Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin fills Simon Rose in on the latest tech developments, after commemorating 50 years of Pong. There's a backlash against Tesla drivers over Elon Musk, Alexa turning kids' ideas into animated stories, remote control worms, San Francisco's killer robots, circuits printed on contact lenses, vegan honey, the first hydrogen jet engine test and ride-on suitcases for adults.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Victoria Scholar of Interactive Investor talks to Simon Rose about the reasons behind the recent better performance for markets around the world and the recent losses for the dollar. Although the outlook for the UK economy looks fairly bleak at present, it feels – as far as markets are concerned – as if the Santa rally has come early this year.
Guests: Victoria Scholar
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Russ Mould of A J Bell explains why interest rates are so important for property and why shares such as Real Estate Investment Trusts fall as the 10-year "risk free" gilt yield goes up. But many are on big discounts to net asset value (which may yet fall of course). Central banks are more worried about deflation than inflation, reckons Russ, and if interest rates are peaking, it may be worth keeping an eye on the sector, bearing in mind that there are many different types of REITS and lots carry a good deal of debt.
Guests: Russ Mould
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
With box office off 37% and Wakanda Forever still at #1, James Cameron-Wilson strongly recommends black satire The Menu with Ralph Fiennes at #2. Confess, Fletch, a spoof detective movie with Jon Hamm only made #16. However, James does also recommend psychological thriller The Wonder, directed by Sebastián Lelio, which vanished quickly from cinemas but is now on Netflix. Starring Florence Pugh, James found it a moving work of art.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin looks at the latest from the world of tech. He tells us how much Earth and Jupiter weigh, who the 8th billion person on Earth is, how to scare sharks away from fishing lines, why Bob Dylan's signature isn't what it seems, about a free time-lapse photography app, about an audiobook app that has trouble pronouncing words and how the United State has just become the second country to approve lab-grown chicken for sale.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Political commentator Mike Indian looks at the aftermath of the Autumn Statement and what it mean for UK politics. While he can't see Labour not winning the next election, he's not convinced the Conservatives will be wiped out. He looks at Nicola Sturgeon losing the independence referendum case and at the prospect of yet more rail strikes in the weeks to come.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
If you missed the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Autumn Statement on Thursday 17 November 2022, here's the opportunity to listen to it in full: unabridged and with no interruptions.
Guests: Jeremy Hunt
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Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Victoria Scholar of Interactive Investor takes Simon Rose through the main points of the Chancellor's Autumn Statement. Investors will want to take note of the changes to dividends and Capital Gains Tax. She points out that market reaction was fairly muted although the electricity companies' shares were incredibly volatile. As so often, these days, of course, much of what Jeremy Hunt had to say had already been well signposted in advance.
Guests: Victoria Scholar
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says the Autumn Statement has no vision, will make a difficult situation worse and will be hated by Conservative voters. He predicts that Labour will outflank the Tories as a moderate, pro-business party and that there will be no more than 100-150 conservative MPs. He feels the NHS, with falling output and productivity despite extra funding, is in uncharted waters with Labour calling for greater partnership with the private sector. And he admires Gordon Brown's insights on nationalism, which is weaponising trade to the detriment of us all.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson looks at the UK box office where a 119% jump is entirely down to the release of Black Panther 2: Wakanda Forever with Letitia Wright in the lead. Despite good performances, he found it OTT and overlong. Other films suffered heavily from its amazing £12.4m weekend take. On Netflix, James enjoyed the rollicking yarn that is Enola Holmes 2 with Millie Bobby Brown. He found Christmas Carol knockoff Spirited, with Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds (both paid $20m), squirm-inducing, mawkish and crude.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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