The show starts unpacking the latest results from equipment hire company Ashtead (AHT). Mark Robinson analyses the outlook for US construction spending, the company’s sensitivity to tariffs and its valuation. It’s then on to Ashtead’s smaller rival Speedy Hire (SDY), which is closing some of its depots due to rising staff costs. Listen to find out everything investors need to know.

Next up is one of the IC's Ideas of the Year, which are putting in a strong performance again in 2025. Pensions consultancy XPS Pensions (XPS) reported full-year figures earlier this week – Julian Hofmann asks if its booming business can continue.

Lastly, our Big Read on the medical technology sector. Mark Robinson covers the issues facing the industry, the options for investors and a potential tariff winner.

Timestamps

1:50 Ashtead

9:20 Speedy Hire

18:29 XPS Pensions

27:36 Medtech

Read more on these topics:

Ashtead stymied by falling used equipment sales

Speedy Hire attempts to boost efficiencies as HMRC loads costs

The cutting-edge medtech stocks worth owning

Listen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

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Relationships are an important aspect in anyone's life; a matter of the heart but also one for your bank account. In the second episode of Women and Wealth, a video podcast series from Investors' Chronicle, personal finance editor Val Cipriani and digital production journalist Madelaine Apthorpe look at what women should be thinking about as they find true love.

Val looks at how women can protect their personal finance in entering a relationship and the important things to take into account as you move through the relationship stages of moving in with your beloved, getting married and having children. Madi discusses with Val how you should split the bills, whilst asking about rental contracts and what support is offered with the likes of Lisas and other savings accounts.

Val also answers our reader's question about what financial considerations should be made as she weighs up getting married. Madi and Val look at whether married couple tax benefits offsets the ridiculous price of wedding flowers and how women can protect their personal finances as they enter into deeper financial ties with their partner.

Women and Wealth is a six part podcast series from Investors’ Chronicle. You can listen and watch the episodes, alongside our other podcasts, on Apple, Spotify and YouTube and be sure to subscribe to Investors' Chronicle to get all your investing news and advice.

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Valeria Martinez begins the show by unpacking FirstGroup’s (FGP) results. Valeria and Dan explore how the renationalisation of rail franchises is affecting the business, the timeline for other franchise nationalisations and how the company looks compared with its peers.

Next, materials company Oxford Instruments (OXIG), which this week announced it was selling its quantum business for £60mn. Julian Hofmann looks at what it will focus on instead, its exposure to tariffs and more.

Last up, Alex Newman joins to discuss Blue Whale Growth holding Philip Morris (US:PM). It differs vastly from the fund’s typical tech holdings, and the tobacco company is now considered an ESG stock by some. Listen to find out the latest investment case.

Timestamps

1:46 FirstGroup

12:42 Oxford Instruments

21:38 Philip Morris and Blue Whale Growth

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Why don’t women invest more than they currently do? In this new podcast series from Investors’ Chronicle, personal finance editor Val Cipriani and digital production journalist Madelaine Apthorpe look into the financial decisions and issues facing women in the UK.

In the first episode, Val and Madi look at the investment gap and why women should invest more. Boring Money research estimates that there are 3.3mn more male than female investors in the UK. In monetary terms, the gender investment gap in the UK is around £678bn, roughly the size of Switzerland’s economy. As of 2022, British men had on average about £93,000 more in total wealth than women, a gap of 35 per cent.

Val and Madi explore why women tend not to invest as much as men, looking at the research that suggests that when women do invest, they’re often better at it. Val explains how to approach your appetite for risk and what women who are considering investing should do as first steps.

Women and Wealth is a six part podcast series from Investors’ Chronicle. You can listen and watch the episodes, alongside our other podcasts, on Apple, Spotify and YouTube and be sure to subscribe to Investors' Chronicle to get all your investing news and advice.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to Women and Wealth, the new six part podcast series from Investors' Chronicle, looking at the world of investing and personal finance issues facing women. Join personal finance editor Val Cipriani and digital production journalist Madelaine Apthorpe as they explain and advise on everything from how to invest to asking for pay rise at work in the video podcast series.

Across the six initial episodes, Val and Madi will discuss the investment gap; as men vastly outweigh women in investing, how to look after your finances in a relationship and moving in with your partner. Looking at the gender pay gap and how women can make sure they're getting fair pay for their work, Madi speaks with The Financial Times' Isabel Berwick about pay and work on tips to getting a better pay check.

Other episodes look at the single women penalty, how to make the most of retirement as a woman and in an episode looking how motherhood can affect your personal finances, Val sits down with Alice Guy, a chartered accountant and mother of four.

Women and Wealth is a six part podcast series from Investors' Chronicle. You can listen and watch the episodes, alongside our other podcasts, on Apple, Spotify and YouTube.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the week the UK launched its strategic defence review, Dan Jones is joined by Christopher Akers to discuss the latest half-year figures from UK defence specialist Chemring (CHG), which have come in ahead of analyst consensus and reveal a record order book of £1.3bn.

We then move further afield to Latin America, where stock markets have bounced back after a difficult 2024. Holly McKechnie joins the show to talk about the funds making the most of the rally.

Moving back to the UK, companies editor Mark Robinson then joins Dan to discuss another company that has done well in recent days and weeks, Paragon Banking (PAG). What differentiates it from its peers?

Timestamps

1:17 UK Defence Spending

11:30 Latin America

19:11 Paragon Bank

More on these topics:

Chemring points to strategic defence review benefits as order book swells

The Latin American funds with the most potential

Paragon Banking beats expectations and upgrades outlook

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We start with FTSE 250 retailer Pets at Home (PETS), whose veterinary arm is now making more than the retail business. Mark Robinson unpacks why this may be, the outlook for the year ahead and the valuation case.

Our cover feature on 25 years of volatility is next. Julian Hofmann shares a quick recap of the more serious issues investors have dealt with over this period, the lessons learnt and more.

Last up, BT (BT). The business's revenue declined year-on-year, but both Ebitda and normalised free cash flow were on the rise. Dan Jones and Mark Robinson unpack what’s been going on at the company.

Timestamps

1:25 Pets at Home

14:31 25 years of volatility

23:14 BT

More on these topics

Pets at Home boosted by higher-margin vet services

Investing lessons from the past 25 years

BT’s rationalisation boosts cash flows

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Diploma’s latest results proved that investors’ confidence in the company is justified. Valeria Martinez joins Dan Jones to unpack the case for the specialist manufacturer, and whether its valuation is becoming stretched.

Alex Newman, author of this week’s Big Read on global tracker funds, discusses the contradictions that exist in the popular products and what investors can do to overcome them.

We wrap up with Alex Hamer on why it might be the end of the road for the cobalt bull run, and China’s role in this shift.

Timestamps

1:28 Diploma

10:49 Global stock market trackers

25:58 Cobalt

More on these topics:

Diploma hits all-time high after raising guidance

Global trackers are broken – here’s how investors can fix them

Is it finally time for cobalt to make a comeback?

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