Merryn Talks Money

In this episode of Merryn Talks Your Money, Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with veteran financial planner Hamish Leng to unravel one of the trickiest issues in personal finance: how to pass wealth to your children without undermining their drive, confidence, or future independence. From the psychology of raising financially capable kids to the smartest, tax-efficient ways to gift money, Hamish sha...

Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Kurt Björklund, Executive Chairman of Permira, about where we are in the private equity cycle after several tough years and why he still believes in the asset class for the right kind of investor. They discuss what “real” private equity is, how governance and long-term value creation—not just leverage—drive returns, and the impact...

On this week's markets roundup, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek unpack silver's climb to a record high, oil’s weakness and why it raises the prospect of an energy rebound, and the latest memo on AI from Oaktree Capital Management co-founder Howard Marks.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Host John Stepek speaks with leading economist Gerard Lyons about the UK’s latest budget and why he believes it lacks both vision and credibility. Lyons discusses the risks facing the UK economy—ranging from rising public debt to sticky inflation—while also outlining where interest rates, markets, and global growth may be heading in 2026. He closes with reasons for cautious optim...

Host John Stepek speaks with Helen Jewell, International CIO of Fundamental Equities at BlackRock, about an unexpectedly strong year for global equity markets — one in which most regions outside the US outperformed. Jewell explains why widespread diversification, renewed strength in European banks, and accelerating demand for energy infrastructure—driven largely by AI—are shaping...

On this week’s markets roundup, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek dig into the collapse of the proposed HICL–TRIG merger and the resurgence of shareholder activism reshaping the investment trust sector. They also explore the dramatic breakout in silver, gold’s renewed monetary significance, and Bitcoin’s latest bout of volatility—potentially tied to the unwin...

AI mania may be driving markets to new heights, but economist and author Dambisa Moyo argues the real question isn’t whether we’re in a tech-driven bubble—it’s what stage. Speaking with Merryn Somerset Webb, Moyo says that while valuations look stretched and investor excitement is unmistakable, there may still be a ways to go before things get bad. Turning to the UK, M...

Merryn is joined by Stephanie Flanders, Head of Economics and Government at Bloomberg, Helen Thomas, founder and CEO of Blonde Money, and Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek, to break down key announcements from the November Budget and what those changes mean for markets, investors and households. The conversation was recorded in front of an audience at Bloomberg's European Headquarters...

UK consumers used to save very little — now they’re saving a lot, perhaps too much. Why? Kallum Pickering, Peel Hunt chief economist, joins host Merryn Somerset Webb to explain. He points to a “wealth shock”: when gilt yields surged in 2022, pension values fell sharply. At the same time, mortgage rates climbed and house prices stalled. This shift matters. It’s one rea...

In this week’s Merryn Talks Money market wrap, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek sit down with Chris Clothier, Co-CIO of CGAM to discuss the proposed merger of two of the largest infrastructure investment trusts on the London market, HICL Infrastructure Company and The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG). Fund managers at CGAM are "appalled" by the proposal. Clothier sits down with our...

Curious about how offshore bonds really work, and whether they’re worth it? In this week’s  Merryn Talks Your Money , Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with veteran financial adviser Paula Steele, director at John Lamb Hill Oldridge, to unpack the truth behind this often-misunderstood investment wrapper. From hidden tax traps to smart long-term planning strategies, this episode will...

Host Merryn Somerset Webb speaks to Jim Reid, head of Macro and Thematic Research at Deutsche Bank, to unpack why too much cash is risky over the long run and why starting valuations drive real investment outcomes. They dig into 200 years of data on equities versus cash, the role of 60/40 portfolios, gold’s surprising century and today’s artificial intelligence-fueled market dynamics&m...

In this week’s Merryn Talks Money market wrap, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek dissect the latest UK housing trends ahead of the budget, exploring why falling mortgage rates might not be enough to lift property prices amid growing uncertainty. They also touch on the sluggish UK economy, the FTSE 100’s near-record run, and whether the AI boom in US markets is showing shades of a bu...

Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Richard Staveley, manager of the Rockwood Strategic, to unpack why UK smaller companies are so unloved—and why that may be a big opportunity. Richard explains Rockwood’s playbook: concentrated, benchmark-agnostic, value investing with hands-on “constructive engagement” to unlock change. They cover liquidity myths, the impact of passives a...

Veteran market strategist Albert Edwards says we’re in a full-blown AI bubble—one powered by a story so seductive even skeptics are getting swept up. On this week’s  Merryn Talks Money , the Société Générale global strategist explains why today’s tech optimism echoes the 1990s mania and warns that both earnings and valuations may be more fra...

Hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek, senior reporter and author of the Money Distilled newsletter, unpack the week’s biggest market stories — from the Bank of England’s latest rate decision and Rachel Reeves’s fiscal “reset” to whether the AI boom is starting to wobble. Don't forget to sign up for our live podcast taping in London on November 27: https://...

Bloomberg personal finance reporter Suzanne Woolley is back on  Merryn Talks Your Money . She discusses her latest in the 'Where to Invest' series, where investment experts share suggestions on where they'd put $1 million right now. Ideas include precious metals, luxury real estate and healthcare. https://www.bloomberg.com/features/how-to-invest-a-million-dollars-q4-2025/?srnd=undefined ...

Is the AI boom just a bubble or the start of something bigger? Host Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Rob Arnott, founder and chairman of the board of Research Affiliates, to compare artificial intelligence mania with the dot-com era, unpack sky-high valuations and market concentration while exploring what rising competition, power constraints and Capex mean for Nvidia and the “Magnificent...

US economist Arthur Laffer — the man behind the famous “Laffer Curve” — joins Merryn Talks Money to explain why he thinks Western economies, especially the UK, have pushed taxes too far. As Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares for her next budget, Laffer warns Britain is heading for stagnation, not growth. He makes the case for a radical rethink: lower taxes, less red tape, an...

Host John Stepek and author of the Money Distilled newsletter is joined by Bloomberg reporter Helen Chandler-Wilde and Stuart Trow, author of “Young, Poor and Totally Screwed” to unpack one of the Labour government's key reforms; the Renters’ Rights Act. The act, which has just received Royal Assent, aims to moderate rent increases, ban “no-fault” evictions, and end f...

On this week’s market wrap, host and author of the Money Distilled newsletter, John Stepek is joined by Bloomberg Opinion columnist Marcus Ashworth to dissect the latest market moves. The pair discuss the pullback in gold and other precious metals, falling bond yields amid expectations of rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and Bank of England, and consider how the election of Japan’s n...

Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics and author of The Fractured Age , argues hyper-globalization is giving way to a world split into US- and China-centric blocs, reshaping trade, technology, and security. He explains why de-risking will likely be concentrated in strategic sectors (chips, batteries, biotech), bringing more volatile inflation and new portfolio implications&mdas...

On this week's markets wrap, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek unpack a series of headlines that seem to confirm their long-standing warnings — from fiscal cracks and risky lending to energy costs and gold’s sudden rise. They connect the dots between market anxiety, political inaction, and the “outbreaks of reality” shaping the UK economy. Read more: https://www.bl...

In this episode of Merryn Talks Your Money, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek unpack the FCA’s decision to lift its ban on retail access to crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs). They discuss what ETNs are, how investors can buy them, and whether these regulated products really make crypto investing safer—or simply more accessible. Along the way, they debate crypto’s place in a...

Activist investing is back. On this week's episode of  Merryn Talks Money , Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Joe Bauernfreund, chief executive of Asset Value Investors, about buying quality companies at deep discounts—and actively forcing a catalyst. The conversation spans Japan’s ongoing governance-driven rerating, South Korea’s push to be the new Japan and moneymaking spec...