<p>Investors’ Chronicle associate editor Simon Thompson joins Dan Jones to discuss what 2026 might hold for smaller companies and the market in general.</p><br><p>Simon and Dan discuss how equities are positioned for the year ahead, as well as the impact of the Budget and how measures including the reduced Isa cash cap could impact UK stocks. They conclude by previewing what to expect from Simon’s Bargain Shares selection for 2026 – due to be revealed in February – and how taking on more risk might be on the cards.</p><br><p><strong>Timestamps:</strong></p><p>1:27 How UK equities are positioned</p><p>7:08 Economic outlook</p><p>11:32 The Budget</p><p>19:24 Mergers and acquisitions</p><p>33:52 UK tech companies</p><p>41:32 Impact of high interest rates</p><p>44:14 Preview of 2026 Bargain Shares Selection</p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>