in pole position. i'm sally bundock. and ahg hasjust and ahg has just revealed its latest earnings, i will be talking to the chief executive ihg hotels and of ihg hotels and resorts shortly. as we've been reporting, in a few hours us talks in saudi arabia. stressed the need to take greater responsibility

for their own security. the issue of how much countries across europe put aside on the us for defence. defence spending. poland is the top military spender in nato at 4.7% of gross domestic product. $457 billion — that's around 2% of gdp. are saying this isn't enough.

last year in real terms — around 6.7% of their gdp, and its spending 30% more on its war effort for defence spending? institute in brussels. shortfall in its military capabilities and in the cost of managing the conflict in ukraine.

agreement is reached. it's going to be an intense time of talks. at all clear what the us is actually going to do. now they are saying, oh,

we might include more people. will be sending troops onto the ground into ukraine. no discussion of air defences, air support. there are so many question marks. but for germany in particular — where the economy is in dire straits — and that is a key issue in this election. on the markets again. and its companies and growth. relax this debt break they have, which will be important for defence, also.

rebecca and are a close eye those keeping a close eye on those talks in riyadh we'll up—toidate with we've just had the latest numbers from one of the big players in the hotel business — ihg — and they show that business travel is continuing to grow despite the ongoing squeeze on many firms�* bottom lines. intercontinental, and several other brands reported a 3% growth in its annual room revenue. that is above market expectations. in the united states. welcome to bbc news. good to be

with ou welcome to bbc news. good to be with you again. you _ welcome to bbc news. good to be with you again. you are _ welcome to bbc news. good to be with you again. you are keeping i with you again. if shareholders with you again.— - shareholders happy - with you mam; - shareholders happy with - with you mam; - shareholders happy with a i jump,”t;;,; ,;,, t’ : wa nt 7 i want to 77 i want to thank our teams first i want to thank our teams for what was a really excellent year of financial performance and i mean, and progress. i mean, operating was up io%. our earnings profit was up io%. our earnings share were up 15%, we per share were up 15%, we turned over $1 billion to z ilastr ' ”last: i and plan do more year. more to do more this year. more importantly we are our importantly we are growing our business around the world. our brands. we signed growing ourbrands; wesigned more hotels in prior we 23% more year, we opened 23% more hotels, we signed nearly a more, that's nearly two third more, that's nearly two per we are now nearly1 per day. we are now nearly1 million rooms around the million open rooms around the world with nearly a third of wotldwitbnearly a third of development, which those under development, which underlines our growth for years to come, are to come, and today we are excited to announce the acquisition of our 20th brand, an upscale urban edgy brand. we

have three in london, i hope get to see one soon we you get to see one soon and we hope to take the successful brand and internationalise it and glow globally —— �* it 7 " ”ti’eshfijéemj 7 7 ""”r"c'6'nfide’fii, that�*s 7 w ’ teshfijéei, mists fo} extremely confident, that's for sure. outlining what you are and 77 j and what 5 and what your 5 and what your plans are future what your plans are future growth. ji’ plans are for future growth: shareholders very happy your in 7 7 7 individend7 77 with ourteana. spent sedeotefl —— — ~ —~— ov in:here, with ourteana. spent sedeotefl —— — ~ —~— ov in dividend. just give in dividend.7 give increase in dividend. just give us your take on your thoughts increase in dividend. just give , , �*take on your thoughts increase in dividend. just give , , the �*take on your thoughts on the outlook. clearly you are increase in dividend. just give , , the �*take on clearly oughts increase in dividend. just give , , very bullish about what is the �*take on clearly oug are on the outlook. clearly you are deg/j. about what on the outlook. clearly you are defy-.. about what is ahead for your business with �* your if e �* your business 7 �* your business with ahead for your business with expansion plans, etc. you expansion plans, etc. you know, ahead for your business with expansion plans, etc. eepensien plans—g etsr , —— we have been in the look, we expansion plans, etc. you know, look. we have — expansion plans, etc. you know, look, we have been _ expansion plans, etc. you know, look, we have been in _ expansion plans, etc. you know, look, we have been in the - espensien plans—g etsr , —— we have been in the hotel s.-...,.- a - - ..,..,... fl... .. for over 7 for over 80 expansion plans, etc. you know, look, we have been in the hotel| look, we have been in the hotel business for over 80 years and for over 80 years 7 for over 80 years and business for over 80 years and we have got a lot of we have got a lot of experience, we in over 100 over there, experience, we are in over 100 £75 7—w e: countries. if you look around if you around countries. if you look around the world, the us economy is the world, the us economy is solid, gdp is solid, rates of solid, gdp is solid, rates of has inflation has stabilised out inflation has stabilised out the outlook is good and the the outlook is good and at the 7�*7e7n7d7of7 7 77 77 other end of the world, i was endoftheworld 7 7 77end7ofthe7wodd7 i777 7 7 other end of the—world. l was in other end of the—world, l was in china three weeks ago just in china three weeks ago just in china three weeks ago with our team, spent a whole with our team, spent a whole

with our team soeet emhn'e — ...- ,.... ~ - over with ourteana. spent sedeotefl —— — ~ —~— week over there, we know the residential real estate market has been a drag on the economy but they are digestive that. at the same time travel and tourism is very strong, they have just had a lunar new year in china, record travel domestically and outbound agent backed markets.

are seeing growth, growth, growth. why is that? i are seeing growth, growth, growth. why is that? i think is a growth. why is that? i think - is a fundamental- growth. why is that? i think - is a fundamental shift| there is a fundamental shift really that has going are reallythat has, been going well the pandemic but accelerated after the pandemic, which is people are spending on experiences than more onrexperiences—than they on goods. in some �*the economies as well. north major economies as well. north america, europe, even china. we see residential real estate down in china we see leisure, health care, accessible bill macro accessible and macro accessible apparel and travel and strong so travel and tourism strong so this is a global shift in affluent and developing are spending more on 777777 77 7tha7n7777 77 7777 77 777777 77 761559817177 7777 77 7777 77 111375981] qfe777 77 than you are in experiences than you are in and the second thing is have what 7 have what is 7 have what is cole 7 have what is cole dasilva 7 will stop in north economy will stop in north america, and a wave of —— _7 wave of —— what is called whole wave of —— what is called silver economy. one �*the the want to do first things they want to do is travel we are there travel and we are there to welcome them in 100 countries. we now have million we now have nearly1 million around world, rooms aroundthe world; 6600 and we are ready for

hotels. and we are. ready for ....s ; f .. fl ww and hotels. and we are. ready for f " ., f f of; ~ and this generation. hotels. and we are. ready for“ f " ., f f f" " and this generation. bill them and this generation. all ri . ht. them and this generation. all riuht. i them and this generation. all right. i always asked this question but i bet you won't answer it. your favourite question but i bet you won't answer it. yourfavourite hotel it is children, i look, it is like children, i have three sons, i love them ma has three "h" l"; the'“ ' w 7" .. ......,. ., you �* name your all. uou never narne uou one. i éll. eou "geezernegzeeaee one. " favourite one. e2522 .. ~~ — — answer. i am reall wouldn't answer. i am really excited about _ wouldn't answer. i am really excited about ruby - wouldn't answer. i am really excited about ruby which i wouldn't answer. i am really| excited about ruby which we have just acquired and the hotels we have around europe and you should check out eu7rope. a diamond. lovel in europe.�* i a diamond. lovely to f in europe.�* i a diamond. lovely to speak be a diamond. lovely to speak. maalouf, chief to you. elie maalouf, chief executive of ihg. of unemployment remained unchanged at 4.4% in the three months to december. office for national statistics. so what might happen next? well, as we reported on this programme yesterday, one in four employers are now looking to make redundancies ahead of the upcoming tax

rises in april, according good to see you. your take on the number, at7 777at7a7ll7bu7t77 77777 at all7 but earnings 7 shifting at all but earnings are still going up. it shifting at all but earnings are still going up.- are still going up. it is not really a — are still going up. it is not really a - sally. i are still going up. it is not. really a - sally. what have been seeing across the we have been seeing across the �*some now magket for some time now is a resilient market, fairly resilient labour market, where employers to hire 72:777t77777 '—' ..... ”w" ;;;,7— 77 777s7kill7sets,7wheth7e7r777 7 77 7 77 "a... 4; med; that 77 7 77 "a... 4; med; that a! 7 in the. !t teshnology. digital; . ............ w .- or in the. !t teshnology. digital; w w .. ' ' w or infra— sectors or infra— structure developments, health and social in particular, 77 7 inparticular, 77 to 7 forjarticular, 77 to 7 for those lar, 77 to 7 for those roles.77 to 7 for those roles.77 that 7 hire for those roles. but that latent hesitancy is among and7 employefs businesses and employers fee. -u can businesses and employers 17.3 can see businesses and employers cs: f: can see what down 7777.13.45 the 7 7 down the track. but we coming down the track. but we have seen this for the last

have seen this for the taste . ~ ~ of years, there has been couple of years, there has been a bit of a lull. everything thatis a bit of a lull. everything that is in our regular report jobs and all recruitment -|m for that confidence are looking for that confidence from government, plus there is from. government, plus there is unknown from what is from. government, plus there is unknc overseas vhat is from. government, plus there is unknc overseas vhat us happening overseas'from us to the environment, it geopolitical environment, it been a difficult has been a very difficult trading environment for yea rs. last two years. when you say the are last two years. when you say they are looking _ last two years. when you say they are looking for- last two years. when you say i they are looking for confidence from the i mean, they are looking for confidence from ti reeves i mean, they are looking for confidence from ti reeves and i mean, they are looking for confidence from ti reeves and �*keirean, rachel reeves and sir keir starmer and would say we starmer and others would say we are exuding we are are exuding confidence, we are talking the talk and talking up the economy all the time. don't wa nt to want to see action businesses want to see action than confidence? more than confidence? absolutely. that is the key, 825 00:12:42,750 --> 00:12:4