Share Sounds.

This is a brand new edition of The Apprentice Investor. Regular listeners to the programme will know that our Apprentices are five members of the Share Radio team who've each been given fifteen thousand pounds of virtual money to build their own share portfolios. They're allowed a minimum of eight stocks from different sectors which they've been buying and selling through the Share Centre. Our Apprentices under the spotlight today are Matt Cox and Alexi Phillips. Find past episodes on The Apprentice Investor audioBoom page: https://audioboom.com/channel/shareradio-apprenticeinvestor Want to start investing yourself? Check out our other shows to help you get to grips with the world of finance: The Investment Trust Show: https://audioboom.com/channel/shareradio-investmenttrustshow Crowdfunders: https://audioboom.com/channel/shareradio-crowdfunders Serious Money with Claer Barrett: https://audioboom.com/channel/shareradio-seriousmoney

We all get stresses in our day-to-day lives. But what about specifically in the workplace. A quarter of people have taken time off work with stress but blamed it on a physical illness. In fact new research has found that an enormous 8 million UK workers suffer in silence. Today is National Stress Awareness Day, and to find out more about it, Robyn Dwyer was joined on the line by Jon Blackburn, Clinical and Rehabilitation Services Manager at Aviva.

Georgie Frost is joined in the studio by Kevin Pratt Web editor MoneySuperMarket.com. Today they discuss the big story of the day, that the Bank of England are soon to announce the interest rates and a report on inflation. Andrew Sentance, a former member of the bank's monetary policy committee says there could be a case for raising interest rates soon. Elsewhere, diesel car drivers could be charged for entering city centres. All these stories and more on The News Review.

How much are you planning of spending over the holiday season? Do you feel the pressure of giving your loved ones the best gifts possible? The average price people spend on Christmas has been worked at £440 on presents alone. Georgie is joined in the studio by Lisa Hardstaff, credit information expert from Equifax to discuss Christmas spending.

Consumer writer Megan French talks us through the cash incentives available for switching bank accounts as well as how to get the best deals on eBay. And as ever we'll have a roundup of the latest and best deals the team have come across this week.

Rodolphe Saadé, an executive of French shipping giant CMA CGM, said earlier this week that none of the top twenty biggest container-shipping companies are likely to post a profit in 2016. He said that container shipping: "has been strangled by two years of rock-bottom freight rates that have caused some operators to go bankrupt and others to seek partnerships to stay afloat." To find out what is expected for next year, Share Radio's Matt Cox sought out Robert Merrylees, Policy Analyst at the UK Chamber of Shipping.

What are the best foods to eat over Christmas? What is the best way to find out what you would like to eat? And what are the best prices of some of those delicious treats you like feast upon. Sara Benwell takes us through the Christmas taste test and even tastes mince pies in the studio from different suppliers, along with Georgie.

Our look into the world of all things travel-related. From how to save money on your daily commute, to how to get the best value on your holiday, to what you need to know about doing business abroad.

The face of manufacturing is on the move and it is a revolution that is happening at a rapid pace. Birmingham is the place to be this week if you are in manufacturing - the Smart Factory Expo brings together all those involved in manufacturing to discuss how they can future proof their operations to ensure they don't stay stuck in the past.

It's been a hectic time economically since the EU Referendum - with Sterling devaluing, and most recently Mark Carney announcing he'll stay on as Governor just one additional year up to 2019. As the state of the UK economy post-Brexit remains uncertain, Share Radio's Matt Cox spoke to Jeremy Cook, Chief Economist at World First, about what we can expect from this Super Thursday during which the BoE will announce its quarterly Interest Report and the latest interest rate decisions.