Fear & Greed Q+A

Listener Steve asks:  Been hearing non-stop about the gold price climbing. Everybody wants gold, everybody's buying it because it's safe - I get that. But WHO is actually buying it, and WHERE is it? It's not like you can just walk into Coles and Woolies and get a couple of ounces of gold from the deli. So how does it actually work? Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listen...

Listener Erica asks:  With all the turmoil in markets, how are smaller companies performing compared to bigger companies? 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...

Listener Tammy asks: When or how did crypto form part of the value of the stock exchange? I am curious as to how this asset has been able to become part of a highly regulated market without the regulations being "in general terms" applied to crypto under anti-money laundering and banking codes. Has the creation of ETFs meant the introduction of crypto to the regulated share market? Join Sean Aylme...

Listener Sam asks: I heard you talking about the RBA's warning on inflation being too low if they didn't cut rates. I get the impact of high inflation - but what's the risk from inflation being too low? 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 !...

Listener Jo asks: " Recently you told us that ETFs are at an all time high and exchange-traded funds are set to have more than $300bn in funds under management by the end of 2025.. ETFs look like they are here to stay. How will the growing number of ETF products influence the landscape of stock markets globally and what will be the long term effects of this? Will there be downsides and risks assoc...

Listener Lisa asks:  You mentioned on the podcast that the RBA Governor has committed to keeping cash in the economy, even though fewer people are using it, and it's getting uneconomical to move it around. Why are we so wedded to cash? Who is actually still using it? Why don't we just bite the bullet and go cashless. Surely we'll end up there one day anyway - so why not now? Join Sean Aylmer...

Listener Rachel asks:  Something that's always bugged me about unemployment data. How do they know who's actually employed? Is it based on tax records, or do companies have to report new hires, or is there some other way of reporting? Or is it just an estimate? I'm curious. Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson as they answer listener questions. If you have your own question for Ask Fear &a...

Listener Howard asks:  There are winners and losers from an interest rate cut. I get that anyone with a home loan would benefit from a reduction. But who actually loses? 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...

Listener Locky asks: How do we expect the goings-on in international trade to affect the average Australian? Should middle class punters that hold a job and have a mortgage expect big changes given all of the action in the US? 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 Liam asks:  We hear companies talking about net profit and underlying profit - but what's the difference? And yes, I've googled it before - but the question google can't answer for me is which one actually matters?   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  websit...

Listener Chris asks:  A personal bugbear of mine. Why on earth does a bank still take up to three days to transfer money from one account to another person's acount? I know there are faster options now with Osko and the like, but I'll often still get an alert saying it may take two business days to clear. What's there to clear? It's my money, it's digital, and it should be instant! Join Sean...

Listener Shaun asks:  Can you explain the terminology bull and bear markets? The ASX has been hitting records left right and centre - so are we in a bull market? 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 o...

HOW DO THEY AFFORD THAT? is a weekly podcast produced by Fear & Greed, exploring ways to make your money work harder for you. Check out the full catalogue of episodes on  APPLE ,  SPOTIFY , or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Episode #121 The six most common questions clients ask a financial adviser Canna Campbell spent many years helping clients as a financial planner. Join Canna an...

Listener Joshua asks:  Where do banks get their money from? When you get a loan, where do they source the cash? 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 omnystud...

Listener Arabella asks:  You guys talk about headline inflation and underlying inflation. Can you give a simple explanation of the difference between the two, and why it matters? 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 ...

Listener James asks:  I don't think I've actually heard a clear case for why anyone would want to invest in cryptocurrency (other than 'number go up'). Perhaps you could talk about some of these (eg Bitcoin re potential alternative to grow into Gold's market capitalisation and/or to become another global reserve currency)? And the dangers of memecoins (Doge included, sorry Elon). Join Se...

Listener Ryan asks:  As you know the AUD/USD has been going down (losing around 10% since the start of October). And now with oil prices going up the past month, does this have a double whammy at the bowser because we purchase oil in USD? 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&nbsp...

Listener Ruth asks:  A couple of times recently I've heard a Santa rally mentioned. Is this a formal thing? Is there a definition / criteria? Or is it just a trend? 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 ! Fin...

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...