Australia could be facing one of the strongest El Niño events on record, bringing the risk of drought, bushfires and higher food prices. But the economic consequences could extend much further, adding to inflationary pressures at an already difficult time for the economy.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Paul Bloxham, Chief Economist for Australia, New Zealand and Global Commodities at HSBC, about the potential impact on agriculture, global food prices, insurance costs and government finances - and why another inflation shock could force the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates again.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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Australia's economy is slowing, unemployment is rising, and yet inflation remains stubbornly high. It's an uncomfortable combination for the Reserve Bank, which is trying to work out whether four interest rate rises have done enough to bring inflation under control.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Sally Auld, Chief Economist at NAB, about the week ahead for the economy, as well as last week's jump in unemployment to 4.7 per cent, which sectors are holding up and which are struggling, and why NAB believes interest rates may have peaked. They also answer a listener question about why education costs remain such a persistent contributor to inflation.

The Week Ahead with NAB is brought to you by National Australia Bank

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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Friday 16 October 2026

Australia’s unemployment rate hits a five year high, but it might not be enough to prevent another rate hike.

• The auction market slump is forcing sellers to accept lower prices
• The federal government launches its flagship online safety legislation
• ASIC drops its insider trading investigation into WiseTech Global founder Richard White
• Apple shifts into the smart home world, taking on Amazon and Google

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And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - should you trust AI with your money? Get the episode from Apple, Spotify or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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What does it take to turn magic into a serious business? For Scott Zhou, it meant dropping out of a commerce/law degree, building a team of professional magicians, and finding a way to sell something people really need to experience to understand.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Scott, CEO of The Black Ties, about building a business generating roughly $700,000 a year, why marketing matters as much as the magic itself, and his ambition to create Australia's own version of Hollywood's famous Magic Castle. Scott also performs a trick that leaves Sean completely baffled.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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Australian small businesses are embracing artificial intelligence, and according to Microsoft, they're ahead of many other countries. But as AI becomes more powerful, what happens to businesses that are slow to adopt it?

Sean Aylmer speaks with Ralph Haupter, Microsoft's Executive Vice President and Chief Revenue Officer for Small and Medium Enterprises and Channel, about Australia's AI adoption, why smaller businesses can move faster than large corporations, and how AI is creating opportunities to grow revenue, not just cut costs. They also discuss the competitive cost of waiting, the importance of customer trust, and the one thing business owners should do this week to get started.

This is the final interview in Fear & Greed's AI Tour series with Microsoft, a supporter of the podcast.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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Artificial intelligence can solve complex problems and identify patterns that humans might miss. But can it actually predict which investments will outperform?

Sean Aylmer speaks with Slava Platkov, Senior Investment Director at Dimensional, about new research testing machine learning models across global markets. They discuss why predicting returns is so difficult, why successful forecasts don't necessarily translate into investment profits, and where AI can genuinely help investors.

This is general information only. You should seek professional advice tailored to your circumstances before making investment decisions.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

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NAB Senior Economist Taylor Nugent joins Sean Aylmer to discuss what tomorrow's RBA minutes might reveal, why the central bank is sticking with its 2–3 per cent inflation target, and why this week's unemployment figures could be crucial ahead of the November interest rate decision.

The Week Ahead with NAB is brought to you by National Australia Bank

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.