The Money Puzzle

It was not supposed to happen this year: Vacancy rates were meant to rise in 2026 and income was expected to flatten…not at all. Property investors are suddenly grappling with a reshaped market where forecasts have been turned upside down.
Louis Christopher of SQM Research joins Associate Editor James Kirby in this episode.
In today’s episode, we cover:
As you were! The upset trend of the year for property investors
The downgrades keep coming for house prices
CGT looks set to increase
Will a two-property negative gearing limit hurt?


See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

SMAs are booming inside the financial advice sector: But if they are so terrific, then why is regulator ASIC asking so many probing questions around fees and conflicts of interest?

Nathan Fradley of Fradley Advice joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.

In today's show, we cover...
The good, bad and potentially ugly side of the SMA boom
Will SMSFs get a fair deal in the new Compo scheme of last resort
Reward points and super funds- a marriage made in the marketing department
Why are financial advice fees not coming down if AI cuts costs?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

You can’t have a run of interest rate hikes and expect property to shoot out the lights. The chances are we are going to see a price slowdown in the major cities later this year…especially at the top end. But a string of factors point to serious resilience at the other end of the market.
Independent housing analyst, Eliza Owen, joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode
In today’s show, we cover:
The key factors keeping demand strongest at the entry level
How the 5% home deposit scheme skewed house prices
A new CGT discount rate of 33% is now the most likely Budget change
The problem with ‘grandfathering’
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What are investors doing in reaction to the shocking turn in markets during the first three months of 2026?
One of the first moves is a distinct retreat from Wall Street back to the ASX, as investors seek mining and energy stocks along with blue chips that can deliver reliable dividends. It's early days but we are also seeing a pick-up in defensive investments such as infrastructure and a little less enthusiasm for gold.
David Bassanese, chief economist at ETF provider Betashares, joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode.
In today's show, we cover:
The surprise swing back to the ASX
Where to invest now?
The continuing case for gold (despite a bad run)
CGT - To grandfather or not to grandfather?
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

If you want to get advice from today's guest, Ben James of Escala Partners, you need to have at least $5m in your investment portfolio. In other words, his clients are strictly from the top end of town. So what have his clients been doing since the Iran crisis broke in February, and what is he telling them to do next?
Ben James, CEO of Escala Partners, joins Associate Editor, James Kirby in this episode
In today's show, we cover:
The inflation shock to markets and what you must do next?
Liquidity beyond cash for the everyday investor
The next hot spots for active investors
Are dividends vulnerable in the months ahead

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.