Podcasts related to Economics

Since lockdown began in March, there has been a huge uptick in cycling and walking, as people got out and about while staying at home. But while before coronavirus we were all told public transport was a good thing, now with restrictions easing and Britain slowly going back to work, Britons have been told to actively avoid it. Does that mean the inevitable return of the car, or with the Government promising billions to create a new era for cycling and walking, is there a brighter and greener future for mobility. Could one of the keys be electric bicycles and scooters? Editor Simon Lambert reveals all to host Georgie Frost and assistant editor Lee Boyce after giving a GoCycle GX folding electric bike a trial. How good are the batteries, how long do they take to charge, how much do they cost, what schemes are available to purchase them and what is the point of them? Meanwhile, the car industry has been rocked by Covid-19, with job losses aplenty and sales grinding to a halt. Registrations sank 89 per cent to the record-lowest May since 1952, but despite that, sales of electric vehicles were up 22 per cent – and the Tesla Model 3 was the best seller. Could it be time to head to a showroom to haggle a bargain, will there be yet another scrappage scheme and why has Fiat launched a pay-as-you-go model of ownership? This weekend could also be a good time to fill up, with petrol prices set to head higher after weeks of lower motoring costs: many Britons have been able to find unleaded for under £1 a litre. And finally, with more people using their cars to make deliveries, are they properly insured?

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s (CIPD) Good Work Index provides a snapshot of UK working lives, including opportunities for homeworking and job flexibility as we went into lockdown. In this interview, Peter Urwin speaks to Jonny Gifford, Senior Advisor for Organisational Behaviour at the CIPD. He describes how UK job quality indicators compare to those of other countries; arguing that any encouraging headline figures hide concerns over UK job quality inequality. They consider the role of government and employers in tackling such inequality, and flag worrying trends in UK work-life balance. For instance, recent years have seen a decline in reported wellbeing from the UK Working Lives survey – and the latest instalment of the survey allows us to ask how this, and other trends, has been impacted by the pandemic.

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show: The real estate market is bigger than the stock market, yet most people don't invest in it. Fool real estate expert Matt Argersinger of Millionacres.com (a Motley Fool company) joins the team to explain how the typical, non-tycoon person can begin to build their property empire... or at least earn attractive returns with tax benefits. Also, Alison discusses the future of where we'll work.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: The total number of unemployment claims climbs above 40 million; Costco slips on earnings; Salesforce sells off; Dollar Tree and Dollar General rise on strong growth; Williams-Sonoma serves up a surprise; And Hertz Global files for Chapter 11. Motley Fool analysts Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss those stories, weigh in on the latest from Ulta Beauty, and share two stocks on their radar: Intercontinental Exchange and Bill.com. And we talk with Motley Fool contributor Rick Munarriz about Disney World's reopening, HBO Max, and the streaming wars.

It's nearly June, the sun is shining, and right about now people would usually be eagerly anticipating summer breaks they’ve booked, or planning where to go away. Meanwhile, the sunny weather over the past few months would usually have led to thoughts (and lots of features) on a staycation summer. But this isn’t any given year. Coronavirus and the lockdown means we are advised not to travel abroad, don't know when we will be able to, and might have to take an extra two weeks off to quarantine when we get back. That should means it’s Cornwall, Devon, Norfolk, Wales, or a week in Skegness on our minds, instead of France or Spain. Overnight trips are still barred though, the domestic holiday industry is unsure when it will be back up-and-running, and some locals are reportedly not too keen on visitors. So, will we get a holiday this summer and how can you protect yourself when booking and paying? On this podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost talk holidays: where to go, when you might be allowed to, and the all-important financial side involving booking, cancellations and refunds. There is also the thorny question of how travel will look in the future and whether the holiday industry will bounce back while people still have long waits and fights for refunds on cancelled trips fresh in their mind? And finally, what about opting for van life instead? Volkswagen revealed this week that quotes for its California campervans have soared in lockdown – and Simon fill us in on what it’s like to go away on a 2,000 mile road trip in one, having done so the summer before last. He’s also got an idea, involving buying a campervan and renting it out, so that it pays for itself and turns a profit. Classic man maths or solid money-maker, you decide?

Tamara Gillan is joined by Zahra Pabani, Family Law partner at Irwin Mitchell, to talk about how to protect yourself and your family in life, love, and money. Zahra shares her top tips for getting your personal affairs in order, and where individuals and couples should be focusing their attention – especially in a time of crisis, when security and protection are at the forefront of our minds.

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show, Motley Fool Contributor Dan Caplinger joins us to answer your questions about the backdoor Roth IRA, navigating the new RMD rules, tax gain harvesting and more.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: Facebook, MasterCard, and Spotify announce new work-from-home policies; Lowe’s, Home Depot, Target, and Walmart report big growth in same-store sales; The U.S. Senate passes a bill that would impose new listing requirements for Chinese companies; And Take-Two Interactive hits an all-time high. Motley Fool analysts Emily Flippen and Ron Gross discuss those stories and weigh in on the future of retail and the future of real estate. Our analysts share two stocks on their radar: TJX Companies and Pinduoduo. And Motley Fool analyst Tim Beyers and Motley Fool contributor Dan Kline talk with Tivo CEO Dave Shull about television, streaming video, and the future of Tivo.

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show: How has the college experience changed and what could it look like going forward? Brokamp explains how, for the near term, it will be more solo and less solo cups. However, In the long run, we might see much-needed disruption in higher education (for the better).

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: Retail sales fall more than 16% in April; Uber and GrubHub explore a possible merger; Marriott and Under Armour tumble on disappointing earnings; Diagnostics company Quidel gets a big boost from the FDA; And DraftKings hits a new high. Motley Fool analysts Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss those stories and weigh in on the best way to build a portfolio. Our analysts share a couple of stocks on their radar: Intellia Therapeutics and Axon Enterprise. Plus, Camping World CEO Marcus Lemonis talks about the business of RVs and shares some insights from his CNBC show, The Profit.