Investors' Chronicle

Iain McCombie, manager of Baillie Gifford UK Growth Trust tells Mary McDougall how he tries to source the best growth opportunities among UK stocks and divulges what he has been buying and selling most recently. He shares his thought process behind owning St James’ Place, Hargreaves Lansdown, Boohoo.com and Rightmove among other holdings and explains why the trust recently sought approval to invest in unquoted companies.  Iain has co-managed Baillie Gifford UK Growth Trust since June 2018 and is lead manager of Baillie Gifford’s UK core strategy. He is also a manager on a number of global funds and became a partner at Baillie Gifford in 2005.   Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak opened by stating that the UK’s public finances are twice as sensitive to changes in interest rates as they were before the pandemic, and that a 1 per cent increase in inflation and interest rates would cost around £23bn.Clearly there is a political imperative to keep the cost of borrowing down, as Hamish Baillie, lead manager of Ruffer Investment Company (RICA) explains in this week’s podcast. He spells out why he thinks long-term disinflationary forces are waning and why he’s preparing for a period of enduring inflation. Speaking with the IC’s Mary McDougall, he defends putting up with -2 per cent real yields on long-dated index-linked gilts and talks through Ruffer’s thought process behind buying bitcoin in November 2020 and selling out entirely by April 2021. They also discuss the outlook for some the UK's largest banks and energy companies.Ruffer Investment Company is a multi asset “all weather portfolio” designed to deliver a positive return in all market conditions. Its share price was up 28 per cent for the year to 27 October, and 42 per cent over five years.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paul Jourdan, CEO of Amati Global Investors, tells Christopher Akers why he thinks the Alternative Investment Market is an asset of national importance and shares his thoughts on overpricing in "the year of IPOs". He explains Amati's approach to ESG and discusses the stocks that have been important for them over the last year.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Financials make up around 15 per cent of global equities, and despite a recent surge the sector remains at a significant discount to the wider market. In this interview, Nick Brind and George Barrow, co-managers of Polar Capital Global Financials Trust (PCFT), tell Mary McDougall how banks look well placed to benefit from any rise in interest rates.They discuss what impact a rise in rates might have on bad debts, what pockets of the financials sector look most attractive, why they have avoided owning Chinese banks and what their outlook is for HSBC. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Indian stock market has been on a tear this year, up 30 per cent for the year to 6 October. While this has led to some concern about lofty valuations, David Cornell of India Capital Growth Fund (IGC) says there are still plenty of attractive opportunities for stock pickers, as India emerges from years of disappointing growth in corporate profitability.He explains how a change in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies should help attract more foreign investors going forward, how retail stock market participation is growing and why he’s not worried yet about the power crunch in India.David shares how he searches for high growth, high quality small and mid cap companies which he expects to have annual earnings growth of 30 per cent over the next two years, and also why he’s not yet tempted to invest in unlisted companies.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Simon Brewer, former chief investment officer of the European branch of Morgan Stanley, tells Mary McDougall where he thinks investors should look in a world of very low rates and the possibility of prolonged inflation.He explains why he likes UK stocks, why he is wary of private equity and questions if it is worth private investors holding bonds at all. He also spells out why he thinks China is still investible, why investors should consider gold and why he’s yet to dip his toes into the crypto world.Simon is currently senior adviser to Rothschild & Co and host of The Money Maze podcast.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blake Hutchins, co-manager of Troy Income & Growth Trust and Trojan Income Fund, explains where he has been finding UK equity income in a difficult environment and how the market looks set going ahead. He explains why he prefers what he considers to be good quality companies, and highlights some stocks he thinks will be able to grow their cash flows.  Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Investors' Chronicle's economist Chris Dillow tells Mary McDougall why he’s not worried about prolonged inflation and why he thinks the central bank is right to keep monetary policy loose.He also shares his wisdom on lead indicators that can help you understand when you should consider buying and selling, and why thinks private equity is an important part of most investment portfolios.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Azeem Azhar is a renowned thought-leader, entrepreneur and investor in the tech industry. In this podcast, he talks to Lauren Almeida about the exponential rate of tech development and how society - and investors - can keep up.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From internet giants like Alibaba (US:BABA) to education and property companies, the recent regulatory crackdown in China has sent many leading Asia stocks into a tailspin. Is this an investment opportunity, a warning or a simple reminder of the risks in the developing world?In this chat with Dave Baxter, Asia and emerging market fund manager and Somerset Capital partner Mark Williams looks at what recent events mean for investors, and where potential winners and losers might be found.Note: some technical issues may affect the sound quality of this episode at points. Also, our guest's reference to a sell-off from 2005 was actually a reference to the Chinese equity sell-of 2015.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Active fund managers have gradually been losing market share to cheaper, passive alternatives. Yet the best active funds have significantly outperformed their benchmarks over long time periods.In this interview, Jason Hollands, managing director at Tilney Smith & Williamson discusses what we can learn from Bestinvest’s latest ‘Spot the Dog’ fund report, where active management works best and what makes a good fund manager.He also sheds light on wider asset allocation questions, such as the relative attractiveness of different equity regions, how fixed income and alternatives might sit within an investment portfolio and the optimal number of funds for an investor to own.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This podcast episode from Allianz Technology Trust, looks at the ‘new normal’ post-pandemic where remote working will mix with on-site working where possible. The team discuss how this will benefit businesses that can make this new hybrid workplace both effective and efficient. Furthermore, new generations have changing expectations of work. Combined with demographic changes globally, there will be increasing problems for companies trying to fill positions. Technology will have a crucial role to play in covering rote and mundane tasks, leaving people free to drive businesses forward. To see the full podcast series visit https://www.allianztechnologytrust.com/podcast/Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There are lots of reasons why investment trusts swing to discounts, and spotting those that might soon tighten can significantly boost shareholder returns. That’s the business of Miton Global Opportunities (MIGO), which looks to own trusts with potential for a narrowing discount as well as net asset value growth. In this interview, manager Nick Greenwood tells Leonora Walters how he identifies trusts that might soon re-rate, where he sees the best value among investment trusts currently and how investment trusts’ expansion in alternative assets has boosted the opportunity for his fund. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chrysalis Investments (CHRY) has made considerable gains by backing a small number of rapid growth companies, with a heavy weighting in fintech.In this interview, co-managers Nick Williamson and Richard Watts tell Mary McDougall why they aim to invest in companies before flotation and why they believe the opportunity for so-called crossover investors is huge.Discussing the investment case for Klarna, Starling Bank, Wise and The Hut Group (THG), they explain why they think their holdings are attractively valued and advise on the key metrics to look out for when companies come to market.Chrysalis Investments launched in November 2018 and has grown to a market capitalisation of around £1.4bn, with the share price almost doubling in the past 12 months.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stimulus needed to support the economy over the pandemic has caused a spike in public debt and rising inflation fears. To help make sense of what might come next, Nick Macpherson, former Treasury chief, tells Mary McDougall how he thinks the government should approach bringing the nation’s debt under control, and why it matters.Discussing the problems with austerity, the distributional consequences of quantitative easing and the fixation of every government to prop up the housing market, Macpherson explains why he has been calling for a new social solidarity charge, as a temporary tax.  Macpherson joined the Treasury in 1985 and served as Permanent Secretary to the Treasury from 2005 to 2016. He is currently chairman of Hoare’s Bank and a non-executive director of both British Land (BLND) and Scottish American Investment Trust (SAIN).Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Temple Bar Investment Trust (TMPL) has surged ahead in the last year but its focus on "old economy" UK stocks may be off-putting for some. In this interview RWC Partners fund managers Ian Lance and Nick Purves, who took over the portfolio last year, make the investment case for Big Oil, miners, some retail names and other stocks some investors love to hate.In this interview with Dave Baxter, they also discuss how they approach value investing, the outlook for UK dividends and which parts of the market would win - or lose - during a prolonged bout of inflation.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast episode from The Merchants Trust, portfolio manager Simon Gergel looks back over the five years since the Brexit referendum where many different factors combined to create a particularly extraordinary and challenging period for the UK market. However, the trick has been to look through the various market uncertainties and using that lens, many mispriced opportunities have presented themselves. To see the full podcast series visit https://www.merchantstrust.co.uk/podcast/Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tim Creed and his colleagues certainly have their hands full, having taken over the former Woodford Patient Capital trust in 2019. They also work on a separate trust, Schroder British Opportunities (SBO), which launched late last year with a focus on the "once in a generation" demand for post-pandemic finance among listed and unlisted entities in the UK. In this interview, Creed talks to the IC's Dave Baxter about the listed and unlisted UK stocks the trusts focus on, how the portfolios differ and where his team is investing.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a dedicated value investor, River & Mercantile fund manager Hugh Sergeant has perhaps unsurprisingly made big gains from the cyclical rally of recent months, with the River and Mercantile UK Recovery and River and Mercantile Global Recovery funds posting big returns. Now, with the rebound losing some of its momentum in the last few weeks, he makes the case for beleaguered value investors to keep their optimism after a rough decade.In this podcast, he talks to the IC's Dave Baxter about the need to "stay in the game" at times of underperformance, the UK stocks he's backing for further outperformance and why Baidu might be "the cheapest megacap stock I've ever seen in my career".Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As inflation rises, inventors are questioning if central bankers are right that inflation will only be transitory. Today’s podcast guest - Karl Sternberg, chairman of the investment committee of Christ Church, one of the largest Oxbridge endowments - says there is a good case to be sceptical about central banks’ ability to ensure monetary stability.In this interview, Karl tells Mary McDougall how investors might prepare their portfolio for a period of inflation, how quantitative easing has sparked a spate of takeover bids and what changes could encourage long-term thinking in UK equities. In a fascinating tour of economic theory, he also explains where he thinks modern monetary theory falls short. Karl recently became chairman of Monks Investment Trust (MNKS), and is on the board of Jupiter Fund Management (JUP). He is a non-executive director of Herald Investment Trust (HIT), Clipstone Logistics REIT, Lowland Investment Company (LWI) and JP Morgan Elect (JPE). He founded Oxford Investment Partners in 2006 and before that he was chief investment officer at Deutsche Asset Management.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

James De Uphaugh and his team might have questioned their luck when they took over the running of the Edinburgh Investment Trust in March 2020. Sixteen months on, the trust has both outperformed its benchmark and recovered its pandemic losses, all with a UK-dominated equity portfolio.In this conversation with the IC, the Majedie Asset Management chairman and co-founder gives his take on the Morrisons takeover battle, inflationary pressures, and why he is selling out of Associated British Foods and Hargreaves Lansdown.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, Charles Stanley head of passives Lynn Hutchinson and Morningstar passive strategies analyst Briegel Leitao talk to Dave Baxter about some of the biggest recent developments in the ETF world and what they mean for investors. They look at the rapid rise of thematic funds, the continuing evolution of ESG investing in a passive format and what investors should remember when seeking to ride a value rally using ETFs.Lynn and Briegel have served as expert panellists for the compilation of our 2021 Top 50 ETFs list, which sets out the most useful and interesting building block funds for an investment portfolio. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Europe can be overlooked by investors, but following encouraging economic data, significant fiscal expansion and a slew of companies beating earnings expectations, its stock market - as measured by MSCI Europe ex UK Index - has beaten all other major investing regions so far this year.In this interview, Jamie Ross, manager of Henderson Eurotrust (HNE) tells Mary McDougall why he continues to back defensive, quality growth companies, despite the recent rally in more cyclical names. He explains where he thinks valuations look stretched, what he has been buying and selling recently and why sustainability-minded investors should pay attention to management incentive structures.He also shares why he feels more positive now than he has in the past about Europe’s perennial problem: How will it cope with rising debt levels?Henderson Eurotrust’s share price (total return) has risen 25 per cent over the past 12 months - in line with its benchmark index. Over five years, the trust has delivered returns of 109 per cent, compared with 82 per cent for the FTSE Europe ex UK Index.On 30 June, the trust - which had assets of £352m - was trading at a discount to net asset value of 11 per cent.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Stephen Yiu, manager of Blue Whale Growth Fund, tells Mary McDougall how he constructs a concentrated portfolio of companies he believes are very high quality and can do well in all macroeconomic conditions.He shares why he has sold Unilever (ULVR), Boston Scientific (US:BSX) and Moncler (IT:MONC), and why he has conviction in Kering (FR:FER), Adobe (US:ADBE), Alphabet (US GOOGL), Mastercard (US:MA) and Visa (US:V).Blue Whale Growth Fund was set up in 2017 and has grown to assets of over £800m. Since launch the fund has delivered an annualised return of 17.9 per cent, ahead of 11 per cent for the Investment Association’s global sector over the same period.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nick Kirrage and Simon Adler, managers of Schroder Global Recovery Fund and Schroder Recovery Fund, tell Leonora Walters about their approach to value investing and how they take advantage of behavioural biases. They also set out why they like financials and energy companies.While Schroder Global Recovery has underperformed its peers over the past five years, it is up 47.5 per cent over 12 months to 16 June, ahead of 35 per cent for MSCI World Index. Its UK-focussed sibling, Schroder Recovery Fund, is up 43 per cent over the same period - ahead of 22 per cent for the FTSE All-Share Index.  Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There's a lot of hype around crypto, but blockchain technology is in its infancy - and has the potential to overhaul how we do business. In this interview, Frederik Gregaard, chief executive officer of the Cardano Foundation, tells James Norrington what the Cardano platform is trying to achieve and why many cryptocurrencies shouldn’t be thought of in terms of currency. They also discuss how decentralised ledgers could interact with corporates and how the regulatory landscape might pan out.Cardano, founded in 2017, is a proof-of-stake, open-source blockchain platform. It is at the forefront of the movement to democratise the internet. The project focuses on long-term real-world solutions rather than being about cryptocurrency speculation. Nevertheless, Cardano's native cryptocoin, ADA, has struck a chord with traders and the coin had a market cap of over $50bn on 10 June, making it the fifth largest crypto asset by value.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Adrian Lim and Pruksa Iamthongthong, co-managers of Asia Dragon Trust (DGN), tell Mary McDougall what they have been buying and selling as vaccination programmes progress and inflation fears pick up.They explain why they continue to support new economy stocks, how the antitrust proceedings are progressing in China and if climate change might threaten the region’s chipmakers. They also discuss how the development of China’s e-yuan might disrupt the corporate sector. Asia Dragon’s share price rose 120 per cent over five years to 8 June 2021, ahead of a 96 per cent return for MSCI AC Asia Pacific ex Japan Index.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this podcast episode from The Brunner Investment Trust, a three-part discussion covers; recent developments in volatile markets, how a different approach from policy makers around the world is providing ongoing monetary and fiscal stimulus plus a focus on the healthcare industry, and a look at the Trust's annual results and the current dividend/income situation. To see the full podcast series visit https://www.brunner.co.uk/podcast/.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Janus Henderson's James Henderson tells Mary McDougall where he thinks the best value is in the UK stock market, what his favourite holdings are, how he values companies and what the key differences are between the funds he manages.James is co-manager of Lowland Investment Company (LWI), Henderson Opportunities Trust (HOT) and the equity portfolio of Law Debenture (LWDB). He also co-manages Janus Henderson UK Equity Income & Growth Fund.Henderson Opportunities Trust currently has the best five-year NAV performance in Winterflood’s UK All Companies trust sector, while Law Debenture ranks top of the broker’s UK Equity Income sector over the same period. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this interview, three fund managers from Liontrust’s Sustainable Future investment team tell Dave Baxter how a planned ESG investment trust will differ from the funds they already run. Peter Michaelis, Simon Clements and Chris Foster also discuss the most important ESG criteria to use in different sectors, how to deal with a holding that runs into controversy and why Alphabet is one of their most prominent investments.Read more about how ESG funds deal with the FAANG stocks here.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Emerging markets are not associated with high environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards but Mobius Investment Trust applies this kind of investment approach in these regions. The trust's co-manager, Carlos Hardenberg, explains how it is possible to do this, how ESG standards vary in different countries and he also takes ‘culture’ factors into account.Hardenberg profiles some of the trust's recent investments and explains why some companies in Covid hotspots are managing to hold up amid the challenges.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Baillie Gifford has delivered some tremendous returns to investors across a wide range of funds over a long period of time, and the man at the heart of it all has been Charles Plowden, joint senior partner and chief of Baillie Gifford’s investment staff from 2006 to 2021. In this interview, Charles tells Mary McDougall how the Scottish firm has grown to become the dominant force it is today, how individual funds sit within the firm’s wider context and shares his concerns about the rapid growth of passive investing. He also explains why he doesn’t think the types of stocks Baillie Gifford invests in are overvalued. Charles has worked across a number of investment teams over 38 years at Baillie Gifford, most recently managing the Monks Investment Trust and Baillie Gifford Global Alpha Growth Fund. This interview was conducted in his last week at the firm, ahead of his retirement on 30 April 2021. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha Podcast, Phil Oakley explains to John Hughman why he's growing more fearful of an inflation headwind for equities, and reveals one company he expects to power its way through itInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re all very grateful to the healthcare industry for the amazing work it has done to create vaccines and treatments to help fight the pandemic. But what is the investment outlook now for the companies in the biotech sector?In this interview, Ailsa Craig of the International Biotechnology Trust (IBT) shares what types of companies she looks to own, where she sees the value in the biotech industry currently and how the development of coronavirus treatments has impacted holdings in the fund. Ailsa was named co-lead manager of the trust last month, alongside Marek Poszepczynski, following the announcement of Dr Carl Harald Janson’s departure, manager of the trust since 2013.  Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha Podcast, John Hughman and Phil Oakley ask whether asset price bubbles are forming everywhere, and assess the prospects for three British retailers proving that physical stores still matter.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A cashless, cashier-less supermarket experience. Simply walk in, load up your bags, and walk out, without any queuing, fumbling for wallets or human interaction whatsoever. This is not out the pages of a sci-fi novel, but a new venture from Amazon that has recently arrived on the streets of London.Yes, this month ‘Amazon Fresh’ has opened in two locations, firstly Ealing and most recently Wembley Park. They’re the first to be seen outside of the US, and the first of many planned for the UK. So today we’ll be discussing Amazon’s entry onto our high streets, and asking whether it’s a taste of the future for all retail or an experiment that’s doomed to fail.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Shares in Games Workshop and Fevertree Drinks both took a tumble last week, but which one does Phil think is most likely to bounce back? Find out on this week's Alpha podcast, and why he also thinks a boardroom bust up at BT could be good news for shareholders. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha Podcast John Hughman and Phil Oakley explain how Morrison's is shaping up into an online grocery powerhouse, why life in an uber-competitive post-lockdown takeaway market may be tough for Domino's Pizza, and why shares in the LSE could be worth a nibble as it gets itself in shape.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The streaming industry has some big names at the top, with Netflix and Amazon Prime both boasting over 150 million worldwide subscribers each. But that has not stopped Hollywood giant Walt Disney throwing its hat into the streaming ring with its latest project, Disney+.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Professor Baruch Lev is the soothingly eloquent voice of reason in a world of accounting which is becoming increasingly unhelpful. He - and the IC’s very own Algy Hall - argue that the financial reports do not reflect the true value of companies because they fail to account for the all important intangible assets. This podcast will open your eyes to the flaws in accounting. To understand how investors can sidestep these issues head to the IC's website to read Algy's reinvention of value.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With nearly 40 million cars on the road, the UK motoring business is worth around £80bn. And that is just a fraction of the global market: between automotive manufacturing, sales, you’re looking at the world’s largest industry.But is it one worth investing in? This is an industry undergoing massive change which is sometimes out of its control. Which companies are up to the challenges? Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha podcast, John and Phil talk cigarettes, streaming and snacks, and why tricky times for BATS, Disney and PepsiCo might now mean opportunities for investors.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The UK loves chocolate - the average Brit eats around 8kg of chocolate a year. And we’re not the only ones. The chocolate industry is worth over $100bn worldwide, and growing. So grab a hot chocolate, reach for a box of celebrations, and join in the discussion about the big business of confectionery.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha podcast, John Hughman chats to Algy Hall about the thinking behind his Alpha stock screens, why recent data suggests UK shares could be coming back into fashion, and how investment trusts could be a good way to play the recovery.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What's a sensible proportion of your portfolio to invest in Bitcoin and other crypto assets? James Norrington speaks to Vilhelm German, Chief Technology Officer at Swiss crypto exchange Bitnuk.com. who as you would expect is bullish but he still believes investors should be circumspect. Since the interview was recorded last week Bitcoin broke the $50,000 value mark, on news of buying by Tesla, another strong signal that crypto assets are here to stay. Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On the week's Not Your Normal Finance Show we visit the volatile world of cryptocurrencies, and the most famous of them all: bitcoin. John Hughman speaks to the IC's Oliver Telling to find out what bitcoin is, how you can buy it, and whether you should. And James Norrington hears the bull case from Vilhelm German, Chief Technology Officer at Swiss crypto exchange Bitnuk.com.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

China is a market that investors simply cannot ignore. Despite being the epicentre of the pandemic and at the helm of geopolitical tensions, it had the best performance of any major stock market last year and innovation is proceeding in some Chinese companies at a rate second to none. But there are concerns about bubbles forming in some sectors. In this interview, Dale Nicholls, manager of Fidelity China Special Situations, says there are still plenty of companies with great growth potential at reasonable prices - albeit not as attractive as they were a year ago, since when the fund’s share price has doubled.Mr Nicholls describes how he offers broad access to the Chinese economy by focussing on companies that serve the enormous power of China's growing middle classes. He talks about why he is not concerned about frenetic private investor trading in China driving a bubble, and how the Chinese stock market has matured since the 2015 market crash. He also divulges how he navigates social and governance considerations in China and shares his thoughts on how regulation might fall on the country’s largest internet companies.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha Podcast John and Phil reminisce about their dotcom boom days and the bubble-like behaviour of today's markets, and why it could be worth drowning your sorrows with a snifter of Diageo shares.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a mixed year for the health and fitness industry. On the one hand, gyms, clubs, and pools have all had prolonged periods of closure, but on the other, you only need to go down to your local park at the weekend to witness the crowds of walkers, runners and cyclists.Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week's Alpha podcast John and Phil go on the hunt for more shares with the feelgood factor, despite some worrying words in Terry Smith's latest Fundsmith letterInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.