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The origins of the looming crisis in world government bond markets started forty years ago; recent challenges such as the pandemic and Trump have turned the screw even harder, and in the United Kindom the dogged application of universal welfare certainly hasn't helped. But the current problem of over-indebtedness can be traced back to the 1980s and the introduction of dual capacity in financial markets, which gave rise to the 2008 financial crisis and the acceptance by governments of their role as a bottomless reserve. However, these governments must now undergo a mindset change from seeing themselves as the 'last chance saloon' for all crisis situations to being an effective provider of regulation, looking ahead to keep risks under control.

With the summer holidays drawing to a close in the next few days, the new team at HM Treasury will be busy looking at fresh ideas for the Budget on 28th October. The challenging economic situation calls for a fresh look at some of the underlying strategies which have driven debt so high over the past half-century. The really big problem is the extent to which 'universal, free-at-the-point-use' health care has caused deep generational unfairness; that, combined with the triple lock and unfunded state pensions, place real burdens on young generations. It's time for a major change in the underlying logic. Background music: 'People Watching' by Sir Cubworth

The young owners of over two-thirds of all Child Trust Funds reach adulthood at the end of March 2026, but very large numbers of HMRC-allocated accounts remain unknown and unclaimed, including almost three-quarters of the £1 billion belonging to low-income young adults: the position is particularly acute in the north of England and devolved nations. These are accounts for which HM Treasury/HMRC are the 'settlor', and therefore have a duty to deliver these young adults' birthrights. Background music: 'Waiting' by Andrew Langdon 

Retiring early, making your time your own and sticking it to the man is something many of us will have dreamed of. But what would it take you to get there and how much would you need to start investing now depending on your age and when you want to kick back? Georgie Frost, Lee Boyce and Simon Lambert look at the early retirement dream. Is it realistic, what do you gain and what do you give up, and why is it vitally important for some to use an ISA as well as a pension? One thing hampering many of our saving efforts is the cost of living and now inflation warnings are coming thick and fast again. How dire are the predictions, how likely are they to come true, what does it mean for the rest of your finances — and what’s the cost of a weekly shop got to do with things? Plus, the Renters’ Rights Act is about to deliver a landlord register, but is that a good idea or more red tape? And finally, trading cards are worth big money and catching the attention at the moment, so how did Lee become an accidental collector?

Steve Caplin is excited by the "gorgeous" folding iPhone Duo, although a little daunted by the price. He's also impressed by new features on the Apple watch. Scientists have reproduced the sound, so they believe, of a Jurassic forest using fossils. There's a way of detecting fake alcohol, which can be very dangerous. An app claims to predict the onset of flu or Covid by listening to you coughing at night. A weird hotel in Tokyo uses only robot staff, including talking velociraptors. It is somewhat further ahead than the latest robot innovations in UK hotels. 3D-printed ultrasounds will let blind parents experience their unborn children. And the crowd-funded Mezmodrop fires an aluminium collar into the air which drops back down onto the spike.

National Cinema Weekend reduced UK box office take, says James Cameron-Wilson. With ‘Spider-Man’ and ‘Odyssey’ still at the top, ‘The Death of Robin Hood’ limped in at #7. Starring Hugh Jackman, it is a violent, extremely bloody and grim telling of the famous tale. James and host Simon Rose disagreed about ‘Coyote vs. Acme’, a mix of live action and animation that has ‘Roadrunner’'s cartoon enemy suing the famous corporation for providing dangerously deficient products. James found it ludicrous and unfunny. Simon (and those around him) found it often hilarious and great fun. At #14 is Greg Araki's erotically-charged ‘I Want Your Sex’. It stars Olivia Wilde as a provocative artist and is often very funny and daring but often also uncomfortable. It intends to offend, and it succeeds.

There are various coping strategies which people employ to deal with difficult emotions (anger, anxiety etc..) such as drink, drugs or food. However, more often than not they are just umbing  in their effect at the time, and more like destructive self-sabotage in the longer term. Emotions are temporary: so, in this episode Adam Cox uses the technique of 'pattern interrupt' to help with developing an alternative approach to dealing with those difficult times. 

While Apple has continued to be a great business, it’s been a minute since the company issued a new product that made us go “wow”. With new CEO John Ternus coming from the hardware side of the business, it comes as little surprise that one of the first things it announced was a major change to the iPhone, the iPhone Duo. Matt, Jon, and Tyler break down how this launch could impact the bottom line and whether this is a sign of what Apple will look like under Ternus. Plus, Chewy & Casey’s General Store earnings and what makes a good acquirer. Tyler Crowe, Jon Quast, and Matt Frankel discuss Chewy’s earnings, Casey’s General Store earnings, Apple’s new iPhone Duo and new CEO, and — new focus? Plus, is acquisition a good strategy? Companies discussed: CHWY, CASY, APPL, AJG. Host — Tyler Crowe; Guests — Jon Quast, Matt Frankel.

After decades of spin-offs and separations of various parts, GE Aerospace is now trending toward integration. Its $11.75 billion acquisition of Consolidation Precision Products is taking what business schools have been teaching for years (specialisation, capital light) and flipping it on its head. Lou, Travis, and Tyler dissect the GE aerospace deal, how it impacts the aerospace & defense indsutry, and whether we’re on the precipice of integration. Plus, cybersecurity threats and reverse stock splits. Tyler Crowe, Lou Whiteman, and Travis Hoium discuss GE Aerospace acquires Consolidated Precision Prodcuts, the winners and losers of the deal, Boston Scientific’s cybersecurity hack fallout, will cybersecurity make these industries less appealing to investors, and when is a reverse stock split good? Companies discussed: GE, HWM, BA, HONA, RTX, BSX, NVO, CRWD, IBM, BKNG. Host — Tyler Crowe; Guests — Travis Hoium, Lou Whiteman.

New research from Nutracheck reveals that many women are quietly putting their own nutrition needs last as they juggle work, family, and the demands of daily life. Some are even going so far as to eat leftovers from their family’s plates, rather than making something for themselves. It’s no surprise then that many are turning to weight-loss medication — but without proper support, it can end up being even worse for their overall well-being. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this is Emma White, Nutrition Lead at Nutracheck, the UK's leading calorie and nutrition tracking app.

It’s been a month since the landmark Renters’ Rights Act banned no-fault evictions, but new data shows widespread confusion is still leaving tenants in the dark. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss this and more is Eddie Hooker, CEO of mydeposits.

Adam Cox joins Greg Bornstein on an episode of Greg's 'Open Loops' podcast series, with Adam discussing how his methodology for hypnotherapy has developed through learning psychology, styles of therapy and different uses of metaphors. It's a bit different from our normal episodes, as Adam Cox is the guest here. Please search for 'Open Loops with Greg Bornstein: Conversations That Bend' to find out more.

National Financial Awareness Day was celebrated last week — and new research from the Money and Pensions Service suggests that millions of people across the UK are still struggling to keep up with their bills. The findings come from MoneyView, MaPS’ flagship annual survey of the nation’s finances, which shows wide variation across different parts of the UK. Joining Rory McGowan to discuss the findings, and where people can turn for help, is Victoria Copeland from the Money and Pensions Service.

For the final Bigger Picture with Simon Rose, Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University looks back over the past twelve years of the programme. Into the good category, he places the advances in technology in areas like medicine, the digital world and the AI revolution. This will give a huge uplift to developing countries. As to the bad, that would include the polarisation of political life as the state hollows itself out from the inside. with taxes at an all-time high and services getting ever worse. Tim highlights the number of people under 40 abandoning the NHS, who believe they won't get a state pension for them and who see their future not in Britain but abroad. The ugly is the ever increasing indebtedness of the world's most advanced democracies and the rising authoritarianism which threatens the underpinning of our open society.

Professor Tim Evans says that to understand Donald Trump, you need to know that, in the late 80s and early 90s, he was a close friend of Richard Nixon, who told him that he used the persona of an irrational madman to unsettle others. Indeed, Nixon and his wife urged Trump to enter politics. In terms of policy, Trump is also a devotee of Reagan and William McKinley, an advocate of tariffs in America's interests. The Archbishop of Canterbury is one of the most important constitutional positions in Britain. In an increasingly secular age, the new Archbishop will have a challenging task ahead, but Tim feels that she is the right person for the job. The issue of Net Zero has come to the fore in the midst of an energy crisis like the 1970s. Tim ponders the politics of it, wondering if it could become as divisive as Brexit.

Pensions and inheritance are at the forefront of many people's minds ahead of the Budget. In her last Budget, Rachel Reeves announced she will pull pension pots into the inheritance tax net from April 2027. Meanwhile, there are concerns that pension tax-free lump sums and inheritance tax allowances could fall victim to another raid as the Chancellor tries to balance the books again. In this special episode of the This is Money podcast, Simon Lambert is joined by Lisa Caplan, director of Charles Stanley Direct Advice and Guidance. Lisa spends her days helping customers understand how to protect their wealth, make their pension last in retirement and, importantly, enjoy their hard-earned money. She discusses with Simon the questions people are asking right now about pensions and inheritance tax and her answers.

The world is facing a myriad of Gordian Knots at present — problems so intricate and complex that they need new and very different approaches to solve them. In Greek mythology, it was Alexander the Great who chopped the knot rather than struggling to untie it. If you're facing a raft of complex problems, this episode could help you find novel and creative ways to solve them. So, think of the most challenging things in your life and listen in for inspiration. Maybe Donald Trump should seek Adam Cox's guidance for resolving conflicts across the world, or the UN for dealing with climate change — or Governments across western democracies seeking an answer for intractable debt problems? Image: Wikipedia

For the 500th show, Steve Caplin takes a look back at some of the highlights of ten years of Gadgets & Gizmos. He covers sprayable sleep, cows imitating zebras to ward off mosquitoes, crows collecting cigarette butts, NFTs, self-parking slippers, KFC chicken-tasting nail polish, the first human head transplant, the Skunklock noxious bike lock, Refrigerdating, the robot dog flamethrower, ant populated gin and how to make pain relief pills 10 times more effective.

James Cameron-Wilson reports on box office -13% but still up on 2024, with ‘Wicked’ becoming last year's most successful film with £59.6m. The musical biopic of Bob Dylan, ‘A Complete Unknown’, with Timothy Chalomet and Edward Norton is the new #1. The tedious and unbelievable ‘Wolf Man’ limps in at #7. James found Netflix's spy thriller ‘Back in Action’, the return from retirement of Cameron Diaz, all very silly and over the top, despite some good stunts. The Oscar nominations were coming out during recording, so James gives his first thoughts on who's in and who's out.

Warren Buffett sends us into the season to be thankful with his philanthropic acts and his poignant words, and gives us all a place to start the conversation with family about money. Asit Sharma and Dylan Lewis discuss NBC’s negotiations to extend their rights to broadcast rights to the Macy’s Day Parade, and why holiday live events are turning into an arms race, the expectations for Black Friday through Cyber Monday, and two predictions on the direction of consumer spend and who will be driving it in future years, and Warren Buffett’s plans for passing his wealth on to his family and philanthropic efforts, and the words of wisdom we should all have in mind as we get together with loved ones this week. Companies discussed: CMCSA, M, NFLX, AMZN, BRK.A, BRK.B. Host - Dylan Lewis; Guests - Asit Sharma

The debate on 19th March 2024 was hosted by Sir Jeremy Quin MP to call for the need to simplify family access to Child Trust Funds for disabled young people, and a number of MPs contributed to the debate, including Danny Kruger and Ed Davy. The audio record is provided by Parliament Live, and is an unabridged recording of proceedings, without additional comment. Listeners may notice an adjournment for voting in the House of Commons.

Welcome to a special episode of The Financial Outlook: the investment section of the Managing My Money course. What's the difference between saving and investment? It's all in the risk. We talk about shares, bonds and funds, and which perform best over the long term. The Managing My Money course has 16 sections in total, and is presented by Glen Goodman and Annie Weston. You can enjoy the whole course, produced in association with the Open University via Share Radio's home page. Here's the link to the slides for this episode: https://www.shareradio.co.uk/help-guides/managing-my-money/supporting-slides/mmm-week-5-episode-10-supporting-slides/

“The [Child Trust Fund] scheme has been closed to new entrants for over 12 years. In this time HMRC has been focusing resources on evaluating and improving existing schemes. We will continue to keep the need to evaluate old schemes under review.” So said Andrew Griffith MP, Economic Secretary to HM Treasury in reply to a parliamentary question from John Ashworth MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. But this is not an 'old scheme' — there is currently over £1.7 billion sitting in mature accounts belonging to over 900,000 mainly low-income young adults throughout the UK who don't know anything about their good fortune! Their Child Trust Fund harvest is seeing too little action at present: but it's not too late to get it sorted, and the current focus from the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee will certainly help.
Background music: 'Hopeful Freedom' by Asher Fulero

It’s the last episode of Answers (but don’t worry, we’re just moving to Motley Fool Money every Tuesday). We’ll reminisce on our biggest lessons learned over the last seven years and answer your questions, some financial, some festive.

Scrooge has made the deal of his life with Chinese investors and must now quickly return to London on Christmas Eve to close the deal. On the flight back, during a fitful sleep, Scrooge confronts his past and present and learns the future consequences of his miserly life to find the true meaning of Christmas. Proscenium Online Theatre is super excited to be bringing you a whole new season of audio dramas in 2022. Starting off with 'The Girl in the Yellow Dress', a dark romance by South African playwright Craig Higginson, and 'Plunder', an original Hong Kong based thriller by American playwright Alan Olejniczak. In the meantime - sit back, close your eyes and enjoy the Proscenium Online Theatre’s production of 'A Christmas Carol'.

https://www.prosceniumonlinetheatre.com

Imagine a world in which everyone has a stake in the great tech firms that serve them each day, and where dividends are gradually replacing wages to provide regular income for everyone, as work becomes scarcer as a result of automation? Imagine a world where every young person not only has a small inheritance with which to start their adult life, but also the opportunity to build its value by learning life skills? Simon Rose is taking a well-earned break this week, so we’re taking the opportunity to bring you a talk given Gavin Oldham in August to the leading City of London think-tank Z/Yen.

Click link for slides for presentation

Every child in the UK born between 1 Sept 2002 and 2 Jan 2011 has a Child Trust Fund (CTF). But one child in six has lost contact with the money. Gavin Oldham, Chairman of The Share Foundation – which runs the Junior ISA & Child Trust Fund schemes for children in care for the Department for Education - is trying to re-connect them. He talks through the CTF, how to track an account down, and what a child can and can’t do with the money.

In a new partnership with publishers Harriman House, Share Radio has produced its first audiobook 'Superinvestors', written by Matthew Partridge and read by some of Share Radio's best known presenters. 'Superinvestors' lays bare the investing secrets of legendary investors - from early 20th-century figures such as Benjamin Graham and John Maynard Keynes, through to more modern names such as Anthony Bolton and Warren Buffett.

How you can help young people in care prepare for adult life by supporting The Share Foundation’s ‘Stepladder of Achievement’ programme.

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