Merryn Talks Money

Passive investing was designed to track the market, not shape it. But as Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek explore in the second episode of The Portfolio Reset, the enormous growth of passive investing has changed the market it was built to follow, just as some of the world’s most valuable companies are staying private for longer. Using SpaceX as an example, they examine the changing relationship between public and private markets and why no investment is truly passive — someone is always making a decision somewhere in the process. As passive flows grow powerful enough to move markets, Merryn and John explain why investors should make sure they’re making active decisions in pursuit of their own financial goals, rather than leaving those decisions in the hands of strangers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After years of being overshadowed by US megacaps and the artificial intelligence boom, could smaller companies finally be ready for a comeback? Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Downing fund manager Simon Evan-Cook and Odyssean Capital’s Stuart Widdowson about why small caps remain unusually cheap, what could bring investors back — and whether small-cap value could become the ultimate anti-AI trade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are we seeing signs of investors starting to lose their nerve over artificial intelligence? On this week's markets wrap, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek discuss the cracks appearing in the AI boom, as well as why UK house prices could rebound faster than expected, and how changes to inheritance tax may help fuel demand. Plus, with the Budget approaching, they ask whether the best thing the government could do is simply leave well enough alone. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For today’s investor, making money in markets may seem straightforward: put your money into a passive fund that tracks US stocks. It’s been a winning strategy for so long that it feels like the obvious choice. Yet as Merryn Somerset Webb, John Stepek and their expert guests discuss over the course of this four-part series, past performance is no guarantee of future returns, with major implications for how investors build their portfolios. In the first episode, they examine how passive investing went from a niche strategy to the default for many people, channeling ever more capital into US stocks and the tech giants that dominate the market. Passive investing is still an investment decision, after all — one that leaves many investors with far more concentration risk than they realize. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Adam Rozencwajg, portfolio manager at natural resources firm Goehring and Rozencwajg, joins Merryn Somerset Webb to explain why he thinks the commodity bull market may still be in its early stages. They discuss why gold could fall before reaching new highs, why US shale may have peaked and where he sees opportunities in oil and uranium. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Are European bond markets signaling disaster? This week, John Stepek and Bloomberg's David Goodman explore how the rising gap between bond yields in France and Germany mirrors the eurozone debt crisis, why governments are struggling to deal with the return to more "normal" interest rates, and why Conservative proposals for inheritance tax might clog up the housing market even further. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

John Stepek, senior reporter and author of the Money Distilled newsletter, is joined by Anthony Emmerson, director at London-based mortgage broker Trinity Financial to discuss rising mortgage rates and borrowers facing a jump in repayments, they explain what homeowners can do to soften the blow — from locking in a new deal early to extending their mortgage term or considering a tracker. They also look at opportunities for first-time buyers, falling flat prices and what the government’s proposed Help to Buy scheme could mean for the housing market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Alex Edmans, author of The Madness of Markets: Why Smart Investors Make Crazy Decisions – And How to Exploit Them, about why even sophisticated investors struggle to overcome the psychological biases that shape their decisions. Markets are driven by humans, and humans are emotional. Edmans explains how understanding the influence of emotion, herd behavior and over-confidence can help investors make better decisions — and potentially achieve better returns. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off the party conference, the Labour government is promising pension reform, a new approach to social care and yet another scheme to help first-time buyers. Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek ask whether the sums add up, what the bond market is making of it all — and why the latest Help to Buy plan could leave some buyers worse off. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek answer some of your questions. They explore the differences between holding physical gold and investing through an ETF, whether or not buying shares actually benefits the company you've invested in, and how best to adjust your retirement investment strategy as you draw closer to the big day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Blue Whale Growth Fund Chief Investment Officer Stephen Yiu about what could derail the artificial intelligence boom — and where investors might look if it does. They discuss whether today’s enthusiasm is masking an earnings bubble, how investors can diversify beyond AI and which emerging technologies and geopolitical risks could reshape the market next. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn and John discuss worrying signals from the stock market, the physical constraints facing the AI boom, China’s growing appetite for gold and an unexpected consequence of the data-center buildout. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the UK's buy-to-let marks its 30th anniversary, we still find ourselves asking: is it worth it? This week, Merryn Somerset Webb and Aneisha Beveridge, head of research at Hamptons, discuss how it went from accessible investment strategy to heavily taxed and regulated. They explore multiple factors that changed the market and what it now takes to make buy-to-let worthwhile. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Daniel Susskind, senior research associate at the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford and a member of the UK government’s expert panel on AI and the future of work. AI is expected to transform the job market, potentially upending many of the traditional educational pathways that have long led students into established professions. As those routes begin to look increasingly uncertain, how should young people prepare for the world of work that awaits them? In his book, What Should My Children Do?, Susskind seeks to answer that question, offering a framework for how children — and adults — can best prepare for an evolving labor market with AI at its center. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It’s interest-rate week, with central banks around the world making key decisions. Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek discuss what rising rates mean for markets, government debt and your money — and why financial repression and currency devaluation could be coming back into focus. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell, to discuss how gifting surplus income can help reduce your inheritance tax bill ahead of changes to the IHT treatment of pensions in April 2027. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Ed Conway, economics and data editor at Sky News and author of Trade World, about the vast and often invisible supply chains behind the things we buy. They discuss whether decades of globalisation have made economies more resilient or dangerously dependent, China’s manufacturing advantage and whether the UK and Europe can rebuild their industrial base without giving up the cheap goods consumers have come to expect. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Britain’s bond yields are the highest in the G7, as renewed inflation pressures collide with rising defense costs and a government reluctant to make politically painful spending choices. This week, John Stepek is joined by Bloomberg macro strategist Simon White to discuss whether markets will ultimately force Britain’s hand, what Scott Bessent’s interventions mean for US Treasuries and the yen, and whether the AI boom is getting closer to a correction. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Merryn Talks Money, host Merryn Somerset Webb is joined live at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe by Bloomberg Opinion columnist Adrian Wooldridge, former British ambassador Nick Hopton and Orbis Investment Management Chairman Alec Cutler to ask what Adam Smith can teach us about today's rapidly changing economic order. The panel considers rising government debt, the growing relationship between states and powerful companies, and whether the AI investment boom could follow the same pattern as previous market bubbles. They also discuss what it all means for investors, from the impact on gold and government bonds to the implications for energy stocks and, specifically for the UK, the future of the North Sea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host Merryn Somerset Webb is joined by Interactive Investor CEO Richard Wilson, Anna MacDonald, investment strategy director at Hargreaves Lansdown, and Russell Napier, financial historian and Keeper of the the Library of Mistakes for the second installment of panel discussions at Panmure House during the 2026 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The panel discussed the state of global bond markets, how policymakers seem incapable of thinking about second-order consequences and the fiscal constraints facing the UK government. Original Music Composed by Mint Sherbets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Merryn Talks Money, host Merryn Somerset Webb is joined by Bloomberg senior reporter John Stepek, Schroders Head of Strategic Research Duncan Lamont and Nelsons Chairman and Creative Scotland Chair Robert Wilson for a special roundtable recorded at Panmure House during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Marking 250 years since the publication of The Wealth of Nations, they ask what Adam Smith can teach the world about artificial intelligence, government intervention and investing. The panel discusses whether policymakers interfere too much in markets, why holding too much cash can be a risk in itself and whether investors should worry about buying stocks at record highs. They also explore what the rise of AI could mean for jobs, trust and the relationships that hold societies together. Original Music Composed by Mint Sherbets See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek discuss the latest Nvidia news in which the company predicted its sales could rise by around 70% in the next fiscal year, beating analysts' expectations. Despite the positive outlook, Nvidia's share-price bump was relatively muted, suggesting investors are becoming more skeptical about artificial intelligence valuations and the financing of the technology boom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb talks to Daniel Doll-Steinberg, Co-Founder & Partner at EdenBase, an investment firm that invests in quantum computing, about why the next great technological leap may arrive sooner than investors expect. They explore how quantum could transform drug discovery, finance and encryption. They also look at how investors can get meaningful exposure to the quantum boom, what “Q-Day” really means for Bitcoin, and why understanding philosophy goes hand-in-hand with understanding quantum. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek are both back from their holidays and this week unpack the surge in global bond yields and how governments might respond. They also look at a study which suggested that Small Language Models (SLM) could make today’s vast AI data-centre buildout unnecessary, posing a substantial risk to hyperscalers and investors. https://arxiv.org/abs/2511.07885 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Joining Merryn Somerset Webb for this week's episode is Duncan Lamont, Head of Strategic Research at Schroders. Lamont explains how investors can protect their portfolios against stagflation, and how to avoid being too exposed to the AI trade. He also explains why all-time highs might not actually be a sell signal for investors - and how AI-driven job losses might affect US stocks. https://www.schroders.com/en-us/us/institutional/insights/adapting-asset-allocation-to-the-risk-of-stagflation/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

At a Bloomberg.com subscriber event earlier this year, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek spoke with Paula Steele, director at John Lamb Hill Oldridge, about how to pass on an inheritance efficiently — minimise tax, manage the succession process, and avoid unintended effects on beneficiaries’ motivation. This is a re-run of that conversation which first aired March 17th, 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What is "capital-cycle" investing and why does it matter for your portfolio? Luke Bridgeman, Senior Partner and Portfolio Manager at Hosking Partners joins Merryn Somerset Webb for a discussion on why supply, not demand, is the key to finding the best investment opportunities. The pair also discuss investing in Japan, energy markets, and why the shipping industry might be easier to break into than you think. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a tumultuous few weeks for markets, and yet nothing much has changed. Join Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek as they discuss why an AI hedge fund implosion and US intervention in the Japanese yen appear to have merely strengthened market optimism. Meanwhile, the FTSE 250 has hit a new record high, even as the underlying need for practical policy help to save the UK market from extinction becomes ever more urgent. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have we become too risk-averse? This week John Stepek and Bloomberg Opinion columnist Allison Schrager discuss her new book, Worth the Risk, and why avoiding risk could be holding back both individuals and economies. They explore the challenges of retirement planning, whether homeownership is still a rewarding investment and what history can teach us about navigating the future of AI. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Large sections of the debt and equity markets now depend on the ongoing growth of a vast AI ecosystem that ranges from chipmakers to hyperscalers to end-consumers. Does this week's drama in the South Korean Kospi market point to a wider problem? On this week's Merryn Talks Money Markets Wrap, Author of the Money Distilled newsletter John Stepek, is joined by Bloomberg's Private Companies Managing Editor, Neil Callanan to talk through the the AI industry's growing reliance on debt, concerns about circular financing, and whether or not any crash here could spill over into the wider financial system. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On today's personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money, we're playing an episode that first aired in July 2025 when hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek, shared their top money-saving tips for helping you get the most out of your holiday. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Liaquat Ahamed joins Merryn Somerset Webb to discuss 1873: The First Great Depression and the Making of the Modern World, exploring how the first truly global financial crash reshaped economics, politics and society for decades to come. Together, they unpack striking parallels between the railway boom of the 1870s and today's AI investment frenzy, asking whether history is once again rhyming—and what investors should learn before the next bubble bursts. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Even as Britain welcomed a new Prime Minister this week, renewed conflict in the Middle East threatened to remove what little breathing space he may have had, pushing up everything from oil to food prices. This week, John Stepek is joined by Bloomberg macro strategist Simon White to discuss why inflation matters so much for asset prices, what it might mean for the increasingly indebted AI companies, and what it all means for your money. Check out this week's Merryn Talks Money Markets Wrap. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Here is the second part of our special broadcast on how the next generation of investors is changing the wealth management industry. Merryn Somerset Webb brings together Bloomberg's John Stepek, Bytetree's Charlie Morris and Jean-Damien Marie, Global Head of Investments for Barclay's Private Bank and Wealth Management. Join us in Edinburgh for Fringe Festival! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-butcher-the-brewer-the-baker-and-merryn-somerset-webb See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Asia's AI-fueled market rally has created huge winners — but also growing risks. In this episode, Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Invesco fund manager Fiona Yang about why Korea's AI boom has become increasingly volatile, where she's still finding value in China and India and why the next generation of winners may be the companies using AI rather than building it. Join us in Edinburgh for Fringe Festival! https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-butcher-the-brewer-the-baker-and-merryn-somerset-webb See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a week of turning points in markets: from Japan's shifting stance on the weak yen, to star fund manager Terry Smith revisiting his "buy and hold" strategy, to incoming British Prime Minister Andy Burnham's apparent last-minute change of heart on chancellor, to SpaceX falling below its IPO price. One thing that didn't change - the UK market keeps shedding stocks. What does it all mean for your money? Merryn and John sum up a hectic week in the Merryn Talks Money Market Wrap. https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/the-butcher-the-brewer-the-baker-and-merryn-somerset-webb https://www.fundsmith.co.uk/media/lfhpxi1x/fundsmith-equity-fund-semi-annual-letter-to-shareholders-2026.pdf See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first of a two-part special recorded live at Bloomberg's London offices, Merryn Somerset Webb brings together Bloomberg's John Stepek, Bytetree's Charlie Morris and Jean-Damien Marie, Global Head of Investments for Barclay's Private Bank and Wealth Management to discuss how the next generation of investors is changing the wealth management industry. From Bitcoin and gold to private equity, ESG and the future of the 60/40 portfolio, the panel explores what tomorrow's wealthy clients want — and whether traditional investment advice is keeping up. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Sign up for our wealth management webinar. It's free! Register now to reserve your place. https://events.bloombergevents.com/event/website/a95c1380-56d6-4d12-89a1-950bdf99d55a/landingPage Anthropic, Stripe and OpenAI are some of the world's most sought-after private companies. Maggie Fanari explains to host Merryn Somerset Webb how her team invests in them and firms like them before they reach public markets. Fanari is chief executive of J.Rothschild Capital Management, which manages the 4.5 billion pound ($6 billion) RIT Capital Partners trust. She shares why she believes the next wave of artificial intelligence could create a $60 trillion opportunity, why private markets are becoming increasingly important and where she sees the biggest investment opportunities over the next decade. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bloomberg senior reporter John Stepek is joined by co-editor of Bloomberg’s Markets Today blog, Morwenna Coniam to discuss the ever changing status of the Iran ceasefire and the resulting impact on oil prices and bond yields. They also highlight the growing evidence that the AI trade could be falling apart and what this means for global markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The number of REITs (real estate investment trusts) listed in London has shrunk dramatically over the past five years. Now the biggest REIT on the market is the subject of a bid from a US buyer. In this week's personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Your Money, Bloomberg senior reporter and author of the Money Distilled newsletter, John Stepek, is joined by Bloomberg real estate team leader Jack Sidders to discuss the health of the UK's commercial property sector, whether there is more consolidation to come, and what it might say about REIT valuations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI can read every earnings report, filing and research note in seconds — but can it ever replace the instincts of a seasoned investor? Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Causeway Capital Management chief executive Sarah Ketterer to explore where AI is genuinely changing fund management and why human judgment still matters. Ketterer also shares where she is finding value in today's markets, highlighting opportunities in healthcare, enterprise software, UK equities and overlooked Chinese companies while warning investors about the risks of chasing the AI semiconductor boom. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek are joined by Cavendish's Roger Lee to unpack Andy Burnham's North Star of "Manchesterism" and what it could mean for the UK economy, markets, and investors. They debate whether devolving more power to the regions represents genuine economic reform or simply another version of heavy-handed state intervention, while exploring the implications for growth, government spending, fiscal policy, and the UK's increasingly fragile bond market. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Could vintage jewelry be one of the smartest real assets to own right now? Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with vintage jewelry expert Emma de Sybel, a former banker who is now the director of Baroque Rocks, about which gemstones, eras, and brands are holding their value—and why buying pre-owned pieces could offer both financial potential and something beautiful to wear. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Despite agreeing that AI is likely as transformative as its proponents argue, Ed Cole, head of multi-strategy equities at Man Group, believes it’s too early to understand whether there’s a bubble. Meanwhile, the growing backlash against globalization and an effort to reshore means traditional 60/40 portfolios are at risk of becoming outdated. He says a reallocation of assets across gold, small caps and liquid alternatives could be essential to keep up with a changing macro environment. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb is joined by Sam Unsted, editor of Bloomberg’s Markets Today blog. Together they discuss rallying UK gilts in the wake of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s resignation, inflation fears resulting from the artificial intelligence infrastructure boom and how narrative and sentiment look to be shaping the gold price. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Can Andy Burnham keep his promises without hitting Britons in the pocket? Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Bloomberg's Phil Aldrick about the tax hikes, spending pressures and economic realities facing Britain's likely next Prime Minister—and why there may be no painless solutions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Carson Block believes investors may be underestimating the economic consequences of artificial intelligence. The Muddy Waters founder and CEO joins Merryn Somerset Webb to explain why recent advances in AI have made him rethink its impact on the labour market—and why he believes widespread displacement of knowledge workers could eventually create a major challenge for financial markets. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Merryn Somerset Webb and Bloomberg Opinion columnist and senior markets editor John Authers discuss how SpaceX’s market debut has highlighted the hidden risks of passive investing, from index concentration to the growing influence of benchmark providers. They also assess new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s first policy signals and debate whether today’s AI boom is a bubble—and what could bring it to an end. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The SpaceX blockbuster IPO has captivated retail investors, but what happens after the initial excitement fades? Merryn Somerset Webb speaks to Hargreaves Lansdown's Anna Macdonald about the extraordinary demand for shares, the dangers of concentration risk, and what the IPO means for market democracy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Laurence Hulse, founder and lead fund manager of Onward Opportunities, explains how he launched and grew a specialist UK small-cap investment trust despite one of the toughest environments in decades for both investment trusts and British equities. He shares his "gems among the rubble" approach to uncovering overlooked companies, discusses why UK small caps remain deeply undervalued and reveals how active engagement, artificial intelligence-powered research tools and intensive company analysis have helped his fund significantly outperform its peers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.