It's Halloween on Wealth Wine and Wisdom, and after a quick shout-out to the wine and an important scam alert from Fenton, the hosts dive into the week's critical economic topics.

Jason delivers the property stats, noting nationwide low vacancy rates (under 1% in Sydney and Brisbane) and persistently rising asking prices, signaling no immediate slowdown for the market.

Fenton drills into the recent spike in Australian CPI (inflation) data, challenging the clickbait journalism that warns of rate hikes. He connects the inflation increase—driven by electricity, petrol, and housing costs—directly to government interference and subsidies (e.g., net zero policies, first-home buyer grants), arguing that market fundamentals still point to potential interest rate cuts.

The episode wraps up by celebrating some "Good News" stories: big construction builders are back in the black, Melbourne University is ranked top in Australia, and Victoria has achieved positive interstate migration for the first time in 20 years.

However, the mood shifts as the duo discusses the future of Australia's massive $3.7 Trillion Superannuation fund and recent changes in its definition, cautioning investors to pay close attention to the government's next moves. Plus, a look at the energy-hungry rise of data centers as a hot new commercial real estate market.

Welcome to Wealth Wine and Wisdom, where hosts Fenton and Jason (The Offsider) debrief the week's financial and economic chaos over a glass of wine. This week, the conversation is heated as the duo tackles the spike in Australian insolvencies, noting record highs in the construction and food/accommodation sectors, and the pressure created by rising minimum wages.

In the property market, they analyze the slow pace of new home completions and the New South Wales government's billion-dollar plan to underwrite pre-sales in multi-density dwellings, discussing whether this controversial move can genuinely unlock supply.

The debrief finishes with a look at the stock market. Fenton walks through the dramatic evolution of the S&P 500's top companies from 1990 to today, showcasing the rise of tech giants like Apple and Nvidia. He shares the crushing returns of the FANG index (44.8% annually over the last three years) and makes the case for investing in the "picks and shovels" that support the AI and crypto revolutions, including a look at the Crypto Innovators index.

Tune in for clarity, a compass for the week, and to join the conversation!

Join Jason & Andy as they debrief the week that was. Wine, banter, and education all rolled into an hour of where the pro's dig deep, don't miss it! S2 E11