Many Happy Returns

Bond ladders are a great way to feel in control of your money. A neat row of gilts maturing year after year, each one handing back its capital right on schedule. But before you buy your first rung, it's worth asking what the ladder is for, what you’re giving up for that certainty, and whether something simpler would do. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Has a developed market ever defaulted on its debt? --- Thank you to Lightyear for sponsoring this episode. I opened my 2025/2026 ISA with Lightyear. If you want to try them out as well, use PENSIONCRAFT to get between £10 and £100 in a fractional share or ETF in your General Investment Account. See full T&Cs at https://lightyear.com/pensioncraft. Investing involves risk. Returns vary and are not guaranteed. ISA rules and promotional terms apply. ---Get in touch 📧 [email protected] 🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm --- Join PensionCraft 🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube ---Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.Music ID: ZVMI9V6X4SOWSHY0Copyright 2026 Many Happy Returns

The Japanese and US governments just spent an estimated $80 billion propping up the yen — and within a fortnight, the market had pocketed half of it. We ask whether politicians can ever actually beat currency traders. And in the Dumb Question of the Week: Why can't the government just pick whatever exchange rate it likes? --- Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode. Claim free fractional shares worth up to ‎£⁠100. Just create and verify a Trading 212 Invest or Stocks ISA account, make a minimum deposit of £1, and use the promo code "RAMIN" within 10 days of signing up, or use the following link: Sponsored Link. Terms apply - trading212.com/join/RAMIN When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Pies & Autoinvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions. Free shares can be fractional. 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface. Terms and fees apply. ---Get in touch 📧 [email protected] 🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm --- Join PensionCraft 🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube ---Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.Music ID: ZVMI9V6X4SOWSHY0Copyright 2026 Many Happy Returns

Your ability to manage money declines steadily after sixty. Yet your confidence in that ability doesn't decline at all, so mistakes get made with total conviction and go unnoticed, especially by you. What you can do now to protect your portfolio before you reach old age? And in the Dumb Question of the Week: How do you raise this with your parents without it becoming a fight? --- Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode. Claim free fractional shares worth up to ‎£⁠100. Just create and verify a Trading 212 Invest or Stocks ISA account, make a minimum deposit of £1, and use the promo code "RAMIN" within 10 days of signing up, or use the following link: Sponsored Link. Terms apply - trading212.com/join/RAMIN When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Pies & Autoinvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions. Free shares can be fractional. 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface. Terms and fees apply. ---Get in touch 📧 [email protected] 🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm --- Join PensionCraft 🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube ---Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.Music ID: ZVMI9V6X4SOWSHY0Copyright 2026 Many Happy Returns

Andy Burnham once said Britain had to “get beyond being in hock to the bond market”. That’s easier said than done when gilt yields are 5%, debt interest is running above £100bn a year, and the autumn Budget has no headroom left. Can the UK escape fiscal fatalism? And in the Dumb Question of the Week: What's the oldest bond in the world? And is anyone still getting paid? --- Thank you to Raisin UK for sponsoring this episode. Receive a £100 welcome bonus when you register for a Raisin UK account using the code JULY100, open a fixed-rate bond with a term of 1 year or longer and deposit a minimum of £25,000 by 31 July 2026. https://raisin-uk.pxf.io/c/4012142/3930337/12683?sharedid=uk-cmp-bonus-pensioncraft-podcasts-0726 New customers only, terms apply. ---Get in touch 📧 [email protected] 🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm --- Join PensionCraft 🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube ---Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.Music ID: ZVMI9V6X4SOWSHY0Copyright 2026 Many Happy Returns

No one likes to lose money. And some funds are designed to deliver a positive return whether markets go up, down, or sideways. Sounds easy. It isn't. We’re joined by Jasmine Yeo, fund manager at Ruffer, to discuss the art of capital preservation. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: If markets usually go up, why spend so much time thinking about what could go wrong? --- Thank you to Lightyear for sponsoring this episode. I opened my 2025/2026 ISA with Lightyear. If you want to try them out as well, use PENSIONCRAFT to get between £10 and £100 in a fractional share or ETF in your General Investment Account. See full T&Cs at lightyear.com/pensioncraft. Capital at risk. ISA terms apply. Promotional terms apply. ---Get in touch 📧 [email protected] 🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm --- Join PensionCraft 🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube ---Disclaimer This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.Music ID: ZVMI9V6X4SOWSHY0Copyright 2026 Many Happy Returns