Australia's most prestigious business column is now a podcast. Chanticleer is a weekly news breakdown of all things business, finance and markets. Every Friday, Australian Financial Review columnists James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald go behind the doors of corporate Australia to give you their unvarnished analysis.
What this show covers
FirmusPrivate creditAustralia economyFrance bondssurchargesAI debtIPOInterest ratesRBAAustralian marketsAI riskInvestingAgeingPolicyAustralian business
What listeners will find here
Why Firmus stumbled, surcharge reform backfired, and France rattled bond markets
This episode digs into the failed $44 billion Firmus float, the messy fallout from removing debit and credit card surcharges, and renewed stress in France’s bond market. It’s a compact listen for anyone tracking IPO sentiment, payments policy and global debt risk.
Why the latest rate hike, Firmus and private credit all look more fragile now
Australia’s latest rate hike, the swelling debate over Firmus, and stress in private credit drive this episode. James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald dig into why the RBA move may signal deeper problems, whether private credit is wobbling, and why the fight over a major float is intensifying.
Why Australia’s next 40 years may get harder — and what an AI hack revealed
Australia’s long-term economic outlook, a looming diesel problem and the lessons from a major AI hack drive this episode. James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald connect ageing, growth pressures and AI risk, while also sharing insights from a special chook lunch with an AI pioneer.
Builder collapse, earnings hits and misses, and a fiery GST debate
A failed home builder sits at the center of a bigger drama for high finance, as James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald unpack the fallout. They also pick the best and worst of earnings season and tackle a sharp question from Western Australia about GST proceeds.
Why wages feel weaker as bond markets and boardrooms turn uneasy
Bond markets, wage pressure and corporate investment in Australia sit at the centre of this episode. James Thomson and Anthony Macdonald unpack why major investors are rattled, why some big companies seem reluctant to back Australia, and what may be off in health insurance.
Episodes
Why your pay's going backwards, dividends surprise & bond market blues explained
21 Aug 2026 · 42 min
Australia’s hefty Iran bill, Albanese scrounges for fuel & AFR’s budget wishlist
10 Apr 2026 · 35 min
Have we hit peak Australia, housing tax breaks under fire & AI heads in the sand
20 Feb 2026 · 39 min
New battle for bank supremacy, why blue chip CEOs are exiting and wild ASX moves
13 Feb 2026 · 38 min
