Investors' Chronicle

In this week’s episode we delve into FTSE 100 testing and assurance company Intertek (ITRK), which has had an action-packed few days: board changes, a strategic review, and a rejected bid offer from a private equity investor. Valeria Martinez explains everything you need to know.Then we look to renewable energy investment trusts, which have enjoyed increased interest over the past month amid the US/Iran war and resultant rise in power prices. Holly McKechnie tells us which trusts stand to benefit the most, and we consider whether greater urgency over the energy transition means better times ahead.Finally, we discuss microfinance lender ASA International (ASAI.L), which has been on a tear over the past year. Julian Hofmann reports on what’s been driving the business forward and whether it can continue.Read more here:Intertek rejects EQT takeover approachThe complete guide to buying investment trustsASA International’s microfinance push pays offTimestamps00:00 Intro01:01 Intertek9:45 Renewables trusts19:19 ASAListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTube

In this week’s show we discuss the temporary ceasefire in the Middle East – if it is really appropriate to call it that – and consider whether the announcement has done anything to lighten a global economic outlook that has looked increasingly gloomy for the past few weeks. Investors have certainly priced in a fair amount of relief. We discuss if they are right to do so, and what happens next. Julian Hofmann has the details.Our big read this week, meanwhile, is about a continent that could be particularly affected by the energy shock – Africa – albeit, as Chris Akers explains, it’s far from a monolithic bloc and there’s the potential for both winners and losers. Chris tells us about the UK companies that have set up in Africa and why the investment opportunities take in everything from resources to telecoms.To finish, we delve into specialist engineer Senior, which feeds into many of the hot sectors of the moment, but it’s had a topsy turvy time of it in recent months. That has now culminated in a takeover approach – Mark Robinson discusses whether that represents good value for holders and whether a rival approach could emerge.Read more hereCeasefire updates, Shell & Close Brothers: Markets liveHow investors can make the most of the Africa opportunitySenior backs £1.3bn private equity buyoutTimestamps:00:00 Intro01:15 US/Iran ceasefire12:46 Africa26:20 SeniorListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle on Apple, Spotify and YouTube or by clicking here

We begin the show with consumer goods giant Unilever (ULVR) – soon to be somewhat smaller, given the $45bn spin-off of its foods business to US spice and sauce maker McCormick (MKC). The reaction to the news, though, has been distinctly underwhelming. Erin Withey examines what it means for Unilever’s future.Then we turn to Berkeley (BKG), the housebuilder, which, this week, published an unscheduled negative update, less than three weeks after it told investors everything was fine. Hugh Moorhead explores what the company’s retrenchment says about the UK’s wider housebuilding goals.Lastly, we discuss what is perhaps the UK’s very own meme stock – microcomputer maker Raspberry Pi (RPI). Its shares rose almost 50 per cent in one day following its full-year results. Arthur Sants explains how the company ended up part of the AI boom and whether there’s a decent business underneath it all.Read more here:Why the market is turning against Unilever’s $45bn food dealRaspberry Pi ups sales volumes but margins tightenEpisode timestamps:00:00 Intro01:21 Unilever09:54 Berkeley Group18:30 Raspberry PiListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle Apple, Spotify and YouTube or by clicking here

At £5.7bn, Artemis Global Income is one of the largest global income funds available to UK investors. It posted enthusiastic returns in 2025, well above what you would normally expect from this kind of strategy. But has this made the portfolio holdings expensive, and where does it go from here?Manager Jacob de Tusch-Lec talks to Val Cipriani about being nervous about what comes next, whether the war in Iran means 2022 all over again for stock markets, and how he feels about AI. Timestamps00:00 Intro01:07 What is Artemis Global Income?02:26 Three buckets04:21 Importance of valuation05:40 Recent performance10:49 Are we going back to 2022?16:20 AI investments19:19 Financial industry24:05 Is there value in the UK?27:26 Recent changes32:50 When to sell34:21 Emerging markets

It’s been another seesaw week as the world weighs up the chances of an end, or at least a cessation, to hostilities in the US-Israeli war with Iran. President Donald Trump is taking a more conciliatory tone, but in this case, a U-turn is not in his gift alone and with Iran talking tough, the optimism of earlier in the week has started to ebb as we record today’s show.The episode starts by looking in more detail at some of the implications of the continued pressure on the Strait of Hormuz, the key global shipping route that has in effect been put out of action by the war. Alex Hamer is here to discuss the implications for everything from energy (and UK energy policy) and fertiliser to helium. The broad conclusion is of course that prices are going up, but we dig into the detail during the show.We move on to look at one early victim of the uncertainty in the shape of UK engineer and private investor favourite Goodwin (GDWN), whose shares halved this week on a disappointing trading update. Alex Newman will consider the extent to which some of these problems were of its own making – or at least down to poor communications.Finally, amid all the uncertainty – and rising bond yields – the stability of an annuity may look more attractive to some of those in or approaching retirement. Holly McKechnie is with us to talk about the pros and cons of the products.Episode time stamps:00:00 Intro01:33 Strait of Hormuz17:38 Goodwin33:52 AnnuitiesListen to more podcasts from Investors’ Chronicle Apple, Spotify and YouTube or by clicking here

Val Cipriani and Holly McKechnie are back with a new episode of Women & Wealth, and unpack the UK’s student loan system and growing debt burden facing graduates.The funds editor and personal finance editor for Investors’ Chronicle explore why women often end up paying more, how repayment rules really work, and what the system means for your finances.Student loans have undergone several reinventions over recent years, but the current focus is largely on Plan 2 loans, taken out by undergraduates between 2012 and 2022. These have become particularly onerous following changes made by the Conservative government in 2022.Val and Holly look at the three key repayment terms to be aware of, and the other factors that affect how much you pay back.Maternity, salary gap and employment opportunities in fields studied more by women mean that the student loans issue disproportionately affects them. Val and Holly discuss this, as well as how to minimise your exposure and pay less over the long term.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:58 The state of student loans01:50 Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 5 student loans04:40 Why Plan 2 is so bad08:20 Loan or tax10:15 Why it impacts women more13:45 Is Plan 5 better?15:11 What you can do about it17:22 When you should overpayRead more on the student loan issue on Investors' Chronicle:How to survive the student loan systemWomen 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.