Merryn's blog

Many people are decrying private equity companies snapping up UK companies on the cheap. But If fund managers did their jobs properly, there would be …

At 2.1%, inflation doesn’t seem particularly high. But don’t dismiss those numbers, says Merryn Somerset Webb. It’s time to start getting worried.

Forcing big oil companies like Shell to dump their oil and gas assets isn’t the positive step many people think it is, says Merryn Somerset Webb.

Asset managers claim we aren’t saving enough for our retirements. We probably are, says Merryn Somerset Webb. But it might be an idea to change how we…

Merryn Somerset Webb finds herself at the epicentre of Britain’s V-shaped recovery as pent-up demand flows straight into Cornwall’s restaurants and be…

We’ve got used to the idea that an ageing population is a bad thing. But that’s not necessarily true, says Merryn Somerset Webb.

As the recent bout of craziness in the cryptocurrency markets shows, bitcoin isn’t much of a hedge against anything. So as the price of all physical t…

A lot of investors say they want to put their money into “ESG” funds. But unless you actively opt for a “sin” fund jammed full of companies behaving b…

Deliveroo’s disastrous IPO is a good example of how investors are looking away from loss-making growth stocks and more towards companies that will pro…

The first batch of child trust funds and Junior Isas are maturing. But young investors could be tempted to bet their proceeds on digital baubles such …

Deliveroo’s stockmarket listing isn’t perfect, but at least ordinary investors can get a slice of the action. There’s been far too little of that late…

We were worried that Lord Rothschild’s departure from RIT Capital Partners would mean it turning into a bog standard multi-asset fund. Thankfully, say…

Investors looking to have their money do good shouldn’t sell out of miners and fossil-fuel companies, says Merryn Somerset Webb. That will just leave …

The dramatic events in the bond market have thrown into question the classic investment strategy of the last 40 years. An investment portfolio made up…

Disgraced fund manager Neil Woodford is planning a comeback. But he doesn’t seem to have learned much from his many mistakes. So why would anyone inve…

Most investors in index funds are likely to be dangerously over-invested in US stocks, and particularly in a few huge tech stocks. It’s time to think …

Commodity prices move in cycles. And we’re at the start of the next big uptrend as a shortage in supply hits a surge in demand. Merryn Somerset Webb p…

The small investors of Reddit have very little hope of truly sticking it to Wall Street. But their new-found power could ultimately teach chief execut…

New US president Joe Biden is planning to throw trillions of dollars in stimulus at his country’s economy. Markets will love that. But it comes with a…

Lockdown sent house prices berserk as cooped up home-workers fled for bigger properties in the country. And while they won’t rise quite as much this y…

Vaccines promise a return to normal life. And that bodes well for “value” stocks, says Merryn Somerset Webb – and for the UK market in particular.

The government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has left us with a bill of at least £400bn. Has it been money well spent?

As economies reopen, says Merryn Somerset Webb, people are going to start spending again. And when they do, here’s what you want to be holding.

The tight result in the US election shows that political stalemate could well be good for the markets, says Merryn Somerset Webb.