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Adam Cox is in conversation with Paul Saroya from Viva Retirement Solutions, delving into the topic of equity release and its nuances. Together, they explore the evolving landscape of equity release, considering its transformations over the years. The discussion extends to alternative solutions that individuals should ponder before making a decision. Paul offers insights on identifying the suitable candidates for equity release and emphasises the importance of thorough research before opting for this financial strategy. https://www.vivaretirementsolutions.co.uk/

Adam Cox is in conversation with Lucy Standing, a chartered psychologist and the founder of Brave Starts, addressing the widespread problem of age discrimination within the UK workforce. Together, they delve into the challenges encountered by individuals over the age of 45 in their job searches and explore strategies for employers to make job opportunities more inclusive for older individuals. Lucy also sheds light on the repercussions of the absence of older workers in the UK workforce and provides insights into Brave Starts, outlining its mission to assist individuals over 45 in advancing their careers. https://www.bravestarts.com/

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University explains why he so enjoyed new Argentine President Javier Milei lecturing the great and good of the World Economic Forum about libertarian and Austrian economics, attacking corporatism and socialism. He feels Milei could be the most consequential politician economically-speaking for many years. He also looks at falling EV car sales, lamenting the way in which politicians set goals for achieving their hobbyhorses irrespective of scientific progress and consumer demand. And he is fascinated by a meeting between journalist John Humphreys and members of Gen Z, which showed them to be different to the popular perception.

James Cameron-Wilson says UK box office is down another 21%. While Mean Girls is #1 but fading, garlanded UK low-budget 4-hander All Of Us Strangers from Andrew Haigh is #2 with £1.1m. Andrew Scott is outstanding in a mesmerising, original film about a gay writer. He was less complimentary about the musical version of The Color Purple at #8, with the showstopping tunes at odds with the dark underlying material. Restored for home video, 1960's Peeping Tom, a voyeuristic film from Michael Powell about a killer, might have destroyed his reputation but, thanks to Martin Scorsese, it's now recognised as a misunderstood classic and quite playful and witty at times. The bonus material is terrific.

40 years after Apple introduced the Macintosh computer, Steve Caplin points out the company has overtaken Samsung in the number of smartphones sold. Elon Musk's Neuralink has implanted a chip into a human skull for the first time. Google Lumiere's video creation AI appears to be astounding in what it can do. So too is the Rabbit, a beermat-sized device to replace multiple taps on your phone. A vacuuming app shows where you've missed. You can make your own Postit Notes, but why would you? Phantom VR gloves might have solved the problems of tactile feedback using VR. And Amazon plans to socially network its smart video doorbells.

After quickly discussing what he found most interesting about the MPC's decision to hold interest rates, Russ Mould looks at A J Bell's 10th annual examination of analysts' research. He reveals that they are more bullish than ever, with 62% recommending buys and just 7% sells. This, he feels, is reasonable, given the long-term underperformance of the FTSE 100 Index. Pointing out the most popular shares, he also digs into what lies behind an analyst's recommendations and why they're better off not simply following the herd.

We see distortion of the truth in holocaust and genocide denial, in Donald Trump’s refusal to accept his myriad of indictments, and in Putin's denial of invading Ukraine two years ago. Dishonesty and exaggerated claims are commonplace on social media and even work their way into corporate and public bodies, such as we've recently seen in the sub-postmasters’ scandal. Is our increasingly secular society losing touch with its moral compass? Background music: 'Dark Alley Deals' by Aaron Kenny

Britain's disposable income has dropped substantially over the past 14 years compared to where it should be, according to a new report this week. The Centre for Cities said that the average household's disposable income has fallen £10,000 behind where it would have been if pre-2010 growth rates had been maintained. On average we have got better off, but we are well below what would have been expected. Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at what the problems could be, why aren't we getting richer quicker, why are we falling behind our international peers and what can be done. Plus, while our living standards aren't rapidly accelerating, house prices have and the average seller made more than £100,000 last year - are property inflation and the slowing in disposable income growth linked? Simon, thinks it's part of the problem. Savings rates have started to slip, so do dividend-paying investment trusts yielding 5% or more look like an attractive move? And finally, some tips on how to make the most of Avios points - but who on the team is the Avios winner, and who is the self-described Avios loser?

Microsoft taking the spot as the largest company in the world is a good reminder that sometimes it takes a while for big names to turn it around. We explain why and talk about how IBM and Comcast could have good times ahead. Bill Mann and Andy Cross discuss Microsoft crossing $3T and surpassing Apple as the largest publicly traded company, Alibaba’s co-founders buying up $200M shares, and the state of investing in China, and Tesla’s tough, but predictable quarter, big subscriber growth from Netflix, and why IBM is a sneaky AI play. Then, 19 minutes in, Motley Fool Money’s Deidre Woollard caught up with Jeff Edison, co-founder and CEO of Phillips Edison & Company, to understand the importance of necessity-based goods in retail, what consumers want right now – both in terms of concepts and convenience. Finally, 30 minutes in, Bill and Andy talk how Comcast looks more interesting as Peacock grows and two stocks on their radar: Spotify and MercadoLibre. Stocks discussed: MSFT, AAPL, BABA, TSLA, NFLX, IBM, SPOT, MELI, PECO. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Bill Mann, Andy Cross, Deidre Woollard, Jeff Edison

Asit Sharma and Deidre Woollard discuss the promise of Tesla’s next-generation vehicles, if Tesla’s energy business is finally ready for prime time, and how ServiceNow’s AI push is paying off. Then, 19 minutes in, Tom King and Mary Long talk about Constellation Software’s history of acquisitions. Companies discussed: TSLA, BYD, NOW, CNSWF. Host - Deidre Woollard; Guests - Asit Sharma, Mary Long, Tom King