On this episode of the Business Podcast, sponsored by Bell, our guests are “Rocket Ron” Epstein, PhD, of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Richard Aboulafia of the Teal Group consultancy and Sash Tusa of Agency Partners.

Topics:

— The week on Wall Street as investors grappled with macro-economic factors

— Covid travel update as Washington allows European travelers to enter the United States

— Implications of Beijing’s “hostage diplomacy” on the international trade China depends on for its prosperity

— Takeaways from Airbus recent corporate seminar including technology investment priorities on propulsion and aerodynamics

— Boeing’s 20-year market forecast for 8,700 jets valued at some $1.5 trillion based on 5.4 percent annual air travel growth

— Rolls-Royce beats GE and Pratt & Whitney to win US Air Force’s $2.6 billion contract for 650 F130 to re-engine 76 B-52 bombers

— Prospects for Lockheed Martin-Airbus partnership to pursue the Air Force’s “bridge” aerial tanker contract in the wake of Boeing problems with KC-46 Pegasus refueling jet

— Analysis of the seven-second social media clip of what appears to be a model of a stealth aircraft on a flatbed truck at Lockheed Martin’s electronics and radar cross section test facility in Helendale, Calif.