Are UK house prices really taking off — or is something else at play? On this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money, Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek dig into the latest eye-catching figures and reveal why the “surge” may not be quite what it seems. From the powerful role of location in driving valuations to why houses are leaving flats behind as investments, the conversation cuts through the headlines to what’s really happening in the property market.

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For more than four decades, Jeremy Grantham has been one of the most contrarian voices in global investing. The co-founder of Boston-based asset manager GMO, he built his reputation warning about bubbles before they burst, from Japanese equities in the late 1980s to US tech stocks in 2000 and housing in the run-up to the global financial crisis. He joins this week’s Merryn Talks Money podcast with host Merryn Somerset Webb to discuss why he believes there's an artificial intelligence bubble and what happens if it bursts, his approach as a value investor and the lessons in his new book, The Making of a Permabear: The Perils of Long-Term Investing in a Short-Term World.

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On this week’s market round-up edition of Merryn Talks Money, Bloomberg senior reporter and author of the award-winning Money Distilled newsletter, John Stepek and Bloomberg Opinion columnist Marcus Ashworth discuss why falling London flat prices but rising costs mean bargains may still be illusory. They also dissect the latest moves in commodities and UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves's cunning plan to quietly reshape the gilt market.

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Most people spend their working lives earning and saving toward a financial goal. This goal can be a number or something more tangible like a paid-off mortgage. But when you’ve spent decades feeding the same frugality habit, entering retirement and reversing that addiction can be an unfamiliar challenge. Retirement also has a tendency of throwing up questions of status, belonging—and of course, mortality.

In this week’s personal finance edition of Merryn Talks Money, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek confront a difficult listener question on the topic of retirement spending. How can a person start spending freely when their attitude toward spending has been the opposite most of their life? Chartered financial planner and Director at Flying Colours Advice, George Agan joins this episode to share his insights on what to do.

Resources from George to check out if you want to learn more:

Free cash flow resources
This is a video with an overview on how to build your own
This is a free spreadsheet
This a web resource - quite simple to use

The next step up (DIY with support)
Excellent paid course giving you access to professional standard cash flow planning tools

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Societe Generale Head of FIC and Commodity Research Michael Haigh joins Merryn Somerset Webb to break down why the US attack on Venezuela and any subsequent attempt to reboot its energy industry is unlikely to change oil prices near-term. He explains why markets are more influenced right now by OPEC’s supply decisions and China’s rapid strategic petroleum reserve buying—and warns prices could fall if China slows purchases. The conversation then turns to a bullish outlook for copper, driven by electrification, artificial intelligence and data centers, as well as defense spending. Plus, Haigh argues gold and silver still have upside—gold on sustained central-bank demand and silver on persistent deficits—while noting key risks if central-bank buying or global uncertainty meaningfully eases.

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On this week’s markets roundup, hosts Merryn Somerset Webb and John Stepek discuss the strong performance of the FTSE 100, which has finally closed above 10,000. While it may not remain at that level, it marks a bright start. They also explore the key investment themes of 2025 and explain why equities in these areas are likely to remain elevated throughout 2026, driven by geopolitical tensions—particularly in defence, commodities, and precious metals.

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Merryn Somerset Webb and senior reporter John Stepek kick off the year by arguing that, amid political pessimism, personal finances remain one area where individuals can still take control. They run through six practical financial resolutions for 2026, from budgeting time for regular money check-ups and avoiding costly mortgage and insurance traps to improving tax efficiency, understanding pensions, and making sure wills and paperwork are in order. The message is clear: small, proactive steps now can make a meaningful difference to long-term financial security.

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Merryn Somerset Webb is joined by Saxo Bank’s Chief Macro Strategist John Hardy to unpack Saxo’s annual list of “outrageous predictions” — unlikely events that could still shake markets if they hit. They explore a potential “Q-Day” quantum-computing breakthrough that could undermine encryption and trigger a crypto-led confidence crisis, alongside space-economy scenarios like a SpaceX IPO and even lunar real estate mania. The conversation also turns to the ripple effects of widespread GLP-1 weight-loss drugs — including cheaper pill forms and the possibility they expand beyond humans into the pet world.

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