Podcasts presented by Ed Bowsher related to Economics - UK

Theresa May is expected to seek a special free trade deal during her trip to the US on Friday. The Prime Minister will be the first foreign leader to meet Mr Trump, and will later address the annual congressional Republican Retreat in Philadelphia. Sir Vince Cable, the former Lib Dem MP and business secretary, said on Twitter today that it's an "Appalling error by May to grovel to Trump for trade deal. He wants to destroy free trade". He joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher to discuss.

In the final three months of last year the UK economy continued to grow, showing no signs of a Brexit fueled slowdown. Instead of contracting, as many economists predicted, the economy grew by 0.6 percent. Share Radio's Ed Bowsher was joined by Martin Beck, UK Economist at Oxford Economics, to find out the factors behind this growth.

Royal Bank of Scotland has set aside a further £3.1 billion to cover potential fines in the US and the shares have risen today. But Whitbread's share price has fallen 5%, after the owner of Costa Coffee shops and Premier Inn issued a disappointing trading statement, while Unilever's Q4 sales disappointed the market. Richard Hunter, Head of Research at Wilson King Investment Management, spoke to Share Radio's Ed Bowsher about the day's top company stories.

WH Smith shares were up on a good trading update with sales of funny 'spoof books' helping the stationer. Shares in Restaurant Group, the company behind chains Frankie and Benny's and Garfunkel's, were down as it reported lower like-for-like sales last year. Tesco faces new lawsuit from US Investment firm, Manning & Napier, which is suing the supermarket over an earlier accounting irregularities. And miners BHP Billiton and Antofagasta reported on good results today. Chris Bailey, founder of Financial Orbit, joined Ed Bowsher, Share Radio's senior analyst to discuss these and more.

Britain's manufacturers are 'firing on all cylinders' - that's what the Confederation of British Industry says in its latest report - but will it last? Three of the five biggest shareholders in FTSE 350 firms have vowed to get tough on executive pay. And in the US, Donald Trump has approved two oil pipelines, is the Trump bump back? Ben Kumar from 7 Investment Management analyses the latest economic news with Share Radio's Ed Bowsher.

BT shares slumped as the telecoms giant warned again on profits following the Italian accounting scandal, Easyjet results softer on weak pound but strong Christmas sales for Dixons Carphone and posh tonic water company Fever-Tree bubbles along. All the big company news of the day with Financial Times deputy companies editor Daniel Thomas and Share Radio's senior analyst Ed Bowsher.

The Supreme Court's Brexit ruling wasn't a major surprise so why has the pound fallen? BT shares plummeted, US officially exits TPP and will the UK hit its deficit target? Rachel Winter, Senior Investment Manager at Killik & Co, joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher to discuss the top economic stories of the day.

A new 10-point industrial strategy has been unveiled by Theresa May - but will it deliver for businesses as the economy readies itself for Brexit hurdles? Edwin Morgan, Deputy Director of Policy at the Institute of Directors, spoke with Share Radio's Ed Bowsher for more on this story.

Donald Trump's inauguration has hit the dollar but helped the sterling up to its best level since before Christmas, while ratings agency S&P has predicted the European Central Bank will extend its quantitative easing programme into 2018. And optimism among financial services firms is at its lowest ebb since the crisis - but it's not just Brexit. Alastair McCaig, director of investment management at Fernwealth, joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher to discuss these and more of the big economic news of the day.

On the final day of Davos the discussion continues to revolve around Brexit and the state of globalisation. Today, speakers included Chancelor Philip Hammond and German finance minister Wolfgang Schäuble. From the studio Ed Bowsher spoke to Share Radio Presenter and Davos correspondent Steve Clarke to round up what's happened this week.