Shows
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 059 — 11 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Oil cracked $107 a barrel overnight after fresh US-Iran clashes near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that roughly a fifth of the world's oil flows through, and if you think that stays in the Persian Gulf, check what you paid at the pump this week.
At 8:30 this morning, the US government drops the August inflation report, the last hard number the Federal Reserve sees before it decides next week whether to raise interest rates again, and after Wednesday's producer price data came in hotter than expected, "no hike" is no longer the safe assumption.
...
2026-09-1108 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 058 — 10 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The ECB just raised interest rates again, and the reason is a war the eurozone isn't even fighting: oil above $100 a barrel means European inflation is climbing back up, which means the central bank is making borrowing more expensive for millions of people whose energy bills are already doing that job on their own.
The U.S. has now banned Canadian dairy, alcohol, and motorbikes, and Canada's been hitting back just as hard, so the next time you reach for a Canadian whisky or a wedge of aged cheddar, you might want to enjoy it...
2026-09-1008 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 057 — 9 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Houthi drones hit Saudi oil infrastructure overnight and Brent crude, the global oil price benchmark, is pushing right up against $100 a barrel, which sounds like a geopolitics story until you realise it's also a "why does my petrol cost this much" story.
China just posted a record monthly trade surplus of $119 billion, exports up 25% in a single year, and the number that keeps getting buried is what they're actually selling: AI chips, electric vehicles, and advanced manufacturing goods that the rest of the world apparently can't make fast enough to compete with.
And tomorrow the...
2026-09-0908 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 056 — 8 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran just declared a second restricted zone on top of the already-strangled Strait of Hormuz, Brent crude is closing in on $97 a barrel, and the question now isn't whether this is a supply shock but how big one we're actually looking at.
The US economy added 162,000 jobs in August, which is three times what anyone expected, and the good-news headline is real, but here's the part that hits your wallet: a labour market this strong gives the Federal Reserve, America's central bank, every reason to keep raising the interest rates that make mortgages, car loans...
2026-09-0808 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 055 — 7 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US military sank three Iranian oil tankers over the weekend, and Brent crude is now pushing toward $97 a barrel, which means the geopolitical bill is already landing at the petrol pump before most people even saw the news.
The US economy added 162,000 jobs in August, nearly three times what forecasters expected, and the cruel irony is that a strong jobs report now raises the odds the Fed hikes rates again, so the workers who drove those numbers may find their mortgage costs going up, not down.
Eurozone inflation just hit 3.3%, a three-year high driven...
2026-09-0706 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 054 — 4 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran hit Kuwait with missiles and drones overnight, oil surged, and then gave back roughly half the gain in the same session once it became clear the White House is quietly moving toward talks, which tells you everything about who's actually steering this market right now.
A Fed governor who could well be the deciding vote at this month's rate meeting just signalled he wants to hold steady, but the jobs report dropping today could flip that calculus before the weekend's even started.
Japan's 30-year government bonds just hit yields the country hasn't seen since 1999...
2026-09-0407 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 053 — 3 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
US forces have struck Iranian targets around the Strait of Hormuz, Iran is hitting back, and Brent crude is up more than 5% in a single session to nearly $95 a barrel, because roughly one in every five barrels of oil on earth flows through that waterway and someone just turned it into a conflict zone.
That oil shock is already showing up in European inflation, which jumped to 3.3% in August, well above the European Central Bank's 2% target, and almost entirely on the back of energy costs, so the ECB is now almost certain to raise interest...
2026-09-0308 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 052 — 2 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US struck Iranian Revolutionary Guard positions across the Strait of Hormuz yesterday, oil jumped 5.2% in a single session, and if you're wondering what that means for the price of filling up your car, the answer is: nothing good.
Japan's 10-year government bond yield just crossed 3% for the first time since 1996, which sounds like a footnote from a different era, and the fact that America's Treasury Secretary was at the G20 actively pushing for it to go higher tells you this is very much someone else's policy problem landing on Japanese households.
Eurozone inflation accelerated...
2026-09-0208 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 051 — 1 Sept 2026Today on The Open Bell:
US forces have now struck Iranian positions in the Strait of Hormuz twice since July, Iran has fired back at American bases in Jordan, and oil is above $86 a barrel, which means this isn't a distant geopolitical story anymore, it's a pump-price story.
The yen is closing in on 160 to the dollar, a level that last time cost Japan tens of billions to defend, and America's own Treasury Secretary just stood up at a G20 meeting and told Japan it needs to act, which is either reassuring coordination or a very public warning, depending on...
2026-09-0108 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 050 — 31 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The new Fed Chair used his first Jackson Hole speech to tell the world that another rate hike is back on the table, and the September odds just jumped to 60%, which is a long way from the cuts everyone was pricing in six months ago.
Gold had the best month this century in August, up roughly 14%, and then one afternoon speech from a Fed Chair erased nearly 3% of that in a matter of hours, which tells you everything about how fragile this rally actually is.
Germany's retail sales just fell 1.5% in July when everyone was...
2026-08-3107 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 049 — 28 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The Fed is openly split heading into Jackson Hole, with at least one regional president pushing for rate hikes while the rest of the world waits for Friday morning's speech from the chair, and if you own a home, a pension, or basically anything, that speech could move it.
Australia's inflation just came in hotter than anyone expected, and for the roughly one-in-three Australian homeowners on a variable-rate mortgage, "hotter than expected" is just a polite way of saying their repayments may be going up again.
Nvidia had a great night and Marvell didn't, and...
2026-08-2807 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 048 — 27 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The Fed's preferred inflation measure just came in hotter than expected, 3.7% year-over-year, and suddenly the question of whether the Fed raises interest rates again isn't as settled as markets thought it was last week.
South Korea's central bank just hiked rates for the second month in a row, and the story isn't really about Seoul: it's a signal that the inflation fight across Asia is grinding on, and that the era of cheap borrowing isn't coming back as fast as anyone hoped.
Nvidia's quarterly revenue cleared $91 billion, which is more than most countries produce in...
2026-08-2708 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 047 — 26 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Nvidia just reported $93 billion in a single quarter, roughly 95% more than a year ago, and then told investors to expect even more, which raises a genuine question: at what point does "AI demand" stop being a growth story and start being a test of whether anything in the economy can actually absorb this much money moving in one direction.
Oil slipped below $85 a barrel after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signalled real progress on easing sanctions against Iran, and if that deal closes and 700,000 extra barrels a day hit the market, you'll feel it at...
2026-08-2608 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 046 — 25 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US just threatened to cut off from the global dollar system any bank, anywhere on earth, that keeps doing business with Iran, and gave them a countdown clock to comply before the consequences hit.
South Korea's stock market just had its worst day in weeks because Washington is reportedly leaning on the companies that make the memory chips inside every major AI system to build their next factories in America instead.
The US government is quietly buying its own debt to keep its borrowing costs from spiraling, and the people whose job it is...
2026-08-2507 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 045 — 24 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US government is now paying more to borrow money for 30 years than it has since before the first iPhone shipped, and the Treasury's attempt to calm the bond market lasted about 48 hours before the yield crawled right back up to 5.27%.
Nvidia reports earnings this week, and at this point the entire US stock market has essentially stopped pretending it's about anything else, with semiconductors down more than 4% last week and the Nasdaq sliding 2% while everyone waits for a single company to tell them how to feel.
Brent crude is holding above $93 a barrel because...
2026-08-2407 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 044 — 21 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Walmart just posted its weakest US sales growth in six years, low-income shoppers are pulling back hard under the weight of fuel costs, and the company's own leadership won't promise the next quarter looks any better.
The UAE has cut all financial ties with Iran following ballistic missile strikes on its territory, and Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, is now sitting at $93 a barrel, which is 37% higher than it was this time last year and heading in the wrong direction for anyone who drives, flies, or heats their home.
The US Treasury tried to...
2026-08-2107 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 043 — 20 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US Treasury just doubled its long-bond buyback cap to $4 billion a quarter, and whether you call it market management or something closer to the government quietly buying its own debt at record prices, it worked, because 30-year yields dropped the moment the announcement landed.
The Fed's July meeting minutes are out, and the part nobody's talking about loudly enough is that three of twelve officials actually wanted to raise rates last month, which means the next mortgage rate hike was one or two votes away from being real.
China's central bank held its benchmark...
2026-08-2008 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 042 — 19 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US-Iran ceasefire expired yesterday with nothing to show for it, and Iran is now threatening to choke off the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway that carries roughly one barrel in every five of the world's oil supply.
US government borrowing costs for 30 years just hit 5.31%, a level we haven't seen since 2007, and if you think that's just a bond market problem, your mortgage rate would like a word.
Asian chip stocks got wrecked overnight, with South Korea's main index down 5.5% in a single session, and the uncomfortable truth is that the same borrowing costs...
2026-08-1907 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 041 — 18 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran's latest threats to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that carries roughly one in five barrels of oil shipped globally, are keeping crude above $84 a barrel, and that number doesn't stay in the Gulf forever — it follows you to the petrol station.
BHP just reported a 30% jump in profit to $13.2 billion, and the bigger story buried inside those numbers is that copper, the metal wiring every electric vehicle and data cable on the planet, has overtaken iron ore as their biggest earner for the first time in the company's history.
Meanwhile, Wall Street sl...
2026-08-1807 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 040 — 17 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US and Canada have 48 hours to cut a deal before a 50% tariff lands on roughly 20 billion dollars' worth of Canadian exports, and if they don't, the price of things like cheese, wine, and new cars goes up for real people on both sides of the border.
Meanwhile, the US government just sold 30-year bonds, borrowing money guaranteed until 2056, at the highest interest rate since 2001, which tells you something uncomfortable about what the bond market thinks of America's fiscal trajectory right now.
And Japan's economy grew at barely half the speed economists expected in the...
2026-08-1708 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 039 — 14 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Inflation came in cooler in July and the White House is taking a bow, but real wages are still negative, meaning prices are still rising faster than most people's pay, and that's been true every single month this year.
Japan's wholesale prices have risen for five months straight and a rate hike in September is now almost a certainty, which sounds like someone else's problem until you realise the yen's weakness is quietly reshaping what everything from electronics to car parts costs you.
Britain's economy grew in the second quarter, which is technically good news...
2026-08-1408 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 038 — 13 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The Strait of Hormuz has been nearly shut for six months now and the IEA says the world is heading into the third quarter short by 1.8 million barrels a day, which is the kind of number that doesn't stay in the energy market for long before it shows up in your petrol bill.
India just recorded its lowest inflation in seven years and almost nobody in the West is talking about it, which feels like a mistake when you're discussing the most populous country on earth and whether the global rate cycle is actually turning.
...
2026-08-1307 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 037 — 12 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The July inflation number just came in hotter than expected, and the reason is pretty direct: the collapse of US-Iran peace talks sent oil prices climbing, and that cost has now worked its way into your grocery receipt and your petrol bill in one clean, ugly line.
The 50% tariff on Canadian imports takes effect in seven days, and the uncomfortable part isn't just the price of cheese and butter going up before Labour Day, it's that the Fed has to sit on its hands and watch inflation climb from two directions at once while deciding...
2026-08-1206 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 036 — 11 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran's foreign minister just ruled out direct talks with Washington and renewed demands over the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that 20% of the world's oil supply passes through, and crude is already up 5% this week, which means this isn't a geopolitical footnote, it's heading straight for your petrol bill.
Berkshire Hathaway posted a 16% jump in quarterly profits and then did something its famously cautious new CEO Greg Abel hadn't done before at this scale: spent big on buying back its own shares, and when a company sitting on one of the largest cash piles...
2026-08-1106 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 035 — 10 Aug 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US economy shed jobs in July for the first time since February, and the bizarre part is that markets loved it, because bad news for workers still reads as good news for rate cuts and stocks closed at record highs on Friday.
Iran ruled out any talks on the Strait of Hormuz over the weekend and there are reports of a tanker strike, which means roughly a fifth of the world's seaborne oil supply is now sitting behind a door that just got slammed shut.
China's latest inflation numbers show a country running two...
2026-08-1008 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 029 — 31 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US economy slowed sharply in Q2 and inflation is finally cooling, but both things are happening for the same reason, which is that oil prices fell, which is itself a consequence of the Middle East conflict, so the "good news" on prices and the "bad news" on growth aren't really two separate stories.
A drone hit an American gas tanker in Egypt yesterday, the first attack of this war on a vessel at Damietta, and the port sits right next to the Suez Canal, the last functioning safe route for Gulf oil heading to...
2026-07-3107 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 028 — 30 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The Fed held rates steady again, but three of its own members wanted a hike, the bond market threw a fit, and long-term borrowing costs are now at levels most people haven't seen since the mid-2000s — so "on hold" is doing a lot of work as a phrase right now.
Iran fired ballistic missiles at US troops in Jordan, every one of them was intercepted, and oil still surged nearly 8% in a single session, because markets aren't pricing what happened, they're pricing what comes next.
South Korea's stock market hit its emergency stop for th...
2026-07-3007 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 027 — 29 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran fired ballistic missiles at US troops in the Middle East overnight, every one was intercepted, and oil prices surged more than 4% anyway, because markets don't price what happened, they price what comes next.
The Fed held rates steady for the fifth meeting in a row, which sounds boring until you realise your mortgage rate and your savings rate have both been frozen since December while a Middle East conflict quietly pushes prices higher.
South Korea's stock market triggered a trading halt today after SK Hynix, one of the world's biggest AI memory chip makers...
2026-07-2908 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 026 — 28 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
South Korea had to hit the pause button on its entire stock market this morning as the global bet on AI spending started looking a lot shakier than it did last week.
A Chinese memory chip company you've almost certainly never heard of briefly became worth more than Walmart on its very first day of trading, and that tells you something important about where Beijing thinks the real war in tech is being fought.
While everyone was watching chips crater, Europe's economy quietly crossed back into growth for the first time in months, which is...
2026-07-2808 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 025 — 27 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Oil just had its worst day in months, and the reason is genuinely good news: Iran and the US have agreed to stop hitting each other, at least for now, and the relief in energy markets was immediate and dramatic.
The European Central Bank held rates steady at 2.25% last week, but the message underneath the pause was clear enough that anybody with a mortgage or a business loan in Europe should probably pay attention to September.
Japan's inflation ticked up for the first time since March, and the story buried inside that number points straight...
2026-07-2708 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 024 — 24 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Oil crossed $100 a barrel overnight because Houthi rebels in Yemen set fire to a Saudi tanker in the Red Sea, and if you're wondering what that has to do with your petrol bill, the answer is: quite a lot, quite soon.
Alphabet beat its revenue forecast and still got punished by markets, because it told investors it plans to spend $205 billion on AI this year and Wall Street's patience for "trust us, the payoff is coming" is running thin.
America is now twelve nights into airstrikes on Iran, the president is hinting publicly at something...
2026-07-2408 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 023 — 23 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran nuclear talks have collapsed, the U.S. is on its eleventh straight night of strikes on Iranian military facilities, and for the first time since this conflict started, two of the world's biggest oil shipping routes are under threat simultaneously, with Brent crude already above $95 and Goldman Sachs calling $120 the base case if neither lane reopens.
Alphabet just beat Wall Street's revenue expectations by nearly three billion dollars, announced it's spending $205 billion this year building AI infrastructure, and the stock still fell, which tells you something about how high the bar has become for...
2026-07-2307 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 022 — 22 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Trump just hit Canada with 50% tariffs using a law that hasn't been touched since Herbert Hoover was in the White House and the Great Depression was still getting started, and if that doesn't tell you how far outside normal territory we've moved, nothing will.
Britain's bond market, which had been pricing in a rough ride under the new Burnham government, calmed down fast when the surprise chancellor pick turned out to be someone traders read as a fiscal grown-up rather than a political reward.
South Korea's stock market just had one of its best sessions...
2026-07-2208 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 021 — 21 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Nine consecutive nights of US strikes on Iranian targets have pushed oil back above $90 a barrel, and if you think that's a story about geopolitics and not about your petrol bill or your mortgage, today's episode will change your mind.
US 30-year mortgage rates just hit their highest point in nearly a year, and the reason ties directly back to that same conflict, because oil, inflation expectations, and borrowing costs are more connected than most people realise until it's already showing up in their monthly payment.
Then, a single sentence from an Iranian foreign ministry...
2026-07-2106 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 020 — 20 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US and Iran escalated over the weekend in ways that will show up at your petrol pump this week, with Brent crude clearing $90 a barrel after strikes hit vessels near the Strait of Hormuz and took out a Kuwaiti oil processing facility, and the uncomfortable truth is that every tick higher in oil makes it harder for central banks to cut rates the way everyone was hoping.
The AI chip trade has now given back nearly a fifth of its peak value in under a month, and Netflix missing its revenue target by roughly $40...
2026-07-2008 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 019 — 18 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
America's biggest banks just had their best quarter on record, and the fact that JPMorgan making $21 billion in three months barely led the news cycle tells you everything about how much else happened this week.
Inflation fell harder than almost anyone expected in June, which would normally be cause for a proper celebration, but oil is creeping back above $80 and the Strait of Hormuz is suddenly a geopolitical flashpoint, so the Fed's job just got complicated again before it even had a chance to feel good about the progress.
Chip stocks have lost a fifth...
2026-07-1809 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 018 — 17 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
TSMC, the Taiwanese company that makes the chips inside almost everything AI runs on, just reported its best earnings in years and its stock still fell more than 4%, which tells you the AI trade isn't about fundamentals anymore, it's about whether the next number can keep topping the last one.
SpaceX dropped below its $135 IPO price this week, just one month after raising $75 billion in the biggest public offering in history, and Elon Musk went from the world's first trillionaire to technically not one faster than most people get through a job probation period.
US...
2026-07-1708 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 017 — 16 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US struck Iranian targets overnight for the second time in as many days, oil is back above $80 a barrel, and the risk that the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that handles about a fifth of the world's seaborne oil, gets seriously disrupted is no longer a tail risk anyone's dismissing.
Apple got regulatory approval from Beijing to switch on its AI features for Chinese iPhone users, roughly 17% of the company's global revenue just got a whole lot more interesting, and the stock hit an all-time record close the same day.
If today's episode...
2026-07-1607 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 016 — 15 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
US inflation posted its biggest monthly drop in six years, which sounds great until you find out the main reason it fell is already going into reverse.
IBM just lost a quarter of its stock market value in a single day, and the warning underneath that number is that big companies are gutting their software budgets to fund AI hardware, which is bad news for a lot more than just IBM.
China's economy grew at 4.3% last quarter, well short of its own targets, and the uncomfortable reality is that the world's largest middle class has...
2026-07-1507 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 015 — 14 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Trump has reimposed a naval blockade on the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that carries a fifth of the world's seaborne oil, and slapped a 20% toll on everything that moves through it, and Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, jumped nearly 10% overnight to $83 a barrel, which means this isn't a market story, it's a petrol pump story.
New Fed chair Kevin Warsh is testifying before Congress this morning for the very first time, and given that he's walking in the door on the same day as the inflation report and five major bank earnings...
2026-07-1408 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 014 — 13 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
U.S. forces struck Iranian targets overnight and Brent crude is back above $79 a barrel, which means the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow channel that carries roughly a quarter of the world's oil, is doing what it always does when tensions flare: making everyone's petrol bill a geopolitical problem.
A 300-page housing affordability bill just became U.S. law, and buried inside it is a provision that blocks any government-issued digital dollar until at least 2031, which is the kind of thing that gets five words in the press release and turns out to matter quite...
2026-07-1308 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 013 — 11 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Trump stood at a NATO summit in Ankara and declared the US-Iran ceasefire finished, and oil prices jumped more than five percent within hours, which tells you everything about how fragile the assumption of calm in that region actually was.
A South Korean chipmaker called SK Hynix just raised $26.5 billion on the Nasdaq, the biggest US listing by a foreign company ever, and the stock climbed 13% on its first day, so the appetite for anything touching AI-era semiconductors is clearly nowhere near exhausted.
Meta is up more than 22% in ten trading days after reports emerged...
2026-07-1110 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 012 — 10 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
SK Hynix just pulled off one of the biggest US stock market debuts in history, and the fact that investors threw seven times more money at it than was available tells you everything about how desperate Wall Street is to own a piece of the AI memory trade right now.
The US government is now paying its highest borrowing cost in roughly twenty years on long-term debt, and that's not just a bond market footnote because those rates flow directly into your mortgage, your car loan, and every infrastructure project that needs financing.
If this...
2026-07-1007 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 011 — 9 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Trump just torched the Iran ceasefire deal and the U.S. bombed over 80 Iranian targets overnight, and the immediate consequence is sitting right there on the petrol station forecourt: oil up more than 5% in a single day.
The Federal Reserve's own internal minutes show that roughly half its members are open to raising interest rates again this year, and if you've got a variable-rate mortgage or any serious credit card balance, that sentence should stop you cold.
The IMF cut its forecast for how fast the global economy will grow in 2026, and they did it...
2026-07-0907 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 010 — 8 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US struck more than 80 Iranian targets and revoked Iran's oil export waivers on the same day, and if you think that's just a geopolitics story, check your petrol app in a fortnight.
Samsung just posted the biggest profit in its history and its stock fell 10%, which tells you everything you need to know about how markets price expectations versus reality right now.
Amazon borrowed $25 billion in a single afternoon to build AI data centres, and the fact that investors were lining up to lend it is as much the story as what Amazon plans...
2026-07-0808 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 009 — 7 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
SpaceX joined the Nasdaq-100 this morning, which means the index funds sitting in millions of retirement accounts had no choice but to buy $4.3 billion worth of Elon Musk's rocket company, because that's just how passive investing works.
OPEC+ has now hiked oil output three months in a row, WTI crude is below $68.65 a barrel, and if you're filling up this week you should actually notice the difference at the pump.
Foxconn, the company that assembles most of the world's iPhones, just reported a 40% revenue jump, and almost none of it came from smartphones.
If this...
2026-07-0707 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 008 — 6 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
US markets reopen after the long weekend and Nasdaq futures are already up nearly a percent, but the real story is what's inside the index now, because SpaceX just got added to the Nasdaq-100 and if you hold one of those index funds in your pension or retirement account, you're a SpaceX investor as of this morning whether you chose to be or not.
Oil has dropped close to 20% in two weeks as US-Iran talks quietly make progress, and that's not an abstraction, it's the price at the pump coming down after months of energy...
2026-07-0608 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 007 — 4 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Meta just announced it has so much AI computing power sitting around that it's going to start selling the surplus to other companies, and the knock-on effect was a full-blown wipeout across the semiconductor sector, because the entire bull case for AI chips was built on the idea that there'd never be enough of them.
South Korea's stock market fell nearly 8% in a single session, triggered circuit breakers, and erased the equivalent of hundreds of billions of dollars, which tells you something uncomfortable: Seoul's market had become so concentrated in AI chip names that one...
2026-07-0409 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 006 — 3 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The Strait of Hormuz is half-blocked, LNG infrastructure is damaged, and the IEA is using words like "greatest threat to global energy security in history," which means the price of getting to work, heating your home, and flying anywhere this summer isn't coming down anytime soon.
The US added just 57,000 jobs in June, roughly half of what forecasters expected, and if you strip out the temporary World Cup spending bump, the underlying picture looks considerably worse than a headline unemployment rate of 4.2% would have you believe.
America's new Fed chair just scrapped forward guidance, meaning...
2026-07-0308 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 005 — 2 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Meta has spent years hoarding AI chips, and it's bought so many that it's now turning itself into a cloud computing business to lease the excess out, which apparently came as enough of a shock to markets that it knocked more than 10% off several chipmakers in a single day.
UK energy bills jumped 13% on July 1, the biggest quarterly increase since the 2022 crisis, and the country that has to absorb that hit is currently running without a prime minister.
The US added only 98,000 private-sector jobs in June, one of the weakest prints in well over a...
2026-07-0207 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 004 — 1 Jul 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Oil just posted its worst quarter since the pandemic, down 38% in three months, and the story isn't just cheap petrol: it's that a collapse this big reshapes everything from Saudi Arabia's government budget to how hard the Fed has to fight inflation.
The Fed's own internal forecasts spooked markets badly enough last week that traders now price a one-in-three chance of a rate hike in July, which matters to anyone with a mortgage, a business loan, or the vague hope that borrowing was about to get cheaper.
Japan's central bank is sitting at its highest...
2026-07-0107 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 003 — 30 Jun 2026Today on The Open Bell:
The US and Iran agreed to stop shooting at each other across the Strait of Hormuz, and oil markets dropped so fast you'd think someone had flipped a switch, which is exactly what happened.
The Dow Jones, the 30-stock index that's been tracking American business since 1896, crossed 52,000 for the first time in its history, and the uncomfortable truth is that Google joining the club had more to do with it than anything the economy actually did this week.
If you own a Nasdaq index fund, a tracker that holds the hundred biggest tech and growth...
2026-06-3008 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 002 — 29 Jun 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Venezuela's earthquake death toll has passed 1,450, the country's worst in over a century, and the fact that U.S. Marines are now surveying its main port tells you something important about who actually has leverage in a disaster — even one involving a government Washington has spent years trying to isolate.
The European Central Bank hiked rates just weeks ago for the first time since 2023, markets are now pricing another hike by December, and the North African conflict that's been driving energy costs across the continent is the reason your heating bill has a European accent ri...
2026-06-2908 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — Ep. 001 — 23 Jun 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow channel that carries roughly a fifth of the world's oil — was closed, on the exact same day the US quietly granted Iran permission to sell more of that oil, which tells you everything you need to know about how well these Switzerland talks are actually going.
SpaceX pulled off the biggest stock market debut in years, pocketed $75 billion, and then immediately walked over to the bond market — where companies borrow by issuing debt to investors — to ask for $20 billion more, which is either visionary capital strategy or a sign t...
2026-06-2308 min
The Open BellThe Open Bell — 19 Jun 2026Today on The Open Bell:
Brent is still above $100 and the ceasefire holding the Strait of Hormuz together is contested enough that calling it a ceasefire feels generous — this is the biggest oil supply shock in recorded history, and it isn't over.
Kevin Warsh chaired his first FOMC meeting and walked out threatening rate hikes, not cuts — and the bond market's reaction was the loudest it's been on a Fed day in nearly two decades.
Hosted by Alex Monroe. New episodes every weekday morning at theopenbell.co
Not investment advice. For informational purposes only.Support the show
2026-06-1906 minThe Open BellThe Open Bell — 18 Jun 2026Today on The Open Bell:
American consumers spent nearly twice what forecasters expected in May, which sounds like great news until you ask whether they're actually better off or just paying more for the same stuff.
China has just published a five-year plan to lock down global critical minerals, and Europe is already reaching for import quotas — the materials trade war that's been simmering for years is starting to boil.
Brazil is sitting on a 13.5% interest rate with inflation still running hot, but falling oil prices — a side effect of geopolitics nobody saw coming — may quietly hand its central bank the ex...
2026-06-1808 minThe Open BellThe Open Bell — Coming SoonHere's something nobody tells you: the global economy doesn't ask permission before it rearranges your life.Interest rates, oil prices, currency moves, trade deals — these aren't abstractions happening to someone else. They're why your mortgage payment went up. They're why your weekly shop costs more than it did two years ago. And they're why your pension is doing whatever it's doing right now, whether you've checked it or not.I'm Alex Monroe, and The Open Bell is a daily financial podcast for curious, intelligent adults who want to understand markets — but don't work in them. Ever...
2026-06-1301 min
Project ZeroEpisode 25: Season One Finale Featuring Project Management Institute (PMI) Global AttendeesIn this season one finale of Project Zero, Alex celebrates the show's success and shares memorable moments and favorite highlights from past episodes. The episode features insightful interviews with project leaders whom Alex met at PMI (Project Management Institute) Global. Guests include Marc Verbist discussing the intersection of music and project management, Tanya Boyd on her gumbo recipe metaphor for business success, Shawn Harris on AI integration in project management, and Alex Monroe on agile transformations in a marketing agency. We've brought you an extended episode, packed with valuable insights, practical takeaways, and reflections on the PMI Global conference...
2025-11-201h 00
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#41 Father's Day Special: This Is A Token with Chris and Freya Bramble-CarterAs an extra special Father’s Day episode, Alex (and his daughter Connie) are delighted to introduce the super talented and charming craftspeople and ceramic experts Chris and Freya Bramble-Carter onto ‘This Is A Token.’Chris has been a feature in the crafts world for a long time, and has taken his love of ceramics and teaching the art form to so many different communities, including teaching inmates at some of the UK’s bigger prisons. Although Alex and Chris have never met, their paths often intertwine as they talk through their careers in the arts world.
2023-06-181h 03This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#40 This Is A Token with Charlotte SpencerFor our next episode of ‘This is a Token’, Alex is joined by his current favourite actor Charlotte Spencer.Charlotte and Alex talk through her deep love of acting which started in childhood. Coming from humble beginnings, her parents have always supported her dream, which has given her the opportunity of performing both on the West End stage with another ‘This is a Token’ guest, Carrie Hope Fletcher as a child, and most recently on our screens as the formidable and uncompromising Nicki Jennings in the very popular series ‘The Gold’ on the BBC detailing*on the Brink’s...
2023-05-2345 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#39 Special Episode: Mental Health Awareness Week with Alex and ConnieTrigger Warning: This special episode of This Is A Token is an open conversation between Alex and his daughter Connie about experiences of anxiety and mental health with mention of suicide.To mark Mental Heath Awareness Week from 15th - 21st May Alex and Connie have come together to record this special episode.Here are some useful links for further reading discussed by Alex and Connie:For more information on Mental Heath Awareness Week: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/our-work/public-engagement/mental-health-awareness-weekFor suggestions on how to help cope wi...
2023-05-1612 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#38 This Is A Token with Rosie VivaFor our latest episode of ‘This is a Token’ podcast, Alex is joined by the multi-talented and super engaging Rosie Viva.Rarely do we have a guest who is so aligned with Alex’s world. A depth of experience in the fashion industry, passionate about talking about all things mental health as well as being a jewellery designer in her own right, Rosie and Alex have so much in common.Rosie and Alex talk through her experiences growing up as a fashion model, as well how her diagnosis of Type 1 Bipolar led to her po...
2023-05-1651 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#37 This Is A Token with Esme YoungAlex is so happy to introduce our latest, ‘This is a Token’ podcast episode with the brilliant Esme Young.After starting her fashion journey at the illustrious Central St Martins, Esme co-founded the iconic shop ‘Swanky Modes. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, her designs featured in some of the biggest publications at the time including, Vogue, The Face and Honey magazine.Esme and Alex talk about her love of both teaching at her beloved Central St Martins, and now judging on the hugely popular reality series, ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’.Listen i...
2023-05-0957 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#36 This Is A Token with Cariad LloydAlex is thrilled to introduce our latest, ‘This is a Token’ podcast episode with the brilliant Cariad Lloyd.After a varied path both on and off screen, Cariad is now well known for her hugely successful podcast, ‘Grief Cast’, where she and her guests discuss grief in a friendly and approachable way. She has a natural warmth when talking about a subject that is often tough to tackle.Cariad and Alex talk in depth about her new book, ‘You Are Not Alone’, which details her own journey with grieving those she’s lost; and how jewell...
2023-05-0249 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#35 This Is A Token with Ruby BealesAlex is delighted to introduce our latest ‘This is a Token’ podcast episode with the fabulous Ruby Beales.After a varied and interesting path throughout the fashion industry, Ruby worked hard to become the Jewellery Buying Manager at London’s most exclusive and eccentric department store, Liberty London.Ruby and Alex talk through their similarities growing up in the rural countryside and how they were both drawn to the fashion world through the joys of her brilliantly eclectic collection of antique jewellery treasures. Settle in for a friendly chat between Alex an...
2023-04-2554 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#34 This Is A Token with Basma KhalifaAlex is thrilled to introduce our latest ‘This is a Token’ podcast episode with the multi-talented and brilliant Basma Khalifa.After starting as a stylist in the fashion industry, Basma’s career evolved into documentary and film making based on her own experience growing up with mixed and varied cultural influences. Basma and Alex talk through their views on how race and gender are often portrayed within the media. They discuss in depth her debut documentary, ‘Inside the Real Saudi Arabia: Why I Had to Leave’ for the BBC and how much of a wild but incredible...
2023-04-1849 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#33 This Is A Token with Alice VincentWe are absolutely delighted to introduce our latest ‘This is a Token’ podcast episode, where Alex is joined by the wonderful Alice Vincent @noughticulture.After starting her career as a journalist, Alice has evolved into writing her own novels, including her latest book, ‘Why Women Grow’. Within the novel Alice tackles her personal journey towards motherhood, and details her deep love of all things gardening. She has continued these conversations on her own podcast, with the same name, which features incredible guests including Margaret Howell and Poppy Okotcha.Settle in as Alex and Alice ha...
2023-04-1151 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#32 This Is A Token with Carrie Hope FletcherFor our latest episode of ‘This is a Token’ podcast, Alex is joined by the brilliantly talented and all around lovely Carrie Hope Fletcher.The super clever and multi-faceted Carrie made her West End debut at the tender age of nine and has had a glittering career on and off stage ever since, starring in iconic shows such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Les Misérables, War of the Worlds, and Heathers, to name but a few.Take a walk down memory lane with Carrie and Alex as they discuss her eclectic selection of ri...
2023-04-0448 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#31 This Is A Token with Tasha GhouriAlex kicks off Season 4 with a conversation with the lovely and super stylish Tasha Ghouri.Alex and Tasha discuss her journey before and after her experience on the popular reality show ‘Love Island’, where she not only found love but also became the first preloved eBay ambassador after being on the show. They dive into her lifelong passion for dance, how she’s embraced her challenges with hearing and becoming a key spokeswoman for the deaf and hard of hearing community within the UK and beyond.Her jewellery choices, classic and timeless in their...
2023-03-2839 min
Real Estate Power PlayEP 63 | Real Estate Power Play with Alex JarboIn this episode of the Real Estate Power Play Podcast, hosted by Mark Monroe, Ronald Walker, Marty Grizzanti, and Gabe Rodarte. Prior to giving Alex the chance to discuss his work, what he does, and the history of his company, Marty takes the time to introduce him.In addition, the Real Estate Power Play Podcast, presented by Mark Monroe, Ronald Walker, Marty Grizzanti, and Gabe Rodarte. Alex also provided additional details about his tree houses since this was the topic that had the hosts most interested, primarily due to the fact that this is a very...
2022-12-2251 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#30 This Is A Token with Jessie BurtonIn this episode Alex talks to the wonderful author Jessie Burton, to take you on a bejewelled and imaginative literary journey. Jessie shares the most treasured items from her collection, from antique rings to the sentimental pieces which thankfully have survived both a home robbery and a fire, and an incredibly striking cocktail ring which once belonged to Jackie Collins! Alex and Jessie discuss the similarities in their art forms, the joy of connecting with people through jewellery and writing, and how wearing pieces close to the skin, can make the wearer feel even clo...
2022-07-1253 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#29 This Is A Token with Hazel GardinerThis episode we talk to Hazel, who among other talents is the founder of her own floral studio. Alex and Hazel discuss the serenity that can be found in spending time in the garden and surrounded by the natural world. Hazel shares her interest and importance in education, understanding the flowers she works with and the art in bringing the outside world indoors.They talk about the growing need for a connection with nature particularly in light of the past couple of years. Hazel shares her chosen pieces of jewellery from school time brooches to her...
2022-07-0549 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#27 This Is A Token with Delia Folk & Alison BruhnIn this episode Alex talks to Mother & Daughter duo Delia Folk and Alison Bruhn, founders of The Style That Binds Us, a fashion focused lifestyle platform on a mission to ensure their audience lives their most stylish and fearless life. Alex delves into their shared love of jewellery, exploring the stories behind their favourite pieces, both vintage treasures and contemporary finds. Delia and Alison discuss their love of travel, the sentiment of jewellery shared across generations and the extra special pieces that carry these memories through time.Here are some useful links for fur...
2022-06-2144 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#26 This Is A Token with Jeremy BowenIn this episode of This is a Token, Alex takes a look at the watch collection of his good friend and neighbour, Jeremy Bowen.Jeremy describes the importance of timing to the absolute second in his job as War Correspondent, and talks of the privilege he feels in witnessing and reporting on history first hand - however upsetting it may be.Hear how a Breitling watch that had survived conflict in Iraq was lost to an elderly watchmaker, and how his BBC-issued ‘Wristlet Stopwatch’ has often garnered the interest of watch enthusiasts on Twit...
2022-06-1445 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#25 This Is A Token with Holly TuckerFounder of Not on the High Street, Holly Tucker is an entrepreneur, ambassador and all-round flag-flyer for creative small businesses everywhere. Holly’s book, ‘Do what you love, Love what you do’ is her guide on how to take your passions to the next level, and lead a happier, more fulfilled life.In our latest episode of ‘This is a Token’, we dip into self-confessed fanatical jewellery lover Holly’s collection, and discover celebratory purchases, and how Holly went from meeting the Queen to negotiating with French riot police in 24 hours!Along the way, Alex is...
2022-06-0752 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#23 This Is A Token with Josie FearWe are absolutely delighted to introduce our latest ‘This is a Token’ podcast episode, where Alex is joined by the wonderful Josie Fear @josieldn.The brilliantly engaging Content Creator and Influencer founded the globally influential blog ‘Fashion Mumblr’ in 2019, and continues to share her love of all things fashion, beauty and lifestyle (as well as her 700 year old Cotswolds home!) with her circa 785k followers.Listen in, as Josie and Alex discuss the highs and lows of sharing life online, tips on kitchen gardening, and navigating a childhood bursting with creativity. Plus, how Josie co...
2022-05-2445 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#22 This Is A Token with Jodie WhittakerWe are so excited to kick off Season 3 of ‘This is a Token’, in conversation with the wonderful and talented Jodie Whittaker. Alongside many brilliant productions, Jodie is perhaps most well known for being the fabulously kooky 13th Doctor in the BBC Doctor Who.Listen in, as friends Jodie and Alex talk us through her most meaningful ’tokens’. From a sneaky ruse that led to a cherished eternity ring, to what it meant for Jodie when she worked with us on her jewellery for the Doctor. Plus, how the two stories entwined when Jodie got into characte...
2022-05-1734 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#21 Special Episode: National Eating Disorders Awareness Week with Alex and ConnieTrigger Warning: This special episode of This Is A Token is an open conversation between Alex and his daughter Connie about experiences of mental health, eating disorders and suicide.There are two weeks dedicated to raising awareness about eating disorders. Firstly, the National Eating Disorders Association’s week is running from the 21st to 27th February - and the second by Beat Eating disorders is from 28th February to 6th March. "Both Connie and I have had our challenges with mental health, and we think of it as very normal so we talk openly ab...
2022-03-0522 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#20 This Is A Token with Ruth YoungThe driving force behind so many of the actors, writers and directors we all know and love, (including household names James Corden and Luke Evans), the brilliant and hugely respected talent agent Ruth Young steps into the limelight and joins Alex on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast for a chat about her most meaningful pieces of jewellery. From a striking gold acorn necklace by New York designer Wendy Mink gifted to her by her husband, to her Grandad's solid gold medal won in a Snooker Championships in 1907 - Ruth is a true jewellery enthusiast with so many wonderful piec...
2021-10-1244 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#19 This Is A Token with Rachael TaylorRenowned jewellery journalist, founder of The Jewellery Cut, and true industry insider - the brilliant Racheal Taylor joins Alex and Connie on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast amongst a background of seagulls in stormy Brighton for a chat about her favourite pieces of jewellery - spanning an eclectic range of innovative designers and makers. From a pair of Hoop Earrings where clever design details are not what they first appear, to a treasured trilogy ring which has evolved in meaning over the years, connecting Racheal to three very important women in her life. Listen in...
2021-10-0538 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#18 This Is A Token with Bay GarnettFashion Stylist, Creative Director and renowned ‘Queen of Thrift’ - the vibrant and pioneering Bay Garnet joins Alex on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast for a chat about her most treasured pieces of jewellery. Discover an incredibly glamorous, baroque style pearl bracelet - passed down from Bay's Grandmother, and a white gold signet ring by designer Solange - described by Alex as a ‘squishy sweet, peppered in diamonds!'Listen in as Alex and Bay have a fascinating discussion about her groundbreaking work fusing fashion and sustainability since the late 1990’s - from the creativity of thrift as...
2021-09-2846 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#17 This Is A Token with Ellyse PerryAn unstoppable Australian sportswoman who has represented her country in both cricket and football - the inspirational, pioneering and incredibly down to earth Ellyse Perry joins Alex on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast for a chat about her most meaningful pieces of jewellery. From early undefined memories of a Polly Pocket charm bracelet to her treasured Alex Monroe Peacock Feather necklace which her wonderful and supportive mum gifted her on her 18th birthday! Listen in as Alex and Ellyse have a fascinating conversation about the joys of being able to ‘play’ rather than ‘work’ for a living, he...
2021-09-2136 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#15 This Is A Token with Meera SodhaCook, food writer. columnist and celebrated author of ‘Made in India’ and ‘East’ - the wonderful and vibrant Meera Sodha joins Alex on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast for a chat about her most treasured pieces of jewellery. From an enamelled Jemima Puddle-duck brooch she has treasured since she was 4 years old, to a cinnamon red Rudraksha seed bead gifted to her by a beloved grandmother, whose touch keeps her grounded in uncertain moments. Listen in as Alex and Meera have a rich and uplifting discussion about a her life experiences as a creative home cook inspired...
2021-09-0749 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#14 This Is A Token with Martha KearneyAward winning Political Journalist and Radio 4 broadcaster, with her 'Today' programme Alex's favourite thing to listen to - the bright and bee-rilliant Martha Kearney joins Alex for a chat about her most treasured pieces of jewellery! From an epic charm bracelet from a Varinasi market documenting a year of travelling in her thirties, to a pair of striking Minoan Bee Earrings celebrating a blended passion for pollinators and antiquity!Listen in, as old friends and fellow bee enthusiasts Alex and Martha have a lively discussion about a host of fascinating things - from her experiences in...
2021-08-3154 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#13 This Is A Token with Emily DeanAward winning writer, broadcaster, Frank Skinner’s radio show and host of the much-loved ‘Walking the Dog’ podcast - the brilliant, funny and insightful Emily Dean joins Alex on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast for a chat about her most treasured pieces of jewellery! From a glamorous 90’s Vivienne Westwood choker that taught her an incredible life lesson, to a gold ‘E’ necklace studded with a diamond - the story of which brings together her best friend, producer Jane Goldman and the iconic 70’s singing icon Lynsey de Paul!Listen in, as Alex and Emily have a fascinating a...
2021-08-2450 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#12 This Is A Token with Kate FlitcroftAuctioneer, Jewellery and Silver specialist, Gemologist AND one of the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow Experts - the brilliant and pioneering Kate Flitcroft joins Alex on our ‘This is a Token’ podcast for a chat about her most treasured pieces of jewellery. From a series of special and sentimental treasures tying her to her much-loved late grandmother, to a simple 'magic' necklace that allowed her to feel close to her mother in Kansas, upon the birth of her first child in London during the pandemic.Listen in as Alex and Kate have a fascinating chat about her sparkl...
2021-08-1753 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#11 This Is A Token with Raven SmithWe are so excited to kick off Season 2 of ‘This is a Token’ with the witty and wonderful Raven Smith. Raven is a wearer of so many interesting hats - from Humorist, Writer and Cultural Commentator to Instagrammer, Style Icon and more recently Jewellery Designer! You will of course recognise Raven and his slightly naughty influence from our genderless collaboration, 'Alex Monroe x Raven Smith'.Listen in, as Raven and Alex have a fun and fascinating chat about his most meaningful ’tokens’. From a pair of pinky signet engagement rings left intentionally blank, to a theatrical necklace...
2021-08-1038 min
This Is A Token with Alex MonroeThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe - Season 2 TrailerWelcome back to Season 2 of ‘This is a Token with Alex Monroe’ - our podcast celebrating the magical nature of jewellery, and the individual stories behind some very precious pieces. Every week, starting from the 10th of August, Alex will explore the relationship between his guest and their most meaningful pieces of jewellery. Together they will uncover the moving, fascinating and often surprising stories tethered to each piece, and the emotional connections they just can't do without. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2021-08-0301 minThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe#10 This Is A Token with Alex & ConnieIn our final episode of Series 1 of ‘This is a Token’, Alex and his daughter Connie (podcast co-producer and technical assistant) take a moment to reflect on the series, their favourite moments and the incredible guests Alex has had the pleasure of speaking to about their lives and their jewellery over the past few months.Thank you so much for tuning into Series 1!We are looking forward to welcoming you back for Series 2 very soon!Illustration by Connie Bella MonroeEdited by Emily SandfordMusic by Dani...
2021-03-2124 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#9 This Is A Token with Erin O'ConnorIn our latest episode of ‘This is a Token’, Alex is joined virtually by fashion model, diversity campaigner and all-round icon of the British Fashion scene, the wonderful Erin O’Connor MBE. In a lively and uplifting discussion, Erin talks Alex through her favourite pieces of jewellery, many she has acquired on her travels around the world with her work since she was spotted at 19 years old!Listen in as Alex & Erin (with an appearance from Alex’s daughter and podcast co-producer Connie) talk about the overt sexualisation of young women in the public eye, the strength...
2021-03-0953 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#8 This Is A Token with Rosie WolfendenThis week, Alex is joined virtually by fellow jeweller, and co-founder of jewellery brand 'Tatty Devine', the marvellous Rosie Wolfenden MBE. Just like Alex Monroe, Tatty Devine hand-makes all their pieces in the UK with a strong commitment to ethical practices and sustainability, and are known and loved worldwide for their original and fun, statement acrylic jewellery. Rosie talks Alex through her favourite and most meaningful treasures, from her beloved grandmother’s necklace, to the personalised antique signet rings she and her husband wear as a symbol of their marriage.Listen in as Alex and Rosie ta...
2021-03-0246 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#7 This Is A Token with Zinnia KumarIn our latest episode of ‘This is a Token’, Alex is joined virtually by the incredible Zinnia Kumar. A Chartered Ecologist, published scientist, sustainability advocate, cultural theorist, and internationally recognised fashion model, Zinnia talks to Alex about the trinkets and jewellery she has on her person everyday, as a meaningful and grounding reminder of who she is.Listen in, as Alex and Zinnia discuss working to engineer social and environmental change from inside the fashion industry, the symbolic transformation of a dragonfly into a pair of elephants, and how jewellery can function as a measure and rewa...
2021-02-2345 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#6 This Is A Token with Olivia WilliamsIn our newest episode of ‘This is a Token’ Alex is joined at home in London, by the wonderful actor Olivia Williams. Best known for her brilliant roles in Wes Anderson’s ‘Rushmore’, ‘The Sixth Sense’, ‘An Education’ and ‘Friends’, Olivia talks to Alex about three unique and precious rings, each given to her by three special and very different women in her life.Listen in as old friends Alex and Olivia discuss adventures in Afghanistan, unusual techniques of attraction, and the complexity of jewellery that is so precious and full of sentiment, it can often be quite difficult to...
2021-02-1658 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#5 This Is A Token with Tessa BrownIn this week's episode, Alex is joined at his home in London by brilliant textile artist, friend and self confessed ‘non-jewellery lover’ Tessa Brown, for a chat about some bittersweet jewellery she owns, with a fascinating, dark and complicated family history.Listen in as Alex and Tessa discuss her stepmother’s South American adventures with a Texan treasure hunter, a pair of spectacular Chilean ‘handbag’ earrings and how jewellery so often represents the remnants of legacies that are a part of who we are.You can find Tessa Brown at www.tessabrown.co.uk ...
2021-02-0944 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#4 This Is A Token with Beanie FeldsteinIn the latest episode of ‘This Is A Token’, Alex is joined virtually across many miles and oceans, by none other than brilliant US actor Beanie Feldstein. Star of Booksmart, Ladybird and How to Build a Girl, Beanie talks Alex through 3 of the 12 rings she wears every single day and the stories behind each one.Listen in as Alex and Beanie, with an appearance from Alex’s daughter Connie, discuss relationships and teenage awkwardness, getting to know the Wolverhampton accent and how her jewellery connects her to her magnificent style-icon mum.Follow Beanie on Ins...
2021-02-0247 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#3 This Is A Token with Lloyd HutchinsonActor and close friend, Lloyd Hutchinson, best known for his prolific stage work with the National Theatre alongside many other brilliant productions, joins Alex at home for a chat about a life spent performing, and how three gold rings will always connect him to his late and much-loved father John.Listen in as Alex and Lloyd discuss a childhood in Northern Ireland amongst 'The Troubles', being directed by an unknown Danny Boyle in 1980's Belfast, and how a humorous misunderstanding with his father plus a lucky poker game, underpins the unusual origins of his wedding ring!
2021-01-2647 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#2 This Is A Token with Dwight Pile-GrayThe incredible musician Dwight Pile-Gray: a professional conductor, horn player, academician, and musical director of two orchestras, joins Alex at home in London for a chat about his pioneering work in the classical music industry, and the medals he has been awarded for his service to the Corps of Army Music.Listen in, as Alex and Dwight discuss his musical childhood as a Guyanese child brought up in Croydon in the 60’s, his work to increase representation and diversity in classical music, and the power and importance of camaraderie in military jewellery.You ca...
2021-01-1945 min
This Is A Token with Alex Monroe#1 This Is A Token with Olivia ColmanThe wonderful actor Olivia Colman, star of The Crown, The Favourite, Fleabag and so many other brilliant productions, joins Alex at home in London for a chat about her most treasured pieces of jewellery and the stories connected with them. Listen in, amongst the cups of tea and dogs playing in the background, as Alex and Olivia discuss secret engravings, the Crown jewels and how a beautiful aquamarine ring became such a special symbol of her marriage to husband Ed.Alex's daughter Connie has helped to create these podcasts, and you may notice the occasional reference...
2021-01-1252 min
This Is A Token with Alex MonroeThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe - TrailerThis Is A Token with Alex Monroe is a brand new podcast celebrating the magic of jewellery and the stories behind some very special pieces. Every week, starting on Tuesday 12th January 2021, Alex will explore the relationship between his guest and their most-loved jewellery. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
2020-12-2901 min
Conversations of InspirationS4: Balancing commercial with creative, with Alex Monroe, founder of Alex Monroe JewelleryThis week on Conversations of Inspiration, Holly speaks to jeweller Alex Monroe at his ‘buzzing’ headquarters boutique in London. With 30 successful years in the business, Alex’s insight and attitude will provide a huge source of inspiration and advice for creative small businesses looking to combine creativity with commerciality. With fans such as Emma Watson, Sienna Miller and a regular in Vogue - Alex Monroe is a masterclass in growing your brand whilst maintaining your integrity and creativity.
In this enlightening episode, Holly & Alex discuss his journey so far, the process for anyone who wants to create products that l...
2019-06-101h 16