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Just because things go as expected doesn't mean the ripple effects aren't surprising. Andy Cross discusses the Fed's 0.25% rate hike, unfortunate timing around Chairman Powell's press conference and Sec. Yellen's public testimony, and why he's going to be paying more attention to annual reports in the coming weeks. Then, 10 minutes in, Nick Sciple and Jim Gillies face off in the semi-finals of our stock investing version of March Madness! Choose the winner by casting your vote in our Twitter poll @MotleyFoolMoney! Companies discussed: RMAX, BWXT. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Andy Cross, Nick Sciple, Jim Gillies

Many people have no problem with social events involving people they know well — close friends or family — but struggle with events bringing them into contact with strangers. This episode is designed to help by mapping those feelings of confidence in the former situations into the latter, finding that equivalent sense of relaxation in unfamiliar settings.

Victoria Scholar of Interactive Investor discusses the MPC's decision to raise interest rates 25 basis points to 4.25%, although there were 2 votes against the move. With inflation ticking up again, the Bank is clearly still concerned about how far CPI is above its 2% target, maintaining that the UK banking system is robust, despite problems in the US and Switzerland. While savers may cheer rising rates, Victoria points out that inflation is still well above savings rates, so there's a negative real return.

Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University says that the problems with the Metropolitan Police seem to get ever worse and that it needs root-and-branch reform, while vetting needs to be improved and standardised. With UK Government debt interest payments of £7bn a month, he asks how bad things have to get before politicians here – and elsewhere – realise the system needs a refresh. And he can't help finding it amusing that Winnie the Pooh is seen as such a threat to Xi Jinping that a film involving him has been banned in Hong Kong.

James Cameron-Wilson takes Simon Rose through the box office charts, dismissing new #1 Shazam! Fury of the Gods as lacking suspense or laughs. However, he waxed lyrical about the Alan Bennett adaptation Allelujah at #4 ("the feel-sad movie of the year"), with Judi Dench & Derek Jacobi in a story about old age and the NHS. He was even more taken with love story Rye Lane at #7 which he found funny & exhilarating, a debut which excited him in the way Trainspotting had. In few cinemas but on Apple+ is French drama Other People's Children, which James adored, thinking it moving and involving.

Steve Caplin takes Simon Rose through the latest tech. Samsung's phone takes amazing moon photos (by cheating), the UK is to put a nuclear reactor on the moon, NASA unveils its new spacesuit (disguised), Stanford develop AI for your own PC and AI can now create photos. There's a fortified plastic chicken coop to keep out foxes (that looks like an animal prison) and Lidl are selling a wireless doorbell that is entirely battery free.

The big ticket item this week is the House of Commons Privileges Committee, which is holding a televised evidence hearing with Boris Johnson on Wednesday 22nd March. Select Committees do an important job holding Government to account, and the most powerful is the Public Accounts Committee which oversees the delivery efficiency and effectiveness of Government programmes. They're able to draw on objective analysis provided by the National Audit Office whose latest investigation, published last week, is into the huge Child Trust Fund programme. Background music: 'People Watching' by Sir Cubworth

Jeremy Hunt had a spring in his step this week as he delivered his Budget. It was a considerably different air to the gloomy warning of trouble ahead in his November Autumn Statement. The headline act was a major shake-up of pension saving rules, removing restrictions that limit the amount that can go in without tax penalties. The lifetime allowance was abolished rather than raised, the annual allowance got a big bump, and rules to stop pension recycling were eased. Was this a bung for the rich shovelling cash into their pension - and doctors - or a move that will help many more young professional savers aspiring to a decent retirement, who may not realise the lifetime limit could be hit? Georgie Frost, Helen Crane and Simon Lambert delve into the Budget and joining them to explain the pensions element is a special guest, This is Money's retirement columnist and ex-pensions minister Steve Webb. Also in the Budget was news on the economy, a ray of hope on energy bills, and a big expansion of free childcare... but it won't come in for some time. The team look at all those elements and more. And finally, as the Budget claimed the headlines something else was rumbling on: a mini-banking crisis sparked by the Sillicon Valley Bank collapse. What is going on there and should we be worried?

Inflation data and the state of play in the banking industry has investors wondering: What will the Fed decide next week about interest rates? Jason Moser and Matt Argersinger discuss First Republic getting $30 billion in deposits from 11 major banks, the latest CPI and PPI numbers continuing the trend of cooling inflation, whether the Federal Reserve should raise rates next week (and if so, by how much) or hit the pause button, and the latest from FedEx, Adobe, Lennar, and Williams-Sonoma. Then, 19 minutes in, John Ourand from Sports Business Journal and the "Sports Media Podcast" analyzes the economics of March Madness, why he's bullish on the upcoming MLB season, and Disney CEO Bob Iger's latest thinking on ESPN. Also, 32 minutes in, Matt and Jason discuss Google raising the price of YouTube TV and share two stocks on their radar: Charles Schwab and Zebra Technologies. Stocks discussed: SIVB, FRC, BAC, JPM, WFC, C, PNC, MTB, FDX, ADBE, LEN, WSM, FOX, WBD, PARA, DIS, AMZN, AAPL, GOOG, GOOGL, SCHW, ZBRA. Host - Chris Hill; Guests - Jason Moser, Matt Argersinger, John Ourand

Adobe wants to be a customer experience platform, and a discount retailer is upscaling. Deidre Woollard and Asit Sharma discuss Adobe’s quarter, and issues acquiring Figma, Tech companies rushing to launch generative AI, Five Below converting stores to Five Beyond, and labour issues for Dollar General. Plus, 16 minutes in, stock market madness continues. Bill Mann and Nick Sciple face off to pitch a stock in a better buy debate. Companies discussed: ADBE, FIVE, DG, PAC, BWXT. Host - Deidre Woollard; Guests - Asit Sharma, Bill Mann, Nick Sciple