Fear & Greed Q+A

Listener Lew asks:  This might be a stupid question but can unemployment ever get close to 0%? Wouldn’t that be classed as ‘full employment’? Would appreciate a simplified explanation, if there is one. Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  L...

Listener Andy asks:  I work very hard, you work very hard, pretty much everyone I know works very hard. Can you tell my why Australia's productivity levels are considered very low please? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram &...

Australia’s big banks are under pressure over their role in the energy transition - and fund manager Australian Ethical is now set to confront Westpac and NAB with resolutions at their AGMs. Alison George, Head of Impact and Ethics at Australian Ethical, talks to Sean Aylmer about why the resolutions are necessary, suggesting Westpac has made no progress in the last 12 months. Australian Eth...

Listener Rachel asks:  Why aren’t Australia’s interest rates as volatile as other parts of the world? The US, New Zealand - we’ve seen big moves up, but equally big moves down. Why does the same not happen here? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website...

Listener Daniel asks: Why do we still have 3 year terms for the prime minister. I know Albo has pushed for 4 years but even then, I feel like that isn’t enough. It encourages short sighted plans because its results driven so they can get re-elected. But 3-4 years sometimes isn’t enough if you really want to plan for proper change. Could a 6 year term work? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson a...

Listener Linus asks: Each weekday the markets refer to the ASX open via the ASX/SPI futures [futures contracts]. But what are the actual futures contracts - what constitutes "futures contracts" and what do they measure? Or perhaps more correctly, how do the futures manifest themselves as a points measurement? I'm presuming there is an index that allows a "points" measure to be compared on a moving...

Listener Zaid asks:  How can people invest in the dollar and how does the price fluctuate? For example if i have aussie dollar in my bank, and the price increases for aussie dollar, does my bank account balance go up, or can i exchange more dollar and get more value if i exchange it to US dollar?  Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own quest...

Listener Michael asks: Is there a difference in the sort of metrics or data betting markets and pollsters use in arriving at their prediction? In the US elections betting markets were confidently pointing towards one direction and the polls seemed to indicate a close race. Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Gr...

Listener Charlotte asks:  Some news reports cover the markets by talking about the ASX200, but others focus on the All Ords. What's the difference? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See om...

Listener Phil asks: What's the point of AGMs anymore? Previously they seemed to be for the retail investors, the mums and dads to go along and have their say. Now the big investors like super funds have so much sway that they don't even need an AGM to get their point across. Is there still value in an AGM? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your...

Listener Mick asks:  Can you explain share buybacks in simple words? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Marg asks: Why does oil seem to affect the price of everything? I get it having an effect on petrol prices - but it seems like everything else is tied to the price of oil too. Is it just because of manufacturing? Or is there more to it? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  w...

Listener Lena asks: What happens in Australia if Donald Trump wins the US election? Join Sean Aylmer & Adam Lang as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listener Nikki asks: Why are an elephant and a donkey, the symbols of the Republicans and the Democrats respectively in the US? What do they mean? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omn...

Listener Scott asks:  I've been reading about the decision by the Washington Post not to endorse a candidate for the election. Do newspapers normally do this? Do we do it here? I haven't really noticed it in the past. Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instag...

Listener Chantelle asks:  Can you decode some of the jargon I hear all the time? What's the difference between growth stocks and value stocks? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystu...

Listener Lily asks: The gold price is at or near record highs. How do investors actually make money from gold?  Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy in...

Listener Daniel asks:  You’ve said Australia is about six months behind the US on interest rates. With so many other countries including the US now having cut rates - shouldn’t the RBA be thinking about the same thing? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Insta...

Listener Brian asks:  Sean, does the rise in ETF-based investments contribute to greater market sensitivity? If we were to imagine a market entirely owned by ETFs, there would be no direct price-setting by individual investors. Is there a risk of moving toward such a scenario?  Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear &am...

Listener Jo asks:  Sean has mentioned several times there are concerns with super fund giants becoming too big in Australia, most recently on Mondays episode discussing the impact they are now having on IPOs and ASX listings. My question is: what are the long term ramifications of this an investor might need to consider, and how will it impact the economy? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson a...

There are few things more frustrating for buyers than property listings that don't include a price. The words 'expressions of interest' or 'price on application' are guaranteed to get the blood pressure rising.  Alice Stolz, National Property Editor at Domain, and Fear & Greed's Michael Thompson look at why prices are left off listings, how buyers and sellers can each use it to their advantage...

Listener Darren asks: If a government needs - for example - $100 million to run, what difference does it make how it receives its income? What are the benefits to the economy of tax reform? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our website , LinkedIn , Instagram or Facebook ! Find out more...

Listener Bill asks:  We keep hearing that productivity is the saving grace for the economy. Is that true? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & Greed, get in touch via our  website ,  LinkedIn ,  Instagram  or  Facebook ! Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...

Listener Charlie asks: Hi Sean and Michael, love the show. Why is it that the Reserve Bank Governor Michele Bullock says that interest rates won’t fall until at least next year, yet financial markets and some economists don’t believe her? They say rates will fall this year. Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear & G...

Listener Mark asks: You’ve mentioned the Roy Morgan Trust Survey five or six times now, on social media and on the podcast. It was in reference to Coles and Woolies, going from two of the most trusted brands in Australia, to two of the most distrusted brands. And that was before the ACCC made their claims about dodgy specials. A couple of questions. Why does trust matter to a business? In the case...