Share Sounds.

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: Investors react to the escalating drama with Redditt, speculators, and GameStop; Johnson & Johnson reports Phase 3 trial results from its one-shot vaccine; Apple reports record-breaking revenue; Microsoft hits a new high on earnings; Facebook slides. Atlassian rises; Starbucks surprises; And Tesla dips. Motley Fool analysts Andy Cross and Ron Gross discuss those stories and weigh in on the latest from Mastercard, Visa, and General Motors. Ron and Andy share two stocks on their radar: NextEra Energy and Unity Software. Plus, Ad Age’s Jeanine Poggi previews the advertising for Super Bowl LV.

‘It’ll end in tears.’ How many times did you hear your parents sound that warning - and how often did you actually pay attention? The army of traders playing with fire in the GameStop stock market frenzy this week have had their warning from a plenty of those who supposedly know best. But it’s fun, they feel a common sense of purpose, they’re giving the big boys a bloody nose, and for now they’re winning. And so the game continues? But should it have been allowed to get this far? Should the trading platforms have tried to nip this in the bud, should watchdogs have stepped in, or in a free market should we just let people get on with stuff – even if it’s punting call options on ramped up shares? On this week’s podcast, Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert discuss the Reddit-led rebellion, where small traders got together on the Wallstreetbets thread to take GameStop from a beaten-down and heavily-shorted stock to a cause celebre. The bedroom traders piling in realised that by combining forces they could make the share price rise and beat the hedge funds at their own game, putting them in a short squeeze. But is this really a rallying point for a financially disenfranchised generation still angry at the financial crisis and its after effects, or a get-rich-quick bandwagon that’s being jumped? Will those who hold the line win out, or as with any bubble will it be the little guys and girls who lose big? Also on this week’s show, the team discuss the property tech tricks that can help you get a hedgie-style edge when buying a home (or at least convince you that you know a little more than the next person) and whether a five-year fixed rate mortgage is a no-brainer. The latest Grace on the Case investigation that won £13,500 for a widow given the runaround by VW Financial Services over her late husband’s car is explained. And finally, just in case we are ever allowed to fly anywhere ever again, is it worth taking Nectar’s new Avios deal.

Adam Cox is joined by transformational leader, trainer and empowerment coach, Gina Gardiner, to discuss how COVID-19 has affected the country’s older workforce and what may stop older people from pursuing entrepreneurship. Gina explains what exactly a “maturepreneur” is, and how it is possible to build a successful business based on hobbies and interests. She also gives some fantastic tips and tricks for those looking to find new opportunities – and how to build not just a successful business, but a successful life.

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University asks how the EU has managed its vaccine rollout so badly and wonders what the ramifications could be. He looks at a recent article speculating that Covid-19 could be the equivalent of the start of the First World War in 1914 and that we might never return to the previous globalised system. And he asks what we can expect from President Joe Biden's first 100 days in the White House, both at home and in America's attitude towards China.

Russ Mould, Investment Director of A J Bell, looks at the recent frenzied buying of heavily shorted shares such as GameStop by retail investors, using Reddit as an information exchange. Causing severe problems for some short-selling hedge funds and attracting the attention of the American regulatory authorities, he points out possible pitfalls and suggests some questions investors should ask themselves before even thinking of participating.

With box office shutters still firmly closed, James Cameron-Wilson looks at the top "proper" musicals of all time. Despite reservations, he feels All In: The Fight For Democracy about being denied the right to vote is a documentary worth watching (Amazon). He had fun with The Vanished, starring Anne Heche and Thomas Jane, even though he feels it's a poor movie (Netflix) He was fascinated and impressed by the Belarus production Persian Lessons, based on a true story about a Jewish man in a concentration camp pretending to be Persian.

Steve Caplin, Share Radio's tech guru, on the latest achievements of Apple and Space X. He says "good riddance" to Flash, the end of which caused Chinese train problems, discusses the latest developments in TV from CES, tries not to chortle at Facebook banning those who live in Plymouth Hoe, admires a student-style hotplate, longs for a new escape room in a box and explains how solar cells are made more efficient with a dash of chili!

Since the late 1960s, UK productivity growth has been weak and poor management is seen as one of the main causes. In recent years Economists have waded into this debate, and in this episode Peter Urwin asks Prof. Richard Saundy what he thinks of recent findings. The discussion begins with a reminder of the fractious history of UK industrial relations. They then consider recent evidence on what makes a good manager and ask why there seems to be so little sharing of good managerial practice both between, and even within, organisations. Concluding with a discussion of what the ‘cure’ might look like, they consider work of the PrOPEL Hub and ESRC funded studies that aim to improve management through new approaches to training.

Adam Cox is joined by LGBTQ educator and NLP coach, Harris Eddie Hill, to discuss their journey from questioning, to changing, their identity. Harris talks about major perceptions and misconceptions faced by transgender people, the social pressures they face, and the role of mindset and beliefs in finding the courage to engender change. For more information, go to www.mxharrishill.com.

In this episode, Adam was working with a lady that would often procrastinate or jump from one task to another. Adam uses a combination of anchoring her resourceful state of 'flow', modelling the resources from someone she perceives has the approach she desires and also includes time management principles from people such as Stephen Covey, David Allen, Brian Tracy and Tony Robbins. A great episode for anyone that wants to be more productive while still having balance in their life.