Podcasts

The Geneva Motor Show opens to the public today with some of the world's biggest manufacturers showcasing their latest models and developments. One of the biggest events of the automotive calendar this year will showcase some particularly topical technologies such as driverless and zero emission vehicles and even concepts including a flying car. To get some of the highlights Georgie Frost was joined by editor of The Car Expert Stuart Masson who has just returned from the show.

Amongst the spending pledges made by the Chancellor in this year's Budget we've heard millions will be set aside for research into futuristic technologies such as biotech, driverless cars and robotics. Money will also be put into a 5G network and supporting education in the STEM industries- science, technology, engineering and mathematics- with funding for 1,000 new PhD and fellowship positions. To discuss the investment Georgie Frost was joined by Dr Cian O'Donovan, research fellow at the Science Policy Research Unit.

Georgie Frost was joined by Simon McCulloch, Commercial Director at comparethemarket.com this morning. Today on the agenda, they discussed why rent is rising faster than income. Plus they look into how nearly half of shoppers would rather pay more for their favourite brand than see it fall victim to 'shrinkflation. All these stories and more on The News Review.

To go through all the political headlines this morning with Georgie Frost was Josh Lowe of Newsweek magazine. Of course dominating the news was Chancellor Philip Hammond's Budget speech. But how was it received? Moving elsewhere within British politics, and Nicola Sturgeon has been talking about a second Scottish Referendum. She has said that it would be 'common sense' to hold a vote in Autumn 2018. And it's the EU Leaders Summit today in Brussels - Theresa May will be there. But will it be her last before triggering Article 50?

Joining Georgie Frost to discuss the latest market headlines was Mike Ingram, market strategist at BGC partners starting with some budget reaction. How have the markets reacted to yesterdays announcements? It's also been a reasonably busy morning of company announcements. Morrisons has released final results this morning.

According to The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) latest residential market survey the UK’s most vulnerable tenants are being pushed out of the private rental market due to rising rents and benefits cuts. However, could the government offer some assistance? Respondents to the survey suggested that more than half of the UK's private landlords would be prepared to rent their properties to homeless people or those on housing benefits if the Government introduced some form of state-endorsed deposit guarantor scheme. But is this really feasible? Joining Nigel Cassidy to give his analysis is Simon Rubinsohn, Chief Economist at RICS.

Phillip Hammond of course delivered his spring budget yesterday, it was pretty quiet according to some. However there were some notable points on business rates, forecasts and national insurance hikes. To give his take on the Budget is Stephen Boyle, Chief Economist at Natwest.

Charles Taylor, the international provider of professional services to the insurance sector has released full year results today. So how is the company doing? Joining Nigel Cassidy to discuss the numbers is David Marock, CEO of Charles Taylor.

Car dealer Lookers has posted record profits for the year to the end of December - its eighth successive year of turnover and profit growth. Revenue increased 17% to £4.3 billion, while profit before tax rose by 46% to £91.8 million. To analyse the numbers, Robin Gregson, CFO of Lookers, joined Nigel Cassidy on Share Radio Breakfast.

What are the five biggest UK takeover targets? With a weaker pound post-EU referendum, and the Kraft-Heinz bid for Unilever perhaps encouraging further M&A activity, can we expect other British companies to be targeted for takeovers -- and which ones are most likely to have sights set on them? Share Radio's Matt Cox put the question to David Buik, Market Commentator at Panmure Gordon, to speculate on the current business landscape in Britain, and imagine which companies foreign firms have their eyes on.