
Merryn Somerset Webb
Merryn Somerset Webb started her career in Tokyo at public broadcaster NHK before becoming a Japanese equity broker at what was then Warburgs. She went on to work at SBC and UBS without moving from her desk in Kamiyacho (it was the age of mergers).
After five years in Japan she returned to work in the UK at Paribas. This soon became BNP Paribas. Again, no desk move was required. On leaving the City, Merryn helped The Week magazine with its City pages before becoming the launch editor of MoneyWeek in 2000 and taking on columns first in the Sunday Times and then in 2009 in the Financial Times
Twenty years on, MoneyWeek is the best-selling financial magazine in the UK. Merryn was its Editor in Chief until 2022. She is now a senior columnist at Bloomberg and host of the Merryn Talks Money podcast - but still writes for Moneyweek monthly.
Merryn is also is a non executive director of two investment trusts – BlackRock Throgmorton, and the Murray Income Investment Trust.
Latest articles by Merryn Somerset Webb
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The backlash against net-zero begins
Green grandstanding is starting to grate, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Cut taxes? No, reform them instead
Opinion The way the state raises money is far too complicated, says Merryn Somerset Webb. Time for a radical revamp.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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What should we do about greedflation?
Opinion Companies’ price hikes have been driving inflation. But the trend is ending now, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Why bitcoin will never eclipse gold
Opinion Gold has no equal as a store of wealth, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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The UK house price bubble hisses air
News The fall in house prices has much further to go, says Merryn Somerset Webb
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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The difference between CPI and RPI inflation – and why it matters
Merryn's Blog The consumer price index (CPI) and retail price index (RPI) are both important indicators of inflation. But what is the difference and why do they matter?
By Merryn Somerset Webb Last updated
Merryn's Blog -
What to do as the age of cheap money and overpriced equities ends
Editor's letter The age of cheap money, overpriced equities and negative interest rates is over. The great bond bull market is over. All this means you will be losing money, says Merryn Somerset Webb. What can you do to protect yourself?
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
Editor's letter -
Beating inflation takes more luck than skill – but are we about to get lucky?
Opinion The US Federal Reserve managed to beat inflation in the 1980s. But much of that was down to pure luck. Thankfully, says Merryn Somerset Webb, the Bank of England may be about to get lucky.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Why we should abolish stamp duty – the worst tax in Britain
Editor's letter Stamp duty is Britain’s most horrible tax. We should forget cutting it and abolish it altogether, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
Editor's letter -
Momentum investing – and why price matters more than anything else
Analysis The recent fashion for momentum investing, with investors piling into expensive growth stocks, is nothing new, says Merryn Somerset Webb. And the dangers are the same, too.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Inflation may be slipping but there is still plenty of misery ahead
Editor's letter Inflation may be a little lower than last month as the prices of petrol and diesel fall back, but it remains structural and long-term, says Merryn Somerset Webb. And there are no painless solutions.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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The best way to invest in oil and gas
Opinion The bull market in fossil fuels and wider commodities has paused. But there is still plenty of scope for investors to profit, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Beat the cost of living crisis – go on holiday
Editor's letter As inflation rages, energy bills soar and the pound tanks, what’s a good way to save money this winter? Go on holiday, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
Editor's letter -
House prices to crash? Your house may still be making you money, but not for much longer
Opinion If you’re relying on your property to fund your pension, you may have to think again. But, says Merryn Somerset Webb, if house prices start to fall there may be a silver lining.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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How to tackle rising inflation and falling stockmarkets
Editor's letter Inflation is rising around the world. Even though inflation is widely expected to return to around 3.5% next year, it is still wreaking havoc. Merryn Somerset-Webb explains what to do about it.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Forget holiday car hire – holiday taxis are a much better idea
Opinion The cost of holiday car hire has gone through the roof. And the experience can put a damper on your trip. Using taxis is an easier – and cheaper – option, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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The MoneyWeek approach to investing
Editor's letter At MoneyWeek, our aim is simple: to give you intelligent and enjoyable commentary on the most important financial stories, and tell you how to profit from them. So how do we do that?
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Our pension system, little-changed since Roman times, needs updating
Opinion The Romans introduced pensions, and we still have a similar system now. But there is one vital difference between Roman times and now that means the system needs updating, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Where to find insurance against falling markets
Analysis Stockmarkets have fallen, but they could have a way to fall yet. Merryn Somerset Webb explains where to find insurance against valuations falling well below their long-term averages.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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The public may have reached its limit for tax rises
Editor's letter The UK tax burden is now at a 70-year high. And, while there may be some reason to hold off on cuts right now, taxes are too high because the state tries to do too much. Perhaps it should do less, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
Editor's letter -
Holiday reading: five books to make sense of the 1970s – and the 2020s
Reviews With raging inflation, booms, busts and political crises, the 1970s has a reputation as a relentlessly awful decade. But things aren’t that simple, says Merryn Somerset Webb. Here, she picks five books to put it all in context.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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We’re doing well on pensions – but we still need to do better
Opinion Pensions auto-enrolment has vastly increased the number of people in the UK with retirement savings. But we’re still not engaged enough, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
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Car hire and the strangeness of the post-pandemic economy
Editor's letter A global shortage of hire cars and unusually high hotel occupancy rates sum up the post-pandemic global economy in a nutshell, says Merryn Somerset Webb, with enhanced demand meeting restricted supply.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
Editor's letter -
Prepare your portfolio for recession
Opinion A recession is looking increasingly likely. Add in a bear market and soaring inflation, and things are going to get very complicated for investors, says Merryn Somerset Webb.
By Merryn Somerset Webb Published
Opinion