Welcome back to Talking Returns!

How's your week been? Anna's has been a mix of Halloween (indulging the kids), work (indulging the boss) and the orthodontist (indulging my kids' future smiles)…

And what a week it's been in the news. It's a real smorgasbord, here at home and overseas, so grab a cuppa, because there's plenty to catch up on…

Points of Interest is back!

• Aussie Interest rates are up again and are now at their highest since 2008. Ouch! What does that mean for your mortgage and your wallet?
• House prices keep dipping. Is it happening everywhere or mostly in the cities? And here's the curly one… if homes are worth less but building isn't getting any cheaper, will people still see value in building new homes? Anna asks what all this means for housing access.
• David Jones goes into administration after 180years in business. One of Australia's most iconic premium retailers has called in the administrators. It's a big moment for Aussie retail… Saveable or a sign of the financial times?
• Black Friday sales are already happening even though sales aren't meant to kick off Friday 27 November through to Cyber Monday 30 November. What could it mean for inflation? Will the Christmas factor push up numbers and result in more RBA bad news? (Asking for a friend with a full online cart… 👀AND a mortgage.)

What in the World? returns…

• A blue wave in the US mid-terms. Democrats have gained ground in places where they haven't been influential in decades. So what does it mean for Trump and his Republicans… and, more importantly, for the rest of the world?
• The head of the European Central Bank is stepping down. Everyone's wondering what she'll do next… and you might be interested to hear Ray's theory on where she might be headed…

Come and say hello!

You'll find us on our website, Instagram and Facebook, or you can drop us a line at hello@talkingreturns.com. We love hearing from you! 💌

Just a reminder…

These conversations are general information only. They're NOT financial advice. For advice tailored to your needs, plus the consumer protections that come with it, please talk to a qualified professional.

Inflation’s up, drinking habits are changing, and Australia isn’t getting any younger. So, who picks up the tab? (And who is making the decisions for future gen's?)

🎙️ This week on Talking Returns…

📈 We unpack the latest inflation figures (yep, they're up, again)- we ask what they could mean for your interest rates, and tackle the question everyone wants answered: when will the pressure ease?

🍷 Diaries from the Bottom Line: When customers stop raising a glass.

What happens when the next generation doesn’t drink like the last? We explore the pressures facing the alcohol industry, from wineries and breweries to bottle shops, and the bigger business question: how do you adapt when your customers’ habits change? (and of course they will, so how do you prepare?)

📊 Griffinomics: Older, wiser… but who’s paying?

Ray’s charts are back as we dive into Australia’s Intergenerational Report. We explore what an ageing population will mean for the tax base, government spending and the generations footing the bill. Is the outlook really as glum as it sounds?

🌏 What in the World?

Plus, a look at the global headlines:

- Trump and Netanyahu threatening a large military action in Iran after the midterms.

- Anthropic (Claude AI) announcing it's going to list (estimates of circa US$1.75 trillion)

With all the world stuff continuing to unfold (unrest and war), we ponder when does World War Three enter the chat?

💰 Money, markets and a few uncomfortable questions, without the jargon.

Feedback time!

💬 We'd love your feedback! What do you look forward to in each ep of Talking Returns? What do you enjoy? What would you change, if anything? Let us know!

📣 Get in touch, Returners!

Got a question, a topic suggestion or something to get off your chest? We’d love to hear from you.

✉️ Email: hello@talkingreturns.com

📸 Instagram: @talkingreturnspod

Remember: This podcast is (great) general information only, not (at all) personal financial or investment advice (nope, nada). Everyone’s circumstances are different, so speak with your own qualified professional adviser before making (any) financial decisions.

Welcome back to Talking Returns!

After a week of birdwatching and time by the water (Anna) and a soul time with friends (Ray), we're back to make sense of a busy fortnight here at home and overseas in money matters.

Oil prices are climbing again. Fresh attacks on Saudi Arabia have put supply under pressure, and fuel prices could soon hit their highest level in six months - that's the prediction anyway.

In this episode:

🌍 What in the World

• France and Global Bonds: The latest on French government bonds since we last checked in, who's watching and what to look out for. It sounds dry, but this beautiful country could be in financial trouble! (And how it could affect us here in Australia?)
• Share markets: Are share markets in correction territory? And is a correction a good thing, or a polite way of saying things are about to get real (bad)?
• News from Mexico: We finish on a high with the "dry canal", Mexico's Interoceanic Corridor across the Isthmus of Tehuantepec. We look at what it is, the ingenuity and its' impact on supply chains in the area.

🤓 Griffinomics is back! Ray brings back Griffinomics, and this week he's talking about one of the most-watched signals in finance: the yield curve. It sounds like something from a Pilates class, but this one line on a chart can say a lot about where the economy is heading. We cover:

• Ray's love of graphs - he's pulled numbers from one of the big four banks this morning, fresh off the press and straight into a chart!*
• What the yield curve is and what's actually on the chart.
• The three shapes (normal, flat and inverted) and what each one says about the economy.
• Why an inverted curve is spicy.
• What it means for mortgages, term deposits and business lending in Australia.
• *We'll chuck Ray's graphs on the socials for your enjoyment.

Get in touch We'd love to hear from you. Find us on our website, Instagram and Facebook, or email hello@talkingreturns.com

Disclaimer: Remember Returners - this podcast is general information only. It is not financial advice. For advice tailored to your needs, and the consumer protections that come with it, speak to a qualified financial professional.