Wake Up to Money Deadline Day ... no, not that one.
Jan 30, 2026
Paul Bolton, director of Leicester shoemaker Early Days, talks about a 70-year family business facing closure. Anna MacDonald, investment manager at Aubrey, offers market and investment analysis. They discuss UK manufacturing decline, China business ties, AI and tech earnings, and the self-assessment tax deadline in short, punchy conversations.
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Pragmatic Push To Reengage With China
- Keir Starmer's China visit aims to secure market access and trade wins like tariff cuts and licensing progress.
- Anna MacDonald and Mark Rushmore say engagement with China is pragmatic given shifting global partnerships.
AI Spend Is Testing Corporate Moats
- This earnings week showed divergence: chip makers rallied while some software firms fell, driven by AI investment and capex concerns.
- Markets now judge who can convert AI spend into durable revenue and moat protection.
AI Needs Tangible User Value In 2026
- AI's real test this year is whether firms use it to become more efficient and to enable genuinely new capabilities.
- Douglas McNeil says demonstrated user value will determine if the hype is justified.