The Money Puzzle

The Money Cafe wraps up a big year in business by reflecting on the wins and dramatic failures, and trying to get through as many listener questions as possible. Many thanks to all of you who listened and wrote in this year, and best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday period. We will resume transmission at the end of January.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After a week where markets fell out of bed, what will a fresh decade bring? James and Alan discuss rates, houses, markets and more in this episode of The Money Cafe.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's been a week of highlights for the ASX and lowlights for Westpac. James and Alan chew over the fallout from the major bank scandal in this week's Money Cafe, as well as Gerry Harvey's fierce performance at the Harvey Norman AGM, the impact of recent RBA speeches, and the outlook for gold.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James and Alan have packed up the Money Cafe and taken it to Sydney for their first live podcast! In this episode they discuss the tug between stimulus and surplus, whether boomers will have to work forever, the long-term outlook for rates and the murky merits of a charismatic CEO.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With a new boss at the big Australian, James and Alan begin their conversation in the Money Cafe this week by weighing up the merits of internal promotion in large companies. They also ponder Afterpay's change in fortune, the latest in Chinese interest in Australian property, and the country's financial mansplainers.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

It's drinks all round at the Money Cafe this week as James and Alan toast a million downloads, wonder about the long-term outlook for Australian banks, not the inconsistency between what the RBA and the government is saying about the economy, and stress the difference between a tax agent and a financial adviser.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian's John Stensholt joins Alan in The Money Cafe for a spring update on the list of the nation's wealthiest, as well as a look at the state of horse racing, and a grab bag of listener questions.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James and Alan begin this week's Money Cafe with a little remeniscing about the Black Thursday crash, before moving on to discuss the state AMP, shorters, and a local housing market in remarkably rude health.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Australian's economic editor Adam Creighton drops into The Money Cafe feed to introduce a new podcast about Australia's property obsession. To hear more, search for On the Fence in your podcast app.With prices in major capital cities racing away again, rentvesting is now returning as an alternative for those struggling to afford high prices.In this episode we look at the property market through the eyes of some very savvy investors, one a property mogul and the other a share market whiz.If you took the emotion out of property and looked at it from a rational financial perspective, would you buy or rent and invest?Host: Adam Creighton, Economics Editor of The AustralianGuests: Margaret Lomas, Destiny FinancialSteve Johnson: Forager Funds Management  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The IMF's latest update casts a gloomy shadow over this week's Money Cafe, in which James and Alan also discuss the next steps for Brexit, and Trump's smokey China trade deal.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.