The UK Government Must Cut Spending - Here's Why (with Kallum Pickering)
UK consumers used to save very little — now they’re saving a lot, perhaps too much. Why? Kallum Pickering, Peel Hunt chief economist, joins host Merryn Somerset Webb to explain. He points to a “wealth shock”: when gilt yields surged in 2022, pension values fell sharply. At the same time, mortgage rates climbed and house prices stalled. This shift matters. It’s one reason the UK economy remains sluggish. But it’s not the only factor — our strained public finances and the sheer size of the state also play a role. Can it be fixed? Kallum thinks so. He shared his long-term ideas for turning things around — and even offered a few suggestions for Chancellor Rachel Reeves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Why This Controversial Investment Trust Deal Has Riled Key Shareholders
In this week’s Merryn Talks Money market wrap, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek sit down with Chris Clothier, Co-CIO of CGAM to discuss the proposed merger of two of the largest infrastructure investment trusts on the London market, HICL Infrastructure Company and The Renewables Infrastructure Group (TRIG). Fund managers at CGAM are "appalled" by the proposal. Clothier sits down with our usual hosts to explain why and what investors can do about it. The trio also talk about the upcoming budget and the collapse in central London house prices.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Offshore Bonds: What They Are and Who They’re For
Curious about how offshore bonds really work, and whether they’re worth it? In this week’s Merryn Talks Your Money, Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with veteran financial adviser Paula Steele, director at John Lamb Hill Oldridge, to unpack the truth behind this often-misunderstood investment wrapper. From hidden tax traps to smart long-term planning strategies, this episode will inform how you think about where (and how) to grow your wealth.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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20:47
Jim Reid on Why Cash Is the Riskiest Investment of All
Host Merryn Somerset Webb speaks to Jim Reid, head of Macro and Thematic Research at Deutsche Bank, to unpack why too much cash is risky over the long run and why starting valuations drive real investment outcomes. They dig into 200 years of data on equities versus cash, the role of 60/40 portfolios, gold’s surprising century and today’s artificial intelligence-fueled market dynamics—with practical pointers on cheap versus expensive markets and time horizons. Find the report here: https://www.dbresearch.com/PROD/RI-PROD/PDFVIEWER.calias?pdfViewerPdfUrl=PROD0000000000607211 Don't forget to sign up for our live podcast taping in London on November 27:https://go.bloomberg.com/attend/invite/post-budget-merryn-talks-money/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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40:34
UK Housing Jitters, Market Moves, and "Psychic Wealth"
In this week’s Merryn Talks Money market wrap, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek dissect the latest UK housing trends ahead of the budget, exploring why falling mortgage rates might not be enough to lift property prices amid growing uncertainty. They also touch on the sluggish UK economy, the FTSE 100’s near-record run, and whether the AI boom in US markets is showing shades of a bubble. Don't forget to sign up for our live podcast taping in London on November 27:https://go.bloomberg.com/attend/invite/post-budget-merryn-talks-money/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Merryn Talks Money with Bloomberg senior columnist Merryn Somerset Webb is your key to understanding how markets work – and how you can make them work for you. Every episode features a relaxed but in-depth conversation with a fund manager, a strategist, a Bloomberg expert or just someone Merryn finds particularly interesting in any given week. Listen in for the kind of insights and explanations everyone can use to help them make better saving and investing choices.
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