Explore the power investors have to influence corporate decisions, the resilience of capitalism during crises, the rise of SPACs in the market, and the impact of interest rate changes on the economy. Dive into future economic events, the importance of rebalancing investment portfolios, and empowering investors to voice their opinions in businesses.

Merryn Somerset Webb, a senior columnist at Bloomberg and host of Merryn Talks Money, joins John and Rachel to dissect the Labour Party's first budget in 14 years. They explore the implications of tax hikes and increased spending on health and education. Merryn critiques the budget’s failure to stimulate economic growth while discussing the tensions between current fiscal policies and pre-election promises. The conversation also dives into the challenges facing the private sector and the ongoing political shifts post-COVID.

Join Gordon Black, an entrepreneur and former chairman of Peter Black Holdings, alongside Merryn Somerset Webb, a financial guru and founder of MoneyWeek. They delve into the imaginative world of British entrepreneurs, discussing everything from wonky fruits to pet supplements. Innovative products like a concussion-preventing headband and a smart walking cane for the visually impaired take center stage. The conversation shines a light on sustainability and the transformative power of creativity in consumer goods.

In this episode, Merryn Somerset Webb discusses value investing, nuclear energy, passive vs active investing, pension risks, and hypothetical scenarios for the London Stock Exchange and the Treasury. The hosts also explore the challenges of FOMO, the UK pension system, the rise of passive investing, and ways to optimize the UK markets.

Ruth Sunderland, the group business editor of the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday, asks industry leaders and thinkers about the purpose of companies. Should they be organisations designed to generate profits for the benefit of shareholders, or do they have a bigger role to play in society? What part do they play in environmental policy? Ruth investigates ESG investments, which claim to promote environmental, social and corporate governance best practice, and have become a trillion pound industry. Why has ESG become a flashpoint in the US political culture wars and could the same happen in the UK?Presenter: Ruth Sunderland Producer: Farhana Haider Editor: Clare Fordham Sound Engineer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Maria OgundeleContributors: Mark Goyder Founder, Tomorrows Company Euan Munro, Chief Executive, Newton Investment Management Merryn Somerset Webb, Senior Columnist at Bloomberg. Philip Gill, small Investor Giulia Chierchia, Executive Vice President for Strategy, Sustainability, and Ventures at BP Louise Oliver, Co-Founder, Piercefield Oliver Chartered Financial Planners Rachel, Small investor Dr Nina Seega, Director for the Centre for Sustainable Finance at the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership Tariq Fancy, Former Chief Investment officer for Sustainability Investing at BlackRock Witold Henisz, Vice Dean and faculty director of the ESG initiative at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania