Podcasts

The Scottish Retail Consortium in conjunction with KPMG has released its latest retail sales monitor today. It seems the retail sector in Scotland has got off to a somewhat sluggish start with the figures suggesting Scottish consumers are beginning to tighten their belts. However, with Spring just around the corner perhaps the high-street will become more appealing? Joining Nigel Cassidy to discuss further was Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Head of Policy at the Scottish Retail Consortium.

New figures just out show that the number of companies in the UK has reached a record high - breaking the four million threshold for the first time. The boom is fuelled in a large part by the formation of new companies, with roughly 665 thousand started in the UK last year. But is this symptomatic of a flexible, dynamic workforce - or are there just no more full time jobs? Nigel Cassidy was joined by Jonathan Richards, CEO at breatheHR, a firm that provides software to SMEs.

It's time to talk politics. On today's programme: the Prime Minister now has the power to begin the UK's departure from the European Union. Last night Parliament passed the Government's Article 50 Bill, allowing Theresa May to pull the so-called Brexit trigger. Meanwhile, the Dutch are heading to the polls in an election billed as putting the entire European Union at stake.

On today's Market Wrap: the pound has fallen to a two-month low after politicians paved the way for Article 50 to be triggered later this month; Opec has raised its 2017 estimates for oil production from those countries that don't belong to the cartel; and Charlotte Hogg has resigned as the Bank of England's deputy governor.

The food sector might look like an attractive place to start and grow a business - it certainly did to Joe Chakra of Sloane Brothers. On this week's edition of Company Casebook, Linda Lewis goes behind the scenes to find out more about his frozen yoghurt shops, his search for sites to expand to, and why he wants to become a global ambassador of "British quality, taste, and creamy dairy".

As the Dutch go to the polls tomorrow, can the right-wing populist Geert Wilders get his Eurosceptic party into government? Share Radio's Alexi Phillips spoke with the head of Open Europe's Brussels Office, Pieter Cleppe, asking him about the latest results in opinion polls.

On My First Share, Share Radio talks to investment professionals about their first foray into share ownership. Today, Simon was joined by Alistair Jex, Head of Bespoke and Advisory Portfolios at Coutts Investment

The oil price has fallen following new OPEC production numbers, showing Saudi Arabia has surprisingly increased production. But do the figures point to a market that's still rebalancing? For more on this Richard Mallinson, a partner and geopolitical expert at Energy Aspects, joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher.

On today's Investment Focus: Will fund manager mergers become more common as pressure mounts on the industry? Can the US meet its budget deadline? And British investors can be a parochial bunch - so could there be opportunities overseas local investors aren't considering?

Ocado has posted solid first quarter results, so why are investors selling the stock? Plus why are mergers on the rise in the UK? For more on this and all the need-to-know company news, deputy companies editor at the Financial Times, Daniel Thomas, joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher.