AJ Bell Money & Markets

Bond yields, Barclays, property fund closure and more pensioners being taxed

Laura Suter and Tom Selby look at what the latest jobs figures mean for the Bank of England’s next interest rate decision, as well as the latest banks to report their results and what it tells us about the state of the savings market. Tom dives into figures on the number of pensioners that will be pushed into paying more income tax.

They also look at the latest eye-opening figures on scams. And investment director Ryan Hughes covers a bevvy of investment news, from the fallout in the UK property fund world, to the expensive tracker funds costing you over the odds and what the latest UK government bond yields mean for you. Tom continues that bond theme in his pension corner, looking at whether those nearing retirement need to worry about gilt yields and the impact it could have on their portfolio.

Important development with inflation, the impact of frozen tax bands and where next for the state pension?

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson and Laura Suter dig into a pile of economic data from wage growth numbers to the volatility on markets following the stalled UK inflation print which saw housebuilders including Barratt Development tumble.

Danni checks out earnings updates from big US banks including JP Morgan and Bank of America and a crowd-pleasing turn from Premier Inn-owner Whitbread.

Tom Selby is on hand to explain what the latest wage and inflation numbers mean for the state pension triple lock as well as answering a question about tax relief once you are over 75.

Laura’s been crunching the numbers on how much the income bands tax freeze is costing you and Tom Sieber chats to Jim Strang from HG Capital Trust about investing in privately-owned technology companies.

Fed signals end to rate hikes, luxury goods stocks slump after weak LVMH earnings, and oil higher after Israel attacks

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson is joined by Tom Sieber from Shares magazine to discuss another volatile week on the markets.  Investors have clearly been shaken by those awful scenes in the Middle East and there are a lot of eyes watching the oil price. 

Comments from Federal Reserve officials suggesting no further rate hikes are likely to be needed in the US saw markets return to the front foot ahead of the third quarter earnings season.  Tom talks through what investors will be looking out for as companies ready their quarterly updates while Danni discusses why the latest numbers from luxury goods maker LVMH disappointed investors.

Danni and Tom consider the Birkenstock IPO and whether the iconic footwear brand can do better in the US than Dr Martens has on the UK market.

Also this week: Dan Coatsworth talks to James Henderson from Law Debenture about what it would take for UK stocks to bounce back, and the fund manager gives his thoughts on ITV and Rolls-Royce.

Big incentives to switch bank accounts, why a sell-off in government bonds have troubled markets, and should you pay for social media networks?

Laura Suter has some money-making tips in this week’s podcast including where to get more than 6% on cash savings and where to find attractive incentives to switch current account provider. She also talks about the pay rise for anyone in a minimum wage job.

Dan Coatsworth explains why global stock markets have taken a wobble following a sell-off in government bonds. He also talks about the latest results from Tesco and why Boohoo is going through a tough patch.

Social media networks could soon be following in the footsteps of streaming platforms by charging users more money if they don’t want to see advertising or have their personal details used for targeted advertising. Dan and Laura debate this matter and what it means for consumers.

This week’s special guest is Richard Sem from Pantheon Infrastructure who talks to Danni Hewson about the opportunities and pitfalls of investing in global digital networks as connectivity becomes more important.

ISA simplification, property stock wobbles and a mixed forecast for retailers

On this week’s Money and Markets podcast Danni Hewson is joined by AJ Bell’s head of retirement policy Tom Selby who brings us up-to-date on rumours around ISA simplification which are reportedly being considered by the Government. The pair assess how markets and currencies have reacted since both the Fed and the Bank of England held interest rates.

You can hear about property stocks including British Land and Land Securities which have come under pressure after analysts cut ratings, and how tech giant Meta paid a record-breaking amount to pull out of one London lease as hybrid working becomes further engrained.

Danni mulls over a mixed bag of results from retailers like Next and H&M and gives her two-penneth on why the sun is shining for some companies and not others. Plus, Dan Coatsworth chats to Pruksa Iamthongthong from Asia Dragon Trust about China’s disappointing post-covid rebound and explains what investors need to think about and Tom delivers another “pensions corner”, this one on salary sacrifice.

Positive news on inflation, a surge in profit warnings, and does Frasers hold the key to Shein’s UK growth plan?

On this episode of the Money & Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson mull over the factors behind a surprise fall in UK headline inflation in spite of rising fuel costs.

Dan digs into the surge in profit warnings from UK companies including B&Q owner Kingfisher, fashion retailer Quiz and online alcohol seller Naked Wines.

Reports suggest Frasers is about to strike a strategic deal with Chinese retail giant Shein – Dan talks about the speculated move and what it could mean for the retail sector.

The podcast chats about Walt Disney following speculation it is about to make big changes including the potential sale of some media assets and news that it will invest $60 billion in its theme parks.

Neil Shah, Director of Research at Edison, joins the show to talk to Danni about the lack of IPOs on the London market and what he thinks investors should expect as 2023 draws to a close.

Plus, why rents are rising at a record pace and the changes to auto-enrolment that allow 18-year-olds to access workplace pensions.

Why the oil price has shot up, consumer rights as Wilko collapses, and what a surge in shoplifting tells us about consumer finances

The price of oil has gone up by more than 25% in two months, creating a new inflationary headwind for consumers and businesses. Dan Coatsworth talks to AJ Bell’s Russ Mould about why the black stuff is suddenly more expensive, what it means for the cost of petrol and why it could have a big impact on central bank interest rate decisions.

Laura Suter explains where customers stand if they need to return faulty goods or spend gift vouchers at collapsed retailer Wilko.

Dan explores the rise of shoplifting, what it tells us about the state of consumer finances, how it is hurting corporate profits margins and why social media is making the problem even worse.

Laura discusses a new report that explores financial inequality, with women having less in savings, investments and pensions then men.

You can also hear about Tesla’s big opportunity with a supercomputer called Dojo which has triggered another big rise in its share price, as well as ARM’s return to the stock market and why Restaurant Group is paying someone to take the Frankie & Benny’s casual dining chain off its hands.

Wilko’s collapse, M&S back in the FTSE 100, Barratt Homes blames Trussonomics for slump in demand and UK listing rule changes

We’re back from our summer break! And there is lots of markets news to cover – Danni Hewson has got an update on what happened over the summer and also the latest on Wilko’s collapse, M&S heading back into the FTSE 100 and the surprising company that has become Europe’s most valuable.

We’ve also got news out from Barratt Homes that’s hot off the press and gives an insight into the housing market – and Laura Suter will be giving an update on the mortgage market. We’ll be discussing the date for the Autumn Statement – and giving a lowdown on what that means and why it matters.

Finally, our interview is with James Wootton, partner at Linklaters, about the planned changes to listing rules in the UK and what it means for investors.

NatWest boss quits, Greek wildfires, parents raiding kids’ savings and emerging market recovery

This week Danni Hewson and Laura Suter will be diving into all the detail on the news that NatWest’s boss Alison Rose has quit amid the Nigel Farage furore. They’ll also be looking at the big tech companies announcing results, including Microsoft and Alphabet, as well as the first of the big UK banks to report – Lloyds. We’ll be covering the financial impact of those wildfires in Greece, both on holidaymakers and on investors.

Laura has got some interesting figures showing that parents are raiding their kids’ piggy banks as budgets get depleted amid rising prices, and Danni is chatting to Chris Tennant from Fidelity Emerging Markets about where he sees opportunities for growth in Latin America.

Cooling inflation boosts UK stocks plus US banks enjoy a rate hike bonanza

On this week’s AJ Bell Money and Markets podcast Dan Coatsworth and Danni Hewson dig through the latest UK inflation data which has delivered a shot of optimism to investors.

They mull over how the Bank of England might react to cooling prices, look at which stocks on the market have been benefiting from the change in sentiment and ask if the optimism is really warranted.

Higher interest rates have delivered something of a bonanza for many big US banks with Wells Fargo and Bank of America amongst those racking up big profits. Dan delves into the figures.

With actors joining writers on the picket lines in Hollywood for the first time in sixty years the pair assess which stocks could be impacted, with Paramount, Disney and Warner Bros Discovery already experiencing share price declines.

AJ Bell’s head of retirement policy Tom Selby is back to talk about government plans for small pension pots. Plus, Dan talks to Joe Bauernfreund from AVI Global Trust about what he makes of this year’s market movements and where he sees opportunities now.