Tuesday 20 October 2026

Two mega mergers stoke the ASX.

• Federal MP Helen Haines run down in ‘deliberate attack’
• The RBA says a higher $A can help tame inflation
• Vladimir Putin suggests a summit between Donald Trump, Xi Jinping and himself
• Japan’s ready to send a rocket to Mars, to discover more about the red planet’s moons

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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.

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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.

1. ASX rises despite global tech rout
2. NSW Premier intervenes to save coal jobs
3. Vietjet's Australian ambitions hit turbulence
4. Work-from-home rights begin next week
5. Macron calls for calm after protests

Join our free daily newsletter here.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.