Economics in business

What do the Middle East developments mean for UK businesses? - Ep34

PwC UK — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 15:35:57 +0000

April 2026

PwC UK Chief Economist Barret Kupelian is joined by Andy Haldane, Special Advisor to PwC UK, to unpack the latest developments in the Middle East and what they mean for UK businesses. They revisit the pre-escalation outlook, explore how rising geopolitical risk is feeding through into oil prices, supply chains, inflation and financial markets, and consider the implications for UK economic growth and monetary policy.
They also set out practical steps business leaders can take now to navigate heightened uncertainty with confidence.

For feedback or topic suggestions, get in touch with Barret at barret.g.kupelian@pwc.com.

Businesses, Budgets and Beyond: Looking ahead to 2026 - Ep33

PwC UK — Fri, 19 Dec 2025 16:15:04 +0000

In this final PwC Economics in Business Podcast of 2025, PwC UK Economics Leader Simon Oates and UK Chief Economist Barret Kupelian take stock after the dust has settled on the UK Budget. They unpack what a thicker fiscal headroom really signals for economic stability and how recent policy changes are reshaping business decisions and the labour market as firms look ahead to 2026. Barret also shares some of his economic predictions for next year, from US monetary policy and tariffs to the risk of an AI-driven market revaluation.

Caution Takes the Wheel: Households Save, Debt Mounts, Choices Narrow - Ep32

PwC UK — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:37:08 +0000

With households saving more and uncertainty rising, UK growth remains mediocre. In this episode from the PwC Economics team, Barret Kupelian Chief Economist and Andy Haldane Special Advisor speak to Simon Oates, UK Economics Leader on their latest thoughts on the economy, why households are saving and weigh on the Chancellor's high-level fiscal options for the Autumn Budget. They are also joined by Fatos Koc from the OECD on a fascinating discussion on global public debt levels.

Unlocking UK Growth: From Wages to Productivity with Simon Oates, Barret Kupelian & Andy Haldane - Ep31

PwC UK — Fri, 27 Jun 2025 09:51:01 +0000

Hosted by Simon Oates, Leader of Economics at PwC UK, this episode of Economics in Business brings you a data-driven exploration of the UK economy’s brightest levers and its toughest hurdles. Join Simon as he challenges:

Barret Kupelian, PwC’s Chief Economist UK, on why real wages are rising faster than wallets feel—and what it means for consumer demand.

Andy Haldane, PwC Special Advisor and former Bank of England Chief Economist, on the sharp contrast between sluggish goods exports and booming services—and the policy choices ahead.

Together, they dissect:

Rising pay packets vs. muted spending
The goods vs. services export boom
Britain’s decade long productivity puzzle

Women in Work 2024 - Ep30

PwC UK — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 12:51:05 +0000

While women's participation in labour markets is increasing, they continue to face pay disparities compared to men. In this episode, host Ellie Golden is joined by Alia Qamar and Yashi Chowdhary, Economists at PwC, to dive deeper into the findings of the Women in Work 2024 report. The speakers outline the standout findings, the drivers of the gender pay gap in the UK, and why this is so important.

UK Economic Outlook - Ep29

PwC UK — Wed, 15 Nov 2023 16:15:30 +0000

Are we out of the woods yet? In this podcast, Ellie Golden hosts our UK Chief Economist Barret Kupelian, along with Jake Finney, a manager in our Economics team, to discuss their views on the macroeconomic outlook and the reports special article, which offers a holistic evaluation on undergraduate degrees. The speaker's outline their views on GDP growth, the outlook on headline inflation and what recent geopolitical developments could mean for domestic prices in the UK.

The future of free school meals - Ep28

PwC UK — Tue, 20 Jun 2023 10:29:15 +0000

Free school meals can have a great impact on both children and wider society. Join us as we discuss the potential expansion of free school meals in England, looking at who currently receives them, what the potential benefits to children and society are from expanding this policy, and what we expect to happen next.

Using behavioural economics to help your employees adopt new workplace technologies - Ep27

PwC UK — Tue, 02 May 2023 14:30:55 +0000

Overall success is heavily dependent on effective employee adoption, and without this, businesses struggle to see the true benefits of their time and financial investments. So, what insights can behavioural economics provide to help navigate change and get good habits to stick? And how did we apply these insights in practice to drive an 81% increase in employee adoption of technology within 2 months?

Women in work: making the transition to net zero fair for all - Ep26

PwC UK — Wed, 30 Nov 2022 10:30:52 +0000

Action on net zero is a central tenet of governments, businesses and policy makers around the world, but what are the implications for women in the workplace? What lessons have we learned from COVID-19 that we can carry forward to make sure all women, especially those with childcare responsibilities and those from ethnic minorities, are better placed for the transition to net zero? In this episode, host Vayana Skabrin is joined by Priyanka Kanani and Divya Sridhar, Economists at PwC, to dive deeper into some of the more social and environmental angles of the 10th Women in Work Index.

Actions speak louder than words: Why Behavioural Segmentation is so powerful at driving customer value. - Ep25

PwC UK — Mon, 06 Dec 2021 13:51:14 +0000

Are you value-sensitive or time-sensitive? Active or dormant? Proactive or a procrastinator? These questions are at the heart of Behavioural Segmentation, an approach to segmentation that makes nudges significantly more effective at influencing behaviour. The integration of behavioural science into customer insight is proving to be a powerful accelerator for businesses to understand their customers and, more importantly, use that insight to drive value for them and their customers alike.

To discuss how putting these approaches helped Sage increase customer satisfaction and reduce churn, host Freddie Martin is joined in the studio by Suresh Natarajan, who leads the PwC Behavioural Economics practice, and Brian Wall, Director of retention at Sage.

Link to our previous Behavioural Economics episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/economics-in-business/id1231389294?mt=2

Link to the PwC Behavioural Economics site, where you can learn more about how PwC can help you harness the power of Behavioural Economics:

https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/economics/behavioural-economics.html

The global green skills agenda: How to make the green transition work for all - Ep24

PwC UK — Thu, 17 Jun 2021 08:59:19 +0000

Building back greener is now an urgent imperative, but how can policymakers ensure that the green transition works for all countries and all people? In this episode, Hannah Audino talks to Zlatina Loudjeva and Jack Steenson from PwC's International Development team about the benefits and challenges of the green skills agenda and what policymakers can do to prevent widening global inequalities. For more information, visit PwC's Future of Work campaign and our Upskilling for Shared Prosperity report with the World Economic Forum.

Economics in Business Asks: Is inflation going to make a comeback? - bonus episode

PwC UK — Tue, 09 Mar 2021 06:00:00 +0000

After a year of low inflation across the UK, US and the eurozone, economists are now turning to the question of whether inflation might make a comeback this year, as economies recover from the pandemic. In this bonus episode, Hannah Audino and Barret Kupelian, economists at PwC, explore the outlook for inflation this year, focusing on the US and considering the implications for the UK. For more information on our latest UK Economic Outlook, head to https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/economics/insights/uk-economic-update-covid-19.html

Good Growth for Cities: Economic wellbeing in a post-COVID world - Ep23

PwC UK — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 14:41:35 +0000

In this episode, Freddie Martin discusses the results of PwC's latest Good Growth for Cities index with George Mason, an economist at PwC, and James Bowman, a South-East and London PwC Consulting partner specialising in local government transformation. Ten years after its launch, and as we recover from another global crisis, we reflect on what economic wellbeing really means, and how policymakers can support levelling up for the recovery across the UK's regions.

For the full results of the report visit our dedicated site.

You can listen to the Business in Focus podcast on Good Growth for Cities and local recovery strategies on the PwC site, iTunes or Spotify.

From the Great Lockdown to the Great Round: Our global economic predictions for 2021 - Ep22

PwC UK — Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:45:00 +0000

Projecting what the future holds is an important exercise for businesses and governments looking to plan ahead. In this podcast, Hannah Audino speaks to Barret Kupelian and Rob Clarry from PwC's Economics team to discuss the key trends we expect to come to the fore in the global economy in the year to come. You can read more in our latest Global Economy Watch: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/research-insights/economy/global-economy-watch/predictions-2021.html

Time for Trust: How blockchain will transform business and the economy - Ep21

PwC UK — Thu, 10 Dec 2020 13:07:09 +0000

In this episode our co-host Freddie Martin is joined by Steve Davies, PwC's Global Blockchain leader, and Jonathan Gillham, who leads PwC UK's Economics team, to discuss blockchain, the technology that is revolutionising how we share and store data, with the potential to add an estimated $1.76 trillion to the global economy by 2030.

To find out more, please visit PwC's blockchain page, where you can download a copy of our 'Time for Trust' report and explore the results of the analysis mentioned in this episode: https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/industries/technology/publications/blockchain-report-transform-business-economy.html

Seeing is Believing: Understanding the economic potential of VR and AR - Ep20

PwC UK — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 06:00:00 +0000

Virtual and Augmented reality were once seen as the domain of the entertainment industry, used mainly in gaming and social media. However, as these technologies have developed and the number of use cases have grown, an increasing number of sectors, from health services to product development, are beginning to harness the potential of VR and AR. Jeremy Dalton, a VR and AR specialist, and Ryan Hamilton, a PwC economist, join Freddie Martin in the studio to discuss the impact that VR and AR will have on the UK economy and give advice for businesses looking to adopt these technologies.

To find out more, please visit PwC's virtual reality page, where you can download a copy of our 'Seeing is Believing' report and explore the results of the analysis mentioned in this episode: https://www.pwc.co.uk/issues/intelligent-digital/virtual-reality-vr.html
If you’d like more information on the solutions VR and AR are providing throughout the COVID-19 crisis, you can listen to ‘PwC’s Business in Focus podcast’ episode with Jeremy here: https://pwc.to/2AEDUPu

Reflections on the UK economy with John Hawksworth - Ep19

PwC UK — Tue, 19 May 2020 16:30:00 +0000

In this episode, we talk to our outgoing Chief Economist John Hawksworth, to mark his retirement after 34 years with the firm. John reflects on the development of the UK economy over the past four decades - the key trends, challenges and lessons learnt. We discuss the opportunities facing the UK economy and also touch upon the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The importance of capturing wider wellbeing benefits in public sector investment decisions - Ep18

PwC UK — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 09:00:00 +0000

Governments and other public sector bodies are under increasing scrutiny from taxpayers to demonstrate that investment of government resources represents good value for money for society. This means that it is no longer enough to look at the traditionally monetised economic benefits but it is also important to capture wider impacts on society. In this podcast, Hannah Audino talks to Ioanna Sikiaridi and Alisha Kapoor, strategy consultants at PwC, to understand how they use economics and strategy to help public sector organisations integrate wider impacts - economic, environmental, social - when developing their strategy and making investment decisions.

How can impact-driven strategies help companies be sustainable? - Ep17

PwC UK — Thu, 23 Jan 2020 12:47:00 +0000

Values in society are being reassessed, external stakeholders are gaining more influence and Government policy and regulation are changing. We are now seeing customers and employees wanting to engage with companies that share their values and are increasingly demanding companies to demonstrate their positive contribution to society. In this podcast, we talk to Ioanna Sikiaridi and Priya Ravidran, strategy consultants at PwC, to understand how they use economics and strategy to help companies understand their impact on consumers and wider society, communicate to their stakeholders and integrate impact within their strategy to sustain long-term growth. You can find out more at https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/economics-policy/total-impact-and-measurement.html.

Skies Without Limits - The Impact of Drones on the UK Economy - Ep16

PwC UK — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 16:47:00 +0000

In this podcast, we discuss the potential impact of drones on the UK economy, drawing on findings from PwC's "Skies without limits" report. We discuss the benefits and the risks of increasing drone uptake across industries, and how governments and businesses can best utilise drones to increase productivity and realise net cost savings of a potential £16bn to the UK by 2030.

How AI can enable a sustainable future - Ep15

PwC UK — Wed, 16 Oct 2019 14:31:00 +0000

In April of this year PwC published a groundbreaking report, commissioned by Microsoft, which estimated the potential economic and environmental benefits of using AI technology to address climate change and promote sustainability. The report found that using AI applications across four sectors (agriculture, water, energy and transport) could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 4% in 2030 and contribute up to $5.2 trillion to the global economy. In this episode we are joined by two of the economists behind this analysis, Saloni Goel and Edmond Lee, to discuss these results in more detail and the implications they have for businesses and policymakers globally. Follow the link below see the full report and explore the data further using Microsoft’s Power BI dashboard: https://www.pwc.co.uk/services/sustainability-climate-change/insights/how-ai-future-can-enable-sustainable-future.html

How can the UK harness the full potential of its labour force? - Ep14

PwC UK — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 10:51:00 +0000

UK employment levels are at record highs, but is there more that we can do to encourage further participation in the workforce and what are the potential gains to be made? In this episode we talk to John Hawksworth, chief economist at PwC, about the UK's current labour market performance and what lessons we can learn from other OECD countries about harnessing the potential of three key demographic groups - women, under 25s and over 55s. The analysis discussed in this episode comes from article 4 of the July edition of PwC's UK Economic Outlook Report, which can be found here: https://www.pwc.co.uk/economic-services/ukeo/ukeo-july2019.pdf

What is the impact of Euroclearability? - Ep13

PwC UK — Thu, 11 Jul 2019 15:58:00 +0000

We discuss the benefits for emerging capital markets becoming "Euroclearable" and the resulting economic impacts. If you'd like to read more, our full report is available at https://www.euroclear.com/newsandinsights/en/press/2019/2019_mr-04-PWCWhitepaper.html

The global economy: predictions for 2019 - Ep12

PwC UK — Fri, 01 Feb 2019 15:23:00 +0000

Our economists discuss the key themes emerging for the year ahead and their impact on the global economy - including a slowdown in global economic growth, workers and wages, and trade conflicts.

The UK economy - the long-term view - Ep11

PwC UK — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 05:30:00 +0000

What's ahead for the future of the UK economy? Looking in particular at GDP and debt, we consider historical and current trends to take a long-term view on the outlook for the UK economy.

How have banks responded to post-crisis regulation? - EP10

PwC UK — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 05:30:00 +0000

After the financial crisis, banks were subjected to a global overhaul of the entire regulatory system. 10 years down the line, Nick Forrest, head of our Financial Economics team explains how this has actually affected banks, and the banking sector as a whole. Read more in our report with AFME.

Why is wage growth sluggish? - Ep9

PwC UK — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 14:53:00 +0000

Labour markets in most advanced economies have (almost) never been better - but wages haven't really picked up. Our Senior Economist, Barret Kupelian, explains what's driving this disparity and what it could mean for businesses.

How can companies benefit from Behavioural Economics? - Ep8

PwC UK — Wed, 11 Apr 2018 09:25:00 +0000

Organisations are increasingly using Behavioural Economics (BE) to improve the way they interact with customers by better understanding their behaviour. Suresh Natarajan, who leads our BE practice joins Laura to share his experiences of using BE to help clients, and his views on where the field may be headed.

Helping companies conquer country risk - Ep7

PwC UK — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 17:30:00 +0000

In an era of geopolitical transformation, what do financial markets tell us about country risk premia? The answer may surprise you. Economist Rob Vaughan shares the latest trends from PwC's country risk premium model, and how this insight can help companies manage country risk.

What's the economic cost of natural disasters? - Ep6

PwC UK — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 17:30:00 +0000

Economist James Loughridge joins our host Laura Gatz to explain what our latest research can tell us about what's happening to the frequency and cost of natural disasters, and how this impacts an economy

A vision for 2025 - using Economics to devise a Financial Services Strategy for the UK - Ep5

PwC UK — Tue, 14 Nov 2017 09:30:00 +0000

Nick Forrest, our Head of Financial Services in Economic Consulting, discusses with new host Laura Gatz-Schulz how he and his team used economic principles and methods to help The CityUK develop a strategy for the Financial Services Sector.

How will automation impact jobs? - Ep4

PwC UK — Mon, 07 Aug 2017 09:30:00 +0000

John Hawksworth, Chief Economist at PwC UK, talks about our recent research analysing the impact of automation on jobs in the UK and other OECD countries. We explore which industries and types of workers are likely to be most affected, but also consider the potential job and productivity gains from technological progress.

What's next for UK interest rates? - Ep3

PwC UK — Mon, 10 Jul 2017 09:30:00 +0000

With inflation rapidly on the rise and the US Federal Reserve continuing to raise rates, could we see an increase in UK interest rates this year? We put this question to Andrew Sentance, Senior Economic Adviser at PwC, and discuss the wider outlook for monetary policy in the UK in this economics podcast.

Closing the gender pay gap: the potential $2 trillion prize - Ep2

PwC UK — Tue, 16 May 2017 09:30:00 +0000

We're joined by economists Jing Teow and Shivangi Jain to explore which OECD countries have made the greatest progress in closing their gender pay gaps and discuss what governments and businesses can do to speed up this progress.

Beyond the BRICs: Where do the pockets of opportunity lie? - Ep 1

PwC UK — Fri, 28 Apr 2017 17:30:00 +0000

Welcome to the first in our series of Economics in business podcasts. Barret Kupelian, senior economist, shares his views on which mid-sized economies businesses should be looking at to expand their international footprint.