Merryn Talks Money

Gold is enjoying a bump after President Donald Trump announced new tariffs on US steel and aluminum imports this week. Merryn speaks with reporter Jack Ryan, who covers mining and precious metals, and gold market veteran Charlie Morris of ByteTree to discuss what’s driving gold’s ascent and what investors can do to make some money out of the moves.  See omnystudio.com/listene...

All investors look for an edge. You only make real money by having “alpha,” as the jargon goes. On this week’s episode of Merryn Talks Money , host Merryn Somerset Webb is joined by a guest who knows all about the quest for advantage: Bloomberg Indices Quant Researcher Steve Hou. Put simply, Hou’s job is to find what “works” in markets and then find ways to...

In this week's roundup, senior writer and Money Distilled  author John Stepek speaks with Opinion columnist Marcus Ashworth. They discuss what Trump’s tariff threats mean for your money, gold's surge, and why there’s more to equities than just US stocks.  Marcus's latest column: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2025-02-03/trump-tariffs-ecb-dithers-while-euro-economy...

On this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money , the conversation revolves around effective financial planning for one’s eventual death. Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Matthew Hutton, author of  Your Last Gift: Getting Your Affairs in Order , to discuss practical advice on how to navigate the inheritance tax, write a will, choose an executor, manage digita...

In this week's roundup, Merryn speaks with  Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek about Chancellor Rachel Reeves' growth speech this week, and the obstacles she'll likely face getting her ideas across the line. They also discuss whether Chinese AI startup DeepSeek is good news or worrying news for US Big Tech. John says bottom line is remember: there should be more room  foruncer...

Founder and Manager of the Blue Whale Growth Fund Stephen Yiu joins this week to discuss the Big Tech selloff, his outlook for AI and where he’s investing now. Yiu, whose investment fund is backed by billionaire Peter Hargreaves, reduced its stakes in major US technology companies on concern over the costs of AI at the end of 2024. What did he see that other investors didn't? And where does...

Panmure Liberum Chief Economist Simon French joins host Merryn Somerset Webb and senior reporter John Stepek to discuss why boosting the UK's growth should start with encouraging North Sea oil and gas production. The book Simon recommends at the end of the interview is called Digital Minimalism. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week's roundup, Merryn speaks with  Money Distilled  newsletter author John Stepek about what TrumpCoin signals for the US presidency and the crypto industry, where the investment trust showdown stands now that Boaz Weinstein's Saba Capital failed to take control of Herald Investment Trust, and Chancellor Rachel Reeves' conversation with Bloomberg in Davos. See omnystudio.com/lis...

Correction One of our brilliant listeners wrote in to point out an inaccuracy in the original podcast. We've removed the inaccuracy, in which the guest said you can roll previous capital gains into a VCT. In fact, while gains made from a VCT can be CGT free, you CANNOT roll over capital gains on other assets you have sold into a VCT. We will also address in the next personal finance episode. ...

In this week's Merryn Talks Money market roundup, there's only one story on our host's mind. Merryn and Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek talk about US activist investor Boaz Weinstein of Saba Capital and his high-profile attempt to unseat the boards of seven UK-listed investment trusts. Weinstein argues that a combination of weak three-year performance and too much tolerance of wide d...

“We’re not here to make trouble.” So says Boaz Weinstein, founder and chief investment officer of activist investor Saba Capital Management, who joins this episode of the Merryn Talks Money podcast, hosted by senior reporter John Stepek. His claim may come as news to boards of many UK investment trusts. Saba has taken large stakes in seven of them and called extraordinary ge...

Each week on the Merryn Talks Money podcast, we discuss strategies for investing with industry experts. But rarely do we talk about how to get started on that investment journey. On this episode, Holly Mackay, founder and chief executive of  Boring Money , joins hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek to do just that. They chat about how to get started in choosing an investment platform, i...

Daniel Rasmussen, founder of Verdad Advisers and author of The Humble Investor: How to Find a Winning Edge in a Surprising World, joins Merryn this week. They discuss his book, why all forecasts are wrong (and why we need them anyway), the case for selling US tech and buying small caps, whether we’re in an artificial intelligence bubble, and Japanese equities. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

In the first roundup of the year, Merryn speaks with Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek about anxiety in the markets, sterling and UK gilt prices tumbling, and the fresh pressure facing Rachel Reeves and the Treasury from soaring borrowing costs. Plus, a look at the rollback on ESG measures across companies.  Don't forget, sign up to Merryn's newsletter: https://www.bloomberg.com/a...

We bring you another favourite from our episodes this year: Merryn's conversation with Tim Marshall, author of  The Future of Geography and a former diplomatic and foreign affairs editor at Sky News . He says there could be a "gold rush" in space. Just as miners in the 19th century ventured into the lawless frontiers of North America, the presence of rare materials on the moon and elsewhere m...

For every listener who has written in to say "You must speak to Lyn Alden"--we're reposting our interview for you.  So this holiday break, please enjoy investment and macroeconomic analyst Lyn Alden exploring the history and future of money with Merryn. Alden discusses her book Broken Money: Why Our Financial System is Failing Us and How We Can Make it Better. See omnystudio.com/listener for...

While Merryn and John enjoy a holiday break, we bring you an episode from our colleagues on the Money Stuff podcast team. Hosts Matt Levine and Katie Greifeld spoke earlier this year with John Collison, the co-founder and president of Stripe. Here is their conversation on the financial services business, why payments are hard, what's good about crypto, why IPOs don't matter and how to fly planes....

In this week's roundup, Merryn speaks with Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek about the downside that comes with UK wages going up, Guy Hands and military homes, US exuberance reaching critical levels, and why it's important that US activist fund manager Saba Capital has been building up positions in lots of investment trusts. Become a Bloomberg.com subscriber using our special intro of...

In this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money , we discuss what you should stow away for your kids until they turn 18. Become a Bloomberg.com subscriber using our special intro offer at bloomberg.com/podcastoffer . You’ll get episodes of this podcast ad-free and unlock access to deep reporting, data and analysis from reporters around the world. Already a subscriber? Con...

Market historian Russell Napier joins Merryn to explain that economic nationalism will have negative consequences for some nations. They also talk Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies.  Become a Bloomberg.com subscriber using our special intro offer at bloomberg.com/podcastoffer . You’ll get episodes of this podcast ad-free and unlock access to deep reporting, data and analysis from reporters a...

In this week's roundup, Merryn speaks with Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek about the UK stock market's shrinking influence, why pension funds are so keen to invest in private assets, and everyone's favourite: executive pay. Become a Bloomberg.com subscriber using our special intro offer at bloomberg.com/podcastoffer . You’ll get episodes of this podcast ad-free and unlock acces...

In this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money , hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek answer the question: what are the financial benefits of getting married in the UK?  Become a Bloomberg.com subscriber using our special intro offer at  bloomberg.com/podcastoffer . You’ll get episodes of this podcast ad-free and unlock access to deep reporting, data and...

It’s that time when analysts unveil their forecasts for 2025. But every year, Saxo Bank releases a different type of prediction—not of events likely to happen, but rather those that probably won’t. But if they do—they would send shockwaves across financial markets. So it’s good to start talking about the possibility.  Saxo Chief Macro Strategist John Hardy joins this week’s Merryn Talks Money to d...

In this week's roundup,  Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek is joined by Opinion columnist Marcus Ashworth. They talk euro chaos this week, London's shrinking stock market, and why the cult of US stocks is not going to end well.  Become a Bloomberg.com subscriber using our special intro offer at  bloomberg.com/podcastoffer . You’ll get episodes of this podcast ad-free and unlock access...

In this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money , Merryn John discuss strategies for managing your inheritance. Millennial listener Kewin has a conundrum. He’s inherited money and is expecting more in the future. But rather than leaving it in a savings account or buying Bitcoin, he wants to put the money to work. He’s seen financial advice on TikTok suggesting he should put his asset...