AJ Bell Money & Markets

It’s our 200th episode of the Money and Markets podcast. To celebrate we have three special guests talking about things that really matter to savers and investors. Laura Suter chats to NS&I chief executive Ian Ackerley about premium bonds and savings rates. Dan Coatsworth talks to Polar Capital Technology Trust manager Ben Rogoff about the change in fortunes for tech stocks. Dan asks Ben whether it is time for the Faangs to be relegated and a new group of tech stocks to lead the pack. They also talk about opportunities in the sector following widespread share price declines. Artemis fund manager Rebecca Young explains why investors with a 60/40 equity/bond portfolio shouldn’t panic about the bond component failing to provide support this year. Laith Khalaf looks at the latest activities among equities, currencies and government bonds, while Dan explains why the potential sale of Manchester United football club matters to investors, and why Disney has brought back its old chief executive.

Laith Khalaf and Tom Selby debate the forthcoming changes to taxes and allowances following the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement. They explain what the changes mean, and which ones are the most significant. Dan Coatsworth and Laura Suter discuss the relevance of Black Friday, whether retailers will enjoy a  bumper sales period, and what to think about if you’re trying to cut back on your spending but want to take advantage of discounts in the shops. Dan explains why stock markets have perked up in recent weeks, and he also talks to Fay Ren from the Cerno Pacific Fund about why companies with rich intellectual property can be attractive investments.

Laura and Danni have two interviews this week. The first is with bond fund manager veteran John Pattullo, from Janus Henderson Investors, who will be talking us through how he has navigated the recent market turmoil. And in the second interview Dan Coatsworth catches up with billionaire investor Bill Ackman from Pershing Square Holdings to talk about whether he’s worried about a recession and why he sold out of Netflix and Domino’s Pizza so quickly.  Also this week we’ll be looking at the nation’s financial resilience in the current cost of living crisis, as new data reveals 1 in 4 people have less than £100 in savings, as well as talking about that tricky task that everyone puts off: writing a will. And in the market update we’ll cover layoffs at Meta and Twitter, Primark’s decision not to raise prices and the cracks showing in the UK housing market.

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast, Danni Hewson and AJ Bell’s head of Investment Analysis Laith Khalaf mull over those all important interest rate decisions in the US and UK plus renewed calls for additional windfall taxes on Energy companies after BP and Shell announce more bumper profits. They also discuss those government energy payments which should have found their way into your hands and explain what you should do if you’ve not received yours. The deal’s finally done Elon Musk is the head tweet – but what does it mean for the social media platform and what does it mean for Tesla shareholders? With more lockdowns affecting companies like Apple, Disney and Nio in China I’ve caught up with Catherine Yeung investment director at Fidelity about whether there’s anything to speculation that the zero covid policy might be relaxed and what investors should be thinking about when it comes to Chinese companies right now.  And what’s up with retail – with pandemic darling Made.com shuffling towards administration and Morrisons planning to ditch over a hundred of the McColl’s stores it only bought in the spring it’s looking like being a very difficult Christmas for the sector.

This week Tom Sieber is going to be looking at whether markets were buoyed by the news of yet another Prime Minister opening their moving boxes at Number 10, and Laura Suter will delve into what the new PM might mean for your money. We have the usual market update, including the potential collapse of online furniture retailer Made.com and the latest antics of Mike Ashley. On top of that, we’ve got Ian Conway from Shares magazine giving an update on a bumper US earnings season, with 45% of the S&P 500 reporting this week. Ryan Hughes from the AJ Bell investment team joins us to answer a listener question on the current bond market turmoil. And finally, we have some alarming news for those people who like to hoard their stamps.

This week we’ve gathered a team of experts to comb through all of the Government’s U-turns and work out what they mean for your money. Laura Suter looks at the income tax reversal and the Energy Price Guarantee, while Laith Khalaf has the details on dividend tax changes that never materialised. Tom Sieber gives us the market reaction to the news, including whether those crucial Gilt yields stabilised, while Tom Selby details the impact on the pensions landscape and that all-important triple lock. The team also debate what is coming down the pipeline from the current Government and the remaining thorny issues the new Chancellor has to wrangle.

With all the headlines that have made people worried about their pension we’ve drafted in AJ Bell’s head of retirement policy Tom Selby to talk through it and explain exactly what it means for you. Laura Suter talks to broker David Hollingworth from L&C on what’s happening in the housing market and what you should do if you are in the process of moving or re-mortgaging. Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson discuss the economic volatility surrounding the Bank of England’s bond buying programme.  Markets have had plenty to keep them scrambling this year and as we head into earnings season, Danni caught up with Duncan MacInnes at Ruffer, Olivia Geldenhuys at Schroders and Andrew Surrey at Vanguard to ask what they make of 2022 so far. Dan and Danni also pick over the good the bad and the downright ugly from this week’s market movements including why the FTSE 100 has finally succumbed to the malaise that’s been present in most other indices already this year, and why shares in renewable energy-related companies and investment trusts including SSE have been falling. The pair look at some big market moves which have ruffled the semiconductor companies globally and Danni finds a few bright spots with positive updates from Pepsi, Hollywood Bowl and packaging group DS Smith.

Dan Coatsworth talks to Alec Cutler, manager of the Orbis Global Balanced Fund, about the similarities between the 1970s and today (inflation, high energy prices, difficult markets), and what investors might need to do next. Hear from Dan and Laura Suter about why share prices and the pound suddenly perked up, what to expect if you’re getting a new mortgage, and where to find the top savings rates on cash accounts. Discover why shares in Tesla took a pounding, and why Drax is losing ESG fans fast after a damning TV programme about where it sources material to make wood pellets. Hear about the challenges facing Tesco, Greggs and Tortilla Mexican Grill, and Dan talks to stock trader Michael Taylor about why shares in Naked Wines have fallen 90% in 12 months. Finally, Laura has some wise words on how to avoid pension scams.

Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson explore the impact of more weakness in the pound, rising government bond yields and further hikes in interest rates on consumers and businesses in the months ahead. They explore the fierce market reaction to the UK Government’s mini-Budget, why the Bank of England has stepped in to stop gilt yields getting worse, and why the IMF is not best pleased at Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng’s policy decisions. Dan explores the large number of chief executives who have quit FTSE 100 companies this year. And this week’s guest is Joe Bauernfreund who runs the AVI Japan Opportunity Trust. He talks about investing in Japan and how he takes an activist approach as a fund manager.

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson discuss the barrage of bad news that’s been troubling markets even before US and UK central banks hiked rates. Profit warnings have been coming in thick and fast including Hilton Foods, The Hut Group, DFS and the biggie – bellwether stock FedEx, so what can investors expect as we head into another earnings season? They explore the good news for UK businesses that’s come in the form of the government’s six-month energy price cap out today plus they ask if travel stocks have finally turned a corner after an upbeat update from TUI. With one of the most pressing issues being discussed in boardrooms today being how to save money, Dan catches up with Jonathan Maxwell, the manager of the SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust. He runs an investment trust that puts money into projects that not only save companies a few quid, but also help the environment. With leaks about the new chancellors “mini-budget” coming in thick and fast, Danni looks at the boost house builders like Persimmon and Redrow have been getting from speculation that there could be intervention on stamp duty. And as one of the city’s most controversial characters backing away from the board of Frasers Group, Danni and Dan discuss the career and legacy of Sports Direct Founder Mike Ashley.