AJ Bell Money & Markets

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.

Laura Suter and Tom Selby look at what the latest jobs figures mean for the Bank of England’s next interest rate decision, as well as the latest banks to report their results and what it tells us about the state of the savings market. Tom dives into figures on the number of pensioners that will be pushed into paying more income tax. They also look at the latest eye-opening figures on scams. And investment director Ryan Hughes covers a bevvy of investment news, from the fallout in the UK property fund world, to the expensive tracker funds costing you over the odds and what the latest UK government bond yields mean for you. Tom continues that bond theme in his pension corner, looking at whether those nearing retirement need to worry about gilt yields and the impact it could have on their portfolio.

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson and Laura Suter dig into a pile of economic data from wage growth numbers to the volatility on markets following the stalled UK inflation print which saw housebuilders including Barratt Development tumble. Danni checks out earnings updates from big US banks including JP Morgan and Bank of America and a crowd-pleasing turn from Premier Inn-owner Whitbread. Tom Selby is on hand to explain what the latest wage and inflation numbers mean for the state pension triple lock as well as answering a question about tax relief once you are over 75. Laura’s been crunching the numbers on how much the income bands tax freeze is costing you and Tom Sieber chats to Jim Strang from HG Capital Trust about investing in privately-owned technology companies.

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson is joined by Tom Sieber from Shares magazine to discuss another volatile week on the markets. Investors have clearly been shaken by those awful scenes in the Middle East and there are a lot of eyes watching the oil price. Comments from Federal Reserve officials suggesting no further rate hikes are likely to be needed in the US saw markets return to the front foot ahead of the third quarter earnings season. Tom talks through what investors will be looking out for as companies ready their quarterly updates while Danni discusses why the latest numbers from luxury goods maker LVMH disappointed investors. Danni and Tom consider the Birkenstock IPO and whether the iconic footwear brand can do better in the US than Dr Martens has on the UK market. Also this week: Dan Coatsworth talks to James Henderson from Law Debenture about what it would take for UK stocks to bounce back, and the fund manager gives his thoughts on ITV and Rolls-Royce.

Laura Suter has some money-making tips in this week’s podcast including where to get more than 6% on cash savings and where to find attractive incentives to switch current account provider. She also talks about the pay rise for anyone in a minimum wage job. Dan Coatsworth explains why global stock markets have taken a wobble following a sell-off in government bonds. He also talks about the latest results from Tesco and why Boohoo is going through a tough patch. Social media networks could soon be following in the footsteps of streaming platforms by charging users more money if they don’t want to see advertising or have their personal details used for targeted advertising. Dan and Laura debate this matter and what it means for consumers. This week’s special guest is Richard Sem from Pantheon Infrastructure who talks to Danni Hewson about the opportunities and pitfalls of investing in global digital networks as connectivity becomes more important.

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson is joined by AJ Bell’s head of retirement policy Tom Selby who brings us up-to-date on rumours around ISA simplification which are reportedly being considered by the Government. The pair assess how markets and currencies have reacted since both the Fed and the Bank of England held interest rates. You can hear about property stocks including British Land and Land Securities which have come under pressure after analysts cut ratings, and how tech giant Meta paid a record-breaking amount to pull out of one London lease as hybrid working becomes further engrained. Danni mulls over a mixed bag of results from retailers like Next and H&M and gives her two-penneth on why the sun is shining for some companies and not others. Plus, Dan Coatsworth chats to Pruksa Iamthongthong from Asia Dragon Trust about China’s disappointing post-covid rebound and explains what investors need to think about and Tom delivers another “pensions corner”, this one on salary sacrifice.

On this episode of the Money & Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson mull over the factors behind a surprise fall in UK headline inflation in spite of rising fuel costs. Dan digs into the surge in profit warnings from UK companies including B&Q owner Kingfisher, fashion retailer Quiz and online alcohol seller Naked Wines. Reports suggest Frasers is about to strike a strategic deal with Chinese retail giant Shein – Dan talks about the speculated move and what it could mean for the retail sector. The podcast chats about Walt Disney following speculation it is about to make big changes including the potential sale of some media assets and news that it will invest $60 billion in its theme parks. Neil Shah, Director of Research at Edison, joins the show to talk to Danni about the lack of IPOs on the London market and what he thinks investors should expect as 2023 draws to a close. Plus, why rents are rising at a record pace and the changes to auto-enrolment that allow 18-year-olds to access workplace pensions.

The price of oil has gone up by more than 25% in two months, creating a new inflationary headwind for consumers and businesses. Dan Coatsworth talks to AJ Bell’s Russ Mould about why the black stuff is suddenly more expensive, what it means for the cost of petrol and why it could have a big impact on central bank interest rate decisions. Laura Suter explains where customers stand if they need to return faulty goods or spend gift vouchers at collapsed retailer Wilko. Dan explores the rise of shoplifting, what it tells us about the state of consumer finances, how it is hurting corporate profits margins and why social media is making the problem even worse. Laura discusses a new report that explores financial inequality, with women having less in savings, investments and pensions then men. You can also hear about Tesla’s big opportunity with a supercomputer called Dojo which has triggered another big rise in its share price, as well as ARM’s return to the stock market and why Restaurant Group is paying someone to take the Frankie & Benny’s casual dining chain off its hands.

We’re back from our summer break! And there is lots of markets news to cover – Danni Hewson has got an update on what happened over the summer and also the latest on Wilko’s collapse, M&S heading back into the FTSE 100 and the surprising company that has become Europe’s most valuable. We’ve also got news out from Barratt Homes that’s hot off the press and gives an insight into the housing market – and Laura Suter will be giving an update on the mortgage market. We’ll be discussing the date for the Autumn Statement – and giving a lowdown on what that means and why it matters. Finally, our interview is with James Wootton, partner at Linklaters, about the planned changes to listing rules in the UK and what it means for investors.

This week Danni Hewson and Laura Suter will be diving into all the detail on the news that NatWest’s boss Alison Rose has quit amid the Nigel Farage furore. They’ll also be looking at the big tech companies announcing results, including Microsoft and Alphabet, as well as the first of the big UK banks to report – Lloyds. We’ll be covering the financial impact of those wildfires in Greece, both on holidaymakers and on investors. Laura has got some interesting figures showing that parents are raiding their kids’ piggy banks as budgets get depleted amid rising prices, and Danni is chatting to Chris Tennant from Fidelity Emerging Markets about where he sees opportunities for growth in Latin America.

On this week’s AJ Bell Money and Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson dig through the latest UK inflation data which has delivered a shot of optimism to investors. They mull over how the Bank of England might react to cooling prices, look at which stocks on the market have been benefiting from the change in sentiment and ask if the optimism is really warranted. Higher interest rates have delivered something of a bonanza for many big US banks with Wells Fargo and Bank of America amongst those racking up big profits. Dan delves into the figures. With actors joining writers on the picket lines in Hollywood for the first time in sixty years the pair assess which stocks could be impacted, with Paramount, Disney and Warner Bros Discovery already experiencing share price declines. AJ Bell’s head of retirement policy Tom Selby is back to talk about government plans for small pension pots. Plus, Dan talks to Joe Bauernfreund from AVI Global Trust about what he makes of this year’s market movements and where he sees opportunities now.

Tom Selby considers Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s strategy to boost the average pension pot by £1,000 a year and why the plan has flaws. Laura Suter talks about some remarkable figures on the amount of money in savings accounts that pay no interest and how there has been yet another error made on state pension payments. Dan Coatsworth chats with Dominic Scriven from investment trust Vietnam Enterprise Investments Limited about investing in Vietnam. Dan also explains the importance of the latest Bank of England stress test on UK banks. The podcast also features two 15-year-olds talking about how teenagers manage money and how schools can improve personal finance education.

This week Laura Suter is shedding light on all the government moves aimed at easing the cost of living pressure on our finances, from petrol prices to supermarket bills and savings rates. Danni Hewson brings you the latest markets news, including Tesla’s record delivery, US-China tensions and JD Sports emerging in new markets. Our interview this week is with Nick Greenwood from Migo Opportunities Trust about takeover potential in the renewable energy and infrastructure space, and we’ll also be looking at the latest figures on how much tax we’re all being charged on our savings, as the Government’s tax take rockets.

In the second in a series of bonus podcasts from the Shares magazine team to accompany AJ Bell’s Money & Markets podcast, Tom Sieber, Steve Frazer and Ian Conway take a close look at two stocks enjoying vastly contrasting fortunes of late. The pod discuss the efforts of recently appointed Tufan Erginbilgic to turn around aircraft engine maker Rolls-Royce and whether he can back up some big talk with action, after a strong run for the shares at the start of 2023 petered out. Items up for discussion include the impact of the pandemic and subsequent recovery in air travel and how important cash flow will be to judging Erginbilgic’s success or failure. Ian talks through some research he has done on online groceries firm Ocado’s volatility, something much in evidence amid recent speculation over a bid from Amazon. Doubt is cast on these links as the company’s troubles are dissected.

Dan Coatsworth chats about retailer Frasers which seems to be playing a long running game of high street Monopoly. He also explains why car insurance premiums are going up. Danni Hewson discusses why tensions in Russia haven’t really moved markets and she explores Boohoo’s spat with Revolution Beauty. Dan chats to fund manager Ben Ritchie about Dunedin Income Trust’s 150th anniversary and how the investment trust has evolved over the years. Also on this week’s show: shares in cruise companies are in the spotlight after a bookings bonanza while Walgreens looks to offload hundreds of Boots stores. Inflation is still enemy number one for many companies and despite an excellent performance from some household names, markets are looking distinctly lopsided with a chunk of FTSE 350 stocks disappointing investors since the start of the year. Danni explains how supermarket bosses held their own during a grilling from MPs over rising prices. She also looks at the problems with Thames Water and whether regulation in the sector will be tightened.

This week’s podcast explores the market reaction to UK interest rates going up once again. Laura Suter talks to David Hollingworth from mortgage broker L&C about whether someone should fix their mortgage or stay on a variable rate. Dan Coatsworth explores the companies which are starting to feel the pain from higher interest rates including housebuilder Berkeley, builders’ merchant Travis Perkins and car seller Motorpoint. Tom Sieber considers the takeover rumours surrounding Ocado and why some companies in the retail and leisure sectors have shrugged off the negative backdrop to report decent trading. Finally, Dan talks to Rod Wong from investment trust RTW Venture about investing in the biotech space.

This week Danni Hewson and Laura Suter have got a lot of big Government data that both the Bank of England and homeowners aren’t exactly thrilled by – and we’ll be looking stateside too, to see how the inflation battle is faring there. We’ll be covering the impact that UK data has had on the mortgage market – and it’s not pretty. It’s not just the weather that’s heating up, but also M&A activity in UK companies; from a deal for the biggest mobile phone provider in the UK to Mike Ashley’s latest purchase. In our fund manager interview this week, Dan Coatsworth talks to Argonaut Capital’s Barry Norris about where investors make mistakes with portfolio diversification. And Laura has a handy trick that lets you funnel £36,000 into tax-free savings for your child in less than a year.

This week’s podcast chats about the market reaction to Apple’s foray into headsets, why British American Tobacco is not firing on all cylinders, and the well-known name buying a stake in gambling group 888. Dan Coatsworth talks about how you can get more than 5% interest on cash and how that compares with UK stocks. He also speaks with Nigel Newton, CEO of Bloomsbury Publishing, about how the pandemic book boom has not faded away. Danni Hewson explores the big crackdown on crypto exchanges by US regulators and the cyber breach that’s impacting businesses from British Airways to the BBC. She also talks with Dan about good and bad news from the construction and housebuilding sectors.

This week we’re going to cover that rollercoaster ride that bond markets have been on, once again, and what it means for your investments and your mortgage. Laith Khalaf, head of investment analysis, will be giving an update on those tricky US debt ceiling negotiations, as well as explaining why your pension might be used to inject growth into the UK stock market. On top of that Laura Suter has got an update on the energy price cap and why people have been rushing to use their ISAs. We’re delving into the mining sector with our fund manager interview this week, with Evy Hambro, manager of the Blackrock world mining trust. And we’ll have the latest markets news, including Nvidia posting bumper profits.

In the first in a series of bonus podcasts from the Shares magazine team to accompany AJ Bell’s Money & Markets podcast, Tom Sieber, Steve Frazer and Martin Gamble hold an insightful discussion on two stocks. The trio dig into the problems which have dogged Vodafone and the prospects for new boss Margherita Della Valle of turning things around. Dividends, debt and the machinations of a big new shareholder are all up for discussion as part of an analysis of what’s gone wrong at the FTSE 100 firm. Martin also talks about the company behind brands like KFC and Pizza Hut and how it has been so successful over the years.

On the podcast this week, we’ve got a bevvy of company news, from Facebook being fined to BT cutting jobs for AI and everyone’s pandemic favourite Zoom holding up pretty well. We’ve got a fund manager interview with Julian Cook from T Rowe Price that looks stateside at what’s been happening in markets there so far this year. Also up this week we’ll be chatting about the latest inflation figures and we’ve got some good news for Nationwide customers, who are getting some extra money in their bank accounts. Finally, we’ll be revealing some slightly worrying new findings from the regulator about younger investors.

On this week’s podcast, Dan Coatsworth explains why Japanese stocks have been doing so well, with the TOPIX index hitting a 33-year high. He also chats about the negative market reaction to Watches of Switzerland’s latest update and how that news, along with further declines in diamond prices, suggests cracks in the luxury goods market. Danni Hewson discusses bad news from Home Depot and she also considers the big profit target from JD Sports. You can hear about the panic around the US debt ceiling deadline and why it’s important to watch Eurozone inflation. Laura Suter talks to Sunil Krishnan from Aviva investors about multi-asset investing, and Dan and Danni discuss a warning from the FCA that 11 million people in the UK are struggling to pay their bills.

On this week’s money and markets podcast we take a look back at the good, the bad and the downright ugly from this week’s earnings updates. Danni Hewson picks over this week’s losers including PayPal, Airbnb and ASOS and the big winners including British Airways owner IAG which is now back in profit and sending analysts rushing to upgrade their stock price targets. Plus, wheeling and dealing with JD Sports’ next move in its overseas growth plan and Ryanair snaps up at least 150 Boeing Max 10s. House prices might have declined in April after three months of recovery but it’s still tough out there, especially when it comes to first time buyers paying exorbitant rents. Laura Suter gives us the lowdown on a new 100% mortgage from Skipton Building Society aimed at renters who don’t have the backing of the bank of mum and dad and Danni and Laura chat through the latest US inflation numbers. Rachel Vahey, AJ Bell’s head of policy development, talks through why AJ Bell is calling for “One ISA” rather than the hodgepodge of complicated offerings currently available. Dan Coatsworth also talks to Tejas Dessai from GlobalX about how technology could significantly change how we shop for groceries, clothes and more.

This week’s podcast discusses the impact of the King’s coronation on the UK economy. Dan Coatsworth discusses the latest results from UK banks and US tech firms including Lloyds and Meta Platforms. He also debates the potential changes to the UK listing rules as the regulator tries to get more companies to list their shares on the London Stock Exchange. Laith Khalaf considers the Liberal Democrats’ call for a probe into whether some food companies are profiting too much from the cost-of-living crisis. Meanwhile, Danni Hewson talks to Tom Williams, investment manager of Downing Renewables and Infrastructure Trust, about what the UK Government needs to do to boost green investment and hit climate targets.

On this week’s podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson talk through a bumper crop of earnings including the first update from big tech with both Microsoft and Alphabet beating expectations. First Republic sent shivers back through markets as the US regional bank reveals more than $100 billion dollars was withdrawn during last month’s crisis of confidence. A whole host of global consumer giants from Nestle to Coca-Cola have reported and it seems brand is a powerful thing with customers prepared to keep paying more for the things they love despite the cost-of-living crisis. The UK’s competition watchdog has been flexing its muscles – blocking Microsoft’s takeover of gaming giant Activision Blizzard and it may also be given new powers to tackle businesses that carry fake reviews which has big implications for the consumer and could result in large fines for offenders. Dan also talks to Ritu Vohora from T.Rowe Price about the latest events on the markets.

This week’s podcast explores why so many companies are receiving takeover offers and why the recent banking crisis could force some banks to push up rates on savings accounts. Tom Selby explores potential changes to how much protection the UK government offers on cash in the bank, as well as delving into the world of finfluencers. Dan Coatsworth chats about the latest results from Netflix and he interviews Nicholas Weindling from JPMorgan Japanese investment trust about opportunities in that part of Asia.

This week we look at the latest employment and inflation numbers in the US, as well as Elon Musk’s views on his purchase of Twitter. We’ll cover the big announcements from the IMF, of a bleak outlook for the UK economy and its prediction that lower interest rates are on the horizon – a big relief for mortgage holders. We have not one but two fund manager interviews this week to discuss the hot topic of the banking crisis and its knock-on effect on markets. The first is with the manager of Fidelity European Trust, about how the financials-heavy trust navigated the recent crisis, and the second is with Edmund Harriss, chief investment officer of Guinness Global Investors. We’ll also be revealing a little-known benefit that could help grandparents boost their state pension.