We all know the value of AI in automating tasks, speeding up processes, and even improving customer services through chatbots and the like.

But where to from here? AI can do a lot more than just automation, and for small businesses, it could be a game changer - as long as you know how to use it.

James Bergin, Executive General Manager of Technology Research and Advocacy at Xero, talks to Sean Aylmer about taking advantage of the evolution of AI.

Xero is a supporter of this podcast

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The price of gold keeps setting new records. So how high can it go?

And in a week where we’ve seen gold, iron ore, uranium, copper and lithium all climb - what’s the outlook for commodities?

Sean Aylmer speaks to Vivek Dhar. Head of Commodities and Sustainability Research at Commonwealth Bank.


Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

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As the economy starts to improve, most of the discretionary retailers are picking up too. But not all of them - yesterday department store Myer announced a 30pc drop in profit, sending its share price down 25pc. So what's gone wrong for Myer, and why are other retailers surging when it's going backwards?

Sean Aylmer is joined by Roger Montgomery, founder and Chief Investment Officer at Montgomery Investment Management.

This is general information only. Seek advice before making investment decisions.

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

Join our free daily newsletter here.

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Millions of Australians are approaching retirement. And as they do, their priorities around investing and superannuation change. There's a lot of myths and misconceptions, and unfortunately, a lot of mistakes are made as well.

Derek Gascoigne is a certified financial planner and the State Manager of Advice at UniSuper. He joins Sean Aylmer to talk through the top myths and mistakes made by retirees.

This is general information only. You should seek professional advice tailored to your circumstances before making investment decisions. UniSuper is a supporter of Fear & Greed.

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

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Monday 22 September 2025

US politicians put pressure on the Albanese government over plans to recognise Palestinian statehood. 

And more, including:

• The boss of Optus explains what happened last week during the triple zero outage that caused at least three deaths. 
• The spring selling season soars. 
• Has the government found a buyer for Rex Airlines? 
• Australia’s population hits 27.5 million.

Join our free daily newsletter here.

And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - this week, four pieces of bad financial advice you should definitely ignore. Get the episode from APPLE, SPOTIFY, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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Last week, RBA Chief Economist Sarah Hunter said the central bank is getting closer to achieving its dual mandate of a strong jobs market and having inflation under control. Are we entering the goldilocks zone? And how hard is to stay there?

Also looking to the week ahead: monthly inflation figures, and RBA Governor Michele Bullock and team head to Canberra.

Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas.

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook!

Join our free daily newsletter here.

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After a big week in which Jimmy Kimmel was taken off air, the New York Times was sued for $15 billion, and Donald Trump threatened to tell Anthony Albanese about an ABC journalist, we ask - is media freedom under attack?

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook!

Join our free daily newsletter here.

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

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Nearly half of working-age Australians lack a financial retirement plan. Only 37% feel confident making financial decisions, and One-third of Millennials and one-quarter of Boomers expect to retire with a mortgage. These are some of the key findings of Vanguard's new How Australia Retires report.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Daniel Shrimski, Managing Director at Vanguard Australia, about how Australians are preparing for retirement — and how rising housing costs, shifting expectations and financial literacy are reshaping that journey, and what you can do about it.

Vanguard is a supporter of this podcast.

Invest strong and steady with Vanguard. Head to the Vanguard Super website and take the SmartRetire quiz to uncover your strengths and discover the building blocks of a confident retirement.

Vanguard Investments Australia Ltd and Vanguard Super Pty Ltd is the product issuer. Invest strong and steady with Vanguard. Visit vanguard.com.au for more information and to read the relevant PDS and TMD, and consider if a product is right for you before deciding.

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Larry Ellison briefly became the richest person in the world last week when the share price of Oracle, the company he founded, jumped 43 per cent in one day. 

Oracle has been around for decades, but it's not a household name - unlike the companies started or run by Ellison's rivals on the ultra-wealthy list (think Tesla, Amazon, Microsoft, Meta).

Josh Gilbert, market analyst at eToro, for a look at the story behind Oracle, and whether the AI boom can continue.

This is general information only. Seek advice before making investment decisions.

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook!

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

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Four in five Australian business leaders expect geopolitical issues will pose challenges to their operations in the next twelve months - that’s up sharply from last year.

McGrathNicol has just released a new Risk and Security Report for 2025, which builds on the previous two years of findings.

And while cyber security is still ranked as the number one risk for business leaders, there are a host of other challenges for Australian companies - from supply chain issues through to insider risks.

Sean Aylmer speaks to Matt Fehon, Head of Advisory at McGrathNicol, and Matt Grant, a Partner at McGrathNicol.

McGrathNicol Advisory is a supporter of Fear & Greed.

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

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