AJ Bell Money & Markets

This week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast discusses scams and how banks and big tech companies are working together to protect consumers and stop people losing money. Dan Coatsworth chats about the divergent fortunes for Nike and JD Sports as they issue their latest financial results. Laith Khalaf explains the big changes to energy bills and what people can do if they are struggling financially. Shares magazine’s Ian Conway and Martin Gamble take a seat at the bar to talk about UK pubs giant Wetherspoons. We also hear about the latest twists and turns involving UK takeovers including Mulberry and MusicMagpie. Danni Hewson chats to Sam Vecht from the BlackRock Latin American Investment Trust about ongoing volatility in that part of the world and why it is somewhat cushioned from current geopolitical tensions. Finally, we’ve got some eye-opening figures on the amount of money being poured into Cash ISAs.

On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast: Dan Coatsworth looks at the market reaction to China’s stimulus package to boost growth and a six-times earnings mortgage announcement from Nationwide. Charlene Young talks us through a cliff-edge in the tax system that could lose high earning parents up to £20,000 in childcare support and how pension contributions can help you claim money back. Also, how to check if you've got over £2,000 in a child trust fund you didn’t even know about. With gold prices continuing to break records, Danni Hewson talks to Stuart O’Reilly from the Royal Mint about what investors should consider when it comes to investing in precious metals. In our second interview, Dan chats to Slater Investments co-founder Mark Slater about why he likes Tesco and his ideas for driving up demand for UK stocks and shares. Plus, we wish Shares Magazine a very happy 25th birthday!

On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast: interest rates have dominated the news agenda so Danni Hewson unpacks what the big rate cuts in the US mean for investors around the world. Changes to rates now or potentially in the near future mean interest rates are also changing on cash savings. The podcast team take a look at the latest trends and why the financial regulator has issued a warning to the public about cash. The team also chat about the tax implications of so many people having taken advantage of higher returns on cash in recent years. Dan Coatsworth talks to fund manager Mark Costar from JO Hambro about the outlook for Rolls-Royce and Primark’s owner, Associated British Foods. There’s a lot going on in the property sector with new data on house prices, takeovers galore among housebuilders and a big share price rally from one of the UK’s best known DIY companies. Dan and Danni have all the details. If you’re one of many people who prefer to pay insurance premiums on a monthly basis, you might be alarmed by some new figures which the team discuss on the podcast. And finally, it is now less than 100 days until Christmas and would you believe it, people are already talking about festive spending.

This week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast debates big news for people in retirement. Charlene Young reveals by how much the state pension will rise and who is eligible for the full uplift. Dan Coatsworth chats about Apple’s new version of its iPhone and how its share price has moved on average before and after previous upgrades to its flagship product. You can hear about the latest economic and markets news, including takeover activity involving Rightmove and Centamin, and why shares in the British arm of TGI Friday’s fell by 90% in a day. Don’t miss the second part of our interview with Finsbury Growth & Income fund manager Nick Train. He gives his thoughts on the general market, the trust’s performance and a fascinating insight into Unilever. We’ve also got an interview with Stuart Widdowson from Odyssean Investment Trust about investing in smaller companies.

The AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast is back with a bumper episode looking at the market wobbles at the beginning of August and September amid fears about the strength of the US economy and a slowing of Nvidia’s AI growth story. Danni Hewson and Laura Suter also discuss the potential path of interest rate cuts as well as discussing some interesting M&A activity including Rupert Murdoch’s REA Group’s plot for UK property platform Rightmove. Hot off the heels of Rightmove’s takeover interest, Dan Coatsworth talks to one of its biggest shareholders, Nick Train from Finsbury Growth & Income Trust about the news and his thoughts on two other big-name FTSE 100 stocks. We’ve got plenty of pension action too, including how much the state pension is set to rise next year and AJ Bell’s Rachel Vahey answers your questions.

Lots of investors are increasingly turning to cheap tracker funds which means the pressure is on investment trusts to not only outperform the market and prove their worth, but also make their charges more competitive. Dan Coatsworth talks to Annabel Brodie-Smith from the Association of Investment Companies about this topic and to find out which trusts have the highest and lowest costs for investors. Paul Niven, manager of retail investor favourite F&C Investment Trust, is on this week’s podcast to discuss the summer’s market sell-off and whether it has prompted big changes in his portfolio. Laith Khalaf talks to James Carthew from QuotedData about the big merger between Alliance Trust and Witan which is expected to complete in the next few months. 3i Group continues to be one of the few investment trusts to trade at a chunky premium to the value of its underlying assets, so we asked Tom Sieber and Steve Frazer from Shares magazine to explain why investors are happy to pay up to own the shares. Tom also chats about BlackRock World Mining’s latest results and why there is some bad news for anyone thinking metal producers are a great source of dividends.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Danni Hewson and Charlene Young dig into the market meltdown that followed disappointing results from ‘Magnificent Seven’ club members Tesla and Alphabet. They discuss the negative impact of electric vehicle production on Ford and Nissan and why GM is delaying its plans to build a green Buick. Ryanair profits tumble as it cuts back on fare hikes, but EasyJet is ramping up for a record summer. Get the podcast team’s take on the airline sector. Tom Sieber and Ian Conway from Shares magazine discuss moves by consumer goods giant Reckitt to sell off large parts of its business. Dan Coatsworth chats to Sunil Krishnan from Aviva Investors about ‘reflation’ and how it impacts certain investments. We also get an update on AJ Bell funds from James Flintoft, Head of Investment Solutions at AJ Bell. Also in the last episode before the summer break, Danni and Charlene discuss the return of the sub-4% mortgage and why more people have been using cash to budget.

With gold have just hit a new record high, don’t miss this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast where Dan Coatsworth talks to Rob Crayfourd from the Golden Prospect Precious Metals Fund. The pair discuss gold’s ascent and why there might be a big turning point for the gold mining sector on the horizon. We’ve seen some big movements on the US and UK stock market over the past week linked to geopolitical issues, inflation and jobs data. Dan analyses the market reaction and what it means for investors. This week’s episode features a great interview with James Lowen at JOHCM UK Equity Income about housebuilders, EasyJet and ITV. Charlene Young chats about some of the key money-related bits in the King’s Speech and why AJ Bell is calling for major changes to ISAs to help simplify saving and investing. Finally, if you’ve ever wondered about the value of luxury handbags and whether they’ve delivered a better return than stocks and shares, Charlene has fascinating insight into this market.

In this episode of the AJ Bell Money and Markets podcast, Laura Suter and Tom Sieber dive into the latest consumer spending trends from Barclays, revealing how economic pressures are shaping our financial habits, and they discover how saving money can improve your sleep and mental health. They also deliver the latest updates on housebuilders Vistry and Barratt Developments amid planning challenges and rising costs, preview the upcoming US second quarter reporting season, highlighting key companies to watch, and discuss the wider implications of a profit warning from recruiter PageGroup. Plus, don't miss our interviews with fund managers discussing the UK property market and alternative income sources for investors.

On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Laura Suter assess the market reaction to a Labour landslide. Charlene Young and Danni Hewson discuss how the Fed comments and new economic data has driven a new rally in US and Asian markets amid hopes of interest rate cuts. They look back on the big investing themes of the year including AI and UK takeovers, while also updating on the latest news from Tesla whose sales fell less than expected and how Sainsbury’s is being weighed down by Argos. Tom Sieber and Ian Conway from Shares magazine put sportswear giant Nike under the spotlight. The podcast team also debate energy prices, why May saw record ISA inflows and how house prices are still rising even as mortgage approvals slow.

This month’s bonus podcast on investment trusts dives into the world of technology. Steve Frazer chats with Mike Seidenberg from Allianz Technology Trust about the latest trends in the space, the hype around AI including Nvidia, and what’s on the fund manager’s mind at the moment. Dan Coatsworth talks to Joe Bauernfreund from AVI Global about the world of activist investors and why he has taken stakes in Reckitt and Entain. Tom Sieber chats with Urban Logistics’ Justin Upton about the property sector and why this trust walked away from a potential merger with a rival. We’ve also got Martin Gamble and Ian Conway debating the merits of Bankers Investment Trust.

This week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast goes big on pensions. Charlene Young, Tom Selby and Laith Khalaf discuss some of the key issues you need to understand, whatever age you are. Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson discuss what’s been a volatile week for tech stocks with AI chipmaker Nvidia losing billions of dollars off its market value, and Microsoft and Apple potentially facing huge fines from EU regulators. As Shein edges closer to a London listing, the podcast team debate why investors are nervous and whether the IPO will actually happen. Danni also explores Frasers’ efforts to add another revenue stream via the buy now, pay later market. We’ve also got Abbas Barkhordar from Schroders on the show to talk about investing in Asia.

In the latest AJ Bell Money and Markets podcast, Dan and Laura begin with the UK inflation rate reaching the Bank of England's 2% target, exploring its implications for interest rates. They also discuss Nvidia's remarkable rise to become the world’s most valuable company, and shifts in market shares among supermarkets. Laura brings some analysis of the political party manifestos for the upcoming election, including Labour's plan to introduce new banking hubs. The duo also look at the recent changes to Barclays’ Blue Rewards scheme, which have upset many customers. Dan speaks to Neil Shah from Edison, who shares insights on improving the UK stock market, and he interviews Dean Orrico, manager of the Middlefield Canadian Investment Trust, to discuss the impact of rate cuts in Canada and parallels with the UK market.

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Danni Hewson and Tom Selby dig through the general election manifestos and assess what the measures might mean for your money. From further cuts to National Insurance and the pension “Quad-lock” proposed by the Conservatives to Labour’s decision not to bring back the lifetime allowance and the Lib Dem’s proposal to reform capital gains tax, the podcast has all the important details. Danni looks at a plethora of economic data including jobs and GDP figures and how they might impact interest rate decisions. The team discuss Apple’s AI gambit and why it has upset Elon Musk. There is also chat about Raspberry Pi’s well-received London IPO. Finally, Dan Coatsworth talks to Will Orr from the Gym Group about how the nation is spending more money on health and fitness and the role his company plays.

Have you ever thought about delaying the point at which you start collecting the state pension? If so, don’t miss this episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast as Rachel Vahey chats about the pros and cons of going down this route. Danni Hewson and Dan Coatsworth discuss a plethora of good news from the retail sector including updates from Zara-owner Inditex and discounter B&M. They also explore why WH Smith has revived the Toys R Us brand in its UK stores. The nation continues to pile into Cash ISAs, as Dan discusses on this week’s podcast. He also explores why the oil price suddenly dropped. Tune into a fascinating interview with Rockwood Strategic fund manager Richard Staveley who talks about investing in small cap stocks and why he is supportive of a new UK ISA. Finally, Ross Driver explains why Foresight Solar shareholders are voting on whether to keep the investment trust going or wind it up.

In this episode of the AJ Bell Investment Trust show, Dan Coatsworth talks to Emma Bird from Winterflood about why certain investment trusts trade below their value of their assets. Martin Gamble and Ian Conway conduct a deep dive into City of London Investment Trust and why it is so popular with investors. Tom Sieber explores Scottish Mortgage’s latest financial results and chats about the best and worst performing trusts year-to-date. Ever wondered what’s the difference between an investment trust and an open-ended fund? Laith Khalaf has all the answers in our educational slot.

Dan Coatsworth and Charlene Young bring you this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast. We’re covering the latest takeover news, ask whether the pressure is piling on Nick Train at the Finsbury Growth and Income Trust and what is happening with the NatWest share deal. Dan discusses how and why markets have taken a step back this week and gives us an insight into the upcoming FTSE quarterly reshuffle. Charlene Young has the latest on the takeover situation for Royal Mail’s parent company and how markets aren’t quite as confident how it’ll clear the next hurdle of government approval. Tom Selby, director of public policy at AJ Bell, discusses the triple-lock-plus pledge from the Conservatives and some worrying research highlighting the confusion around when exactly you might be able to claim your state pension. Charlene asks Wealth Wizards’ chief executive Ben Hampton about joint FCA and Treasury proposals to get more people investing, namely what help do people want, when should they consider advice and what changes could consumers see as part of effort to close the so-called “advice gap”. Martin Gamble and Tom Sieber also join us from Shares magazine to discuss big growth plans from AstraZeneca.

Join Danni Hewson and Laura Suter for the latest episode of the AJ Bell Money and Markets podcast. This week, we look at market reaction to the shock news of a General Election and dive into the latest UK inflation figures that prompted it. We also discuss Nvidia's stellar performance and BHP and Anglo American entering takeover talks. The duo also get insights on why European markets are capturing investor attention once again from Stefan Gries, co-manager of BlackRock Greater Europe Investment Trust. Laura brings you the latest on the FCA's crackdown on finfluencers and the troubling rise in UK fraud figures. Plus, don't miss our conversation with AJ Bell chief executive Michael Summersgill, who shares his candid thoughts on the proposed UK ISA and its potential impact on the market.

It’s happened again: GameStop, AMC and other titans of the pandemic meme stock craze have soared on the stock market. Dan Coatsworth explains why we’re seeing the phenomenon play out once more, and how it was triggered by a single picture of a person sitting in a chair. The ban on UK energy firms offering cheaper deals to new customers could be scrapped from October as the regulator is eager to revive competition between suppliers. That means people will be soon be able to shop around for better gas and electricity deals – something that is also good news for a certain stock on the London market, as Dan reveals on the podcast. Danni Hewson explores the rise of ultra-long mortgages and why many people might still be paying off their home loan as they enter retirement. AJ Bell’s Rachel Vahey is on the show to explain why some people have to pay emergency tax on an ad-hoc lump sum pension withdrawals. You can also hear a great interview with Situl Jobanputra from London’s West End property giant Shaftesbury Capital, and sparkling chat between Danni and Dan about diamonds, scandals in the mining industry and why Burberry is firmly out of fashion.

On this week’s podcast we’ll be bringing you all the latest market news, from Disney to Wetherspoons through to Apple, as well as an update on the housing market – and the outlook for house prices for the rest of the year. We’ve also had figures this week that showed that 300,000 people filed their tax return early – and we’ll look at why you might want to join those eager beavers. There are three fund manager interviews this week. First up is AJ Bell’s head of investments solutions James Flintoft, who talks about what’s going on in certain geographies and how AJ Bell’s funds performed in the first quarter of the year. Next is Paul Angell, AJ Bell’s head of investment research, talking about the outlook for bonds. The final interview is with Rob Crayfourd and Keith Watson, who co-manage three funds: CQS Natural Resources Growth and Income, Geiger Counter, and Golden Prospect, to explain three of the key commodities produced by miners on the stock market.

It’s bonus podcast time: welcome to episode four of the AJ Bell investment trust show. We discuss a range of topics with investment experts and fund managers. Each episode debates 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 governance, finding bargains and private equity. One of the differences between traditional funds and investment trusts is the latter have a board of directors. They’re meant to keep a check on what the manager is doing and uphold high levels of corporate governance but that doesn’t always happen. Laith Khalaf talks to James Carthew from research group QuotedData about what the board should really be doing. We’ve had some requests to look at Ruffer Investment Company so Tom Sieber and Martin Gamble from Shares magazine join us on the podcast to talk about this investment trust and the broader capital preservation space. Migo Opportunities Trust knows a thing or two about how to find bargains among investment trusts so we invited co-manager Charlotte Cuthbertson to explain what trends and opportunities she’s seeing at the moment. To round things off, we take a look at the world of private equity because the UK financial regulator has got a bee in its bonnet about a few things in the industry. Joining Dan Coatsworth to talk about what the FCA is reviewing is Alan Gauld from Patria Private Equity Trust.

On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Danni Hewson and Charlene Young deliver a jam-packed episode for you peppered with that optimism after the FTSE 100 smashed new records and ended the month up once again while Wall Street struggled against rate cut blues. They discuss reaction to the latest Fed decision, the big consumer names like Starbucks and Yum! Brands feeling the inflation blowback, and AI-charged stocks Amazon, Alphabet and Microsoft. Dan Coatsworth has done a very timely interview with JP Morgan Claverhouse fund manager Callum Abbot on the good and the bad of the UK stock market. With mortgage approvals hitting an 18-month high last month, Danni quizzes David Hollingworth from L&C Mortgages about what he’s seeing in the market.

We’ve got some good news from the UK stock market. Danni Hewson chats about how the FTSE 100 has hit a new record high and the drivers behind it. She also talks with Dan Coatsworth about the latest developments from key companies both sides of the Atlantic. The pair discuss Tesla’s surprise announcement, Pepsi’s trading-down problem, JD Sports aiming to generate 40% of sales from the US, and an activist investor snapping up bonds in troubled utility company Thames Water. You can hear about an alarming number of adults still living with their parents in their 30s and what the property industry wants the government to do to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder. Dan discusses the disappearance of generous cash incentives to switch bank account and the surge in people switching credit card deals. Finally, Tom Sieber and Ian Conway from Shares magazine get under the bonnet of Associated British Foods and how there is a lot more to the business than its retail arm, Primark.

On this week’s AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Charlene Young and Dan Coatsworth look at cooling inflation and how markets reacted to the latest numbers on UK jobs. The rise in scams is the hot topic of the week, with over £1 million reportedly lost this year already by ‘Swifties’ – Taylor Swift fans desperate to get their hands on tour tickets. Our guest is Ayush Abhijeet from Ashoka India Equity Trust, who chats to Danni Hewson about where he sees the potential value in what’s likely to be the G20’s fastest growing economy once again this year. Charlene has an update on the enquiry into the collapse of the Woodford Equity Fund and how the regulator was going to give one of parties involved a £50 million fine but then chose not to. Dan covers upbeat news on IPOs, a takeover approach for Royal Mail and a deal involving 90s food favourite TGI Friday’s. We wrap things up with figures on charity gifting and Charlene explains how gift aid rules give UK charities a 25% boost on donations received but also possible tax relief for those making the donations.

On this episode of the Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson and Laura Suter assess market reaction to the latest US inflation data that came in hotter than expected and reset expectation of when the Fed might cut interest rates. The pair mull over what that might mean for UK rates and Laura digs in to the latest FCA Financial Lives survey which shows things are improving for UK households, though 7 million households are still struggling to pay bills. Earnings season has started all over again and kicking things off in the UK the country’s biggest supermarket Tesco reports a jump in profits as price cuts keep shoppers in store. Danni looks into what that might signal for the weeks ahead, plus what the former Tesco boss Jason Tarry might bring to John Lewis and Shell’s shock announcement that it could consider moving its listing to New York. AJ Bell’s head of policy Rachel Vahey is on hand to deliver our pensions corner and she’ll be answering one of your questions about the potential tax implications as the state pension increases and our guest this week is Catherine Yueng Investment Director at Fidelity Asian Values – she explains why she still sees China as a good investment.

Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson debate the big news from Disney. Activist investor Nelson Peltz has been defeated in his attempts to get a seat on the board of directors, so what does this mean going forward? Gold has hit another record high so Dan dives into the reasons why the precious metal is doing so well. Danni digests some disappointing news from Tesla and what it means for the electric vehicle space. Tom Sieber from Shares magazine talks about the state of the UK stock market and a warning from one of the big brokers that we could see hundreds more companies disappear from the London Stock Exchange over the coming years. Jeremy Hunt promised us a new British Savings Bond when he gave his Budget last month and we’ve now got all the important details. Dan weighs up the pros and cons of the new savings vehicle. Meanwhile, Danni explores the rise of the billionaire and why it might be worth looking down the back of the sofa for some chocolate coins.

Welcome to the third instalment 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 income, growth, the UK and renewable energy. Laith Khalaf talks to Annabel Brodie-Smith from the Association of Investment Companies about dividend heroes. These are investment trusts that have raised their dividend every year for at least 20 years in a row. Martin Gamble and Tom Sieber from Shares magazine explore the rise of JPMorgan Global Growth & Income and how it has become one of the most popular trusts with UK investors. Ryan Lightfoot-Aminoff from Kepler Partners is on the show to explain the different ways you can invest in the UK following plans by the Government to launch a British ISA. Meanwhile, Dan Coatsworth talks to James Smith from Premier Miton Global Renewables Trust about why the renewable energy space has been a disappointing place to invest recently, and what is needed for the sector to deliver better returns.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

The big news this week is the latest inflation figures which have positive implications for consumers and businesses. The data has already triggered a rally in global stock markets as Dan Coatsworth discusses in this week’s episode. Tom Selby explores the pros and cons of the FIRE movement – financial independence, retire early. He explains the key things to consider if you want to stop working in your 50s or earlier. Laura Suter talks about the growing number of people who are behind with their mortgage repayments and how the HMRC is reportedly bracing itself for a deluge of calls as more people find themselves in a higher tax bracket. Kumar Pandit from the Somerset EM Dividend Growth Fund is on the show to talk about investing in India, while Dan also looks at the cosmetics industry following The Body Shop’s takeover, and why shares in property companies have started to move higher.

This week Danni and Laura bring you all the implications of that decision from the Bank of England last week to hold interest rates – from the market moves, to what peak interest rates mean for savers and homeowners. They look at how housebuilders are faring and signs of optimism in the UK housing market. Our interview this week is on the same topic – the UK Property market. Property investment trusts have had a tough time of late, but one vehicle is doing much better than the rest and that’s AEW UK REIT, so Dan Coatsworth talks to them about their success. And Danni and Laura look at a slew of data that gives insights into all our spending habits – particularly in the run up to Christmas – including delving into the impact that’s having on retailers. And they also cover the big news of office space provider WeWork filing for bankruptcy.

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson and Dan Coatsworth assess why October has been such a bad month for equities. They discuss the good and bad of recent earnings updates including McDonald’s and Coca-Cola beating expectations and BP disappointing. Get the lowdown on big names in the retail sector. It might be the “golden quarter” now but it’s not all been shiny for online retailer ASOS. Next has raised its profits outlook once again but what does the sale of Missguided to Shein mean for Frasers? Buy now, pay later has boomed but there are warnings the facility is sending thousands of people into a spiral of debt. Danni and Dan also talk about the decline in UK mortgage approvals, the rise in company insolvencies and why the future looks bleak for WeWork. Dan also catches up with a fund manager who is smashing it out of the park – James Rutland explains how he’s managed to deliver more than twice the IA Europe sector over the past three years with the Invesco European Focus fund.