Every decade has its story for investors. The 1970s were all about gold. The 1980s were all about Japan. In the 1990s it was the Internet. In the 2000s, we all shoveled money into China and emerging markets. And in the 2010s, we had eyes for nothing but software and American exceptionalism. So what’s next? That’s the question Jawad Mian, founder and managing editor of Stray Reflections, tries to answer on this week’s Merryn Talks Money.

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In this week's roundup, Merryn speaks with Money Distilled newsletter author John Stepek about why the inflation reading was so surprising, why it's more important than ever to protect your savings, and why the cost of energy is such a hot topic globally. 

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On this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and Bloomberg Money Distilled author John Stepek turn their attention to cash Individual Savings Accounts (ISAs) and how the rules around them may soon change--and why that means you should think about how much cash you've got saved. 

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What would philosopher and political economist Adam Smith think of Donald Trump’s love of tariffs? What would he make of the Republican president’s approach to taxes and deregulation? On this episode of Merryn Talks Money, recorded last week in Dubai, a special panel joins host Merryn Somerset Webb to try and answer those questions using Smith’s texts as a guide. They also talk about the global investment landscape and how the Gulf region, and particularly the United Arab Emirates, is a good place to launch a career.

In front of an audience at the Heriot-Watt University campus, Webb was joined by Adam Dixon, chair in sustainable capitalism at Panmure House, Ashley Hunter, founding partner of A. Hunter & Co., and Iqbal Kham, chief executive of Fajr Capital Group, an impact-driven investment firm. 

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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. 

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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 capture it for investors. So what’s he been investigating? Recent topics include how to identify innovative companies and the role of research and development spending within that. It’s more complicated than you might expect.

R&D:https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/insights/trading/the-innovation-factor-the-power-of-rd-persistence/
Pricing Power:https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/insights/financial-services/cracking-the-code-of-pricing-power/
ANR/Turnaround factor:https://www.bloomberg.com/professional/insights/trading/analyst-ratings-improvers-a-bet-on-turnaround-companies/
AI whitepaper:https://situational-awareness.ai/

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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-flatlines 

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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 digital assets and ensure one’s heirs avoid delays when it comes to accessing money after your death. 

LISTENER NOTE: We added in more clarification around the Intestacy Rules and how they operate in an updated version of the episode. 

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2024-04-29/death-admin-don-t-leave-your-family-a-nightmare-when-you-die

Matthew Hutton's book: https://www.yourlastgiftbook.com/

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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  foruncertainty in stock prices. Investors should never pay for perfect. 

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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 he see opportunities now? 

Plus, what Stephen is reading now: Lucky Loser: How Donald Trump Squandered His Father's Fortune and Created the Illusion of Success

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