Russ Mould

Russ Mould, AJ Bell investment director and market commentator, explains how buy/hold/sell broker ratings are made and why they matter. He discusses whether ratings move markets and which UK stocks attract unanimous buys or heavy sells. Short takes on rising buy sentiment, analyst debates over valuation, and the interaction between ratings and market dynamics.

The Asian Development Bank's Chief Economist Albert Park tells us that the conflict in the Middle East could prove 'traumatic', knocking as much as 1.3% of Asian GDP growth, depending on how long it goes on for. He believes that the countries most vulnerable include Sri Lanka, Maldives, Laos, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Meanwhile the price of jet fuel has more than doubled since the start of the war with Iran, with numerous major airlines raising their prices. Jetstar New Zealand cancelled some domestic services and flights between Australia and New Zealand. Vietnam Airlines also scrapped almost a two dozen domestic flights a week. And why shares in the Chinese toy-maker Pop Mart – who make Labubu Dolls – have tumbled more than twenty percent…their biggest drop in nearly a year. Presenter: Sarah Rogers Senior Producer: Craig Henderson

Jiajie Xu, assistant professor of finance who studies how trade shocks affect local banks. Russ Mould, investment director who analyzes energy markets and macro effects. They discuss Iran's attacks on LNG and oil infrastructure and why Europe feels the gas shock harder. They also cover how China’s WTO entry reshaped U.S. local banking, causing long-lasting fallout.

Jiajie Xu, assistant finance professor at the University of Iowa who studies trade shocks, and Russ Mould, investment director at AJ Bell and market commentator, discuss energy price moves after attacks on Gulf gas and oil sites. They analyze why Europe’s gas market is exposed, how markets reacted across assets, and how China’s WTO entry reshaped local U.S. banks and credit conditions.

Russ Mould, AJ Bell investment director, gives market context on yields, geopolitics and regional finance. Olivier Picard, community pharmacist and chair of the National Pharmacies Association, describes the surge in demand for meningitis vaccines and pharmacy supply strains. Vic Stewart, CFO of The Alchemist, talks about hospitality’s response, location choices and how local funding shapes investment.