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Georgie Frost

This Is Money: Energy firms rapped for bad customer service... while still making mega profits

Georgie Frost
Original Broadcast:

This is Money

This Is Money: Energy firms rapped for bad customer service... while still making mega profits
Energy firms have had their feet held to the fire this week. The industry as a whole has been blasted by the regulator Ofgem over poor customer service, while our investigation revealed that 200 customers don't think Ovo has been billing them properly. Meanwhile, British Gas has been in the spotlight for its bumper profits, which jumped by a whopping 889 per cent for the first half of this year. These firms are certainly making plenty of money - so should they be spending more of it to help their customers? Lee Boyce, Helen Crane and Georgie Frost ask why things are going so wrong, and what people can do if they don't think they are being billed correctly. We also look at what's going on with bank accounts. Crisis-hit Natwest is winning the switching battle thanks to its tasty cash incentives, and it’s not just Farage being 'de-banked'. We hear the story of one vulnerable couple who were left unable to pay bills and buy food after HSBC closed their account. Inheritance tax has also been in the news, as there are noises it might be scrapped - but the Treasury are raking in even more money from it. Will it go? Finally, we explain what blended families need to know about making a will - after one woman was forced to bid for her late mother's belongings at auction when her stepfather amended their mirror wills after she had died.
Guest:

Helen Crane


Published:
Motley Fool Money

Motley Fool Money: Show Me the Earnings! (28/7)

Motley Fool Money
Original Broadcast:

Motley Fool Show

Motley Fool Money: Show Me the Earnings! (28/7)
The earnings parade is on, and this quarter it pays to be in the black. Matt Argersinger and Emliy Flippen discuss the Fed’s latest rate hike and why another seems in the cards, why earnings updates ended epic runs for Chipotle and Spotify, and how big tech’s cost cutting is going. Then, 19 minutes in, bonus earnings coverage from Matt and Emily on Roku, Mastercard, Coca-Cola, and Live Nation. Finally, 31 minutes in, Emily and Matt break down two stocks on their radar: BorgWarner and Invitation Homes. Stocks discussed: CMG, SPOT, META, GOOG, GOOGL, MSFT, ROKU, MA, KO, LYV. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Matt Argersinger, Emily Flippen
Guests:

Matt Argersinger, Emily Flippen


Published:
Motley Fool Money

Motley Fool Money: Meta Has 3 Billion Users. Now What? (27/7)

Motley Fool Money
Original Broadcast:

Motley Fool Show

Motley Fool Money: Meta Has 3 Billion Users. Now What? (27/7)
Meta has our attention but will we follow Mark Zuckerberg into the metaverse? Asit Sharma and Deidre Woollard discuss Meta’s soaring ad impressions amid a tough advertising market, if Mark Zuckerberg will need to choose between AI and the metaverse, and how Chipotle is using robots to boost efficiency. Plus, 20 minutes in, Matt Frankel interviews Walker & Dunlop CEO Willy Walker on commercial real estate debt and the challenges facing multifamily housing development. Companies discussed: META, CMG, SBUX, WD. Host - Deidre Woollard; Guests - Asit Sharma, Matt Frankel, Willy Walker
Guests:

Asit Sharma, Matt Frankel, Willy Walker


Published:
Adam Cox

The Hypnotist: The Hypnotic Weight Loss Secret

Adam Cox
Original Broadcast:

The Hypnotist

The Hypnotist: The Hypnotic Weight Loss Secret
This episode is more about handling the psychology of self-discipline than losing weight per se: developing a balanced approach which doesn't rule out enjoying special occasions such as holidays or going out with friends, but at the same time doesn't put a coach and horses through regular routines: such as losing weight with a regular approach to dieting. It's about making good decisions for the moment, but not letting standards slip, and it can apply to other walks of life such as careers, investments , friendships etc ..

Published:
Simon Rose

The Business of Film: Barbie & Oppenheimer

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Business Of Film

The Business of Film: Barbie & Oppenheimer
James Cameron-Wilson reports on an extraordinary week for the UK box office, up 92% WOW and 190% YOY. Barbie, starring Margot Robbie, enters at #1 with an impressive £18.5m weekend take. James found it original, smart, funny, timely and moving, considering it "a cinematic miracle". Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer was #2 with £10.9m. With an all-star cast led by Cillian Murphy, he found it timely and relevant and full of extraordinary moments, let down by an unwieldy final hour (of three). Perhaps not surprisingly, no other big movies are due to open against these two behemoths next week.
Guest:

James Cameron-Wilson


Published:
Simon Rose

The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors: Energy Transition & How To Invest As We Head To Net Zero

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors

The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors: Energy Transition & How To Invest As We Head To Net Zero
Andrew Keen of Edison Group discusses energy transition. With the oil and gas companies in long-term structural decline, wind and solar will be the big growth areas while the materials needed are a fascinating area with not enough investment focus. He discusses the trends and some of the problems. However, he points out that it is a complex field and British investors are fortunate that investment trusts can offer a sensible route in, with the fund managers doing the hard work on research.
Guest:

Andrew Keen


Published:
Simon Rose

The Bigger Picture: Alison Rose & Natwest, lessons from the by-elections & Labour dropping trans pledge

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

The Bigger Picture

The Bigger Picture: Alison Rose & Natwest, lessons from the by-elections & Labour dropping trans pledge
Political commentator Mike Indian discusses the ramifications of Dame Alison Rose resigning as head of Natwest. Did she have to go and should the government have intervened? What are the ramifications of banks debanking customers whose views they don't like? Mike looks at the three by-election results, which show rather more than simply an all-score draw for the three main parties. He also reflects on Labour dropping its pledge on trans self-ID and considers briefly the effect that social media is having on effective politics.
Guest:

Mike Indian


Published:
Simon Rose

Gadgets & Gizmos: Twitter, Delaying ageing, dementia & Parkinson's and a less-than-cuddly robot dog

Simon Rose
Original Broadcast:

Gadgets and Gizmos

Gadgets & Gizmos: Twitter, Delaying ageing, dementia & Parkinson's and a less-than-cuddly robot dog
Steve Caplin on the latest tech news. There's Twitter rebranding, scientists working out how to reverse ageing and ward off dementia and Parkinson's, the Australian military investing in computer-capable brain cells, injured knee tendons being replaced with those from kangaroos, DNA storing data with a biological camera, a relatively inexpensive robot dog that lacks cuddliness and a crowd-funded e-scooter with a more comfortable riding position.
Guest:

Steve Caplin


Published:
Gavin Oldham

Thought for the Week: Loneliness and Mental Health

Gavin Oldham
Original Broadcast:

Thought for the Week

Thought for the Week: Loneliness and Mental Health
In mid-2022 there were 716,000 people economically inactive in the United Kingdom because of mental health and neurological conditions, including depression, nerves, anxiety and autistic spectrum disorders: an increase of 33% from 2019. 196,000 of these people were aged 16-34. Part of the explanation is the scar left behind from the pandemic. But that in itself points to a malaise which is rooted in loneliness and self-orientation. Technology is no substitute for human conversation: no amount of social media, text messaging or conversations with Alexa can replicate it. Background music: 'Digital Solitude' by Silent Partner

Published:
Georgie Frost

This Is Money: Inflation eases to 7.9% - what does that mean for mortgage and savings rates?

Georgie Frost
Original Broadcast:

This is Money

This Is Money: Inflation eases to 7.9% - what does that mean for mortgage and savings rates?
Earlier in the week, the consumer prices index measure of inflation fell by more than expected thanks to a fall in transport and food prices. It eased to 7.9% in June, a bigger drop than expected, according to the Office for National Statistics. This was the lowest CPI rate since March 2022 when inflationary pressures began to amplify the headline figure. So what does that mean for the typical household and for potential future base rate rises? Lee Boyce, Sam Barker and Georgie Frost delve into CPI and what that means for mortgages and savers. And on the note of savers, two pieces of data this week point to a mixed picture for our financial resilience. On one hand, a survey suggests one in three people do not have enough savings for an emergency - and on the other, that a third of savers are earning 1% or less, and for some that's on five figure pots. If inflation does stay sticky, pensioners could see a big rise in in the state pension - if politicians keep the 'triple lock' pledge. Data suggests that by 2030, the annual state pension figure is likely to be between £13,000 and £14,000. Before you head off on holiday, we reveal the cruel new scams you need to know about. And… bitcoin to surge to $120,000 by the end of 2024 according to one major bank. How likely is that and why does one expert think it's nonsense.
Guest:

Sam Barker


Published: