Fear & Greed Q+A

Sean hits Michael and Adam with five questions — no notice, no prep — all about how they use the internet, their trust in AI, and whether Google has a place in search anymore. Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Last week, Sean Aylmer spoke with Domain President Jason Pellegrino about what CoStar ownership means for the platform - from residential scale to a new commercial-property data push. This week, the conversation shifts to leadership: how you guide a company through major change, how you bring two cultures together, and what it’s like returning to the same business - as the same leader - and...

Australia’s economy is growing faster than expected. New GDP figures show the economy expanded by 2.6 per cent through 2025 — its fastest pace in almost three years — helped by government spending, strong business investment including data centres, and resilient consumer demand. Belinda Allen, Head of Australian Economics at Commonwealth Bank, joins Sean Aylmer to unpack the numb...

Enterprise AI is moving fast,  and it’s already moved beyond large language models. The focus now is on “agentic AI”: systems that combine raw AI intelligence with business logic, workflows and governance to deliver predictable, enterprise-grade outcomes. Sean Aylmer speaks with Sanjna Parulekar, Senior Vice President of Product Marketing for Agentforce at Salesforce, about...

Australian employers are making progress on closing the gender pay gap, but there’s still a lot of work ahead. The Workplace Gender Equality Agency's new report shows half of employers are now recording a pay gap below 11.2 per cent. More organisations are within the target range but half still sit above it, and men remain almost twice as likely to occupy the highest paid roles. Mary Wooldri...

A bumper week for the economy: December quarter GDP, household spending figures, building approvals and more. Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas  to explore what it all means for Australian businesses, households and the RBA's battle against inflation. Join our  free daily newsletter here . Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listen...

This week on Fear & Greed Q&A, Michael puts Sean and Adam on the spot with five rapid-fire questions — no notice, no prep — all about airlines, loyalty programs, business class, and the little things that make flying either a joy… or deeply irritating. With Qantas reporting record profits and the loyalty program battle with Virgin heating up, the trio unpack whether poin...

Last year Domain became part of Nasdaq-listed CoStar Group, a global leader in commercial real estate data and analytics. Domain President Jason Pellegrino joins Sean Aylmer to explain what that means for the Australian property platform and how being part of a much larger, data-driven international organisation changes the game. They discuss why confidence is the core need of property buyers ever...

Biotech company Imugene reported its half-year results yesterday. It’s still loss-making, but sharply cutting costs and seeing what appear to be genuinely encouraging clinical results. Its lead cancer therapy, azer-cel, is showing strong response rates in difficult lymphoma cases, with some patients cancer-free for nearly two years - and the FDA has given positive feedback on the company&rsq...

Australia has a productivity problem, and AI is often pitched as the solution. But while companies are running pilots everywhere, very few are actually getting AI into enterprise production. Sean Aylmer speaks with Frank Fillmann, Executive Vice President and general manager of Salesforce ANZ, about why 95% of AI pilots fail, why the “last mile” is so hard, and how businesses can move...

US tech giants are spending as much as US$700 billion this year on AI — roughly a third of Australia’s GDP. But what if the profits and productivity gains take far longer to arrive than markets expect? Sean Aylmer speaks with Dr Kevin Hebner, Global Investment Strategist at Epoch Investment Partners about the risks of over-concentration in US tech, the 'March of the Nines' and why ever...

Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas  to look at the week ahead for the economy, including monthly inflation data, and capex figures - including a closer look at the impact of business investment. Join our  free daily newsletter here . Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Has remote work contributed to a loneliness epidemic? Michael Thompson quizzes Sean Aylmer and Adam Lang about talking to strangers, phone vs email, and whether remote work has made us braver online and quieter in person. Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer, Michael Thompson and Adam Lang as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own questio...

Wesfarmers has reported a jump in sales and a better-than-expected net profit of $1.6 billion for the December half. But CEO Rob Scott warns households are feeling the full impact of inflation and interest rates. In a wide-ranging conversaiton, Sean Aylmer speaks with Rob Scott about the consumer outlook, productivity initiatives across Bunnings and Kmart, the future of lithium and chemicals, the...

A listener question from far North Queensland sparks a dive into regional property trends. Michael Thompson speaks with Tim Lawless, Executive Research Director for Asia Pacific at Cotality, about how regional markets are performing versus the capitals, what’s driving growth, and whether the pandemic tree change still has legs. Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/ See omnystudio.com/l...

For the first time, copper has passed iron ore as the main source of revenue for BHP.  Vandita Pant, Chief Financial Officer at BHP, speaks to Andrew Geoghegan at Ausbiz about the company's bumper half-year results. Fear & Greed is proud to partner with Ausbiz, Australia's leading provider of live and on-demand video of the latest news in Australian business, markets, economy and startups...

The share market is swinging wildly this reporting season — blue chips are plunging and rebounding, banks are rallying, tech is getting sold off on AI fears, then bouncing back again. Sean Aylmer speaks with Morningstar equity market strategist Lachlan Halloway about what’s driving the volatility, whether AI is a real threat to listed companies, and why long-term investors might actual...

It’s a “top shelf” week for economic data, with labour force figures, wage growth numbers and the Reserve Bank minutes all due.  Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas  to unpack what the wage price index actually measures, why monthly employment numbers can be volatile, and how real wages, productivity and consumer spending all connect. Plus -...

The Aussie shout might well be dead, with drinks too expensive for people to buy a round on a night out. New data from payments company Tyro suggests customers are hitting a ceiling on what they're willing to pay for coffee and beer. Michael Thompson quizzes Sean Aylmer and Adam Lang on their attitudes to the shout, tipping, splitting bills, money boundaries, and how much is  too  much t...

Testosterone therapy is booming, but how much of it is medically necessary, and how much is hype? Sean Aylmer speaks with Dr Zac Turner about exogenous testosterone, what it actually is, and what the major TRAVERSE clinical trial found about heart risk and safety. They discuss why falling testosterone levels are common as we age, the surprising role sleep and stress play in suppressing hormone pro...

Record growth in loans and deposits has pushed Commonwealth Bank’s half year profit to $5.4 billion, triggering a seven per cent jump in its share price. In a wide-ranging chat, CBA CEO Matt Comyn speaks with Juliette Saly from Ausbiz about competition from Macquarie, housing supply reform, AI investment, productivity, regional branches, workforce impacts, mortgage stress, and whether Austra...

As artificial intelligence explodes, electricity demand is fast becoming one of the biggest constraints on growth. Data centres are consuming vast amounts of power, and access to the grid is emerging as a critical bottleneck - not just in Australia, but globally. Sean Aylmer speaks with Jack Curtis, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Neara, Australia’s newest tech unicorn. Neara has...

Reporting season is underway, and after last year’s wild share price swings, investors are bracing for more volatility.  Sean Aylmer speaks to Ben Gilbert, Head of Australian Research at Jarden, about the companies he's watching, which sectors could surprise, where the risks lie, and how interest rates and AI are shaping results. Fear and Greed is not a financial advice podcast. The inf...

This week we get household spending as well as lending data, giving an insight into the state of the economy, and whether the RBA made the right call increasing interest rates last week. Michael Thompson is joined by economist  Stephen Koukoulas . Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and...

This week the Washington Post (owned by Amazon's Jeff Bezos) sacked 300 journalists, reducing its newsroom by about a third. Michael and Sean talk about the impact of the decision, the business of newspapers, and Sean's own experience of having to make major changes to newsrooms. Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer, Michael Thompson and Adam Lang as they answer questions on business, investing,...