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AJ Bell Money & Markets

Business & Economics Podcasts

Bringing you the latest personal finance and stock market insights

Location:

United States

Description:

Bringing you the latest personal finance and stock market insights

Language:

English


Episodes

Natwest sale, Trump’s float, Waspi update and new first-time buyer mortgage

3/28/2024
On this week’s podcast we’ve got disappointing updates from both Lululemon and Nike, signalling that perhaps the athleisure trend is coming to an end. We’ve also got news on the Government’s sale of Natwest and a deep-dive on Apple from our friends at Shares magazine. Trump has been dominating the headlines ahead of the US election, but he’s hit them for a different reason now: his media business has floated on the stock market – we cover how the float went. And our interview this week is with Ewan Markson-Brown from the Crux Asia ex-Japan Fund, who explains why he’s excited about prospects for the electric vehicle sector. Looking away from markets, we have an update on the Waspi campaign, and whether they are really likely to be in line for £10bn in compensation, and we have details of a new mortgage for first-time buyers that only requires a £5,000 deposit. Finally, we look at some news on how all our supermarket shopping habits have changed – and why we are opting for pricier brands. And cover another drop in food inflation – which might spell good news for overall inflation figures.

Duration:00:52:16

Rate cut optimism, Scottish Mortgage manager speaks, Nvidia’s big move and how to get the most out of ISAs

3/22/2024
On this week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Danni Hewson and Charlene Young dig through the latest UK inflation figures and bring you up to date on market reaction to central bank rate decisions. They also chat about Unilever’s decision to spin off its ice cream empire, Nvidia’s continued moves to dominate the AI sector and the Chancellor’s comments that the pension triple lock will need to be looked at again after the next election. Dan Coatsworth gives us a sneaky peak into what’s in the baskets of ISA millionaires as well as where investors have been investing their ISA money over the past few months. Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust is always a firm favourite in ISAs but it’s had a tricky run of late. Danni chats to deputy manager Laurence Burns about why he feels it has turned a corner. Laura Suter gets out her spreadsheet to show how a Lifetime ISA can help first-time buyers shave years off the slog to get a house deposit together. With some parents about to get a child benefit windfall thanks to the raising of high-income thresholds, Charlene explains how a Junior ISA can help you turn that into a chunky nest egg for your kids.

Duration:00:52:12

The rise of Temu, where next for inflation and interest rates, and a probe into pet care costs

3/14/2024
On this episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast we explore the rise of Chinese e-commerce platform Temu and how it is taking the retail sector by storm. Dan Coatsworth talks to Ewan Markson-Brown from the Crux Asia ex-Japan Fund about why he invests in Temu’s owner PDD and why Donald Trump’s presidential comeback attempt has weighed on the company’s share price. AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould considers the latest inflation figures and what central banks might do next with rates. Danni Hewson explores the growing cost of vet bills and why concerns by the UK competition watchdog have led to a formal investigation of the sector including whether consumers are being overcharged for medicine and prescriptions. Dan considers the latest results from Domino’s Pizza and Dollar Tree and what they tell us about the state of the UK and US consumer. He also looks at new figures showing a decline in Cash ISA subscriptions, while Danni explores big changes to the basket of goods used to calculate UK inflation.

Duration:00:48:12

Budget special: tax cuts, pros and cons of the new British ISA, and good news for parents

3/6/2024
This week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast examines what the UK government’s latest Budget means for you and your money. Danni Hewson considers the OBR’s new economic forecasts and the market reaction to the Budget. Dan Coatsworth explores the new British ISA, how it might work and why it is not the perfect solution to getting more people interested in investing and supporting UK businesses. Pensions news was thin on the ground in the Budget but Charlene Young has found some nuggets worth digesting. Also on the podcast: good news for parents looking for help meeting the cost of childcare and changes to capital gains tax on the sale of second homes. The team also discuss how the UK government has confirmed plans to push ahead with the sale of its stake in NatWest by summer at the earliest.

Duration:00:31:19

Investment trust show #2. What to do if a fund manager underperforms, getting under the bonnet of Nick Train’s Finsbury Growth & Income, and why so many trusts are merging

3/4/2024
Welcome to the second in a new series of bonus podcasts from the AJ Bell Money & Markets team all about investment trusts. Published at the start of each month, the bonus podcast features a range of topics with investment experts and fund managers, with each episode debating some of the most popular trusts with retail investors, the big topics that matter, and a little bit of educational material to get listeners up to speed. This episode focuses on underperforming fund managers and mergers. Should you pay a fund manager to try and outperform or use a low-cost tracker fund that simply follows the market and doesn’t try to beat it? It’s a key conundrum for investors, particularly as many big-name fund managers have lagged the market in recent years. Dan Coatsworth debates this topic with Stuart Gray, co-portfolio manager at Alliance Trust. Nick Train-managed Finsbury Growth & Income is among the trusts that have underperformed over the past three years so Ian Conway and Steven Frazer from Shares magazine are on the podcast to discuss what the trust is trying to do and whether there are flaws to its strategy. Shares magazine’s Tom Sieber also joins the podcast to talk about an investment trust that is shooting for the moon as it hopes to make money from investing in space. So far, Seraphim Space Investment Trust has delivered poor returns for shareholders who invested at its stock market debut in 2021. Dan chats with James Carthew, head of investment company research at QuotedData, about the growing trend for mergers in the investment trust space. We’ve also got Laith Khalaf to run through what it means if one of the trusts in your portfolio goes through a merger, takeover or decides to be shut down.

Duration:00:42:56

Housebuilders under scrutiny of watchdog, tech stocks in focus and why Disney’s in the doldrums

2/29/2024
On this week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast Danni is joined by new host, AJ Bell’s pensions and savings expert Charlene Young. The pair discuss the CMA’s announcement that it is investigating whether eight UK housebuilders including Barratt and Taylor Wimpey have been sharing commercially sensitive information that could have affected house prices. Danni digs into whether Shein’s consideration of a London listing comes with warning signs and whether a bidding war could be about to start for electrical retailer Currys. Charlene considers warnings by the IFS that the Chancellor must prove any tax cuts are affordable, and the good news that food price inflation is finally falling. Dan Coatsworth has been chatting to a couple of people who know tech stocks inside out AND backwards – we’ll hear from Maneesh Bajaj from Brown Advisory’s US Flexible Equity Fund which is invested in most of the Magnificent Seven. Now the dust has settled, we’ve brought back George Dent from BNY Mellon Long-Term Global Equity Fund to talk about semiconductors. Tom Sieber from Shares magazine also joins the show to consider if Disney has really lost its way.

Duration:00:55:41

Nvidia soars, HSBC sinks after China hit, Fundsmith’s Terry Smith talks weight loss drugs, and former Dragon Sarah Willingham on tough time for hospitality

2/22/2024
On this week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson dig into Nvidia’s barnstorming results which have put a rocket under stock markets, including new record highs in Japan and Europe. It was a mixed picture for UK banks with HSBC shares plummeting the most since the pandemic after a cocktail of negative factors in its results. The team also weigh up the key points from Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest from their latest results. Dan chats to Fundsmith Equity Fund manager Terry Smith and head of research Julian Robins about why they are excited by a certain stock in the pharmaceutical sector as weight-loss drugs take off. Danni catches up with former Dragon Sarah Willingham and her husband Michael Toxvaerd about expanding their Nightcap empire at a time that hospitality is struggling. The podcast team also discuss the potential headroom in the Chancellors’ budget which could give the green light to pre-election tax cuts, why the governor of the Bank of England thinks the UK recession is already behind us, and the new bank notes featuring King Charles coming to a wallet near you in the next few months.

Duration:00:55:58

Everything you need to know about Microsoft, the big Nvidia versus Arm challenge, and what the latest inflation and GDP figures mean for interest rate cuts

2/16/2024
There is a big tech theme running through this week’s edition of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast. Dan Coatsworth explains how investors have been piling into Arm Holdings as a new way to play the artificial intelligence theme, while Nvidia has leapfrogged Alphabet to become the third largest company on Wall Street by market value. This week’s special guest is George Dent who is part of the investment team managing the BNY Mellon Long-Term Global Equity Fund. He gives a fascinating interview about everything to do with Microsoft and why it remains so popular with investors. We’ve had a wealth of new data on inflation and the economy which have significant implications for the direction of interest rates. Laith Khalaf examines the data and what might happen next for savers, borrowers and investors. Dan considers what The Body Shop’s UK operations going into administration means for shoppers and the retail sector. Laith talks through the reasons behind Bitcoin rising above the $50,000 level and he also reveals the steps investors are taking to avoid losing more of their gains to the taxman from 6 April.

Duration:00:40:01

Magnificent Seven updates, McDonald’s, US dividend investing and why your retirement pot might need to get bigger

2/8/2024
On today’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast we’ll be diving into the latest market moves, including how McDonald’s has been hit by the Middle East conflict and how oil price falls have had a knock-on effect on BP, Shell and Total Energies profits. We’ve also got a round-up of the updates we had from some of the Magnificent 7 last week, including Apple, Amazon and Meta. Our interview this week is with seasoned US investor Daniel Peris, who has over two decades of experience as a dividend-focused portfolio manager in the US. He is talking all about how investors in the States have shifted away from a dividend focus – and why that might be about to change. And finally, Laura will be bringing you some news on why you might need more in your retirement pot than you initially thought, as a new report out this week found that the amount we all need to live on in retirement has increased dramatically.

Duration:00:47:54

Investment trust show #1. Future of Scottish Mortgage, sources of generous income, finding bargains and why smaller companies could have a good year

2/5/2024
Welcome to the first in a new series of bonus podcasts from the AJ Bell Money & Markets team. If you’re a fan of investment trusts, you’re going to love it. And if you don’t know what they are and just want to hear interesting stuff about markets, companies and investing in general, you’ll also find loads of great stuff. Published at the start of each month, the bonus podcast series will feature a range of topics with investment experts and fund managers, with each episode debating some of the most popular trusts with retail investors, the big topics that matter, and a little bit of educational material to get listeners up to speed. To kick things off, this episode focuses on income, bargains, technology and smaller companies. Laura Suter chats with Paul Angell from AJ Bell about how plenty of investment trusts offer a decent income stream. Paul reveals all the key things you need to consider when researching potential investments in this space and highlights three trusts with interesting characteristics. The ability to buy a portfolio of shares or bonds for less than they are worth is a key attribute of many investment trusts. Dan Coatsworth talks to Emma Bird from Winterflood about these discounts and why they exist. Tom Sieber and Steve Frazer from Shares magazine get under the bonnet of Scottish Mortgage, an £11 billion investment trust which has tested shareholders’ patience in recent years. They explain why it became popular, why the share price has been through a bad patch, and what to expect from the trust going forward. Finally, Dan chats with Stuart Widdowson from Odyssean Investment Trust about the outlook for UK-listed smaller companies and why 2024 could be more fruitful for this part of the market.

Duration:00:56:29

Markets hit by interest rate decision, Microsoft and Alphabet fail to win over investors, Elon Musk’s odd behaviour, and finding opportunities among UK mid cap stocks

2/2/2024
On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson discuss the impact on markets as the Federal Reserve seems to push a rate cut into the long, spring grass. The pair chew over why Microsoft and Alphabet’s results were such a let a down as both companies warned the AI boom would come at a price. Danni mulls over Elon Musk’s odd behaviour after a judge in Delaware voids his 2018 mega pay deal and Tesla shareholders are asked to vote on moving the company’s legal home to a different US state in apparent retaliation. Dan digs into what’s going on with IPOs and why companies like Flutter are still quitting London for New York. You can also hear about the IMF warning that the UK Chancellor’s potential tax cut plan doesn’t add up, the surge in demand for help dealing with financial problems reported by the Money Helper service, and the green shoots spotted by mortgage brokers in the housing market. This week’s guest interview features Jean Roche from Schroder UK Mid Cap investment trust who’s on the show to talk about interesting companies on the UK market and why she is becoming more optimistic.

Duration:00:50:43

US markets hit new record high, Netflix enjoys growth spurt, Tesla disappoints, and plans to stamp out hidden fees

1/25/2024
Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson explain why US shares are doing so well, including a rally in chip-related stocks and how Netflix has managed to enjoy a new growth spurt. Tom Sieber and Steven Frazer from Shares magazine are on the show to talk about why investors have given a big thumbs down to Tesla’s latest results. Dan explores the concept of drip pricing and how hidden fees could soon be a thing of the past. Danni chats about new figures which show a rise in mortgage and loan defaults, and how more retailers are seeing a pick-up in demand for buy now, pay later. The team also debate the prospect of big changes to the frequency of letter deliveries in the UK. Finally, Laura Suter talks to AJ Bell’s investments director Ryan Hughes about market trends and what’s been happening with AJ Bell funds.

Duration:00:52:54

Inflation in shock rise, Red Sea troubles, Premium Bond rate is cut and Allianz manager on tech sector

1/18/2024
On this week’s podcast Danni and Laura cover the all important inflation figure, which showed the headline number had moved in the wrong direction. That surprise shift had a knock-on effect on markets, so we look at the winners and losers there. The ongoing issues in the Red Sea are having an impact on companies, including Shell, but also are a risk to inflation, so we delve into the potential effects on prices. In the markets segment we also cover what the latest jobs figures mean for the health of the economy, and for recruitment firm Page Group, and we look at the impact of the new boss at BP. As interest rates are still expected to be cut this year, it’s no surprise that savings rates are falling. We’ve got some news about the Premium Bond prize fund falling – which might signal the end of great rates for savers. And as more people are dragged into the next income tax bracket, Laura has got some helpful advice on how to navigate that. Our interview this week is Mike Seidenberg, lead portfolio manager of the Allianz Technology Trust, about the technology space and his outlook for the year ahead.

Duration:00:47:13

A Christmas cracker for some UK retailers, Boeing shares fall after door blowout and Bitcoin ETFs given green light by US regulator

1/12/2024
On this episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson dig through a bumper crop of Christmas trading updates from UK retailers including Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s and they discuss the ongoing expansion of Greggs. After the discovery of loose bolts following a mid-flight blowout which saw a door pop off an Alaskan Airlines plane mid-flight, shares in Boeing and some of its suppliers have understandably been impacted as the FAA grounds the planes for further investigation. Danni considers the implications. Dan examines Terry Smith’s latest shareholder letter for the popular Fundsmith Equity Fund, and he also talks through ways benefit from higher interest rates in your Stocks and Shares ISA without having to switch out to a cash account. Plus, it may have started with a fake tweet, but the SEC has given the go-ahead to Bitcoin ETFs with some huge names like BlackRock and Fidelity about to jump in after what’s being called a watershed moment for cryptocurrency. Our special guest this week is Iain Cunningham from asset manager Ninety One who explains why China might still be of interest to investors wanting Asia exposure, despite slowing economic growth and tighter corporate regulation.

Duration:00:50:10

Listeners share their early retirement stories, FTSE 100 turns 40, Evenlode manager on AI, and good news for mortgage rates

1/4/2024
Two months ago, we asked if any listeners had managed to retire early and gain financial independence, in line with the so-called FIRE movement. Plenty of you have hit the goal, judging by the responses we’ve received. Charlene Young shares some of your stories while Dan Coatsworth talks to podcast listener Phill about how he managed to give up work early and live the life he always dreamed of. Dan asks Chris Elliott from Evenlode Global Equity if artificial intelligence is a game-changer for business or overhyped. Chris also talks about Microsoft, Diageo, Nestle and where he is finding opportunities in 2024. The FTSE 100 turned 40 this week so Dan looks at its performance since launch versus the US stock market and ponders the future for the UK blue-chip index. Laura Suter has some good news for anyone looking to buy a house or remortgage, while the team also talk about diverging fortunes with retailers JD Sports and Next.

Duration:00:39:12

Red Sea oil price fears, inflation’s latest drop, the top stocks of 2023 and investor outlook for 2024

12/21/2023
In our final episode of the year, Danni and Laura look at the impact of that Red Sea turmoil on the oil market and Amazon’s deal with Games Workshop to bring Warhammer to the big screen. We’ll also look at the latest inflation data – and what it might mean for your money in 2024. And the impact that that Bank of England decision last week to hold rates had on the mortgage and housing markets. We’ve also got the first of a new monthly segment from the team at Shares, who will be discussing chip company Nvidia and UK engineering firm Rolls-Royce. And Tom Selby is back with his pensions corner, looking at all those lucky people who have got Christmas bonuses at this time of year, and the big question of whether you should put any of that money into your pension. And we’ve got the latest update in that long, long Woodford saga, and we dive into some research that shows what investors are planning to do next year, what they’re worried about and where they see investment opportunities.

Duration:00:41:52

Santa rally starts early for stock markets on shift in interest rate policy, Boots and Shein IPO rumours, and why the renewable energy space has been a tough place to make money

12/14/2023
Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson discuss the market reaction to the US Fed’s blueprint for interest rate cuts plus a slew of economic data about the state of the UK economy which could be sliding into recession. You can hear about vaccine maker Pfizer which has warned of trouble ahead as it struggles with life after covid, plus there might be two blockbuster IPOs heading London’s way in the form of fashion giant Shein and high street retailer Boots. Dan talks to Will Riley from Guinness Sustainable Energy Fund on the challenge of making money from clean energy stocks. Anthony Cross from Liontrust is also on the show to explain why he’s optimistic about the UK stock market. Finally, don’t miss AJ Bell’s head of investment analysis Laith Khalaf on his latest report into how active fund managers have performed versus passive funds.

Duration:00:53:38

Finding value among US stocks, bitcoin and gold jump, GameStop’s latest disappointment, and the truth about thematic investing

12/7/2023
There is a widely held view that US shares are expensive, yet this isn’t true for everything. Dan Coatsworth talks to Rosanna Burcheri from Fidelity American Special Situations fund about how she is still finding plenty of opportunities in companies priced below what she believes is their true value. She talks about FedEx, Alphabet and more. Find out why bitcoin and gold have been moving higher and what Dan makes of GameStop’s latest results. From January 2024, parents in the UK can start applying for 15 hours of free childcare per week. Laura Suter dives into the details and finds it’s not as clear cut as you might think. Laura explores the rise in foreign ownership of UK shares and why it puts even more pressure on the Government to make the market more appealing to domestic investors. Steve Wreford from Lazard is also on the show to talk about thematic investing and why he believes a shift in the market environment has major implications on portfolio positioning.

Duration:00:36:16

Greenwashing, Rolls Royce, small caps and NS&I rate cuts

11/30/2023
On this week’s podcast we’ll be covering markets news, from Rolls Royce and the impact Black Friday had on stocks to inflation in Europe. We’ve got not one but two fund manager interviews: the first is on the challenging but rewarding small caps market with Tellworth small cap fund manager Paul Marriage. And the second covers the recently-volatile bond market, with Ariel Bezalel from Jupiter Strategic Bond Fund. We’ve also got an update on the energy price cap, as prices will rise again from January, and a warning about potential rate cuts from one of the nation’s favourite providers: NS&I. And we have all the details on the regulator cracking down on so-called greenwashing of funds – where funds purport to have sustainable credentials but fall short of actually having them.

Duration:00:43:48

What the Autumn Statement means for consumers, businesses and markets, the Government’s Tell Sid plan to sell its stake in NatWest, plus the latest on Nvidia and OpenAI

11/22/2023
This week’s podcast turns the Autumn Statement into plain English, looking at the key announcements and the ones buried in documents published by the Government. The team talk about how UK economic growth expectations have been downgraded and how it could take longer to hit the Government’s 2% inflation target than previously thought. Dan Coatsworth explores changes to National Insurance tax and how it could put up to £750 extra in someone’s pocket a year. Danni Hewson weighs up the good and bad news for businesses in the Autumn Statement including the impact of a higher National Living Wage. Charlene Young discusses good news for those in retirement and how people might be able to keep the same pension pot when they move job. She also explores efforts to make ISAs more accessible. The Government has indicated it will hold a ‘Tell Sid’-style campaign to sell its near-40% stake in NatWest – find out how this might work and the history of ‘Tell Sid’. You can also hear about the market reaction to Nvidia’s latest results and the strange goings-on with ChatGPT.

Duration:00:31:18