Gold is a terrible investment. No earnings, no dividends, and long stretches where you trail stocks and bonds. So why do serious investors still own it? We dig into the myths, the maths, and how an asset with no cash flows can earn its keep in your portfolio.

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: If I own a gold fund, can I actually get my hands on the bullion?

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Thank you to Lightyear for sponsoring this episode. 

Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and get up to $115 worth of a US fractional share of your choice! Claim your reward when you use this link: lightyear.com/pensioncraft or enter the code PENSIONCRAFT manually in the Promotions section. 

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This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

Speculation is swirling about what tax changes the chancellor might unveil in the Autumn Budget. But with the announcement still more than two months away, is it worth paying attention to the rumours?

We dig into the policy measures making headlines, and ask: what—if anything—should you be doing now?

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Thank you to Lightyear for sponsoring this episode. 

Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and get up to $115 worth of a US fractional share of your choice! Claim your reward when you use this link: lightyear.com/pensioncraft or enter the code PENSIONCRAFT manually in the Promotions section. 

Capital at risk. ISA rules apply. Terms apply: https://lightyear.com/en-gb/signup-promotion-terms.

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This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

Stocks are expensive, bonds are finally interesting, and suddenly the boring part of your portfolio doesn’t look so boring. With serious forecasters whispering that bonds could beat equities over the next decade, is it time to rethink your portfolio?

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Will zero interest rates ever return?

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Thank you to Lightyear for sponsoring this episode. 

Sign up for a new account on Lightyear and get up to $115 worth of a US fractional share of your choice! Claim your reward when you use this link: lightyear.com/pensioncraft or enter the code PENSIONCRAFT manually in the Promotions section.

Capital at risk. ISA rules apply. Terms apply: https://lightyear.com/en-gb/signup-promotion-terms.

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📧 [email protected]

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

Washington seems to have moved from referee to player—picking winners, slapping tariffs on strategic exports, and even taking golden shares in critical industries. What are the implications for investors when the world’s biggest economy is shaped by backroom deals?

And in the Dumb Question of the Week: Did the US government profit from the 2008 bailout?

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Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode. 

Claim free fractional shares worth up to ‎£⁠100. Just create and verify a Trading 212 Invest or Stocks ISA account, make a minimum deposit of £1, and use the promo code "RAMIN" within 10 days of signing up, or use the following link: 

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When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Pies & Autoinvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions. Free shares can be fractional. 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface. Terms and fees apply.

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This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

The ban is over! From 8 October 2025, UK retail investors can buy exchange traded crypto products — potentially in an ISA or SIPP. So why has the FCA made a U-turn?

And in the Dumb Question of the Week: Does scarcity make something valuable?

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Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode. 

Claim free fractional shares worth up to ‎£⁠100. Just create and verify a Trading 212 Invest or Stocks ISA account, make a minimum deposit of £1, and use the promo code "RAMIN" within 10 days of signing up, or use the following link: 

Sponsored Link. Terms apply - trading212.com/join/RAMIN

When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Pies & Autoinvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions. Free shares can be fractional. 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface. Terms and fees apply.

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This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

Four months after Trump shocked markets with sweeping tariffs, the results are in: new trade deals tilted toward American interests, a resilient economy, and Wall Street's return to record highs. We ask whether Trump has won the trade war. Or if it’s too soon to tell.

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Are trade deals about more than tariffs?

---

Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode. 

Claim free fractional shares worth up to ‎£⁠100. Just create and verify a Trading 212 Invest or Stocks ISA account, make a minimum deposit of £1, and use the promo code "RAMIN" within 10 days of signing up, or use the following link: 

Sponsored Link. Terms apply - trading212.com/join/RAMIN

When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Pies & Autoinvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions. Free shares can be fractional. 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface. Terms and fees apply.

---

Get in touch

📧 [email protected]

🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm

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Join PensionCraft

🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

Investors and policymakers count on official statistics to stay grounded. But recent blunders in the UK and growing politicisation in the US have shaken trust in the numbers.

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is GDP-B?

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Thank you to Trading 212 for sponsoring this episode. 

Claim free fractional shares worth up to ‎£⁠100. Just create and verify a Trading 212 Invest or Stocks ISA account, make a minimum deposit of £1, and use the promo code "RAMIN" within 10 days of signing up, or use the following link: 

Sponsored Link. Terms apply - trading212.com/join/RAMIN

When investing, your capital is at risk and you may get back less than invested. Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. Pies & Autoinvest is an execution-only service. Not investment advice or portfolio management. Automatic investing refers to executing scheduled deposits. You are responsible for all investment and rebalancing decisions. Free shares can be fractional. 212 Cards are issued by Paynetics which provide all payment services. T212 provides customer support and user interface. Terms and fees apply.

---

Get in touch

📧 [email protected]

🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm

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Join PensionCraft

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▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

The S&P 500 is pushing dot-com era valuations. Bitcoin’s smashing records. Meme stocks have risen from the dead. And AI start-ups are landing billion-dollar buy-outs. What do you do when a bubble is staring you right in the face?

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is a gamma squeeze?

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Thanks to Raisin UK for supporting this episode. 

Raisin UK is a free, easy-to-use platform where you can access savings accounts from over 40 FSCS-protected banks and building societies — all in one place. 

What's more, for a limited time only, you can receive a £100 bonus when you register and fund your first savings account with a minimum of £10,000 using the code "SAVINGS100". For more details, please visit the link raisin.co.uk/pensioncraft

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🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm

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Join PensionCraft

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▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

Global venture capital firms poured $126 billion into early-stage startups in the first quarter — and almost 60% went into AI companies. We look at where the so-called smart money is placing their bets.

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: What is a unicorn?

---

Thanks to Raisin UK for supporting this episode. 

Raisin UK is a free, easy-to-use platform where you can access savings accounts from over 40 FSCS-protected banks and building societies — all in one place. 

What's more, for a limited time only, you can receive a £100 bonus when you register and fund your first savings account with a minimum of £10,000 using the code "SAVINGS100". For more details, please visit the link raisin.co.uk/pensioncraft

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Get in touch

📧 [email protected]

🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm

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Join PensionCraft

🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

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Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns

The dream of an early retirement is a powerful motivator for many investors. But often it remains just that: a dream. So what’s holding people back? Is it simply a matter of money? Or are there deeper, psychological reasons why people decide to keep working?

And in today’s Dumb Question of the Week: Is the state pension like a bond?

---

Thanks to Raisin UK for supporting this episode. 

Raisin UK is a free, easy-to-use platform where you can access savings accounts from over 40 FSCS-protected banks and building societies — all in one place. 

What's more, for a limited time only, you can receive a £100 bonus when you register and fund your first savings account with a minimum of £10,000 using the code "SAVINGS100". For more details, please visit the link raisin.co.uk/pensioncraft

---

Get in touch

📧 [email protected]

🎧 many-happy-returns.captivate.fm

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Join PensionCraft

🌐 Become a member at pensioncraft.com

▶️ Subscribe on YouTube

---

Disclaimer

This podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes and is not financial advice. We do not provide recommendations or endorse any decision to buy, sell or hold any security. We cannot be held responsible for any actions listeners may take and investors are encouraged to seek independent financial advice.

Copyright 2023 Many Happy Returns