Household spending is the engine room of the economy, and one of the clearest indicators of cost-of-living pressure. Sean Aylmer talks to Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis about how consumers ended 2025 and what lies ahead. 

This episode is brought to you by Westpac. Fear & Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.

Household spending is the engine room of the economy, and one of the clearest indicators of cost-of-living pressure. Sean Aylmer talks to Westpac Chief Economist Luci Ellis about how consumers ended 2025 and what lies ahead.&nbsp;
This episode is brought to you by Westpac. Fear &amp; Greed's summer series - all-new short episodes every day, with regular news back from January 12.

Business news you can use. A daily business news podcast with journalists Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson. Find out more at https://fearandgreed.com.au

Business news you can use. A daily business news podcast with journalists <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-aylmer-9922068/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-aylmer-9922068/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1689199223540000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0wu3ezGEfBZFYspJbTTaYL">Sean Aylmer</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcwthompson/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcwthompson/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1689199223540000&amp;usg=AOvVaw08pZ8jZ88rHJgCfbHkTr5k">Michael Thompson</a>.&nbsp;Find out more at&nbsp;<a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/7AmQCOMxmAtl5q0qiE-KY7?domain=fearandgreed.com.au/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/7AmQCOMxmAtl5q0qiE-KY7?domain%3Dfearandgreed.com.au/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1689199223540000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1DLq_FuqjEt3HC-ZK1704H">https://fearandgreed.com.au</a>

Fear and Greed is Australia's most popular business podcast.

FEAR & GREED | Business News

Daily business news for people who make their own decisions, with business journalist Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson. Find out more at https://fearandgreed.com.au

Daily business news for people who make their own decisions, with business journalist <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-aylmer-9922068/">Sean Aylmer</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcwthompson/">Michael Thompson</a>. Find out more at <a href="https://protect-au.mimecast.com/s/7AmQCOMxmAtl5q0qiE-KY7?domain=fearandgreed.com.au/">https://fearandgreed.com.au</a>

Household spending and the cost of living crunch

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/07b67d98-288d-4d71-a520-b3bc00623b5f/transcript

Friday 29 May 2026

The federal government launches its biggest ever legal action over the manufacture of forever chemicals. 
The US and Israel strike in the Middle East, sending the ASX tumbling
Ferrari launches its first ever electric vehicle, to howls of protests 
Business investment surges on the back of data centres
Gina Rinehart once again named Australia’s richest person

We’re running a short survey to hear from you, with the team at Fonto. It only takes a few minutes, and you can be in the running to win a $3,000 Luxury Escapes voucher.

Hit follow on the podcast so you don’t miss the latest news, and join our free daily newsletter here

And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - what are you actually working for? Get the episode from APPLE, SPOTIFY, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Friday 29 May 2026
The federal government launches its biggest ever legal action over the manufacture of forever chemicals.&nbsp;
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">The US and Israel strike in the Middle East, sending the ASX tumbling</li>
<li aria-level="1">Ferrari launches its first ever electric vehicle, to howls of protests&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Business investment surges on the back of data centres</li>
<li aria-level="1">Gina Rinehart once again named Australia&rsquo;s richest person</li>
</ul>
<a href="https://survey.humaniti.com/wix/p666026743219.aspx">We&rsquo;re running a short survey to hear from you</a>, with the team at Fonto. It only takes a few minutes, and you can be in the running to win a $3,000 Luxury Escapes voucher.
Hit follow on the podcast so you don&rsquo;t miss the latest news, and join our free <a href="https://fearandgreed.com.au/newsletter-signup">daily newsletter here</a>
And don&rsquo;t miss the latest episode of&nbsp;<a href="https://fearandgreed.com.au/how-do-they-afford-that-sugar-mamma-canna-campbell/">How Do They Afford That?</a> - what are you actually working for? Get the episode from <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/how-do-they-afford-that/id1644255235">APPLE</a>,<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1EW5WRlRh7MovSBNkk6dG8?si=b2203ec2fa934a14"> SPOTIFY</a>, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Fed govt sues 3M for $2b; Ferrari EV launch a flop; Rinehart richest Australian

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/3ea36462-b200-4a60-9541-b45800d9237d/transcript

The latest AFR Rich List reveals just how quickly wealth has grown in Australia — with the cutoff for the top 200 now sitting above $800 million.

Michael Thompson and Sean Aylmer unpack what the list says about the Australian economy, why property remains the most reliable path to enormous wealth, and how the nature of billionaires has evolved over time. Sean also reflects on his years helping compile the original BRW Rich List — including the awkward calls to billionaires checking whether their wealth estimates were right.

The latest AFR Rich List reveals just how quickly wealth has grown in Australia &mdash; with the cutoff for the top 200 now sitting above $800 million. Michael Thompson and Sean Aylmer unpack what the list says about the Australian economy, why property remains the most reliable path to enormous wealth, and how the nature of billionaires has evolved over time. Sean also reflects on his years helping compile the original BRW Rich List &mdash; including the awkward calls to billionaires checking whether their wealth estimates were right.

Q+A: How Australia’s richest people really make - and keep - their money

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/5b63f806-7265-497a-b6af-b45800d921c0/transcript

This is the Fear & Greed Afternoon Report - everything you need to know about what happened in the markets, economy and world of business today, in just a few minutes.


ASX tumbles on Middle East hostilities


Treasury Secretary on tax changes


Question Time gets rowdy


State of Origin most streamed program


Google engineer charged with insider trading

Join our free daily newsletter here.

This is the&nbsp;<a href="https://fearandgreed.com.au/">Fear &amp; Greed</a> Afternoon Report - everything you need to know about what happened in the markets, economy and world of business today, in just a few minutes.
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">
ASX tumbles on Middle East hostilities
</li>
<li aria-level="1">
Treasury Secretary on tax changes
</li>
<li aria-level="1">
Question Time gets rowdy
</li>
<li aria-level="1">
State of Origin most streamed program
</li>
<li aria-level="1">
Google engineer charged with insider trading
</li>
</ol>
Join our <a href="https://fearandgreed.com.au/newsletter-signup">free daily newsletter here</a>.

Afternoon Report | ASX tumbles on Middle East hostilities

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/2fb3740d-3436-44af-8cc0-a91900716aa5/clips/2cc67014-7090-42f0-b06b-b458006fd4ff/transcript

Household spending and the cost of living crunch

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