It’s a week before Christmas, which means only one thing around these parts: our bumper double issue hits the shelves on Friday 19 December. In it, we look ahead to all things 2026, and we’re doing the same thing here today with our first segment. In a moment we’ll be taking a close look at the FTSE 100’s runaway performance this year and asking whether it can continue over the next 12 months. With a little bit of a glance across the Atlantic, too. Alex Newman will talk us through things.

After that, we turn to much shorter-term prospects. Because it’s Christmas, Mark Robinson has explored the origins of the Santa rally, and gets into the detail of when exactly we might expect one to take place this year, and why.

To wrap up for the year we finish with a special interest story of sorts: Holly McKechnie is here to discuss why crypto assets’ existential crisis, legally speaking that is, may have finally come to an end.

Timestamps:

0:59 FTSE's big year

16:57 The Santa Rally

26:15 Crypto ownership regulation

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Ethical investing is often seen as a way to align your money with your values, but what does it really mean in practice? In this episode of Women and Wealth, Investors’ Chronicle’s Val Cipriani is joined by Madi Apthorpe to explain how ethical investing works in practice, covering ESG labels, exclusions, impact, engagement and how investors can avoid greenwashing.

As more investors seek to support environmental sustainability, social responsibility and good governance, the ethical investing landscape has become increasingly complex. Val and Madi discuss how investors can navigate this space with confidence, the trade-offs involved, and whether investing ethically means sacrificing returns. They also explore how women investors in particular are approaching ethical considerations and what questions to ask before committing your money.

Women and Wealth is the monthly podcast series from Investors’ Chronicle. You can listen to and watch the episodes, alongside our other podcasts, on Apple, Spotify and YouTube.

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Alex Newman and Lord Lee are joined by Jerry Randall, CEO of Venture Life (VLG), a leader in the consumer self-care market. They discuss the companies history, the outlook for the wider sector and potential upcoming acquisitions.

Alex and Lord Lee then discuss recent changes to Lord Lee's portfolio, including his moves involving British house builders Taylor Wimpey (TW), and new position in food ad beverage operator SSP Group (SSPG). Alex and Lord Lee end with a look back on the last year of investing and how Lord Lee's ISA and non-ISA portfolios have performed.

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

2:15 Background on Venture Life

3:36 Selling off the manufacturer

6:09 How Lord Lee found Venture Life

8:03 Jerry Randall's background

9:07 Raising money from markets

11:59 Wellness industry & compliance

16:18 Acquisitions & future deals

28:20 Potential for dividends

32:41 Lord Lee on the budget

33:58 Update on Lord Lee's portfolio

35:47 ISA changes

38:03 Taylor Wimpey (TW)

40:03 New position in SSP

42:02 End of year portfolio roundup

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