Share Sounds. presented by Juliette Foster related to Economics

Not so long ago Brazil was THE star performer in the emerging market galaxy thanks to global demand for its commodity resources. In 2005 commodity exports totalled $118 billion - seven years later they more than doubled to $256 billion. However a weak global economy and falling Chinese growth has marked the end of the dance for Brazil. With a credit rating below junk status and GDP tipped to shrink by as much as 4% this year, Brazil is now the sick man of the G20. As President Dilma Roussef battles to hold the country together, her own grip on power is looking increasingly fragile as she leads a government ripped apart by scandal and lost credibility. Where does Brazil go from here? Professor Alfredo Saad Filho of London University, and Share Radio's regular economics commentator Professor John Weeks joined Juliette Foster in the studio to discuss the issues further.

Share Radio's Robert Van Egghen joins Managing Editor of Forbes Africa Magazine, Chris Bishop, to discuss the latest events in politics and business in the continent. This week: It's crunch time for South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan as he prepares to deliver Wednesday's budget speech, regarded as the country's last chance to avoid junk status An unexpected rally in the rand More arguments in the South African Parliament as the Democratic Alliance Chief Whip is thrown out Why a plane was detained in Zimbabwe with two officials from the South African reserve banks, millions of rand and a dead body

Could you imagine a future where humans are out of work because their jobs have been taken over by highly intelligent robots? It may sound like the plot from a science fiction novel but technological advances mean it's a possibility that shouldn't be ruled out. A recent study by Oxford University found that 47% of all jobs in America could be carried out by robots with sophisticated artificial intelligence systems. We have this special report from Share Radio's Alexi Philips.

Its time again for a look at the intersection of politics and economics, with our regular economic commentator John Weeks. Joining him, is Geoff Tilley, Senior Economist at TUC, and they unpack the CBI’s criticism of Osborne’s performance since the Autumn Statement.

Anyone running a small or medium sized company is likely to face numerous challenges as they grow their business and raising money is one of the toughest. If the banks or even family members can't or won't lend the readies, then what are the alternatives? One possible option is to raise the finance through the Enterprise Investment Scheme...also known as EIS. Well one person with a first hand knowledge of EIS and how it works is Lord Howard Flight, the former Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury who now joins us in the studio.

The US President Barack Obama gave his reaction to the climate change deal brokered in Paris last December. Among the headline making initiatives was the promise to keep global temperature increases below 2 degrees Celsius. Yet for some Green activists the deal was hardly a resounding success. Countries may be legally bound to have their emission reduction levels checked but there's flexibility on how they go about hitting their targets. And what about the economics of climate change? Did Paris make the link between excess human consumption and the impact on economies dependent on fossil fuels? Is it time to switch to a materialism that's environmentally friendly and economically kinder? We are joined in the studio by the author Andrew Simms of the New Economics Foundation and by Share Radio's regular economics commentator, Professor John Weeks.

It is predicted that a million people could arrive in the Germany this year seeking refugee status. Human rights groups have applauded Germany's willingness to give shelter to people escaping conflict in their own countries, and it has been suggested the presence of so many people could be vital to the long term growth of the German economy. Alexi Philips reports.

With Abenomic's three arrows still not hitting their targets, Robert Van Egghen looks at what the future holds for Japan's struggling economy.

John Sands, Qlik Evangelist and Dr Pablo Calderon Martine, Teaching Fellow in European Studies at King's College London, discuss 'How European Are You?' - a new app using data compiled by Qlik to provide an insight into life across the continent

Julian Mayo, Co-Chief Investment Officer at Charlemagne Capital, discusses the latest market news