Podcasts

Share Radio's technology editor Steve Caplin explains what outer space smells like, now available as a new fragrance. He finds the most expensive items on Amazon, admires a new internet speed record, explains why Japan is running out of credit card numbers, warns how keys can be made from recordings of locks being turned, tells a cautionary tale of a very pricy mistaken purchase on eBay, admires taps that can wash without water and raises an eyebrow at Amazon's patent for a drone to replace ski lifts.

Ian Forrest of The Share Centre discusses the recent spate of economic data. He looks at widely-differing news in the past few days from Tesco, BT, Aveva and Rolls-Royce. And he looks ahead, suggesting what we might expect when we hear from two housebuilders soon, Berkeley Group and Barratt Developments.

The global economy has been blindsided by the Coronavirus pandemic, and unemployment is on the rise worldwide; even the most prolific and globally successful businesses are suffering. So where does that leave small businesses and startups trying to navigate the economic downturn? Vicky Sayers speaks to Anita Tiessen, CEO of Youth Business International, to find out about their Rapid Response and Recovery Programme established specifically to support micro, small and medium business owners in navigating the current COVID-19 economic fallout.

Adam Cox is joined by influential speaker, humanitarian, and ambassador for the charity Changing Faces, Tulsi Vagjiani. Tulsi shares the story of her second-ever flight crashing in India, which led to the death of her parents and younger brother. While that was devastating enough, Tulsi then had to deal with the severe burns to almost half her face and body. This led to years of painful skin graft surgeries and extensive name-calling and bullying at school. Tulsi explains her emotional journey of resilience from feeling like an outcast to owning her scars and story, finding a purpose, and having the ability to make a difference in the lives of others.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? Well join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio, direct from Washington DC, for news, views and analysis of the US stocks that matter. In this week's show: Walmart reports big earnings and big growth in e-commerce; Target surges on record same-store sales growth; Home Depot and Lowe’s hit all-time highs; Uber and Lyft attempt to navigate regulatory concerns; Foot Locker gets a boost from its latest quarter and reinstates its dividend; Apple becomes the first U.S. company to hit a $2 trillion-dollar valuation; Citigroup makes a $900 million mistake; And Burger King gets creative with custom facemasks. Motley Fool analysts Ron Gross and Jason Moser discuss those stories and share two stocks on their radar: Ross Stores and Autodesk. Plus, Washington Post sports columnist Barry Svrluga talks about the future of the college and pro sports.

Since the start of lockdown in March, more Britons have ordered supermarket shopping online to be delivered to their door to dodge the crowds and beat the queuing mayhem. This could be perfect time for Marks & Spencer, who will start its long-awaited tie-up with Ocado at the start of September, as the latter ends its 20 year long relationship with Waitrose. M&S is starting a 'back to basics' assault, lowering the prices on everyday items and it comes as its clothing division continues to struggle. Meanwhile, most major supermarkets are now offering same day – and in some cases, next hour – deliveries, are the days of doing the 'big shop' in large stores over? Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost take a look. This week saw a shock rise in the cost of living: why has it happened, where will the inflation figure go next and just how many savings accounts now offering more than 1 per cent interest? Seven US firms - Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Google parent Alphabet, Microsoft and Tesla – have seen stratospheric value growth this year. Is it another dotcom bubble waiting to happen? The Department for Transport is mulling over how to allow self-driving cars on the motorway from next year, we take a look at how it works. And lastly, we celebrate our pensions agony uncle Steve Webb, who this week wrote his 200th This is Money column.

Political commentator Mike Indian looks at the English exam debacle, asking why the government stuck to using the algorithm, despite being told it would not work. He gives his own marks to Education Minister Gavin Williamson. He looks at the scrapping of Public Health England and wonders if it is a wise move. And he looks across the Atlantic to Joe Biden's pick of Kamala Harris as his running mate.

James Cameron-Wilson looks at a revival in the UK box office, where three films have managed to take six figure sums over the weekend. With Tenet due imminently to give cinemas a boost, he reviews the new Netflix blockbuster, Project Power, starring Jamie Foxx. He also looks back to a wartime classic, the early Billy Wilder film Five Graves to Cairo, out in a 4K Blu-Ray restoration that probably looks better than it did originally.

Steve Caplin looks at Apple's soaring market cap, problems for Hauwei phone users, autonomous driving on UK motorways from next year, emission-free aircraft, a French cargo sailing galleon, biogas from cow dung, a laser-powered satellite to clear up space junk, a smartphone camera to detect type-2 diabetes, wireless power delivery, a liquid-filled guitar and a revival of the ZX Spectrum.

Graham Spooner of The Share Centre discusses recent announcements from CRH and Persimmon. He looks at the significance of Schroders' announcement that staff can work from home long-term and casts his eye over gold's recent performance. He looks ahead to what we might expect from three businesses hit by Covid, WPP, Rolls Royce and James Fisher.