Podcasts

Not such Merry Christmas for the high street. In what’s been called the worst festive trading period – the team cast a critical eye over the retail sector and find out who were the winners and the losers. Also…Jaguar Land Rover shed more than 4000 jobs in the UK, how to get your dream job in 2019 and a new website that has your back if you get dumped before heading on holiday.

Adam talks to Christopher Mayr and Heidi Teschemacher from Life Extension Europe about why so many people set health related new years resolutions. They discuss the problems of adherence and why so many people follow resolutions on social media without investigating if they are actually healthy or indeed scientifically valid. They offer tips about setting health resolutions you can stick to that actually do result in an improvement in health and well-being.

On Modern Mindset this week, Adam Cox is once again diving into the world of our mental health and well being - but with a twist! How do dogs, man's longest and most loyal companion, improve our lives? He talks to Kellie Ceccarelli a veterinary nurse and Roxy Carr a 17 year old dog owner and author about the psychological and mental health benefits of owning a pet dog. Many people will wait till they own their own house or have a family before getting a dog but Roxy persuaded her parents to allow her to own a dog at the age of 11. She took all the responsibility of walks, training and care and found many health and wellbeing advantages. She features her story with Poppy, a cockapoo in a new book called ‘A Pawfect Pair’.with Kelly and Roxy to find out what a difference dogs can really make to our lives.

In this episode of the IEA podcast, the IEA’s Head of Education Dr Steve Davies walks the IEA’s Associate Director, Kate Andrews, through a relatively new theory called ‘The Foundational Economy’. This theory puts economic emphasis on material infrastructure in society - things like the water and sewer industries – and argues that these systems of provision have been undermined in the age of privatisation and outsourcing. Steve discusses the theory of the foundational economy, notes areas of support and criticisms, and highlights questions that arise from the theory: Is the British economy too London-centric? Have our politicians overlooked foundations of economic life and their importance? Should these services be delivered by the state?

Political commentator Mike Indian, author of the Groucho Tendency blog, talks to Simon Rose about the latest developments in the Brexit saga. After further defeats in the Commons, Theresa May will soon find out how she fares in the Meaningful Vote on her deal. What will happen if she loses the vote, though, as she's widely expected to do. What are the viable alternatives? Has John Bercow lost the confidence of too many MPs? Are Parliament's actoins undermining democracy? How likely is another election? Or another referendum?

Steve Caplin casts a frequently-disbelieving eye over some of the exhibits at the Consumer Electronics Show. Among exhibits were a roll-up TV, a treadmill that generates electricity as you run, a cat feeder with facial recognition, a dog dryer, Lamborghini's massage chair, a bluetooth nappy sensor and a car with legs that can climb a five-foot wall! There's also an idea for recycling Christmas trees, a look at Netflix's interactive drama and a recommended compact Bluetooth speaker.

Ian Forrest of The Share Centre examines the current state of the UK market, weighed down by Brexit uncertainty and other factors. He looks at a raft of updates on Christmas trading, including the likes of Morrison's, Sainsbury's and Tesco, wondering what conclusions we can draw about the retail sector. He also discusses the recent statement from Taylor Wimpey and looks ahead to expected news from Whitbread (minus Costa), Associated British Foods and Boohoo.

James Cameron-Wilson examines the UK box office, where much-garlanded The Favourite is snapping at the heels of Mary Poppins Returns. He also discusses the Robert Zemeckis Welcome to Marwen as well as RBG, the documentary about Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. His DVD of the week is the Icelandic drama Under The Tree and James also pores over the Golden Globes and the BAFTA nominations.

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: Which stocks have true potential for upside this year? What industries and trends should investors be watching? Which CEOs are on the hot seat? And which stocks should investors avoid? Aaron Bush, Matt Argersinger, Jason Moser, and Ron Gross discuss 20 potential investing opportunities in the year ahead and make some reckless predictions. Plus, we discuss Apple’s latest stumble and upcoming IPOs we’re excited to see.

Happy New NHS? Among last year's big stories was the 70th anniversary of our beloved health service and whether we are prepared to pay for it through higher taxes. Our campaign to out the rogue, sometimes criminal, private car park operatives began with a vengeance and will continue long into 2019. Editor Simon Lambert and host Georgie Frost also explain how to avoid losing your home because of inheritance tax. And are you ready to ditch your fossil-fueled car for an electric one yet? This story will run and run. Unlike the Range Rover Sport, which was judged to be the least reliable used car to buy last year. It's all part of our look back - and forward - over the big stories and campaigns of 2018.