Podcasts presented by Sarah Lowther related to Economics

With the structure and financing of Network Rail currently being discussed and investigated, this year’s annual Rail Freight Group Conference was moved forward by two months so the industry could get together to discuss and respond. Maggie Simpson, the Rail Freight Group's Executive Director, joined to discuss why the 24th annual event is so critical.

Sellers and publishers from across the UK are gathering to discuss all things book-related at the London Book Fair. But how is the climate when it comes down to selling physical books and digital copies? Matt Cox spoke to independent bookseller Mark Thornton and bestselling author James Craig, who explained how they operate in the world of bookselling and how recent trends have affected them.

Jack Sommers, of The Huffington Post, discusses the latest in the world of politics. Among the topics covered, Jack discusses the MPs publishing their tax returns, the return of David Miliband to British politics and mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan, who exclusively told The Huffington Post that Zac Goldsmith’s divisive campaign is putting Muslims off taking part In politics.

Brazil is due to present its budget, but with GDP forecasts due to shrink by 4% for the second consecutive year, and the unemployment rate rising sharply, the country is struggling to deal with the end of the commodity boom. The biggest party in congress has now also voted to abandon President Dilma Rousseff’s ruling coalition. Robert Van Egghen looked into the country's struggles.

Clare Rayner, The Retail Champion and Founder of The Future High Street Summit, discusses the event, which embraces the belief that the high street is evolving. It’s returning for a third year, and Clare talks about the agenda and if the high street can compete with the likes of Amazon.

Is Britain’s favourite treat under threat? Chocolate makers and cocoa traders are having a tough year, thanks to a perfect storm of bad weather and foreign exchange fluctuations. It has led to a rapid price increase for those Easter eggs we all adore. Robert Van Egghen spoke to Jonathan Parkman, co-head of agricultural commodities at Marex Spectron, about the concerns within the cocoa market.

It seems Apple Pay will soon have a competitor, as a contactless mobile pay system is due to be released for Android phone users. Credit card provider, MBNA, has announced it will be on board and its Director, Mark Elliott, joined Sarah Lowther and Chris Bailey to explain what Android Pay will allow people to do, the rise of contactless mobile systems and why MBNA is on board.

A third of people aged over 50, who are employed in the private sector, are now planning to retire later than they previously hoped. Aviva's latest Working Lives report reveals that they'll work eight years longer than hoped. Alistair McQueen, Pension Policy Manager at Aviva, joins Share Radio to discuss the findings.

A new report from CDP, analysing 15 of the world's largest automakers, shows that Volkswagen is not the only car maker facing significant potential penalties as regulation on fleet emissions tightens around the world. Paul Simpson, the CEO of CDP, joined Sarah Lowther and Paul Sedgwick to discuss further the report he authored.

Transport for London has approved a new plan to "modernise and improve" London's private hire industry, but it's seen to some as a crackdown on Uber's growth. So are regulators taking aim at disruptive companies to protect the "old guard", or is this another step in integrating innovation into the UK? Matt Cox spoke to tech consultant and analyst, Chris Green, to find out how he sees the situation.