FEAR & GREED | Business News

David Holland, Managing Director of Talent Solutions at Employment Hero, an HR-tech unicorn focused on HR, payroll and global growth. He talks about scaling remote culture with 90-day rhythms and annual meetups. He explains hiring practices that lock in performance. He outlines product moves like digitising superannuation and using HR data to power AI features.

Belinda Allen, Head of Australian Economics at Commonwealth Bank, a macroeconomist who forecasts growth and inflation. She unpacks unexpectedly strong GDP growth and resilient household spending. They explore which sectors might cool to slow growth. Public spending, productivity needs, Middle East risks and the RBA's likely May rate decision are also discussed.

Markets tumble with a sharp ASX 200 sell-off wiping billions from valuations. Commercial flights resume from Dubai to Sydney after disruptions. A heated debate over a five-week annual leave proposal and its economic impact. A major liquor and hotels operator signals strategic shifts. Apple unveils new MacBook chips and price and storage changes.

Central bank warns another rate hike is possible as oil prices surge amid Middle East tensions. Regional strikes escalate with Australian forces affected and evacuation risks. A major radio show's on-air collapse sparks a $200m fallout. Apple and Google unveil cheaper smartphone models to vie for market share. New research suggests weight-loss GLP-1 drugs could help heart attack recovery.

Sanjana Parulekar, SVP of Product Marketing for Agentforce at Salesforce, who builds agentic AI for enterprises. She explains how AI has moved beyond LLMs into agentic systems that combine business logic, data and workflows. They cover balancing creativity with correctness, solving the last-mile to production, and how agents will become ordinary tools in a few years.

Markets wobble after Middle East tensions that pushed the ASX lower and reignited inflation and rate-hike worries. Big individual stock swings grab attention with dramatic gains and losses. AWS data centres suffer drone damage causing regional outages. Travel chaos around the Melbourne Grand Prix disrupts hotels and flights. Political visits highlight trade, defence and critical minerals.

James Teodorini, Head of Australia & New Zealand at Airwallex — a fintech executive focused on payment and finance infrastructure. He talks about the value of a ‘what next’ mindset. Short takes on building culture without burnout. How unified financial stacks can challenge legacy banks. A look at embedding AI to make finance teams strategic partners.

Mary Wooldridge, CEO of the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, leads Australia’s work on employer reporting and pay-gap transparency. She discusses new data showing progress but persistent gaps. Topics include reforms driving momentum, occupational segregation, parental leave and cultural change, discretionary pay practices, and public sector performance.

Markets react to a Middle East flare-up that sent oil and gold sharply higher. Energy and mining stocks jump while the ASX200 holds steady. Corporate profits rise strongly in the December quarter led by mining and wholesale. A major corporate takeover shakes up the financial sector. A US mass shooting and its unfolding investigation are briefly reported.

A major US‑Israel strike and the killing of Iran’s leader and its likely global fallout top the agenda. Travel chaos and airport damage in the Gulf are unpacked. Markets brace for surging oil, gas, gold and defence stocks. Sydney and Melbourne house prices have flatlined while Perth leads growth. A blockbuster Hollywood takeover battle reshapes streaming and studio power.