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Q+A

Short, sharp answers to questions about business, investing, economics or politics.

Got a question? Share it via our website, LinkedInInstagram or Facebook, and get it answered by the Fear & Greed team.

Q+A: The Week Ahead | 16 Feb 2026

It’s a “top shelf” week for economic data, with labour force figures, wage growth numbers and the Reserve Bank minutes all due. 

Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas to unpack what the wage price index actually measures, why monthly employment numbers can be volatile, and how real wages, productivity and consumer spending all connect. Plus - what would it take for Australia to fall into a wage-price spiral, and why that remains unlikely.

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Q+A: Death of the Aussie shout

The Aussie shout might well be dead, with drinks too expensive for people to buy a round on a night out. New data from payments company Tyro suggests customers are hitting a ceiling on what they're willing to pay for coffee and beer. Michael Thompson quizzes Sean Aylmer and Adam Lang on their attitudes to the shout, tipping, splitting bills, money boundaries, and how much is too much to pay for a coffee?

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer, Michael Thompson and Adam Lang as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our websiteLinkedInInstagram or Facebook.

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

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Q+A: Sleep, stress and testosterone levels explained

Testosterone therapy is booming, but how much of it is medically necessary, and how much is hype? Sean Aylmer speaks with Dr Zac Turner about exogenous testosterone, what it actually is, and what the major TRAVERSE clinical trial found about heart risk and safety.

They discuss why falling testosterone levels are common as we age, the surprising role sleep and stress play in suppressing hormone production, and why many people may be able to improve levels naturally before turning to replacement therapy.

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

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Q+A: CBA boss Matt Comyn on $5.4 billion cash profit

Record growth in loans and deposits has pushed Commonwealth Bank’s half year profit to $5.4 billion, triggering a seven per cent jump in its share price.

In a wide-ranging chat, CBA CEO Matt Comyn speaks with Juliette Saly from Ausbiz about competition from Macquarie, housing supply reform, AI investment, productivity, regional branches, workforce impacts, mortgage stress, and whether Australia’s largest bank can justify being the most expensive bank in the developed world.


Fear & Greed is proud to partner with Ausbiz, Australia's leading provider of live and on-demand video of the latest news in Australian business, markets, economy and startups. Sign up for free at ausbiz.com.au

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Q+A: The $1b Aussie company tackling AI's biggest challenge

As artificial intelligence explodes, electricity demand is fast becoming one of the biggest constraints on growth. Data centres are consuming vast amounts of power, and access to the grid is emerging as a critical bottleneck - not just in Australia, but globally.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Jack Curtis, co-founder and chief commercial officer of Neara, Australia’s newest tech unicorn. Neara has just raised $90 million at a valuation above $1 billion, aiming to help electricity networks unlock more capacity and meet surging AI-driven demand.

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

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Q+A: The companies that may surprise this earnings season

Reporting season is underway, and after last year’s wild share price swings, investors are bracing for more volatility. 

Sean Aylmer speaks to Ben Gilbert, Head of Australian Research at Jarden, about the companies he's watching, which sectors could surprise, where the risks lie, and how interest rates and AI are shaping results.

Fear and Greed is not a financial advice podcast. The information provided is general in nature and you should seek advice tailored to your circumstances before making investment decisions.

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

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Q+A: The Week Ahead | 9 Feb 2026

This week we get household spending as well as lending data, giving an insight into the state of the economy, and whether the RBA made the right call increasing interest rates last week. Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas.

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer & Michael Thompson and the team as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our websiteLinkedInInstagram or Facebook!

Join our free daily newsletter here.

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

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Q+A: Behind the Washington Post's call to axe 300 journalists

This week the Washington Post (owned by Amazon's Jeff Bezos) sacked 300 journalists, reducing its newsroom by about a third. Michael and Sean talk about the impact of the decision, the business of newspapers, and Sean's own experience of having to make major changes to newsrooms.

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer, Michael Thompson and Adam Lang as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our websiteLinkedInInstagram or Facebook.

Join our free daily newsletter here.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Q+A: Are we watching the slow death of David Jones and Myer?

Are Australia’s big department stores running out of road? In the US, iconic names like Saks and Macy’s are shrinking fast. At home, David Jones and Myer have both been closing stores as consumer behaviour shifts and online retail keeps growing.

Sean Aylmer speaks with retail expert Professor Gary Mortimer from Queensland University of Technology, about whether department stores can still survive - and if so, what they need to become.

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Q+A: After all the hype, green investing is 'growing up, not winding down'

After years of hype, ethical and green investing has cooled. But instead of going away, it's evolving.

Sean Aylmer speaks with Dugald Higgins, Head of Responsible Investment and Real Assets at Zenith Investment Partners, about where sustainable investing now sits, why Australia has held steady while other markets pulled back, the difference between ESG and sustainability, and how new climate reporting rules could reshape investment decisions.

This is general information only. Seek advice tailored to your circumstances before making investment decisions.

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

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.