the atlantic, initially, rain, and quite a bit of rain could cause some minorflooding towards the south west and across some southern counties. Temperatures here holding up, but a greater chance of some frost. 7 to start the weekend in northern scotland. But as that rain pushes into the cold air, the potential for not only some heavy snow, but with strong winds, Blizzards Over The Welsh hills. At the moment, it looks like wales, into parts of the midlands, maybe South East England could see some snow. How much, of course, that will depend on exactly where that Weather Front will lie. Well keep you updated on that, and certainly worth watching the forecast. The further north you are, it does look like it should be a dry, bright, cold start to the weekend, but that frost will return with a vengeance as we go through saturday night into sunday. And as one Weather System clears, another one will be approaching, so whilst it will be a frosty, bright and, in places, icy start to sunday, this next Weather System, bringing rain initially to south western areas, could turn to snow as it pushes across england, wales and Northern Ireland later in the day. Keep checking your forecast here, though, on bbc news. Bye for now. Good morning. Welcome to breakfast with Naga Munchetty and charlie stayt. Our Headlines Today a new vaccine produced in the uk has been found to be highly effective against coronavirus, including the british variant. Regulators will decide if the Oxford Astrazeneca jab meets eu approval, after germany questions its use for the over 65s. And the lockdown in wales will last for three more weeks at least, but children could return to schools there after the february half term. As the vaccine roll out continues, bookings for uk holidays