head of investment at interactive investor. what is going wrong? we are clearly saying that the consumer is slowing down. we are entering the golden quarter when typically we see a boost to spending in the run—up to christmas, so perhaps a lot of consumers are hunkering down, saving ahead of that expensive period in the run—up to december. haw ahead of that expensive period in the run-up to december. how much was it about the weather? _ the run-up to december. how much was it about the weather? the _ the run-up to december. how much was it about the weather? the wet _ it about the weather? the wet weather in _ it about the weather? the wet weather in the _ it about the weather? the wet weather in the second - it about the weather? the wet weather in the second half- it about the weather? the wet weather in the second half of. it about the weather? the wet i weather in the second half of the month did affect footfall, but still retail sales were down by now .3%, which is the most we have seen since the height of the pandemic. at that point, a lot of nonessential retailers were not even allowed to operate, so that underscored just how weak this period has been. one of the interesting things is that we have seen at the divergence between volumes and values, and that is because consumers are having to spend more to obtain fewer goods because of rising prices on the back of inflation. because of rising prices on the back of inflation-— of inflation. inflation is starting to come down. _ of inflation. inflation is starting to come down. we _ of inflation. inflation is starting to come down. we have - of inflation. inflation is starting to come down. we have been l of inflation. inflation is starting - to come down. we have been talking about the cost of living crisis for about the cost of living crisis for a few years. do these figures indicate we are still in that period? indicate we are still in that eriod? , ~ ,., indicate we are still in that eriod? , ~ , , period? yes, i think so because the cumulative — period? yes, i think so because the cumulative inflation _ period? yes, i think so because the cumulative inflation that _ period? yes, i think so because the cumulative inflation that we - period? yes, i think so because the cumulative inflation that we saw . cumulative inflation that we saw from the pandemic still continues to bite. prices are not falling. and thatis bite. prices are not falling. and that is combined with the fact that rents are at record highs and mortgage rates have risen sharply, those cost of living pressures are still very much alive. you mention christmas. — still very much alive. you mention christmas, the _ still very much alive. you mention christmas, the most _ still very much alive. you mention christmas, the most important. still very much alive. you mention - christmas, the most important period of the year, we are in that pre—christmas shopping period, what do you think these figures may indicate over what retailers could expect over the next month or so? retailers will be pinning their hopes on the success of black friday and cyber monday because consumers are very price sensitive at the moment, they are looking for the discounts. we have also seen data to suggest that this is going to be a christmas where shoppers are going to be buying fewer goods and cheaper items. that is going to be another headwind for the retail sector. in the last few days we've been reporting on those talks between president biden and china's president xi, who have been trying to ease some of the tensions between the world's top two economies at the apec summit, which is wrapping up today. america's largest business organisation, the us chamber of commerce, has been speaking to the bbc for this week's talking business weekly. they say the us needs to do more to support its exporters. the european union has been involved in trade agreements around the world, we see new trade agreements coming into force. the united states hasn't negotiated a new trade agreement in about a decade and we believe that our access to foreign markets is compromised by the fact that we don't have many of those trade agreements and we have to pay high tariffs in those markets, so clearly we need to redouble efforts to get the trade agenda going here in the united states. much more on that on talking business weekly this weekend here on bbc news. well, let's get more on this. president biden was speaking at the apec summit earlier and said progress was being made on us trade agreements in the indo—pacific. nick marsh has been following the story. if you look objectively, not much progress has been made, to be quite honest. i mean, we've been hearing about this indo—pacific economic framework for about a year and a half. it's quite a loose agreement. it's not like a proper free trade agreement which is enshrined in law. it's kind of an idea that asian countries and the us should work more closely together and do more business together. so far they haven't really even been able to agree on that. the latest stumbling block, apparently, was about workers' rights and environmental protections. i think this all reallyjust goes to the heart of what's so hard about this apec summit, because for all of the progress on the diplomatic front that we've seen from the us and china, the mood music there is being very positive, of course, the actual thorny issues, the whole point of this summit, trade, that is a lot harder. the united states knows that china dominates this region economically. it's nearly every country's largest trading partner. the united states wants to get in on that act. we just heard from john murphy there that basically they're second best to the chinese. 60% of all us exports go to asia and the us wants to be seen as a pacific trading partner. they really want to compete there. saying that obviously is a lot easier than doing that. can they compete with china with their manufacturing capabilities, their economies of scale, the cost, all those sorts of things? those are the sorts of things as well as those workers rights, and environmental protections, that's what's holding them back. so as president biden said, progress is being made, but he also said that there's a lot more work to be done, and he's right. to the online retail giant amazon now because it has announced it will be adding some new items to its product line from next year and it might need to find some bigger boxes. erin delmore is in new york with the details. you can buy a lot of things on amazon. after all, it's nicknamed the everything store. but come next year, customers in the us can buy what is likely the largest, most expensive and certainly heaviest amazon purchase of their lives. the everything store is adding cars to its menagerie of goods, starting with hyundai. it's a major upgrade to hyundai's digital showroom on amazon. right now, customers can browse models, customize a car and get contact information for a dealer, orfollow a link to the dealer's site. but, come next year, customers in the us will be able to buy a hyundai and scheduled delivery from the dealer, all through amazon. and in 2025, new hyundai will add access to amazon's alexa voice assistant. this capitalises on a trend we saw during the pandemic, when stuck—at—home shoppers turned to buying cars online. hyundai and amazon announced the big news thursday at the los angeles auto show. to x now, the beleaguered social media hub. the computing giant ibm has suspended advertising on the platform formerly known as twitter after a report said its ads were placed next to posts praising adolf hitler and nazism. ibm said it was "completely unacceptable". x said it does not intentionally place brands "next to this kind of content". i'm joined now by branding expert — allyson stewart—allen, ceo of international marketing partners. good to see you. tell us more about what is going on on x. the good to see you. tell us more about what is going on on x.— what is going on on x. the question is, what what is going on on x. the question is. what isn't _ what is going on on x. the question is, what isn't going _ what is going on on x. the question is, what isn't going on _ what is going on on x. the question is, what isn't going on on _ what is going on on x. the question is, what isn't going on on x! - is, what isn't going on on x! unfortunately for ibm many other advertisers they seem to not be able to control, despite their best efforts, to ask x to do so, where their ads are placed. in this instance, ibm had adverts places next to extremely offensive content, neo—nazi comments and other content on the site, has had many other advertisers. this is a real problem. the business has brought in a new ceo in the form of linda yak reno, an extremely accomplished person, who is trying to sort out and stop the haemorrhaging of advertisers from the platform because of this issue. she seems to be having some challenges with that and until the platform is a place where companies like ibm feel that they are getting their moneys worth and are being placed in the right lights, in the right context, they will continue to lead this platform. it isx it is x becoming a bit toxic? well, a lot of business people, if that is your target audience, a lot of business people, if that is yourtarget audience, like a lot of business people, if that is your target audience, like your viewers... people are on linkedin much more than x, then advert actor is targeting people like us in the business world will keep trying to reach us because we won't be on x. many other people are leaving x from all persuasions and backgrounds because it appears to be intolerance, its policing policy of harming content and its removal of harmful content is slow. they have a very hang strong —— hamstrung team backin very hang strong —— hamstrung team back in san francisco. there are only know a few people who are able to monitor the harmful content because so many were let go. this is a company that is operating with a skeletal staff, with a policy of say whatever you want, all is fair, and a lot of people find it offensive and not the platform for them. do ou and not the platform for them. do you think brands are willing to give x time? we have some companies pulling back their advertising, but once they start to suggest an inevitable decline?— once they start to suggest an inevitable decline? unless there is some very clear— inevitable decline? unless there is some very clear explanation - inevitable decline? unless there is some very clear explanation and l some very clear explanation and reassurance given by x to these advertisers that they ought to stay, that they are getting value for money out of their advertising spend, and these are the specific mechanisms being put in place to remove the harmful content to reassure the advertisers that they are being seen in a favourable light, untilthat are being seen in a favourable light, until that reassurance happens there is no reason advertisers should necessarily stay. thank you very much for your expert analysis. in other news, the hong kong—listed shares of alibaba have dropped more than 8%. it comes after the chinese tech giant shelved plans to spin off its cloud business. alibaba said it made the decision because of us restrictions targeting exports of chips used in artificial intelligence applications. it was the first market reaction in asia since the strategy reversal was announced. the british energy company octopus has opened an offshore wind investment fund to put £3 billion, or $3.7 billion, into sea—based wind generation across europe. tokyo gas is the first big investor in the fund, three years after buying a 10% stake in octopus itself. this week, the british government announced plans for a big increase in the unit payment for electricity generated on wind farms. don't forget you can get in touch with me online. i'm @samanthatvnews. thanks for watching. just to tractor spreading fertiliser on a field near caernarvon. hang on, there is no driver! meet one of the first ai tractors in the uk. this machine was developed in the netherlands on large, flat fields, not quite the terrain we have gotten many parts of north wales, so the students have been asked to see what i can do forfarmers here. they're particularly interested at its light weight, which won't compact the soil. , ., , , ., , ., soil. this would be very handy world we live. it would _ soil. this would be very handy world we live. it would stop _ soil. this would be very handy world we live. it would stop compaction i soil. this would be very handy world | we live. it would stop compaction on things the winter coming now. this machine is excellent, the technology has changed so much and i'm sure it'll be _ has changed so much and i'm sure it'll be an— has changed so much and i'm sure it'll be an to — has changed so much and i'm sure it'll be an to farmers. it is has changed so much and i'm sure it'll be an to farmers.— it'll be an to farmers. it is not auoin to it'll be an to farmers. it is not going to take _ it'll be an to farmers. it is not going to take over _ it'll be an to farmers. it is not going to take over every - it'll be an to farmers. it is not - going to take over every operation, but it— going to take over every operation, but it is_ going to take over every operation, but it is here — going to take over every operation, but it is here as— going to take over every operation, but it is here as an _ going to take over every operation, but it is here as an aid _ going to take over every operation, but it is here as an aid for- going to take over every operation, but it is here as an aid for the - but it is here as an aid for the farmers— but it is here as an aid for the farmers to _ but it is here as an aid for the farmers to make _ but it is here as an aid for the farmers to make their- but it is here as an aid for the farmers to make their lives i but it is here as an aid for the - farmers to make their lives easier. one farmer— farmers to make their lives easier. one farmer could _ farmers to make their lives easier. one farmer could run _ farmers to make their lives easier. one farmer could run for— farmers to make their lives easier. one farmer could run for these - farmers to make their lives easier. one farmer could run for these ati one farmer could run for these at the same — one farmer could run for these at the same time _ one farmer could run for these at the same time and _ one farmer could run for these at the same time and he _ one farmer could run for these at the same time and he can- one farmer could run for these at the same time and he can do- one farmer could run for these at. the same time and he can do other stuff on _ the same time and he can do other stuff on the — the same time and he can do other stuff on the farm. _ the same time and he can do other stuff on the farm.— the same time and he can do other stuff on the farm. while the former is the way and _ stuff on the farm. while the former is the way and the _ stuff on the farm. while the former is the way and the robot _ stuff on the farm. while the former is the way and the robot is - stuff on the farm. while the former is the way and the robot is working | is the way and the robot is working by itself, the developers stress it stay. sensors slow it down if anything comes near and stop it completely if there is something in the way. hello from the bbc sport centre. controversy in f! at the las vegas grand prix to bring you first. second practice is under way, following a long delay due to the first session being cancelled early on, after a broken drain cover damaged the ferrari of carlos sainz. ferrari team boss frederic vasseur described the problems with the track as "unacceptable" and said sainz�*s car suffered damage to the chassis, engine and battery, and will receive a ten—place grid drop for the race for exceeding engine limits. esteban ocon�*s alpine was damaged in the same way before the session was cut short. the second session — now 90 minutes long — is still under way — local time in vegas, close to 4am! no fans present at the circuit, with vegas making its return to the fi calendar after a0 years. the international football continues this week, and another emotional moment for the liverpool forward luis diaz, who scored both goals for colombia in their world cup—qualifying win over brazil, with his father watching on from the stands. diaz was reunited with dad luis manuel diaz on tuesday, after rebels had held him hostage for 12 days, following his kidnapping in hometown barrancas last month.

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