Phil Wicks: Small Business NZ Founder on the cost of businesses hiring the wrong staff

Jenee Tibshraeny: NZ Herald Wellington business editor on rents rising at their slowest rate in 25 years

Recent data has unveiled a silver lining in the latest June-quarter inflation figures. Rents rose at their slowest rate, annually, in 25 years, according to Stats NZ. The country’s stock of rents rose by 0.5 percent between the June 2025 and 2026 quarters, continuing the trend of softening increases that began towards the end of 2024. NZ Herald Wellington business editor Jenee Tibshraeny explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Andrew Curtayne: Milford Asset Management expert on the factors impacting the tech stocks

It's been an interesting time for the tech sector, with many big companies reporting their results. Tech stocks recently reversed some of the recent selloff last night - with the Nasdaq up 1.9 percent. Milford Asset Management's Andrew Curtayne explained further. LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Dr Kerry McInerny: Auckland University AI expert on OpenAI's artificial intelligence hacking into another company

ChatGPT maker OpenAI said its artificial intelligence system hacked into another AI company on its own - and they're launching a full investigation. AI startup Hugging Face said last week that it had detected an intrusion into its data processing systems that it suspected was caused by an AI agent acting on its own.  Auckland University AI expert Dr Kerry McInerny says AI has been used to hack companies in the past, but this incident raises new concerns about cybersecurity.  "My fear is that we focus a lot on the capacities of the agent of the AI itself, and that distracts away from the people who I think we should really be holding responsible - which is OpenAI itself."  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Gary Mortimer: Queensland University of Technology Marketing Professor on the rise of free 'dopamine apps'

A new trend has emerged, where people are ordering fake takeaways and filling online shopping carts knowing they'll never receive a thing.  This viral trend is gaining popularity, with one platform, FoodNeverComes, claiming nearly 1 million 'cravings satisfied' to date. Queensland University of Technology, Professor of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour, says this gives consumers a version of the online shopping experience in order to stave off boredom.  "The research shows that we're more inclined to do online shopping...generally in the evenings. We've got home from work, we've had dinner, we sit down and go - I might just pick up my phone and see what's available online."  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Dan Mitchinson: US correspondent on US President Donald Trump imposing 50 percent tariffs on Canada

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday imposed 50 percent tariffs on most Canadian goods, and concerns have been raised about the economic implications. The new tariffs would exclude energy products, potash, fish and critical minerals, but would cover goods that had previously been protected from import taxes by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. US correspondent Dan Mitchinson says Canadian officials haven't said much, but there's speculation Canada could raise tariffs on their own goods.  LISTEN ABOVE See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.