Original Broadcast: The Financial Outlook for Personal Investors
Musing on President Trump's interest in Venezuela, Russ Mould of A J Bell believes that second-guessing geopolitics is brutally difficult, although he can see why defence stocks are back in vogue. While Venezuela's oil has been much discussed, the United States doesn't really need more oil, thanks to shale. However, China does, which might make the country seem more interesting to Trump. However, there are plenty of other commodities there too. In the markets, gold, silver and now copper are at new highs. The latter has plenty of practical applications, including being needed for EVs. But it takes 10 years to bring a mine onstream. It's interesting that the commodity indices have remained so depressed despite these gains, but the indices are weighed down heavily by oil and gas. If markets are right to expect decent economic growth, then it's not a bad environment for commodities and cyclicals.
Guests: Russ Mould
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Original Broadcast: The Bigger Picture
Political commentator Mike Indian says that President Trump's abduction of Nicolás Maduro sets a new and dangerous precedent in international relations. It's a spectacular gesture but a "gesture" is all that it is and it could further destabilise an already unstable country. Trump's stated aims for Greenland risk undermining NATO and relations between the US and Europe. Mike believes he is acting to create a legacy, exerting power in the most direct way he can. However, even the US could overextend itself and then find that it does, after all, need other countries. In the meantime, Trump's actions will simply embolden the world's autocrats. 2026 could be a very volatile year. In the UK, Keir Starmer looks to be in a stronger position than he was before Christmas. There does not seem to be a credible challenge to his leadership. To some extent, his unpopularity is now almost a boon, as it is out of the way.
Guests: Mike Indian
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Original Broadcast: Gadgets and Gizmos
Steve Caplin highlights the first week of the Consumer Electronics Show, salivating over Lego's new smart bricks, packed full of features but currently only available to those buying two Star Wars models. There's also a ridiculously large TV, a rapid icemaker, a trifold Samsung phone, a clever charging smart lock, a robot vacuum that can climb stairs and lollipops that play music via bone conduction while you're devouring them. Kawasaki are to make the robot horse that before was only a CGI video. AI art creators are complaining about their work being stolen, ironic since they stole it in the first place. Video business cards are looking for crowdfunding. And very precise 3D printing is going to be possible thanks to the use of mosquito proboscises.
Guests: Steve Caplin
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Original Broadcast: The Business Of Film
James Cameron-Wilson reports that 2025 was the best box office year for movies since the pandemic. With the new Avatar still #1, #2 is The Housemaid, a psychological thriller with Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried which is thoroughly entertaining, as long as you don't think too carefully about the plot. #3 is Marty Supreme, loosely based on a true story. Timothée Chalamet is a supremely-confident hustler turned table tennis player in a movie that, despite being two and a half hours long, flies by, helped by a great supporting cast of non-actors. Not so #6, Anaconda, in which Paul Rudd and Jack Black want to remake the forgettable 1997 monster movie of the same name. It's hard to combine comedy and horror successfully. This film fails. #7 is Song Sung Blue, based on a documentary, with Hugh Jackman as an unsympathetic Neil Diamond interpreter. In a film about second chances, Kate Hudson has never been better.
Guests: James Cameron-Wilson
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Original Broadcast: Thought for the Week
Trump's assault on Venezuela casts a major question mark over his claim to be a peacemaker — resorting to military action to deal with criminal activity is a poor substitute for international law and order. We urgently need to listen to Xi Jinping's call for global leadership — on a new basis of participation, not dominance. Background music: 'World's Sunrise' by Jimena Contreras Image source: Wikipedia
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Original Broadcast: Motley Fool Show
Emily Flippen is joined by Jason Hall and Keith Speights to unpack the biggest energy headlines of the past week and what they could mean for energy investors heading into 2026: how geopolitics and sanctions may impact oil pricing in the year ahead, whether or not the “energy transition” is still moving forward despite policy headwinds, and how energy investors should be feeling heading into the New Year after a lackluster 2025. Companies discussed: FANG, EOG, XOM, CVX, PCCYF, SNPMF, ENB, ET, EPD, FLSR, SEDG, CWEN, BIP, BEP, NUE, CAT, D, EVRG, META, PSX. Host — Emily Flippen; Guests — Jason Hall, Keith Speights.
Guests: Jason Hall,Keith Speights
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Original Broadcast: Motley Fool Show
Another profitable year is in the books for investors. Whether you invested in 2025 or are looking to get started, this episode is for you! Our hosts discuss some of the reasons why people struggle to make those New Year's resolutions work, and share tips on how they've built frameworks that can help you build a plan that works for you. Never made a resolution? Neither has one of today's hosts! Companies discussed: LMND, NVDA, AMD, CELH, SHOP, DG. Host — Jason Hall; Guests — Jon Quast, Dan Caplinger.
Guests: Jon Quast,Dan Caplinger
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It's safe to say it was a mixed bag for the property market last year, with a mixture of Budget speculation and stamp duty costs weighing on house prices, but with mortgage lending rules loosening helping first-time buyers. So, what will happen in 2026 - Georgie Frost and Lee Boyce discuss, and ask — will it be another stagnant year for house prices? Elsewhere, there's a warning that top cash ISA rates are set to fall. Can you really retire at 50? We reveal the top tips to do and what to plan for — and Georgie and Lee reveal their new year resolutions. And finally, have we reached peak coffee shop? Costa is struggling as owner Coca-Cola looks to offload it at a loss — but have we had enough of over £4 cups of coffee at chains?
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The Christmas/New Year break often features an excess of alcohol: the challenge after the new year is to bring the quantity and frequency you consume back under control — 'everything in moderation'.What changes do you want to make in your consumption? Adam Cox may have the answers.
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Professor Tim Evans of Middlesex University rounds off 2025 with his countdown of the 10 most significant issues. 10: Trade frictions and international relations are moving away from blockification and becoming messier. 9: Net Zero is on the wane and nuclear power is on the rise. Hydrocarbons could be around for longer than expected. 8: Productivity problems in Britain continue to bedevil the economy. 7: The lack of success in welfare reform, with inflation continuing to exacerbate poverty. 6: The housing crisis and the rise in homelessness. Red tape and bureaucracy continue to hold housebuilding back. 5: Fiscal strategy and stealth taxes. The policy of borrowing now and paying later is very dicey. 4: The NHS. It is still in crisis, despite tens of billions of pounds poured in. 3: The cost of living crisis. Inflation is a hidden tax and most people have not seen their wages increase significantly for 20 years. 2: Immigration, which is fuelling anxiety and division, not just in Britain but throughout Europe. 1: Stagnating economic growth. We could now be in a recession. People are down and depressed and expect things to get worse. The Government is injecting misery and pessimism without understanding the consequence of their actions.
Guests: Professor Tim Evans
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