Podcasts

Many consumer-facing businesses will be hoping for a bumper festive season as the annual spending frenzy builds towards Christmas Day and the Boxing Day sales. The UK has the highest level of household spending in Europe, with an annual expenditure of £50,000. This compares to £41,000 in Ireland and £35,000 in France. And, most importantly for retailers, discretionary spending - money spent on non-essentials - is also the highest in Europe. Simon was joined by Barret Kupelain, senior economist at PwC.

Inflation has hit its highest level for more than 2 years, driven by a sharp rise in the cost of clothes. The latest monthly figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the main measure of inflation, the consumer prices index, hit 1.2% in November, up from 0.9% in October. The retail prices index, which includes the cost of housing, rose to 2.2% in November, up from 2% the previous month. Simon spoke to Pete Comley, inflation expert and author of Inflation Matters.

The Chancellor, Philip Hammond, says he thinks a period of adjustment would be beneficial to the UK as it prepares to leave the European Union. Share Radio's Ed Bowsher spoke to Sir Vince Cable, former Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for his reaction to Philip Hammond's comments on the next steps of Brexit.

Have the good times gone for good? Economists are increasingly concerned about the so-called productivity puzzle - the mysterious drop-off in output per head witnessed across the globe. Casting an eye back to rates immediately after World War Two, it's hard not to be envious: economies boomed in the postwar reconstruction, pulling living standards in their wake. Now, growth is anaemic, wages stagnant, and the resulting discontent is using populism as an outlet. So, what went wrong? And can we turn things around? Share Radio's Juliette Foster was joined in the studio by Marc Levinson, former finance and economics editor at The Economist, to talk about his book 'An Extraordinary Time'.

It's been almost three weeks since the death of the Cuban leader Fidel Castro, and with official mourning now at an end it's business as usual for the government. Cuban officials have signed a deal with the technology giant Google to install servers on the island, while an agreement covering trade, human rights and migration has been brokered with the EU. These are further steps aimed at bringing the Caribbean nation back in from the diplomatic cold after Castro's 1959 Socialist revolution sealed Cuba's position as a pariah state. Can the revolution survive without him, and what do Cubans themselves want? Joining Share Radio's Juliette Foster and our economics correspondent Professor John Weeks is Professor Elizabeth Dore of Southampton University.

November's UK inflation rate hit a two-year high as clothing and petrol prices helped push the cost of living to 1.2%. Recent currency market fluctuations didn't help, and economists are warning to expect more of the same over the coming months. Elsewhere, Christmas may be twelve days away but that hasn't stopped Chancellor Philip Hammond from revealing what tops his festive wish list. Apart from having a dynamic economy he also wants Britain to get a transitional Brexit deal, giving it more time to negotiate its way out of Europe. For more analysis of these business stories and more, Share Radio's Juliette Foster was joined by Jane Foley, head of FX Strategy at Rabobank.

Christian Wolmar is a writer and broadcaster specialising in transport and is the author of a series of books on railway history. He joined Georgie on the phone to talk about our rail services and rail networks around the world that outdo British networks.

Now we all remember the case of Jeremy Clarkson being sacked from Top Gear, as a result of punching his producer over a lack of a hot meal. But what about if you are punched by your boss at a party? As farfetched as it sounds it really happened, Kevin Charles from Crossland Employment Solicitors joined Georgie Frost to explain what happened and the legal issues involved in the resulting court case.

It's nearly the final of the latest series of the Apprentice - which concentrates mainly on the young entrepreneur... but what about the rise of the 'Olderprenuer'? New research shows the over 55's are finding it increasingly difficult to make ends meet. Over a fifth say they need to generate extra income due to high living costs. Former TV Apprentice star Nick Hewer joined Georgie Frost on the line to discuss why there is now a rise of the 'olderpreneur' - also with him is Simon Healy, MD of Savings for Aldermore.

This week financial heavyweights Lindsay Cook and James Walker from Resolver enter the ring to fight for your rights in the financial world. We take a look at how to avoid fraud and how banks could help more, How honest should we be with our partners about our money stash? And why should London’s Victoria station brace itself for this weeks’ Sucker punch?