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The top 10 business headlines of 2015

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – On Daybreak Friday morning, Jane King had a look at 2015’s top ten business and consumer headlines.

Topping the list – China’s economic slowdown. Plus, the products released this year that can change the way we shop, communicate and drive.

2015 was the year everyone officially became worried about China. The freak out hit markets hardest in August, with the DOW dropping 1,000 points on Aug. 24. Economists began to conclude that China’s official story – that it’s economy was growing at around a brisk pace – was far too rosy.

China’s slowdown was the reason behind the second biggest story of the year – the big drop in commodity prices. Oil, especially, plummeted, giving drivers a break, but oil companies a huge amount of stress.

2015 was also the end of free money. The Federal Reserve raised interest rates on Dec. 16, the first time in almost a decade.

In the first half of 2015, Volkswagen passed Toyota as the world’s top-selling automaker. The triumph didn’t last long. On Sept. 18, the environmental protection agency revealed that VW had cheated on the emissions tests for hundreds of thousands of diesel cars.

2015 saw the growth of “Gig Economy,” in which people don’t hold regular jobs in traditional workplaces but rather work as some version of a freelancer.

There are just a few of the top stories of 2015. Click play in the video box to hear more from Jane.