FEAR & GREED | Business News

Stephen Koukoulas, economist and macro commentator behind thekouk.com. He breaks down what a single-month CPI move can and cannot tell us. He highlights the inflation components the RBA watches and how exchange rates and imports shape prices. He explores business investment trends like data-centre capex and how machinery spending affects productivity, jobs and wages.

A lively rundown of big corporate results, from BHP's strategic shift to copper to Telstra's dividend boost and Wesfarmers' retail resilience. Political manoeuvring as the Liberal Party reshapes its frontbench. A major consumer case against Coles over sale pricing. Global tech legal drama as Instagram and YouTube face litigation and high-profile testimony.

Adam Lang, a media and leadership commentator, reflects on workplace culture and how leaders set the tone. The conversation tackles whether remote work fuels loneliness. Short chats about talking to strangers, phone vs text habits, and if people are bolder online but quieter in person.

Quick market wrap with ASX movements and notable winners and losers. Coverage of Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor’s arrest and the royal response. Discussion of calls to keep coal plants running and shifts in energy policy. Corporate movers include a sharp fall for Guzman y Gomez shares and a strong profit lift at QBE.

Telstra's mobile business drives a big profit and a fatter dividend. Wesfarmers warns on consumer spending even as Bunnings stays strong. ASX hits a record high while mining, energy and oil move markets. Labour market stays tight, lifting the chance of a rate rise. Restaurants in the US are shrinking portion sizes amid cost pressures and new weight-loss drugs.

Rob Scott, Managing Director and CEO of Wesfarmers, who runs Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks and chemicals operations. Discussion covers how household budgets are tightening despite headline spending. Talks about residential construction effects on Bunnings and modular opportunities. Explores productivity and early-stage AI at Bunnings and Kmart. Covers strategy for lithium, chemicals and why Target remains in the portfolio.

Markets jump as the ASX hits a record intraday high and energy stocks rally. Labour data shows unemployment steady at 4.1%. Major corporate results steal the spotlight, including a strong Telstra update and sharp moves for retailers. Regulators target cheap online platforms amid market share concerns. Geopolitical tension grows with increased US military deployments near Iran.

Discussion of falling real wages in Australia as inflation outpaces pay. Coverage of NAB’s surprise bumper profit and its market impact. A new $14.2b bid for BlueScope and investor reaction. Santos’ planned 10% workforce cut and broader corporate profit pressures. Trends in bank branch expansion and regulatory scrutiny of superannuation lead generators.

Tim Lawless, Executive Research Director for Asia Pacific at CoreLogic/Cotality, shares data-driven property analysis. He compares regional value growth with capitals. He discusses pandemic-era shifts, corrections in lifestyle hotspots, and standout towns like Albany and Karratha. He explains how affordability, services, infrastructure and jobs drive regional resilience.

Markets climb as the ASX benefits from a strong bank result and an AI-fueled tech surge. Wage data show nominal pay rising but falling behind inflation. A controversial politician issues a partial apology that sparks debate. Health insurance premiums are set to increase. Corporate earnings and job cuts make headlines alongside the passing of a major civil rights figure.