Fidelity Answers: The Investment Podcast

Have the past few years just been a blip or is it possible to deliver the sort of returns the AI boom has provided on a longer-term basis? In this bonus episode of the podcast leading US portfolio manager Mark Schmehl talks to Seb Morton-Clark about the longer-term methods that have delivered for him, maximising returns from changing businesses, and where he's looking now in the search for more. 

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With markets entering a less certain phase, defensive strategies are coming to the fore. But how do you construct resilience without missing out on the rally? Multi-asset portfolio managers Mario Baronci and Pranav Aggarwal tell Seb Morton-Clark what they're buying now to secure capital against radically contrasting future scenarios. 

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In the latest episode of The Investors’ Guide to Asia, portfolio managers Joseph Zhang and Terence Tsai tell Amit Moudgil that the AI boom in China, Taiwan and Korea - and elsewhere - has much further to run, even if some elements look more stretched than a year ago. Plus Asia Economist Peiqian Liu on Asia's fiscal response to the Iran oil shock.  

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Worries about public debt have come back to haunt markets, along with a new stream of issuance from the tech companies spending billions on AI. Yet with yields higher than they've been in years, at some point they should appeal to investors who want stable solid returns. Seb Morton-Clark asks fixed income portfolio managers James Durance and Tim Foster how much longer we should fear the longer end of the bond curve. With contributions from Fidelity International's Global Head of Macro and Strategic Asset Allocation Salman Ahmed and Analyst Sukhy Kaur.

Credits
Producers: Patrick Graham, Holli East...

Is something big happening in debt markets? Seb Morton-Clark talks to Fidelity International's Global Head of Macro and Strategic Asset Allocation Salman Ahmed about the future of government debt burdens and how they might be paid off.

Credits
Producers: Patrick Graham, Holli Eastman, Rachel Reed
Studio: Adam Sheldrake, Pete Rees
Editor: Connor Baillie

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Will AI lead to mass layoffs? Are the costs already getting too much for companies? And are the billions of investment already starting to come good? Fresh from a visit to Silicon Valley, US equities portfolio manager Sam Thomas and tech analyst Jonathan Tseng answer these questions and more, with the help of new Fidelity analyst survey data and a macro study that predicts gains in growth. With additional contributions from multi asset analyst Kitty Yang and economist Edoardo Cilla. 

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With AI soaking up the lion's share of investor attention (and capital), opportunities are appearing in other parts of the market to pick up quality assets at relatively attractive valuations. Seb Morton-Clark talks to Portfolio Managers Tristan Purcell and Alex Laing, and Director of Research for Fixed Income Rebecca Motta about the options for adding to defensive positions in case the near-term future proves less ebullient than the recent past. With additional contributions from healthcare analyst Emma Newey Clark.

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Asia has proven more resilient than expected to the Middle East oil market shock, but energy security and the AI capex cycle are reshaping the region into a more fragmented investment landscape, fund managers George Efstathopoulos and Terrence Pang tell Stuart Rumble in the latest episode.

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With inflation expectations soaring, and fixed income yields rising with them, what safe havens does the bond market offer for capital in an environment of higher prices and geopolitical shocks? Seb Morton-Clark hears from two of Fidelity's fixed income portfolio managers - Ravin Seeneevassen and Tim Foster - about why they think markets are under-appreciating the risks and how inflation-linked bonds can help.

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What do investment analysts really contribute to the decisions fund managers make and how are those insights used in practice? Fund manager Dale Nicholls joins Stuart Rumble and Taosha Wang to explore three case studies, from China’s fast‑developing robotics sector and emerging small‑cap opportunities to Australia’s politically sensitive rare earths industry. Alongside analysts Reggie Pan, Sam Heithersay and Teddy Gao, he explains how deep, company‑level research shapes investment conviction and feeds directly into portfolio decisions.

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Credits

Producers: Patrick Graham, Judy Chen, Rory Fong, Dan Tham
Studio operators...

Even with an energy shock, there are reasons for investors to be hopeful about both stocks and bonds. Chief Investment Officers for fixed income and equities, Marion Le Morhedec and Niamh Brodie-Machura take a hard look at markets in what feels like a crucial moment.  

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Credits

Producers: Patrick Graham, Rachel Reed
Studio operators: Alex Willcox
Post production: Connor Baillie 
Social producer: Ben Traynor 
Design: Mark Hamilton
Editor: Seb Morton-Clark

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Hostilities in the Middle East are grinding into their fifth week and the impact is spreading through the global economy. What can we say about the likely effects on the ground of the shock facing industry around the world, and how should portfolios be positioned? Seb Morton-Clark digs into the details with Fidelity's Head of Equity Research in Europe, Punam Sharma, and fund manager Marcel Stotzel.

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The conflict in the Middle East shows no immediate signs of abating, and markets are now pricing in a longer period of instability than had been apparent two weeks ago. Does that derail this year's big market trends? Or is this chiefly a period of short-term volatility to look through?

Seb Morton-Clark is joined in the studio by Capital Markets Strategist Carsten Roemheld to analyse views from a range of  Fidelity's investment experts including CIO for Equities Niamh Brodie-Machura, CIO for Fixed Income Marion Le Morhedec, Global Head of Macro Salman Ahmed, and Multi Asset Portfolio Manager Ge...

What does the make-up of an audience at a Chinese comedy show tell you? Why is gold the hot new thing amongst Chinese consumers? And how should investors sensibly approach Chinese tech?

In the latest episode of The Investor’s Guide to Asia, portfolio managers Nick Price and Cynthia Chen explore all this and more to explore why Chinese equities continue to play a pivotal role in global portfolios. Hosts Taosha Wang and Stuart Rumble guide the conversation, unpacking what long‑term investors need to understand about China’s evolving market dynamics.

We also hear from A...

After a decade in the doldrums, a perfect storm has driven prices of raw materials higher. In the race to mine, refine, and use them for everything from the energy transition to AI infrastructure, the commodities and industrials companies essential to the process are finally enjoying a moment in the sun. In the latest episode of Fidelity Answers we talk to portfolio managers Oliver Hextall and Ashish Bhardwaj, and analyst Laura Stafford, about how the trend is likely to develop and who is benefitting.

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Central bank independence has suddenly become a big issue where, for investors, it matters the most: on US interest rates. In this bonus edition, Fidelity Global Head of Macro Salman Ahmed breaks down the implications for the short and the long term. 

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What happens if the Federal Reserve makes good on White House demands for lower interest rates but inflation holds up? Fidelity portfolio managers Becky Qin and Philip Fielding discuss the potential for a period of financial repression in the United States and what it will mean for investors, while Senior Sovereign Analyst Andressa Tezine explains the political risks of an election year in Brazil.

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External shocks and domestic challenges made 2025 a tough year for Indian equities. In the latest episode of The Investor’s Guide to Asia, Fidelity International Investment Director Nitin Mathur discusses the chances of a turnaround in 2026 and why we should focus more on India’s long-term growth story.

With Stuart Rumble and Toasha Wang. Additional contributions from Portfolio Manager Terence Tsai and Asia Economist Peiqian Liu.

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Surging interest in artificial intelligence has generated huge gains for tech stocks across the world this year. But with the stock market hitting new highs, there are growing concerns that we might be in the midst of an AI bubble. In this bonus edition of the Fidelity Answers podcast Patrick Graham puts four possible flaws in the AI investment case to Terence Tsai, one of Fidelity's portfolio managers who has invested strongly in the boom and therefore one of the people looking hardest for evidence of when it ends. 

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Demand isn’t the main driver of profitability, supply is. In the latest edition, portfolio managers Fred Sykes and Tom Record look for the money left in the AI boom and places to hide if it goes wrong, while arguing investors should obsess a bit less about GDP growth and macroeconomics. 

Plus: analyst Srishti Sinha on the risks to a US power sector flooded with datacentre investment.  

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It’s one of this year’s global stock market success stories: South Korean equities are emerging from decades in the shadows as reforms of corporate governance change the way foreign capital sees the Seoul market. With the help of fund managers Jochen Breuer and Lynda Zhou, this month’s podcast investigates whether that surge in confidence is really justified, what else needs to be done for it to continue, and where in the region is also making advances when it comes to shareholder returns. 

With additional contributions from Asia Economist Peiqian Liu, who gives us her take on...

What are the challenges - and opportunities - that longevity poses to investors? What are the investment solutions that can support longer lives and how can portfolios benefit? Seb Morton-Clark is joined by the Director of the National Institute for Ageing Nic Palmarini, Fidelity's Global Head of Client Solutions Katie Roberts, and Portfolio Manager Julie-Ann Ashcroft. With additional contributions form Global Head of Macro Salman Ahmed.

Click here for an extended interview with Salman on what older populations mean for economies and the wider world.

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An ageing global population is set to bring profound pressures to bear on the macroeconomic models and norms of the past century. Can we make it all work? Here Fidelity International's Global Head of Macro Salman Ahmed discusses the likely impact on inflation, taxation, public debt and inequality, and the choices policymakers will have to make in response.   

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From Indian renewables operators to Bangkok banks, the Asia high yield market has moved on from China’s property sector problems, and annualised returns over the last three years are running in double digits. But what are the risks? Stuart Rumble and Taosha Wang talk to fund managers Tae Ho Ryu and Terrence Pang. We also hear from Fidelity Asia economist Peiqian Liu on the latest macro signals and portfolio manager Theresa Zhou on China’s stock market rally.

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Doubts over interest rates and the over-concentration of stock markets hint at a need for more robust, diversified portfolios going into the final months of 2025. Seb Morton-Clark and co-host Caroline Shaw assess the risks - and what we should be doing about them - with portfolio managers James Durance and Tristan Purcell. 

With additional contributions from real estate credit analyst Othman El Iraki. 

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Companies' spend into artificial intelligence has been immense. But we're yet to see the tangible output of that investment. Should investors care? Portfolio managers Rosanna Burcheri and (self-confessed AI sceptic) Dmitry Solomakhin, plus technology analyst Jonny Tseng, join Seb Morton-Clark to discuss their thinking around AI.

Watch more from Jonny's research trip to Silicon Valley here. 

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From Labubu dolls to EVs to AI, 2025 has turned up the volume on Chinese products and Chinese ideas, but it’s a tune financial investors need to listen to carefully. Hosts Stuart Rumble and Taosha Wang are joined by portfolio managers Cynthia Chen and Dale Nicholls to discuss the changing trends of Chinese consumers, and whether it can support the sort of growth that the government and global investors are looking for.

And Fidelity's Asia economist Peiqian Liu shares an update on the macro backdrop and the impact of the latest tariff announcements on the region. 

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Long-dated US Treasuries, the most popular go to assets in times of uncertainty, have done a disappointing job this year of dampening volatility in portfolios. So what might you favour instead? Fund managers Mike Riddell and Tim Foster join Seb Morton-Clark and Katie Roberts to discuss what investors need to consider when they're looking for the bonds that can shore up their allocations.

And analyst Andressa Tezine explains why 2025 might be the year for emerging markets and where to look for yield.

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Through adversity comes opportunity. Six months ago it was unthinkable to back European stock markets over those in the United States. But through a period of substantial change in policy, and even the post-war globalisation consensus itself, that debate has become a live one. Host Seb Morton-Clark is joined by Director Charlie Wood and Fund Managers Marcel Stotzel and Ashish Bhardwaj to discuss whether investors should stick with the new US or look elsewhere.

And analyst Emma Newey Clark explains to Patrick Graham how she's scenario planning for what happens next in the pharmaceutical sector. 

See...

China has responded well to the US trade war. But other, domestically-focused economies, could fare even better. Fidelity fund manager George Efstathopoulos and Asia Economist Peiqian Liu join hosts Stuart Rumble and Taosha Wang to discuss China's prospects for the year ahead and how tariffs could reconfigure investment trends across the region as a whole.

With additional contributions from analyst Kitty Yang on why there's now money to be made in Japanese banks.

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An opportunity for the euro? Time to buy gold? Or the advantages of cash in a crisis where interest rates aren’t already at zero. The opportunities and risks of a period of profound volatility on markets dominate the latest Fidelity Answers podcast with multi asset fund managers Talib Sheikh and Caroline Shaw joining hosts Rosie McMellin and Ben Moshinsky.

And hear why Fidelity’s analysts think tariffs will be more punitive for America than Asia, with Ben Traynor.

(This discussion was recorded on April 9th).

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Tariffs and chip export bans don't sound like good news for Asian technology companies. But Fidelity fund manager Tina Tian and equities analyst Jonathan Tseng actually view current geopolitical tension as a positive for investors in the region. Why? Find out as they discuss all things Asia innovation with hosts Stuart Rumble and Taosha Wang.  

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We answer the questions investors are asking. Bottom up? Top down? What’s the best way to look for opportunities in volatile bond markets? Fidelity fund managers James Durance and Mike Riddell talk to hosts Rosie McMellin and Ben Moshinsky about how they’re responding to a sudden shift in the market narrative. 

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What do thousands of company meetings tell investors about the state of the world in 2025?

What do leadership teams think about the impact of a new US administration? Where can investors seek value in China? And how are companies embracing AI?

Fidelity International’s annual Analyst Survey answers these questions and more.

Ben Moshinsky is joined by Co-Chief Investment Officer Niamh Brodie-Machura, and analysts Evan Delaney, Alex Dong and Emma Newey Clark to dig through the results. 

You can read Fidelity International's 2025 Analyst Survey in full on your local Fidelity website or...

As we wrap up 2024, investors remain divided on the future of the Chinese stock market. Bullish investors are betting on policy support to spark a rebound, while the sceptics see structural challenges capping gains in equities.

Who is right? Is China a treasure trove or a value trap? What more can policymakers do to restore confidence? And how should stock pickers adapt to an evolving Chinese economy?

In this special episode, Marty Dropkin, Head of Equities, Asia Pacific, investigates both sides of this debate with the help of two veteran portfolio managers at Fidelity International...

If 2024 was the year of elections, 2025 is the year when all of those decisions come home to roost.

As the world’s major economies take increasingly divergent paths in search of growth - where should investors be looking for opportunities?

Carsten Roemheld, Capital Markets Strategist at Fidelity, is joined by Steve Ellis, Global Chief Investment Officer for Fixed Income, Rosanna Burcheri, an equities Portfolio Manager, and Marty Dropkin, Head of Equities for Asia Pacific, to discuss this and how they are positioning for the year ahead.

You can read Fidelity International's 2025 Outlook in fu...

Did you know that America's most popular free iPhone app last year and the world's favourite fast fashion brand the year before were both created by Chinese companies? The rise of online shopping platforms like Temu and Shein are evidence that China is no longer just selling goods to the rest of the world, but exporting entire e-commerce business models.

In this episode, Marty Dropkin, Head of Equities, Asia Pacific, is joined by portfolio manager Hyomi Jie and investment analyst Sherry Qin to discuss the origin of Chinese e-commerce platforms and follow their journey across the world. 

When it comes to decarbonising the world - the scale of the challenge can feel overwhelming.

It’s going to need astronomical levels of capital, a reconfiguration of markets, and radical regulation. And it needs to happen fast. If you’re an investor trying to align portfolios with climate pathways as well as capture all of the opportunities that are out there related to the energy transition - it's a lot to think about.

In this edition of Fidelity Answers, Katie Constance, Head of Sustainability for European distribution, is joined by Gabriel Wilson-Otto, Head of Sust...

China has come out with a string of policies that are targeted to reinvigorate economic growth. Some of the policies are adding leverage to the government’s balance sheet. A question that investors are asking is: how much more will China realistically spend to stimulate the economy?

So far, these policies have focused on shoring up demand - unlike after the financial crisis, when China spent trillions of renminbi to expand supply. That is an importance difference because it implies policymakers remain disciplined in the way they choose to manage debt.

Marty Dropkin, Head of Eq...

In this bonus episode, we're hearing about three investment ideas that are exciting Fidelity’s Asia portfolio managers and how they play into the megatrends of artificial intelligence, the energy transition, and shifting supply chains.

Marty Dropkin, Head of Equities, Asia Pacific, is joined by Monica Li, Fidelity International’s Director of Research for China. With additional contributions from three of the company’s portfolio managers who have recently returned from a research trip in China: Dale Nicholls, Taosha Wang, and Madeleine Kuang. 

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To read more on the three megatrends discussed in this po...