Explore every episode of the podcast The Art of Investing
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| AI & Nasdaq Crash After US Midterms, Buy or Cry? | 06 Nov 2026 | 01:06:16 | |
🏆 Vote for The Art of Investing in the Good Money Guide Awards! Last year we won Best Financial Podcast and Best Financial Analysis – and we'd love your support again. Please vote for us as Best Financial Podcast and Best YouTube Content Creator here: https://goodmoneyguide.com/awards/finfluencer-awards/ 🎙️The Long and Short 🎙️ Can't wait until Friday? Rich McDonald and Piers Buckworth host The Long and Short every single Wednesday - 45 minutes on single stocks and the tech sector. 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube 📖Subscribe to JP’s substack here This week on The Art of Investing, you're joining us live in the middle of a Nasdaq crash, with 150 years of investing experience around the table to make sense of it. Rich McDonald (live from Rome), Mark 'Spice' Holden and Chris 'CJ' Fellingham are joined by emerging markets specialist JP Smith to unpack the US midterms, a 13% fall in oil and a Bank of England rate rise. Then JP explains why Chinese equities are a policy tool rather than a profit machine, why Korea and Taiwan don't belong in the emerging markets index, and why big tech's spending should worry investors. And finally, with 25% sitting in cash and short gilts, the team ask: is it time to buy the dip? This Week's Highlights: 📉 The Nasdaq Crash, Live Chips and AI lead the sell-off, with Intel down 40% on the week and Micron down 15% in a day. 🗳️ The Midterms: A Blue Wash What Democrat gains could mean for data centres, defence, energy, and Voldemort. 🛢️ Oil Tumbles Brent falls 13% on the week as the US and Iran signal they're ready to talk. 🇬🇧 The Bank of England Raises Rates A 0.25% rise on an 8–1 vote, but CJ would have gone for 0.5%. 🌏 JP on China and Emerging Markets Why China has become a leveraged play on AI, and why the emerging markets index is dominated by Korea and Taiwan. ⚠️ Leverage, Private Credit and the Momentum Trade CJ isn't worried about the fundamentals, he's worried about who still has to sell. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 64: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -1.1% 📈 Total return since inception: +22.4% 📅 2026 year-to-date return: +9.9% Top Performers: 📈 Invesco Stoxx Euro 600 UCITS ETF GBP: +1.7% 📈 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: +1.4% 📈 Vanguard FTSE 250: +1.3% Underperformers: 📉 Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF: -5.2% 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: -5.1% 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: -3.8% Portfolio Changes: 📈 Buy 2.5% Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF (5% → 7.5%) 💷 Cash falls from 22.5% to 20% Rich and Spice wanted to put up to 8% back to work, but the chairman dips a toe in and keeps some powder dry. Big Questions This Week: - What do the midterms mean for the AI data centre build-out? - Is the Nasdaq sell-off a shakeout or the start of something bigger? - How much hidden leverage is in the system? - Should Korea and Taiwan still count as emerging markets? - Is it time to buy the dip? What You'll Learn: ✔️ The difference between a correction and a crash ✔️ Why capex vs depreciation matters for tech valuations ✔️ How leverage and private credit can deepen a sell-off ✔️ How the S&P 500 has performed after past midterms ✔️ Why investing incrementally makes sense in volatile markets Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| AI Earnings & Mass Job Cuts - Are Central Banks Behind the Curve? | 30 Oct 2026 | 00:58:15 | |
🇮🇹 The Art of Investing Heads to Rome Rich is off to FX World in Rome, where he'll be joining panel discussions representing The Art of Investing. Wish him luck in the comments! 🎙️The Long and Short 🎙️ Can't wait until Friday? Rich McDonald and Piers Buckworth host The Long and Short every single Wednesday - 45 minutes on single stocks and the tech sector. 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, the gents are suited and booted, just in time for the first big disappointment from a hyperscaler. Rich McDonald, Mark 'Spice' Holden and Chris 'CJ' Fellingham unpack Google's cash burn, strong numbers from Microsoft and SK Hynix, and a market crash in Brazil. Then CJ delivers his verdict on the "breathing room" Budget - 99 pages of changes for a net £7bn and 4p off gherkins - and what it means for gilts, banks and housebuilders. And finally, the team pick apart the Fed's hawkish hold, ask whether the Fed put is back and weigh up a wave of AI-driven job cuts. This Week's Highlights: 🔍 Google Wobbles as the Hyperscalers Raise Billions Google posts negative cash flow, while Meta, OpenAI and SpaceX raise vast sums of new capital. 🇧🇷 Brazil's Market Crashes The Bovespa falls 14% in a day after Lula is voted back in as president. 🇬🇧 The "Breathing Room" Budget CJ calls it the "rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic" Budget, and explains why gilt investors should take no comfort. 🏦 Banks, Housebuilders and Gambling Spice runs through the Budget's winners and losers. 🇺🇸 The Fed's Hawkish Hold Why the team still expect a US rate rise in December, and whether the Fed put is back. 💼 AI and the Jobs Cull Microsoft, HSBC, Barclays and even the Dutch government announce major AI-driven job cuts. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 63: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +0.1% 📈 Total return since inception: +23.5% 📅 2026 year-to-date return: +10.9% Top Performers: 📈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +2.1% 📈 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: +1.5% 📈 Vanguard FTSE 250: +1.0% Underperformers: 📉 iShares Physical Gold ETC: -1.8% 📉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: -0.6% 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: -0.2% Portfolio Changes: No portfolio changes this week. After two weeks of repositioning, the team are happy to wait until after the US midterms before making their next move. Big Questions This Week: - Are the cracks starting to show in the hyperscalers? - Did the Budget do enough to calm the gilt market? - Why is the government selling fewer long-dated gilts? - Is the Fed put back? - Will AI job cuts keep interest rates lower than expected? What You'll Learn: ✔️ What a Budget scorecard reveals ✔️ How gilt issuance can affect mortgage rates ✔️ What a "hawkish hold" means ✔️ What the Fed put is and why it matters ✔️ How equity dilution affects shareholders Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Gold, Copper or Oil: Which One is Best for Our Portfolio? | 23 Oct 2026 | 01:00:29 | |
🎟️WIN 2x TICKETS TO THE LONDON INVESTOR SHOW. IG are giving away 2 tickets to one of the best Retail Investing events of the year. The London Investor Show takes places on Friday 30th October at Leonardo Royal Hotel, London. For your chance to win, leave the comment "LONDON INVESTOR SHOW" on the episode, we'll reply to the winning comment by Monday 26th October. More information here 🎙️ New Podcast! The Long and Short 🎙️ Can't wait until Friday? Rich McDonald and Piers Buckworth host The Long and Short, a new podcast releasing every single Wednesday covering single stocks and the tech sector – from Nvidia, Meta, Microsoft and Micron to SpaceX. 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, Spice goes digging in the portfolio's worst performer of its second year, and the chairman finally gets off the fence. Fresh from being crowned Best Economist Creator at the FinFluencer Awards, Rich McDonald, Mark 'Spice' Holden and Chris 'CJ' Fellingham start with oil, where Spice's gut says a US move on Iran's Kharg Island could be close. Then it's a packed week of results, from a blockbuster SpaceX to disappointing miners, plus Rich's warning on the 3x leveraged ETPs retail investors are piling into. Spice reports back from a Bloomberg commodities conference on copper and the miners, and finally, with the portfolio down 2.6% in its second year, the chairman makes his move, trimming risk and raising cash to 22.5%. This Week's Highlights: 🛢️ Oil, Kharg Island and the US Midterms Why Spice is braced for escalation in the Middle East. 🚀 Earnings Season: SpaceX Soars, Netflix Stumbles SpaceX and Tesla impress, while Netflix, BHP and Anglo American disappoint. ⚠️ The Danger of 3x Leveraged ETPs Why one 3x chip product fell 33% in a single week. ⛏️ Copper vs Aluminium: Inside the Mining Sector Data centre demand, tight supply and why the miners may offer better value than the metal. 🇬🇧 Budget, Inflation and Rate Rises UK inflation hits 3.5% ahead of next week's Budget and the Bank of England's 5th November meeting. 🛡️ Bull Market or Wall of Worry? CJ makes the bull case, then battens down the hatches. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 62: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -1.2% 📈 Total return since inception: +23.2% 📅 2026 year-to-date return: +10.7% Top Performers: 📈 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: +1.5% 📈 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +0.2% 📈 Vanguard FTSE 250: +0.1% Underperformers: 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: -4.9% 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: -3.4% 📉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETC: -3.2% Portfolio Changes: 📉 Sell 2.5% iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETC (10% → 7.5%) 📈 Buy 2.5% BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC (5% → 7.5%) 📉 Sell 2.5% iShares Russell 2000 ETF (7.5% → 5%) 📉 Sell 2.5% iShares Nikkei 225 ETF (10% → 7.5%) 💷 Cash increases from 17.5% to 22.5% Equities fall to 57.5%, with 25% now held in cash and short-dated gilts. Big Questions This Week: - Is the US preparing to move on Kharg Island? - Are leveraged ETPs a mug's game? - Is copper's bull story already in the price? - Is the market climbing a wall of worry? - Is it time for the portfolio to get more defensive? What You'll Learn: ✔️ How 3x leveraged ETPs work, and how they can go wrong ✔️ Why copper supply is struggling to keep up with demand ✔️ The difference between investing in a commodity and its miners ✔️ How the team think about cash and defensive positioning Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| CoreWeave Sends Shockwaves Through AI Capex Debt Markets | 16 Oct 2026 | 00:59:03 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WLmVLzxUZLPAXkRujUokqZMfWR7spwkC/view?usp=sharing 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube Fresh from their first live show at Lord’s, Rich McDonald, Mark ‘Spice’ Holden and Chris ‘CJ’ Fellingham return to a bruising week for markets. Chip stocks have sold off sharply, Korea has slipped into a bear market, and the portfolio has had a tough week. First up, Spice runs through the market update. It covers a higher oil price after Houthi attacks on Saudi refineries, a sharp sell-off in semiconductors and the start of earnings season. PepsiCo and Delta were both caught out by rising costs, while the big US banks impressed. Then the team turn to CoreWeave, where soaring credit default swaps sparked a wobble across the AI trade. CJ explains what a credit default swap actually is, and why markets are now asking serious questions about the debt behind the AI build-out. The team also tackle hot US inflation data and gloomy consumer sentiment, which have sent the odds of a Fed rate rise soaring. Is stagflation back on the table? And finally, CJ makes the case that this bull market may have overstayed its welcome, while Spice argues why smaller and mid-sized companies could be the real winners from AI. Plus, the team reveal what the audience survey at Lord’s told them about how listeners are invested, and why so few are holding bonds.
🤖 CoreWeave: Is the AI Debt Party Over?
Top Performers: Underperformers:
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| Is France Becoming Europe’s Biggest Market Risk? | 08 Oct 2026 | 00:49:07 | |
🏆 Vote for The Art of Investing in the FinFluencer Awards! The Art of Investing has been nominated in the Best Economist Influencer category at the FinFluencer Awards. With voting coming to a close, this is your last chance to support the show! Vote here: https://www.finfluencer.digital/awards/uk/vote 🏏 The Art of Investing LIVE at Lord’s Cricket Ground If you’ve registered to join us at Lord’s on 13th October, please check your inbox and confirm your attendance so we can finalise numbers for the evening. If you signed up but haven’t received an email, please get in touch with the team. 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube
And finally, the team lift the lid on the model portfolio, explaining how its weightings work, why they don’t automatically rebalance every position and how the performance figures are calculated.
CJ explores France’s debt troubles, rising bond yields and whether the ECB might need to intervene. 👟 Nike: Is the Worst Finally Over? After another profit warning, Spice explains trough earnings, potential turnarounds and why value investing is harder than it looks. 📊 Trough Earnings vs Peak Earnings Why might a stock trading on 25 times earnings be cheaper than one on seven times? The team examine P/E ratios, AI stocks and the risks of peak profits.
CJ explains the differences in maturity, costs and tax treatment when investing in UK government bonds. 📈 Record Highs, Rising Yields and Weak Jobs Data US equities continue climbing despite higher borrowing costs and a slowing jobs market. Meanwhile, Japan and emerging markets lead the portfolio. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 60: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +0.6% 📈 Total return since inception: +25.5% 📅 2026 year-to-date return: +13.0% Top Performers: 📈 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +3.5% 📈 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETC: +3.1% 📈 Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF: +1.7% Underperformers: 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: -1.9% 📉 Vanguard FTSE 250: -1.8% 📉 Invesco Stoxx Euro 600 UCITS ETF GBP: -1.1% 📉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: -1.0%
No portfolio changes this week. The team maintains its 13 holdings, including 17.5% cash, 5% Nasdaq and 2.5% gold. CJ also explains how the educational model portfolio tracks target weightings and why it doesn’t automatically adjust for market movements or dividends. Big Questions This Week:
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why France’s debt troubles matter for investors ✔️ The differences between individual gilts and gilt ETFs ✔️ How to recognise trough and peak earnings ✔️ Why P/E ratios can be misleading ✔️ How growth and value investors approach struggling stocks ✔️ How the team calculates model portfolio performance Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Stress Testing Your Portfolio: Will we add Gold, Treasuries or Nasdaq? | 02 Oct 2026 | 00:58:17 | |
🏆 Vote for The Art of Investing in the FinFluencer Awards! The Art of Investing has been nominated in the Best Economist Influencer category at the FinFluencer Awards.
🏏 The Art of Investing LIVE at Lord’s Cricket Ground If you’ve registered to join us at Lord’s on 13th October, keep an eye on your inbox! 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com This week on The Art of Investing, it’s time for the big end-of-quarter portfolio review. With bond yields continuing to rise and markets becoming increasingly divided beneath the surface, Rich, Mark and Chris ask whether the investment environment is beginning to fundamentally change, and what that could mean for the portfolio over the final three months of the year. CJ sets out three possible scenarios for markets: a continued surge in bond yields that ultimately leads towards recession; an AI-driven productivity boom that brings greater disinflationary pressure; or a continuation of the volatile environment investors are navigating today. The team debate which scenario they think is most likely, whether it’s finally getting close to the time to buy longer-dated bonds, and whether AI can continue driving markets even as the cost of capital rises. And after another difficult week for India, the investment committee finally loses patience, selling the position completely and reallocating the capital into the Nasdaq 100 and gold.
📉 Are Bond Markets Reaching Breaking Point?
🤖 Can AI Keep Defying Higher Rates?
🥇 Gold Comes Back Into the Portfolio 🇮🇳 The Team Calls Time on India Portfolio Snapshot - Week 59: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -0.5% Top Performers: 📈 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +3.0% Underperformers: 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: -3.8% Portfolio Changes: The investment committee decides to sell the portfolio’s entire 5% India position after another difficult week for the holding. The proceeds are split between two areas: 📈 +2.5% Nasdaq 100 - increasing the allocation from 2.5% to 5%. 🥇 +2.5% Gold - introducing a new direct gold allocation to the portfolio. Big Questions This Week:
Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Stocks & Bond Yields at Record Highs...Something Must Break | 25 Sep 2026 | 01:08:29 | |
🎟️ Join The Art of Investing LIVE at Lord’s Cricket Ground! Join Rich, Mark and Chris in the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 13th October from 6:30pm for a special live edition of The Art of Investing, with special guests, prizes and more. The event is completely free – sign up here:
📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com
The team looks at what’s happening across US Treasuries, UK gilts and Japanese bonds, why the “competition for capital” matters, and whether central banks risk falling behind the curve. There’s also plenty happening away from bonds. Oil has fallen sharply, the Nasdaq 100 and copper have pushed higher, AI continues to drive some extraordinary moves across technology stocks, and the US dollar has strengthened. And after a strong week for the model portfolio, the team debates whether now is the moment to bank some profits and increase the amount of cash on the sidelines. This Week’s Highlights 📈 Why Bond Yields Are Back in Focus 💰 The Competition for Capital 🤖 AI Keeps Driving Markets 🧠 The Rise of AI Agents
💵 The Dollar Strengthens Portfolio Snapshot - Week 58: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +2.2% Top Performers: 📈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +8.1% Underperformers: 📉 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: -1.0% Portfolio Changes After a strong run for several of the portfolio’s positions, the team debates whether rising bond yields and the changing interest-rate outlook mean it’s time to take some risk off the table. Japan comes under particular scrutiny following another strong week, with the position now up nearly 50% since inception. The team ultimately decides to trim the Japan allocation by 2.5%, reducing it from 12.5% to 10%, and move the proceeds into cash.
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why stronger economic data can push bond yields higher Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Gilt Market Tells Bank of England: It’s Time to Hike Rates | 16 Sep 2026 | 00:59:10 | |
🎟️ Join The Art of Investing LIVE at Lord’s Cricket Ground! Join Rich, Mark and Chris in the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 13th October from 6:30pm for a special live edition of The Art of Investing, with special guests, prizes and more. The event is completely free – sign up here: 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, Rich, Mark and Chris are joined by Kieron Lynch, a gilt market veteran whose career began during Britain’s 1976 financial crisis and spans 50 years across the UK bond market. With oil above $100, bond yields climbing and central banks facing increasingly difficult decisions on interest rates, Kieron looks back to the inflation crisis of the 1970s to ask what investors and policymakers can learn from history. The team explore why credibility matters so much to bond markets, whether the Bank of England is falling behind the curve and why treating inflation as “transitory” can be such a dangerous strategy. Kieron also explains what would need to happen before he becomes confident buying long-dated gilts again. Plus, the team assesses another difficult week for the portfolio as rising oil prices, a stronger US dollar and changing expectations around AI investment put pressure on commodities and emerging markets. This Week’s Highlights: 🕰️ What Can Investors Learn From the 1970s?
🏦 Is the Bank of England Behind the Curve? 💷 Are Gilts Finally Becoming Attractive? 🤖 AI Hits a New Roadblock
📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -1.2% Commodities were the biggest drag this week, with copper falling around 6% and BlackRock World Mining down around 5%. Emerging markets also came under pressure as semiconductor stocks fell, while the FTSE 100 was the portfolio’s strongest-performing risk asset. Portfolio Changes: No portfolio changes this week. The team debate adding longer-dated gilts as yields approach potentially attractive levels, but ultimately decide to wait and see how the Bank of England and other major central banks respond. The portfolio therefore maintains its 15% cash position and 2.5% allocation to short-dated gilts.
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why inflation can return in multiple waves Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Oil Prices Driving Interest Rates Higher; When Will Stocks React? | 11 Sep 2026 | 00:51:58 | |
🎟️ Join The Art of Investing LIVE at Lord’s Cricket Ground! Join Rich, Mark and Chris in the Long Room at Lord’s Cricket Ground on 13th October from 6:30pm for a special live edition of The Art of Investing. The event is completely free – sign up here:
📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, the team look ahead to a crucial week for global interest rates, with major central banks preparing to make their next moves as investors grapple with rising oil prices and an intensifying competition for capital. Chris explains why he believes interest rates need to rise regardless of the latest inflation data, while Mark explores the bullish alternative: could AI-driven productivity and investment deliver economic growth strong enough to offset higher borrowing costs? The team also examine Scott Bessent’s attempts to influence US bond markets, the strengthening Japanese yen and what record copper prices are telling us about demand, AI infrastructure and the global economy. Plus, 25 years on from 9/11, Rich, Mark and Chris reflect on their experiences working in financial markets that day and the extraordinary market recovery that followed. This Week’s Highlights: 🛢️ Oil Breaks Through $100 🥉 Copper Hits Another Record High 💴 The Yen Trade Pays Off 🏦 Should Central Banks Raise Rates?
📈 When Do Higher Yields Become a Problem?
📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +0.2%
📈 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +2.8%
📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: -2.9%
The team are selling their 5% holding in XLI SPDR US Industrials ETF and moving the proceeds into cash, taking the portfolio’s cash allocation from 10% to 15%. After several weeks of discussing becoming more defensive, the additional cash gives the team greater flexibility should opportunities emerge. Big Questions This Week:
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why oil above $100 could create renewed inflationary pressure
This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Interest Rates Are Going Up - Is the UK Ready? | 04 Sep 2026 | 01:04:08 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, the team ask whether the investment landscape is beginning to change as bond yields continue to climb around the world. Chris compares the very different forces driving UK and US bond markets, arguing that while America faces a growing competition for capital to fund the AI investment boom, the UK is confronting a much more uncomfortable inflation and credibility problem. The team also revisit Jackson Hole, where Kevin Warsh’s more hawkish message pushed markets towards expecting further interest rate rises, and examine the latest chapter in the increasingly public disagreement between Scott Bessent and Stanley Druckenmiller over the direction of US bond yields. Alongside the macro debate, they answer listener questions on the role of short-dated gilts in a diversified portfolio, whether higher bond yields have changed the case for the Russell 2000, and why becoming emotionally attached to an investment can be one of the most dangerous mistakes an investor makes. This Week’s Highlights: 🛢️ Oil Puts Markets Under Pressure 🏦 UK vs US: Two Very Different Bond Problems 🤖 Is AI Creating a Shortage of Capital? 📊 Does the Russell 2000 Still Make Sense? 🛡️ Why Hold Short-Dated Gilts?
📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -0.9% Top Performers: 📈 Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF: +0.6% Underperformers: 📉 XLI SPDR US Industrials ETF: -4.0% Portfolio Changes: No portfolio changes this week. The portfolio fell 0.9% as higher oil prices and rising bond yields weighed particularly heavily on cyclical assets, while technology and emerging markets provided some support. The portfolio remains up 12.0% year to date and 24.6% since inception.
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why rising bond yields do not always mean markets are worried about inflation Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Nvidia vs Gold; Which is the greater fools rally? | 28 Aug 2026 | 01:00:09 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham are back with a big listener Q&A episode, taking on three of the biggest questions facing investors right now: should you bother picking single stocks, is gold worth buying again, and are equities entering a more difficult phase? With Nvidia delivering another extraordinary update, Bitcoin back above $80,000, oil falling sharply, and bond markets still waiting on Jackson Hole, the team unpack a market where confidence is returning in some places, but the warning signs have not disappeared. From the challenge of beating ETFs to the case for gold, AI infrastructure spending, and the hidden effect of new share issuance, this episode asks whether investors should be adding risk, sitting tight, or preparing for a harder turn in markets. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 54: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +0.5% 📈 Total return since inception: +25.4% 📅 2026 year-to-date return: +12.9% Top Performers: 📈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +4.7% WoW 📈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +1.9% WoW 📈 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETC: +1.8% WoW Underperformers: 📉 XLI SPDR US Industrials ETF: -1.2% WoW 📉 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: -1.2% WoW 📉 Invesco EQQQ Nasdaq 100 UCITS ETF: -1.1% WoW This Week’s Highlights: 📊 Portfolio Edges Higher The model portfolio rises around +0.5% on the week, taking performance to +25.4% since inception and +12.9% year-to-date. 🤖 Nvidia Reignites the AI Debate Nvidia guides to 70% revenue growth for the year ending January 2028, but the team debate whether the market is still right to stay cautious. 📉 Bonds Stay in Focus Stanley Druckenmiller criticises Scott Bessent’s Treasury bond-buying plan, keeping fiscal credibility and bond-market pressure firmly on the agenda. 🛢️ Oil Falls Sharply Oil drops around 7% as progress around the Strait of Hormuz eases supply fears, helping bonds but raising new questions about inflation and commodities. 🥇 Gold Gets Another Look After a strong rebound, the team debate whether gold deserves a place in the portfolio again, or whether real yields still make the case difficult. 📦 ETFs vs Stock Picking CJ and Spice explain why even professional investors struggle to beat indices, and why ETFs remain the preferred route for most long-term investors. 🏗️ Re-Equitisation Risk The team examine whether a wave of IPOs, AI funding and insider selling could reverse years of shrinking share supply and weigh on future returns. Big Questions This Week: • Is Nvidia still cheap, or is the market right to be suspicious of future AI growth? • Should everyday investors bother picking single stocks, or stick with ETFs? • Is gold attractive again after its pullback and rebound? • Will weaker oil and a softer dollar bring central banks back into gold? • Could a new wave of IPOs and equity issuance drag on market returns? • Are investors close to the point where they should start reducing risk? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why Nvidia’s numbers can be outstanding while the wider market still stays cautious ✔️ Why most active managers struggle to beat their benchmark over time ✔️ How factor ETFs can replace some traditional fund-manager exposure ✔️ Why real yields, the dollar and central-bank buying matter for gold ✔️ What “de-equitisation” and “re-equitisation” mean for stock market returns ✔️ Why Jackson Hole could shape the next portfolio move Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Will Bond Vigilantes end the Equity Bull Market? | 21 Aug 2026 | 00:55:38 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📱 Behind the scenes: @_theartofinvesting on TikTok 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube This week on The Art of Investing, attention turns to the bond market as rising real yields begin to create a new challenge for investors. Chris breaks down what real yields actually are, why they are moving higher and how increasingly attractive returns from government bonds could eventually start competing with equities for investors’ capital. The team also unpack the US Treasury’s latest intervention in the bond market, likening the move to a modern-day “Operation Twist”, and debate whether policymakers can successfully push down longer-term yields when borrowing demand remains so high. Alongside the bond discussion, Mark reviews a busy week across markets, from a weaker US dollar and a rebound in Bitcoin and Ethereum to Moderna’s extraordinary rally. The team also answer listener questions on whether it’s too late to start following the portfolio, how they use moving averages to inform investment decisions, and the role currency hedging can play when investing overseas. This Week’s Highlights: 💰 Why Real Yields Matter
📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -1.1% Top Performers: 📈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +1.0% Underperformers: 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: -3.7%
No portfolio changes this week. Despite weakness across several holdings, diversification helped limit the overall portfolio decline to 1.1%, with the team maintaining their existing positioning as they begin the second year of the portfolio. Big Questions This Week:
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ What real yields are and why they matter for investment markets Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Our Portfolio Returned 26%. Here’s What We Did - An Honest Review | 14 Aug 2026 | 00:54:01 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com This week on The Art of Investing, it’s the end-of-year exam as the portfolio officially reaches its first anniversary.
The team revisit some of the biggest investment calls of the past 12 months, from avoiding government bonds and maintaining exposure to commodities, to navigating the Iran conflict and buying back into US equities following the sell-off. They also look ahead to the next 12 months, debating whether the AI investment boom can continue to drive US earnings, what could finally challenge US market leadership, and why rising bond yields and a changing Federal Reserve could become increasingly important for investors. Alongside the annual review, Mark unpacks another busy week across markets, with AI investment continuing at extraordinary levels, oil prices climbing and the portfolio ending its first year with another positive weekly return. This Week’s Highlights: 🎂 One Year of the Portfolio 📝 The End-of-Year Exam
🇺🇸 US Bull Case Put to the Test
🌍 Where Could Returns Come From Next? 🏦 A Changing Fed Could Change the Rules Portfolio Snapshot - Week 52: 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +0.5%
Portfolio Changes: No portfolio changes this week.
Big Questions This Week: • How much of the portfolio’s 26% return came from good management versus rising markets? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why avoiding government bonds became one of the portfolio’s most important calls
This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| How Excessive Leverage brought down Wall Street’s Golden Boy | 07 Aug 2026 | 00:57:50 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides: Here This week on The Art of Investing, after a sharp reversal across AI-linked stocks, the team explain how Leopold Aschenbrenner’s highly leveraged AI trade became one of the biggest stories in markets, why crowded positioning matters, and how forced selling helped shape the latest moves across tech, software, commodities and emerging markets. They also look at the parallels with previous market excesses, including 1929, ask whether AI could be disinflationary, and debate whether markets can keep running into Jackson Hole before investors need to think about taking risk down.
📈 Portfolio Jumps +4.2% ⚒️ Miners Lead the Way 🇯🇵 Japan Bounces Hard 🌏 Emerging Markets Rally 🤖 Nasdaq Reverses Higher 📉 1929 Lessons 🏦 Jackson Hole in Focus
📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +4.2% Top Performers: 📈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +10.4% WoW Underperformers: 📉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: -0.1% WoW No changes were made to the portfolio this week. The team remain positioned for the current market rally, while noting they may look to reduce some risk later in August if markets continue to run strongly.
• What is leverage, and why can it be so dangerous? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ How leverage magnifies gains and losses Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Is The Fed Credibility Cracking? And What Earnings Season Tells Us | 31 Jul 2026 | 01:03:54 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: https://forms.office.com/e/tCyxzN48Ks
The team unpack a volatile market backdrop as the AI trade begins to unwind, bond markets take centre stage, and central bank credibility comes into question. A sharp sell-off in semiconductor and AI-linked stocks has driven significant moves across global markets, particularly in Japan and emerging markets, while rising bond yields are beginning to challenge equity valuations. The episode explores whether investors truly understand their exposure, particularly within popular themes like AI and emerging markets, and how concentration risk can quietly build within diversified portfolios. Alongside this, the team break down another week of portfolio performance and a major shift in positioning, as they debate whether this market correction presents a buying opportunity or a warning sign of deeper structural change. This Week’s Highlights: 📉 Portfolio Pulls Back 🤖 AI Trade Unwinds 🇯🇵 Japan & Emerging Markets Hit 📈 UK Markets Show Strength 🏦 Central Banks in Focus 📊 Bond Yields Rise Sharply 🔄 Rotation Accelerates Portfolio Snapshot – Week 50:
Top Performers: Underperformers: Portfolio Changes: A significant shift this week as the team deploy capital back into equities:
The move reflects a view that recent market weakness may present selective opportunities, while also maintaining diversification across regions and styles. Big Questions This Week: • Has the Federal Reserve lost credibility with markets? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why bond markets are now driving equity market direction Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. | |||
| The AI Rally's Weak Spot: Oracle's Warning Sign | 24 Jul 2026 | 00:58:29 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: https://forms.office.com/e/tCyxzN48Ks 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Overview: This week on The Art of Investing, the team unpack a market where volatility is building beneath the surface, with credit markets, AI spending, and rising oil prices all contributing to a more fragile backdrop.
From Oracle’s growing debt pile to increasing competition across AI models, this episode explores whether the market may be overestimating the returns from AI investment, and what that could mean for both equities and credit markets. Alongside this, the team break down another week of portfolio performance and the broader macro picture, including rising bond yields, commodity strength, and continued sector rotation. This Week’s Highlights: 📈 Portfolio Edges Higher ⚒️ Commodities Continue to Lead 🛢️ Oil Prices Push Higher
🤖 AI Trade Under Pressure
Portfolio Snapshot – Week 49: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +0.4%
📈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +3.3% WoW Underperformers: 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: -2.7% WoW Big Questions This Week: • Are credit markets signalling deeper risks beneath the surface of equity markets? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ What credit default swaps (CDS) reveal about market risk Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes.
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| British Bargain Basement: Why UK companies are selling out? | 15 Jul 2026 | 00:45:10 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides This week on The Art of Investing, the team navigate a shortened trading week where, despite markets feeling under pressure, the portfolio continues to edge higher, now up +22.6% since inception and +10.1% year-to-date.
From strong moves in commodities to sharp declines in legacy tech, and a wave of takeover activity across the UK, this episode explores where capital is flowing, and what that means for investors right now. This Week’s Highlights:
⚒️ Copper Leads the Charge
Portfolio Snapshot – Week 48: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +1.1% Top Performers: 📈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +4.1% WoW
📉 iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF: +0.3% WoW Big Questions This Week: • Is the surge in oil prices sustainable, or just a short-term shock? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ What’s driving the latest moves in commodities and oil Disclaimer:
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| Do You Really Know What You’ve Invested In? | 10 Jul 2026 | 01:03:53 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: https://forms.office.com/e/tCyxzN48Ks Happy Birthday to us! This week on The Art of Investing, the team mark one year of the portfolio with a more volatile week in markets, as geopolitical tensions, oil price moves and continued rotation across equities begin to test performance. While the portfolio takes a step back, the broader conversation focuses on what’s really driving markets right now - from renewed pressure in commodities and emerging markets, to ongoing shifts within equities and growing dispersion across global indices. The team also explore two key themes this week: the hidden concentration within ETFs - comparing cap-weighted vs equal-weighted investing - and the rise of thematic investing, including how to think about geographic and sector diversification. This Week’s Highlights: 📉 Markets Pull Back
🔄 Rotation Continues
🇯🇵 Japan Under Pressure 📉 Commodities Pause
Portfolio Snapshot – Week 47: No changes were made to the portfolio this week.
Top Performers: 📈 Cash: +0.1% WoW Underperformers: 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: -5.9% WoW Big Questions This Week: • Is this pullback a short-term reaction or the start of a broader slowdown? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ What’s driving the latest bout of market volatility Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Jeremy Hunt on UK Investing, CGT, and the £100k Cliff Edge | 06 Jul 2026 | 00:42:12 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: https://forms.office.com/e/tCyxzN48Ks 🎧 Listen on: Apple, Spotify, YouTube
From an unexpected call while on holiday to becoming Chancellor within hours, Jeremy shares what it was really like taking over during a market crisis, why governments don’t control the economy as much as we think, and the uncomfortable truth about why Brits are falling behind when it comes to investing. Jeremy also gives a clear and timely view on Capital Gains Tax, arguing that higher CGT risks discouraging investment and ultimately holding back long-term growth, particularly at a time when the UK needs to be attracting capital, not pushing it away.
Want more like this? For weekly market breakdowns, portfolio updates and expert insights, follow The Art of Investing: Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Q2 Portfolio Review: Winners, Losers & What We're Buying | 03 Jul 2026 | 00:51:56 | |
📊 The Art of Investing Survey – Fill in the form here, we’d love your feedback: https://forms.office.com/e/tCyxzN48Ks Overview:
With copper and mining stocks continuing to lead performance - with holdings like BlackRock World Mining Trust and the WisdomTree Copper ETF among the standout contributors - the team explore why this theme remains central to the portfolio, how AI and electrification are reshaping demand, and whether investors are underestimating the risks still present in the global economy.
This Week’s Highlights 📈 Portfolio Edges Higher ⚒️ Copper & Mining Still Leading 🤖 AI & Electrification Demand ⚠️ Are Markets Too Relaxed?
📈 Q2 Performance Highlights
Quarterly Portfolio Snapshot Top Performers: 🥇 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +59.4% Underperformers: 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: –2.7% (–9.2% YTD) Portfolio Changes This Week Weekly performance: +0.1% Two new positions added, funded from cash: 1. FTSE 250 – 5% allocation 2. State Street Sector ETF – XLI Industrials – 5% allocation Big Questions This Week • Why is copper such a critical long-term theme? What You’ll Learn ✔️ Why copper is central to AI and electrification Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes.
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| Meta & Microsoft in Bear Market. So Why are Markets at Highs? | 26 Jun 2026 | 00:59:38 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides This week on The Art of Investing, the team are joined by returning guest Stewy Thompson, as Rich dials in from Miami and CJ checks in from sunny Norfolk. It’s been a far more mixed week for markets and the portfolio, with sharp divergences across asset classes. While equities continue to broaden out beyond big tech, commodities have sold off heavily and currency movements are starting to play a bigger role. The team unpack the ongoing rotation in markets, the implications of a stronger US dollar, and whether the AI-driven rally is evolving rather than ending. They also explore growing pressures in private markets, shifting macro conditions, and what all of this means for the portfolio going forward. This Week's Highlights: 📉 Commodities Come Under Pressure 💵 Dollar Strength Returns 🔄 Market Rotation Continues 🤖 AI Story Evolves 📉 Magnificent Seven Underperform 🏦 Private Markets Show Strain 🌍 Diverging Global Economies Portfolio Snapshot – Week 45: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: -1.2%
📈 iShares MSCI India ETF: +2.0% WoW Underperformers: 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: -11.5% WoW
• Is the rotation away from mega-cap tech a temporary shift or a longer-term trend? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why a stronger dollar creates pressure across global markets Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| SpaceX Soars, The Fed Shifts and India Faces an AI Threat | 19 Jun 2026 | 01:10:30 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com This week on The Art of Investing, the team celebrate Episode 50, with Rich McDonald dialing in from the US alongside Mark “Spice” Holden, Chris “CJ” Fellingham and JP Smith. It’s been a standout week for markets and the portfolio, with equities and commodities pushing higher as falling oil prices, easing geopolitical tensions and central bank developments reshape the outlook. The team unpack the continued momentum in AI and global equities, the implications of SpaceX’s blockbuster IPO, and what shifting rate expectations mean for markets from here. This Week's Highlights: 🚀 SpaceX Soars 🌍 Markets Push Higher 🛢️ Oil Prices Drop Sharply 🏦 Central Banks Take Centre Stage 📊 AI Momentum Continues 🇯🇵 Japan Remains Strong Portfolio Snapshot – Week 44: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +4.05% Top Performers: Underperformers: Big Questions This Week: • Can AI-driven growth continue to support markets at current valuations? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why falling oil prices are so important for inflation and markets Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes.
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| AI CapEx and Rate Rises - The Double Trouble Hitting Big Tech | 12 Jun 2026 | 00:52:08 | |
Can’t get enough of The Art of Investing? Take a look here for even more content! https://youtu.be/B0FzP8sjd_w 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com This week on The Art of Investing, host James “Jimmy” Ovenden steps in for Richard McDonald, joined by Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham. It’s been a tough week for the portfolio, with markets taking a hit as strong US economic data reshapes interest rate expectations. The team break down a staggering $400 billion in capital raise announcements from the world’s biggest tech companies, explore what new Fed Chair Kevin Warsh’s first meeting might signal, and ask the question on every investor’s mind: why is the oil price falling even as bombs fly in the Middle East?
📉 Markets Pull Back 💰 $400 Billion Capital Grab
📊 Rate Rise Fears Return 🛢️ The Oil Price Paradox 🇮🇳 India’s Unlikely Comeback Portfolio Snapshot – Week 43: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. 📊 Weekly portfolio performance: –2.55% Top Performers: Underperformers: Big Questions This Week: • Is $400bn in tech capital raises the peak of AI fundraising, or is there more to come?
✔️ Why good economic news became bad news for markets this week Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| Bitcoin Drops, AI Soars: Is Your Portfolio Ready? | 05 Jun 2026 | 01:09:58 | |
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 🎥 Behind the scenes: _theartofinvesting on TikTok This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham are joined by Katy Forbes (CIO at North Capital), bringing over 100 years of combined experience across wealth and hedge fund management to unpack another evolving week in global markets.
This Week’s Highlights: 🤖 AI Dominance Continues 💸 Capital Rotation Intensifies 📉 Crypto & Alternatives Under Pressure ⚠️ Bond Market Concerns 🇮🇳 India Under Scrutiny
Weekly portfolio performance: +0.7% Top Performers:
Big Questions This Week: What You’ll Learn:
This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| How The Semiconductor Super Cycle is Sparking Stocks Surge | 29 May 2026 | 00:59:28 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham draw on over 100 years of combined wealth and hedge fund management experience to unpack another powerful week in markets, as equities push to fresh highs despite ongoing geopolitical tension and macro uncertainty.
This Week’s Highlights:
🛢️ Oil Drops, Markets Rally 🏦 Bonds Stabilise
Portfolio Snapshot - Week 41: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. Weekly portfolio performance: +2.4% Top Performers 🥇 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF — +5.6% WoW Underperformers 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF — +1.8% WoW Portfolio Highlights • Strong gains driven by Japan, US small caps and emerging markets Big Questions This Week: • How long can the AI-driven rally continue? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why market leadership is starting to broaden
📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. May Incentives: Transfer Cashback Get up to £5,000 cashback when you transfer £10,000+ to IG before 31st May 2026.
Get £50–£1,000 in free shares when you invest £1,000+ before 31st May 2026. Cashback Offer Earn 2% cashback (up to £200) when you deposit and invest £1,000+ before 31st May 2026. | |||
| SpaceX on Launchpad While Bonds Dampen Risk Sentiment | 20 May 2026 | 00:55:42 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham break down a more volatile week in global markets, as rising bond yields, geopolitical tensions and shifting expectations begin to test the strength of the recent rally. With over 100 years of combined experience across wealth and hedge fund management, the team explore whether markets are entering a more uncertain phase, what higher-for-longer rates mean for investors, and why cash is starting to look increasingly attractive in the short term. This Week’s Highlights: 📉 Markets Pause After Strong Run 📊 Bond Yields Surge Globally 🛢️ Oil Prices Climb Again
Portfolio Snapshot – Week 46: Weekly portfolio performance: –1.6% Top Performers 🥇 iShares MSCI India ETF: +0.6% WoW Underperformers 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust: –8.2% WoW Big Questions This Week: • Are rising bond yields the biggest risk to equities right now? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why bond markets are driving global asset prices 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in.
Transfer Cashback Get up to £5,000 cashback when you transfer £10,000+ to IG before 31st May 2026. Free Shares Get £50–£1,000 in free shares when you invest £1,000+ before 31st May 2026. Cashback Offer Earn 2% cashback (up to £200) when you deposit and invest £1,000+ before 31st May 2026. | |||
| Taking Profits on Portfolio as Bonds Sound Alarm Bells | 15 May 2026 | 01:18:11 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald joins Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham, bringing over 100 years of combined experience across wealth and hedge fund management, to unpack another fascinating week in global markets. US equities pushed higher as investors piled back into AI, technology and cyclical trades, while copper and mining stocks extended their rally. The team debate whether markets are becoming too complacent, why copper remains a major long-term investment theme, and whether investors are underestimating ongoing economic risks. This Week’s Highlights: 📈 Markets Continue Higher US equities extended gains as optimism around AI, earnings and future rate cuts continued to support risk assets globally. ⚒️ Copper Leads The Charge Copper and mining-related holdings delivered another strong week as the team revisit the long-term electrification and AI infrastructure story. 🤖 AI Momentum Remains Strong Technology and AI-linked investments continue driving market performance as investors rotate back into growth assets. ⚠️ Are Investors Too Comfortable? The team discuss whether markets are becoming overly optimistic despite ongoing geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty. 🇯🇵 Japan Still Performing Japanese equities remained one of the strongest regions within the portfolio as international investors continue increasing exposure. 🪙 Crypto Volatility Returns Crypto and blockchain-linked holdings remained highly reactive as sentiment swings continue across digital assets. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 39: Three positions were trimmed this week, with proceeds moved into cash. The team sold 5% VanEck Crypto ETF, 5% Vanguard FTSE 250, and 5% Xtrackers DAX ETF - raising the portfolio's cash position by 15%. Weekly portfolio performance: +0.5% Total return since inception: +21.9% 2026 year-to-date return: +9.4% Top Performers: 🥇 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +8.5% WoW 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +7.8% WoW 🥉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +1.6% WoW Underperformers: 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: –4.6% WoW 📉 Xtrackers DAX ETF: –3.5% WoW 📉 Invesco Stoxx Euro 600 ETF GBP: –1.7% WoW Big Questions This Week: • Is the AI rally overcrowded? • Why is copper such an important long-term theme? • Are markets underpricing economic risks? • Can mining stocks keep outperforming? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why copper is linked to AI and electrification ✔️ How sentiment is driving markets ✔️ Why mining stocks remain strong ✔️ Warning signs investors should watch 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. May Incentives: Transfer Cashback Get up to £5,000 cashback when you transfer £10,000+ to IG before 31st May 2026. Code: TRANSFER5000POD T&Cs 📋 ig.com/uk/invest-campaign/transfer-cashback-value-apr-26 Free Shares Get £50–£1,000 in free shares when you invest £1,000+ before 31st May 2026. Code: MAYSHARESPOD T&Cs 📋 ig.com/uk/invest-campaign/free-shares-may-26 Cashback Offer Earn 2% cashback (up to £200) when you deposit and invest £1,000+ before 31st May 2026. Code: MAYDEPOSITPOD | |||
| Global Tech Surges as FTSE Suffers Political Uncertainty | 08 May 2026 | 01:12:11 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald is joined by Mark “Spice” Holden, Chris “CJ” Fellingham, who together bring over 100 years of combined experience across wealth and hedge fund management. They’re joined by special guest Adam Smith, former Chief of Staff to Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, to unpack another huge week in global markets. US equities pushed to fresh all-time highs as AI and semiconductor stocks surged higher, while falling oil prices and improving risk sentiment helped fuel a broad market rally. The team also debate whether signs of a bubble are beginning to emerge in parts of the technology market. This Week’s Highlights: 📈 Markets Hit Fresh Highs US indices including the Nasdaq, Russell 2000 and S&P 500 all reached new all-time highs as oil prices fell more than 10% this week. 💻 AI & Semiconductor Boom Accelerates AMD, TSMC, Samsung and Intel all surged after another wave of blockbuster technology earnings and AI demand. ⚠️ Bubble Warning Signs Emerging? The team discuss whether investors are now “buying names they like” regardless of valuation, with comparisons made to previous speculative bubbles. 🇬🇧 Can The UK Compete In AI? Adam Smith shares insights from Westminster on Britain’s AI ambitions, and why the UK still has a chance to become a major global AI hub. 🛢️ Oil Falls As Ceasefire Hopes Grow Markets welcomed signs of easing tensions in the Middle East, helping drive risk assets higher globally. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 38: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. Weekly portfolio performance: +4.5% Total return since inception: +21.4% 2026 year-to-date return: +8.9% Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +21.6% WoW 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +7.8% WoW 🥉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +6.5% WoW Underperformers 📉 Cash: +0.1% WoW 📉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: +0.4% WoW 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: +1.5% WoW Big Questions This Week:
What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why expectations matter more than earnings alone ✔️ How AI demand is reshaping global markets ✔️ Why semiconductor stocks are leading the rally ✔️ What warning signs investors should watch for in bull markets ✔️ How politics and policy could influence the next phase of AI investing 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Beat The Street Competition: More Info here: https://bts.ig.com/uk/beat-the-street/home 📋 T&Cs: The “Beat the Street” competition is open to UK legal residents aged 18+ and there’s a limit of one registration per person. The promoter is IG Trading and Investments Ltd and you can enter and find full T&C’s at ig.com/uk/beat-the-street. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. | |||
| British Debt Gloom vs US Stock Euphoria — What Comes Next? | 01 May 2026 | 01:01:24 | |
This Week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald returns from holiday to find oil at $126 a barrel and markets at all-time highs. The team try to make sense of it - rate cut expectations have collapsed, geopolitical risk has intensified, and yet the S&P 500 and Nasdaq keep climbing. Mark "Spice" Holden and Chris "CJ" Fellingham join Rich to dig into why US markets are defying every macro headwind, what it means for a portfolio that had a tough week, and whether now is the time to act or sit on their hands. The episode also covers a deep dive into UK gilt fair value, the Bank of England rate decision, the rise of algorithmic trading and its impact on price discovery, and a listener Q&A on stop losses and what the team have genuinely learned since launching the podcast. This Week's Highlights: 🛢️ Oil at $126 — Markets Shrug Brent crude up nearly 20% in eight days on Straits of Hormuz fears, yet the S&P and Nasdaq hit all-time highs. 💻 Magnificent Seven Earnings Crunch Four Mag Seven reports in two minutes - Alphabet surged, Meta fell, and the Nasdaq pushed higher. 🔧 Chip Stocks Explode Qualcomm up 16%, Intel up 100% since April - AI chip demand is the trade of the moment. 🇬🇧 UK Gilts & the "Moron Premium" CJ breaks down gilt fair value and why 5.75% yields may still not be cheap enough to buy. 🤖 Machines Are Winning Algorithmic momentum trading is moving markets beyond rational levels and crowding out human investors. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 37 No changes were made to the portfolio this week. Weekly performance: –2.1% Total return since inception: +16.9% Top Performers: 🥇 iShares S&P 500 GBP Hedged ETF: +0.1% 🥈 Cash: +0.1% Underperformers: 📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –9.5% 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: –8.7% 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –3.6% Portfolio Positioning: A tough week, with the oil price rise hitting commodities and oil-importing markets the hardest. The team agreed not to act while market direction remains unclear - CJ's view: when you're not seeing it well, making decisions is a recipe for mistakes. Watch and wait. • US equities and AI beneficiaries remain core - justified by 13%+ earnings growth for six consecutive quarters • UK and European exposure under review - the DAX would be first to go if forced to cut • A move into long gilts is being considered if 30-year yields push above 6% • Commodities suffering from oil rotation - mining and copper the biggest portfolio drags this week 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Beat The Street Competition More Info here: https://bts.ig.com/uk/beat-the-street/home 📋T&Cs: The “Beat the Street” competition is open to UK legal residents aged 18+ and there’s a limit of one registration per person. The promoter is IG Trading and Investments Ltd and you can enter and find full T&C’s at ig.com/uk/beat-the-street. | |||
| Forget Stock Picking. What Makes a Great Investor? | 24 Apr 2026 | 01:13:29 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Sophie Cocker steps in as host alongside Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham. Special guest, Claire Flynn Levy, author of “Stock Market Maestro’s” explores what truly separates top investors, and why behaviour, not stock picking, often drives long-term success. The team use their extensive experience across wealth and hedge fund management to unpack another strong week for global markets, even as oil rises, geopolitical tensions linger and macro signals remain mixed. US equities continue to push higher, with the S&P 500, NASDAQ and small caps all hitting fresh highs. Meanwhile, emerging markets and Japan are also gaining momentum, raising the question: is this still the AI-driven rally, or something more structural? This Week’s Highlights: 🧠 Investor Behaviour Matters, From The Book ‘Stock Market Maestro’s’ Why managing losses and position sizing often matters more than picking winners. 📈 Markets Defy Expectations US equities hit new highs despite rising oil prices and ongoing uncertainty. 💻 Tech & AI Still Leading Magnificent Seven strength continues, with AI-driven productivity shaping markets. 🌏 Global Markets Broadening Out Emerging markets and Japan rally, suggesting gains are spreading beyond mega caps. 🇬🇧 UK & Europe Lag Weakness persists amid rate pressure, political uncertainty and slower AI adoption. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 36: No changes were made to the portfolio this week. Weekly performance: +1.3% Total return since inception: +19.07% Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +8.55% 🥈 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: +2.77% 🥉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETF: +2.26% Underperformers 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust: –1.55% 📉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: –0.89% 📉 Invesco Stoxx Euro 600 ETF: –0.52% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains tilted toward growth and global diversification, with: • Strong exposure to US equities and AI beneficiaries • Positions in emerging markets and Japan • Commodities exposure alongside defensive assets The team maintain conviction but acknowledge increasing uncertainty around what’s driving markets. Big Questions This Week: • Is this still the AI trade, or something else? • Why are markets rising despite macro headwinds? • Are investors underestimating US strength? • When should you act, and when should you stay patient? What You’ll Learn ✔️ Why you don’t need to be right more than 50% of the time ✔️ How top investors manage winners vs losers ✔️ Why cutting losses is critical to long-term returns ✔️ How AI is already impacting markets and productivity ✔️ Why behaviour often matters more than stock picking 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Beat The Street Competition: More Info here: https://bts.ig.com/uk/beat-the-street/home 📋T&Cs: The “Beat the Street” competition is open to UK legal residents aged 18+ and there’s a limit of one registration per person. The promoter is IG Trading and Investments Ltd and you can enter and find full T&C’s at ... | |||
| US Equities Rally 11 Days in a Row - Why Panicking Can Cost You? | 17 Apr 2026 | 00:58:47 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham draw on over 100 years of combined experience across wealth and hedge fund management to break down a remarkable moment in markets. US equities are pushing to new all-time highs, despite ongoing geopolitical tension, energy uncertainty and lingering concerns around credit markets. With the S&P 500 and NASDAQ rallying strongly, the team explore what’s really driving this move, why sentiment has shifted so quickly, and whether this is the start of a broader bull market or simply another leg in a volatile cycle. They also break down the growing dominance of big tech, the role of institutional money flows, and why markets can often move in the opposite direction to headlines. This Week’s Highlights: 📈 Markets Hit New Highs US equities surge to record levels, climbing the “wall of worry” despite negative news flow. 💻 Tech Leads the Charge The Magnificent Seven drive performance, with Nvidia and mega-cap tech powering gains. 🔄 Rotation in Action Capital flows back into under-owned areas, with short squeezes amplifying moves. 🏦 Banks Reassure on Credit Major US banks signal resilience in the economy and downplay private credit concerns. 🌍 Global Divergence US markets outperform while Europe and the UK lag amid currency and energy pressures. 🧠 Psychology Over Fundamentals Why fear, greed and positioning often matter more than macro narratives. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 35: No changes to the portfolio this week. Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +10.2% 🥈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +4.4% 🥉 iShares S&P 500 GBP Hedged ETF: +3.4% Underperformers 📉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: –0.1% 📉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: –0.1% 📉 Cash: +0.1% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains tilted toward growth and cyclicality, with: • ~70–85% in equities and equity-like assets • Exposure to commodities and emerging markets • Defensive allocation via bonds and cash The team maintain conviction in a pro-growth setup, while acknowledging short-term volatility. Big Questions This Week: • Why are markets rising despite negative headlines? • Is this a sustainable bull market or short-term squeeze? • Are investors underestimating the power of positioning? • How should long-term investors respond to volatility? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why markets often move against consensus expectations ✔️ How institutional flows drive major market moves ✔️ The role of fear vs greed in investing decisions ✔️ Why patience often beats reaction during crises 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Beat The Street Competition: More Info here: https://bts.ig.com/uk/beat-the-street/home 📋T&Cs: The “Beat the Street” competition is open to UK legal residents aged 18+ and there’s a limit of one registration per person. The promoter is IG Trading and Investments Ltd and you can enter and find full T&C’s at ig.com/uk/beat-the-street. | |||
| Switching Out of Bonds into Equities for the New ISA Year | 10 Apr 2026 | 01:10:03 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham bring over 100 years of combined experience across wealth and hedge fund management to unpack a dramatic rebound across markets, as a fragile ceasefire in the Middle East sends oil lower, rate expectations ease, and risk assets rally hard. With bonds recovering, equities surging and some of the hardest-hit areas snapping back sharply, the team ask whether this is the start of a more durable recovery, or simply relief after weeks of pressure. They also revisit the case for the US, Japan and bonds, debate whether the portfolio should add more risk here, and answer listener questions on how to think about positioning in fast-moving markets. As always, the key theme remains: when markets move fast, discipline matters more than drama. This Week’s Highlights: 🕊️ Ceasefire Relief Rally A two-week ceasefire helps trigger a broad rebound in risk assets and a sharp fall in oil. ⛽ Oil Price Drops Back A 15% fall in oil eases inflation fears and takes pressure off rate expectations. 🏦 Bond Markets Recover Gilts and treasuries bounce as markets scale back the chance of further rate hikes. 🇺🇸 US Back in Focus The team revisit whether the S&P 500 now offers better value after recent derating. 🇯🇵 Japan Rebounds Strongly Japanese equities rally as lower energy prices improve the outlook. 🧠 Discipline Over Noise Why the best response to volatile headlines is often patience, not panic. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 34: Weekly performance: +5.1% Total return since inception: +16.2% Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto and Blockchain Innovators ETF: +11.9% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +10.8% 🥉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +8.0% Underperformers 📉 Cash: +0.1% 📉 iShares $ Treasury Bond 7–10 yr UCITS ETF: +0.5% 📉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: +0.6% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains diversified across: • Commodities and real assets • Global equities (US, UK, Europe, EM) • Small and mid-cap exposure • Bonds and cash as stabilisers This week’s move shows how quickly leadership can reverse when macro pressure starts to ease. Big Questions This Week: • Will the ceasefire hold long enough for markets to keep recovering? • Is the US starting to look attractive again? • Are bonds still worth holding versus equities? • When should investors add risk back in? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why oil matters so much for inflation and rate expectations ✔️ How quickly markets can reprice when fear fades ✔️ Why bonds don’t always outperform during stress ✔️ How to think about adding risk after a sharp rebound 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Beat The Street Competition: More Info here: https://bts.ig.com/uk/beat-the-street/home 📋T&Cs: The “Beat the Street” competition is open to UK legal residents aged 18+ and there’s a limit of one registration per person. The promoter is IG Trading and Investments Ltd and you can enter and find full T&C’s at ig.com/uk/beat-the-street. | |||
| Q1 Portfolio Review: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly | 02 Apr 2026 | 01:15:02 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham are back for a Quarterly Review special, reflecting on how Q1 has played out across the portfolio, with standout strength from BlackRock World Mining Trust and broader gains across developed and emerging markets, while positions like India and the VanEck Crypto ETF lagged. From oil shocks and bond volatility to crypto drawdowns and equity resilience, this episode dives deep into what’s really driving markets right now and where the opportunities may lie. This Week’s Highlights: 🏦 Rate Expectations Whipsaw Markets rapidly shift from pricing cuts to multiple hikes and back again, raising questions about whether expectations are disconnected from reality. 📉 Bonds Under Pressure Short-duration gilts fall sharply as rate expectations surge, challenging their role as a “safe” stabiliser in portfolios. ⛽ Oil Driving the Narrative Higher oil prices fuel inflation fears but the team argue markets may be overreacting to second-order effects on growth. 📊 Equities More Resilient Than Expected Despite volatility, valuations (especially in the US) are becoming more attractive as multiples compress. ⚠️ Crypto Volatility Bites The VanEck Crypto ETF drops sharply, highlighting the importance of position sizing and risk management in high-volatility assets. 🌍 Global Rotation & Positioning Debate around US vs emerging markets, and whether shifting allocations actually adds value, or just reshuffles risk. Portfolio Snapshot – Week 33: • Weekly performance: -1.36% • Total return since inception: +11.1% Top Performers: 🥇 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +1.7% 🥈 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +0.9% 🥉 Xtrackers DAX ETF: +0.5% Underperformers: 📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain ETF: –11.6% 📉 iShares S&P 500 GBP Hedged ETF: –2.7% 📉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETF: –2.4% Key Takeaways: ✔️ Markets don’t always price reality, they price expectations ✔️ Bonds can fail during inflation-driven shocks ✔️ Volatility isn’t risk, mis-sized positions are ✔️ Sometimes doing nothing is the smartest move in uncertain markets ✔️ Quarterly reviews are critical, even for “passive” investors Big Questions This Week: • Are markets overreacting to rate expectations? • Will central banks actually follow market pricing? • Is private credit the next pressure point? • Are US equities now becoming attractive again? • Should investors be reducing risk—or leaning in? 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the breakdown: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1eMN0haj9HGUpRogpuD7NGhwxsC1tc6WM/view?usp=sharing 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insights and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. The value of investments can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you invest. JISA Incentive: Dates: 2nd March to 5th April Details: Invest £50 and get £50. First trade has to be £50 or more to receive the £50 bonus. New clients only. The bonus of £50 will be credited to the Junior ISA by 30 April 2026. PROMO CODE: JISAPODCAST 📋T&Cs: https://www.ig.com/uk/jisa-cash-bonus-50-feb-26 Beat The Street Competition: More Info here: https://bts.ig.com/uk/beat-the-street/home 📋T&Cs: The “Beat the Street” competition is open to UK legal residents aged 18+ and there’s a limit of one registration per person. The promoter is IG Trading and Investments Ltd and you can enter and find full T&C’s at ig.com/uk/beat-the-street. | |||
| Rate Hikes Back on the Table. Does This Spell Recession? | 27 Mar 2026 | 01:08:00 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham are joined by Stu Thompson, Economic Strategist, to break down a market being driven less by fundamentals, and more by shifting interest rate expectations. With central banks holding steady but markets rapidly repricing from rate cuts to potential hikes, the team explore whether interest rate expectations have become disconnected from reality. They also dive into continued stress in private credit, the impact of oil and geopolitics on inflation, and why bond markets are no longer providing the diversification investors expect. The big question: are markets overreacting, and where are the opportunities if they are? This Week’s Highlights: 🏦 Rate Expectations Flip Markets move from pricing cuts to multiple hikes, a huge shift in sentiment. 📉 Bonds Fail to Diversify Gilts and treasuries fall alongside equities, challenging traditional portfolio theory. ⚠️ Private Credit Stress Builds Redemption limits and liquidity concerns continue to emerge. ⛽ Oil & Inflation Risk Energy prices remain the key driver of inflation expectations. 📊 Markets Still Resilient Despite volatility, equities hold up better than many expected. 🧠 Don’t Fight the Noise Why long-term investors should avoid reacting to short-term headlines. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 32: Weekly performance: –1.7% Total return since inception: +12.5% Top Performers 🥇 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: +1.1% 🥈 Cash: +0.1% 🥉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: –0.4% Underperformers 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –5.4% 📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –3.7% 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: –2.9% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains diversified across: • Commodities and real assets • Global equities (US, UK, Europe, EM) • Small and mid-cap exposure • Bonds and cash as stabilisers However, this week highlights a key theme: diversification doesn’t always protect during inflation-driven shocks. Big Questions This Week: • Have interest rate expectations become unrealistic? • Are central banks likely to follow market pricing? • Is private credit the next major risk area? • Can equities continue to hold up if rates stay higher? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ How markets price interest rates (and why it matters) ✔️ Why bonds don’t always offset equity risk ✔️ What’s really driving current market moves ✔️ How to stay disciplined during volatile periods 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. JISA Incentive: Dates: 2nd March to 5th April Details: Invest £50 and get £50. First 200 clients will get £250. First trade has to be £50 or more to receive the £50 bonus. New clients only. The bonus of £50 will be credited to the Junior ISA by 30 April 2026. | |||
| Investing Through a Crisis with Geopolitical Strategist, Roger Lee | 19 Mar 2026 | 01:22:04 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham break down a more fragile market backdrop as momentum stalls and volatility creeps back in. With commodities cooling, equities diverging and bond markets wobbling, the team ask whether this is a healthy pause… or the start of something more meaningful. They’re also joined by Geopolitical Strategist Roger Lee to unpack how investors should think during periods of crisis, and what history tells us about how markets behave when conflicts unfold. The focus this week: what’s really driving returns now, and how investors should respond when leadership becomes less clear. This Week’s Highlights: 📉 Momentum Slows After weeks of strong gains, markets begin to lose steam as leadership narrows. ⛏️ Commodities Pause Mining stocks pull back sharply after a huge run, testing conviction in the trade. 🪙 Crypto Bounces Crypto-linked equities recover, highlighting ongoing volatility in risk assets. 🌍 Global Divergence Different regions move in opposite directions, making allocation more important than ever. 🏦 Bonds Back in Focus Weakness in fixed income raises questions about diversification again. 🧠 Staying Disciplined Why periods like this matter more than strong up weeks for long-term investors. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 31: Weekly performance: –0.3% Total return since inception: +14.2% Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +3.5% 🥈 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +0.2% 🥉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +0.2% Underperformers 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust: –5.9% 📉 Vanguard FTSE 250 ETF: –1.4% 📉 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: –1.2% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains broadly diversified across: • Commodities and real assets • Global equities (US, UK, Europe, EM) • Select small-cap exposure • Bonds and cash as stabilisers Despite a weaker week, diversification continues to dampen volatility as leadership rotates. Big Questions This Week: • Is this just a pause after a strong run? • Are commodities topping out short term? • What happens if bonds and equities both struggle? • Where is the next leadership coming from? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why pullbacks are a key part of long-term returns ✔️ How to interpret changing market leadership ✔️ Why diversification matters most in mixed markets ✔️ How to stay disciplined when momentum fades 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. JISA Incentive: Dates: 2nd March to 5th April Details: Invest £50 and get £50. First 200 clients will get £250. First trade has to be £50 or more to receive the £50 bonus. New clients only. The bonus of £50 will be credited to the Junior ISA by 30 April 2026. PROMO CODE: JISAPODCAST 📋T&Cs: https://www.ig.com/uk/jisa-cash-bonus-50-feb-26 https://www.ig.com/uk/jisa-cash-bonus-250-feb-26 | |||
| War, Oil Shocks & Private Credit Cracks – Are Markets Too Calm? | 13 Mar 2026 | 01:11:08 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham unpack a volatile week in global markets as geopolitical tensions, rising oil prices and credit concerns ripple through investor sentiment. Despite the second consecutive weekly drawdown in the portfolio, markets have remained relatively resilient. The team discuss why energy shocks quickly affect inflation expectations, how investors are reacting to shifting rate outlooks, and why private credit and private equity liquidity are attracting renewed scrutiny. They also explore how different sectors react to geopolitical shocks and why diversification still matters when volatility rises. This Week’s Highlights: ⛽ Oil Shock Hits Markets Energy prices surge as Middle East tensions intensify. 🏦 Private Credit Questions Liquidity concerns emerge in parts of the private market. 📉 Rate Expectations Shift Investors reassess the outlook for central bank cuts. 📊 Sector Rotation Continues Software rebounds while travel and energy-sensitive sectors struggle. ⚠️ Liquidity Risk Debate Restrictions in some funds highlight structural challenges. Portfolio Snapshot: Portfolio Snapshot – Week 30 Weekly performance: –2.1% Total return since inception: +14.5% Top Performers 🥇 Cash: +0.1% 🥈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –0.3% 🥉 iShares $ Treasury Bond 7–10yr UCITS ETF: –0.4% Underperformers 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: –4.3% 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: –4.2% 📉 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: –3.8% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains positioned toward: • Commodities and real assets • Global equities beyond US mega-cap concentration • Select small and mid-cap exposure • Defensive allocations including gilts, treasuries and cash The focus remains diversification and long-term resilience rather than reacting to short-term headlines. Big Questions the Team Debate: • Could rising oil prices delay rate cuts? • Are stresses emerging in private credit markets? • How resilient are global equities to geopolitical shocks? • What sectors benefit during energy spikes? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why oil prices can shift inflation expectations quickly ✔️ How liquidity risks appear in private markets ✔️ Which sectors react most during geopolitical shocks ✔️ Why diversification matters during volatility 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. JISA Incentive: Dates: 2nd March to 5th April Details: Invest £50 and get £50. First 200 clients will get £250. First trade has to be £50 or more to receive the £50 bonus. New clients only. The bonus of £50 will be credited to the Junior ISA by 30 April 2026. PROMO CODE: JISAPODCAST | |||
| War, Oil and Market Volatility: The Iran Conflict Explained | 06 Mar 2026 | 01:15:17 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham unpack a volatile week as geopolitical tensions, banking sector nerves and shifting energy policy collide. Despite rising uncertainty, from renewed conflict fears to credit market concerns, the portfolio remains resilient. The team discuss whether markets are overreacting, why bank stocks sold off, and what investors should focus on during volatility. They revisit lessons from past geopolitical shocks and explain why disciplined portfolio construction matters more than reacting to headlines. Expect sharp macro insight and a clear breakdown of how the team are thinking about risk right now. This Week’s Highlights: ⚠️ Credit Crisis Fears? Bank stocks fall as markets briefly price in tighter credit conditions. 🌍 Geopolitics Back in Focus Rising tensions bring geopolitical risk back to markets. 🇷🇺 Lessons from Russia Revisiting the 2022 collapse in Russian assets and its lessons. ⛽ Energy Policy Confusion Governments tax oil producers while calling for more supply. 📉 Market Volatility Returns Sector swings highlight diversification. 🧠 Staying Rational in Turbulence Why reacting emotionally to headlines often backfires. Portfolio Snapshot: Weekly performance: –2.1% Total return since inception: +16.6% Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +4.0% 🥈 Cash: +0.1% 🥉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: –0.1% Underperformers 📉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETC: –5.7% 📉 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: –5.1% 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: –5.0% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains positioned toward: • Commodities and real assets • Global equities beyond US mega-cap concentration • Select small and mid-cap exposure • Defensive allocations including gilts and cash The aim remains building a diversified portfolio able to navigate uncertain markets. Big Questions the Team Debate: • Are markets overreacting to fears of a credit slowdown? • How should investors think about geopolitical shocks? • What lessons came from the Russian market collapse? • Why energy policy contradictions could shape inflation • How diversification helps absorb market shocks What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why banking sector moves can trigger market anxiety ✔️ How geopolitical risk affects portfolios ✔️ Why diversification matters during volatility ✔️ The dangers of reacting emotionally to headlines ✔️ How long-term investors should approach risk 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Incentives: JISA Incentive Dates: 2nd March to 5th April Details: Invest £50 and get £50. First 200 clients will get £250. First trade has to be £50 or more to receive the £50 bonus. New clients only. The bonus of £50 will be credited to the Junior ISA by 30 April 2026. PROMO CODE: JISAPODCAST 📋T&Cs: | |||
| Profit Warnings, Private Equity Pain & Portfolio Returns | 27 Feb 2026 | 00:59:03 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham unpack a strong week for the portfolio, led by commodities, emerging markets and continued European resilience. While the US debates tariffs and policy direction, global equity markets are pushing higher. Mining stocks surge, crypto stabilises, emerging markets extend gains, and the team ask whether the long-anticipated rotation away from US mega caps is finally accelerating? This Week’s Highlights: 📊 Portfolio Gains Momentum A strong week driven by commodities and emerging markets exposure. ⛏️ Mining Leads the Charge BlackRock World Mining Trust hits fresh highs as metals rally. 🌍 Emerging Markets Break Higher Korea climbs the global rankings and EM exposure continues to pay off. 🇺🇸 US vs The Rest of the World Is money finally rotating away from US mega caps into global markets? 🏦 Private Equity Pressure Are private market valuations finally being tested? 🧠 Investor Psychology When a position is down 50%, what should you actually do? Portfolio Snapshot – Week 28: Weekly performance: +1.4% Total return since inception: +18.7% Top Performers 🥇 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +6.7% 🥈 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +4.0% 🥉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +3.4% Underperformers 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: –1.4% 📉 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: –0.6% 📉 Xtrackers DAX ETF: –0.5% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains positioned toward: • Commodities (mining, copper) • Emerging markets • European equities • US small & mid-caps (rather than mega-cap tech) Cash and short-dated gilts remain in place as stability anchors (~20% combined). The team continue to emphasise geographic diversification away from heavy US concentration, particularly given global indices remain ~60–70% US weighted. Big Themes This Week: • Commodity strength returning • Early signs of global equity rotation • Private equity valuations under scrutiny • Dividend yield traps explained • The importance of taking action on losing positions The central question: If institutions are underweight Europe and emerging markets, does the rotation still have further to run? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why high dividend yields can be a red flag ✔️ The difference between the “rabbit”, “assassin” and “hunter” investor ✔️ Why US economic strength doesn’t automatically mean US stock market outperformance ✔️ How money flows drive market leadership ✔️ Why compounding early (JISAs) matters more than market timing 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. Incentives: Get up to £3000 when you transfer your ISA to IG. Earn 1% cashback up to £300k when you transfer your ISA before 5th April. Use Promo Code ISAPODCAST New share dealing customers only. Offer available 31st Jan to 5th April 26. T&Cs apply. 📋T&Cs: www.ig.com/uk/transfer-1-percent-cashback-feb-26 Get up to £200 cashback when you invest with IG. Earn 5% cashback on investments up to £4000 (max payout £200) when you open an account and place your first trade. ... | |||
| Equities Surge Higher: Why aren’t Bonds Panicking? | 20 Feb 2026 | 01:08:02 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham unpack a quietly powerful week in markets. While headlines remain focused on AI, tariffs and geopolitics, European markets are breaking higher, bonds are behaving, and liquidity is quietly driving asset prices. The team explores why risk assets continue to rally despite macro uncertainty, and why the bond market remains the ultimate signal to watch. Plus: a deep dive into portfolio volatility using AI, the silver short squeeze debate, and what could finally derail this bull run. This Week’s Highlights: 📈 Europe Leads Again FTSE 100 hits fresh highs, the DAX continues to climb, and the Euro Stoxx 600 builds momentum. 🏦 Bonds Behaving US 10-year yields hit 12-month lows. No panic. No inflation scare. Why does it matter? 🤖 AI = Disinflation? Is productivity from AI quietly suppressing inflation expectations? 🪙 Silver Squeeze Talk Is there really a conspiracy in silver, or just classic retail momentum? 🌍 Emerging Markets Build Portfolio exposure increases as global growth expectations strengthen. 📊 AI Analyses the Portfolio CJ uses AI to calculate portfolio volatility in minutes, and the results may surprise you. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 27: Weekly performance: +0.5% Total return since inception: +17.3% Top Performers 🥇 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +2.4% 🥈 Invesco Stoxx Europe 600 ETF: +2.0% 🥉 Xtrackers DAX ETF: +1.9% Underperformers 📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –0.5% 📉 Nikkei 225 ETF: 0.0% 📉 Cash: +0.1% Portfolio Positioning: The portfolio remains tilted toward: • European equities • Emerging markets • US small and mid-caps • Commodities exposure Cash and bonds remain limited (~20% combined), keeping overall volatility aligned with the S&P 500, but with broader geographic diversification. Big Themes This Week: • Liquidity is still abundant • AI may be structurally disinflationary • Bond markets are calm, for now • Cyclical exposure remains the key risk • Dollar weakness would benefit positioning The central question: As long as bonds behave, does this rally have further to run? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why bond yields are the most important signal in markets ✔️ How AI could structurally lower inflation ✔️ Why European markets are outperforming the US ✔️ How to measure portfolio volatility properly ✔️ Why silver squeezes rarely end well 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. February Incentive Get up to £3000 when you transfer your ISA to IG. Earn 1% cashback up to £300k when you transfer your ISA before 5th April. Use Promo Code ISAPODCAST New share dealing customers only. Offer available 31st Jan to 5th April 26. T&Cs apply. | |||
| Why Investors Are Selling Their US Tech Holdings, and What Are They Buying Instead? | 13 Feb 2026 | 01:06:09 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris “CJ” Fellingham return after an intriguing week in markets to debate a major shift in positioning. With Japan surging, emerging markets breaking higher, software stocks wobbling and AI disruption accelerating, the team asks a big question: Are we rotating from tech into old-world value, and is private equity the next risk? Expect macro insight, portfolio reshuffling, and a full breakdown of where capital is moving next. This Week’s Highlights 🇯🇵 Japan Breakout A landslide election victory fuels fiscal stimulus hopes. The Nikkei jumps nearly 9% on the week, lifting the portfolio sharply. 💻 Software Shock A small AI tax tool sparks a broader sell-off across software, wealth management and private equity-linked names. Is this the start of margin compression? 🏦 The 100-Year Bond Warning Alphabet issues a 100-year bond, massively oversubscribed. CJ calls it a red flag for complacency in credit markets. 🪙 Crypto Contrarian Signal? Bitcoin weakens again, but ultra-bearish headlines may suggest positioning is stretched. 🌍 Europe & Emerging Markets Strength Euro Stoxx indices hit highs as investors rotate away from expensive US tech into industrial and value-heavy regions. 🇬🇧 UK Politics & Gilts Political uncertainty continues, reinforcing caution on long-dated UK bonds. Portfolio Snapshot: Week 26 Weekly performance: +1.62% Total return since inception: +16.86% Top Performers 🥇 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +8.5% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +5.2% 🥉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETF: +3.2% Underperformers 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +0.3% 📉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: +0.3% 📉 Cash: +0.1% Despite broad gains across equities, Japan and mining stocks drove the bulk of weekly performance, while defensive assets lagged as risk appetite improved. Big Questions the Team Debate • Is AI about to compress software margins? • Are private equity valuations vulnerable? • Is Japan Thatcher… or Liz Truss? • Are we early in a rotation toward Europe and EM? • Is extreme negativity on crypto a contrarian buy signal? What You’ll Learn ✔ Why markets “travel” before they arrive ✔ How fiscal stimulus drives equity multiples ✔ Why 100-year bonds can signal complacency ✔ The difference between AI hype and AI implementation ✔ How to rotate portfolios without increasing overall risk 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. February Incentive Get up to £3000 when you transfer your ISA to IG. Earn 1% cashback up to £300k when you transfer your ISA before 5th April. Use Promo Code ISAPODCAST New share dealing customers only. Offer available 31st Jan to 5th April 26. T&Cs apply. | |||
| New Fed Chair Crashes Bitcoin & Silver. For Better or for Warsh? | 06 Feb 2026 | 01:07:35 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald and Mark “Spice” Holden are joined by JP Smith for a wide-ranging and timely discussion on one of the most volatile weeks markets have seen in months. With gold and silver suffering brutal flash crashes, crypto tumbling, US tech rotating hard, and a surprise nomination for the next Fed Chair rattling liquidity expectations, the team unpack what’s really going on beneath the surface, and how investors can spot early warning signs before markets move fast. From AI capex concerns and stretched US valuations to volatility indicators, liquidity conditions and portfolio protection, this episode is a masterclass in navigating late-cycle markets. This Week’s Market Highlights 📉 Gold & Silver Flash Crash Precious metals suffer violent reversals as margin hikes, positioning pressure and liquidity fears collide. 💻 Tech Rotation Accelerates US software and AI leaders sell off sharply as markets reassess capex spending and future returns. 🔄 Money Rotates, Not Flees Capital flows out of mega-cap tech into small- and mid-cap US equities, Europe and Japan. 🪙 Crypto Volatility Returns Bitcoin slides sharply, dragging crypto-linked equities with it, highlighting broken correlations with gold. 🏦 Fed Chair Shock Trump nominates Kevin Warsh as next Fed Chair, spooking markets with fears of tighter liquidity and less QE. 📊 Volatility Back on the Radar The VIX becomes a key signal once again, with the team explaining how professionals actually use it. Portfolio Snapshot Weekly performance: –1.1% Total return since inception: +15.24% Top Performers 🥇 iShares MSCI India ETF: +5.0% 🥈 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +2.5% 🥉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +1.0% Underperformers 📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –21.3% 📉 BlackRock World Mining Trust: –9.4% 📉 Invesco EQQQ NASDAQ-100 ETF: –3.1% Key Portfolio Decision 🔄 Reducing US Mega-Cap Exposure
Why? Small- and mid-cap companies are better positioned to benefit if economic activity broadens and rate cuts resume later this year. Updated US exposure now favours diversification over concentration. What Investors Learn in This Episode ✔️ Why gold and silver can fall fast, even in bull markets ✔️ How margin changes and liquidity shocks trigger violent moves ✔️ Why AI capex is now being treated as a risk, not a reward ✔️ How professionals use the VIX to manage risk ✔️ The difference between a healthy rotation and a market breakdown ✔️ When cash and short-dated bonds become powerful tools ✔️ Why small caps may be the next phase of the US cycle 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly market insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. February Incentive Get up to £3000 when you transfer your ISA to IG. Earn 1% cashback up to £300k when you transfer your ISA before 5th April. Use Promo Code ISAPODCAST New share dealing customers only. Offer available 31st Jan to 5th April 26. T&Cs apply. 📋T&Cs : | |||
| Gold & Silver Warning: Has the US Become an Emerging Market? | 30 Jan 2026 | 01:13:14 | |
This week on The Art of Investing, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham are joined by JP Smith, veteran emerging markets strategist and former Chief Global Strategist at Pictet, for a deep dive into the forces shaping global markets, and where investors may be underestimating risk. From Russia’s 1998 crisis to China’s governance problem, US dollar fragility and the future of emerging markets, this episode blends hard market insight with frontline experience from one of the world’s most seasoned emerging markets voices. Expect history, geopolitics, sharp disagreement, and a rare behind-the-scenes look at how market crises really unfold. This Week’s Highlights: 🌍 Emerging Markets in Focus Why emerging markets have surged, and why today’s emerging markets index looks nothing like the one investors remember. 🇷🇺 Lessons From Russia JP recounts calling the 1998 Russian crisis early, and what investors consistently miss before major blow-ups. 🇨🇳 China’s Governance Problem Dilution, state intervention and why earnings haven’t matched economic growth. 💵 The Dollar Debate Is US dollar weakness structural, or just noise? A heated discussion on debt, politics and confidence. 🏦 Central Banks & Credibility From Japan’s bond market intervention to the Fed’s independence under pressure. ⚠️ Tail Risks Are Rising Why gold, silver and commodities may be signalling something markets are ignoring. Portfolio Snapshot: Weekly performance: +0.1% Total return since inception: +16.4% Top Performers (WoW): 🥇 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +4.5% 🥈 iShares S&P 500 GBP Hedged ETF: +1.7% 🥉 Vanguard FTSE 250 ETF: +1.5% Underperformers: 💷 Cash: +0.1% 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –0.3% 🇮🇳 iShares MSCI India ETF: –2.6% Big Questions the Team Debate • Are emerging markets finally investable again, or just riding the AI cycle? • Is China uninvestable, misunderstood… or both? • Could the US start behaving like an emerging market politically? • Is gold a warning sign or simply reflecting dollar weakness? • Should investors hedge tail risks more aggressively? What You’ll Learn ✔️ How market crises actually develop on the ground ✔️ Why governance matters more than growth ✔️ How dollar weakness feeds through to emerging markets assets ✔️ Why diversification is back in focus ✔️ How professionals think about risk when markets look “fine” 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly market insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. February Incentive Get up to £3000 when you transfer your ISA to IG. Earn 1% cashback up to £300k when you transfer your ISA before 5th April. Use Promo Code ISAPODCAST New share dealing customers only. Offer available 31st Jan to 5th April 26. T&Cs apply. 📋T&Cs :www.ig.com/uk/transfer-1-percent-cashback-feb-26 | |||
| Japanese Bonds, Greenland Brinkmanship and Iran Threats. When Risks Outweigh Rewards: Taking 10% to Cash | 23 Jan 2026 | 01:03:34 | |
This week, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham unpack one of the most volatile macro weeks of the year, from Japan’s bond market shock to Trump’s Davos comments, rising geopolitical tension, and a sharp shift in momentum across assets. With Japanese yields spiking to multi-decade highs, markets wobbling on Greenland headlines, and gold once again leading the leaderboard, the team debate whether this is a temporary scare… or the early warning signs of something bigger. Crucially, they also make a major portfolio decision, raising cash and reassessing risk after a strong run of returns. Expect macro depth, proper portfolio debate, and a real-time look at how professional investors react when markets move fast. This Week’s Highlights: 🇯🇵 Japan Bond Shock 40-year Japanese government bond yields spike, triggering global bond and equity volatility. 🌍 Geopolitics Returns Greenland, NATO tensions and Trump’s Davos comments briefly rattle markets before a sharp relief rally. 📉 Momentum Rotates Gold and mining stocks surge while crypto and copper lag as capital chases safety and trend. 🪙 Crypto vs Gold Bitcoin slides while gold hits new highs, reigniting the “digital gold” debate. 🏦 Central Bank Power The Bank of Japan draws a clear line in the sand, reminding markets who’s really in control. Portfolio Snapshot: Weekly performance: –0.7% Total return since inception: +15.5% Top Performers (WoW) 🥇 iShares Physical Gold ETC: +4.83% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +2.54% 🥉 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETF: +1.14% Underperformers (WoW) 📉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –4.66% 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –4.15% 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: –3.49%
Big Decisions This Week: 🔄 Raising Cash The team reduce exposure to gold and US equities, moving 10% of the portfolio into cash to reassess risk after strong gains. 💬 Live Debate Should profits be locked in after a big run, or is stepping aside the biggest risk of all? What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why Japan’s bond market matters far beyond Tokyo ✔️ How central banks really control market stress ✔️ Why momentum dominates during uncertain periods ✔️ When raising cash is smart, and when it’s costly ✔️ How professionals manage portfolios during fast-moving macro shocks 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. January Incentive Move your investment portfolio to IG and you’ll get up to £2,000 cashback. Simply open a general investment account, ISA, or SIPP by 30 January and get 1% cashback on your transferred investments. 1% cashback on the total Qualifying Transfers initiated between 1 January and 30 January 2026 The maximum payout is £2,000. Your capital is at risk. New customers only. Offer valid until 30/01/2026 on ISA, GIA or SIPP accounts. T&Cs apply. 📋T&Cs: https://www.ig.com/uk/transfer-1-percent-cashback-jan-26 | |||
| Frances Donald: The 5 Forces Reshaping Financial Markets That Investors Need to Know | 16 Jan 2026 | 01:06:14 | |
This week, Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham are joined by Frances Donald, Chief Economist at the Royal Bank of Canada and regular commentator on CNBC, Fox News and Bloomberg. Tune in to talk what really matters in markets right now, and what most investors are still missing. With geopolitics flaring, commodities surging, and uncertainty everywhere from Washington to Tokyo, the team unpack the difference between cyclical noise and structural change, and why traditional economic playbooks may no longer work. Expect deep macro insight, plenty of laughs, and a fresh way of thinking about inflation, labour markets, AI, and the future of growth. This Week’s Highlights 🌍 Geopolitics Everywhere Trump, Iran, Venezuela and Greenland keep markets on edge, with slow-burn risks proving harder to price than headline shocks. ⛏️ Commodities Take the Lead Gold, silver, copper and mining stocks power higher as inflation hedging, geopolitics and supply constraints collide. 🏦 Banks & Bonds in Focus US bank earnings beat expectations, but political pressure on credit card rates rattles lenders and investors. 🪙 Crypto Stabilises Bitcoin rebounds, helped by renewed institutional buying and improving sentiment after recent volatility. 🇯🇵 Japan Breaks the Trend A snap election sends the yen lower and Japanese bond yields higher, the only major market seeing rising yields this week. Special Guest: Frances Donald Frances Donald, Chief Economist at the Royal Bank of Canada, joins the team to explain why the old business cycle framework is breaking down, and what should replace it. She covers:
Plus: why economists got 2023 so wrong, and what they need to do differently going forward. Portfolio Snapshot Weekly performance: +1.9% Total return since inception: +16.2% Top Performers: 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +6.4% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +4.7% 🥉 iShares Physical Gold ETC: +2.3% ⛏️ WisdomTree Copper ETF: +2.0% Underperformers: 📉 Invesco EQQQ NASDAQ-100 ETF: -1.4% 📉 iShares MSCI India ETF: -0.5% 📉 iShares S&P 500 GBP Hedged ETF: -0.5% 📉 Vanguard FTSE 250 ETF: -0.4% What You’ll Learn ✔️ Why demographics matter more than GDP cycles ✔️ How retirements are changing inflation and growth dynamics ✔️ Why traditional recession indicators failed ✔️ How geopolitics really feeds into asset prices ✔️ Why diversification is finally paying off again 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. January Incentive Move your investment portfolio to IG and you’ll get up to £2,000 cashback. Simply open a general investment account, ISA, or SIPP by 30 January and get 1% cashback on your transferred investments. 1% cashback on the total Qualifying Transfers initiated between 1 January and 30 January 2026 The maximum payout is £2,000. Your ca... | |||
| Year-End Rally Delivers Portfolio Performance Despite Trump's Best Efforts. What's Next for 2026? | 09 Jan 2026 | 01:10:52 | |
The first episode of 2026 kicks off with a bang as Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham review a late but powerful Santa Rally, a standout quarter for commodities, and one of the strongest periods of performance since the portfolio launched. Listen to find out why we are cashing out our best performer! With markets pushing to new highs and geopolitics back in focus, the team break down what’s really driving returns, and make their first meaningful portfolio changes of the year as they position for a potentially more volatile 2026. This Week’s Highlights: 📈 Santa Rally (Finally) Equities and commodities surge into year-end, with global markets hitting fresh highs. 🇬🇧 FTSE 100 Above 10,000 A major milestone for UK markets despite years of investor outflows. ⛏️ Commodity Leadership Gold, copper and mining stocks dominate as rate cuts and geopolitics collide. 🪙 Crypto Whiplash Sharp moves in crypto-linked equities underline fast-changing sentiment. 🏦 Rates & Bonds Cooling US inflation steadies bonds, while Japan bucks the global trend. 🌍 Geopolitics Returns Defence spending, elections and global tensions shape the 2026 outlook. Portfolio Snapshot - Week 21: Weekly performance: +4.23% Total return since inception: +14.29% Top Performers 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +12.10% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +10.66% 🥉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +8.11% Steadier Contributors • iShares MSCI India ETF: +2.52% • iShares Physical Gold ETC: +2.42% • iShares UK Gilts 0-5 Year ETF: +0.36% Q4 Quarterly Review (Oct–Dec): A standout quarter driven by real assets and diversification. 📊 Best Q4 Performers • BlackRock World Mining Trust: +29.38% • WisdomTree Copper ETF: +20.51% • iShares Physical Gold ETC: +15.94% • Nikkei 225 ETF: +9.60% 📉 Weak Spots • VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –12.42% (Q4) The quarter reinforces a key theme: commodities and diversification mattered more than mega-cap tech. Actions Taken – Portfolio Changes:
Current positioning: • ~67.5% equities • ~22.5% commodities • ~10% bonds & defensive assets What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why commodities dominated Q4 ✔️ How professionals trim winners ✔️ Why bonds still matter ✔️ How geopolitics feeds into markets ✔️ Why diversification is back 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📊 Download the full Quarterly Review Slides View the Quarterly Review: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer: This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securiti... | |||
| Our Outlook for 2026, With Stu Thompson | 02 Jan 2026 | 00:43:41 | |
Happy New Year and welcome to The Art of Investing’s 2026 Outlook Special. Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham are joined by economist Stu Thompson to cut through the noise and focus on the big themes that could shape markets in 2026. Not next week’s headlines, not bank price targets, but the forces that really matter for long-term investors. With consensus forecasts pointing to steady growth and falling rates, the team challenge whether markets have become complacent. From Japan’s bond market and the unwinding of the yen carry trade, to a weaker US dollar, stubborn inflation risks and rising political volatility, this episode is all about understanding where the real risks, and opportunities, may lie next year. This Week’s Focus, The Big Themes for 2026: 🇯🇵 Japan & the Yen Carry Trade Why rising Japanese bond yields could trigger a global competition for capital, and why this matters far beyond Tokyo. 📈 Bond Yields & Competition for Capital Long-dated government bond yields are rising as investors demand higher returns. What that means for equities, portfolios and risk appetite. 💵 Dollar Weakness Stu explains why the US dollar could be one of the weaker major currencies in 2026, and why commodities may benefit as a result. 🔥 Inflation Isn’t Dead Stronger growth, fiscal stimulus and a weaker dollar could keep inflation firmer than markets expect, reshaping rate expectations. 🏛️ Politics & Volatility From US midterms to UK political instability, the team explore how political pressure often leads to market-moving policy decisions. 🤖 AI Meets Reality After driving markets higher, AI stocks may face tougher questions in 2026 as investors demand real returns, not just promises. Big Questions the Team Debate: • Are markets underestimating inflation risks in 2026? • Could Japan’s bond market be the catalyst for global volatility? • Is a weaker dollar inevitable, and how should investors prepare? • Can equities thrive if interest rates don’t fall as much as expected? • Why sitting on some cash isn’t “bearish”, it’s optionality What You’ll Learn: ✔️ Why consensus forecasts are often the least useful input ✔️ How rising bond yields can quietly pressure risk assets ✔️ Why commodities often outperform when currencies weaken ✔️ How professionals think about risk before it shows up in prices ✔️ Why investing is about positioning, not prediction 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📈 Subscribe for weekly investing insights and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. January Incentive: 7.5% AER variable interest on cash balance up to £10,000. Promotion from 1 January 2026 until 16 January 2026. First trade must be made before 16th January. Interest boosted from First Trade until 31st March 2026. Your capital is at risk. New customers only. Offer valid until 16/01/2026 on ISA, GIA or SIPP accounts. T&Cs apply. | |||
| Best Bits of 2025: Markets, Mistakes & Money Lessons | 26 Dec 2025 | 00:36:45 | |
Merry Christmas and welcome to a special Best Bits episode of The Art of Investing. To round off 2025, we’re revisiting some of the most memorable moments from 2025, the bold calls, the big debates, the lessons learned the hard way, and the moments that genuinely made us laugh. From investor psychology and AI optimism, to Budget chaos, bond market nerves and why selling well matters more than buying smart, this episode is a reminder of what really drives long-term returns. Whether you’re catching up over the holidays or revisiting your favourite moments, this is The Art of Investing at its best. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: 🧠 Investor Psychology with Lee Freeman-Shor Why great investors aren’t defined by how many winners they pick, but by what they do when things go wrong. Rabbits, Assassins, Hunters and the hard reality of cutting losses before they cut you. ❤️ Falling in Love with Your Winners Spice tells the story of his best ever investment, and why selling 20% down after a 20-fold gain was the right decision. 🤖 AI, Circular Deals & Déjà Vu Why self-funding loops in tech can be a warning sign, and why markets have “seen this film before”. 🏛️ Inside the Truss Mini-Budget Adam Smith pulls back the curtain on the chaos, the ignored process, and the moment markets lost confidence, including the phone call Jeremy Hunt thought was a prank. 📉 Why Every Institution Wants an Economist (Even When They’re Wrong) Stu Thompson explains the political pressure behind forecasts, and why being wrong doesn’t always carry consequences. 📈 The Goldilocks Setup Spice lays out why the next 12–18 months could be a sweet spot for markets: falling rates, easing inflation and strong growth. 🇬🇧 The Rise, and Decline, of the UK Stock Market A hard look at how pensions, policy and decades of selling pressure reshaped UK equities. 💵 Bonds, Nervy Middles & Getting Paid to Wait Chris Bowie explains why the best bond opportunities appear when everyone else is uncomfortable. 🎄 Why This Episode Matters ✔️ Markets reward behaviour, not predictions ✔️ Psychology matters more than ideas ✔️ Crises create opportunity — if you can stay disciplined ✔️ The “nervy middle” is where real returns are made 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com 📈 Subscribe for weekly investing insights and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. December Incentive – Get 5% cashback on your investments: FOR A LIMITED TIME WE’VE DOUBLED OUR OFFER: GET 10% CASHBACK UP TO £200. Open a new account and invest a minimum of £50 by 31 December, and keep at least £50 invested until March. You’ll receive 5% cashback on your invested value from 21 November to 31 December (max payout £100). Your capital is at risk. New customers only. Offer valid until 31/12/2025 on ISA, GIA or SIPP accounts. T&Cs apply. 📄 Full details & T&Cs: https://www.ig.com/uk/5-percent-cashback-nov-25 | |||
| The Christmas Party Edition: Portfolio Planning, Money Lessons, Market Movers | 19 Dec 2025 | 01:02:27 | |
This week’s episode is the Christmas Party Special. The tone is festive, but the market conversation is anything but fluffy. Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham reflect on a volatile end to the year, asking whether the long-awaited Santa Rally is simply late… or quietly getting back on track. With US markets lagging, tech wobbling, commodities rallying and rate cuts finally landing, the team cut through the noise to focus on one thing: how investors should be positioning for 2026, and what actually matters from here. Expect market history, sharp portfolio insight, a few war stories from the trading floor, and more than a few Christmas crackers. This Week’s Highlights 🎅 Santa Rally Watch Markets wobble into year-end, but improving inflation and rate cuts raise hopes of a late festive surge. 📉 Tech Reality Check AI poster children stumble as capital spending rises faster than revenues, raising questions about valuation and patience. 🇺🇸 US Market Lag For once, the US underperforms global peers, forcing investors to rethink weightings and concentration risk. ⛏️ Commodity Comeback Gold, copper and mining stocks shine as rate cuts, a softer dollar and China stimulus expectations lift hard assets. 🏦 Rates Finally Falling The Bank of England cuts rates as inflation cools, while US data strengthens the case for further easing in 2026. 🎄 Year-End Games The team lift the lid on how professional investors manage portfolios, and sometimes “massage” prices, into year-end. Portfolio Snapshot Weekly performance: -0.89% Total return since inception: +10.06% Top Performers: 🥇 iShares Physical Gold ETC: +2.53% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +2.26% 🥉 Vanguard FTSE 250 ETF: +1.64%
Underperformers: 🪙 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: –15.34% 📉 Invesco EQQQ NASDAQ-100 ETF: –3.59% 🇯🇵 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: –2.67% Big Questions the Team Debate • Is the Santa Rally delayed, or quietly forming? • Are tech valuations finally being stress-tested? • Should investors reduce US concentration after years of dominance? • Is copper now more compelling than gold? • How should portfolios really be reviewed at year-end? What You’ll Learn ✔️ Why markets often rally after bad news, not before ✔️ How professional investors think about year-end positioning ✔️ Why commodities thrive when rates fall and currencies weaken ✔️ How to audit your portfolio properly over Christmas ✔️ Why long-term investors shouldn’t fear all-time highs 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insight and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. December Incentive – Get 5% cashback on your investments: FOR A LIMITED TIME WE’VE DOUBLED OUR OFFER: GET 10% CASHBACK UP TO £200. Open a new account and invest a minimum of £50 by 31 December, and keep at least £50 invested until March. | |||
| Quantitative Easing Explained: Has the Golden Santa Rally Begun? | 12 Dec 2025 | 00:37:46 | |
Rich McDonald, Mark “Spice” Holden and Chris Fellingham are joined once again by economist Stu Thompson for a wide-ranging episode that uncovers why QE and the Fed Cuts might just be kicking off the Santa Rally, and how it's multiplying your portfolio returns. From blockbuster takeover bids and trillion-dollar IPO rumours, to a surprise return of quantitative easing and rising long-dated bond yields, the team unpack a week full of “toppy” signals, and explain why the bond market may be quietly flashing warning lights beneath the surface. Along the way, they dig into the Fed’s latest rate cut, what’s really driving equity markets higher, and why Santa’s rally might not be as smooth as investors are hoping. This Week’s Highlights 📉 Fed Cuts - But Changes the Game The Federal Reserve cuts rates by 25bps, but quietly reintroduces QE at the short end of the bond market, earlier and more aggressively than expected. 📊 Bond Market Warning Signs US, Japanese and global long-dated bond yields rise despite rate cuts, raising questions about inflation, credibility, and future growth. 🎥 Mega Deals & Market Froth A $75bn+ bidding war for Warner Bros and rumours of a SpaceX IPO at a $1.5tn valuation spark debate about market peaks. 📈 Rotation Under the Surface While big tech cools, the Russell 2000 hits fresh highs, signalling rotation into smaller US companies. 🤖 AI Reality Check Oracle disappoints, Nvidia cools, and capital expenditure concerns resurface, reminding investors that AI profits still need to show up in cash flows. 🎄 Is the Santa Rally at Risk? With central banks, payroll data, inflation prints and global bond markets all in focus, the team debate whether year-end optimism can survive. Special Guest – Stu Thompson (Economist) Stu helps decode what’s happening beneath the headlines: 📌 Why rising long-dated bond yields matter more than rate cuts 📌 What QE vs QT actually means for markets 📌 Why the yield curve is quietly steepening, and why that matters 📌 How AI productivity is changing growth and employment forecasts Portfolio Snapshot Weekly performance: +1.15% Total return since inception: +10.95% Top performers: 🥇 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +7.22% 🥈 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +7.20% 🥉 iShares Russell 2000 ETF: +1.52% Underperformers: 📉 WisdomTree Copper ETF: –0.90% 📉 Vanguard FTSE 250 ETF: –0.67% What You’ll Learn ✔️ Why equity markets can rise even as bond markets flash warnings ✔️ How QE can return without anyone ringing the alarm bell ✔️ Why the bond market sets the “price of risk” for everything else ✔️ What rising yields really say about inflation and credibility ✔️ How to spot market “froth” without panicking ✔️ Why catalysts matter more than valuation alone 📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insights and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in. December Incentive – Get 5% cashback on your investments: FOR A LIMITED TIME WE’VE DOUBLED OUR OFFER: GET 10% CASHBACK UP TO £200. Open a new account and invest a minimum of £... | |||
| Why Copper Belongs on Your Christmas List: How to Position Your Portfolio for a Santa Rally | 05 Dec 2025 | 00:59:23 | |
🏆 NOW AN AWARD-WINNING PODCAST Huge thank you to everyone who voted! TAOI just won Best Financial Podcast, Best Financial Analysis, and Best Investing Education at the Good Money Guide Awards. This week, Rich McDonald, Chris Fellingham and Mark “Spice” Holden break down one of the most complex macro weeks of the year. From Japan’s shock rate-rise chatter to a crypto wipeout, a commodities surge, and the portfolio’s push toward being fully invested for the potential Santa Rally…yes, we’ve added more copper! We answer a few listener questions; 1. Should all investors be using a stop loss? 2. How to manage positions when taking profits and managing the downside risk? 3. Should we all have an annual target return for our ISAs and how to manage investments when you hit your target early? This Week’s Highlights
Macro Deep Dive: Japan, Yields & Why It Matters The team translate Japan’s bond market into plain English:
Portfolio Snapshot (as referenced in-episode — not final weekly numbers) Weekly Performance: +0.68% Total Return Since Inception: +9.8% Top Performers: 🥇 BlackRock World Mining Trust: +5.4% 🥈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +3.34% 🥉 VanEck Crypto & Blockchain Innovators ETF: +2.55% Underperformers: 🇮🇳 iShares MSCI India ETF: –2.94% 🌏 iShares Core MSCI EM IMI ETF: –0.93% 🇯🇵 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: –0.64% Actions Taken: We are now fully invested heading into year-end. • +2.5% WisdomTree Copper ETF • Cash now fully deployed, with Gilts acting as defensive ballast What You’ll Learn
📈 Download the full Portfolio Performance Slides View the portfolio breakdown: here 📧 Get in touch: theartofinvesting@ig.com Subscribe for weekly investing insights and to follow the live portfolio in real time. Disclaimer This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes. | |||