Weekend reading & MB media appearances

International Reading:

• Most Americans blame Trump for high prices as his economic approval hits new low, AP-NORC poll shows – AP News
• RFK Jr Announcing That AI Is Now Better Than Human Doctors – Futurism
• The Fed Is Caught Between Inflation, $40 Trillion in Debt and Global Risk – Real Narratives
• Credit card delinquency in NH reaching levels not seen since Great Recession – NPR
• Federal judge blocks New York’s ban on algorithmic rent pricing – News 10
• Millions of Americans are losing SNAP benefits: “It feels as though people are being punished” – CBS News
• Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reports more than $250 million in income last year – CNBC
• Trump’s Cost-of-Living Approval Falls to 17% in AP-NORC Poll – Aurn
• 10-year Treasury yield hits highest level since 2002 as global bond rout gathers pace – CNBC
• OpenAI fires 3 safety researchers for allegedly leaking info to outside safety group – QZ
• Young, male crypto fans have turned against Trump as their investments sour, but he cashes in – Washington Post
• Older millennials are pulling away from the pack in the housing market—and they’re dominating the ‘hobbies’ economy, too – Fortune
• LinkedIn CEO says that job seekers are sending out 30% more applications than pre-pandemic—and it’s harder to ‘know who can actually do the job’ – Fortune
• US tells France and Germany to release diesel stocks or face US export ban, sources say – Reuters
• Ranked: The World’s Most and Least Taxed Countries – Visual Capitalist
• Map Shows Which State Economies Are Growing and Shrinking Ahead of Midterms – News Week
• Chinese refiners suspend October fuel exports, sources say – Reuters
• Global bond rout deepens, pushes US Treasury yields to 24-year peak – Reuters
• Mortgage rates just hit 7.28%. But there are ways to get a lower rate – CNN

Local Reading:

• News Corp celebrates more than a decade of paying zero tax in Australia – Crikey
• RBA denies staff a pay rise that keeps up with inflation just hours after interest rate rise – The Guardian
• Australia eyes ripping up $2.3B immigration detention contract – Politico
• ATO says 1,149 large companies paid no tax as it scrutinises AI firms – ABC
• Brisbane and Sydney hit hardest by falling house prices as 5.2% shaved from Australian property values – The Guardian
• EV sales double in Australia as one in four new cars now electric – ABC
• Billions slashed from NDIS packages as reassessments lead to more cuts and less increases – ABC
• How young Australians are navigating their parents’ support for One Nation – ABC
• Controversial Sydney data centre project pulled amid community anger – ABC
• ANZ NZ says NZ’s economy a ‘mixed bag’ – Interest.co.nz
• National puts forward nine-point plan to ‘tackle costs pushing up power bills’ – Interest.co.nz
• America’s looming debt problem – Interest.co.nz
• Large build up of unsold housing stock on the market for start of the spring/summer season – Interest.co.nz
• Financial hardship up 40% over three years – Interest.co.nz

MB Media Appearances:

This interview on News24 discusses the fallout from Tuesday’s interest rate decision from the RBA.

This Treasury of Common Sense on Radio 2GB/4BC unpacked the 2026 Intergenerational Report’s propaganda on immigration and energy.

This interview with Shane McInnes at Radio 3AW assesses the government’s claim that its excessive spending isn’t contributing to Australia’s inflation problem.

This interview with ABC Radio Brisbane discusses the likely impacts of further rate rises on mortgage holders.

This extended interview with Martin North at Digital Finance Analytics unpacks the implications of Tuesday’s 0.25% rate hike from the RBA, the latest developments in the Australian property market and the economy, the 2026 Intergenerational Report, and other topics.