Podcasts

Mears Group, the UK housing and social care provider which delivers repairs and maintenance services directly into communities and people's homes, has released preliminary results today. The company has reported 9% gains but how is the industry doing? Many are saying it is on the 'brink of collapse' what with is being hit with cuts to local authority budgets, the fees they pay, rises in the minimum wage, a shortage of trained nurses and tougher immigration rules. Alongside this, the elderly are living for longer than ever before. So has Mears Group felt the strain amongst this vulnerable sector? Joining Nigel Cassidy to discuss further is David Miles, CEO of Mears Group.

Technology is changing almost every aspect of daily life and business and finance is no exception. Share Radio's Simon Rose and Steve Caplin, Share Radio's technology editor, look at the big technological changes that impact on the world of business, finance and money as well as some of the gadgets that help make everyday life a bit easier. On today's programme, they discuss Google's new Cloud Video Intelligence tool, Disneyland in the UK, Lightvert, a vertical step of flashing lights, and much more.

Want to keep up with the latest earnings updates from the States? We join Chris Hill and the Motley Fool Radio Show team here on Share Radio - direct from Washington DC - each Monday at 6 o'clock for news, views and analysis of US finance. On today's episode: Fed Reserve raises interest rates, South By Southwest conference and film festival, in with new Monopoly board game tokens and out with the old & much more.

It's time to talk politics. On today's programme: Theresa May gives us an exact date for Brexit, the possibility of a Scottish Independence referendum, George - six jobs - Osborne defends himself against Labour attacks and M&S is the latest company to pull its advertising from Youtube. Glen Goodman speaks to Jerry Hayes, former Conservative MP and now a barrister and political commentator & Hugo Dixon, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief at In Facts and also co-founder of CommonGround.

On the latest Market Wrap: Next Wednesday, the 29th of March, Prime Minister Theresa May will officially notify the EU that the UK is leaving the European Union, Marks and Spencer becomes the latest firm to pull its online adverts from Google after they appeared next to extremist content on its YouTube site and Vodafone merges its Indian business with Idea Cellular, India's third-largest network, to create one of the world's largest operators. All this and more with Chris Bailey, founder of Financial Orbit.

Executive pay remains in the headlines, with German banking giant Deutsche Bank cutting bonuses by more than 75% last year, while four bosses at Melrose Industries were set to split a £200 million share payout. Oliver Parry, Head of Corporate Governance Policy for the Institute of Directors, joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher to discuss.

Marks and Spencer has followed several other high-profile brands, including Tesco and HSBC, pulling its advertising from Google. It follows concerns about placement of ads next to inappropriate content on YouTube. But is this a serious threat to companies like Google? Ian Whittaker, media analyst at Liberum, spoke to Share Radio's Ed Bowsher.

The UK must up its research and development spend to 3% by 2025 in a bid to Brexit-proof the economy, according to business lobby group CBI. Tom Thackray, Innovation Director at the CBI, joined Share Radio's senior analyst Ed Bowsher to explain.

On today's Crowdfunders: calculating the risk of some of the new innovative finance ISAs, the founder of a company called Aduna, which are crowdfunding at the moment, will be talking about how it markets food products that are derived from African plants and more.

There's an official date - Article 50 will be triggered on March 29. But how long until negotiators start hammering out the actual Brexit deal? And what major obstacles will Theresa May face? For insight on this and more, Mike Indian, senior political analyst at DeHavilland joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher.