Podcasts

The economic destruction of the coronavirus crash was laid bare in reports from the Office of Budget Responsibility and IMF this week. Lockdown has already wiped £50billion off the UK economy and is costing the nation £2billion a day, said the OBR. Meanwhile, the IMF warned the global economy would take the biggest hit since the Great Depression in the 1930s, with advanced economies shrinking 6.1% this year and developing countries by 1%. But although the OBR forecast an astonishing 35% slump in UK output in the second quarter of this year - with a three-month lockdown - the other side of its chart showed a substantial bounce-back. What will we need to do for that recovery to happen – and what will it look like? On this week’s podcast, Simon Lambert and Georgie Frost look at the reports on the economic impact of Covid-19 and at the potential bounce back, along with which sectors and businesses could seize the day when it comes. They also discuss the big tech firms that have benefitted from lockdowns and working from home around the world. The lofty valuations of these companies marked the top of the previous stock market boom, but their shares have fared better than most in the coronavirus crash. Can the FAANG stocks (and Tesla) pick up where they left off? And finally, investors are told to think long-term with the minimum investment period traditionally cited as five years. But have the events of the past 21 years on the stock market shown that now we need to think in decades instead?

James Cameron-Wilson looks at the chart of the ten most successful box office starts around the world in 2019, raising his eyebrows at several of the entries. He looks at the new online release of Vivarium, a black comedy starring Imogen Poots and Jesse Eisenberg And he strongly recommends the new DVD/Blu-Ray of Motherless Brooklyn, written by, directed by and starring Edward Norton.

Tech guru Steve Caplin looks at Apple's new cheap iPhone and how the company is teaming with Google to make a contact-tracing app. He also looks at Dreamlab, a venture which uses idle phone time for genomics research. He can't resist telling the tale of the reluctant jet fighter passenger who, terrified, managed to eject himself. And he looks at a crowdfunding project which aims to solve the problem of how to get a good drink of beer from a can without pouring it into a glass first.

Political commentator Mike Indian ponders who is able to take charge when the Prime Minister is ill. With lockdown extended by a further minimum of three weeks, he examines what this might mean for British politics and the economy. He looks at Sir Keir Starmer's reaction to the leaked Labour Party report and factionalism. And, with Bernie Sanders dropping out of the Presidential race, he considers Donald Trump's defunding of the World Health Organisation.

Joe Healey of The Share Centre looks at the current state of markets, at the attitude of companies to dividend payouts and what might happen to the oil price. He also discusses the announcement from Easyjet, currently flying no planes, and looks ahead to what we might hear from traditional defensive stock Unilever as well as Boohoo and Taylor Wimpey.

Adam Cox is joined by natural health consultant, James Porritt, to talk about cellular health and the latest innovations in healthcare. James had a history of health issues, including lethargy and poor sleep, until he came across something that helped him experience a new lease of life – by making changes at the cellular level. He discusses exactly what this approach is, how it worked for him, and how it could help others.

In this episode of Policy Matters, Matt Dickson and Franz Buscha join the show from their respective homes as the country continues to adjust to life and work during lockdown. With the global COVID-19 pandemic currently dominating almost all policy areas, Franz and Matt discuss how different countries have tackled the outbreak and what lessons can be drawn from the more successful approaches. They move on to explore the economic impacts that have been seen already, the rationale behind the Government’s unprecedented series of economic policy interventions, and what we can learn from previous recessions about how we might get out of the one we’re now in. They also ponder the likely effects of the crisis on the labour market – in particular, the graduate labour market.

Saving, spending, planning — you've got money questions and we've got answers. Every week host Alison Southwick and personal finance expert Robert Brokamp challenge the conventional wisdom on life's biggest financial issues to reveal what you really need to know to make smart money moves. In this week's show, Motley Fool contributor Brian Feroldi joins the team to talk about the most common questions he’s hearing from individual investors amidst the financial fallout of COVID-19. Have we hit the bottom of the market? Should I buy airline stocks?... and more.

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: The Fed announces a new $2.3 trillion program to boost the economy; Another 6.6 million Americans file for unemployment; Shares of Zoom Video fall on security concerns; And Disney+ surpasses 50 million subscribers. Motley Fool analysts Jason Moser and Emily Flippen discuss those stories, weigh in on the future of retail, and share some spring cleaning tips for investors. Emily and Jason share two stocks on their radar: Kura Sushi and Wayfair. Plus, 2U CEO and co-founder Chip Paucek talks about the future of education and offers up some advice for graduates. Other stocks discussed include Costco, Nordstrom, Ulta Beauty, and Walmart.

It can be tough to find good news at the moment but on this special Easter podcast we go looking for some. And amid the coronavirus gloom, there are some good news stories to tell, from how Britain has adapted to working from home, to the appreciation shown to our valued frontline workers and NHS staff, and those volunteering to help others. On the podcast, Simon Lambert, Lee Boyce and Georgie Frost discuss this and tell the stories of some of the small businesses that have been sought opportunity in adversity. From the pub doing meals and pints to go, to the garden centre that has stared delivering and the milkman who has seen business boom, these are inspiring stories of entrepreneurial spirit and helping out the local community. The team also reveal how you can visit the world from the comfort of your sofa – it’s not a real holiday but you can at least do some sight-seeing. Meanwhile, Lee goes on the trail of the apps keeping us social in the lockdown: from Slack at work, to Zoom video chats, and Houseparty fooling around with friends, which are the ones worth trying? And finally, if you are feeling really brave maybe you could peruse a cheap French manor house while you are stuck at home and weigh up your own move to a chateau.