Good Money Guide Podcast

Holly Mead interviews Rob Morgan, Chief Analyst from Charles Stanley Direct, discussing the company's recent award for best stocks and shares ISA provider. They explore the unique features of Charles Stanley Direct, investment trends, personal investment strategies, common mistakes investors make, the importance of fee structures, and the impact of recent changes in ISA regulations. Rob shares insights on encouraging more people to invest and offers practical tips for ISA investors.Tell us what you think of Charles Stanley Direct: https://goodmoneyguide.com/review/charles-stanley/https://goodmoneyguide.com/review/charles-stanley/Chapters00:00 Introduction to Charles Stanley Direct and Award Recognition02:43 Investment Trends and Customer Behavior05:25 Investment Strategies and Personal Experiences08:01 Common Investment Mistakes and Portfolio Management10:39 Fee Structures and Market Competition13:25 Changes in ISA Regulations and Their Impact16:20 Encouraging Investment and Future Trends19:03 Final Tips for ISA Investors

Tell us what you think of Penfold: https://goodmoneyguide.com/review/penfold/Chris Eastwood, CEO of Penfold, discusses the challenges and innovations in the pension industry. He emphasises the importance of making pension saving easier and more engaging, particularly for the self-employed and those affected by auto-enrollment. The discussion covers common mistakes people make regarding their pensions, the impact of regulatory changes, and the significance of investment themes like AI and longevity. Chris also shares insights on Penfold's growth and future plans to enhance customer service and engagement.Chapters00:00 What Does Penfold Do and Its Mission?02:50 The Pension Crisis and Auto-Enrollment05:50 Addressing the Self-Employed and Pension Contributions08:35 Common Pension Mistakes and Tracking Lost Pots11:26 Regulatory Changes and Trust in Pensions14:08 Investment Strategies and Future Trends16:54 Challenges for New Pension Providers19:44 Advice for Pension Savers and Future Plans for Penfold

Fresh from being voted "Best Investing App 2026" in the Good Money Guide Investing Awards, Holly Mead interviews Wanda Rutgers, the UK CEO of Lightyear, discussing the company's journey, its unique approach to investing, and the challenges and opportunities in the UK investment landscape. They explore the importance of making investing accessible, the impact of fees, common investment mistakes, and the role of behavioural finance. The discussion also touches on future trends in investing, including the influence of AI and the significance of fractional shares.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Lightyear and Its Journey02:48 Lightyear's Unique Approach to Investing05:42 Navigating the UK Investment Landscape08:23 Maximising the Lightyear App Experience11:09 Understanding Fees and Their Impact on Investing13:49 Common Investment Mistakes and Lessons Learned16:39 The Future of Investing and Lightyear's Vision19:26 The Role of AI and Market Trends22:13 Behavioural Insights in Investing25:11 Looking Ahead: Lightyear's Plans and Investor Tips

In this week’s podcast, Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson look at more record highs for the FTSE100 as central bank rate easing bets increase, and UK data shows signs of a weak labour market.They also look at the recent chatter around the early departure of Christine Lagarde as ECB President as well as looking at the latest results from NatWest, and BAE and look ahead to HSBC, Rolls-Royce and Nvidia results next week.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Podcast Announcement02:59 Market Overview and Fed Minutes Discussion05:51 UK Economic Data and Bank of England Outlook09:04 Lagarde's Speculated Departure from the ECB11:56 UK Youth Unemployment and Economic Policies14:57 Earnings Reports and Market Reactions17:56 BAE Systems and Defense Sector Insights31:00 Walmart's Earnings and Market Reactions32:45 Intercontinental Hotels and Economic Outlook34:24 Earnings Season Overview36:56 AI and Market Sentiment37:44 Diageo's Turnaround Potential40:30 HSBC's Performance and Real Estate Concerns44:04 Rolls-Royce's Success Story48:00 British Airways and Customer Loyalty51:50 Nvidia's Market Position and Future Outlook

In this week’s podcast, Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss the stabilisation in gold and silver prices, AI corporate bond issuance, and the implications of Japan's political landscape on market dynamics. They analyse the recent US jobs report, and its impact on the economic outlook, as well as the UK economy's performance and government responses. Plus a look at this week’s news from BP and NatWest as well as looking ahead to next week’s UK inflation and unemployment numbers.Chapters00:00 Market Overview and Key Economic Indicators02:43 Gold and Silver Market Dynamics06:00 Corporate Capital Expenditure and Debt Issuance08:55 Japan's Economic Landscape and Political Stability11:57 US Jobs Report Analysis14:54 UK GDP and Economic Growth Concerns17:56 Sector Performance and Business Investment20:47 Corporate Earnings and Market Reactions30:15 Market Reactions and Earnings Reports33:01 Banking Sector Dynamics and Acquisitions35:57 Consumer Behavior and Economic Indicators38:57 Inflation Trends and Monetary Policy42:02 Labor Market Challenges and Wage Growth46:12 Retail Sales and Consumer Spending Trends48:00 US GDP Insights and Economic Forecasts50:53 Defense Sector Growth and Market Opportunities54:05 Walmart's Performance and Market Positioning

Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss the sharp sell-off in both gold and silver and whether it signals an end to the recent bull run. They also look at this week’s BOE rate decision as well as the bumper numbers from Alphabet, its huge pledge on AI spend, as well as looking at the numbers from Apple. They also look ahead to next week’s UK Q4 GDP numbers, and the full year results from Barclays and NatWest.

In this week’s podcast, Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss the record highs in gold and silver, as well as President Trump’s comments on the US dollar. They also look at this week’s numbers from Lloyds, Tesla and Microsoft and look ahead to next week’s BOE and ECB meetings, as well as the latest results from Shell, Vodafone, Amazon and Alphabet.

Michael Hewson and Michael Brown from Pepperstone discuss the current state of the markets, focusing on economic indicators, corporate earnings, and consumer behaviour. They analyse the impact of US-China trade relations, bond market volatility, and the performance of various sectors, including retail and technology. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by companies like JD Sports, Lloyds Banking Group, EasyJet, Tesla, Microsoft, and Meta, providing insights into their financial health and future prospects.Chapters00:00 Market Reactions and Economic Indicators20:51 Earnings Season Insights30:42 Retail Sector Performance and Challenges31:13 Federal Reserve's Monetary Policy Outlook35:04 Political Pressures and the Fed's Dilemma36:15 Lloyds Banking Group: Performance and Prospects39:21 EasyJet: Navigating Post-Pandemic Challenges44:21 Tech Giants: Tesla, Microsoft, and Meta's Market Dynamics55:37 Apple's Innovation Dilemma and Market Position

Michael Hewson and Michael Brown from Pepperstone delve into the current state of financial markets, focusing on geopolitical tensions, particularly the U.S. administration's stance on Venezuela and Greenland. They discuss the implications of recent Department of Justice subpoenas directed at the Federal Reserve and how these developments are affecting market sentiment. Despite the political turmoil, markets appear resilient, with the FTSE 100 reaching record highs and the S&P showing signs of recovery. The hosts also address listener feedback regarding their previous claims about U.S. oil dependency on Venezuela, emphasizing the complexities of the oil market and the geopolitical motivations behind U.S. actions.The conversation shifts to the performance of various sectors, including UK markets, where the hosts analyze recent GDP data and corporate earnings reports from companies like Whitbread and Persimmon. They highlight the mixed signals from the labor market, particularly in the recruitment sector, and discuss the potential impact of upcoming economic data releases on monetary policy. The episode wraps up with a preview of next week's earnings reports, including Netflix, and the anticipated market reactions to these developments.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Overview02:13 Geopolitical Tensions and Oil Markets11:44 Trump's Influence on the Federal Reserve20:51 Economic Data Insights22:13 Tech Companies and AI Innovation26:46 U.K. Market Analysis and Construction Challenges33:46 Construction Sector Resilience36:49 Retail Performance Insights39:37 Labor Market Challenges42:54 US Banks and Credit Card Interest Rates47:17 Upcoming Economic Indicators and Earnings Reports

As the momentum from 2025, carries over into 2026, Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss whether the FTSE100 and other markets can continue recent positive momentum at a time when geopolitical noise around US foreign policy dominates. They also look at this week’s numbers from Next, Tesco and Sainsbury and look ahead to US bank earnings.

In this year-end podcast, Michael Hewson and Michael Brown from Pepperstone reflect on the financial markets over the past year, discussing key economic data, market drivers, and the performance of various sectors. They analyse the implications of US inflation trends, UK economic challenges, and the performance of the FTSE 100. The conversation also touches on corporate investment trends, particularly in the retail and defence sectors, and concludes with insights into BP's leadership change and predictions for the upcoming year.Chapters00:00 Introduction and Year-End Reflections02:05 Market Drivers and Economic Data Overview05:02 US Economic Indicators and Federal Reserve Outlook09:27 UK Economic Challenges and Bank of England Decisions12:33 Political Influence on Monetary Policy14:35 FTSE 100 Performance and Economic Context17:46 Global Market Comparisons and Future Outlook24:53 Market Reactions and Guidance Clarity26:22 Defense Sector Dynamics and Investment Trends28:40 Debt Markets and Economic Outlook31:21 Banking Sector Performance and Risks35:09 Retail Sector Insights and Consumer Behavior39:10 Investment Climate and Corporate Decisions41:03 Leadership Changes in Major Corporations

In this penultimate podcast of 2025 Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss the latest Fed decision to cut rates, as well as looking ahead to next week’s rate decisions from the Bank of England and Bank of Japan respectively, discussing the risks to global bond markets in 2026 of a more hawkish BOJ. We also look ahead to the latest numbers from Nike, FedEx and Currys.

In this podcast episode, Michael Hewson and Michael Brown discuss the current state of the markets as they approach year-end, focusing on key economic indicators, upcoming Fed meetings, and significant corporate developments. They analyse the implications of the dollar's weakness, M&A activities like Netflix's potential acquisition of Warner Brothers, and Unilever's spin-off of its Magnum Ice Cream brand. The conversation also covers the UK economy's performance, PMI data, and the retail sector's outlook as Christmas approaches. Additionally, they delve into the financial results of companies like Mitchell & Butler, Balfour Beatty, and Broadcom, highlighting trends in the defence and semiconductor industries.

In this week’s Good Money Guide podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss this week’s buy now, pay later Klarna budget statement, and whether it makes a December rate cut more or less likely. They also look at the latest results from easyJet and Kingfisher and look ahead to numbers from Balfour Beatty and Frasers Group.

In this week’s podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss this week’s UK CPI data and whether it makes a December rate cut more or less likely. They also look at the latest Q3 numbers from Nvidia as well as looking ahead to next week’s budget.

In this week’s podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss this week’s disappointing UK economic data, and what it means for another rate cut. They also look at this week’s numbers from Vodafone and Rolls-Royce as well as looking ahead to next week’s UK CPI numbers and earnings from Nvidia and Walmart.

In this week’s podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss the latest Bank of England rate decision, as well as a host of retail earnings from Sainsbury, M&S and ABF, as well as recent ITV bid speculation. They also look ahead to next weeks UK Q3 GDP and Rolls-Royce earnings.

In this week’s podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson discuss more record highs for US stocks and the FTSE100, as well as the latest Fed rate cut and the hawkish reaction to it. They also talk about the slide in Meta and Microsoft share price on concern over accelerated AI spend, as well as looking ahead to next week’s Bank of England rate decision, and the latest numbers from Diageo, BP, M&S and AstraZeneca.

In this week’s podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson talk about how solid earnings, as well as the prospect of another U-turn on tariffs by President Trump is helping to underpin markets as well as push the FTSE 100 to another record high. They also look at this week’s numbers from Netflix and Tesla, and look ahead to next week’s big slate of numbers from Apple, Amazon, Alphabet, Meta and Microsoft.

In this week’s podcast Michael Brown (Senior Market Strategist from Pepperstone) and Michael Hewson look at how markets have reacted to President Trump’s unexpected decision to announce 100% additional tariffs on Chinese goods and whether this escalation in tensions could prompt a deeper sell-off. They also look at this week’s earnings numbers from JPMorgan, and other US banks, as well as looking ahead to next week’s updates from Lloyds, Barclays and NatWest, as well as Netflix and Tesla.