Share Sounds related to Economics

Share Radio's senior analyst, Ed Bowsher, joins Georgie Frost in the studio today to discuss the biggest finance stories of the last 24 hours. On the agenda today, The My Local convenience store chain is being put into administration, UK retail workers are so stressed about their personal finances, Royal Bank of Scotland is cutting another 900 jobs, plus much more. Consuming Issues goes out every week day from 9 to 12 on Share Radio.

With the results of the forthcoming EU referendum seemingly on a knife-edge, the Institute of Economic Affairs has published a report outlining the best way to maximise economic freedom whatever the outcome. Ryan Bourne, Head of Public Policy at the Institute of Economic Affairs, spoke about this further.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has begun an upper house election campaign, with a pledge to rev-up the economy, as surveys show his ruling bloc is ahead. Seijiro Takeshita, Professor of Management and Information at University of Shizuoka in Japan, joined Sarah Lowther and Chris Bailey to discuss.

As many as 28 million people in Britain are living with chronic pain according to research. A study published in the OMJ Open journal suggests 43 per cent of adults have endured pain that has lasted for more than three months. It also warns that as the population gets older, the problem is also likely to become more widespread. Beverley Sunderland, from Crosslands Solicitors, joins Georgie to discuss further.

It's time for another session with Money Fight Club! This week, Georgie Frost is sparring with financial heavyweights Lindsay Cook and Anne Caborn on whether the housing market is spiralling out of control, or even broken. We also find out if we have become a nation of gamblers, and they enter the ring with modern day practises of debt collectors.

In our weekly technology section, Sophie Deen, founder of Bright Little Lab, joins Georgie in the studio, to discuss the biggest tech stories around. On the agenda, MPs have recommended that companies should be fined if they fail to guard against cyber-attacks, and home Wi-Fi will apparently get even better with the launch of the new BT Smart Hub, plus UberEATS is being tested in the centre of the capital, while Ministers want to increase the fixed penalty for mobile phone use from £100 to £150 as part of a crackdown on dangerous driving.

The European Central Bank’s stimulus programme is due to go to court in Germany. The country's influential Constitutional Court will deliver a final verdict on whether German law allows the ECB to deploy so-called "outright money transactions". Zsolt Darvas, Senior fellow at the economic think tank Bruegel, discussed the implications of this.

The pound and the FTSE soared on Monday as the ‘Remain’ camp wrestled back its lead in the polls. Ken Odeluga, Market Analyst at City Index, wrote: "Let’s face it, Britain’s economy and financial markets are going to be stuffed for a while, whichever way the referendum vote goes." Ken discussed his take on the market reaction with Sarah Lowther and Chris Bailey.

Hannah Maundrell, Editor in Chief and Head of Content at Money.co.uk, joins Georgie Frost in the studio today to discuss the biggest finance stories of the last 24 hours. On the agenda today, train strikes affecting both ends of the UK, Lidl has signed up to the National Farmers' Union's "fruit and veg pledge, Banks and charities are being urged to take more responsibility for vulnerable people who fall victim to scams, plus much more. Consuming Issues goes out every week day from 9 to 12 on Share Radio.

Your energy bills could be too high because the energy meter itself is faulty. New research shows that you could be charged up to £140 to get your meter tested. But some energy companies charge nothing at all. The website SavvyWoman.co.uk contacted eight of the major energy suppliers to find out what their costs and charges were and it found that while some suppliers charged nothing at all, others charged over £100. Sarah Pennells, founder and editor of SavvyWoman.co.uk, joined Sue Dougan in the studio.