Explore every episode of the podcast Taking Stock - After The Bell

James and I sit down with Freddie Lait, Managing Partner at Latitude Investment Management, to discuss markets, valuations and where he's finding global equity opportunities in a volatile 2026.

Following a busy, yet relaxing Christmas break James and I are back in the saddle to discuss the highlights (and lowlights) from 2025 — despite cancelled trains, fire alarms and broken coffee machines!

Jonathan Raymond and James Hughes discuss recent moves in markets including the latest wobble in certain areas of financial markets and we discuss the diverging outlook for 2026. James is looking forward to Silly season.

QC's Head of Technology Research Ben Barringer joins James and I for an update on developments in the tech sector following the release of earnings from the major players. We discuss AI enterprise adoption and productivity improvements, continued capex growth, competitive dynamics amongst the major players and valuations and comparisons to past episodes of technology adoption.

Are we in a bubble? James and I discuss this as well as touch on a few other issues that are keeping us interested here at QC HQ, including why does everyone seem to hate the UK?

With UK equities among the best performers, we chat with Alex Wright, manager of Fidelity Special Values, for his take on what lies behind the UK’s outperformance, as well as ask the contrarian investor which areas he has been investing in and what he looks for in a stock.

Now that the children are back at school and Hughesy and I are back at our desks, we discuss strong US earnings reports and the pleasing performance of the UK stock market despite the evident economic headwinds.

Not such a quiet Summer! Continued tariff shenanigans, cracks in the US labour market, the sacking of the head of US statistics agency and corporate results season give James and I plenty to talk about.

Now that we've passed the halfway point of 2025, James and I sat down to discuss developments in financial markets so far this year. It's certainly not been a quiet period, with tariffs, geopolitics, and fiscal policy all creating plenty of volatility.

In episode 51, we talk to Daniel Avigad, Partner at Lansdowne Partners and fund manager of the Lansdowne European Special Situations fund to delve into the intricacies of European equities, discussing the current market trends, regulatory changes and the impact of geopolitical factors on investment strategies.

Victoria Stevens, fund manager at Liontrust, joins us on our 50th episode to talk about what's happening in the UK smaller companies space. Recent performance has been challenging but she makes a compelling case as to why investors should revisit this neglected part of the market.

In episode 49, Jonathan and James break down the recent tariff news and discuss what it might mean for companies, the economy and financial markets.

Jonathan and James were joined by Stephen Yiu, lead manager of the Blue Whale Growth fund, to discuss Active vs Passive, AI opportunities and which of the Mag 7 can continue to perform.

This week I am joined by Kallum Pickering, Chief Economist at Peel Hunt, and Sam Boot, Investment Manager, to discuss, AI, tariffs, geopolitics and the prospects for the UK

We are joined by returning pod champion Dario Perkins, Head of Global Macro at TS Lombard, to chew the fat over where we are in the 'cycle', AI and productivity and indeed his time working with Rachel Reeves in the Treasury. Some great insight as always.

Hughesy and I dissect the major developments and stories from 2024, which ultimately ended up being a good year for diversified investors. Strap in for 2025!

QC's Global Head of Technology Ben Barringer joins us for a somewhat impromptu run through on all matters technology.

Veteran Emerging Markets fund manager Rob Marshall-Lee joins us to explain how he looks for great Emerging Markets companies to invest in and Hughesy is reunited with his AirPod.

Financial Planner Megan Rimmer joins us to delve into the detail of the recent changes to the pensions landscape in particular at the recent budget. We also touch on the changes to Capital Gains Tax and Business Property Relief.

We are joined by former Chief of Staff to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Adam Smith who shares some words of wisdom from his time in Whitehall, while breaking down the Autumn Statement and discussing what it really means for your money.

Savills Investment Management’s Chief Investment Officer Andrew Allen joins us to discuss the world of property, including issues such as the rise of online retail, continued flux in the office market and the ongoing shortage of residential property.

Fund Analyst Carly Moorhouse joins us to discuss some of the huge moves in the Chinese stock market recently following the authorities' announcement of monetary and fiscal stimulus measures. We also touch on the bigger picture in respect of the economy and financial markets.

We record live from the FT Weekend Festival where we discuss the 'Great Wealth Transfer' with our Chief Investment Officer Caroline Simmons and Financial Planner Jo Wellman.

The FT's markets columnist and an actual professional podcaster, Katie Martin joins us at the FT Weekend Festival for a chat as to what's happening in markets and what she's seeing across the City.

David Mortlock, Managing Partner at Berenberg Bank, joins James and Jonathan to take a trip around the world discussing what's going in the economy and pertinent issues in financial markets. David is a big Chicago Bears American Football fan and we get into areas where he's bearish and where he's more bullish.

Volatility is back so James and Jonathan thought it would be opportune to discuss what's been going on in markets in the last few weeks. So much for quiet August markets.

This week, James and Jonathan delve into the all things India with Amit Mehta, Manager of the JP Morgan India Investment Trust. We discuss the favourable demographics, solid macroeconomic backdrop and the strong performance and outlook for the Indian equity market.

Jim Reid, Managing Director and Global Head of Macro and Thematic Research at Deutsche Bank, joins James and I to talk through some pretty epic charts! We touch on Big Tech and productivity, government debt and deficits and long-term demographic changes, all of which have the potential to change the investing landscape.

James and I chat to Panmure Liberum's Chief Economist Simon French about all things UK. We get into inflation, how the economy is doing and the discount and opportunity in UK equities. Will a potential “dullness dividend” start to be priced into UK assets?

James and I discuss economics, financial markets and politics with Karen Ward, Chief Strategist EMEA at J. P. Morgan Asset Management. We touch on inflation, growth, Artificial Intelligence, the role of fiscal policy and how investors should be viewing the upcoming elections.

James and I are joined by colleague and dog-lover Poppy Fox to take stock of where we are in markets and the economy. It’s been a positive start to the year for investors and we talk through some of the moving parts and drivers.

We were thrilled to talk to Tom Slater and Claire Shaw, Manager and Portfolio Director of Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust. We discuss buying and owning some of the world's most exceptional businesses, both listed on public markets and held privately, and some of the exciting opportunities they have in the portfolio.

This week we are joined by Nick Wood, QC's Head of Fund Research, to discuss the resurgence in the Japanese equity market after a prolonged bear market and the opportunity for investors going forward.

Soon-to-retire Quilter Cheviot Chief Investment Strategist, Alan McIntosh joins us for some fascinating insight and highlights from his 40-year career in fund management and gives some excellent advice for those embarking on their investing journey today.

QC Research Analysts Sheena Berry and Ben Barringer join us to discuss the current earnings season and look under the bonnet of a few of the stocks in their sectors.

On episode 25, we are delighted to be joined by Anthony Kingsley, the Chief Investment Officer at Findlay Park Partners and co-manager of the firm’s American Fund. We discuss some of the reasons why US equities have consistently outperformed other markets and their enduring advantages and touch on some of the areas they find interesting.

James and I are joined by Quilter Cheviot's 'Bond Man' Richard Carter. Fixed interest markets have undergone a sea change in the last two years with interest rates rising sharply and bond yields rising sharply. We discuss whether inflation was in fact 'transitory' after all, why we've not seen a recession despite widespread predictions for one (guilty as charged) and touch on some of the opportunities in bond markets.

James and I take a look back at what happened in 2023 and highlight areas where investors did well and those areas that were more of a challenge. It was a good year for investors in the end but not all plain sailing. We also tried to look into our crystal balls at what 2024 might bring and Hughesy brings us up to speed with his New Years’ Resolutions.

Freddie Lait, the Managing Partner at Latitude Investment Management, joins us to discuss the importance of earnings growth to equity returns, the 'Magnificent 7', the risk to profit margins and some of the areas of the market where he has found value.

We are joined by Ian Cook, Financial Planner, to discuss the what little news there was from the Autumn Statement. We also delve into the world of financial planning and discuss some of the hand-holding that investors inevitably need on their investing journey.

We discuss some of the big moves seen in markets following the lower-than-anticipated inflation figures from both sides of the Atlantic and softening in interest rate expectations. We touch on the continued outperformance of the US equity market and discuss the potential opportunity in UK Smaller Companies.

The pod's first Away Trip. We are joined this week by James Ashley from Goldman Sachs Asset Management in which we discuss an ever-changing world, opportunities in Asia and Japan, de-globalisation, demographics and artificial intelligence. But more importantly, we conclude that we should remain optimistic for the future.

A lost decade and a half for energy stocks, dynamics in the oil and gas market right now and copper being the key to the energy transition. With QC's energy and materials analyst, Jamie Maddock.

The fake business cycle, pandemic distortions, the end of neoliberalism and why inflation is about power. We are joined by Dario Perkins, Managing Director at TS Lombard.

The philosophy behind generating good long-term returns, inflation, gold, bonds and beer.

GARS closure. Declining choice for UK investors. Economic growth errors (big ones). UK market concentration. Strava subscriptions. Small cap renaissance?

The most ominous graph in property. Work from home and Office REITs. Buffett’s bet on US housebuilders. The cost of investor misbehaviour. Troy’s latest newsletter.

This week we were joined by Charlie Parnell, Founder of Money Guided. Funding your twenties in your thirties. The dangers of avoiding decisions. The Phantom Recession. Deflation is the historical norm. The Choice Paradox. Government pension policy. The Bank of England have the wrong tools for the job.

This week we are joined by our Global Technology, Media and Telecoms analyst Ben Barringer. Tech dominance year to date. Netflix freeloaders. Quality outperformance during recessions. Tech pricing power. Meta’s big turnaround.

This week, we were joined by Emma Mogford, Fund Manager of the Premier Miton UK Monthly Income Fund. We discussed, amongst other things, the relative attractiveness of UK equities in a global context, the role of dividends versus share buybacks and the impact on total returns, the discipline of fund management and the importance of having a plan in place, the case for defence and armaments companies, UK housebuilders and consumer spending, and comparing animal behaviour to investing.