Episode 17

Domenique and Paul dig into the economic pressures shaping the world right now, kicking off with What’s in the News. They break down the Fed’s decision to hold interest rates at 4.5%, despite internal dissent and political pressure. With U.S. GDP bouncing back to 3% in Q2 and inflation holding at 2.7%, they look at how front-loaded imports to beat tariffs distorted the numbers—and why Jerome Powell is under fire once again.

The segment also covers Trump’s latest tariff hikes: Brazil gets hit with a jump from 10% to 50%, and India faces a new 25% rate over ties to Russian oil and arms. As a wildcard, the hosts turn to luxury giant Hermès, whose 9% sales increase and surge past LVMH in market cap says a lot about rising inequality and the power of capital in an inflationary world.

In The Hand, focus shifts to Australia, where the RBA also held its rate at 3.85%. Domenique and Paul unpack the meeting minutes, revealing a split board trying to weigh falling inflation against new global shocks. With unemployment still at record lows and job growth coming largely from the public sector, the RBA is stuck trying to make forward-looking decisions in a world that keeps shifting.

Finally, in The Invisible, they explore Southeast Asia’s rising role in the global AI race. With over two gigawatts of data center capacity, countries like Singapore and Malaysia are becoming a vital link between U.S. and Chinese tech ambitions. Billions are pouring in from Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet. While firms like Huawei and Alibaba quietly route around U.S. restrictions. It’s a clever move for global players and a missed opportunity for Australia.