The Magnificent Seven could make up a much bigger slice of your own portfolio than you realise, but what are these seven stocks, and why are they so dominant? In our new miniseries The Five Minute Investor, consumer editor Claer Barrett challenges FT markets columnist Katie Martin to explain the hype around these gigantic US stocks. Tune in every Tuesday to catch the latest episode of the Five Minute Investor, and subscribe to Money Clinic wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like...

‘If I try to put myself back into the shoes of me as a 21-year-old, all I can tell you is this: I was hungry,’ writes Gary Stevenson in his recently released memoir, The Trading Game, which tells the story of how the son of a Post Office worker briefly became the highest-paid trader working on Citi’s bond trading floor at London’s Canary Wharf. He sits down with host Claer Barrett to talk about what he learned about trading and how the wider economy works – and why he’s worried. Find Gary...

Introducing Money Clinic’s Five Minute Investor, a miniseries hosted by Claer Barrett, the FT’s consumer editor. In each episode, Claer challenges top financial commentators to break down financial jargon in just five minutes, making you a smarter, and hopefully richer, investor. Tune in every Tuesday, and subscribe to Money Clinic wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like Claer to demystify an investment term, email the team at [email protected] or send Claer a DM on social media — she’s...

The main stock index in the UK, the FTSE 100, includes some of the biggest and most profitable multinational companies in the world. But in recent years the index has trailed the US markets and is now considerably cheaper. In this episode of the FT’s Unhedged podcast, introduced by Money Clinic’s Claer Barrett, reporters Ethan Wu and Rob Armstrong ask if investors are overlooking a bargain.  Want more? Read Claer Barrett’s latest FT article, The hunt for good value UK stocks.  Find Unhedged...

Deborah Meaden, star of the hit BBC show “Dragons’ Den” is one of the highest-profile investors in the UK, famed for grilling entrepreneurs who want to secure financial backing for their businesses. In this episode of Money Clinic, first aired in October 2023, Deborah speaks to host Claer Barrett about how she goes about picking which companies to invest in, her commitment to green investment choices and her latest book, “Why Money Matters”, which explains money and finance to children.  For...

With just days to go until the end of the tax year, it’s peak season for British savers and investors to make the most of their £20,000 annual Isa allowance before it renews on April 6. Whether you’re a beginner or a more seasoned investor, this episode clearly explains the tax benefits of Isas, how these work in practice and some common investment strategies. Host Claer Barrett breaks down the different types of Isas with FT Money columnist Moira O’Neill and Timi Merriman-Johnson, the...

Hot on the heels of a UK Budget announcement that promised to boost the childcare offer for working families, host Claer Barrett marks International Women’s Day by speaking to a panel of experts about the true cost of childcare, and how investing in this “essential infrastructure” could boost the UK economy as well as helping to close the gender pay and gender pensions gap. On the panel are ‘Flex Appeal’ campaigner Anna Whitehouse, known to her social media audience as Mother Pukka, Joeli...

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has delivered a £10bn tax-cutting Budget, promising to create a “new generation of investors” — but what does he actually have in store for our personal finances? Host Claer Barrett is joined by an expert panel to discuss tax changes coming in April, with higher-earning working parents set to see the biggest boost. Armed with direct guidance from HMRC, Miranda Green, the FT’s deputy opinion editor and Rafe Uddin, FT politics reporter, talk us through changes to child...

Investors are expecting artificial intelligence to power the next tech revolution - but are they right? Positive numbers from AI chipmaker Nvidia have powered a global stock market rally in recent weeks, with valuations of the so-called Magnificent Seven soaring as AI enters the mainstream. In this episode, Claer sits down with “AI maximalist” Ben Rogoff, lead fund manager of the £3.5bn Polar Capital Technology Trust. With more than 80 per cent of his fund’s underlying investments aimed at...

Most people know that you need a good credit score to be able to borrow money, but how to start building one is a mystery. First aired in June 2022, in this episode of Money Clinic, host and FT consumer editor Claer Barrett sits down with listener Emma, 22, who has never been in debt before, aside from her student loans. Emma has heard that getting a credit card could increase her chances of taking out a mortgage in the future, but before she applies for one, what does she need to consider?...

This bonus season, will the UK’s top earners invest their payouts tax-efficiently into pensions and Isas, or use them to pay down debts? In this episode, Money Clinic host Claer Barrett and FT communities editor Lucy Warwick-Ching discuss key findings from nearly 3,000 responses to the FT’s annual anonymous bonus survey. They are joined by Nimesh Shah, the tax expert and CEO of advisory firm Blick Rothenberg, and financial planner Adam Walkom, partner at Permanent Wealth Partners and author...

The viral ‘finfluencer’ Clare Seal, better known by her handle, My Frugal Year, to her almost 120,000 Instagram followers, is known for her compassionate approach to managing debt. Having cleared £27,000 of credit card debt, the author and financial coach sat down with host Claer Barrett to share practical tips on how to start repaying debt, manage the cost of parenthood and address feelings of shame surrounding indebtedness. If you need to speak to someone about your debts, please seek...

Will taxes rise or fall in next month’s Spring Budget? Host Claer Barrett visits the recently appointed financial secretary to the Treasury, Nigel Huddleston. He addresses the topic of tax cuts as well as listener concerns about static personal allowance thresholds, reduced entitlements to child benefit and ISA withdrawal penalties.  Back in the studio, FT’s Whitehall editor and Political Fix podcast host Lucy Fisher joins Claer to scratch beneath the surface of the minister’s comments on...

The broadcaster and investment commentator, Justin Urquhart-Stewart, is well-known to millions for wearing bright red braces during his many TV appearances explaining the ups and downs of the investment world. The co-founder and former director of Seven Investment Management sat down with host Claer Barrett to recount his decades-long City career, during which time the ability for retail investors to put their capital to work has become measurably easier - and cheaper.  For more tips on how...

Niamh is 24 but she wants to make sure she’s in a financially stable position when she is older. How should she go about saving and investing for her long-term future? Presenter Claer Barrett is joined by Holly Mackay, founder of Boring Money, and financial planner Michael Martin, founder of Cannizaro, who discuss the pros and cons of private and workplace pensions, Lifetime Isas, mortgage overpayments and index investing. Want more? Check out Claer’s column: Why do we think we can beat the...

Introducing Untold, a new podcast from the special investigations team at the Financial Times. In its first series, The Retreat, host Madison Marriage examines the world of the Goenka network, which promotes a type of intensive meditation known as Vipassana. Thousands of people go on Goenka retreats every year. People rave about them. But some people go to these meditation retreats, and they suffer. They might feel a deep sense of terror, or a break with reality. And on the other side,...

Mortgage lenders are cutting their rates. That’s good news for anyone thinking of buying or remortgaging a property. Presenter Claer Barrett and a panel of experts answer questions from listeners looking to switch, lock in a new rate, or wondering whether to go from fixed to variable rate deals. With Andrew Montlake, managing director of Coreco mortgage brokers, mortgage advisor Dan Knott, aka Dan Does Mortgages, and Rachael Sinclair, managing director for mortgages at Nationwide. For more...

First aired in September 2022, Claer Barrett takes to the supermarket aisles to find the best tips for keeping the cost of the weekly food shop to a minimum. She hears from Laura Gaga aka Reduction Raider on how and where to find yellow sticker bargains, while Richard Walker, managing director of Iceland supermarkets, explains why his chain has introduced interest-free buy-now-pay-later loans for struggling customers. Follow Laura Gaga on instagram @reduction_raider1 And if you would like to...

‘If you can tell a good story,’ says Morgan Housel, ‘you’ll get people to line up and listen to you.’ In this episode of Money Clinic, Morgan shares some of those stories with host Claer Barrett and challenges us to think differently about our attitude to wealth and wealth creation.  To sign up for Claer's Sort Your Financial Life Out money series, visit FT.com/moneycourse More information on Morgan Housel and his books: https://www.morganhousel.com/ Follow Claer on social media @Claerb and...

With the bills rolling in after Christmas, this week’s episode is devoted to helping listeners tackle their credit card debts on a practical and emotional level - no matter how big or small they might be. Host Claer Barrett hears from experienced debt adviser Sara Williams of the popular Debt Camel blog and Instagram account, Helen Saxon, deputy editor of Money Saving Expert, and Dr Pamela Roberts, a shopping addiction specialist at the Priory Clinic. They give tips on balance transfers and...

If you’re looking for inspiration for managing your money more effectively in 2024, this episode is for you! Claer Barrett is joined in the FT studio by popular financial experts Bola Sol, Timi Merriman-Johnson aka Mr MoneyJar, and Damien Jordan. Between them they offer a wealth of tips for navigating next year’s expected financial challenges and share their own money stories and strategies. To sign up for Claer's Sort Your Financial Life Out money course, visit FT.com/moneycourse If you...

Algy Hall has four strategies for seeking out stocks that will outperform the index, highlighted in his new book Four Ways to Beat the Market. They are: quality, value, income, and momentum. Each one homes in on a very different kind of company – from the undisputed champion to the comeback kid, and from the slow-but-steady to the on-a-roll. Presenter Claer Barrett gets Algy to explain the thinking behind each strategy. The two also reminisce about their time working together as financial...

Lord John Lee of Trafford was the first person in the UK to reach £1mn invested in his stocks and shares ISA. He has a clear strategy based around choosing UK smallcap companies that pay dividends. This is another chance to hear him in conversation with presenter Claer Barrett, explaining his investment strategy and how he chooses stocks. To sign up for Claer's Sort Your Financial Life Out email series, visit this link  Want more? My Isa has suffered - but I’m still a firm believer How to...

Global equity funds are a mainstay in most investors’ portfolios, but few peer under the bonnet to examine the gigantic, global companies included in these investments. Host Claer Barrett speaks to veteran investor and FT columnist Simon Edelsten about the ‘Magnificent Seven’ US tech stocks that comprise up to a quarter of the weighting in some global trackers. Can their impressive performance in 2023 continue? Simon considers the potential impact of big global trends including higher...