Playing FTSE

playingftsepodcast
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Investing
  • Updated Weekly

We're a UK based podcast discussing all types of investing. Light-hearted and info-packed, we'll try our best to bring you great coverage of the markets, stocks, politics, and loads of other things in a way that’s accessible and (we hope) entertaining!

  1. 2d ago

    Reviewing Our Q3 - It Was Going So Well....

    Whose health is suffering along with their wealth? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! It’s the end of Q3, so that means two things. One is Steve W’s joke about waking up the guy from Green Day and the other is a portfolio check-in. Regular viewers will know about the common pattern for both Steves – two strong months followed by one bad one. But what’s the damage and how bad is it? A lot of good things have happened in Steve W’s portfolio during Q3. But a 30% fall in the Rentokil share price has managed to undo pretty much all of that.  The long-awaited recovery still seems to be some way off. So is it time to sell, take the hit, and move on, or risk turning a small loss into a much bigger one? During Q3, Steve D sold ASML, Amazon, Vistry, and Judges Scientific. But he’s finished with more or less the same number of stocks – so what has he been buying? There’s a new robot surgery stock (not the same one Steve W’s been buying). And he’s been thinking a lot about Netflix, with the stock down significantly from its highs… The Eurobox and the Britbox have both underperformed in Q3. Blame the stocks or the people who chose them.  Time to get things back on track in Q4. But is the cork company that we’ve been asked to take a look at the solution for the Eurobox? Over on the Britbox side, Steve D has a radical idea. What’s Steve W planning? Find out on next week’s show. Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Fractional Shares + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Timestamps: 0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS 6:19 STEVE W’S Q3 23:19 STEVE D’S Q3 47:21 BOXES ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

  2. Sep 27

    Empires, Dynasties and Broken Promises

    Who makes the best mayonnaise? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! Steve D is back, but probably wishing he wasn’t. It’s a story of the bad and the worse in the stock market this week as the S&P 500 marches on… Shares in Vistry are down – again – after the results of the new CEO’s investigation. There’s a £400m writedown and an important change of direction for the business. Both Steves have owned this, but it’s been one set of bad news after another. And Steve D has made a big decision… Exor is a stock that has confounded value investors for some time. It trades at a huge discount to its net asset value, but could that be about to change? There’s a share buyback programme on the way and the potential for an exciting new investment. Steve W thinks this one looks interesting. It’s been a tough couple of years for Nike shareholders and the news isn’t really getting any better. Kylian Mbappe has moved to a competitor. On Running has been taking share from the market leader for some time. But with the stock now trading at the same multiples as Nike, is it worth a look at these prices? Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Fractional Shares + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Timestamps: 0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS 5:01 VISTRY 20:43 EXOR 40:46 ON HOLDINGS ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

  3. Sep 20

    We Meet ISA Investor!

    **Check Out ISA Investor on YouTube** https://www.youtube.com/@ISAInvestorUK Where is Steve D? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! This week, Steve W is sitting down with ISA Investor UK. A long-time listener with an overlapping past, this mysterious investor has a unique approach to the markets. A portfolio worth over £1,000,000 would be enough for most people. But ISA Investor UK just keeps on going – at least, for the time being.  What motivates someone to keep pushing forward after so much success? And how might his approach to risk change in the future? ISA Investor’s portfolio is a really interesting one. There’s no big hyperscaler tech and it’s focused on a few key ideas that have been working really well. AI, healthcare, and commodities producers dominate the portfolio. And that speaks to a much deeper investing strategy that’s worth thinking about going forward… Unlike a lot of our usual guests, ISA Investor UK is active with options. But only selectively and in some very specific cases. Hedging and passive income are legitimate strategies for options traders, but not really ISA Investor. Steve W wants to know why not. We’ve not really talked about KGHM on the show before. And that might be an oversight on our part, given our previous interest in copper and mining stocks. ISA Investor explains the rationale for looking at a company that combines low production costs with relatively low political risks. One to consider buying? In our quick-fire round, we’re talking about ASML, Intuitive Surgical, and Uber. But are these cases of ISA INvestor, or ISA OUtvestor? There are some surprising results from our guest. And there’s also an interesting story about Airbnb to talk about… Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Share + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Timestamps: 0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS 2:00 MEET ISA INVESTOR 12:50 PORTFOLIO 25:02 OPTIONS 35:51 ISA’S STOCK 49:13 IN-VESTOR OR OUT-VESTOR  ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

  4. Sep 13

    Chips, Dinosaurs and Strippers

    What’s got more flavour than an Oxo cube? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! It’s been a dreadful week for both Steves in the stock market. Steve W’s losses are three times greater than the FTSE 100 or the S&P 500. And Steve D’s are worse! Nvidia shares have done pretty well this year, but not as well as over 200 other S&P 500 stocks. That’s despite the latest results continuing to be nothing short of stellar. Steve W thinks it’s time to start asking a different question. What’s the company’s strategy for after the data centre buildout and can it cope with the competition? Steve D has a new UK stock to take a look at – Frontier Developments. It’s a video games business, think managing theme parks, F1 teams, and zoos. The interesting assets are the firm’s licenses. With Warhammer 40,000 on board and a new Disney title on the way, could this be an under-the-radar stock to buy? Rosebank Industries is a FTSE 250 name that James Fox – one of our previous guests – likes a lot. And it’s in a very familiar type of industry for this show. Buying, improving, and selling is a business model that we’ve seen a lot. But is this company more like QXO, 3i, or Avingtrans? Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Share + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Timestamps: 0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS 7:17 NVIDIA 26:43 FRONTIER 43:03 ROSE ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

  5. Sep 6

    Top 10 Solar Stocks + Investing in a Sports Team?!

    When did Steve D nearly buy a sports team? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! Steve W’s back from holiday, but he doesn’t have anything good to report from this week in the stock market. Nor does Steve D for that matter… In general, people who buy sports franchises aren’t doing so for investment reasons. But Steve W’s been looking at one on the stock market that might just be interesting. Manchester United has a brand with a loyal fanbase and the company outperforms its rivals even when the team is dreadful. Could that be worth a look for investors? If James Fox is right that power – specifically solar – is the next big thing, investors are going to want to know what to look at. And Steve D’s been on the case for us. 10 stocks follow – in two sets of five. Some are better-known than others, but are any of them worth buying at today’s depressed prices? Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Share + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Timestamps: 0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS 1:22 MANCHESTER UNITED 18:18 FIVE SOLAR STOCKS INTRO 24:20 NEXTPOWER 27:45 BLOOM ENERGY 30:43 FIRST SOLAR 32:53 SHOALS TECH 35:20 ARRAY TECH 45:10 SOLAREDGE 48:16 ENPHASE 51:00 SUNRUN 54:07 TOYO 58:00 FLUENCE ENERGY ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

  6. Aug 30

    The Doctor Is Back! And His Diagnosis Is Clear...

    **Check Out James On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trade_pass/** What’s harder: building a data centre in space or a house in the UK? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! This week, we have something a bit different. With Steve W on holiday, it’s the return of the UK’s Number 1 independent stock picker – Dr. James Fox! It’s been quite the year in the stock market. And James is here to break it all down for us – as well as telling us where he thinks we’re heading from here. Unlike a lot of investors, James doesn’t mind timing the stock market. He’s focused on buying low and selling high, which is what the best investors do. On top of that, though, he’s got some very specific things he looks for in an investment. So what’s he been buying and selling over the last few months? AI has been the theme of 2026 and some time before and Micron has been one of our guest’s top-performing stocks. But he also has some reservations about the industry. Sooner or later, someone has to make some money in the industry. James, however, thinks the hardware buildout could still have years left to run… Energy is the other big theme James has been looking at. It’s well-known that data centres need a lot of power and that has to come from somewhere. Is solar the answer? It solves a lot of the problem of grid connectivity and with the US focused on oil, it’s hard to argue that the stocks are consensus choice right now… It’s been a tough year for Terry Smith and Fundsmith. But the UK’s Warren Buffett has announced a change of strategy and it looks a bit like closer alignment with James. Despite this, our guest isn’t entirely convinced by some of the latest Fundsmith moves. And one stock that’s particularly interesting at the moment is AppLovin. Is the doctor in or out on Adobe, MercadoLibre, and SpaceX? And what about BAE Systems, Barratt Redrow and Wise? It’s our quickfire stock discussion with the UK’s top-ranked independent stock picker. This is one you won’t want to miss. Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

  7. Aug 23

    Building, Credit & Market Measuring

    What’s the most crowded trade right now? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! Another middling performance from Steve and Steve this week. But with both the FTSE 100 and the S&P 500 down, that’s not really anything to shout about… Steve W’s been looking at the state of the stock market right now. The Bank of America Fund Manager Survey for August is throwing up some interesting data. Investors are still concerned about AI and the semiconductor trade. But they’re getting more bullish, so is this the time to buy, sell, or hold? Steve D has been watching Klarna since the stock went public. The market hasn’t really been impressed so far and the share price is down big this week.  Nonetheless, the business has posted some very strong growth figures ahead of expectations. With weaker guidance coming, though, is the fall justified? We’ve had a request to check in on Howden Joinery Group – a FTSE 100 kitchen supplier. So Steve W’s picking this up for the latest news. Competition is ramping up, especially from B&Q. But can it disrupt well-established relationships and a business that’s growing even as its market contracts? The time to buy stocks is when they’re cheap. And Steve D’s Nemetschek is a great example of a company that’s doing well despite a falling share price. There’s strong growth and AI integration has been a huge boost for the specialist building software firm. So what’s Steve’s next move? Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Share + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

  8. Aug 16

    Monday, Adyen and is Abel Able?

    What day of the week does Monda.com report earnings on? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! Steve D has absolutely run away with it in the stock market this week. With Steve W, it depends on how you measure things… Adyen shares have been driving Steve D’s portfolio higher. But there are quite a few things to pay attention to.  A move to buying over building and a push to buy computing power at the high end of the cycle look out of character. The stock, however, is still well below its 5-year high…  Berkshire Hathaway without Warren Buffett in charge doesn’t feel quite the same. But is that a bad thing?  Steve W’s been looking at the latest earnings report. Insurance was weak, but let’s be honest – the really interesting bit is Greg Abel knocking a hole in the $300bn cash pile. The stock market is starting to decide what it thinks of software companies. And it’s sorting them into winners and losers.  Which one is Monday.com? It’s a bit hard to tell - the numbers look pretty robust, but it’s making the kind of moves of a company under AI pressure… Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! ► Free Share + Exclusive Deals — Start Here: 🎁 Free Fractional Share — Open a Trading 212 account through our link and grab shares worth up to £/€100, completely free. Terms apply. 👉 https://www.trading212.com/Jdsfj/FTSE When investing, your capital is at risk. Past performance doesn't guarantee future results. 📊 15% Off Fiscal.ai — The investing toolkit we actually use. Analyse stocks, spot hidden opportunities, and build income streams. 👉 https://fiscal.ai/?via=steve ► About Playing FTSE: What's happening in the markets — and why should you care? We break down the week's biggest financial news, stocks, and economic mayhem in a way that's actually enjoyable to listen to. No jargon, no waffle, just straight-talking chat about money, markets, and the madness in between. For people who want to get smarter about investing — without wanting to fall asleep. ► Free Investing Course + Newsletter: 📬 Join us on Substack for our completely free 10-week investing and research course — no sign-up fees, no paywalls, no nonsense. Plus regular deep dives on market trends, investor psychology, and asset classes that will genuinely make you think differently. 👉 https://playingftse.substack.com/ ► Enjoyed the Episode? ☕ Buy us a coffee (we'll spend it on the show, promise): 👉 https://ko-fi.com/playingftse 💬 Drop a question in the comments or find us on Instagram: 👉 https://www.instagram.com/playing_ftse/ 📩 Business enquiries: playingftsepodcast@gmail.com ► Timestamps: 0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS 6:34 ADYEN 25:40 BERKSHIRE 44:24 MONDAY ► Show Notes: Playing FTSE is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial professional before making investment decisions.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

We're a UK based podcast discussing all types of investing. Light-hearted and info-packed, we'll try our best to bring you great coverage of the markets, stocks, politics, and loads of other things in a way that’s accessible and (we hope) entertaining!

Information

  • Creator
    playingftsepodcast
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    329
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © playingftsepodcast
  • Show Website
    Playing FTSE

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