Playing FTSE

Who’s won themselves a hoodie? Find out in this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! With Paul away on top secret business, the Steves are looking after this week’s show. What have they been doing, what have they been buying, and what have they been thinking about? First, though, it’s the business of sorting out the competition from last week. Steve’s put his replies to all of the correct comments into a random comment finder and we’re using that to draw one on the spot. It’s a tricky business, so bear with us. But keep your fingers crossed, while you do… In UK stock news, Persimmon has announced a cut to its dividend. The FTSE’s top laggard is guiding weak for the future and reported poorly for the last trading period. But is this anything to do with the business, or just some macroeconomic headwinds. We give our views. Next, it’s the big news. The really big news. Trading 212 has unleashed the Portuguese Exchange. With so many new stocks to invest in, what are Steve and Steve thinking about? There’s also the news that they’re changing the way they display and report prices. Will it help Steve W’s portfolio? Can anything do that? After that, it’s a viewer question. Someone in last week’s comments has fastened on to Steve W’s scepticism about Meta Platforms and its stock-based compensation. Why is it a real cost when it doesn’t involve paying out cash? Steve and Steve tackle this one together as Steve W starts to show signs of being a bit under the weather. One way of bringing down stock-based comp costs is by getting rid of workers. Elon Musk has been doing that. Trouble is, it’s not quite as straightforward as that. With Twitter no longer publicly traded, it’s not like we’re going to buy shares any time soon, but are there important lessons for investors like us to learn? Lastly, there’s the minor detail of the stock market going UP for a change. Remember when that was all they did? So have they. The latest inflation report from the US is showing an encouraging trend and share prices are responding. But is this just another false dawn, or is the bottom now in with Paul still sitting on his cash? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

Who likes playing mini golf with an Oculus headset on? Find out in this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! We’ve finally reached 1,000 subscribers! There are so many people to thank. Everyone who’s been on the show, bought us a coffee, bought themselves a hoodie, left us a comment, or even just liked and subscribed. It means an awful lot to all three of us. Thank you all very much, To celebrate, we’re having a giveaway. Details in the first part of today’s show. After that, we do something that we almost never do — devote a whole section to discussing Martin Lewis. We normally think highly of his advice on savings accounts, but take a dim view of his comments on investing. But he’s been talking stocks and shares on his TV show, and it’s caught Steve D’s attention. What’s he been saying? And what do we think? Next it’s Meta Platforms. The stock is down again after earnings and everyone else on YouTube appears to be having a say. Is this another classic trap for people who invest by deliberately writing the wrong numbers into spreadsheets? Or are things better than they seem? Steve W has been having a look and our Meta shareholder is trying to get past the surface news. And we’re finishing up with interesting things about interest rates. The Bank of England and the Federal Reserve have been hiking again. Higher rates are generally bad news for share prices, but should we be worried, relieved, neither, or both? All three of us have our views on this one. Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

How does Steve D feel about whippets and flat caps? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! We're starting off with the new UK government. Rishi Sunak is in charge now and the FTSE 100 has been going up. Why? Steve W has an idea. From there it’s on to UK stocks and Steve D has been looking at Barclays. Paul has some thoughts on this one. Mostly that he isn’t that interested. After that, it’s something that Paul *is* interested in. Google’s parent company reported earnings and the Alphabet share price has been tumbling as a result. Was it as bad as all that? And is Google still a strong company with a bright future? All three of us give our views. Next it’s Microsoft. Paul is effectively short this stock by accident, so the news that it’s going down after reporting strong earnings must be good news to him. But Meta is also down and things weren’t looking bright for Amazon when we recorded this on Wednesday. Is it time to buy the dip? Lastly, with enough big tech out of the way, it’s Spotify time. The medium-sized tech company reported its results and Steve D has the news. With more users and higher average revenue per user, why is the share price in freewill and why does Steve D (our resident Spotify shareholder) think the business isn’t doing so well? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE podcast!

► Invest Engine!   This weeks show is in partnership with InvestEngine.   If you sign up using this link via https://investengine.pxf.io/P0MY5e you'll get a £25 welcome bonus when you invest at least £100 (T's & C's apply).   InvestEngine (UK) Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 801128).   ► Episode Notes: Earnings, earnings, earnings, and earnings! Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show! Before we get started, a quick request. We’re getting very close to the magic 1,000 subscribers on YouTube right now. And we’d really appreciate a shove to get us over the line. We’ve always concentrated on making the best videos we can and we love and the appreciate the audience we have that tunes in every week. Thank you all and that will never change. But another 70 subscribers would really help us move things along here. So if there’s someone you can persuade to subscribe for us, please do! Anyway, we’re talking earnings this week. It’s that time of the year again and there’s lots to look at and talk about. Steve W is kicking us off with the banks. He owns Citigroup, but they’ve all been reporting earnings. Steve thinks he’s seen some important trends coming through that are worth paying attention to. But what do Paul and Steve D think? Next, it’s the inevitable. It’s Tesla. The company reported lighter than expected revenues and the stock is down significantly in response. But they still delivered more cars than ever before and Elon Musk blamed the disappointing numbers on shipping concerns. So what’s the problem? After that, it’s ASML. More strong results from the semiconductor machinery monolith. Good news for Paul and Steve D, who own this stock and have been loading up on it in the last quarter. Steve W doesn’t own it, though — why not? We’re finishing with Netflix. After a couple of disappointing quarters, the company reported some strong subscriber numbers. And there’s much more for shareholders to be excited about. What does Netflix shareholder Steve D think? And why do we all disagree with Motley Fool analyst Tim Beyers? Find out on this week's PlayingFTSE podcast!

► Invest Engine:   This week's show is in partnership with InvestEngine.  If you sign up using this link click here you'll get a £25 welcome bonus when you invest at least £100 (T's & C's apply).    InvestEngine (UK) Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 801128).   ► Episode Notes: Why has Paul been selling his stocks in a bear market? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! Following on from last week’s portfolio update from Steve and Steve, Paul is here with one of his very own. Half of it isn’t there any more. But why has he been selling? And do the Steves approve? Paul’s here to tell us everything. The US Fed is hiking interest rates to tackle inflation. Cathie Wood thinks this is a bad idea. ARKK has had a rotten year and it’s crushed the ETF’s total return over the last five years. Is she talking her own book, or does she have a point? We’ve also got more news from Netflix. We talked about the ad-sponsored plan last week, but Paul wasn’t here and he’s got some thoughts to contribute. With the ad-supported plan around a fiver, will anyone pay for the premium version? And how long will it stay this cheap? Lastly, we’re looking at inflation and the macroeconomic news. With nothing better to do with his time, Steve W has been thinking about why the markets are constantly going down every time there’s a jobs announcement, an inflation print, or a GDP update. But what’s he thinking about the stock market at the moment?

It’s Q4 and Steve and Steve are here. Welcome to the PlayingFTSE Podcast! September’s ended. The guy from Green Day might have been asleep, but the Steves have been doing stuff. They’re here to check in with their portfolios as well as their buy and sells. We’re kicking off with a summary of the biggest holdings in our portfolios at the start of Q4. Steve D has Netflix in there. We’ve talked about this a lot on the show and the stock has been doing well. Is he planning to keep it? Steve W has two new buys at the top of his investments. A Warren Buffett stock has been bumping Berkshire Hathaway down the list in his portfolio and there’s a REIT at the top of it. What’s our value investor been up to? Next up, it’s the new buys. Both the Steves have been busy putting cash to work as the market comes down. Which UK stock have they both been putting their cash into this quarter? It’s one that we’ve talked about a fair bit on the show lately. After that, it’s what’s been going the other way. Steve D has been moving things out of his portfolio and into his GIA for tax purposes. Steve W has been clearing the decks and concentrating his portfolio down to concentrate on his bigger holdings. There might be a surprise or two on the way here… And we’re finishing up with two rounds of stocks that we’re looking at. They aren’t stocks for Paul, since neither of them pays a dividend. But we like them. Steve D is looking at the leader in cystic fibrosis. It’s coming up to a patent cliff, but Vertex Pharmaceuticals has that covered. There’s cash and the business is maturing. Time for some shareholder returns soon? Steve W is looking at yet more tech. He’s found something that has a good moat, charges a registration fee on .com websites, and has some good protection from disruption. It’s buying back shares, but can it keep the growth going? Only on this week's PlayingFTSE ► Invest Engine!   This week's show is in partnership with InvestEngine.   If you sign up using this link via https://investengine.pxf.io/P0MY5e you'll get a £25 welcome bonus when you invest at least £100 (T's & C's apply).   InvestEngine (UK) Limited is Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN: 801128).

Our archers pick up their bows and arrows and take aim at this week’s stories. Only on the PlayingFTSE show! Steve and Steve are in this week to talk about stories. And they’re starting with the small stuff. It’s the UK’s latest economic plan. This has been top of mind for Steve W for a few days now and he’s been trying to figure his way around it. He’s not a fan, but he thinks it’s been badly covered in the mainstream media. What does it mean for the Steves and UK citizens and UK investors? Neither has an answer, but they’ll do their best to try and work through things. It’s unusual that we get ourselves involved in anything political and so the rest of the show is stocks, stocks, and more stocks. We’ve got SIX that are on our radar as we head into October and Q4. First up, Steve D is looking at Kering. He’s nearly always looking at Kering, because of all the designer gear he frequently wears. But he thinks the shares are particularly eye-catching at the moment. Find out why as Steve takes us through the stock’s latest decline. Second, Steve W is looking at Rightmove. He’s nearly always looking at Rightmove, because of his enormous property empire. But he thinks that the shares are particularly eye-catching at the moment. Find out why as Steve takes us through the stock’s latest decline. Third, Steve D is watching Legal & General. The UK insurer stands to do well as interest rates rise and the stock has come down to a level where Steve thinks it pays an interesting dividend. Could this be enough to get him over the line? Fourth, Steve W is watching Wells Fargo. The US bank stands to do well as interest rates rise and the stock has come down to a level where Steve thinks it pays an interesting dividend. Could this be enough to get him over the line? Fifth, Steve D has his eye on some healthcare. This is one we haven’t talked about much on the show, but Steve is looking at Biomerieux. Steve doesn’t back himself to evaluate a pharmaceutical’s pipeline, but his thesis here doesn’t depend on this. So what’s he seeing here? Sixth, Steve W has his eye on some healthcare. This is one we haven’t talked about much on the show, but Steve is looking at GSK. Steve doesn’t back himself to evaluate a pharmaceutical’s pipeline, but his thesis doesn’t depend on this. So what’s he seeing here? All on this week's PlayingFTSE Podcast!

Two of us have terrible internet connections. Welcome to the PlayingFTSE Podcast!   We are three again. Paul's back from his latest adventures. Except he's not really, and he's with us live from a hotel room. We're recording this show on a Tuesday, so mark our homework as we go through the week where we boldly make unimaginative predictions about interest rates.   Paul wants to know whether the Steves can pass a French or German financial literacy test? The questions are easy, but will the Steves trip over their own feet? And can you do any better? There's a 30% portfolio bonus in it for you if you can pass the test -- Paul says so, so get in touch with him to claim it.   After that it's stocks. Steve D has been looking at a UK tech company -- yes there is such a thing. It's Endava, involved in outsourcing stuff. Is he just trying to tempt Paul with another stock with heavy exposure to Eastern Europe? And does this fly in the face of the recent trend towards anchoring?   Steve W also has a tech stock! It's been that kind of week. Guidewire Software is a CRM company focused on insurers. It's unprofitable, pivoting its business in a way that's depressing its gross margins, and a long way from reaching full scale. Can he justify the price for it?   Lastly, it's the story about Beyond Meat's COO going all Mike Tyson on someone's nose in a car park. Don't say we don't tackle the big issues. Only on this week's PlayingFTSE!

No Paul this week – it’s another round of Playing FTSTEVE! On this week’s show, we’re talking about Adobe, Ethereum, stocks we’d like to buy, and the new FAANG stocks. We’re kicking off with some impromptu news about Ethereum. There’s a merge going on. What’s happening and what does it mean for stocks? Steve D has the news and Steve W is thinking about Nvidia… Next is the new FAANGs. Steve W’s been reading something from the Bank of America talking about the new leadership in stocks for a low-growth, high inflation world. What makes the list? And do the Steves prefer FAANG 2.0, or the original recipe? We also have news from Adobe. The stock is down quite a bit since news of its acquisition of rival Figma was announced. Steve D’s been looking at this one -- $20bn sounds like a lot, especially since half of it is coming in Adobe’s stock. Lastly, it’s stocks that we’ve got our eyes on. Steve D is looking at a European stock with a dominant position in aesthetic dentistry. Steve W has been checking out a FTSE 250 industrial distribution outfit. These aren’t for Paul, but could they be for you..? Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE!

Wow. What an episode this turned out to be. Fracking, Hargreaves Lansdown, and Damien Talks Money. Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast! Not much has happened this week. We’ve got a new Prime Minister, though. With Liz Truss taking charge, friend of the show Damien from Damien Talks Money is here to help us make sense of it all. We’re starting off with energy. The new Prime Minister has announced plans to limit the average energy bill to £2,500 per year. Steve W’s heard that this is good for inflation – why? After that, it’s on to the straightforward question of fracking. Damien wants to know what our regulars think of fracking. Steve D lives on a fracking site, Steve W doesn’t, and Paul isn’t sure. So who thinks what about getting gas out of the ground? Next, we’re on to the real reason that Damien’s here. He wants to talk about awful investments that we’ve made in the past. Steve W once owned shares in a REIT – what went wrong there? Paul owns shares in a Russian miner – why? And Steve D invested in some businesses that went – which? Mostly, though, what’s Damien been unwisely putting his money into? We finish with the news. Paul’s had a special offer from Hargreaves Lansdown. Steve W hasn’t, so he’s taking his ball somewhere else. And Steve D has the latest news on Freetrade’s seemingly-annual dilution of investors. Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE!