Is the AI boom just a bubble or the start of something bigger? Host Merryn Somerset Webb sits down with Rob Arnott, founder and chairman of the board of Research Affiliates, to compare artificial intelligence mania with the dot-com era, unpack sky-high valuations and market concentration while exploring what rising competition, power constraints and Capex mean for Nvidia and the “Magnificent Seven.” Arnott shares a pragmatic playbook—fade frothy winners, favor fundamentals (including his RAFI approach) and look to small caps, the UK and emerging markets—plus candid takes on Bitcoin and holding a little gold as insurance.

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US economist Arthur Laffer — the man behind the famous “Laffer Curve” — joins Merryn Talks Money to explain why he thinks Western economies, especially the UK, have pushed taxes too far. As Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares for her next budget, Laffer warns Britain is heading for stagnation, not growth. He makes the case for a radical rethink: lower taxes, less red tape, and a return to pro-growth policies inspired by Reagan, Kennedy, and Thatcher. Tune in to hear why he believes the UK could be on the brink of an economic revival — if it dares to change course.

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Host John Stepek and author of the Money Distilled newsletter is joined by Bloomberg reporter Helen Chandler-Wilde and Stuart Trow, author of “Young, Poor and Totally Screwed” to unpack one of the Labour government's key reforms; the Renters’ Rights Act.

The act, which has just received Royal Assent, aims to moderate rent increases, ban “no-fault” evictions, and end fixed-term tenancies. But without any meaningful supply side reforms, there are questions over how effective the new policy will be. Indeed, there are risks that it could do more harm than good, particularly to those already struggling to find accommodation, as tighter regulation and higher costs encourage more landlords to leave an already overly-tight market.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/explainers/how-to-uk-landlord-new-renters-rights-bill?utm_source=website&utm_medium=share&utm_campaign=copy

Sign up for the budget event:
https://go.bloomberg.com/attend/invite/post-budget-merryn-talks-money/

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On this week’s market wrap, host and author of the Money Distilled newsletter, John Stepek is joined by Bloomberg Opinion columnist Marcus Ashworth to dissect the latest market moves. The pair discuss the pullback in gold and other precious metals, falling bond yields amid expectations of rate cuts from the Federal Reserve and Bank of England, and consider how the election of Japan’s new Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, could shape the country’s markets and investor sentiment.

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Neil Shearing, group chief economist at Capital Economics and author of The Fractured Age, argues hyper-globalization is giving way to a world split into US- and China-centric blocs, reshaping trade, technology, and security. He explains why de-risking will likely be concentrated in strategic sectors (chips, batteries, biotech), bringing more volatile inflation and new portfolio implications—from being cautious on China exposure to watching critical minerals and long-run AI-driven U.S. tech.

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On this week's markets wrap, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek unpack a series of headlines that seem to confirm their long-standing warnings — from fiscal cracks and risky lending to energy costs and gold’s sudden rise. They connect the dots between market anxiety, political inaction, and the “outbreaks of reality” shaping the UK economy.

Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-10-15/uk-s-top-energy-suppliers-warn-bills-will-surge-on-grid-upgrades

Check out that video: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/b8c78c69-0d5b-46eb-8692-68ce2c5cf274

Listen back: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/why-new-rules-are-needed-to-avoid-war-in-space-pippa-malmgren/id1654809850?i=1000638621310

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In this episode of Merryn Talks Your Money, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek unpack the FCA’s decision to lift its ban on retail access to crypto exchange-traded notes (ETNs). They discuss what ETNs are, how investors can buy them, and whether these regulated products really make crypto investing safer—or simply more accessible. Along the way, they debate crypto’s place in a portfolio, regulatory motivations, and the ongoing risks behind this “innovative finance” frontier.

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Activist investing is back. On this week's episode of Merryn Talks Money, Merryn Somerset Webb speaks with Joe Bauernfreund, chief executive of Asset Value Investors, about buying quality companies at deep discounts—and actively forcing a catalyst.

The conversation spans Japan’s ongoing governance-driven rerating, South Korea’s push to be the new Japan and moneymaking special situations from Mitsubishi Logistics to News Corp. They also unpack why AVI tilts away from the US, how private-equity trusts and buybacks can unlock value and what the future might be for the UK’s ailing investment trust industry.

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