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/ [https://fearandgreed.com.au/]

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

What inflation (and interest rates) will do this year

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 [https://fearandgreed.com.au/newsletter-signup].

And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? [https://fearandgreed.com.au/how-do-they-afford-that-sugar-mamma-canna-campbell/] - this week, six financial goals for 2026. Get the episode from APPLE [https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/how-do-they-afford-that/id1644255235], SPOTIFY [https://open.spotify.com/show/1EW5WRlRh7MovSBNkk6dG8?si=b2203ec2fa934a14], or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Fire, floods disasters; BHP closes on CBA as top stock; rate cut guessing game

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/ [https://fearandgreed.com.au/]

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

The best family holidays in 2026

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 needs

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

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

K-pop: the hit factory investors want in on

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/ [https://fearandgreed.com.au/]

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Why podcasting has gone mainstream

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 [https://investwith.montinvest.com/rogermontgomery.comfearandgreed] or call 02 8046 5000.
Follow Roger’s insights at www.rogermontgomery.com [https://investwith.montinvest.com/rogermontgomery.comfearandgreed]

This is Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12. This episode is brought to you by Montgomery Investment Management. All information is general in nature. If you want to invest, we recommend you visit a financial advisor who can tailor investments to your needs.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Small caps are back. Can they keep going?

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 films.

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 needs.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Hollywood investing: it's not all red carpets and blockbusters

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 about efficiency as much as AI.

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/ [https://fearandgreed.com.au/]

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Why we're wrong about our productivity problem

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 its own.

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 needs

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

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

WiseTech’s governance test

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 12.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

We have a skills shortage, and AI can't save us

Fear and Greed is Australia's most popular business podcast. All the business news you need to know, every day, with business journalist Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson.

 