A bumper week of results, a renewed Liberal Party, and Coles and Instagram in court on different sides of the world.

Sean Aylmer and Michael Thompson go head to head on the top business stories of the week, with Adam Lang picking a winner in a fierce debate.

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Has remote work contributed to a loneliness epidemic? Michael Thompson quizzes Sean Aylmer and Adam Lang about talking to strangers, phone vs email, and whether remote work has made us braver online and quieter in person.

Fear & Greed Q+A: Join Sean Aylmer, Michael Thompson and Adam Lang as they answer questions on business, investing, economics, politics and more. If you have your own question, get in touch via our website, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.

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This is the Fear and Greed Afternoon Report - everything you need to know about what happened in the markets, economy and world of business today, in just a few minutes.

1. ASX flat

2. CharlesIII: “law must take its course”

3. Taylor on energy

4. Guzman tumbles

5. QBE surges

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Friday 20 February 2026

Telstra announces a jump in its dividend as its mobile business powers earnings, just as Wesfarmers provides a note of caution about consumer spending.

• The unemployment rate last month came in at 4.1 per cent, upping the chance of an interest rate hike in coming months.
• The local share market hits an all-time high.
• Mark Zuckerberg concedes it is difficult to enforce age limits on social media. The era of super-sized meals might be coming to an end.

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And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - this week, the kids’ money blueprint. Get the episode from APPLE, SPOTIFY, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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Wesfarmers has reported a jump in sales and a better-than-expected net profit of $1.6 billion for the December half. But CEO Rob Scott warns households are feeling the full impact of inflation and interest rates.

In a wide-ranging conversaiton, Sean Aylmer speaks with Rob Scott about the consumer outlook, productivity initiatives across Bunnings and Kmart, the future of lithium and chemicals, the strategy behind Target, and how AI is being deployed across the group.

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This is the Fear and Greed Afternoon Report - everything you need to know about what happened in the markets, economy and world of business today, in just a few minutes.

1. ASX soars, unemployment stable

2. Aussie giants report results

3. PM’s‘contempt’ for ISIS brides

4. ACCC targets Temu, Shein

5. US-Iran tensions build

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Thursday 19 February 2026

Real wages in Australia went backwards last year, challenging the view that the cost-of-living crisis is lessening.

• NAB’s share price soars after a bumper quarterly profit
• Another, bigger bid for BlueScope Steel
• Santos to cut ten per cent of its workforce
• The countries where bank branches remain popular

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And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - this week, the kids’ money blueprint. Get the episode from APPLE, SPOTIFY, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

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A listener question from far North Queensland sparks a dive into regional property trends. Michael Thompson speaks with Tim Lawless, Executive Research Director for Asia Pacific at Cotality, about how regional markets are performing versus the capitals, what’s driving growth, and whether the pandemic tree change still has legs.

Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.