The Bloomberg Australia Podcast

Australia’s big banks are being squeezed from all sides. The housing market is slumping, inflation remains stubborn and borrowers have just been hit with a fifth interest-rate hike. Yet bank profits are holding up surprisingly well — and there are even some bright spots in the economy. Bloomberg finance reporter Richard Henderson joins Rebecca Jones to unpack what the latest bank results tell us about Australian households and businesses, why Macquarie is still pushing hard into mortgages, and whether AI is becoming the banks’ next big spending battleground.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anthropic is preparing for what could be the biggest IPO the world has ever seen, giving Australian investors a rare chance to buy into one of the companies at the heart of the artificial intelligence boom. But with a potential valuation of around $1.5 trillion and enormous spending commitments ahead, how much is the Claude maker really worth? Bloomberg’s New York-based IPO reporter Bailey Lipschultz joins Chris Bourke to unpack what Anthropic’s filings reveal about its finances and risks — and what the collapse of Australia’s Firmus IPO can teach investors. Plus, why Anthropic could become a crucial test of investor appetite for the broader AI trade.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Billions of dollars are pouring into Australia’s data centers, with the industry promising jobs, investment and a chance to turn the country’s abundant renewable energy into computing power for the world. But how much richer will the boom actually make Australia — and who ultimately benefits? Bloomberg economist James McIntyre joins host Haidi Stroud-Watts to follow the money and separate the economic opportunity from the AI hype. He explains what the boom could mean for jobs, power prices and inflation — and why the surge in investment could make the Reserve Bank’s job even harder.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia became the first country in the world to ban children under 16 from social media. Almost a year later, the government is preparing for a potential court battle with some of the world’s biggest tech companies — while pushing ahead with even tougher rules for social media platforms and AI chatbots. In an exclusive interview with Bloomberg’s Angus Whitley, communications minister Anika Wells explains why she believes the ban is working, why Big Tech still isn’t doing enough to protect children, and how Australia’s next wave of regulation could reshape the way companies from Meta to OpenAI operate.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Firmus went from being one of Australia’s hottest IPO prospects to a spectacular flop in less than 48 hours. The Nvidia-backed data center operator’s failed listing has raised questions about sky-high valuations, enormous funding needs and just how much investors are willing to pay for the promise of future AI profits. Bloomberg’s Sydney Bureau Chief Ainslie Chandler joins Chris Bourke to unpack what went wrong — and why the Firmus fiasco may be a warning sign for the billions pouring into AI infrastructure around the world.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia is embracing the AI boom, with billions of dollars pouring into data centers and the technology promising to transform the economy. But anxiety is growing too. A rogue OpenAI agent’s unauthorized access to Medicare systems has raised fresh questions about what happens when increasingly autonomous AI behaves in ways its creators never intended. Bloomberg’s Chris Bourke is joined by tech reporter Newley Purnell to unpack what the incident tells us about the risks of AI, whether Australia has the power to keep US tech giants in check, and the dilemma facing Canberra as it pushes for greater safeguards while trying to attract a potentially enormous wave of AI investment.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australia’s inflation fight just got harder. The Reserve Bank has lifted interest rates for the fourth time this year as surging energy prices ripple through the economy — and another hike could be just weeks away. Bloomberg economist James McIntyre joins host Chris Bourke to explain why the RBA is so worried about businesses passing higher costs on to consumers, what that means for jobs and household budgets, and when Australians might finally see some relief from high interest rates.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tasmania is home to the world’s largest battery-electric ship — a 130-metre ferry powered by more than 250 tonnes of batteries. This week, host Rebecca Jones talks to David Stringer, APAC Managing Editor for ESG and Green, who toured the vessel and met veteran shipbuilder Robert “Bob” Clifford. They explore how this remarkable project came together, whether electric ferries can transform global shipping, and what Tasmania’s maritime innovation could mean for an industry under pressure to cut emissions.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Japanese yen has been trading near multi-decade lows — but one big Australian investor has bet on the currency’s recovery. This week, host Rebecca Jones talks to Bloomberg’s Chief Asia Rates Correspondent Ruth Carson about why Australian Retirement Trust is buying the yen, what’s driving Japan’s currency, and what a rebound could mean for Australian investors, businesses and anyone planning a Japanese ski holiday.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Australians haven’t stopped spending — they’ve just become much more selective about where their money goes. This week, Bloomberg global business editor Karen Leigh joins host Rebecca Jones to unpack the winners and losers from Australia’s latest earnings season, from Kmart and supermarkets to furniture and electronics retailers. They discuss the rise of home brands, the impact of higher housing costs and falling property prices, and whether Australia’s newfound obsession with value could permanently change how we shop. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.