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 Ro...

This week’s episode marks the publication of the first half of our annual Aim 100 special report – our review of the biggest companies trading on London’s junior market. While Aim has had its share of issues in recent years, there are still plenty of stocks worth investors’ attention. The episode kicks off with one business that has had some problems of its own, including US budget cuts: equipment...

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? Hug...

Lord John Lee and Alex Newman are back on the mics to get into the nitty-gritty of small-cap stocks, looking at software provider Pebble Beach Systems (PEB) . With a market capitalisation of £38mn, the company is a bright spot in Lord Lee’s portfolio and specialises in ‘playout’ automation and solutions for broadcasters and streamers. The duo are in the studio with the Aim stock’s chief executive...

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, M...

The Bankers Investment Trust is a global stock market fund with around £1.5bn in assets. It’s an exciting time for the trust as it says goodbye to longstanding manager Alex Crooke. Richard Clode, who joined as co-manager last year, is taking over. Funds editor Val Cipriani sits down with Clode to discuss what the switch-up means for the portfolio and what being a quality investor means to him. The...

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 det...

Figuring out which funds to buy is overwhelming for even the most experienced investors – but as a beginner, it’s important to understand your options so you can make the right decisions. Funds editor Val Cipriani is in the studio with personal finance editor Holly McKechnie to break down the process.  First, the duo explains what a fund is, the three main types, and why they are a good optio...

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 s...

This week’s show begins with a look at Meta after the social media giant had to fork out $18bn following accusations that its products are deliberately addictive for younger people. Valeria Martinez is in the studio to discuss whether big tech and other sectors are now the new ‘sin stocks’ and whether the companies which are so irresistible to consumers are toxic for investors.  We then discu...

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...

After a summer hiatus, Alex Newman and Lord Lee are back in the studio, and the duo have a lot to catch up on. The UK has seen a change of prime minister, record-breaking heat and plenty of action in stock markets. First, the pair turn to Britain’s new government. While Andy Burnham and John Healey have revealed very little about their fiscal plans, Lord Lee gives his thoughts, including how to en...

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...

After an avalanche of earnings updates, we turn to our annual Income Majors special report and dive into two prominent FTSE 100 dividend stocks. First up is insurer Legal & General; pressure has been mounting on the company as it grapples with a more competitive pensions market. Christopher Akers explains the CEO’s buyback plan, its yield and what it means for investors. We then move to GSK, o...

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. Gi...

M&A activity remains rampant, and this week we start with a tie-up that would rank among the biggest deals of all time: AstraZeneca and US rival Bristol Myers Squibb. Julian Hofmann discusses the merits of the mooted $400bn deal, the drawbacks and why investors’ response to the rumour has been bleak.  We then turn to what could be the greatest disrupter humans have seen for decades: the r...

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 goin...

Seraphim Space (SSIT) has been one of the best performing investment trusts in the past year. Helped by the enthusiasm for the sector generated by SpaceX, the £400mn trust pulled off a rare fundraising and now has a pile of cash to deploy. Val Cipriani sits down with chief executive Mark Boggett, who discusses opportunities and volatility in space, why he isn’t afraid of concentration, and how spa...

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 MoneySuperMarke...

This week begins with how booming demand for AI infrastructure is driving a sharp increase in the price of memory chips. Erin Withey is in the studio to explain what this means for supply chains, which companies are winning as a result, and whether the squeeze is here to stay.  Casting our ears abroad, we move to India, where a recent rally in the country’s equity funds has sparked investor i...

This week’s show begins with Labour’s decision to force tech giants to give more prominence to traditional news broadcasters on social media, to help battle misinformation. Valeria Martinez discusses what this quick-fire solution to get younger people to engage with older news outlets means for investors and the companies involved. We then turn to Britain’s housing market as the cost of homes crep...

The gender health gap is an issue which affects far more than just wellbeing; it impacts your career, earnings and long-term financial stability. In this episode of Women and Wealth, funds editor Val Cipriani and personal finance editor Holly McKechnie walk you through why women experience poorer health than men, how it is a systemic issue of under-investment in women’s healthcare and what this me...

In this week’s episode, we turn to Britain’s recruitment stocks. Valeria Martinez looks at the impact of AI on hiring demand, which is hitting share prices, and also discusses the perennial question: is the new technology a concern or an opportunity? Next, we cast our ears to Italian tech buyout specialist, and Baillie Gifford favourite, Bending Spoons, following its Nasdaq debut earlier this week...

This week, we begin with online grocer Ocado (OCDO) following reports of a CEO switch. Julian Hofmann dives into what a potential change at the top will mean for the FTSE 250 company that has struggled to deliver despite decades of investing in its technology.  Next, we turn to Liontrust Asset Management (LIO) , where, despite another year of poor results, it reported an early completion for...

This week, we begin proceedings with a look at the contrasting fortunes of two UK wealth managers: Aim-traded Tatton Asset Management (TAM) continues to reap rewards from its dominance of the model portfolio market. But its older rival, Rathbones (RAT) , ran into trouble this week when it announced it would temporarily stop accepting investments from some higher-risk clients following a review by...