Fear & Greed Q+A

Australia’s FY26 reporting season looked reasonably strong on the surface, with aggregate profits rising by around 11.6%. But underneath the headline numbers, the recovery was much narrower - and investors were often more interested in what companies said about FY27 than the profits they had just reported. Michael Thompson speaks with Roger Montgomery, founder and Chief Investment Officer at...

A hotter-than-expected inflation result and surprisingly strong household spending have changed the outlook for interest rates, with another RBA hike now looking increasingly likely. Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas  for the Week Ahead, looking at what this week's GDP figures will tell us about the strength of the economy, and why Stephen has changed his call on...

Wesfarmers released its full-year results yesterday, and while Bunnings and Kmart are still booming, the conglomerate is facing a familiar retail challenge: labour, energy, transport and supply-chain costs are rising, while Australian households remain under pressure. Michael Thompson speaks with Wesfarmers Chief Financial Officer Anthony Gianotti about how the owner of Bunnings, Kmart and Officew...

Bitcoin has rallied sharply, but buying it and hoping the price rises is only one way to approach crypto. Investors can buy and hold, earn staking rewards or move into riskier territory through leveraged trading. In the second instalment of Fear & Greed's monthly series with Coinbase, Sean Aylmer speaks with Hassan Ahmed, Country Director for Singapore at Coinbase, about how newcomers should a...

Australia needs more housing, but property group Stockland says higher interest rates are already starting to slow demand - just as the country remains hundreds of thousands of homes short. Sean Aylmer speaks with Stockland Managing Director and CEO Tarun Gupta about what's holding back new housing supply, why land lease communities are booming, what its shopping centres are revealing about consum...

Evolution Mining has delivered a record profit of almost $1.5 billion as soaring gold and copper prices combine with higher production and cost control to generate a surge in cash. Sean Aylmer speaks with Evolution Mining Managing Director and CEO Lawrie Conway about why the miner is returning more of that cash to shareholders rather than chasing acquisitions, the growing importance of copper, the...

The unemployment rate has risen to 4.5 per cent, hours worked are falling and wages growth is easing. So is it time for the RBA to rethink its view that Australia's labour market is still tight? Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas  for the Week Ahead, looking at what the latest jobs numbers mean for interest rates and what to expect from this week's inflation figur...

Atlassian is one of Australia’s great business success stories. Mike Cannon-Brookes and Scott Farquhar built a software giant that at one point was worth more than $115 billion. But behind the extraordinary growth, their friendship and business partnership was coming under increasing strain. Sean Aylmer speaks with business journalist John Stensholt, co-author with Perry Williams of the new...

After three years of selling assets, strengthening its balance sheet and reshaping its portfolio, Mirvac says it is ready for its next phase. Managing Director and CEO Campbell Hanan talks to Sean Aylmer about where the property giant sees its next opportunities, why it’s reducing its exposure to office property and investing more in industrial and living sectors, and the outlook for residen...

BHP has delivered a strong year of earnings and cash generation, but one of the biggest changes is happening inside the business itself: copper has overtaken iron ore to account for more than half of earnings. Sean Aylmer speaks with BHP Chief Financial Officer Vandita Pant about the company’s plans to grow copper production, why iron ore remains central to the business, the long-term bet on...

QBE has spent years trying to become a less volatile, more predictable insurer. But that's no easy task when the risks it covers - from natural catastrophes to cyber attacks - keep changing. Sean Aylmer speaks with QBE Insurance Group CEO Andrew Horton about the strategy behind the global insurer's growth, why cyber has become a half-billion-dollar premium business for QBE, how AI could help both...

The RBA may have finally reached the end of its rate-hiking cycle, with signs that higher interest rates are starting to bite across the economy. Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas  for the Week Ahead, looking at why rates could now stay on hold for the next year, whether falling house prices are being overblown, and what could turn a housing downturn into a credi...

Artificial intelligence is moving beyond chatbots and experiments. The next phase is increasingly about AI agents capable of handling entire workflows, forcing businesses to rethink not just which technology they use, but how their organisations actually operate. In this special Fear & Greed Q+A panel, recorded at the launch of NTT DATA’s Innovation Centre Australia in Sydney, Sean Aylme...

Commonwealth Bank has delivered a record full-year profit of $10.98 billion, but Australia’s biggest bank is also seeing clear signs of a slowing economy. Mortgage applications have fallen, household pressures are building and CBA expects housing credit growth to weaken. Sean Aylmer speaks with Commonwealth Bank CEO Matt Comyn about what the bank is seeing inside the Australian economy, the...

The Reserve Bank has left interest rates unchanged at 4.35 per cent, but the message from Governor Michele Bullock was hardly reassuring for borrowers. Despite softer inflation and a cooling housing market, the RBA is still warning that rates could need to rise again. Sean Aylmer speaks with AMP Deputy Chief Economist Diana Mousina about why the decision was a “hawkish hold”, what coul...

REA Group has delivered full-year revenue of $1.8 billion, up 11 per cent, with listing volumes holding up despite higher interest rates and a cooling housing market. But the company is now seeing very different conditions around the country. Sean Aylmer speaks with REA Group CEO Cameron McIntyre about why the business has remained resilient, what REA’s data is showing about buyers and selle...

The Reserve Bank looks likely to leave interest rates on hold this week. But what actually happens behind closed doors when that decision is made? Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas , looking at why he expects the RBA to stay on hold, how the nine-member Monetary Policy Board reaches its decision, and just how close those votes can be. They also preview the NAB Busines...

Michael Thompson turns the tables on experienced business journalist Sean Aylmer to find out what he looks for during reporting season. From the numbers that really matter to spotting CEO spin, Sean reveals what makes a good CEO interview - and why the best answers are often the ones that aren't rehearsed. Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

Can AI finally become a true personal assistant? Sean Aylmer speaks with Blake Nussey, Senior Technical Product Manager for Alexa International at Amazon, about the next generation of AI assistants, including how generative AI is changing the way people interact with technology. They discuss how AI assistants are becoming more personalised, how Amazon is tackling accuracy and privacy, and why...

Reporting season is underway, and investors could be in for another bumpy ride. Sean Aylmer speaks with Ben Gilbert, Head of Australian Research at Jarden, about why this reporting season could be another volatile one, the retail sectors he expects to outperform, why he's bullish on JB Hi-Fi and Wesfarmers, and why he's much more cautious on Domino's. This is general information only. Seek profess...

Migration has become one of Australia's biggest political issues. But behind the headlines lies a much more complicated story. Sean Aylmer speaks with Melinda Cilento, CEO of the Committee for Economic Development of Australia (CEDA), about how migration has changed since the pandemic. They discuss why skilled migration remains critical to the economy, whether migrants are really driving the housi...

Tuesday 4 August 2026 Gaming companies including Tabcorp and Sportsbet accused of offering drugs and escorts to gamblers. The sale of electric and hybrid vehicles reaches just under 50 per cent A private equity consortium set to buy insurance broker Steadfast in a $7 billion deal Australia’s two biggest fleet management companies to merge A new study says being poor can do long-term damage t...

Crypto has come a long way from its early days. Regulation is tightening, institutions are becoming more involved, and the technology behind digital assets is increasingly finding real-world applications. In the first of a new monthly series, Sean Aylmer speaks with John O'Loghlen, Managing Director APAC at Coinbase, about how Australia's crypto industry has matured. They discuss why regulation is...

This week: Is a rate hike now off the cards after last week's inflation figures? Household spending data International trade, and why it's the sleeper story of the economy Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas  to look at what to expect. Join our  free daily newsletter here . Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy inf...

Uber now accepts cash. ATM withdrawals are rising. So is Australia's cashless future on hold? Michael and Sean unpack the surprising resurgence of cash, who's using it, and whether physical money is here to stay. Got a topic you'd like to see explored one Sunday? Get in touch  here . Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.