In this special “Situation Update” episode, Lance Peltz unpacks the rapidly evolving global landscape and its economic implications.

Lance offers a grounded, no-predictions perspective on geopolitical tensions, highlighting how disruption to energy, materials, and supply chains is driving inflation, market volatility, and consumer pressure worldwide. From oil and LNG dynamics to emerging-market vulnerability, the conversation explores how conflict directly translates into economic stress.

They also examine investor behaviour, shifting market structures, and growing concerns about private credit, AI-driven change, and speculative trends in assets such as silver and Bitcoin.

With no clear end in sight, this episode provides a sharp, sober view of markets in flux—and the deeper structural shifts shaping the global order.

In this special episode, the roles are reversed as Adrian takes the interviewer’s seat to speak with Dave about a subject that is both deeply personal and increasingly relevant: neurodiversity, late ADHD diagnosis, and the profound impact this can have on our relationship with money.

Dave reflects on being diagnosed with ADHD later in life, prompted initially by his children’s experiences and a growing realisation that many lifelong patterns finally had an explanation. What follows is a candid discussion of how neurodiversity shapes how people process information, manage attention, experience boredom, and engage with complex topics such as finance, risk, and long-term planning.

Together, Adrian and Dave explore:

• What neurodiversity really means, and why it is neurological rather than psychological
• How ADHD can manifest in adulthood, from hyperfocus and creativity to difficulty with documents, money, and future planning
• The hidden risks neurodiverse individuals can face in financial decision-making, particularly around trust and complexity
• Why traditional financial advice frameworks often fail to capture people’s true relationship with money
• How advisers can communicate more effectively by adapting how information is presented, rather than assuming one size fits all
• The growing role of AI in financial understanding, and why human oversight remains essential

The conversation also looks forward, asking how AI could help bridge gaps in financial literacy and accessibility, especially for those who struggle with conventional formats, while warning against blind reliance on automated advice.

Above all, this episode is about understanding brains, not labelling them, and recognising that neurodiversity is not a weakness but often a source of insight, creativity, and commercial instinct. For Dave, diagnosis became “a key unlocking the brain” — and a catalyst for healthier relationships with money, family, and self-understanding.

This is a thoughtful, honest episode for anyone interested in neurodiversity, financial well-being, and the future of advice in an AI-enabled world.

In this special Budget edition of Bassline, Dave is joined by Adrian and Lance for a frank, occasionally exasperated, unpacking of what was billed as one of the most hyped UK budgets in years. That hype, they agree, was largely fuelled by weeks of political kite-flying, leaks, reversals, and noise. When the moment finally arrived, the reality felt underwhelming.

All three describe a budget shaped more by political caution than genuine economic strategy — with major measures postponed years into the future, uncertainty built in, and little that resembles a credible plan for growth. The ongoing freeze on allowances (‘fiscal drag’) is likely to be the largest source of revenue, yet it affects nearly everyone. Meanwhile, adjustments to dividend, savings, and rental income tax are seen as regressive and unlikely to generate much revenue.

They also question the logic of changes such as reducing the cash ISA allowance and the long-term introduction of a “mansion tax”-style measure, which appears more like the start of a wealth-tax conversation than a serious revenue raiser.

From a market perspective, Lance explains that gilts and FX barely reacted, suggesting relief more than confidence. He notes the UK remains inexpensive by global standards but faces structural headwinds, so he has been rotating some exposure towards Asia and emerging markets.

Bright spots do exist — mostly things not done. Pension tax-free cash remains intact, inheritance tax reforms didn't materialise, and some pension rules have now been clarified, providing advisers with a clearer path for future planning. However, nothing in the budget prompts immediate action from clients.

The conversation closes with a shared sense of anticlimax. The UK’s entrepreneurial backbone — small businesses — receives little meaningful support, and uncertainty hangs over almost every long-dated measure. “Meh” becomes the most honest verdict.