FEAR & GREED | Business News

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-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 and Glencore in discussions to create the world’s biggest ming company. Investors take a punt that a $13 billion bid for BlueScope Steel will ultimately succeed. Join our free daily newsletter here. And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - this week, six financial goals for 2026. Get the episode from APPLE, SPOTIFY, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 just how big the business has become, why even a fictional K-pop group can top the Billboard charts, and how investing in music publishing rights works. 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 advisor who can tailor investments to your needsFind out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.