Share Sounds

Joining Georgie to discuss what the main market headlines of the morning are is Share Radio's Nigel Cassidy. How did the markets react overnight to Yellen's comment that it may be "appropriate" for the central bank to raise interest rates at one of its upcoming meetings. Heineken has reported a rise in full-year earnings and revenue, despite continued currency headwinds. Qinetiq, the defence technology specialist - trading in the third-quarter was “as expected” and expectations for the current financial year remain unchanged.

In a world of volatile market conditions and poor savings returns it's perhaps no surprise many are turning to alternative investments. Whisky has currently emerged top of Britain's favourite passion investments with the Rare Whisky Apex 1000 Index closing 2016 up 38%. To find out more about the alcoholic commodity currently outperforming the FTSE Share Radio's Tom Hill spoke to co-founder of analyst and broker Rare Whisky 101, David Robertson.

Georgie Frost is joined by consumer writer Megan French for our weekly check in with Money Saving Expert. On the agenda this week the building society customers facing account closures and mobile phone contract hikes. Plus as ever a roundup of the best deals the eagle-eyed team have come across this week.

Champagne drinkers in Britain face higher prices in the next year as the impact of the Brexit vote on the pound takes its toll. That's according to the Wine and Spirit Trade Association. A triple whammy of Brexit, inflation and possible rising alcohol duty is forecast to push up the prices of champagne and prosecco in the UK by £1 and 59p per bottle respectively. Share Radio's James Brydges has been speaking to Miles Beale, chief executive of the Wine and Spirit Trade Association.

More than a billion people around the world are living every day without access to power. Founder and CEO of Brighter World, Cheryl Latham, created a buy-to-give company that's on a mission to give us a great deal on our energy, but also to give solar-powered energy to families in villages in Africa for the very first time. Cheryl joined Georgie in the studio explain.

What does it take to be a good leader? In the world of politics, authenticity is proving to be a crucial issue, with the Brexit vote and the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn, Donald Trump in the US and the rise of Marine Le Pen in France. New research from the Institute of Leadership & Management points to how crucial authenticity is in business too, but shows how many managers and leaders in UK firms are struggling to demonstrate it in the workplace. To talk more about this, Georgie was joined by Kate Cooper, head of research, policy and standards at the ILM.

UKIP leader Paul Nuttall's apologised for false claims on his website that he lost close friends in the Hillsborough disaster. His press officer Lynda Roughley has offered her resignation - saying she's "entirely responsible" for the comments. To discuss this and more of this morning political headlines, Share Radio's Georgie Frost was joined by Billy Bambrough, Editor of economics and business website Verdict.co.uk

Yesterday brought the latest UK inflation figures, which came in at 1.8% - the highest for two and half years. Right on cue a report has been released by GfK, a market research institute, looked into consumer attitudes to prices. They asked about views of how prices have developed over the last 12 months, and expectations for the next 12 months. Joining Nigel in the studio is Joe Staton, Head of Market Dynamics at GfK to give his analysis.

Inflation has reached its highest rate for two-and-a-half years, largely due to the rising price of oil and the Brexit-fuelled fall in sterling. According to the Office for National Statistics, annual inflation as measured by the Consumer Prices Index reached 1.8% last month, up from a rate of 1.6% in December. It's the fourth consecutive month that the rate has risen and takes inflation to its highest since June 2014. Simon speaks to Pete Comley, inflation expert and author of Inflation Matters.

UK inflation rose to a 31-month high of 1.8 percent in January, up from 1.6 percent in December. But is wage growth keeping up with inflation? Samuel Tombs, Chief Economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, joined Share Radio's Ed Bowsher for more on this.