FEAR & GREED | Business News

Tuesday 13 January 2026

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalls parliament to debate hate speech laws and ban hate groups. 

• Black Friday sales spur a surge in household spending. 
• Meta says it has removed 540,000 users from its Instagram, Facebook and Threads platforms, as a result of the social media ban for under 16-year-olds. 
• The Trump administration r...

At one point in 2025, it looked like inflation had been beaten. Sean Aylmer speaks with Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis about what surprised economists late in the year, how much of the rise in inflation is “noise” versus something more persistent, and what this means for the Reserve Bank and Westpac's predictions for interest rates.

This episode is brought to you by Westpac. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-ne...

Monday 12 January 2026

Fires in Victoria and floods in Queensland threaten lives and property, as federal and state governments step in to offer financial assistance. 

• BHP closes in on Commonwealth Bank in the race to be the country’s largest company. 
• Investors and economists are split on whether the Reserve Bank will hike rates in 2026. 
• Rio Tinto ...

Travelling with kids can be magical - if you pick the right trip. Michael Thompson speaks with Luke Humphries from Luxury Escapes about the best family holiday ideas for 2026 - from local theme parks, to international destinations.

This episode is brought to you by Luxury Escapes. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

Se...

Thanks to a record-breaking Netflix film, K-pop has had a breakout year,  and it’s creating some unusual investing opportunities. Michael Thompson speaks with Stefan von Imhof, co-founder of alternative investing community fund Alts.co, about how K-pop is manufactured for global success - from government-backed cultural strategy to “idol incubators” that scout and train teenagers for years. Stefan explains ju...

Podcasting has grown from a niche format into a mass medium. Michael Thompson speaks with Tim Burrowes from Mumbrella and Unmade about why podcasts succeeded where other digital formats stalled, how advertisers are using them, the shift toward video, and whether AI poses a threat.

This is Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.c...

After years in the shadows, Australian small caps staged a comeback in 2025. But can it continue? Sean Aylmer speaks with Roger Montgomery from Montgomery Investment Management about why small caps began outperforming, and why not all small caps are created equal. Roger explains what to look for, and runs through several small-cap names that highlight the themes driving the sector.

For more information, visit www.montinvest.com or ...

Film investing sounds glamorous, but it can be brutally risky. Michael Thompson talks with Stefan von Imhof from Alts.co about why taking equity stakes in movies can disappoint, even when the film feels like a hit, thanks to “Hollywood accounting” and unpredictable box office outcomes. Stefan explains why horror can be a more profitable genre (cheap to make, strong upside), and explores an alternative way to invest in f...

Business investment shapes the future of productivity, from machines and software to buildings and infrastructure. Sean Aylmer speaks with Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis about how business investment has tracked over the past year and what’s driving the next phase. Luci explains why confidence and demand matter so much, what’s happening beyond the volatile mining sector, and why data centres and cloud computing are ...

WiseTech Global is one of Australia’s most successful tech companies, and one of its most controversial. Gaurav Sodhi, Deputy Head of Research at Intelligent Investor, joins Sean Aylmer to unpack why governance issues at WiseTech have become impossible for investors to ignore. From allegations surrounding founder Richard White, to aggressive accounting practices, Gaurav explains why a world-class product isn’t enough on...

Australia’s skills shortage isn’t a short-term problem - it’s driven by demographics. Sean Aylmer speaks with Simon Kuestenmacher, co-founder and director of The Demographics Group, about baby boomers leaving the workforce, smaller generations coming through, and why demand for workers is still rising.

This is Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January ...

What will be the must-have tech of 2026? Michael Thompson is joined by Stephen Fenech, editor of techguide.com.au, to preview the gadgets shaping the year ahead (spoiler alert - smart glasses are going to be big in 2026).

This is Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12. All information is general in nature. If you want to invest, we recommend you visit a financial ...

High-frequency trading and arbitrage sound mysterious, and largely inaccessible. Sean Aylmer talks to Roger Montgomery from Montgomery Investment Management about how high-frequency trading really works, why legendary investor Jim Simons built one of history’s greatest fortunes this way, and why most investors can't access these strategies. Roger explains how arbitrage works, and how one Australian fund has opened a small win...

2025 was the year of gold: record prices, soaring miners, and plenty of FOMO. Sean Aylmer talks to Morningstar equity market strategist Lachlan Halloway about what drives gold cycles, what history tells us after big peaks, and why Morningstar’s long-run gold price forecast sits well below today’s levels. Lachlan also explains what “peak frenzy” looks like, and whether there’s any value left in gold min...

Another year of house price growth has been welcome news for homeowners, but a challenge for would-be buyers. Sean Aylmer is joined by Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis to unpack how the housing market finished 2025 - and what Westpac expects to see for national house prices in 2026.

This episode is brought to you by Westpac. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 1...

Tequila may not be your first thought as an investment. But the market is not just real, it's now expanding beyond the spirit itself. Michael Thompson is joined by Stefan von Imhof, co-founder of Alts.co, to explore why tequila can have a faster “appreciation cycle” than wine or whisky, and why premiumisation is lifting demand for higher-quality agave products. Stefan makes the case for tequila tourism: a Mexico-based v...

Great holidays don’t have to come with eye-watering price tags. Sean Aylmer speaks with Sammy Turpin from Luxury Escapes about where travellers can find genuine value in 2026, with a focus on the best cruises and a few other ideas too.

This episode is brought to you by Luxury Escapes. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed...

James Hardie has had a horror year. The 136-year-old building supplies company made some big decisions that made investors very, very unhappy - including Gaurav Sodhi, Deputy Head of Research at Intelligent Investor. Gaurav takes Sean Aylmer through James Hardie's tough 2025, and explains why he titled one email about the company with "WTF."

This is Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular n...

Household spending is the engine room of the economy, and one of the clearest indicators of cost-of-living pressure. Sean Aylmer talks to Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis about how consumers ended 2025 and what lies ahead. 

This episode is brought to you by Westpac. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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