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A survey from Lending Tree found that a majority of Americans thought investing was just as risky as gambling. And sure, the stock market can be a casino, but it doesn’t have to be. Anand Chokkavelu and Ricky Mulvey discuss the lines between gambling and investing, and when they get blurry, games that Wall Street traders play, positive/negative sum games, and how to know the difference, and how Uncle Sam helps investors more than gamblers. Host - Ricky Mulvey; Guest - Anand Chokkavelu

The state pension is getting a boost this week, meaning many pensioners will see their payments go above £200 per week or £10,000 per year for the first time. The Government has also recently announced that it is delaying a decision on hiking up the state pension age to 68 until after the next election – perhaps influenced by protests across the channel. Pension commentators said move would be 'incredibly unpopular', and likely 'political suicide'. Governments don’t like to upset retirees because they vote in high numbers — but maintaining the status quo is incredibly expensive. Has something ultimately got to give when it comes to the state pension age and maintaining the triple lock? Georgie Frost is joined by Tanya Jefferies and Helen Crane to discuss. We also look at one lucky This is Money reader who is getting an even bigger rise, seeing his pension go up by more than 16%. It sounds like great news — but he is wondering whether it means he has been short-changed in the past. Elsewhere, research this week has shown Britons are still dragging their feet when it comes to making a will. The team looks at why it’s important, how to do it — and why it isn’t just about money. Also, E-Toro’s Sam North provides the latest update on the markets as we head into the long weekend. We also discuss why broadband companies have been able to get away with ignoring instructions from regulator Ofcom to make switching easier for customers. It told them two years ago that they needed to make it possible to swap providers in just one day — so why are most of us still left languishing without an internet connection for up to two weeks? Finally, do you fancy a sabbatical from work to travel? Some big firms are offering the extended time off as a perk to long-serving staff — but would your boss let you go, and how would you afford it?

If you clean out your closet once in a while, consider doing the same with your investment portfolio. Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss stocks investors should consider trimming like hedges, two stocks to throw out altogether, stocks that spark joy (a la Marie Kondo), investments poised for a comeback, why Visa, Mastercard, and Berkshire-Hathaway are good stocks for a rainy day, and actual cleaning tips! Then, 19 minutes in, Motley Fool senior analyst Bill Mann talks with Howard Marks, co-founder of Oaktree Capital Management, about China’s effect on inflation in the U.S. and the winners and losers in a world of higher interest rates. Stocks discussed: FIVE, DG, DLTR, OLLI, ZG, UA, COST, CDNS, XBI, PYPL, SQ, BRK, V, MA. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Jason Moser, Ron Gross, Bill Mann, Howard Marks

There are no style points in investing, and big brands continue to dominate teen spending habits. Dylan Lewis and Nick Sciple discuss Piper Sandler’s Generation Z survey about brands and spending, tailwinds for Ulta Beauty, Spotify, and Nike, investing in resale companies, and how the competitive landscape shifted for upstart brands. Also, 11 minutes in, Ricky Mulvey and Sanmeet Deo look at two health trends for investors to watch. Companies discussed: NKE, SPOT, LULU, ULTA, WINA, TSX: ATZ, LTH, XPOF. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Nick Sciple, Sanmeet Deo

The NASDAQ rose 17% in the 1st quarter, but we're not popping champagne just yet. Ron Gross and Matt Argersinger discuss new inflation data and real estate concerns in Silicon Valley, why they're watching company margins and guidance updates over the next few weeks, Disney shutting down its metaverse division, Lululemon's (unsurprising) write-down of Mirror, and the latest from Walgreens, RH, and McCormick. Plus, 19 minutes in, Brad Stone, head of Bloomberg's global tech coverage, weighs in on the state of affairs at Amazon, whether Jeff Bezos will return as CEO, and what to watch in the growing industry of AI and ChatGPT. Then, 33 minutes in, Matt and Ron discuss Moderna's prospects, Pepsi's new logo, and share two stocks on their radar: ERP Properties and Wesco International. To get your copy of Motley Fool's free report "Top Stocks For Rising Interest Rates" just go to fool.com/interest. Stocks discussed: DIS, META, LULU, WBA, RH, MKC, AMZN, GOOG, MRNA, PEP, EPR, WCC. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Ron Gross, Matt Argersinger, Brad Stone

It helps to know the difference between an investing opportunity and a falling knife. Asit Sharma discusses RH (aka, Restoration Hardware) wrapping up a rough fiscal year, how the retailer's great margins during the pandemic have gotten....less great, and Electronic Arts and Roku joining the list of tech companies laying off employees. Then, 13 minutes in, Jason Moser and Matt Frankel take a closer look at beaten-down bank stocks with strong fundamentals. Companies discussed: RH, ROKU, EA, KRE, SCHW, SOFI, BAC, ALLY. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Asit Sharma, Jason Moser, Matt Frankel

At first sight the challenges facing TikTok and John Lewis appear very different. For the former, it's the risk of being denied access to much of the free world as regulators clamp down over concerns of it becoming a major security threat. For the latter, John Lewis's need to raise investment is threatening the partnership which staff and customers hold in such high regard. These very different problems could, however, both be solved by applying customer stock ownership — in TikTok's case, in return for the immense wealth creation made possible by data harvesting; in John Lewis's case, in return for that £2 billion which they urgently need to update their business model. In each case, disintermediation leading towards a more egalitarian form of capitalism. Background music: 'On Hold' by Silent Partner

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water... A banking crisis has seemingly emerged out of nowhere, in a system that we've been told is stable, well capitalised and far from its parlous state when the credit crunch and financial crisis struck. So, what is going on and why did both the Federal Reserve in the US and the Bank of England see fit to raise interest rates this week? Georgie Frost and Simon Lambert talk interest rates: whether we have hit the base rate peak, when they might fall, why central banks keep raising them and what the impact will be for savers, borrowers and investors. Plus, what's going on with the banks? Why the sudden wobble? What's it got to do with rising interest rates and government bonds? Is this just a shake-out taking out those that weren't very well run anyway, or something more dramatic? Also, Simon explains why he thinks some people might need to sell some investments now. (But not for the reasons above). And finally, are Pokémon cards really an investable asset? The This is Money team dived into the world of collecting hem this week, Simon explains what they found out.

The Fed's quarter-percent interest rate hike went as expected. The CEO of TikTok's testimony on Capitol Hill did not. Emily Flippen and Ron Gross discuss fear of a recession vs. fear of a banking contagion, whether social media giants like Meta Platforms and Snap stand to benefit from the drama around TikTok, Ford Motor's plan to go from losing billions on EVs to being profitable by the end of 2026, and the latest from Block, KB Home, and Accenture. Also, 19 minutes in, Emily and Ron continue their analysis of the week's big investing stories, including recent struggles from three pet companies — Chewy, Petco, and Trupanion, Apple's plan to spend $1 billion per year on theatrical releases, the latest from Nike, Ollie's Bargain Outlet, and Darden Restaurants, and two stocks on their radar: Globus Medical and Donnelly Financial Solutions. Stocks discussed: SNAP, META, GOOG, SQ, KBH, F, CAN, CHWY, WOOF, TRUP, NKE, OLLI, DRI, SBUX, IMAX, CNK, AMC, AAPL, GMED, DFIN. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Emily Flippen, Ron Gross

Just because things go as expected doesn't mean the ripple effects aren't surprising. Andy Cross discusses the Fed's 0.25% rate hike, unfortunate timing around Chairman Powell's press conference and Sec. Yellen's public testimony, and why he's going to be paying more attention to annual reports in the coming weeks. Then, 10 minutes in, Nick Sciple and Jim Gillies face off in the semi-finals of our stock investing version of March Madness! Choose the winner by casting your vote in our Twitter poll @MotleyFoolMoney! Companies discussed: RMAX, BWXT. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Andy Cross, Nick Sciple, Jim Gillies