Taking Stock

This week on Taking Stock, Mandy Johnston talks to Tom Standage the Deputy Editor of The Economist about what shocks and positives may lie in store for the Global economy next year.

Ever wonder about the most expensive homes changing hands in Ireland? From a sprawling Cork estate to the childhood home of Garret FitzGerald, 2024 has seen over 1,200 sales topping €1 million. Alanna Gallagher from The Irish Times gives Mandy a tour of these prestigious properties.

In this month’s Tech Scape slot, Mandy asks could TikTok be banned in the US when she talks to Chris Stokel-Walker.

This week on Taking Stock:

Just how should the EU deal with a possible round of trade wars and tariffs? With the return of President Trump just weeks away, it is a topic exercising the minds of the new EU Commission, particularly its vice-president, Stéphane Séjourné. Alice Hancock, EU Correspondent with Financial Times joins Mandy to discuss.

French politicians have ousted their government with a no-confidence motion, plunging the eurozone's second-largest economy into political turmoil. Mandy explores the potential consequences with Sarah Collins, Brussels Correspondent with the Business Post.

Mick Clifford, Special Correspondent with the Irish Examiner, chats to Mandy about some of the most memorable coalitions of years gone by.

In our monthly Techscape slot, with thanks to PWC, Elaine Burke, host of the For Tech’s Sake podcast, analyses political party manifestos to uncover how they’re tackling AI.

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston talks to Bruno Giussani, who was the global curator of TED from 2005. He orchestrated talks from the likes of Pope Francis, Bill Gates, and countless others. We hear the fascinating story of the birth and growth of TED.

Jamie Smyth, Energy Correspondent for the Financial Times, explains how the U.S. is gearing up to test the waters for a nuclear fuel revival—an issue with implications for energy markets worldwide.

In our monthly Techscape slot, with thanks to PWC, Elaine Burke, host of the For Tech’s Sake podcast, analyses political party manifestos to uncover how they’re tackling AI.

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston looks at Germany, where political shifts and an upcoming election have stirred up debates on the country's economic and social future. Mandy talks to Dr Katharina Karcher of the University of Birmingham.

Donald Trump, now president-elect once again, is navigating a complex web of legal challenges. Mandy is joined by Joe Millar of the FT to break down where these cases stand, what they mean for his upcoming term, and how they could impact American politics on the world stage.

Finally, back at home Mandy looks at what the business community wants from the parties ahead of the General Election 2024. From tax policies to housing and infrastructure, we’ll explore the promises being made and the policies that could shape the future of Irish businesses.

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston talks to her regular US contributor Caroline Vikal of the Hill about where the election was lost and won.

Russ Mould of AJ Bell profiles Warren Buffett and looks at why he might be selling his much-valued Apple shares.

And Mandy talks to Louise Lucas of the Financial Times about the competition between the giants of sports footwear; Adidas and Nike.

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston looks at how much the economy really matters when it comes to an election and if people vote based on their pay packets and tax breaks. Mandy is joined by Linda Daly of the Sunday Times and economist Dan O’Brien.

The Washington Post is dealing with a fallout from owner Jeff Bezos’s decision to block an endorsement of Vice President Kamala Harris for president. Mandy hears all from David Folkenflik of NPR.

Plus, Columbia professor Michael Morris argues that our tribal instincts are humanity’s secret weapon in his new book ‘Tribal: How the Cultural Instincts that Divide Us Can Help Bring Us Together’.

In the monthly Techscape slot on Taking Stock with thanks to PWC, Mandy Johnston looks at the strange history and future of Crypto Currencies.

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston gets to grips with the economic benefits and costs of having bank holidays when she talks to Edward Thomas Jones, Lecturer in Economics at Bangor University, who has looked at the global data on extra days off.

The US voting system is a complex one. Mandy talks to Sam Levine from the Guardian, who goes through the role of the electoral college system, how it was created and how it all works.

Plus, in our 'Techscape' Slot Mandy looks at the world of Crypto after the news that the Collison brothers are buying the US crypto platform Bridge,

This week on Taking Stock Mandy Johnston looks at house prices as more figures released this week saw more rising prices for home buyers. Mandy talks about access to credit for those who are trying to build homes when she talks to AJ Noonan of Rhonellen Developments and Donal MacNamee of the Business Post.

The UK is grappling with a concerning rise in youth inactivity, with the number of people aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training rising to over three quarters of a million. Mandy examines the causes with Amy Borret of the Financial Times who has been looking at this issue.

And as we reach the final furlong in the US Election Mandy talks to Caroline Vikal of the Hill about two wildly different campaigns from the Trump and Harris camps.