Buy Hold Sell, by Livewire Markets

Just weeks ago, markets were pricing in the risk of a prolonged conflict in the Middle East, with oil surging as investors feared disruptions to global supply. Today, much of that geopolitical risk premium has unwound. Brent crude has retreated to around its pre-war levels following a US-Iran peace agreement, even as fresh flare-ups serve as a reminder that the situation remains far from settled.

Whether the recent pullback in oil proves temporary or not, investors are already asking the next question: who stands to benefit? The obvious winners are businesses with large fuel bills. But lower oil prices can ripple through the economy in unexpected ways, easing input costs and lifting consumer spending. 

Joining Livewire’s Anna Dadic are Henry Jennings from Marcus Today and Michael Wayne from Medallion Financial, to debate four stocks that could be lesser-known beneficiaries of the recent retreat in oil prices, examining whether they offer compelling exposure to cheaper energy, or whether the market has already priced in the upside. 

We also asked each guest to nominate a stock they see as an unexpected winner from the fall in oil prices.

This episode was filmed Wednesday 24th June, 2026.

Short sellers are often described as the smartest money in the room. They borrow shares, sell them on market, and actively bet that the price will fall. 

Get it right and the returns can be substantial. Get it wrong and the losses are theoretically unlimited. Just ask the person on Reddit who shorted Korean fried chicken companies then lost it all when pictures of Jensen Huang eating fried chicken in Seoul went viral. I think about them often. Mostly I think - what were they thinking.

In this episode of Buy Hold Sell, we are joined by Michael Wayne from Medallion Financial and Henry Jennings from Marcus Today to work through six of the ASX's most heavily shorted stocks right now. 

As Jennings puts it, a big short position doesn't necessarily mean something is wrong, sometimes it's just an easy target. But when you're looking at short interest north of 20% and days to cover that stretch into months of normal volume, there's usually a story underneath that’s worth knowing about.

This episode was filmed Wednesday 24th June, 2026.

As equity investors, we're always aiming for better-than-average - otherwise we'd just buy a low-cost index ETF and be rid of the vagaries of individual stocks (but what fun would that be?!?!)

No, playing the game of the market, we want - even need - stocks in our portfolio that deliver above-average performance, if for no other reason than to cover the laggards.

With the new financial year about to roll over, it’s time to cast our eyes ahead and think about companies that can deliver for us in the coming 12 months.

In this episode, Livewire's Chris Conway is joined by Yarra Capital Management's Marcus Ryan and ClearBridge Investment's Reece Birtles, who each pitch three stocks that they believe are poised for a big year ahead.

That's right, it's six straight-up buys, with the guests talking passionately about the stocks in their portfolios. 

For good measure, they also share one stock they'll likely avoid over the next 12 months.

This episode was filmed on Wednesday, 17th June 2026.

There are a few moments throughout the financial year that lend themselves to a portfolio review. 

While investors should always remain diligent, January 1 provides a fresh opportunity to cast a critical eye over one's holdings, while the February and August reporting seasons offer another chance to decide which companies continue to make the cut.

But perhaps EOFY trumps them all, particularly due to tax-loss selling, where investors realise capital losses on underperforming investments to offset capital gains elsewhere in their portfolios and reduce their overall tax bill.

Most of the treatment above, however, focuses on the losers. What about the winners? What about those stocks that have had a ripping 12 months and become the stars of your portfolio? 

Can they continue to outperform, or was the past year as good as it gets?

To help answer those questions and run the ruler over five of FY26's top performers, Livewire's Chris Conway is joined by ClearBridge Investment's Reece Birtles and Yarra Capital Management's Marcus Ryan. 

For good measure, each guest highlights one company that has had a great 12 months that they believe will kick on in FY27. 

This episode was filmed on Wednesday, 17th June 2026.

What are Australia's best income stocks?

To kick off Livewire's Income Series, we asked more than 2,700 investors to nominate their favourite income stocks and investments. The results included household names like BHP, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and Washington H. Soul Pattinson, alongside a handful of small-but-mighty dividend payers that punched well above their weight.

In this episode of Buy Hold Sell, Matthew Kidman is joined by Jun Bei Liu from Ten Cap and James Gerrish from Market Matters to run the ruler over six reader-voted income favourites.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Income is back

00:58 –BHP

03:25 – Commonwealth Bank

05:43 – Telstra

07:33 – Washington H. Soul Pattinson

10:18 – Dalrymple Bay Infrastructure

12:30 – Dicker Data

14:52 – James Gerrish's top income stock

16:25 – Jun Bei Liu's top income stock

17:51 – Wrap up

Plus, each fund manager reveals their favourite income stock today, including a high-yield property trust and a retirement income specialist benefiting from Australia's ageing population.

The key question: Is it better to chase the highest yield, or focus on businesses capable of growing their earnings, dividends and capital value over time?

You can see an edited transcript or a video version of this episode here: https://www.livewiremarkets.com/wires/buy-hold-sell-the-6-income-stocks-readers-love-plus-2-expert-ideas