Red box day

Sean Farrington hears from economists, experts, and businesses for their Budget reaction. Elsewhere, he asks what earnings from Alphabet and Microsoft tell us about investor sentiment around tech and AI.

On the day of John Healey's first budget as Chancellor, we hear from businesses, economists, and listeners on what might be inside this afternoon's red box.And Harry Kane is the winner of this year's Ballon d'Or, awarded to the world's best football player. What does his achievement mean for the brands who sponsor him?

The government has just announced a range of 'everyday fixes' designed with the hard-up consumer in mind. But is extending parental pay, offering higher mileage rates and potentially lowering the price of a tin of baked beans a serious measure to counter the cost of living - or a sweetener ahead of harder news in the budget? And we speak to a business rates expert and a hotelier to find out what the budget has in store for the hard-pressed hospitality sector. And everybody needs good Neighbours. But do they really need AI-generated one-minute-long 'microdramas' of the Australian soap saga? Sean Farrington takes a very brief trip to Ramsay Street to find out.

With the budget only days away, Will Bain speaks to experts about what's likely to happen in two of the most talked about sectors of the economy: banking and the defence industry, with the former anticipating tax rises, the latter a spending boost. And Europe's busiest shopping street goes car-free this week. Oxford Street's shopping champion tells us why he thinks pedestrianising a kilometre stretch of London's top retail destination will help it win back some of its glamour.

Will Bain asks what next for electric car sales in the UK as a consultation on the ZEV mandate ends.Elsewhere, ticket sales for a documentary on Elizabeth Holmes are already selling quickly ahead of the release in the UK. And in our weekly panel, we round up a big week for business news including the latest economic data and rising AI spending.

Sean Farrington explores what scrapping standing charges on gas bills could mean for households. We also look at why websites worldwide were taken down to address critical cyber-security vulnerabilities in in a crucial programming language. And, over in the US, Meta has received millions of sign-ups for its AI agent. We get the lowdown on how these digital assistants actually work.

Sean Farrington hears from both sides of the Jackdaw gas field debate as a decision is expected to finally be made. We'll be hearing perspectives from both local voices on the potential impact on local jobs and industry, as well as the investors who want the government to keep its messaging clear on the environment.Also the home entertainment giant Netflix reveals its worst revenues in three years, as it also lowers its forecast for next quarter. We find out what could the streaming service do to turn it around?And Cambridge is seeing huge growth in investment in its early-stage companies. We speak to one company that made it to a billion-dollar valuation earlier this year.

Private car park operators will have less scope to charge drivers for certain mistakes under new government measures announced this morning - Sean Farrington speaks to the AA's head of roads policy on whether the new changes go far enough.Less than 18 months after the discount supermarket Poundland was sold for one pound, talks are ongoing for it to be sold again. What could this mean for the jobs and future of the retailer?And proposals to charge the TV licence fee to people who use streaming platforms like YouTube and Netflix are reportedly under consideration. The manager behind one of YouTube's biggest successes speaks to Wake Up to Money.

As France rues a weekend of peaceful protests that turned ugly, we talk to an economist in Paris about the cost of living concerns that have driven people out on to the streets. And we'll be asking if a contract for the UK's space defence programme is in the best interests of the industry. Also, the Manchester tech firm which is bringing football pundits closer to the action than ever before.

Apple opens pre-orders for its iPhone Duo and announces a move into the smart home tech market. But will the company's new direction bear fruit? Also, as the Environment Agency declares severe drought for areas of southern England, we speak to a farmer about what continuing water shortages mean for his business. And we find out what's behind the slump in AI stock and all the week's business stories with our regular panel of experts.