Investors' Chronicle

Up first this week is self-labelled ‘King of Trainers’ JD Sports, whose shares took a 15 per cent tumble on Thursday morning. The FTSE 100 retailer has blamed much of the slump on delayed back-to-school spending and a rising cost of living. Erin Withey explains what’s going on.

Next we turn to what has become a trend of the past few months: star fund managers overhauling portfolios. Bill Ackman of Pershing Square has joined the party in trying to stop disappointing returns, but when your portfolio only has around 12 stocks, and you change 11 of them, it’s going to have some significant repercussions. Val Cipriani is in the studio to discuss whether the shake-up is for the better or whether investors should be worried.

Finally, we look at Oxford Nanopore; initial excitement after its IPO has waned, and the testing company has struggled as its biggest segment, its research arm, has lagged. Julian Hofmann dives into its management’s plans to switch up its strategy and what this means for shareholders.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
3:59 JD Sports
10:57 Pershing Square
20:08 Oxford Nanopore

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Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities.

Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After an avalanche of earnings updates, we turn to our annual Income Majors special report and dive into two prominent FTSE 100 dividend stocks. First up is insurer Legal & General; pressure has been mounting on the company as it grapples with a more competitive pensions market. Christopher Akers explains the CEO’s buyback plan, its yield and what it means for investors.

We then move to GSK, once known as GlaxoSmithKline, which faces a tricky balancing act between dividends and developing new drugs. The pharma giant has been spending heavily on R&D – a staggering £18bn this year alone to build its oncology pipeline. Julian Hofmann has the details.

Finally, we cast our ears to Hill & Smith’s growth across the pond. The steel products company now generates two-thirds of its revenue from the US and has even switched its currency from sterling to dollars. Michael Fahy discusses what’s going on at the growing business.

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
03:22 Legal & General
10:42 GSK
18:57 Hill & Smith

Listen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities.

Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Women, on average, earn less than men, have less saved in a pension and have to take more time off from work to care for others. But while society is rigged to burden women with heavier loads, Gina Miller has made it her mission to change this and close the gender wealth gap.

Gina is an activist, entrepreneur and the founder of MoneyShe, an investment platform focused on women’s finances. Gina, who became widely known for her anti-Brexit campaign and has spent decades working in the City, sits down with funds editor Val Cipriani to discuss the barriers blocking women from investing, the inherent misogyny in finance and practical steps to build a portfolio.

She also discusses the financial consequences of having cancer and her experience with economic abuse.

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
02:41 Understanding the gender wealth gap
06:09 Why women invest less than men
10:41 Practical tips for getting started
15:12 Misogyny in finance and campaigning for change
20:02 The financial impact of cancer
23:12 Economic abuse and financial independence
26:24 MoneyShe and Gina’s current campaigning work

Women and Wealth is the monthly podcast series from Investors’ Chronicle. You can listen to and watch the episodes alongside our other podcasts on Acast, Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

If you have any questions you’d like Val to answer in the podcast, email val.cipriani@ft.com

Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities.

Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

M&A activity remains rampant, and this week we start with a tie-up that would rank among the biggest deals of all time: AstraZeneca and US rival Bristol Myers Squibb. Julian Hofmann discusses the merits of the mooted $400bn deal, the drawbacks and why investors’ response to the rumour has been bleak.

We then turn to what could be the greatest disrupter humans have seen for decades: the rise of AI and what it means for the jobs market. As speculation runs rampant as to how many roles could be lost, Hugh Moorhead is in the studio to curb some of those concerns. Hugh explains what’s actually going on, which companies might stand to benefit, which might not, and how investors should respond.

Finally, Mark Robinson puts medical device maker Smith & Nephew under the microscope after its half-year figures suggest its long-awaited rebound hasn’t quite arrived. But with an activist lurking on the shareholder register, could better times be on the way?

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
1:20 AstraZeneca
15:43 AI's impact on the jobs market and what this means for investors
30:23 Smith & Nephew

Listen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities.

Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Results season is in full swing, and it’s been another bumper week – with the overwhelming majority positive. But there are always laggards, and this week’s show dives into one of the FTSE 100’s biggest fallers, Rentokil. The pest control business’s shares plunged after its half-year figures. Julian Hofmann explains why.

Then, we look overseas, with many of the big AI and semiconductor trades going into reverse over recent weeks, including memory-chip makers SK Hynix and Samsung. So what better time to discuss how to pick out the value shares in these global markets. Michael Fahy talks through his favourites.

And finally, we look at the consequences of the SpaceX IPO for Britain’s investors – not the losses on which they’re sitting, but the possibility of it having tipped the first domino on access to US IPOs. Helen Kirrane explains what’s going on

Timestamps
00:00 Introduction
00:57 Rentokil
10:54 Global value hunting
22:33 US IPOs

Listen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

Investors' Chronicle has supported private investors in the UK for over 160 years by highlighting rewarding investment opportunities.

Investors' Chronicle is a service by the Financial Times.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.