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► Episode Notes:

What was Steve W called at University? Find out on this week’s PlayingFTSE Show!

There’s been a lot to talk about in the stock market this week. But Steve and Steve have a lot more on their minds than just the latest news from DeepSeek.

Rentokil launched an unscheduled trading update this week. Things are going fine, but there’s a change in leadership in the US part of the business.

Investors reacted well to the news. But with organic revenues only growing in line with inflation, is Steve W as impressed as the rest of the market?

Alexandria Real Estate’s latest report showed decent growth for a REIT focused on pharmaceutical companies. But the stock fell as a result.

Steve D owns this one and is considering adding to it. The thing to keep an eye on is when the current rental contracts expire.

Tesla’s latest update was not good – in fact, it was the opposite of that. Despite the firm managing record deliveries, revenues fell due to heavy discounting.

Does it matter, though? With robotaxis set to launch in Austin in June (apparently) might it be the case that car sales just aren’t that important to the business?

A strong update from Meta has seen the share price climb. Revenues are climbing, profits are up, and the company continues to invest for future growth.

Somehow, the number of users on the company’s platforms keeps increasing as well. So should investors just ignore Reality Labs burning a hole in the profits?

A.G. Barr continues on its way. Widening margins mean that 5% revenue growth has translated into double digit growth in earnings per share.

Steve W has been watching this one with some interest over the last six months or so. With the stock still where it was when he first looked, is he about to buy?

Rachel Reeves has announced what she plans to do with the cash the government is raising (and borrowing). The plan is to invest, but there are some common themes.

One of these is collaboration with the private sector. But what do Steve and Steve think of using public money to help Manchester United expand Old Trafford?

Dowlais is another Steve W stock and his takeover thesis has come true – sort of. It’s the whole company that’s being acquired, not just one division.

That might be even better. But what does it say about the UK if businesses from the FTSE 250 are being acquired by smaller competitors from the US?

ASML has had quite the week. The stock fell after the DeepSeek news indicated that the latest chips might not be crucial when it comes to high performance LLMs.

A strong earnings report has proved to be just the job, though. Strong sales from Q4 and a more positive outlook compared to a flat year has investors feeling good again.

Two bits of news from WH Smith stood out to Steve W this week. The first is it’s planning on divesting its high street retail business – which is an ugly one.

The second is that the travel division is still growing reasonably well. So could there be hidden value in what looks like an unpromising FTSE 250 stock?

Shares in Steve D–owned LVMH fell this week after the company’s latest trading update. And Diageo investors might take note of weakness in the alcohol division.

Bernard Arnault has been doing what he does best, which is getting himself around. And the CEO is an experienced operator when it comes to these machinations…

Only on this week’s PlayingFTSE Podcast!

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► Timestamps:

0:00 INTRO & OUR WEEKS

6:48 RENTOKIL

10:28 ALEXANDRIA REAL ESTATE

17:31 TESLA

25:07 META

31:54 AG BARR

36:10 REEVES GROWTH SPEECH

49:30 DOWLAIS

58:25 ASML

1:07:13 WH SMITH

1:15:38 LVMH

► Show Notes:

What’s been going on in the financial world and why should anyone care? Find out as we dive into the latest news and try to figure out what any of it means. We talk about stocks, markets, politics, and loads of other things in a way that’s accessible, light-hearted and (we hope) entertaining. For the people who know nothing, by the people who know even less. Enjoy

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► Disclaimer:

This information is for entertainment purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Always consult with a qualified financial professional before making any investment decisions.