Investors' Chronicle

Third-quarter earnings season (Q3) is under way and it’s taking place amid some renewed wobbles for AI and chip stocks.With this in mind, this week’s show considers two companies that could be construed as defensive. First, we turn to emerging market-focused asset manager Ashmore – while not the most obvious port in a storm, its focus on debt rather than stocks means it offers resilience. Mark Robinson explains its recent trading update.We then look at healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson, perhaps less of a defensive staple than it once was following the spin-off of its consumer division, but still a potential haven nonetheless. Julian Hofmann has the details and explores why, after a good year so far, its Q3 figures were not well received.Julian also dives into this week’s Big Read: How to profit from profit warnings. He talks through recent trends, market reactions and what it all means for the wider economy.Timestamps:00:00 Intro01:02 Ashmore10:16 Profiting from profit warnings 23:14 Johnson & JohnsonListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode begins by looking into Labour’s new ‘Your First Home’ scheme, a replacement for the controversial Help to Buy programme. Announced by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, it is designed to give more people a chance of buying their first property. But what does it actually entail? And will it succeed, or will it just prop up the housing market and housebuilders like its predecessor? Hugh Moorhead discusses the potential beneficiaries.We then cast our ears to another bid for a UK-listed company: materials specialist RHI Magnesita’s attempt to acquire rival Vesuvius. Mike Fahy outlines what the takeover will look like and whether it’s likely to succeed.We wrap up with our Big Read of the week on what history teaches us about investing. James Norrington explains why we need to look further than the recent past. From the 17th century to the pandemic, James discusses rising debt levels, trade wars and much more.Timestamps 00:00 Intro01:05 'Your First Home' scheme11:35 Bid for Vesuvius22:07 Future-proofing portfoliosListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode kicks off with the latest batch of London-listed AI players. Up first are the IT resellers who are reaping the rewards of the boom; we discuss Computacenter and Softcat, the latter of which tapped investors for several hundred million pounds last week.On the other side of the ledger, there has been a fresh sell-off for the likes of Rightmove after Meta released its AI agent, Muse. But the question is: have these ups and downs gone too far? Our technology reporter Arthur Sants discusses the prospects for resellers, Meta, and online marketplaces.We then cast our ears to the burgeoning business of prize draws, be it high-profile ‘win your dream home’ competitions or all manner of niche prizes. Is this a new UK national obsession? Which companies are trying to muscle in on the sector? And what does all this say about our saving habits? Erin Withey has the answers.The show wraps up with a look at our pensions special report: all you need to know about using a personal pension, how to invest it and how to plan the perfect retirement, in one helpful guide. Helen Kirrane explains when to use a pension versus an Isa and outlines some quirks to watch out for.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro1:09 AI winners18:47 British prize draw boom31:30 Planning your pension: Our special report Listen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week’s episode looks at two companies making a series of deals and partnerships in a bid to buck the troubling trends in their respective sectors. We begin with consumer staples company McBride, whose shares have been buoyant in recent weeks as the cleaning products manufacturer, known for brands such as Oven Pride, expands its horizons. Mark Robinson is in the studio to discuss the details.Hugh Moorhead then joins the conversation to look at the dealmaking plans at Supermarket Income Reit, seen by investors as a rare bright spot in the property sector at the moment. The show wraps up with an existential question that has been hitting headlines over the past week: Is AI going to destroy the world? Mark is back to give his view on whether the hype and hysteria have got out of hand.Timestamps00:00 Intro00:52 McBride12:24 Supermarket Income Reit20:26 Has the AI hysteria got out of hand?Listen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Even as uncertainty reins in the markets, 2026 has been another bumper year for returns. But, as ever, that does hide plenty of dispersion below the surface; with that in mind, this week’s show looks at two stocks at opposite ends of the scale.One is up over 800 per cent in the year to date – that’s semiconductor manufacturer IQE, which reported interim results on Monday. Michael Fahy is in the studio to dive into the details and ask whether its run can continue.At the other end of the spectrum is Mortgage Advice Bureau, which fell 20 per cent on Wednesday after lowering full-year guidance. Julian Hofmann asks whether there’s any light at the end of the tunnel after it departed from Aim, and will also run the rule over the thus-far better-performing Property Franchise Group.In between, we turn to our Top 50 Funds of 2026. Val Cipriani and her expert panel have compiled our annual rundown of 50 active funds we think may be suitable for a range of investors. Val talks through our picks.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro01.14 IQE14:19 Top 50 Funds26:17 Mortgage Advice BureauListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

First, we cast our ears to British industrial stocks and ask whether they are being picked off too cheaply. Michael Fahy dives into why manufacturers are significantly more undervalued than their US counterparts and discusses the sector’s acquisitions in recent years.We then turn to what is arguably our most important savings pot: the pension. You may have saved diligently and kept a close eye on your investments, but unexpected problems can still arise. From a later-life divorce or a stock market slump, plenty can throw retirement into jeopardy. But fret not, Holly McKechnie is in the studio to talk through the most common threats – and how to avoid them. Finally, we look at Nvidia and its keenly anticipated earnings update. To investors’ joy, it delivered on all fronts and revenue at the world’s largest company more than doubled, smashing Wall Street’s expectations. Arthur Sants explains the latest figures and its new circular financing strategy, which is raising a lot of eyebrows (more on that here).Timestamps00:00 Intro03:32 Are UK industrials being picked off too cheaply?19:95 Common risks to your pension – and how to avoid them20:36 Nvidia's promising figures and new financing strategyListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up first this week is self-labelled ‘King of Trainers’ JD Sports, whose shares took a 15 per cent tumble on Thursday morning. The FTSE 100 retailer has blamed much of the slump on delayed back-to-school spending and a rising cost of living. Erin Withey explains what’s going on.Next we turn to what has become a trend of the past few months: star fund managers overhauling portfolios. Bill Ackman of Pershing Square has joined the party in trying to stop disappointing returns, but when your portfolio only has around 12 stocks, and you change 11 of them, it’s going to have some significant repercussions. Val Cipriani is in the studio to discuss whether the shake-up is for the better or whether investors should be worried. Finally, we look at Oxford Nanopore; initial excitement after its IPO has waned, and the testing company has struggled as its biggest segment, its research arm, has lagged. Julian Hofmann dives into its management’s plans to switch up its strategy and what this means for shareholders.Timestamps: 00:00 Intro3:59 JD Sports10:57 Pershing Square20:08 Oxford NanoporeListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women, on average, earn less than men, have less saved in a pension and have to take more time off from work to care for others. But while society is rigged to burden women with heavier loads, Gina Miller has made it her mission to change this and close the gender wealth gap. Gina is an activist, entrepreneur and the founder of MoneyShe, an investment platform focused on women’s finances. Gina, who became widely known for her anti-Brexit campaign and has spent decades working in the City, sits down with funds editor Val Cipriani to discuss the barriers blocking women from investing, the inherent misogyny in finance and practical steps to build a portfolio.She also discusses the financial consequences of having cancer and her experience with economic abuse.Timestamps00:00 Introduction02:41 Understanding the gender wealth gap06:09 Why women invest less than men10:41 Practical tips for getting started15:12 Misogyny in finance and campaigning for change20:02 The financial impact of cancer23:12 Economic abuse and financial independence26:24 MoneyShe and Gina’s current campaigning workWomen and Wealth is the monthly podcast series from Investors’ Chronicle. You can listen to and watch the episodes alongside our other podcasts on Acast, Apple, Spotify or YouTube.If you have any questions you’d like Val to answer in the podcast, email [email protected]' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Results season is in full swing, and it’s been another bumper week – with the overwhelming majority positive. But there are always laggards, and this week’s show dives into one of the FTSE 100’s biggest fallers, Rentokil. The pest control business’s shares plunged after its half-year figures. Julian Hofmann explains why.Then, we look overseas, with many of the big AI and semiconductor trades going into reverse over recent weeks, including memory-chip makers SK Hynix and Samsung. So what better time to discuss how to pick out the value shares in these global markets. Michael Fahy talks through his favourites. And finally, we look at the consequences of the SpaceX IPO for Britain’s investors – not the losses on which they’re sitting, but the possibility of it having tipped the first domino on access to US IPOs. Helen Kirrane explains what’s going onTimestamps00:00 Introduction00:57 Rentokil10:54 Global value hunting22:33 US IPOsListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the half-year results season falls upon us, a smorgasbord of companies are reporting over the next few weeks. But today’s episode focuses on two whose outlooks are already in.Hugh Moorhead looks at contractor Morgan Sindall, which reported ahead of this episode’s recording on Thursday. This is followed by Mark Robinson, who talks through comparison website Mony, better known as MoneySuperMarket. Hugh discusses Sindall’s merits, while Mark weighs up Mony’s valuation. But before diving into results, we must cast our ears to what is arguably the biggest funds story of 2026. Terry Smith, of Fundsmith, decided to abandon his longstanding ‘do nothing’ approach in favour of a momentum strategy, overhauling more than half his portfolio in six months. Funds editor Val Cipriani unpacks what’s going on and explores whether or not investors should throw in the towel.Timestamps00:00 Intro01:50 Terry Smith20:12 Morgan Sindall31:50 Mony GroupListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTubeInvestors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities. Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.