It’s a week before Christmas, which means only one thing around these parts: our bumper double issue hits the shelves on Friday 19 December. In it, we look ahead to all things 2026, and we’re doing the same thing here today with our first segment. In a moment we’ll be taking a close look at the FTSE 100’s runaway performance this year and asking whether it can continue over the next 12 months. With a little bit of a glance across the Atlantic, too. Alex Newman will talk us through things.

After that, we turn to much shorter-term prospects. Because it’s Christmas, Mark Robinson has explored the origins of the Santa rally, and gets into the detail of when exactly we might expect one to take place this year, and why.

To wrap up for the year we finish with a special interest story of sorts: Holly McKechnie is here to discuss why crypto assets’ existential crisis, legally speaking that is, may have finally come to an end.

Timestamps:

0:59 FTSE's big year

16:57 The Santa Rally

26:15 Crypto ownership regulation

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Ethical investing is often seen as a way to align your money with your values, but what does it really mean in practice? In this episode of Women and Wealth, Investors’ Chronicle’s Val Cipriani is joined by Madi Apthorpe to explain how ethical investing works in practice, covering ESG labels, exclusions, impact, engagement and how investors can avoid greenwashing.

As more investors seek to support environmental sustainability, social responsibility and good governance, the ethical investing landscape has become increasingly complex. Val and Madi discuss how investors can navigate this space with confidence, the trade-offs involved, and whether investing ethically means sacrificing returns. They also explore how women investors in particular are approaching ethical considerations and what questions to ask before committing your money.

Women 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.

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Alex Newman and Lord Lee are joined by Jerry Randall, CEO of Venture Life (VLG), a leader in the consumer self-care market. They discuss the companies history, the outlook for the wider sector and potential upcoming acquisitions.

Alex and Lord Lee then discuss recent changes to Lord Lee's portfolio, including his moves involving British house builders Taylor Wimpey (TW), and new position in food ad beverage operator SSP Group (SSPG). Alex and Lord Lee end with a look back on the last year of investing and how Lord Lee's ISA and non-ISA portfolios have performed.

Timestamps

0:00 Intro

2:15 Background on Venture Life

3:36 Selling off the manufacturer

6:09 How Lord Lee found Venture Life

8:03 Jerry Randall's background

9:07 Raising money from markets

11:59 Wellness industry & compliance

16:18 Acquisitions & future deals

28:20 Potential for dividends

32:41 Lord Lee on the budget

33:58 Update on Lord Lee's portfolio

35:47 ISA changes

38:03 Taylor Wimpey (TW)

40:03 New position in SSP

42:02 End of year portfolio roundup

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We start today with a look at the potential megamergers in Hollywood as the battle to take over Warner Brothers Discovery (US:WBD) comes to a head. Both Netflix and Paramount Skydance have made big bids for Warner Bros this month. Who will prevail? Will politics have the final say? Will competition regulators? Julian Hofmann is here to discuss.

Then our cover feature this week is all about the driverless car revolution. Long-promised, long-awaited in some quarters, is the big sea change in transportation finally here? As self-driving vehicles prepare to take to the streets of the UK, Michael Fahy will examine the prospects for the sector and for traditional automakers.

Last but not least we look at housebuilder Berkeley (BKG). The housebuilder reported half-year figures earlier this week, Hugh Moorhead is here to talk through the implications of the Budget and the outlook for higher-end London housing.

Timestamps:

0:56 Warner Bros bidding war

15:33 Self-driving cars

29:30 Berkeley results

Bidding war breaks out for Warner Bros

How to profit from self-driving cars

Resilient Berkeley Group looks undervalued

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nvestors’ Chronicle associate editor Simon Thompson joins Dan Jones to discuss what 2026 might hold for smaller companies and the market in general.

Simon and Dan discuss how equities are positioned for the year ahead, as well as the impact of the Budget and how measures including the reduced Isa cash cap could impact UK stocks. They conclude by previewing what to expect from Simon’s Bargain Shares selection for 2026 – due to be revealed in February – and how taking on more risk might be on the cards.

Timestamps:

1:27 How UK equities are positioned

7:08 Economic outlook

11:32 The Budget

19:24 Mergers and acquisitions

33:52 UK tech companies

41:32 Impact of high interest rates

44:14 Preview of 2026 Bargain Shares Selection

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A day on from Rachel Reeves’ budget, where she announced a ‘smorgasbord’ of tax rises forecast to raise £26bn by 2029-30, the dust is settling. Everything from pension pots to dividends could be affected.

Our panel of experts dive into the biggest changes affecting your finances, including all the tax changes, what’s going to happen to the beloved cash Isa and how the chancellor is changing North Sea oil levies.

Read our Budget coverage

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Economic abuse is a recently recognised but long-used method of control by domestic abusers and in this episode of Women and Wealth, Investors' Chronicle's Val Cipriani discusses what it is, how it can be spotted and the support available to those being abused in this way with Surviving Economic Abuse's Lauren Garrett.

Economic abuse is a legally recognised form of domestic abuse and is defined in the Domestic Abuse Act and 95 per cent of cases of domestic abuse involve economic abuse. It often occurs in the context of intimate partner violence, and involves the control of a partner or ex-partner’s money and finances, as well as the things that money can buy. In this episode, Val and Lauren discuss real-life examples and how you can spot the signs of economic abuse and prevent it from happening to either you or those you know.

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

In the UK, call the national domestic abuse helpline on 0808 2000 247, or visit Surviving Economic Abuse. In the US, the domestic violence hotline is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). Other international helplines may be found via www.befrienders.org.

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Our annual Investment Trust Special Report covers everything you need to know about researching, finding and buying the right funds for your portfolio. Val Cipriani and Holly McKechnie delve into topics featured, from discounts in the space, the impact of the Saba saga, increased M&A activity and more.

It’s then onto Rightmove (RMV). The company recently announced its plans to invest in AI, which was met with unusual concern from the market. Hugh Moorhead explains why this occurred, how large a threat ChatGPT is to its plans, and more.

Timestamps

1:34 Investment Trust special

29:18 Rightmove

How to pick the right investment trusts

Should investors put Rightmove up for sale?

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