The Five-Minute Investor from Money Clinic: What’s an IPO?

With a string of companies preparing to launch stock market listings on both sides of the Atlantic, investors may be tempted to invest in an IPO. But when companies stage an initial public offering, what are the factors to consider? In our new miniseries, The Five-Minute Investor, consumer editor Claer Barrett challenges Rob Armstrong, co-host of FT’s Unhedged podcast and author of the Unhedged newsletter, to explain why companies go public, and the risks of getting carried away with investing on the first day of public trading.Tune in every Tuesday to catch the latest episode of The Five-Minute Investor, and subscribe to Money Clinic wherever you get your podcasts. If you would like Claer to demystify an investment term, email the team at money@ft.com or send Claer a DM on social media — she’s @ClaerB on Instagram and TikTok.For more tips on how to organise your money, sign up to Claer's email series 'Sort Your Financial Life Out With Claer Barrett' at FT.com/moneycourseWant more?Listen to Unhedged wherever you get your podcasts, read Rob Armstrong’s latest Unhedged newsletter, and sign up to a free 30-day trial of the Unhedged newsletter: https://www.ft.com/unhedgedoffer. Check out Claer’s column, Have you got five minutes to talk about investing?Listen to Money Clinic’s Investment Masterclasses, such as An insider's view of the City of London, What’s one of the world’s leading investors buying?, and more.Disclaimer: The Money Clinic podcast is a general discussion about financial topics and does not constitute an investment recommendation or individual financial advice.Presented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Tamara Kormornick. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s global head of audio.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.