The Why? Curve

Thursday 29th April 2021

The retail landscape is changing, with us having relied more on deliveries and click and collect during the COVID crisis. Susannah Streeter from Hargreaves Lansdown tells Phil Dobbie how Sainsbury’s, who reported their annual earnings yesterday, has seen a big increase in online sales for Argos, as more people click and collect goods during their weekly shop. So, will we look to a similar online-instore hybrid approach to our shopping even when COIVD has gone? Mustafa Khanwala, CEO of MIshipay, explains how their scan and go product allows users more control of their shopping experience, and why he believes it is an important component of bringing people back to the High Street (and away from Amazon). 

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Tuesday 27th April 2021

The Independent’s Travel Editor Simon Calder joins phil Dobbie on today’s podcast to talk about the state of the travel industry in what is likely to be a very disappointing summer all round. Even though Ursula Von der Leyen has said the EU will open up to tourists who have had double vaccinations, it’ll take a while for a lot of the UK to meet that criteria, and there’s also the risk that travellers will face quarantine when they return to home. So, will airlines survive in the meantime? Most will, either by good management or, in the case of Alitalia, lots of propping up by the government.

Also today, briefly, Tesla’s earnings from yesterday, muddied by Elon Musk’s Bitcoin fixation. And a look at the morning’s papers, which are almost all fixated with Boris’ pile ‘em high comments.

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Monday 26th April 2021

Shares advisor Rodney Hobson is on It’s the Business today to discuss where the markets will go now? The FTSE100 lost one percent last week, which may not be a lot in the scheme of things, but it is hovering around the psychological 7000 barrier for the first time since the pandemic. Could it break through and rise higher on the back of all hopes of a summer of big spending, or could it hld back on fears of a delayed recovery as the rest of the world struggles with vaccine deployment and rising infection numbers? Rodney also suggests if inflation was to come back to bite, all the more reason to invest in shares sooner rather than later.

Also today, the Oscar winner for best picture, the inconsequence of a UK-Australia trade deal and expect to hear a lot more about Paula Vennells today.

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Wednesday 21st April 2021

This week Rishi Sunak launched support for banks to offers 95% mortgages. Why? House prices are out or near record highs, so is this a sector that needs government intervention. What’s worse, won’t it simply inflate prices even higher. Property commentator says Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are playing fast and loose with the property market.

Could they be encouraging people into low interest loans, with the prospect of rate rises a year or two down the track. Numbers from the ONS this morning show inflation remains low in the UK, but its rising, and producer prices are becoming a real concern. If those costs get passed on we could see consumer prices rising to the point where central banks have to move faster on interest rates.

The plans for a new Super League fell apart overnight. Football can stay as it was. But should it? Phil Dobbie asks sports broadcaster Jonny Gould what was wrong with the plans for a Super League. Couldn’t it bring new money into the game?

All that, and the rest of the business news, in a bumper edition. You’re welcome!

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Tuesday 20th April 2021

Three stories on today’s podcast. First, the latest employment data from the ONS, just out this morning. Phil Dobbie dissects it hot off the press.

Secondly, all the newspapers are filled with shock and awe over the Super League plans for six English football clubs, with the Prime Minister promising to do something about it. We ask, what’s it got to do with them, and is there a simple answer to this problem. If it is a problem.

Finally, Phil asks Kallum Pickering, Senior Economist at Berenberg Bank, whether the uK or the US has taken the best approach to guiding the economy through the pandemic. The UK furloughed workers, at the risk that some of the preserved jobs might no longer exist, post-pandemic. The US let their unemployment rate shot up, paying higher benefits in the interim.  Now all except the very rich are receiving their second stimulus payment to spend as they wish. Which approach makes the most sense. Listen and then you decide.

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Monday 19th April 2021

Bitcoin lost 15% yesterday. We know it’ll bounce back, but for how long. Maybe its worth considering what American billionaire Ray Dalio predicted last month, that Bitcoin would eventually be outlawed. We look at reasons why he might be right.

Also today, trade figures last week showed that the UK’s exports to the EU were still 20 percent down at the end of February. At an inquiry by the UK Trade and Business Commission last week Julian Jessop said the impact hadn’t been as bad as many had feared. Really? How bad were we expecting it to be?

And personal finance expert Jasmine Birtles, from MoneyMagpie.com, gives ideas for side hustles, from getting money from research companies to playing gambling companies at their own game. A fun start to the week with Jasmine!

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Thursday 15th April 2021

Cryptocurrency trading platform Coinbase listed on the NASDAQ yesterday. Almost immediately it pulled the value of tech stocks down, whilst the value of Bitcoin also dropped. Today Phil Dobbie asks whether Coinbase will become the defacto share trading indicator for the value of Bitcoin. Can Coinbase do well, for example, if Bitcoin is falling, and vice versa.

Also, as more of us work from home infrastructure providers are focusing more on Edge Computing. James Bourne, Editor in chief at TechForge media, explains what Edge Computing is, and how it relates to the cloud and other emerging technologies, including AI.

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Tuesday 13th April 2021

China saw its economy expand last year, whilst the rest of us saw significant declines. This year they are expected to outgrow the rest of the developed world even more so. to Vicky Pryce says China was expected to eclipse thew US economy by 2030, but now it could happen a couple of years sooner. That assumes we continue to trade with China to a greater extent that we do already. But how will that relationship cope with political pressures over human rights and territorial disputes.

Also today a first-look at the UK’s latest GDP figures – which were up for February - more on David Cameron’s government lobbying, vaccine numbers and Lord King’s strange ideas about killing off companies while they’re down.

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