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This week on The Art of Investing, the team navigate a shortened trading week where, despite markets feeling under pressure, the portfolio continues to edge higher, now up +22.6% since inception and +10.1% year-to-date.
But beneath the surface, things are shifting quickly.
With oil surging nearly 20% in just a few days, bond yields climbing, and AI continuing to redirect capital across the global economy, the team unpack a market that feels increasingly volatile, even when headline performance looks steady.
From strong moves in commodities to sharp declines in legacy tech, and a wave of takeover activity across the UK, this episode explores where capital is flowing, and what that means for investors right now.
This Week’s Highlights:
📈 Portfolio Pushes Higher
A positive start to the week sees the portfolio rise +1.1%, continuing its strong long-term performance.
⚒️ Copper Leads the Charge
WisdomTree Copper ETF tops the leaderboard, up +4.1%, driven by falling inventories and strong demand signals.
🛢️ Oil Jumps Sharply
Oil prices surge nearly 20%, lifting commodities and adding pressure across global markets.
🤖 AI Reshaping Markets
Capital continues to rotate into AI, with traditional software names like IBM falling sharply as spending shifts.
📊 Volatility Around Earnings
Large swings in individual stocks highlight a market increasingly driven by expectations vs reality.
🇬🇧 UK Takeover Activity Surges
A wave of M&A activity points to potential undervaluation, with significantly more takeovers than new listings.
📉 Bond Yields Climb
Rising yields suggest markets are beginning to price in the possibility of higher interest rates.
Portfolio Snapshot – Week 48:
No changes were made to the portfolio this week.
📊 Weekly portfolio performance: +1.1%
📈 Total return since inception: +22.6%
📅 2026 year-to-date return: +10.1%
Top Performers:
📈 WisdomTree Copper ETF: +4.1% WoW
📈 BlackRock World Mining Trust PLC: +2.0% WoW
📈 iShares Nikkei 225 ETF: +2.0% WoW
Underperformers:
📉 iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF: +0.3% WoW
📉 iShares Core FTSE 100 ETF: +0.3% WoW
📉 iShares UK Gilts 0–5yr ETF: 0.0% WoW
Big Questions This Week:
• Is the surge in oil prices sustainable, or just a short-term shock?
• Are bond markets signalling that interest rates could move higher again?
• How much disruption is AI really causing across traditional industries?
• Why are UK companies being taken over at such a high rate?
• What does continued volatility mean for portfolio positioning?
What You’ll Learn:
✔️ What’s driving the latest moves in commodities and oil
✔️ Why AI is pulling capital away from legacy sectors
✔️ How takeover activity reveals hidden value in markets
✔️ What rising bond yields mean for investors
✔️ How the team are thinking about volatility right now
Disclaimer:
This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are illustrative and for educational purposes.
Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in.
What is The Art of Investing?
Looking to turn Market Chaos into Investing Clarity?
Welcome to The Art of Investing - a brand new podcast that transforms market noise into clear investing strategies. Brought to you by IG, global investing platform, FTSE 250 and over 50 years in the markets.
This isn't your typical finance show.
Whether you're taking your first steps into the investment world or you're a seasoned investor looking to sharpen your edge, you've found your new secret weapon.
Every Friday, join hosts Rich McDonald, Mark Holden & Chris Fellingham – three investing legends bringing you a combined century of market wisdom. They'll decode the week's biggest moves, reveal the hot topics that could make or break a portfolio, and share the insights that separate winners from wishful thinkers.
But here's where we blow every other podcast out of the water:
Introducing our live Model Portfolio. With IG's access to thousands of global markets, you'll watch our strategy unfold in real-time, unfiltered investment action, that you can follow.
Every week, we'll pull back the curtain on exactly how the portfolio is performing. The wins, the losses, the lessons learned – it's all here. This is investing education with skin in the game.
Are you ready to master the art of investing?
This podcast is provided for educational and informational purposes only. The content presented is not intended as personal investment advice, financial planning guidance, or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any particular securities or investments. All discussions regarding the model portfolio are for educational purposes only. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Your capital is at risk. The value of shares, ETFs and ETCs can fall as well as rise, which could mean getting back less than you originally put in.