AJ Bell Money & Markets

On this episode of the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Sarah Coles and Dan Coatsworth look at the growing problem of lost pension pots and explain how to track down forgotten retirement savings. We also discuss the billions of pounds sitting in unclaimed Premium Bonds, and Child Trust Funds gathering dust. Importantly, Sarah explains ways to check whether some of that money belongs to you. The team reveal six tax tips that could save people up to £8,500 ahead of the Budget and discuss what Chancellor John Healey might have in store for investors, savers and taxpayers. From pension tax breaks and income tax thresholds to ISAs, stamp duty and the state pension tax dilemma, Sarah and Dan run through the key areas to watch. You can hear from interview with Sonia Bainbridge from Invesco on what it will take to get more people investing. The pod also discusses another week of cyber-attacks, an IMF inflation warning, AI stock weakness. James Flintoft reveals the AJ Bell investment team’s view on the recent bond market selloff. Finally, hear about activist pressure at Whitbread, unusually low CEO turnover among FTSE 100 companies, and an important court case involving a romance scam. Time stamps: [01:10] Lost pension pots, unclaimed Premium Bonds and forgotten Child Trust Funds [09:21] Six tax tips that could save people up to £8,500 [15:24] Autumn Budget preview: what could change for your money? [30:10] Sonia Bainbridge from Invesco on how to get more people investing [42:31] Cyber-attacks, inflation risks and AJ Bell’s James Flintoft on bond market volatility [58:33] AI stock wobble [01:01:03] Premier Inn owner Whitbread targeted by activist investor [01:03:16] Where’s all the CEO changes among FTSE 100 companies? [01:05:30] Romance scam

Anthropic IPO investors are beginning to assess one of the most talked-about artificial intelligence companies in the world. In this week's Money & Markets podcast, Charlene Young, Sarah Coles and Tom Sieber discuss reports surrounding the potential Anthropic IPO, including the company's rapid growth, its Claude AI platform, valuation questions and the opportunities and risks facing investors. Featuring insights from Bloomberg Intelligence's Mandeep Singh, the team explores whether Anthropic could become one of the biggest technology listings in recent years. The episode also covers: Help to Buy reforms and what they mean for UK housebuilders Stock market reaction to Labour conference announcements Proposed changes to the state pension triple lock Social care funding and retirement planning implications How giving up smoking and alcohol could significantly boost long-term savings and pension wealth Chapters Intro [00:00] AI latest [01:22] Mandeep Singh, Bloomberg Intelligence on Anthropic [06:56] Burnham bounce for housebuilders [21:10] GB grid announcement and water companies in focus [26:27] Social care and pension triple lock [31:52] Stoptober and sober October – how much you could save [41:54]

This week on the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Dan Coatsworth and Sarah Coles discuss the growing debate around artificial intelligence, including warnings from industry leaders that AI could pose serious risks to humanity, and what that means for investors. Tech journalist Will Guyatt joins the show to talk about using AI to find investing information. Dan and Sarah explore rising inflation, soaring oil prices, bond market volatility, and the outlook for interest rates. Plus, they look at the latest state pension increase forecasts, new ISA savings data, and the persistent gender pension gap. Elsewhere, listeners share their approaches to saving for university costs, and Sarah explains why divorce enquiries often spike after the summer holidays, and the financial steps people can take to protect themselves. Timestamps: [00:09] Introduction and what's coming up[01:48] AI warnings: Could AI become a threat to humanity?[07:54] Can AI help investors? Interview with tech journalist Will Guyatt[22:11] Markets update: Oil prices, bond sell-off and inflation concerns[23:58] UK inflation rises to 3.1%: What's driving prices higher?[27:38] Listener insights: Saving and investing for university costs[39:48] Why divorce enquiries spike after the summer holidays [44:49] State pension forecast: Triple lock points to a 3.9% increase [48:47] ISA data: More people investing for the long term[51:46] Gender pension gap: Why women retire with significantly less pension wealth[54:01] Practical ways to boost pension savings during career breaks and part-time work[55:58] Closing thoughts and preview of next week's episode

Oil is back above $100 a barrel. What does that mean for inflation, interest rates, stock markets and your finances? Danni Hewson and Dan Coatsworth discuss the market impact of rising oil prices and what central banks might do next. Commodities expert Adam Rozencwajg from investment group Goehring and Rozencwajg explains how Middle East tensions are affecting global oil supplies, where investment opportunities lie, and what the oil industry might do next. Also in this episode: John Healey's first major speech as Chancellor, rising mortgage rates, falling house prices, job cuts at Jaguar Land Rover, saving for university costs, and a simple guide to valuing shares. [02:40] Oil tops $100: what's next?[07:12] Inflation and interest rates in focus [15:03] Expert talks oil supply issues [28:35] The UK government’s new growth pitch [32:05] Job losses at big car companies [37:51] UK government borrowing costs surge [40:29] Housing market turns lower [43:23] How the Bank of Mum and Dad are preparing for university bills [50:45] Simple guide to valuing shares