Podcasts from Share Radio Breakfast presented by Nigel Cassidy related to Economics

To get the latest company results, Nigel Cassidy was joined by Mike Ingram, Market Strategist at BGC Partners. Department store chain Debenhams plc, like the rest of the retail sector, faces challenges of rising inflation, fierce competition and a switch in consumer spending habits.

The CIPD warns that the UK is sleepwalking into a low-value, low-skills economy which leaves the nation ill-prepared for its post-Brexit future, particularly if the UK is to face restrictions on accessing talent from outside of the UK.

Now to Theresa May and her announcement just yesterday calling for a snap general election on the 8th June. She said Britain needed certainty, stability and strong leadership following the EU referendum. Explaining her decision was made because, "The country is coming together but Westminster is not." Today there will be a Commons vote on the proposed election, which is likely to go through.

An Indian businessman has appeared at a court in London yesterday and could face deportation back to Delhi under fraud charges. Vijay Mallya was once dubbed India's Richard Branson, but times have changed after his company Kingfisher airlines got into problems.

It wasn't just London shares sinking: Across the pond, the S&P 500 had fallen for the fourth time in five sessions by last nights close - weighed down by a big share fall for Goldman Sachs and Johnson & Johnson following their quarterly results. The big question remains, will much of the supposed smart investment placed on Donald Trump's America prove less than smart?

The UK's retail sector enjoyed a much needed boost over the Easter weekend, with both footfall and card spending seeing a year-on-year rise. London's West End experienced a surge in shoppers over the holiday period, with a footfall increase of 6.8 per cent between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. This compares with a smaller increase in footfall across the whole country between Friday and Sunday.

Internet ad spending in the UK has passed £10bn for the first time last year. Companies are now spending more than double on mobile video ads as Brits watch clips, TV and movies on smartphones. Internet giant Google has benefited from the surge in internet advertising – but now faces a row over ads appearing next to extremist videos on YouTube.

New Crossrail 1, or Elizabeth line, trains are set to start running between Liverpool Street and Shenfield next month. But what about Crossrail 2? Council leaders from London and the South East have urged the government to green light public funding for the £30bn project.

There have been modest losses for some markets in Asia. Analysts say that political tensions over North Korea are causing some caution among investors. But Japanese shares were up, sending the Nikkei 225 index to its highest level in three weeks. A slump in the yen created buying opportunities in shares of exporting companies, including car makers Nissan and Honda.

According to RICS, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, residential sales in the UK are lacking 'impetus'. Their latest residential market survey suggests that new buyer enquiries and sales have remained flat in the March and stock levels hit a record low as the number of properties coming to market continues to decline.