Australia has a strong and resilient financial system. But the regulator responsible for keeping it that way is increasingly focused on what happens when several major risks hit at once — a scenario APRA describes as a “polycrisis”.

Sean Aylmer speaks with APRA Chair John Lonsdale about the risks facing banks, insurers and super funds holding more than $10 trillion on behalf of Australians. They discuss AI and cyber threats, vulnerabilities created by shared technology providers, housing and household debt, and APRA’s push to reduce unnecessary regulation without compromising financial stability.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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Population and migration are back in focus this week, with new figures set to shed light on one of the biggest economic and political debates in Australia - and the pressure on housing and living standards.

Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas to look at the balance between migration, skills and housing, and what population growth means for the economy on a per-person basis.

They also look ahead to the Reserve Bank’s appearance before a parliamentary committee, with another interest rate hike increasingly on the agenda, and explain why soaring global bond yields matter for governments, markets and investors.

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The collapse of the Sydney property developer Bathla Group has put private credit - and its risks - firmly in the spotlight. But is the sector facing a crisis, or simply going through a normal investment cycle?

Sean Aylmer speaks with Alan Greenstein, CEO and co-founder of Zagga, about his take on the current situation. They discuss what's changed in real estate private credit, why investors are becoming more focused on capital preservation than headline returns, and why global capital continues to see opportunity in Australia.

Zagga is a supporter of Fear & Greed.

This is general information only, and you should seek advice tailored to your circumstances before making investment decisions.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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Frequent flyer points were once a fairly simple way for airlines to reward loyal customers. Today they sit at the centre of enormous commercial ecosystems, influencing where we shop, which cards we use and even how much we’re prepared to pay.

Sean Aylmer speaks with management consultant and loyalty expert David Moloney, author of Points: Mastering the Game of Frequent Flyers. They talk about how the points economy makes money, why Qantas has become so good at it, and the behavioural economics that keeps consumers hooked.

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Australia is facing what could be an exceptionally intense El Niño, and the consequences could extend well beyond hotter weather and bushfire risk. Food production, electricity supply, insurance, construction and supply chains could all be affected.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Dr Graeme Riddell, Climate and Sustainability Consulting Leader, Asia Pacific at Marsh, about how extreme weather flows through the economy, what it could mean for household costs, and the “zero regrets” moves businesses should be making now.

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Coal remains one of the world’s biggest energy sources - and with conflict in the Middle East putting energy security back in focus, the debate over its future is becoming more complicated.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Michelle Manook, CEO of Future Coal, formerly the World Coal Association, about whether predictions of coal’s decline have been premature. They also look at the potential for technologies such as carbon capture and storage, and why Michelle believes Australia needs to rethink the way it approaches its enormous coal resources.

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The headlines have been dominated by inflation, stronger-than-expected economic growth and the prospect of another interest rate hike. But what's the outlook through a business lens?

Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas for a look at five reasons Australian businesses can be more optimistic right now – from rising investment and resilient household spending to wages, lower government demand and the global economy.

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Text messages can be one of the most effective ways for businesses to reach customers - but there’s a fine line between useful communication and something that feels like spam.

Michael Thompson speaks with Paul Diamond, Head of SMB Customer Success, APAC at Sinch, about when businesses should use SMS or WhatsApp, why relevance and timing matter, the rules around consent and opting out, and how businesses can protect customer trust as scammers become increasingly sophisticated.

Sinch is a supporter of Fear & Greed.

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The Australian economy is holding up better than expected. GDP grew 2.1 per cent over the year to June, consumer spending remains resilient and households are still managing to save - despite three interest rate rises and stubborn inflation.

Michael Thompson speaks with AMP Deputy Chief Economist Diana Mousina about what the latest GDP numbers tell us about Australian households, whether economic growth and sticky inflation have increased the risk of another interest rate rise in September, and why the surge in global bond yields matters.

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Australian businesses are pouring money into artificial intelligence — but many still don't know whether it's actually paying off. New research from Elastic suggests one in three businesses exceeded their AI budget last financial year, while just 8% are tracking AI's contribution to revenue or cost savings.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Jeremy Pell, Country Manager ANZ at Elastic, about why AI spending is blowing out, how businesses can measure the return they're getting, and why the next phase could be about matching different AI models to different jobs.

To find out more, check out Elastic's information on tokenmaxxing.   

Elastic is a supporter of Fear & Greed.

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