Podcasts from Ed's Macro-Economic View presented by Juliette Foster

Though Italy and it's banking crisis (specifically Monte Dei Paschi) has been the central focus of concerns over the stability of Eurozone financial institutions recently, Portugal is also facing serious issues, as what some are calling an ongoing banking 'crisis' — not quite equal to the one in Italy, but significant nonetheless, dominate people's thinking in the Iberian state. Share Radio's Patrick Jones investigates.

Owen Smith, The MP, challenging Jeremy Corbyn for the leadership of the Labour party, has been in Rotherham today outlining what he would do if he was elected leader of the party. His proposals include scrapping zero hours contracts and increasing NHS spending. Meanwhile a new poll shows the Conservatives have a 12-point lead over the Labour party. Joining Juliette Foster to discuss these and other developments on the political front is Mike Indian, Senior Political Analyst at De Havilland.

In the aftermath of her death Jo Cox's ideals have inspired the birth of a new political movement. "More United", which takes its name from a phrase in her parliamentary maiden speech, rejects extremism and aims to give a voice to tolerant people throughout the UK. Juliette Foster, host of Investment Perspectives was joined in the studio by Dr Clare Gerada of More United who's a convener for the organisation and also a former chair of the Royal College of General Practitioners.

The Chancellor George Osborne says he'll slash public spending and increase taxes in an emergency Budget to tackle a £30bn "black hole" if the UK votes to leave the European Union. That could include raising income and inheritance taxes and slashing the NHS budget. 57 rebel Tory MPs have threatened to block the measure which they've said would make the Chancellor's position "untenable". The Chancellor's warning comes as the latest polls suggest that public momentum is moving towards a vote to leave Europe. With both sides pulling out all the stops to change the minds of the vast pool of undecided voters, there is still everything to play for. Today we're going to hear the arguments For and Against Britain remaining in Europe. David Buik is a market commentator at Panmure Gordon and a supporter of the OUT Campaign. John Springford is a Senior fellow at the Centre for European Reform. He's also an Advisor to the House of Commons Treasury Committee for Economics of the Brexit inquiry.

Retail sales fell at the fastest pace over the last year since January 2012, thats according to the CBI's latest monthly Distributive Trends Survey. Analysts had hoped to see a pick up in growth in the sector and the figures come in the same week as high street retailers BHS and Austin Reed entered administration. Joining Juliette Foster to shed more light on this research is Anna Leach, Head of Economic Analysis at the CBI.

Share Radio's Patrick Jones catches up with our man in Hong Kong, Finbarr Bermingham, Asia Editor of the Global Trade Review, to talk about the future for the Chinese economy considering it's colossal debt levels, collaboration between global banks and what is the 'ISDS' clause within TTIP?

Well let's stay with politics and events north of the border where Scotland's Labour party has unveiled its manifesto for the May 5th elections. Party leader Kezia Dugdale said the document was a "return to the party's roots" and that Labour was the only party "offering an alternative to austerity". Yet with the Scottish National Party enjoying a 30 point lead in opinion polls, can the manifesto woo back those Labour supporters who've defected to the nationalists? Juliette Foster is joined on the phone by our man in Scotland Maurice Smith.