ASB Investment Podcast

Nigel Grant is joined by Kirsten "KP" Patterson, Chief Executive of the Institute of Directors (IOD), to explore what governing for growth could look like in an uncertain economic environment. Drawing on the IOD's latest thought leadership, KP unpacks why growth may not happen simply by waiting out the cycle, and why boards might need to actively govern for it rather than default to cost management alone.

Sophisticated portfolio tools once reserved for institutional investors may now be within reach of everyday retail traders, with AI agents able to monitor stocks and execute trades automatically. Frank and Nigel explore new academic research suggesting human intervention may be doing more harm than good for investors using these tools, and what it might take to find a genuine edge when everyone has access to the same technology.

ASB Investment Podcast host Nigel Grant sits down with Damien Venuto, Money Editor at Stuff, to explore how financial media shapes the way Kiwis think about money. From the fragility gripping household sentiment right now, to the dangers of following a single financial influencer, to why holding an individual stock for years may not pay off the way you think, Damien brings a sharp, independent lens to the stories behind the numbers.

Frank and Nigel look back at the quarter that's just wrapped. They cover why US stocks could have had their strongest quarter in six years, what's driving the growing gap between AI-adjacent stocks and everything else, and how small caps managed a rally that's caught a few people off guard. Frank also digs into Rocket Lab's recent moves and what they could suggest about building a durable competitive moat.

ASB Investment Podcast host Nigel Grant is joined by ASB Senior Economist Kim Mundy to unpack New Zealand's Q1 2026 GDP result, a stronger-than-expected print that signals a broadening economic recovery, with business investment lifting and domestic demand sectors starting to stir. But with Q2 already shaping up to contract, how fragile is that momentum? Kim breaks down what the numbers mean for households, businesses, and the RBNZ, and why the Strait of Hormuz may matter more to your mortgage than the GDP headline itself.