Merryn Talks Money

Latest Episodes:

The Contrarian Case for London Real Estate After a Decade of Stagnation Apr 15, 2026

Show notes

It might surprise some listeners, but UK-wide house prices have delivered only negligible returns after inflation over the past decade, note Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek, and London prices have actually fallen sharply in real terms. Rising interest rates, taxes, and political uncertainty continue to weigh heavily on the market. Yet guest Daniel Austin, chief executive of ASK Partners, suggests that while high transaction costs and policy risks remain a hurdle, prime central London may still look attractive at current levels to global investors with an eye for a bargain.

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Why You Should Wait Out AI’s Super-Spending False Start Apr 13, 2026

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Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Janusz Marecki, CEO & Founder of Fractal Brain and AI Partner at Ahren Innovation Capital, for an insider perspective on AI hype vs. reality—and what may come next. The focus is on large language models (LLMs)—and whether they are hitting fundamental limits. Marecki discusses the data ceiling (we’ve used most high-quality internet data), diminishing returns from scaling compute and persistent issues like hallucinations and probabilistic errors.

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Markets Wrap: Ceasefire Uncertainty, Energy Supply Shocks, and Chancellor Miliband? Apr 10, 2026

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On this week’s markets wrap, Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Helen Thomas of Blonde Money about how Middle East tensions are creating lasting energy disruptions despite ceasefire uncertainty. They warn this could drive persistent inflation and leave the UK particularly exposed.

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Cambridge Professor Helen Thompson on the Iran War, Energy Markets and Britain’s Risks Apr 06, 2026

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As the US-Israel war with Iran upends global energy flows, Professor Helen Thompson joins Merryn Talks Money to explain what the shock means for oil, gas, supply chains and the wider world economy. They discuss why this may mark the end of any return to “normal” in energy markets, how Asia and Europe could be hit differently, and why Britain’s energy strategy now looks dangerously exposed.

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Active vs Passive: How to Help Your Kids Invest Apr 01, 2026

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On this week's Merryn Talks Money personal finance episode, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek answer an interesting listener question surrounding the active vs passive debate. The pair look at financial data spanning the past 40 years to help a listener understand the pros and cons of active vs passive investing and why passive investing isn't truly passive.

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Why Investors Are Rotating Into Commodities with BlackRock's Evy Hambro Mar 30, 2026

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Why did gold fail to protect portfolios during the latest market shock? In this episode of Merryn Talks Money, Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Evy Hambro, global head of thematic and sector investing at BlackRock, about the violent moves in gold and silver, the new energy risk premium, and why commodities may be entering a powerful new cycle. They discuss inflation, interest rates, energy security, mining valuations, AI-driven demand for materials, and why investors may need to rethink how much exposure they have to gold, energy and broader commodity equities.

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Markets Wrap: Gold, Bonds and Bitcoin Struggle as War Uncertainty Clouds Investor Outlook Mar 27, 2026

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In this week’s markets wrap, John Stepek, senior reporter and author of the Money Distilled newsletter, and Bloomberg Opinion's Marcus Ashworth discuss how geopolitical uncertainty is leaving investors with few clear safe havens, as gold, bonds, and currencies all behave unpredictably while cash gains appeal.

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What's Eating Away at Inheritance Money Mar 25, 2026

Show notes

Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek speak with Paula Steele, director at John Lamb Hill Oldridge, about how to pass on an inheritance efficiently — minimising tax, managing the succession process, and avoiding unintended effects on beneficiaries’ motivation. The conversation was recorded at a live Bloomberg.com subscriber event in London on March 17.

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The Convergence Trade: Cathie Wood’s Boldest Predictions Mar 23, 2026

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Cathie Wood, CEO and CIO of Ark Investment Management, joins Merryn Somerset Webb to make the bullish case for the next era of innovation. From AI, robotaxis and CRISPR to Bitcoin, Tesla and SpaceX, she lays out the technologies she believes will drive faster growth, lower costs and major market disruption.

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Inflation Isn’t Done: Why the Next Shock Could Be Worse Mar 20, 2026

Show notes

Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Troy Asset Management founder and chief investment officer Sebastian Lyon to unpack why markets look eerily calm despite mounting geopolitical shocks—and why investors should be far more focused on protecting wealth than chasing returns. Lyon argues we’ve entered a new era of sticky inflation, fragile portfolios, and looming risks in government bonds. He talks about how he’s positioning for volatility, and offers some ideas for navigating markets when the old rules—like 60/40—no longer apply. This conversation was recorded at a live Bloomberg.com subscriber event in London on March 17.

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