ASB Investment Podcast

Halfway through the year, Nigel Grant and ASB Chief Investment Officer Frank Jasper unpack global investment firm, KKR's mid-year outlook and the big themes shaping markets right now, geopolitical fragmentation and supply chain "choke points," the AI-driven productivity boom that could be underestimated, and what KKR calls a "higher resting heart rate" for inflation.

Host Nigel Grant is joined by Jessica Palalagi, Director of The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi and Amehl Smith, ASB's Head of Private Banking and lead for the bank's new partnership with the Foundation, to explore another type of investing that extends far beyond markets and portfolios - the investment in art, creativity, and people. They explore why ASB chose to back the Foundation, what makes investing in artists different to funding a specific project, and the surprising parallels between building an art collection and building a portfolio. Jessica also shares practical ways anyone can start supporting the arts, no matter their budget, and why simply showing up might be the most powerful investment of all.

It's Friday, and Nigel Grant is joined by ASB Chief Investment Officer Frank Jasper to make sense of a turbulent week in markets, particularly in the AI and semiconductor space.

Frank breaks down the four factors behind the selloff, explores where long-term value in the AI economy could actually land (and why it may not be where most people expect), and explains how ASB's portfolios are currently navigating the noise, staying invested in the theme, but looking beyond the most overheated corners of the market.

Host Nigel Grant is joined by author and gender equity specialist Angela Meyer, co-founder of Hi Money and co-author of best selling book Money, Money, Money - to unpack why women consistently retire with less than men and what's really behind it. They explore the emotional and psychological side of money, the systemic barriers that compound over a lifetime, and what financial institutions could be doing better. Angela also shares practical first steps for women at any stage of their financial journey, and why talking about money openly might be the most important thing you can do.

Frank and Nigel dig into the three biggest IPOs on everyone's radar right now — SpaceX, Anthropic and OpenAI. Frank shares the framework he uses to evaluate any company coming to market: quality, growth and value. They cover why IPOs have historically been a tricky proposition for investors, what makes this particular crop of floats unlike anything seen before, and how the major indices could become forced buyers of these stocks, pushing prices in ways that may have little to do with the underlying fundamentals. Plus, Frank's simple but powerful habit that could sharpen your thinking on any investment decision.