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It's finally happened. After months of will-we, won't-we speculation, the UK economy has finally succumbed to recession. The ONS revealed this week that a drop in GDP in the final three months of 2023 meant that Britain had racked up two consecutive of negative growth - and thus the dreaded R word is here. But is this a bad one, why does the term 'technical recession' keep being bandied about and do these backward-looking figures mask things already getting better? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert look at what recession means for the UK and you. Plus, who are the villains among big banks and building societies when it comes to sky-high standard variable rates for mortgage borrowers, and is it them or the customers themselves to blame if somone ends up paying almost 10% interest? Also — the customer turned down for a switching bonus by HSBC because they had a Midland account 21 years ago. And finally, electric car sales aren't growing as fast as the government or car makers want. Does that mean it's time to drive a bargain?

In this special bonus This is Money episode, Simon Lambert speaks to easyJet founder Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou. Sir Stelios tells the story of how he launched easyJet and his easyGroup of companies - and how allowing others to build companies using the easy brand works. He also explains why he is backing entrepreneurs under the age of 35 with his Stelios Philanthropic Foundation awards and giving away £150,000 to the successful winner.

Economic data and earnings season combined for a volatile weak in the stock market. Bill Mann and Jason Moser discuss the latest inflation numbers and what they mean for investors, earnings wrap-up for Twilio, Lyft, Airbnb, Shopify and Trade Desk, and Nvidia’s disclosure of its investments and how it impacted stocks. Then, 19 minutes in, Corrado Russo shares some thoughts on the international real estate market. Finally, 34 minutes in, Bill and Jason break down two stocks on their radar: Fresenius and Home Depot. Stocks discussed: TWLO, LYFT, ABNB, SHOP, TTD, SHOP, NVDA, NNOX, ARM, HD, FMS. Host - Ron Gross; Guests - Bill Mann, Jason Moser, Corrado Russo.

Retail numbers fall as some wonder if it’s more than cold weather holding consumers back. Bill Barker and Deidre Woollard discuss how the retail spending numbers might impact the Fed, if Stellantis is ready to take on Big EV, and Deere’s returns for investors. The, 18 minutes in, Drew University Professor Chris Andrews shares his thoughts on why some companies are changing their strategies on self-checkout. Companies discussed: WMT, DG, KR, STLA, GM, F, DE. Host - Deidre Woollard; Guests - Bill Barker, Chris Andrews.

The teenage years are often marked by periods of insecurity and awareness of all the things that can go wrong, and this inner dialogue can persist well into adulthood. However the journey into those later years helps by building resilience based on experience, so that these conflicted paths can be addressed on the basis of a growing store of knowledge. Adam Cox helps those challenged by this anxiety based on an inner dialogue to build a more positive, forward-looking approach.

Rather than rely upon press reports, Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University delves into Reform UK's policies, finding no evidence of far-right attitudes but instead a mix of old-school Thatcherite ideas with socialist control. He suspects some ideas could be appropriated by other parties. Donald Trump's Agenda 47 baffled him more, being a smorgasbord combining centre-left ideas on welfare with more nationalistic, protectionist policies. By offering something for almost everyone, he may have a broader base than previously. Tim is very concerned about the rise of thousands of fraudulent scientific papers, with 10,000 believed to have been retracted last year alone. This black economy, driven in large part from China, India, Iran and Russia, could prove extremely dangerous in the scientific arena.

Steve Caplin discusses the US returning to the Moon for the first time since 1972, entirely in private hands rather than equipped by NASA. There's an electric rickshaw with a detachable scooter. A top-of-the-ranger mobility scooter has all mod cons. Brian Eno's limited edition turnable is a work of art – but an ugly one. Steve wonders why there's a new portable CD player. Charles Darwin's library is online in its entirety, but dreadfully presented. Lithium batteries could be made far safer, if people are prepared to pay. Taylor Swift's songs could save people from heart attacks. Repeated vaccines should be given in alternate arms. An underwater kite could be the solution to strong wave power. And chocolate could have much less sugar – and more oat flour.

James Cameron-Wilson reports that 2023's box office was up 9% at £978m. This week, though, it's down 25% with no new big films. True-life wrestling pic The Iron Claw, with Zac Efron, made only £750,000 at #3 but nothing rings true and James found it dull. With no other new releases other than Peppa's Cinema Party, James turned to Amazon Prime for the romcom Upgraded which, while hardly a true original, he found smart, savvy and very funny. The dialogue zings and he was left with a stupid smile on his face. Not so with How To Have Sex, out for home viewing. This Cannes prizewinner about Brits holidaying in Crete was disturbing, sometimes shocking but authentic and skilfully directed. He was surprised, however, at the 15 certificate.

Are the banks cheap or are investors right to be wary? With results season upon us, Russ Mould of A J Bell points out how the sector has been underperforming, even though 2023 profits are forecast to be at an all-time high along with cash returns. It may be that investors feel 2023 will be as good as it gets and are wary of the economy's future. But for long-term investors who aren't particularly gloomy about the outlook, while the banks may be plodders, they do provide a decent yield.

With 1.45 billion speakers, English may be the most commonly spoken language across the world, but it displays a real poverty with the word ‘love’. It's not often that St. Valentine shares the same day as Ash Wednesday, but this year the essence of sexual attraction converges with the unconditional love of God at the beginning of Lent, providing a pointer to the contrasting splendours of this wonderful word. Background music: 'Forever Yours' by Wayne Jones