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 …

Hate legislation on shaky ground; air traffic chaos; Hollywood’s highest grossing actor

Friday 16 January 2026 The federal Opposition and Greens indicate they won’t support the government hate speech legislation next week.  A shortage of air traffic controllers causes chaos across the country Households up their spending NASA performs its first ever medical evacuation Hollywood star …

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-…

Alphabet hits $US4 trillion; Coalition baulks at hate laws; record year for ETFs

Thursday 15 January 2026 Alphabet, the parent company of Google, hits a $US4 trillion valuation, making it the second largest stock on Wall Street.  The federal opposition baulks at supporting Labor’s anti-vilification laws  A record year for ETFs in Australia House and unit rents are set to stabi…

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…

Aussie housing hits $12.3 tr; Woolies AI for shoppers; world’s fastest growing app

Wednesday 14 January 2026 The value of the Australian housing market hits $12.3 trillion, but the pace of price rises are expected to slow this year.  Kevin Rudd steps down as Australia’s ambassador to the US.  The new boss of Endeavour has good news for drinkers - the group’s bottle shops and pub…

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…

Parliament recalled for hate speech laws; Meta cans 540k users; Superman comic $22m sale

Tuesday 13 January 2026 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalls parliament to debate hate speech laws and ban hate groups.  Black Friday sales spur a surge in household spending.  Meta says it has removed 540,000 users from its Instagram, Facebook and Threads platforms, as a result of the social m…

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…