

Taking Stock
Newstalk
Taking Stock takes a global view of the big business stories and the trends affecting the world economy. CONVERSATION THAT COUNTS | Ireland’s national independent talk station for news, sport, analysis and entertainmentListen to Newstalk at http://newstalk.com/listenlive | Download the GoLoud app now, the new home for Newstalk
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 5, 2025 • 46min
Healthy and Unhealthy Economics
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton looks at the projection by the WHO that global obesity levels will double by 2030 when she talks to Eric Finkelstein, Professor of Health Services Research and Population Health at Duke-NUS Medical School.Staying with health she is joined by Conor Pope of the Irish Times to look at why more people are taking out health insurance despite the rising costs.Plus, who are ‘Generation Alpha’? Susan talks to Professor Joe Nellis, economic adviser to Baker Tilly Ireland, about the generation born since 2010 and how they differ to all who have gone before.

Nov 28, 2025 • 49min
The financial implications of divorce & what bitcoin's woes tell us about the wider market
This week on Taking Stock, Susan Hayes Culleton looks at the financial and legal implications of deciding to separate. Keith Walsh of Keith Walsh Solicitors & Nick Charalambous, Managing Director with Alpha Wealth, join Susan to discuss.Is cryptocurrency the new bellwether for problems in the stock market? Joining Susuan to discuss is Kate Martin, Markets Columnist at the Financial Times.Plus, Katy Balls, Washington Editor and Columnist with The Times and Sunday Times, outlines how Donald Trump’s biggest problem is sitting in the data centres of Silicon Valley.

Nov 22, 2025 • 13min
Techscape - Is AI replacing coding?
This week on the monthly 'Techscape' slot on Taking Stock with thanks to Renault, Susan is joined by tech journalist Andy O'Donoghue to look at how AI is changing the business of coding.

Nov 21, 2025 • 46min
Night-Time economics, the World Bank and the death of coding.
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton looks at Night-Time economies here in Ireland and elsewhere around the world when she talks to Ray O’Donoghue, Dublin’s Night-Time Economy Advisor and Jo Cox Brown, CEO of Night Time Economy Solutions.In the monthly Techscape slot Susan talks to Tech Expert Andy O'Donoghue about how we are now in a 'low-code/no-code' world where AI is capable of doing lots of our coding. Plus, with the news of Pascal Donohoe is to take up a new job at the World Bank, Susan talks to economist Jim Power about what the Bank actually does and what its value is.

Nov 14, 2025 • 46min
The economics of cruises, Singles’ Day and Trump vs the BBC.
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton looks at the global cruise ship market when she talks to Paul Hackett of Click and Go. Susan also looks at the growing popularity of Singles’ Day and how it's becoming a retail phenomenon when she talks to Money Expert Kel Galavan. Plus, considering the recent management crisis at the BBC, Susan talks to Professor Steven Barnett of the University of Westminster and asks if it’s time for a new funding model for the Beeb.

Nov 7, 2025 • 46min
Have we reached 'Peak' Ireland?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to Harry Halem who is Senior Research Fellow in the National Security Unit at Policy Exchange and is the author of a controversial paper that claims Ireland has reached its peak and other countries need to take note! Susan also looks at how the global 'chocolate' market is changing due to pressure on cocoa farmers when she talks to Dr. Kristy Leissle, Founder & CEO of African Cocoa Marketplace.Plus, with the longest government shutdown ever taking place in the US, Susan talks to Will Hodgson of the FT in Washington about what it's doing to the world's biggest economy.

Oct 31, 2025 • 45min
Video Game Wars and Never-Ending Tarriff Talk
This week on Taking Stock, Mandy Jonston sits in for Susan and is joined by Russ Mould of AJ Bell to look at just how troublesome or not President Trump’s tariffs have been to global markets.Mandy talks to tech journalist Chris Stokel-Walker about Nvidia now being the world’s most valuable company.Plus, we enter the Video Game ‘Wars’ when Mandy talks to Olivia Fahy of Geek Ireland about which console maker is proving the most popular with gamers.

Oct 24, 2025 • 47min
Time to kill the car?
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to Arthur Kay, co-author of ‘Roadkill: Unveiling the True Cost of Our Toxic Relationship with Cars.’ Susan is also joined by Mairéad O'Driscoll, professional tax advisor AKA The Tax Nerd, to look at how to minimize your Capital Gains Tax and what you might be liable for. Plus, we hear about the incredible business journey of the much-loved toy that is LEGO.

Oct 17, 2025 • 52min
Taylormaking: What Brands Can Learn from Taylor Swift.
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton talks to Ken Hughes the author of ‘Taylormaking: A New Era of Modern Branding and Customer Connection’ which explores what we can learn from Taylor Swift’s unique ability to build loyalty, intimacy, and emotional connection with her fans — and translates that into a playbook for modern business. Susan asks what is behind this rise of Silver, and does it have the same strategic ‘power’ as Gold? She is joined by Edel Tully, the Director of Financial Services at the London Bullion Market Association. Plus, with news that the German government is trying to incentivize retirees to work longer, Susan talks to Economist Austin Hughes and Caroline Reidy of the HR Suite about the changing demographics around ‘Retirment’.

Oct 10, 2025 • 47min
Peak Social Media, Firey French Economics and a Changing Mortgage Landscape
This week on Taking Stock Susan Hayes Culleton looks at the growing trend of people tuning away from social media when she talks to regular tech contributors Chris Stokel-Walker and Elaine Burke. With France going through more political and economic turmoil, Susan is joined by Mike O’Sullivan, author of The Levelling.Plus, with more mortgage providers entering the market, Susan talks to Michael Dowling from Irish Mortgage Brokers about how the market might be changing.


