Debt is everywhere, from mortgages to paying for lunch. But when is it useful, and when does it become a problem?

In this bonus clip from Shared Lunch, Luke Kemeys of Keep the Change breaks down the good and bad sides of debt. He explains why borrowing can be a powerful tool for building wealth, how everyday debt can quietly eat into your cash flow, and why keeping some cash aside matters when life doesn’t go to plan.

Plus, Luke looks at the relationship between debt and investing—and why understanding how your money is structured can sometimes matter more than chasing a better return.

This clip is a bonus from our previous episode ‘Are we too afraid to be ambitious?’

For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Why are we more comfortable talking about our voting preferences than our KiwiSaver balances?

Luke Kemeys of Keep the Change tells us why money is New Zealand's last taboo — and the opportunity cost of that silence. So why do so many Kiwi avoid even sharing their finances with family? What’s the downside of our cultural love of holding cash? Is a culture of Tall Poppies holding back our economy?

Luke shares his own history of credit card debt and the backlash to branding himself as a millionaire, and how normalising wealth conversations could make the whole country better off.

For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SHARESIES · MARKET MOVEMENTS · 17 AUGUST 2026
Jacki Neumann, Head of Capital Markets at Sharesies

Note: Filmed Monday 17 August

↑ WHAT’S UP — US markets saw slight gains, with the S&P 500 up 0.4% and the Nasdaq up 0.2%, while the NZX 50 added 0.2%. Super Micro jumped 19% on an earnings beat and upbeat guidance, and Commonwealth Bank posted a record annual cash profit of $10.98 billion, up 7%.

↓ WHAT'S DOWN — The ASX 200 fell 1.6%, dragged by financials: Westpac lost almost 6% after a 20% drop in mortgage applications, while Suncorp's and IAG's profits fell 44% and 25% respectively. In the US, solid numbers didn't prevent declines, with RocketLab down about 7%, Cisco 5% and AST SpaceMobile 4% despite reporting record or fast-growing revenue.

! BIGGEST SURPRISES — The RBA held at 4.35% but Governor Bullock struck a hawkish tone, refusing to rule out further hikes on inflation concerns. In contrast, US core CPI eased to a multi-year low of 2.5% and core PPI slowed to 4.2%, cutting the odds of a September Fed hike to 28%.

◎ WHAT TO WATCH — Australian earnings ramp up, with NAB's update rounding out the big four banks and results due from JB Hi-Fi, BHP, Fortescue, CSL and Cochlear among others. The FOMC's July minutes land Wednesday and Australia's July unemployment rate follows on Thursday.

◈ BIGGER PICTURE — Australian bank earnings showed resilience but growing exposure to a cooling housing market. In the US, AI and space infrastructure investments stalled despite strong revenue growth, with investors zeroing in on losses, margins, and execution risks. Meanwhile, a hawkish RBA is still weighing hikes just as softening US inflation nudges the Fed the other way.

Disclaimer:

Sharesies Market Movements is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand.

This video is general market commentary and educational in nature. It is not financial advice and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Information is current at the time of recording and may be subject to change. We do not provide recommendations and nothing in this video should be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell any financial product.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

If you require personal financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial adviser. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions, including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers, are available on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AI can scan thousands of stocks and decades of data in minutes—but should it be trusted to make the final call?

In this bonus clip from Shared Lunch, Mike Taylor and Kent Williams of Pie Funds explain how they’re using AI to automate their day-to-day work. They unpack how the technology can speed up investment research, why they stop short of letting AI make trading decisions, and what the rise of the “T-shaped” portfolio manager could mean for the next generation of investors.

This clip is a bonus from our previous episode 'Infrastructure: funding the next decade of growth?'

For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Airports and ports, pipelines and power lines. Infrastructure is all around us — and demand for it could be entering one of its biggest booms in generations.

In this episode, Mike Taylor and Kent Williams of Pie Funds unpack what’s driving that demand, from the rapid buildout of AI and data centres to growing pressure on power grids and the electrification of everyday life.

How does Pie decide which infrastructure assets to invest in? Can power supply keep up with rising demand? Will the enormous sums being spent on AI deliver a return? And why is only a fraction of the world’s infrastructure available to everyday investors?

For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SHARESIES · MARKET MOVEMENTS · 11 AUGUST 2026
Jacki Neumann, Head of Capital Markets at Sharesies

Note: Filmed Monday 10 August

↑ WHAT’S UP — The S&P 500 hit a new record close to finish the week up 3.6%, the Nasdaq up 5.2% in its best week since May, and the ASX 200 climbing 3.2% to its own new record. Strong corporate earnings helped power the rally: Palantir jumped 29.5% after 93% revenue growth, AMD posted record quarterly revenue of US$11.5 billion, and SpaceX surged around 23% on its first public results.

↓ WHAT’S DOWN — ResMed shares fell after a mixed underlying result. Oil was choppy, falling initially on hopes of a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, only to climb later in the week as Iran moved to restrict US and Israeli vessels.

! BIGGEST SURPRISES — The US July jobs report shed 23,000 jobs against expectations to gain around 80,000, even as the unemployment rate fell to 4.1%. Markets read it as easing Fed pressure, cutting September rate-hike odds to 41% from 55%.

◎ WHAT TO WATCH — The RBA decides on Tuesday, with a hold at 4.35% expected, and US July CPI and PPI will test whether price pressures are easing after the oil run-up. Reporting season continues with RocketLab, Cisco and Super Micro in the US, and CBA, ANZ, Westpac, QBE, IAG and Suncorp locally.

◈ BIGGER PICTURE — Records across Wall Street and the ASX show a firmly risk-on market, powered by strong earnings and tentative signs of easing Middle East tensions. Appetite remains for the AI and growth trade, demonstrated by Palantir, AMD, and SpaceX. But unsettled oil prices and the impact of a soft US jobs print sit in the background as potential swing factors.

Disclaimer:

Sharesies Market Movements is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand.

This video is general market commentary and educational in nature. It is not financial advice and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Information is current at the time of recording and may be subject to change. We do not provide recommendations and nothing in this video should be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell any financial product.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

If you require personal financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial adviser. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions, including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers, are available on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christchurch has quietly become one of New Zealand's strongest economic success stories. Independent economist Tony Alexander shares how affordable housing, a booming tourism sector, and major infrastructure projects, are all driving momentum.

Plus why Auckland still holds the key to New Zealand's overall economic performance, and how projects like the City Rail Link could help shape its future.

For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

House prices have fallen four months in a row, and investors are on the sidelines. Is property still Aotearoa's favourite wealth-builder?

Independent economist Tony Alexander gives us an overview of the latest data, where 49% of agents are seeing fewer investors, even as first home buyers finally get a break. Find out how the rising cost of debt changes the maths, why older landlords are selling early, and why Tony warns rates could go higher and stay there longer than most forecasters expect.

Plus, Auckland's townhouse oversupply, a rise in building consents, and what the looming election could mean for landlords' tax bills.

For more places to follow Shared Lunch—check out http://linktr.ee/sharedlunch

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SHARESIES · MARKET MOVEMENTS · 3 AUGUST 2026
Jacki Neumann, Head of Capital Markets at Sharesies

Note: Filmed Monday 3 August

↑ WHAT’S UP — Equity markets snapped back, with the S&P 500 up around 1%, the Nasdaq up 1.6%, and the ASX 200 gaining 2.3% to break a falling streak. Rio Tinto shared strong results, while Microsoft and Amazon rose on Azure and AWS cloud growth.

↓ WHAT’S DOWN — The 30-year US Treasury yield jumped to its highest level since 2007 as investors demanded more compensation to hold amid lingering inflation doubts. Meta's earnings fell short on legal and AI infrastructure costs and Apple's record quarter was overshadowed by weak guidance. The NZX 50 bucked the trend, slipping 0.5%.

! BIGGEST SURPRISES — The Fed held rates steady despite three votes to hike, and again offered no forward guidance, leaving markets pricing a 65% chance of a September move. In Australia, June quarter CPI came in lower than expected at 3.8%, cutting the odds of an RBA hike by year-end to roughly 60%.

◎ WHAT TO WATCH — More earnings this week, with SpaceX reporting for the first time as a public company, and AMP, ResMed and REA Group due locally. Friday brings July’s US jobs report, a key read on the labour market as the Fed weighs its next move.

◈ BIGGER PICTURE — As long-dated yields hit a 9-year high, the bond market clearly doesn’t believe inflation is beaten. Investors are still responding cautiously to earnings, rewarding Microsoft and Amazon for proving that their AI spending drives revenue, while unenthused about results that don’t show a clear payoff.

Disclaimer:

Sharesies Market Movements is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand.

This video is general market commentary and educational in nature. It is not financial advice and does not take into account your personal objectives, financial situation or needs. Information is current at the time of recording and may be subject to change. We do not provide recommendations and nothing in this video should be taken as a recommendation to buy or sell any financial product.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

If you require personal financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial adviser. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions, including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers, are available on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What actually makes a bank a bank?

New Zealand is overhauling the way our banking system is regulated, meaning that more organisations may soon be able to call themselves a "bank", while new deposit insurance gives you peace of mind. 

University of Auckland finance expert Chanelle Duley explains why more competition isn't always straightforward, what to look for when you choose where to put your money, and how regulation and technology could reshape banking over the next decade.

This is a bonus clip recorded for our episode: Blurring the lines of banking

Shared Lunch is brought to you by Sharesies Australia Limited (ABN 94 648 811 830; AFSL 529893) in Australia and Sharesies Limited (NZ) in New Zealand. It is not financial advice. Information provided is general only and current at the time it’s provided, and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation and needs. We do not provide recommendations and you should always read the disclosure documents available from the product issuer before making a financial decision. Our disclosure documents and terms and conditions—including a Target Market Determination and IDPS Guide for Sharesies Australian customers—can be found on our relevant Australian or NZ website.

Investing involves risk. You might lose the money you start with. If you require financial advice, you should consider speaking with a qualified financial advisor. Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance.

Appearance on Shared Lunch is not an endorsement by Sharesies of the views of the presenters, guests, or the entities they represent. Their views are their own.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.