Money Makers

Japan's dramatic election: what it means for investors. In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trust Podcast, Nicholas Wiendling, manager of J.P. Morgan Japanese (JFJ), discusses the landslide electoral win of Sanae Takaichi, the future of corporate governance reform and investment opportunities in the Japanese market, with Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook (winner of the AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award 2024 and 2025).

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 17 February 2026.

For those of you who follow Money Makers on social media, two new channels are now available - TikTok (@moneymakers_its) and Bluesky (@money-makers.co). Do give us a follow! Jonathan is also now writing market and other comments on Substack (jdinvestor.substack.com). 

Section Timestamps:
0:00:24 - Introduction
0:01:06 - Reacting to the election result in Japan
0:06:01 - Japan’s relationship with the US
0:07:25 - The Japanese bond market
0:09:05 - Corporate governance changes
0:13:33 - The yen
0:17:25 - A short break
0:18:28 - The Japanese corporate sector
0:20:47 - Performance of the Japanese investment trusts
0:23:15 - Style factors
0:26:37 - The sustainability of returns
0:27:41 - The portfolio and gearing
0:32:22 - Significant risks
0:33:52 - Close

If you enjoy the weekly podcast, why not also try the Money Makers Circle? This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, links to third party research, market/portfolio reviews and regular comments from the editor. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year.

This week, as well as the usual features, the Circle features a profile of Geiger Counter (GCL). Future profiles include CT Global Managed Portfolio (CMPI/CMPG) and BlackRock American Income (BRAI). Our new expanded weekly subscriber email includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news plus the week's biggest share price, NAV and discount movements. Subscribe and you will never miss any important developments from the sector.

For more information please visit https://money-makers.co/circle.

Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free for the foreseeable future. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our 320 podcasts since launch.

*** OUT NOW: The 2026 Investment Trusts Handbook ***
Available to order from Harriman House: https://harriman-house.com/authors/jonathan-davis/the-investment-trusts-handbook-2026/9781804094358

The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is the ninth edition of the highly regarded annual handbook for anyone interested in investment trusts – often referred to as the City’s best-kept secret, or the connoisseur’s choice among investment funds. It is expertly edited by well-known author and professional investor Jonathan Davis, founder and editor of the Money Makers newsletter and podcast. The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is an independent educational publication, available through bookshops and extensively online. With articles by 30 different authors, including analysts, fund managers and investment writers, plus more than 80 pages of detailed data and analysis, the latest edition is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in the investment trust sector.
***

You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk.

Produced by Ben Gamblin - www.bgprofessional.co.uk

In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook and winner of the AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award (2024 and 2025), is joined by Andrew McHattie, editor of the Investment Trusts Newsletter.

This discussion was recorded on 12 February 2026.

*** OUT NOW: The 2026 Investment Trusts Handbook ***
Available to order from Harriman House: https://harriman-house.com/authors/jonathan-davis/the-investment-trusts-handbook-2026/9781804094358

The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is the ninth edition of the highly regarded annual handbook for anyone interested in investment trusts – often referred to as the City’s best-kept secret, or the connoisseur’s choice among investment funds. It is expertly edited by well-known author and professional investor Jonathan Davis, founder and editor of the Money Makers newsletter and podcast. The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is an independent educational publication, available through bookshops and extensively online. With articles by 30 different authors, including analysts, fund managers and investment writers, plus more than 80 pages of detailed data and analysis, the latest edition is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in the investment trust sector.
***

Section Timestamps:
0:00:24 - Introduction
0:00:42 - Japan
0:08:08 - Switching away from the US
0:10:03 - The new chairman of the Federal Reserve
0:12:34 - Artificial intelligence and HgCapital Trust (HGT)
0:22:26 - 3i Infrastructure (3IN)
0:26:39 - A short break
0:27:43 - Saba Capital
0:34:52 - Saba’s US holdings
0:36:38 - Digital 9 Infrastructure (DGI9)
0:39:59 - Oryx International Growth (OIG)
0:43:35 - Baker Steel Resources Trust (BSRT)
0:48:07 - Investment trusts in the FTSE100
0:52:03 - Close

For those of you who follow Money Makers on social media, two new channels are now available - TikTok (@moneymakers_its) and Bluesky (@money-makers.co). Do give us a follow!

If you enjoy the weekly podcast, why not also try the Money Makers Circle? This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, links to third party research, market/portfolio reviews and regular comments from the editor. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year.

As well as the usual features, the Circle currently features a profile of Aberforth Geared Value and Income (AGVI). Future profiles include Geiger Counter (GCL) and CT Global Managed Portfolio (CMPG/CMPI). Our new expanded weekly subscriber email includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news plus the week's biggest share price, NAV and discount movements. Subscribe and you will never miss any important developments from the sector.

For more information please visit https://money-makers.co/circle.

Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free for the foreseeable future. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our nearly 320 podcasts since launch.

You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk.

Produced by Ben Gamblin - www.bgprofessional.co.uk

In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook and winner of the AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award (2024 and 2025), is joined by Gabriel Sacks, lead manager at the Aberdeen Asia Focus Trust (AAS).

This discussion was recorded on Friday 06 February 2026.

*** OUT NOW: The 2026 Investment Trusts Handbook ***
Available to order from Harriman House: https://harriman-house.com/authors/jonathan-davis/the-investment-trusts-handbook-2026/9781804094358

The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is the ninth edition of the highly regarded annual handbook for anyone interested in investment trusts – often referred to as the City’s best-kept secret, or the connoisseur’s choice among investment funds. It is expertly edited by well-known author and professional investor Jonathan Davis, founder and editor of the Money Makers newsletter and podcast. The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is an independent educational publication, available through bookshops and extensively online. With articles by 30 different authors, including analysts, fund managers and investment writers, plus more than 80 pages of detailed data and analysis, the latest edition is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in the investment trust sector.
***

Section Timestamps:
0:00:24 - Introduction
0:01:21 - The objective of Aberdeen Asia Focus (AAS)
0:06:51 - The quality growth style
0:09:23 - Navigating a turbulent 2025
0:16:59 - A short break
0:18:03 - How the AI phenomenon might play out
0:24:36 - Assessing geopolitical tensions
0:28:06 - The Chinese and Indian economies
0:34:37 - The trust, its discount, and gearing
0:38:17 - Future prospects
0:40:42 - Close

If you enjoy the weekly podcast, why not also try the Money Makers Circle? This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, links to third party research, market/portfolio reviews and regular comments from the editor. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year.

This week, as well as the usual features, the Circle features a profile of Aberforth Geared Value & Income (AGVI). Future profiles include Geiger Counter (GCL) and CT Global Managed Portfolio (CMPI). Our new expanded weekly subscriber email includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news plus the week's biggest share price, NAV and discount movements. Subscribe and you will never miss any important developments from the sector.

For more information please visit https://money-makers.co/circle.

Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free for the foreseeable future. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our nearly 320 podcasts since launch.

You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk.

Produced by Ben Gamblin - www.bgprofessional.co.uk

In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook and winner of the AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award (2024 and 2025), is joined by Jean Hugues de Lamaze, portfolio manager at Ecofin Global Utilities and Infrastructure (EGL), , to discuss the trust's investment themes, its portfolio management, and the energy transition alongside demand driven by AI.

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 27 January 2026.

*** OUT NOW: The 2026 Investment Trusts Handbook ***
Available to order from Harriman House: https://harriman-house.com/authors/jonathan-davis/the-investment-trusts-handbook-2026/9781804094358

The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is the ninth edition of the highly regarded annual handbook for anyone interested in investment trusts – often referred to as the City’s best-kept secret, or the connoisseur’s choice among investment funds. It is expertly edited by well-known author and professional investor Jonathan Davis, founder and editor of the Money Makers newsletter and podcast. The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is an independent educational publication, available through bookshops and extensively online. With articles by 30 different authors, including analysts, fund managers and investment writers, plus more than 80 pages of detailed data and analysis, the latest edition is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in the investment trust sector.
***

Section Timestamps:
0:00:24 - Introduction
0:00:47 - An overview of the trust
0:02:16 - Why is EGL unique?
0:03:50 - The increasing demand for electricity production
0:08:52 - The need to invest in energy transmission
0:10:55 - Why invest with EGL over directly with listed utilities
0:13:36 - How the NAV total return has been generated
0:17:03 - A short break
0:18:07 - Breaking down the investment theme split
0:21:02 - The impact of the interest rate environment
0:24:24 - The share price performance and discount
0:28:02 - The size of the trust
0:32:19 - Is the market wrong?
0:36:42 - Capability for a double-digit return over the coming decade
0:38:15 - Currency exposure
0:39:21 - Close

If you enjoy the weekly podcast, why not also try the Money Makers Circle? This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, links to third party research, market/portfolio reviews and regular comments from the editor. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year.

As well as the usual features, the Circle currently features a profile of the Achilles Investment Company (AIC), with future profiles including Aberforth Geared Value & Income (AGVI) and Geiger Counter (GCL). Our new expanded weekly subscriber email includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news plus the week's biggest share price, NAV and discount movements. Subscribe and you will never miss any important developments from the sector.

For more information please visit https://money-makers.co/circle.

Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free for the foreseeable future. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our nearly 320 podcasts since launch.

You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk.

Produced by Ben Gamblin - www.bgprofessional.co.uk

Disclaimer: Money Makers has not had the opportunity to speak to the Chairman of Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon regarding the future of the investment trust, however it was deemed justified to publish this discussion on the ground of interest to shareholders with the proposal for a tender offer being put to a vote in mid-February. Money Makers remains neutral to the outcome for the trust.
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In this edition of the Money Makers Investment Trusts Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook and winner of the AIC Best Broadcast Journalist Award (2024 and 2025), is joined by Edward Cartwright, CEO of Arcus Investment Management, to discuss the proposal to manage the Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon Trust (BGS).

This discussion was recorded on Tuesday 27 January 2026.

*** OUT NOW: The 2026 Investment Trusts Handbook ***
Available to order from Harriman House: https://harriman-house.com/authors/jonathan-davis/the-investment-trusts-handbook-2026/9781804094358

The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is the ninth edition of the highly regarded annual handbook for anyone interested in investment trusts – often referred to as the City’s best-kept secret, or the connoisseur’s choice among investment funds. It is expertly edited by well-known author and professional investor Jonathan Davis, founder and editor of the Money Makers newsletter and podcast. The Investment Trusts Handbook 2026 is an independent educational publication, available through bookshops and extensively online. With articles by 30 different authors, including analysts, fund managers and investment writers, plus more than 80 pages of detailed data and analysis, the latest edition is an indispensable companion for anyone looking to invest in the investment trust sector.
***

Section Timestamps:
0:00:24 - Introduction
0:00:32 - The proposition to the board of Baillie Gifford Shin Nippon (BGS)
0:03:35 - The tender offer from BGS
0:09:52 - A short break
0:10:55 - Objectives at the upcoming tender offer meeting
0:14:13 - Getting the message out to retail shareholders
0:16:30 - The Japanese small cap market
0:20:46 - Close

If you enjoy the weekly podcast, why not also try the Money Makers Circle? This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, links to third party research, market/portfolio reviews and regular comments from the editor. A subscription costs £12 a month or £120 for one year.

As well as the usual features, the Circle currently features a profile of the Achilles Investment Company (AIC), with future profiles including Aberforth Geared Value & Income (AGVI) and Geiger Counter (GCL). Our new expanded weekly subscriber email includes a comprehensive summary of all the latest news plus the week's biggest share price, NAV and discount movements. Subscribe and you will never miss any important developments from the sector.

For more information please visit https://money-makers.co/circle.

Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free for the foreseeable future. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our more than 300 podcasts since launch.

You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk.

Produced by Ben Gamblin - www.bgprofessional.co.uk