AJ Bell Money & Markets

ASOS has been hit by a damaging cyberattack, reviving concerns about the threat facing UK retailers after incidents at Co-op and Marks & Spencer. This episode examines what happened, how ASOS could be affected and what might come next. We also explain why five-year fixed mortgage rates have reached 6% and what worried borrowers can do. Plus, we explore takeover talk involving Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, BT’s acquisition of TalkTalk, Jaguar’s electric vehicle rethink, record highs for the S&P 500, moves in oil and bond markets, SpaceX’s AI chip plans and the buzz around Meta’s Muse AI model. 

Timestamps 

[01:51] Oil prices, bond yields, a record high for the S&P 500 and SpaceX’s AI chip plans 

[03:57] Meta’s Muse AI model, the buzz around it and the risks for the wider business 

[09:01] Paramount and Warner Bros, BT’s takeover of TalkTalk and competition concerns 

[14:55] Why a possible Sainsbury’s and Morrisons deal has revived talk of UK supermarket mergers 

[18:11] The ASOS cyberattack and comparisons with Co-op and Marks & Spencer 

[23:00] Five-year fixed mortgage rates hit 6% and what borrowers can do 

[25:56] The headline announcements from the Conservative Party conference 

[29:51] Eve Maddock-Jones speaks to David from Rathbone 

[39:14] Jaguar’s electric vehicle rethink and the challenges facing carmakers’ EV strategies

Anthropic IPO investors are beginning to assess one of the most talked-about artificial intelligence companies in the world.

In this week's Money & Markets podcast, Charlene Young, Sarah Coles and Tom Sieber discuss reports surrounding the potential Anthropic IPO, including the company's rapid growth, its Claude AI platform, valuation questions and the opportunities and risks facing investors. Featuring insights from Bloomberg Intelligence's Mandeep Singh, the team explores whether Anthropic could become one of the biggest technology listings in recent years.

The episode also covers:

Help to Buy reforms and what they mean for UK housebuilders

Stock market reaction to Labour conference announcements

Proposed changes to the state pension triple lock

Social care funding and retirement planning implications

How giving up smoking and alcohol could significantly boost long-term savings and pension wealth

Chapters

Intro [00:00]

AI latest [01:22]

Mandeep Singh, Bloomberg Intelligence on Anthropic [06:56]

Burnham bounce for housebuilders [21:10]

GB grid announcement and water companies in focus [26:27]

Social care and pension triple lock [31:52]

Stoptober and sober October – how much you could save [41:54]

Are the warning lights flashing for a new cost of living crisis? In this week's AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Sarah Coles and Dan Coatsworth examine the biggest threats facing household finances, from rising oil prices and inflation to mortgage costs and Budget tax rumours.

They explain the key signals everyone should be watching, explore the winners and losers from changing consumer spending habits, and discuss what potential tax changes could mean for investors.

Plus: the Hyrox fitness boom, supermarket wars, capital gains tax (CGT) speculation, and a surprising ISA trend that could leave many families exposed later in life.

Subscribe for weekly insights on investing, markets, pensions, tax and personal finance. The podcast that gives you practical tips and valuable insight.

01:41 Are we heading for a new cost of living crisis?

03:32 The key indicators to watch: inflation, wages and energy bills, and where we stand now

13:39 Hyrox: Dan talks to Ruby Bollington on the fitness craze attracting big-money investors

22:34 Retail sales, M&S on trend, and how supermarkets are fighting for customers

31:20 A different way to invest in the weekly food shop: Interview with Supermarket Income REIT boss Rob Abraham

41:16 Budget rumours: property taxes, holiday lets and CGT changes

49:29 The biggest Budget fears among UK households

52:43 The ISA trend that could put family finances at risk

This week on the AJ Bell Money & Markets podcast, Dan Coatsworth and Sarah Coles discuss the growing debate around artificial intelligence, including warnings from industry leaders that AI could pose serious risks to humanity, and what that means for investors. Tech journalist Will Guyatt joins the show to talk about using AI to find investing information.

Dan and Sarah explore rising inflation, soaring oil prices, bond market volatility, and the outlook for interest rates. Plus, they look at the latest state pension increase forecasts, new ISA savings data, and the persistent gender pension gap.

Elsewhere, listeners share their approaches to saving for university costs, and Sarah explains why divorce enquiries often spike after the summer holidays, and the financial steps people can take to protect themselves.

Timestamps:

[00:09] Introduction and what's coming up
[01:48] AI warnings: Could AI become a threat to humanity?
[07:54] Can AI help investors? Interview with tech journalist Will Guyatt
[22:11] Markets update: Oil prices, bond sell-off and inflation concerns
[23:58] UK inflation rises to 3.1%: What's driving prices higher?
[27:38] Listener insights: Saving and investing for university costs
[39:48] Why divorce enquiries spike after the summer holidays
[44:49] State pension forecast: Triple lock points to a 3.9% increase
[48:47] ISA data: More people investing for the long term
[51:46] Gender pension gap: Why women retire with significantly less pension wealth
[54:01] Practical ways to boost pension savings during career breaks and part-time work
[55:58] Closing thoughts and preview of next week's episode

In this special episode of the Deep Dive podcast, Tom is joined by AJ Bell’s head of public policy Rachel Vahey and head of technical Charlene Young to answer listeners’ most pressing pension questions. They discuss why it can pay to start saving even when retirement feels distant, how tax relief works for higher earners, what inheritance tax changes could mean for SIPPs, and whether ISAs can offer extra flexibility. The episode also covers pension access age changes, state pension entitlement, pensions dashboards, retirement living standards and why age 75 matters for retirement planning. 

01:05 – Is it worth paying into a pension when retirement feels a long way off?

04:18 – Salary sacrifice and making pension contributions work harder

08:14 – SIPPs, ISAs and planning ahead for inheritance tax changes from 2027

12:33 – Taking tax-free cash gradually and using Stocks and Shares ISAs

15:14 – Pension access age: what happens if you take money at 55 before April 2028?

20:25 – Why 35 years of National Insurance does not always guarantee the full new state pension

27:50 – Pension tax relief for additional-rate taxpayers: what is automatic and what must be claimed?

33:14 – Pensions dashboards: what they are, when they might arrive and what savers could see

41:03 – Retirement living standards and how much people may need in later life

43:12 – Why age 75 matters for pensions and tax planning

48:01 – The pension questions Rachel and Charlene think more people should ask