This week we James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald wrap up the year with their annual Chook awards, look forward to a huge year on markets with one of Australia’s top fund managers, and take a quick peek at how the nation’s financial engine is ticking over. 

To ask a question, email chanticleer@afr.com

This podcast is sponsored by Acenda

This week we James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald wrap up the year with their annual Chook awards, look forward to a huge year on markets with one of Australia&rsquo;s top fund managers, and take a quick peek at how the nation&rsquo;s financial engine is ticking over.&nbsp;
To ask a question, email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:chanticleer@afr.com">chanticleer@afr.com</a>
This podcast is sponsored by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acenda.com.au/">Acenda</a>

Australia's most prestigious business column is now a podcast. Chanticleer is a weekly news breakdown of all things business, finance and markets. Every Friday, Australian Financial Review columnists James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald go behind the doors of corporate Australia to give you their unvarnished analysis.

Australia's most prestigious business column is now a podcast. Chanticleer is a weekly news breakdown of all things business, finance and markets. Every Friday, Australian Financial Review columnists James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald go behind the doors of corporate Australia to give you their unvarnished analysis.

Chanticleer

All the latest episodes from all of the AFR's podcasts. 

All the latest episodes from all of the AFR's podcasts.&nbsp;

Latest episodes 

End of year special: Chook Awards and stocks to watch in 2026

This week, Chanticleer columnist James Thomson and deputy editor of business Anthony Macdonald reveal why you’ve never seen anything remotely like the $3 trillion float of Anthropic, they explain what more bad news on inflation means for your mortgage, and answer a question that puts the spotlight on Musk's succession plan.

This podcast is sponsored by Stripe.

To ask a question, email chanticleer@afr.com.

Further reading:

Leah Weckert’s big gamble just wiped 10pc off Coles’ value
The scale of the risk that chief executive Leah Weckert is taking was immediately reflected in the share price reaction to her plan for the supermarket giant.
Bullock’s sideways glance tells us more rate pain is coming
Woolworths’ mince sales tell us households are bleeding. The RBA has little choice but to inflict more pain next week with a rate rise - will that really be it?
If Anthropic’s IPO goes wrong, the AI bubble will pop
The firm’s float will determine where the artificial intelligence trade goes next. But CEO Dario Amodei’s pitch – “my company could kill you, please buy my shares” – matters beyond markets.

This week, Chanticleer columnist James Thomson and deputy editor of business Anthony Macdonald reveal why you&rsquo;ve never seen anything remotely like the $3 trillion float of Anthropic, they explain what more bad news on inflation means for your mortgage, and answer a question that puts the spotlight on Musk's succession plan.
This podcast is sponsored by&nbsp;<a href="https://stripe.com/au?utm_campaign=APAC_AU_EN_Google_Google_Search_Brand_Stripe_EXA-22370438132&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=741310679462&amp;utm_term=stripe&amp;utm_matchtype=e&amp;utm_adposition=&amp;utm_device=c&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22370438132&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADKNRO6rX9LRRi6oKNAQq79YAbu_Y&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwteTUBhD4ARIsAEYjs3rIL7iKX9g4hscOegutvNVAmHjIwwhSn8lQHWAN5C5_WeOcE9w740QaAgkBEALw_wcB">Stripe</a>.
To ask a question, email <a href="mailto:chanticleer@afr.com">chanticleer@afr.com</a>.
Further reading:
<a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/3-5b-gone-in-30-minutes-coles-struggles-to-fight-woolies-comeback-20261030-p619zd?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">Leah Weckert&rsquo;s big gamble just wiped 10pc off Coles&rsquo; value</a> The scale of the risk that chief executive Leah Weckert is taking was immediately reflected in the share price reaction to her plan for the supermarket giant. <a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/why-a-kilo-of-woolies-mince-says-this-inflation-nightmare-can-worsen-20261028-p619e4?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">Bullock&rsquo;s sideways glance tells us more rate pain is coming</a> Woolworths&rsquo; mince sales tell us households are bleeding. The RBA has little choice but to inflict more pain next week with a rate rise - will that really be it? <a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/anthropic-just-kicked-off-biggest-pressure-test-in-investment-history-20261027-p618w1?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">If Anthropic&rsquo;s IPO goes wrong, the AI bubble will pop</a> The firm&rsquo;s float will determine where the artificial intelligence trade goes next. But CEO Dario Amodei&rsquo;s pitch &ndash; &ldquo;my company could kill you, please buy my shares&rdquo; &ndash; matters beyond markets.

Rates pain puts mince on the menu, Coles serves up a stinker & Anthropic's big moment 

This week, Chanticleer columnist James Thomson and deputy editor of business Anthony Macdonald jump into a couple of corporate story crackers on NextDC and NAB, preview the piece of data that will make or break Melbourne Cup Day, and take a question on whether the Chooks need to step up their AI game.

This podcast is sponsored by Stripe.

To ask a question, email chanticleer@afr.com.

Further reading:

$3b gone in 40 minutes: Inside the NextDC bloodbath

NextDC’s savage share price sell-off is more evidence that the country’s much-hyped AI infrastructure sector is bleeding. Two more big tests loom in the coming months.

What Musk’s mega Tesla-SpaceX merger is really about

Any tie-up between the billionaire’s two companies would be a huge moment for markets. But the reason is power, not money.

The two forces behind NAB’s job cuts should scare every Australian

The bank’s dual-pronged hammer blow to jobs should resonate across Australia’s office towers, particularly with the nation’s white-collar workers.

This week, Chanticleer columnist James Thomson and deputy editor of business Anthony Macdonald jump into a couple of corporate story crackers on NextDC and NAB, preview the piece of data that will make or break Melbourne Cup Day, and take a question on whether the Chooks need to step up their AI game.
This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://stripe.com/au?utm_campaign=APAC_AU_EN_Google_Google_Search_Brand_Stripe_EXA-22370438132&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=741310679462&amp;utm_term=stripe&amp;utm_matchtype=e&amp;utm_adposition=&amp;utm_device=c&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22370438132&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADKNRO6rX9LRRi6oKNAQq79YAbu_Y&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwteTUBhD4ARIsAEYjs3rIL7iKX9g4hscOegutvNVAmHjIwwhSn8lQHWAN5C5_WeOcE9w740QaAgkBEALw_wcB">Stripe</a>.
To ask a question, email <a href="mailto:chanticleer@afr.com">chanticleer@afr.com</a>.
Further reading:
<a href="https://www.afr.com/companies/professional-services/lawyers-go-to-war-with-clients-who-force-them-to-sit-through-ai-slop-20261016-p615oo?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=the_fin&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom" data-testid="headlineLink">$3b gone in 40 minutes: Inside the NextDC bloodbath</a>
NextDC&rsquo;s savage share price sell-off is more evidence that the country&rsquo;s much-hyped AI infrastructure sector is bleeding. Two more big tests loom in the coming months.
<a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/spacex-tesla-5-trn-merger-could-make-power-mad-musk-a-bigger-risk-20261021-p617cw?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom" data-testid="headlineLink">What Musk&rsquo;s mega Tesla-SpaceX merger is really about</a>
Any tie-up between the billionaire&rsquo;s two companies would be a huge moment for markets. But the reason is power, not money.
<a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/the-two-forces-behind-nab-s-job-cuts-should-scare-us-all-20261020-p616yp?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom" data-testid="headlineLink">The two forces behind NAB&rsquo;s job cuts should scare every Australian</a>
The bank&rsquo;s dual-pronged hammer blow to jobs should resonate across Australia&rsquo;s office towers, particularly with the nation&rsquo;s white-collar workers.

NextDC's electric shock, NAB says 2500 jobs must go & Musk’s $5trn move

This week, Chanticleer columnists James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald look at how the Firmus fallout has spread around the globe and given the AI trade the wobbles, they ask why Australia is telling itself a big lie about the energy transition, and examine whether the property market can find a bottom. 

This podcast is sponsored by Stripe

To ask a question, email chanticleer@afr.com

Further reading:

Housing just can’t find a bottom. And one market is crashing
Property veteran Louis Christopher is looking for two signs that the property market is bottoming. Neither is emerging, and on the Gold Coast, things are really getting ugly.
The pain that killed Firmus’ float is spreading. Here’s a new victim
AirTrunk’s decision to delay its Singaporean property IPO is another sign that the rising cost of capital is starting to foster doubts in the global artificial intelligence trade.
Australia is in an energy cold war, like it or not
Forget the climate wars. Energy security has become national security, and Australia’s policy paralysis is leaving us behind.

This week, Chanticleer columnists James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald look at how the Firmus fallout has spread around the globe and given the AI trade the wobbles, they ask why Australia is telling itself a big lie about the energy transition, and examine whether the property market can find a bottom.&nbsp;
This podcast is sponsored by <a href="https://stripe.com/au?utm_campaign=APAC_AU_EN_Google_Google_Search_Brand_Stripe_EXA-22370438132&amp;utm_medium=cpc&amp;utm_source=google&amp;utm_content=741310679462&amp;utm_term=stripe&amp;utm_matchtype=e&amp;utm_adposition=&amp;utm_device=c&amp;gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22370438132&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADKNRO6rX9LRRi6oKNAQq79YAbu_Y&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwteTUBhD4ARIsAEYjs3rIL7iKX9g4hscOegutvNVAmHjIwwhSn8lQHWAN5C5_WeOcE9w740QaAgkBEALw_wcB">Stripe</a>
To ask a question, email <a href="mailto:chanticleer@afr.com">chanticleer@afr.com</a>
Further reading:
<a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/this-record-low-for-sydney-housing-shows-there-s-no-bottom-in-sight-20261015-p615uf?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">Housing just can&rsquo;t find a bottom. And one market is crashing</a> Property veteran Louis Christopher is looking for two signs that the property market is bottoming. Neither is emerging, and on the Gold Coast, things are really getting ugly. <a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/first-came-firmus-now-airtrunk-hits-pause-on-ipo-as-ai-boom-wobbles-20261014-p615dw?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">The pain that killed Firmus&rsquo; float is spreading. Here&rsquo;s a new victim</a> AirTrunk&rsquo;s decision to delay its Singaporean property IPO is another sign that the rising cost of capital is starting to foster doubts in the global artificial intelligence trade. <a href="https://www.afr.com/chanticleer/australia-is-in-an-energy-cold-war-like-it-or-not-20261013-p61585?utm_source=omny&amp;utm_medium=podcast_notes&amp;utm_campaign=chanticleer&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=newsroom">Australia is in an energy cold war, like it or not</a> Forget the climate wars. Energy security has become national security, and Australia&rsquo;s policy paralysis is leaving us behind.

End of year special: Chook Awards and stocks to watch in 2026

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