In this episode of Retire Well, Jim Smith and Martin Fox take a wide-angle look at both the financial and human sides of retirement planning. For the main conversation, we're then joined in-studio by Jane Davis, Director of The Flourishing Institute in Christchurch and a specialist in positive psychology. Jane explores how retirement is not just a financial transition, but a psychological and emotional one, and introduces the PERMA + 4 framework for planning a retirement that feels meaningful, connected, and energising.

Jim and Martin start by looking back at 2025, covering:

• Global market performance
• Interest rate cuts in New Zealand and the United States
• Currency movements and the NZ dollar
• The impact of geopolitics, AI investment, and market volatility

They then share investment outlooks for 2026, including:

• Expected returns for global shares, bonds, and term deposits
• Whether markets can continue rising despite high valuations
• Why returns may broaden beyond big tech and AI stocks
• Key risks to watch, such as inflation, geopolitics, and central bank policy

Based in Christchurch, Jim and Martin offer independent advice on healthy living, financial wellbeing, and retirement planning. For more information, visit The Retirement Guys or request to download their free eBook, Retire Well, using the links below. 👇

🔗 Website: https://retirementguys.co.nz

🔗 Retire Well Book: https://mailchi.mp/retirementguys/book-retire-well