Many Happy Returns

After prices peaked two years ago, higher mortgage costs have caused the market to stall. But with rate cuts on the horizon, is normal service about to be resumed? We discuss how the change of government will affect the housing market. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Does building more houses really lower prices? --- Thank you to Saxo for sponsoring this episode.  Sign up to claim G...

Diversification is the only free lunch in investing, yet many investors choose to overweight their domestic stock market. While the UK makes up a mere 4% of global markets, off-the-shelf portfolios often include shockingly large allocations to British firms. We discuss whether home country bias is a problem or if there are good reasons to favour domestic stocks. And in today’s Dumb Question of the...

We’re halfway through the year, and it’s time to take stock. The AI narrative continues to power the equity bull market. Central banks have started to cut interest rates. And the US Presidential election looms large. We debate if things are as good as they look and what risks lie ahead for the second half of 2024. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What isn’t priced in? --- Thank you to Tra...

Labour is 20 points ahead in the polls and looks set to form the next UK government. But how will their economic, tax and spending plans impact investors? We look at the promises included in Labour’s manifesto and what was left unsaid. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Why are capital gains taxed at a lower rate than income? --- Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode.  C...

Central banks in Europe and Canada cut interest rates for the first time since the pandemic, lowering borrowing costs and kicking off the easing cycle. Are the Bank of England and the Federal Reserve about to join them? And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Does it matter if inflation stays above 2%? --- Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode.  Claim free fractional shares w...

Should investors fear the escalating trade war between the world’s two biggest economies? US President Joe Biden recently announced a slew of new tariffs on Chinese imports, including a massive 100% charge on electric vehicles. What comes next? And in today's Dumb Question of the Week: Is China uninvestable? ___ Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode.  Claim free fractional shar...

The evidence suggests that certain types of stock tend to beat the market in the long run. Patient investors can reap higher returns by tilting towards stocks that are cheap, high-quality or rising in price. But how easy is it to identify undervalued companies? And what risks are involved in building a DIY portfolio? This week we speak to Ed Croft, the co-founder of Stockopedia, about multi-factor...

As interest rates have risen, more and more people are interested in buying bonds. Individual government bonds can be a useful tool to lock in a high rate. But do individual bonds really make more sense than bond funds? --- Get a FREE share 🎁 worth between £10 and £100, exclusively for Many Happy Return's listeners.  Ready to claim your FREE share?  1️⃣ Open a Freetrade account via&nbsp...

Designing a retirement portfolio is one of the thorniest problems in investing. The mix of assets you choose dramatically affects how much you can safely spend during retirement. Withdraw too much from your pot, and you risk running out of money. We’re joined by the creator of Portfolio Charts to examine optimal asset allocation. Tyler has modelled retirement scenarios around the world, identifyin...

With valuations stretched, American stocks need to deliver the goods this earnings season. Companies must grow their profits and defend their margins or risk the end of the S&P 500 bull market. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is a ‘blackout period’? --- Get a FREE share 🎁 worth between £10 and £100, exclusively for Many Happy Return's listeners.  Ready to claim your FREE s...

Many investors favour stocks that pay a high dividend, opting to live off the cash they generate. Even stingy US tech companies have started to pay dividends. But does a strategy focussed on income make sense? And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is ‘Shareholder Yield’? --- Get a FREE share 🎁worth between £10 and £100, exclusively for Many Happy Return's listeners. Ready to claim your F...

A stock market crash early in retirement can leave you struggling to live off your investments. We discuss de-risking our portfolios and how to manage ‘sequence of returns’ risk. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Is a stock market crash good for long-term returns? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Freetrade.io/pensioncraft to get a free share worth between £10 and...

The Bank of England has been criticised for its failure to foresee high inflation. A damning new report takes aim at the central bank’s forecasting process and urges a major overhaul. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is 'quantitative tightening'? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Freetrade.io/pensioncraft to get a free share worth between £10 and £100. When...

Investing a lump sum is a big decision that comes with great responsibility. Should you be conservative with your newfound wealth? Should you pile into markets straight away or drip feed slowly over time? And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What does FSCS protection cover? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Freetrade.io/pensioncraft to get a free share worth between...

Daniel Kahneman was the pioneer of behavioural economics and won a Nobel Prize for his work on cognitive biases. By explaining how a litany of psychological missteps skew our decisions, few people have had more influence on investing. We discuss how Kahneman improved our investing judgement and taught us to manage risk intelligently. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Are stock analysts’ pr...

US regulators have swung for the fences, accusing Apple of running an illegal smartphone monopoly. But will the legal cases facing big tech firms hurt stock prices? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Get a free share worth between £100 and £2,100 when you open & top up, or transfer an ISA and/or SIPP. Head over to: Freetrade.io/transfer . New and existing customers. Min £10k tran...

Stock markets have hit all-time highs in recent weeks, with bitcoin and gold joining the party. Inevitably, people ask, “Is this a bubble?!” And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What’s the difference between investing and speculation? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Get a free share worth between £100 and £2,100 when you open & top up, or transfer an ISA and/or SIPP. Head...

ESG funds lured investors with the promise of simultaneously saving the planet and achieving higher returns. But after years of inflows, investors are pulling their money. Is there a better approach to sustainable investment? And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Why are there multiple oil prices? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode.  Get a free share worth between £100 and £2...

With just one month until the end of the UK tax year, it’s time to review our family finances, make the most of our annual allowances and optimise our investments. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is 'bed and breakfasting’? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Get a free share worth between £100 and £2,100 when you open & top up, or transfer an ISA and/or SIPP. Head o...

Excitement about AI is powering a new bull market. Nvidia smashed earnings expectations, catapulting the company towards a two-trillion dollar valuation and lifting stocks globally. Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Freetrade.io/pensioncraft to get a free share worth between £10 and £100. When you invest, your capital is at risk. The probability is weighted, so more expen...

The UK and Japan slipped into recession at the end of 2023, and growth remains weak in Europe and China. While the US economy is booming, much of the world is struggling — does an economic downturn spell disaster for our investments? And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What’s the difference between a recession and a depression? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Free...

Banks stocks have tumbled as losses mount on property loans, forcing them to set aside extra cash and slash dividends. Is the commercial real estate problem contained or is this just the tip of the iceberg? And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is negative equity? Thanks to Freetrade for sponsoring this episode. Sign up at Freetrade.io/freesharepensioncraft to get a free share worth betwe...

UK stocks have lagged global markets in recent years. Unloved by investors and underweighted by institutions, is the UK really a bargain hiding in plain sight? We discuss what’s holding British equities back and if they’re about to turn a corner. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: When a company goes private, are you forced to sell your shares? Selected links The atrophying UK stock market...

There’s never been more information available to investors, but how do you avoid drowning in data? We’ve gathered our favourite investing tools from across the web to help. And what’s more, they’re free. Get ready for asset valuation, fund selection, and portfolio modelling made easy. And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Do backtests really work? Tools discussed Fund screening JustETF VettaFI...

The "Weird Portfolio" seeks to sidestep market crashes while still achieving attractive long-term returns. We talk to its creator, Value Stock Geek. We also dig into value investing, and how to find wonderful companies at wonderful prices. Follow Value Stock Geek at securityanalysis.org --- Get in touch 📧 mhr@pensioncraft.com 🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm --- Join PensionCraft 🌐 Become a me...