Share Sounds.

Mike Indian reflects upon this week's Budget from Jeremy Hunt, which was much signposted in advance. He doesn't feel it indicates there will be an early election, finding no clear vision from the Chancellor. With Hunt copying some Labour ideas, the tax base could be squeezed even further under Labour, even if Rachel Reeves may not admit it in advance. Mike looks at the probability of there being a Trump v Biden rematch after Super Tuesday. The possibility of Trump becoming President again could be a problem for NATO and Ukraine, though neither is likely to be a close friend of Britain. He also discusses the Rochdale by-election, with George Galloway returning to Parliament. It's a contest that, he feels, highlighted the weakness in the selection process for prospective MPs.

James Cameron-Wilson assesses Dune: Part Two at #1, which boosted the UK box office by taking £9.3m with almost £13,000 per screen. While critics love it and James was impressed by it visually, he found the film confusing and ponderous and admired it rather than enjoyed it. He looks ahead to the Oscars which, for the first time in 20 years, can be seen on terrestrial TV. He gives his predictions for the main prizes and discusses the recent star-studded luvviefest, the SAG Awards, watchable on Netflix. He regrets watching Tyler Perry's film, Mea Culpa, on Netflix. A thriller about an artist accused of murdering his girlfriend, the ludicrous film is every bit as bad as the main character's art.

Neil Shah of Edison Group assesses the likely impact of the Chancellor's idea for British ISAs, believing they could stimulate the undervalued UK market. As the bids for Spirent and others show companies are being taken out relatively cheaply. He also explains that it might profit investors to look at listed private equity companies, which typically generate 14% year on year but which are trading at big discounts to net assets. Edison have a report online on the sector and investors can join a forthcoming webinar.

The full unabridged UK Budget speech as delivered by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in the House of Commons on Wednesday 6th March 2024, without additional comment.

Steve Caplin looks at the latest tech. Elon Musk thinks the world will run out of electricity next year because of AI. Lenovo has a concept transparent laptop. Hospital beeps might be more effective if they are more musical and less annoying. An app can tell if you're depressed and recommend solutions. Image specialist Adobe is moving into music but composers need not be worried just yet. There's a crowd-funded fishing probe. Honda have a moving way to enhance your VR experience, but might not have thought it through properly. There's an e-bike with built-in 5G connectivity and more. Windscreen ice problems might have been solved. And why do Amazon keep offering you more of whatever you've just bought?

In this short episode, Adam Cox links poetry and hypnosis to set out why bad things can sometimes turn out to be good. Sounds counter-intuitive? Listen in to explore your potential for unexpected benefits.

The European Commission is the latest to take aim at Apple’s App store. Jason Moser and Deidre Woollard discuss why Spotify and Apple are engaging in a new music streaming battle, if Spirit Airlines will seek another buyer and why the latest go-private offer may be good news for Macy’s shareholders. Then, Ricky Mulvey and Lou Whiteman cover the state of play for airline stocks. Companies discussed: AAPL, SPOT, JBLU, M, UAL, DAL, AAL, LUV, ULCC, AER. Host - Deidre Woollard; Guests - Jason Moser, Ricky Mulvey, Lou Whiteman

We try to separate the falling knives from the buying opportunities. Jim Gillies and Dylan Lewis discuss NYCB’s credit downgrade, material weaknesses, and current struggles, Stitch Fix’s latest earnings, and whether the clothing company could be a turnaround play, and why Jim likes the prospects for beat-up fintech company PROG holdings. Then, 15 minutes in, Alison Southwick and Robert Brokamp talk about trends in travel and tips if you’re trying to avoid the crowds and fees next time you step on a plane. Companies discussed: NYCB, SFIX, PROG. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Jim Gillies, Alison Southwick, Robert Brokamp

Simon Lambert is joined by Charles Stanley Direct’s Lisa Caplan and Garry White for a quick run through what was in the Budget. Investment experts Lisa and Garry talk us through the main Budget points and what they mean for people.

Jeremy Hunt bounced around delivering his Budget on Wednesday, proudly declaring his commitment to tax cuts and supporting working families. Another 2% was chopped off National Insurance and the threshold at which child benefit is removed was raised from £50,000 to £60,000. But you don’t need to be a financial expert to know that the Chancellor’s version of events isn’t quite the whole story. Because Mr Hunt is also presiding over a long-term stealth tax freeze to thresholds that is costing workers dear and his child benefit move merely kicked sky-high marginal tax rates down the road, rather than getting rid of them altogether. Nonetheless, a tax cut and an extra £5,000 Isa allowance – even if it’s a slightly iffy, limited one – is not to be sniffed at. So, was this an escape velocity Budget that puts Britain back on the path to growth? Or was it too little, too late, from a Tory party that has sported successive Chancellors who have been keener to raise our taxes by hook or by crook rather than cut them – or even just keep thresholds in line with inflation? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at the winners and losers and go searching for the devils in the detail. What is the National Insurance cut worth to you? Will you get some child benefit back? Did pensioners deserve a tax cut too? With a failure to reverse his capital gains and dividend tax raid, what has the Chancellor got against small investors? And will the British ISA be any good? All that and more – plus a look at why Nationwide is buying Virgin Money, and whether that’s good or bad for us all.