Gen X’s 'dirty fantasy': the four-day work week

Is the four-day work week realistic, or just wishful thinking? Sean Aylmer talks to Simon Kuestenmacher from The Demographics Group about why Gen X is obsessed with work-life balance, and what global trials really show. Simon explains why productivity hasn’t collapsed in some experiments - and why …

Dividend investing: How to pick quality income stocks

Australian investors love dividends, and franking credits only add to the appeal. But picking dividend stocks isn’t as simple as buying whatever yielded the most last year. Sean Aylmer talks to Morningstar strategist Lachlan Halloway about what actually makes a dividend sustainable, why ASX yields …

Fast Five | 16 Jan 2026

Friday 16 January 2026 The top five business stories in five minutes, with Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson. Hate legislation on shaky ground Air traffic chaos Households up their spending NASA’s first medical evacuation Hollywood’s highest grossing actor Join our free daily newsletter here. And…

Our $9 billion export that nobody talks about

Global markets have faced renewed volatility following the election of Donald Trump, but how much does it really matter for Australia? Sean Aylmer is joined by Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis to discuss the US, China and the forces shaping the global outlook in 2026. Luci also highlights a fast-…

Fast Five | 15 Jan 2026

Thursday 15 January 2026 The top five business stories in five minutes, with Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson. Alphabet hits $US4 trillion Coalition baulks at hate laws Rents set to stabilise Record year for ETFs China’s trade surplus hits record Join our free daily newsletter here. And don’t mi…

Kmart's Anko and Bunnings: Wesfarmers' secret sauce

Wesfarmers is one of the most remarkable success stories on the ASX - a diversified conglomerate thriving in a world where many have failed. Sean Aylmer speaks with Gaurav Sodhi, Deputy Head of Research at Intelligent Investor, about what makes Wesfarmers different. From the extraordinary rise of K…

Fast Five | 13 Jan 2026

Wednesday 14 January 2026 The top five business stories in five minutes, with Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson. Aussie housing hits $12.3 tr Kevin Rudd steps down as US ambassador Endeavour to compete on price Woolies AI for shoppers World’s fastest growing app Join our free daily newsletter here…

Are we in an AI bubble?

AI has powered markets higher - but is the boom already close to its peak? Sean Aylmer speaks with Roger Montgomery, founder and chief investment officer of Montgomery Investment Management, about whether the world is nearing the end of an AI bubble. Roger explains how past technology booms have pl…

Fast Five | 13 Jan 2026

Tuesday 13 January 2026 The top five business stories in five minutes, with Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson. Parliament recalled for hate speech laws Surge in household spending Meta cans 540k users Trump administration goes after Jerome Powell Superman comic $22m sale Join our free daily newsle…

What inflation (and interest rates) will do this year

At one point in 2025, it looked like inflation had been beaten. Sean Aylmer speaks with Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis about what surprised economists late in the year, how much of the rise in inflation is “noise” versus something more persistent, and what this means for the Reserve Bank and We…