Investors Chronicle

This week’s episode begins with a property leaser to the healthcare sector, Life Science Reit (LABS). Property writer Natasha runs through the results, where the chief exec is focusing and whether a takeover is on the cards.It’s then onto our latest Big Read on investing for your children. From the best accounts to use, the top funds to pick, and educating your children about investing, Val Cipriani runs through everything parents need to know.Lastly, Julian Hofmann joins to unpack China’s stimulus measures. What impact will it have on the stock market? And what funds can investors use to get involved in the action?Claim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant access to our website and app, plus the magazine delivered to your door every week. To start your trial, visit www.investorschronicle.co.uk/podcasttrial *After your 12-week trial you will pay just £62 every 13 weeks by direct debit. If you’re not entirely satisfied, you can cancel up to 5 busin

In this podcast episode from The Brunner Investment Trust, Co-lead Portfolio Manager Julian Bishop and host Joe Lynam navigate the choppy waters of national politics and their ripple effects through global markets. With the recent political changes in the UK and the much-anticipated US presidential election, what can investors expect from the stock market?For more in-depth discussions and insights, visit our website for additional podcast episodes, articles and videos: https://www.brunner.co.uk/en-gb/videos-podcasts-and-reading This content was paid for and produced by The Brunner Investment Trust Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We start with Smiths Group’s (SMIN) results. The engineering giant’s figures missed expectations, but could new acquisitions and an updated cost-saving plan bring things back? Michael Fahy reports. Our Big Read this week is on pensions. We all know what they are, but there’s much more that could be done for savers and perhaps for the wider economy – Alex Hamer, author of the cover feature, gives a rundown of the reforms mentioned in the piece that could boost pots, and breathe new life into the stock market.We wrap up by touching on bid takeover activity. From Rightmove (RMV) to Advanced Medical Solutions (AMS), Jennifer Johnson unpacks everything investors need to know from the past week.Timestamps01:18  Smiths Group 09:08  Pensions23:59 Small caps28:55 Takeovers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jemma Slingo is up first to discuss the fate of NatWest (NWG). Jemma and Dan unpack how well hedged the business is against falling interest rates, its share buyback plans and more.It’s then on to one company from our Income Majors special report: British American Tobacco (BATS). Like most tobacco stocks, BAT is in the firing line from the Labour government and other leaders around the world. Michael Fahy and Dan explore what potential smoking bans would mean for investors. We finish with two deals from the financial world. Close Brothers (CBG) has sold off its asset management arm while Brooks Macdonald (BRK) is also making disposals. Julian Hofmann covers everything investors need to know. Timestamps1:29 NatWest10:50 British American Tobacco22:00 Close Brothers/Brooks Macdonald Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We begin with Trustpilot (TRST), whose shares shot up 10 per cent in the past five days. Its software as a service (SaaS) is AI-enabled but should it be seen as a marketing or tech business? Jennifer Johnson runs through the long-term prospects inventors need to consider.Dave Baxter joins to chat about the 2024 edition of the IC’s Top 50 Funds list. He unpacks how it is constructed, why it’s tilted more towards investment trusts this year, and profiles some of the names that make the cut.Last up, we touch on engineer Reinshaw (RSW). While some other semiconductor suppliers have thrived, the company’s past few years have been rough. But do its latest figures point to a stronger narrative? Mark Robinson and Julian Hofmann discuss its future revenues and valuation.Timestamps1:13 Trustpilot13:16 Top 50 Funds23:11 ReinshawClaim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant access to our website and app, plus the magazine delivered to your door every week. To start y

Lee and the IC is back after its summer hiatus with the latest updates to Lord Lee’s portfolio. Armed with the proceeds of a takeover, Lord Lee has spent the last few months topping up some existing holdings and running the slide rule over several British value opportunities, including a media conglomerate and a global shipping firm. John and Alex continue their discussion on the role of non-executive directors (NEDs) as share ambassadors, as well as what lies ahead for private investors in the wake of Labour’s win.1:11 Lok’nStore sell6:13 Britvic 9:56 ITV purchase12:09 Braemar purchase18:00 Non-executive director holdings24:01 Labour government Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Hamer unpacks the results from Australian mining giant BHP (BHP). It reported higher earnings in the 12 months to June thanks to record copper prices and a relatively stable iron ore market, its biggest market. Alex shares what investors should expect going forward. Alex Newman, the author of this week’s cover feature on insurance stocks, joins the show. DIY investors love insurers – note our Lee and the IC podcast co-host, Lord John Lee – but the industry is a complex beast. Alex explains what investors should do to know which names are worth owning.Lastly, Arthur Sants joins to discuss Nvidia’s (US:NVDA) latest interim results. Its revenue more than doubled but the share price fell thanks to expectations that it turns out even the world’s top-earning company can’t beat. Arthur explores the valuation and what lies ahead for the business.Timestamps1:18 BHP10:21 Investing in insurers 23:59 Nvidia Claim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant

We begin with construction firm Costain (COST), which recently announced a £10mn buyback. Mark Robinson weighs in on its latest results and more.It’s then on to Hargreaves Lansdown (HL). Val Cipriani covers the proposed takeover and what it means for those who use the platform. Julian Hofmann also unpacks the company’s results and the impact on shareholders.Last up, Alex Hamer covers Ithaca Energy’s (ITH) results, what impact Labour’s windfall tax will have and the latest events affecting North Sea stocks in general.Timestamps 1:15 Costain12:20 Hargreaves 23:50 Ithaca  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Who holds the power: the government or the market? In this episode of the ‘A Value View’ Podcast, portfolio manager Simon Gergel discusses the aftermath of the recent UK election, marked by a significant Labour victory. He explores the UK stock market response and highlights where opportunities are being found today. Listen in now to find out more about the market reaction and what it means for investors. For more in-depth discussions and insights, visit our website for additional podcast episodes, articles and videos: https://www.merchantstrust.co.uk/en-gb/videos-podcasts-and-reading This content was paid for and produced by The Merchants Trust Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We begin with life insurer Just Group which raised its profit outlook after corporate pension deals boomed. Julian Hofmann unpacks the recent results and discusses whether the shares offer value and how the business might expand.Another insurer's results, Aviva (AV), follows. Mark Robinson and Julian talk about what the business is doing right and how it’s benefitting from diversification.Arthur Sants joins from New York to discuss his cover feature on Google’s parent company Alphabet (GOOGL). Arthur explains how Google became the world’s top search engine, its recent run-in with the Department of Justice, the threat of AI and more.One Savings Bank (OSB) is last up and Jemma Slingo reveals what led to the 20 per cent share price drop after its latest update.Timestamps1:21 Just Group10:19 Aviva 19:42 Alphabet 42:04 OSB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dave Baxter is joined by one of the managers of Migo Opportunities Investment Trust, an unusual fund which exploits valuation anomalies and discounts in other investment trusts.Dave and Charlotte discuss where she looks for opportunities, interesting asset classes and the reason that share buybacks turn the trust’s head more than dividend increases. Listen to this and more. Timestamps 00:34 Sectors of interest6:34 Geopolitical risk8:14 Worthy investments in private equity 10:38 M&A scale 12:49 Smaller trusts14:59 Areas of innovation18:09 Interesting asset classes25:20 Share buybacks and capital allocation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We begin the episode with commodity trading and mining company Glencore (GLEN). Alex Hamer unpacks a busy week, including everything from the cancellation of the coal demerger to the company’s copper prospects in an environmentally conscious world.Val Cipriani discusses our cover feature on the often much-desired topic: retiring early. It doesn’t always seem realistic but Val covers how investors can set themselves on the right track, with simple and effective strategies including how to properly use pensions and Isas.Last up, Christopher Akers explains Deliveroo’s (ROO) latest results. The food delivery company’s shares were up 8 per cent on the morning of the recording on account of its first-ever statutory profit, a share buyback announcement and more, which cheered up a pretty dreary market.1:13 Glencore16:20 How to retire early27:50 Deliveroo Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We’re in the thick of results season but that doesn't stop our hardworking journalists from providing a deep dive into the top stories of the week.We begin with St James’s Place (STJ), which recently released results. The financial advice company announced an ambitious £500m cost-saving programme, a figure that turned many heads in the City. Julian Hofmann covers all.Then Mark Robinson discusses the cover feature on making rapid returns with short-term trades. Mark explains the thinking behind the piece, the ways investors can get involved and the pitfalls to avoid.New recruit Holly McKechnie makes her podcast debut to talk about how to spot rising star fund managers and then Julian returns to unpack London Stock Exchange Group’s (LSEG) results.Timestamps 1:11 St James’s Place (STJ)9:36 Rapid returns19:11 Rising star fund managers 26:22 London Stock Exchange Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this IC Interviews podcast, Val Cipriani is joined by James Cook, manager of JPMorgan Global Growth & Income. As the only global and global equity income investment trust trading at a premium, it is keeping investors happy with its approach.Val and James discuss how this has happened, the future of semiconductor stocks, how AI will change the market, Microsoft’s recent outage and much more.Timestamps1:01 Strategy of growth3:35 Payout policy7:41 Paying dividend out of capital 9:09 Outlook for the market 13:33 Interesting areas of the market17:05 Semiconductor stocks19:31 Magnificent Seven21:41 AI 25:47 Microsoft 27:53 AI’s risk 29:06 Tech stocks capex 30:56 Apple 32:48 UK stocks34:50 Japan36:32 Portflio balance39:30 Getting involved with M&A  Claim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant access to our website and app, plus the magazine delivered to your door every week. To start your trial, visit www.

We begin with Mark Robinson who covers pest control business Rentokil (RTO) which saw a double digit surge in its share price after rumours of private-equity takeovers began swirling.It’s then on to this week’s cover story by James Norrington on the investing greats and how investors can apply their wisdom to their own portfolios. Jennifer Johnson then joins the conversation with an update on leader of the FTSE 100, AstraZeneca (AZN). Why are shares down despite its guidance being upgraded? And what does the company offer outside of oncology drugs?Last up, we cover energy company Centrica’s (CNA) results which received a less than favourable market reaction. 1:27 Rentokil (RTO)12:53 Investing greats 23:50 AstraZeneca (AZN)33:31 Centrica (CNA)Claim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant access to our website and app, plus the magazine delivered to your door every week. To start your trial, visit www.investorschronicle.co.uk/podcasttrial *Af

This week, the IC team touch on everything from everything from water company share prices to the state of play in the sports brands industry, and Baillie Gifford’s investment trusts.Alex Hamer unpacks Ofwat’s regulatory crackdown and what reforms mentioned in the King’s Speech will mean for companies such as Pennon (PNN), United Utilities (UU) and Severn Trent (SVT).It’s been a busy few weeks for sporting events but there’s plenty more to come as this week’s cover feature analyses sports brands. Michael Fahy runs through the hot topics from Nike (NKE) versus Adidas (ADS), new challenger brands and marketing spending in the UK compared with the US.Last up, Val Cipriani looks at how Baille Gifford’s Monks (MNKS), Edinburgh Worldwide (EWI) and Scottish Mortgage (SMT) are performing after 2022’s huge losses, Trump’s recent comments on trade relations, and more. Timestamps1:22 Water companies 12:38 Sports brands27:52 Baille GiffordClaim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for jus

In the latest episode of IC Interviews, Dave Baxter sits down with Chris Tennant of Fidelity’s Emerging Markets Trust. The pair cover everything from stocks Taiwan Semiconductor (TSMC) and Nasper (JSE: NPN) to the opportunities for shorting in China and areas believed to be the home of future emerging markets. Timestamps 1:00 Stocks in portfolio & TSMC6:04 Nasper 8:23 Buybacks in EM11:15 General take on China 16:08 Shorting 19:10 India22:48 Concentrating elsewhere 24:34 Other EM options 27:11 Overlooked themes 29:11 Risks that investors are overlooking Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The episode begins with Alex discussing the housebuilding sector. He and Dan unpack Barratt’s (BDEV) recent trading update, whether investors should expect more M&A, and planning proposals from the new government.Julian follows up by analysing student accommodation provider Unite’s (UTG) seemingly positive trading update. He explores the investment case given the weakening relationship between international students and universities’ finances, and how planning changes could affect the sector.Last on the agenda is our annual ETF best-buy list. Dave Baxter explains the thinking behind the collection of funds, changes made for 2024, why investors should be wary of thematic ETFs and more. 1:30 Housebuilders 16:17 Unite 27:45 Top 50 ETFsClaim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant access to our website and app, plus the magazine delivered to your door every week. To start your trial, visit www.investorschronicle.co.uk/podcasttrial

We begin the show with Jemma Slingo who covers results at Baltic Classifieds (BCG), the largest internet services provider for the Baltics. The business has a dominant position in the housing and car listings market, making it a similar company to the UK’s Rightmove and Auto Trader. Dan and Jemma unpack its expansion plans, risks and valuation. Next, Mark Robinson joins to discuss the ‘decision intelligence’ company ActiveOps (AOM) which is gaining attention for high customer retention rates and positive earnings growth. Mark explores how large the scope is for its software services.Last up, Julian Hofmann and Jemma discuss outsourcers Serco (SRP) and Mitie (MTO). The two explore current trading at the two companies and their prospects under a Labour government. 1:22 Baltic Classifieds9:59 ActiveOps 20:18 Serco24:08 MitieClaim your first 12 weeks of Investors' Chronicle Print + Digital for just £12. You will get instant access to our website and app, plus the magazine delivered to your door every we

Dave Baxter hosts Alastair Laing of Capital Gearing Trust, a vehicle which aims to grow but also protect investments over long periods. Often known for its bearish stance, the team at the trust use a combination of bonds, equities and property to position themselves and investors' cash securely in case of rocky market periods. In the episode, Dave and Alastair discuss how the trust has offset missing out on the US tech wave, inflation-linked bonds, the smaller positions they hold, and much more. Timestamps1:00 Positioning of the trust3:07 Pockets of value4:36 Drivers of a regime change5:57 Exposure to equities7:04 Offsetting lack of involvement of US gains 9:58 Bonds 13:12 Inflation-linked bonds 15:56 Executing investment views 18:25 Smaller positions20:31 Arriving at a valuation he can trust24:19 How the trust navigates investment trust investments27:09 Attitude to private equity 29:04 Share buybacks 34:07 The sector and structural decline Claim your first 12 weeks of