AJ Bell on Apple Podcasts

Channel • 2 Shows

Investing

Investing

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Investing

Investing

Every two weeks

15 NOV

Budget business backlash, interest rate cut fallout and ETFs inflows and Bitcoin both breaking records

On this week’s episode, Charlene Young and Laith Khalaf talk you through the impact on business of rising National Insurance and minimum wage bills. Plus, labour market data for the period to September showed us the gloomy reality for businesses before the Budget as stalling investment and hiring plans fuelled rising redundancies and unemployment. The Bank of England voted 8-1 to cut interest rates last week but forecasts published alongside the announcement give us an insight into just how inflationary the bank thinks Rachel Reeves’ Budget will prove, and the likelihood of her achieving her pledge of ‘growth, growth, growth’. Bitcoin gets a double mention – not only has it been breaking records but a UK pension scheme has announced it will be allocated 3% of its assets to diversify its investment base, in a break with tradition in the pension space. [11:42] Dan Coatsworth interviews Jack Caffrey from the JP Morgan American Investment Trust for his take on the US election and why the market reacted like it did to that Donald Trump victory. [25:21] It’s also looking like a record year for flows into Exchange Traded Funds. What are ETFs are what has made them so popular? [39:14] We also discuss why first-time buyers might find the frozen Lifetime ISA property limit locks them out of their dream family home [44:00], and outflows from Fundsmith Equity [50:01].

15 Nov

•

58 min
8 NOV

Trump, Tariffs, Budgets and Biscoff – what the big events mean for savers and investors

On this week’s episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Danni Hewson and Charlene Young assess the market reaction to Donald Trump winning the US presidential election and heading back to the White House. There have been some clear winners and losers as investors pile into so-called “Trump Trades” with bitcoin, banks and Tesla among the biggest gainers. The potential for a tariff fuelled trade war has sent stocks like Diageo down whilst the renewable sector is also under pressure with one of Trumps slogans – “drill baby drill” sparking speculation the US oil and gas sector will boom. It may feel like a long time, but the UK Budget was only a week ago and Danni and Charlene discuss changes to inheritance tax which will be exacerbated by frozen thresholds and whether people who pulled out tax-free cash from their pensions amidst pre-Budget speculation about changes, can put it back if they’ve changed their mind. Plus, Danni’s been chatting to Simon Gergel from The Merchants Trust about how some of the UK’s biggest listed companies might be impacted by the Budget. Finally, Tom Sieber and Ian Conway from Shares magazine discuss Lotus Bakeries, the brains behind Biscoff and a great stock performer in recent years.

8 Nov

•

1h 8m
23 MAY

General election market reaction, UK inflation, Nvidia's surge, FCA targets finfluencers and the future of the UK ISA

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.

23 May

•

50 min
4 MAR

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

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.

4 Mar

•

43 min
6 MAR

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

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.

6 Mar

•

31 min
2 MAY

FTSE keeps fizzing despite Fed rate stall, and why HMRC is paying back a record amount for overcharging on pension withdrawals

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.

2 May

•

55 min
25 JAN

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

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.

25 Jan

•

53 min
2 SEPT

Investment Trust show #7: The big charges debate, F&C on the summer market slump, and why investors are paying a premium for 3i Group

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.

2 Sept

•

1h 1m
18 JAN

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

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.

18 Jan

•

47 min
4 OCT

The fight against scams, investing in Wetherspoons, and money still flooding into Cash ISAs

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.

4 Oct

•

56 min

Our podcasts bring the latest money news, investing stories and interesting guests straight to you, from the experts at AJ Bell. Money and Markets is our weekly podcast, rounding up everything that’s happened in the markets, as well as all the personal finance news of the week. Our Money Matters podcast is aimed at women, helping to explain the investing world and demystify finance.

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Top Shows

Budget business backlash, interest rate cut fallout and ETFs inflows and Bitcoin both breaking records

Trump, Tariffs, Budgets and Biscoff – what the big events mean for savers and investors

General election market reaction, UK inflation, Nvidia's surge, FCA targets finfluencers and the future of the UK ISA

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

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

FTSE keeps fizzing despite Fed rate stall, and why HMRC is paying back a record amount for overcharging on pension withdrawals

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

Investment Trust show #7: The big charges debate, F&C on the summer market slump, and why investors are paying a premium for 3i Group

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

The fight against scams, investing in Wetherspoons, and money still flooding into Cash ISAs

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