

Taking Stock
Newstalk
Taking Stock takes a global view of the big business stories and the trends affecting the world economy. Listen and subscribe to Taking Stock on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 29, 2025 • 50min
Are Farmers Markets the most circular thing in our economy?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to Darina Allen of Ballymaloe Cookery School and Jack Spillane of Spillane World Markets about the economics of Farmers and Food Markets.Susan also looks at the economic impact of Ireland’s rising population when she talks to planning expert Conor Skehan and Professor of Geography at Maynooth University Mary Gilmartin.Plus, with the news that Germany are going to start giving each child 10 Euros to invest every month Susan talks to Olaf Storbeck of the Financial Times about Germany’s faltering economy.

Aug 22, 2025 • 44min
Is Ireland not as wealthy as headline GDP figures suggest?
This week on Taking Stock, Susan HayesCulleton speaks to Reuters reporter Ann Saphir about what’s going on at Jackson Hole and why the annual event is so important for global economics. With Electric Picnic coming into focus, Susan lifts the hood on the economics of music festivals with Conor Hughes, Business Director at Core Research.Plus, as 'The Economist' bluntly claims, Ireland is not rich. Susan gets the perspective of Kate English, Chief Economist with Deloitte Ireland & economist Jim Power.

Aug 15, 2025 • 49min
Defence spending surges: What does it mean for Europe?
This week on Taking Stock with Susan HayesCulleton: - Across Europe, defence spending is surging to levels not seen in decades. Declan Power, Security and Defence Analyst, joins Susan to discuss where defence spending goes, what it is preventing, and explore what the economic and policy implications may be for the bloc in the coming years. - We hear from Miri Rodriguez, the co-author of The Women of Microsoft: Stories of Innovation, a collection of voices from across the company that shine a light on resilience, creativity, and the ongoing challenges women face in tech. - Plus, as the Premier League kicks off, we’ll be diving into the macro and micro economics of one of the world’s biggest sporting juggernauts with James Reade, Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of Reading.

Aug 8, 2025 • 47min
Why are people swiping left on the whole idea of dating apps?
This week on Taking Stock with Susan HayesCulleton: - Following the publication of Revenue’s Taxation of Income from Social Media and Promotional Activities guidelines, Susan is joined by Mairead O’Driscoll, professional tax advisor, aka The Tax Nerd & Mark Corcoran, Marketing Manager at Taxback, to find out what it all means for content creators in Ireland. - We’ll be finding out how your brain and body hold the keys to leading smarter, not harder with Dr. Scott Hutcheson, author of Biohacking Leadership: Leveraging the Biology of Behavior to Maximize Your Impact. - Plus, we find out why online daters are swiping left on the whole idea of dating apps like Tinder & Bumble with Dr. Kathryn Coduto, Assistant Professor of Media Science at Boston University.

Aug 1, 2025 • 47min
The EU AI Act: Who is really winning the AI race?
This week on Taking Stock with Susan HayesCulleton:Sarah Collins, Brussels Correspondent with the Business Post & John Fitzgerald, Professor in the Department of Economics at Trinity College Dublin, join Susan to give their views on this week’s EU-US trade deal.Susan looks to find out more about the next phase of the EU AI Act that comes into force this week with John Callahan, President and CTO of Partsol.Plus, Aidan Donnelly, Head of Equities at Davy, talks US inflation, equities, and the dollar outlook.

Jul 25, 2025 • 49min
Where does the US Economy go next?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to David M Walker, a former Comptroller General of the United States, about the current state of American economics. Susan also looks at the economics of ‘food labelling’. Plus, Jamie Smyth of the Financial Times talks about Big Oil’s possible pivot back to fossil fuels.

Jul 18, 2025 • 50min
Do we have too many pubs?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton debates the future of the Pub and looks at the economic realities of running a pub in modern Ireland, when she talks to economist Colm McCarthy and Michael O'Donovan, President of Vintner's Federation of Ireland. Pilita Clark of the Financial Times looks at how the next financial crisis might look a lot different than what we might expect.Plus, Thomas Hubert of the Currency talks to Susan about what the Corporation Tax figures really mean.

Jul 11, 2025 • 50min
What makes a great CEO?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to Michael Aldous and John Turner, authors of 'CEO: The Rise and Fall of Britain’s Captains of Industry'. Susan talks to Daniel Murray of the Business Post about why Ireland has a Sovreign Wealth Fund and if economic ill winds might clip its wings. Plus, Kate English of Deloitte on how threatened Tariffs are impacting Global Stock Markets.

Jul 4, 2025 • 45min
The Economics of Being a Carer
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton looks at the economic realities of being a full-time carer when she talks to Majella Beattie from Care Champions as well as Jaimie Williams, Co-founder and Chair of the Phoenix Rising Network. Susan also hears about Big Tobacco and their continuing attempts to turn a profit when she talks to Clara Murray of the FT.Plus, Thomas Harr on his book 'The Great Inflation Resurgence'.

Jun 27, 2025 • 45min
Is the Ad Industry moving away from diversity and inclusion?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to Daniel Thomas of the Financial Times about how some advertising and marketing departments seem to be changing priorities in a changing world. Economist Dan O'Brien takes a look back at the financial crisis of 2008 and asks if we are repeating any of those mistakes today. Plus, Susan is joined by Dr Chinyere Almona from the Lagos Chamber of Commerce to look at the opportunity that Africa may pose for Irish Businesses.