In this week's edition of the Weekly Investment Trust Podcast, Jonathan Davis, editor of the Investment Trusts Handbook, speaks to Anthony Leatham, head of investment trust research at Peel Hunt, and Will Fraser-Allen, managing partner of Albion Capital and chairman of the Venture Capital Association.

We are grateful for the support of J.P. Morgan Asset Management, which enables us to keep the podcast free.

Section Timestamps:0:00:39 - Review of the week0:03:00 - This week's guests0:03:40 - Money Makers Circle0:04:11 - Corporate news and announcements0:06:47 - Summary of results0:09:13 - The Investment Trusts Handbook 20240:11:10 - Q&A with Anthony Leatham0:11:44 - Looking at the week0:16:41 - The cost disclosure issue0:22:58 - Share buy backs0:29:14 - Battery storage trusts0:32:14 - Digital infrastructure0:35:49 - Consolidation0:39:23 - Q&A with Will Fraser-Allen0:40:05 - A look at what VCTs do0:43:36 - Regulations around VCTs0:46:30 - The outlook for VCT fundraising0:48:33 - Characterising performance0:54:06 - How to approach VCT investments0:57:03 - Distinguishing between trusts0:59:30 - The impact of the consumer duty and fees1:03:56 - Current worries1:04:58 - Best case outcomes1:08:55 - Close

Trusts mentioned this week (with tickers): Abrdn Diversified Income and Growth (ADIG), Triple Point Energy Transition (TENT), GCP Asset Backed Income (GABI), Invesco Select (IVPU), J.P.Morgan China Growth and Income (JCGI), Henderson European Focus (HEFT), J.P.Morgan Indian (JII), Schroder UK Mid Cap (SCP), Polar Capital Global Healthcare (PCGH), J.P.Morgan Asian Growth and Income (JAGI), GCP Infrastructure (GCP), Polar Capital Technology (PCT), Montanaro European Smaller Companies (MTE), Taylor Maritime (TMI), J.P.Morgan European Discovery (JEDT), STS Global Income and Growth (STS), Miton UK Micro Cap (MINI), Ashoka WhiteOak Emerging Markets (AWEM), Gore Street Energy Storage (GSF), Global Smaller Companies Trust (GSCT), Worldwide Healthcare (WWH), Schiehallion (MNTN), Chrysalis (CHRY), Gresham House Energy Storage (GRID), Digital 9 Infrastructure (DGI9), European Opportunities Trust (EOT), Albion VCT (AAVC), Albion Development VCT (AADV), Albion Enterprise VCT (AAEV), Albion Technology and General VCT (AATG).

If you enjoy the weekly podcast, you may also find value in joining The Money Makers circle. This is a membership scheme that offers listeners to the podcast an opportunity, in return for a modest monthly or annual subscription, to receive additional premium content, including interviews, performance data, market/portfolio reviews and regular extracts from the editor's notebook.

This week, as well as the regular features, the Circle features a profile of VinaCapital Vietnam Opportunity (VOF). Future profiles coming soon include J.P.Morgan UK Smaller Companies (JMI) and Schroder Asian Total Return (ATR). Also, remember to look out for the second of our new weekly emails summarising Jonathan's latest thoughts alongside all of the regular features available in the Circle.

For more information about the Money Makers circle, please visit money-makers.co/membership-join. Membership helps to cover the cost of producing the weekly investment trust podcast, which will continue to be free. We are very grateful for your continued support and the enthusiastic response to our nearly 190 podcasts since launch.

You can find more information, including relevant disclosures, at www.money-makers.co. Please note that this podcast is provided for educational purposes only and nothing you hear should be considered as investment advice. Our podcasts are also available on the Association of Investment Companies website, www.theaic.co.uk.

Produced by Ben Gamblin.