Stable growth with inflation risks easing but continued geopolitical uncertainty. The move away from narrow leadership in US is expected to continue in 2026.

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Legendary UK fund manager Nick Train joins Wilfred Frost on The Master Investor Podcast to discuss why, despite recent underperformance, he remains relentlessly optimistic on equities, on the opportunities the UK market presents, and on his own highly concentrated portfolio.

Nick lays out his philosophy of patient, conviction-led investing, highlighting that his portfolios typically turn over less than 5% a year and many of his top holdings have been owned for a decade or more, with his top 10 holdings accounting for more than 80% of his fund. Influenced by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger, he argues that owning a small number of world-class businesses for very long periods is the most powerful route to wealth creation, and explains why every sale is, in his mind, “a confession of error.”

Despite acknowledging decades of relative underperformance for the UK versus the US, Train makes a full-throated case that select London-listed companies are under-owned, undervalued and well placed to benefit from global themes like artificial intelligence. He uses London Stock Exchange Group and RELX as case studies in how proprietary data, capital-light digital models and AI-driven analytics can support compounding growth, even if headline UK indices remain out of favour. He also defends Diageo despite a difficult couple of years, arguing that ultra-premium spirits brands like Guinness and Don Julio should benefit over decades from rising global wealth, much as luxury brands have for LVMH. All 3 stocks represent over 10% positions in his portfolio.

Train is candid about recent underperformance, and talks openly about why his fund has underperformed in recent years and the discomfort he has experienced because of it. He also reflects on how he has confronted it – by buying more of his own trust and being relentlessly optimistic, and leaves tips for listeners with his distilled mantra: be bold, be disciplined, be optimistic.

For any income-focused investor moving from initial interest to active consideration of adding a stock to their portfolio, it is advisable to interrogate the extent to which the company’s strategy is supported by a durable and mathematically sound shareholder return framework.

Will they secure the dividend and fund buybacks?

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For any major integrated energy company, the central challenge is clear: deliver competitive shareholder returns today while navigating the complexities of the global energy transition. bp has announced a "fundamental update" of its strategy—a decisive answer to this challenge that reflects decades of leadership experience and the imperative to deliver strong performance for shareholders.