Equity Mates Investing Podcast
Bryce and Alec bring you Australia's best investing podcast. Join them, as they breakdown the barriers to investing, to make the markets accessible to everyone. Start your journey now! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Our Monthly Portfolio Update - September 2026
Bryce & Ren are back with their monthly portfolio check-in after a rough month across global markets. They unpack what’s working, what’s hurting and where they’re putting money to work, from Alphabet to QXO, the boys discuss which positions they’ve sold, what they’re holding on and what they’re eyeing off. Plus, Waymo’s staggering lead in autonomous driving and the latest sign America has blurred the line between investing & sports gambling.
In this episode:
00:00 What happened in markets this month
03:20 How global markets performed this month
04:25 Bryce’...
The Infrastructure Behind AI, Electrification and Energy Security with Shane Hurst
AI, electrification, renewables & energy security are driving an infrastructure investment boom on a scale Shane Hurst says he hasn’t seen before. ClearBridge Investments portfolio manager joins us to unpack the physical assets sitting beneath these megatrends, from electricity grids & gas pipelines to data centres, water networks & mobile towers, and explains why traditionally defensive utilities are increasingly showing structural growth characteristics.
In this episode:
00:00 Why infrastructure is entering a structural growth era
02:34 What actually counts as infrastructure?
08:24 The megatrends driving an infrastructure supercycle
13:36 How the energy grid could tr...
RBA raises rates again, Pimp my Portfolio with Henry Jennings & we review the community portfolio
The RBA has lifted rates to a 15-year high, so what does that mean for mortgages, inflation and the Australian economy? Bryce & Ren unpack the latest rate rise before turning to SpaceX’s Starship breakthrough & Google’s plans for AI data centres in space. Then Henry Jennings from Marcus Today joins Pimp My Portfolio to help simplify a growth-heavy portfolio, before the Equity Mates community portfolio gets its latest health check.
In this episode:
00:00 RBA rates hit a 15-year high
06:50 SpaceX Starship reaches orbit
09:17 Google’s plan for AI data centre...
Scott Phillips: The stock picker who doesn’t think you should pick stocks
Scott Phillips is the Chief Investment Officer at The Motley Fool, but he thinks most people shouldn’t be picking individual stocks.
Fresh off writing The One Page Investing Plan, Scott joins Bryce and Ren to explain why simple investing habits often beat complexity, why ETFs should be the default for many investors and why trying to time the next market crash can cost you.
Plus, Scott shares his case for shares over investment property, the risks of thematic and leveraged ETFs, and why staying invested matters more than predicting what happens next.
...OpenAI's Medicare hack, First Home Super Saver Scheme explained & the Super App selloff
OpenAI hacked an Australian Medicare portal and the government didn’t find out from the company until months later. We unpack what the incident says about AI safety, human error & who should be liable when autonomous systems cross the line. Then, why booming US business activity could spell trouble for interest rates, before closing out Super September with listener questions on the First Home Super Saver Scheme, ETFs & gearing inside super. Plus, we take a trip around the world to check in on the battered “super apps” and ask whether the businesses are stronger than their share prices suggest.
...
Australia's older, slower future, how much do you need to retire & Mr Beat-Up looks at Grab Holdings
What does Australia look like in 40 years, and what does it mean for your money? Bryce & Ren unpack the latest Intergenerational Report and what an older, slower-growing population could mean for investors. Then they bust the myth that you need $1 million to retire. Mr. Beat Up also returns, putting Southeast Asian super app Grab under the microscope, from its beaten-up share price to its ambitious push into banking & financial services.
In this episode:
00:00 — What will Australia look like in 40 years?
02:11 — Australia’s ageing population & slowing economy
07:56 — Canva’s valuation markdown & AI problem...
Cathie Wood: How to Invest in a World Moving This Fast
Cathie Wood is betting that we’re only at the beginning of a technological transformation decades in the making. The ARK Invest founder & CEO joins us to unpack why AI is accelerating faster than expected, how robotaxis and humanoid robots could reshape the physical world, and why healthcare may be one of the market’s most overlooked AI opportunities. Plus, Cathie shares her latest thinking on Bitcoin, crypto, managing risk after ARK’s wild pandemic-era ride and the companies she believes could eventually reach trillion-dollar valuations.
In this episode:
00:00 The technologies changing everything
02:0...
Rates rise around the world, why the Aged Pension isn't enough & Pimp my Portfolio with Owen Rask
The Fed is hiking, the RBA could be next, and Australia keeps watching homegrown companies head offshore to list. Bryce & Ren unpack what sticky inflation means for investors, ask why the ASX keeps missing major listings, & bust the retirement myth that a paid-off house and the Age Pension will be enough. Then, Owen Rask joins Pimp My Portfolio to help a community member simplify a portfolio, deal with overlap and think through when it might be worth ripping off the capital gains tax bandaid.
00:00 – The Fed raises rates as inflation stays sticky
04:58 – Why the ASX...
The Small Cap index is lying to you with Andrew Mitchell
Australia’s small-cap index might have looked calm in FY26, but beneath the surface it was anything but. Ophir Founder and Senior Portfolio Manager Andrew Mitchell joins us to unpack record sector dispersion, why reporting season exposed cracks in the earnings outlook, and how AI & data centre spending are reshaping opportunities for investors. Andrew also takes us inside Ophir’s bottom-up stock-picking process and explains why Codan remains one of the portfolio’s highest-conviction ideas.
In this episode:
00:00 Small caps: calm on the surface, chaos underneath
05:45 What reporting season revealed about Australian earnin...
AI panic, finding growth in Australia & who gets your Super when you die?
AI leaders are calling for the industry to slow down, oil is pushing back towards US$110 a barrel, and Australian growth stocks have had a rough year. Bryce & Ren unpack what the latest AI safety debate could mean for markets, why Saudi Arabia has become central to the oil story, and the ASX growth names worth putting on the watchlist. Plus, Super September continues with a practical look at what actually happens to your super when you die.
In this episode:
00:00 Could AI really kill us all?
02:36 AI safety, regulation & the prisoner’s...
A century of compounding: inside Soul Patts' permanent capital with Todd Barlow
What does investing look like when you never have to sell? Soul Patts has been listed since 1903, giving CEO Todd Barlow a rare advantage: permanent capital and the freedom to invest wherever he sees the best opportunity. Todd joins Bryce and Alec to explain why Soul Patts is sitting on almost $3 billion in cash, where he sees risks building in private credit, why energy is his preferred ‘no regrets’ AI trade and why Bitcoin still isn’t making the portfolio.
In this episode:
00:00 123 years of investing
02:14 Meet Soul Patts CEO To...
Apple finally folds, Pimp My Portfolio with Henry Jennings & why $10 a week in Super matters
Apple has finally entered the foldable phone race with the $3,499 iPhone Duo, but is it enough to kick-start the John Ternus era? Bryce and Alec also unpack a remarkable AI breakthrough before Henry Jennings returns to Pimp My Portfolio, where one community member’s love of ETFs has left him doubling down on tech and leverage. Plus, Super September asks whether small extra contributions really matter, and the maths gets big surprisingly quickly.
Grab your FinFest tickets today here.
And share your thoughts via this link and help shape Betashares Super.
Y...
Tesla’s robotaxi reality check, One Nation’s Super proposal & what would you do for $750k?
Tesla’s steering wheel-free Cybercab has hit the road, but the global robotaxi race is getting a lot more crowded, and increasingly, a lot more Chinese. Bryce and Alec unpack who’s actually leading autonomous driving, debate a proposal to let Australians divert part of their Super into their pay packets, and continue Super September by asking whether leaving your retirement savings in the default investment option could be costing you over the long run.
Grab your FinFest tickets today here.
Share your thoughts via this link and help shape Betashares Super.
<...
Ask an Adviser: Investing, Property & Super - Community Mailbag with Glen Hare
More young Australians are building serious share portfolios while feeling increasingly locked out of property, but will investing alone get them where they want to go? Financial adviser Glen Hare joins Bryce and Alec to tackle questions from the Equity Mates community on $1 million windfalls, debt recycling, geared ETFs, investment bonds, rentvesting and super, while challenging investors to work backwards from the life they actually want to fund.
In this episode:
00:00 Investing After The Budget
06:18 Investing A Cash Windfall
10:41 ETFs And Portfolio Mistakes
15:51 Investment Bonds Explained
19:48...
Why AI, Energy & Housing are the biggest themes for the rest of the year & are all Super funds really the same?
Betashares Investment Strategist Tom Wickenden joins Bryce and Alec to zoom out on what could matter for investors through the rest of 2026, before Super September tackles the idea that all super funds are basically the same. The differences may look small year to year, but over decades they can compound into serious money.
In this episode:
00:00:00 Is The AI Spending Boom Sustainable?
00:02:26 The Biggest CapEx Cycle In History
00:05:41 Can OpenAI And Anthropic Keep Winning?
00:07:24 Investing Through Geopolitical Risk
00:10:00 Why Markets Keep Rising Through Chaos
00:11:03...
Knowing when to sell: How growth investor Michael Frazis manages risk
Michael Frazis is back to unpack a market moving faster than ever. From cracks appearing in the AI infrastructure trade and a potential software comeback, to personalised cancer vaccines and the evolution of his own investing strategy, Michael explains why he’s moved from simply holding great growth companies to systematically taking profits and managing momentum. Plus, we dig into Nvidia’s biggest long-term threat, why Apple may have played the AI boom perfectly, and the thinking behind Frazis Capital Partners’ new ROAR Active ETF.
In this episode:
00:00 Why markets could be entering a more v...
Apple enters a new era, Super September is back & Pimp My Portfiolio with Henry Jennings
Apple enters a new era as John Ternus takes the reins from Tim Cook, bringing a product engineer to the top job just as the company searches for its next big platform. Bryce and Alec also unpack ugly results from Star Entertainment and Monash IVF, before kicking off Super September with a simple idea: when it comes to super, the biggest advantage younger investors have isn’t picking the perfect fund, it’s time. Finally, Pimp my Portfolio is back with adviser Henry Jennings shining a light on a community member's portfolio.
ETFs & stocks mentioned in this...
Andrew Page on Small Caps, AI & Changing His Mind on Bitcoin
Andrew Page (Founder, Strawman) is back to make the case for two of the market’s more volatile corners: Australian small caps and Bitcoin. He unpacks why overlooked companies can create outsized opportunities, how AI has transformed his research process, and why one painful lesson from Pro Medicus changed the way he thinks about holding great investments. Then, Andrew explains his remarkable reversal on Bitcoin and why it remains his highest-conviction position.
In this episode:
00:00 Introduction
03:55 Small Caps and Conviction
07:44 Finding Winning Investments
14:00 Building a Better Process
...
Our Monthly Portfolio Update - August 2026
Bryce & Ren open up their portfolios for August, breaking down what moved, what didn’t, and why sometimes doing nothing is the best move. They unpack strong months for gold, copper, crypto & growth stocks, dig into Shopify’s rebound from the SaaSpocalypse, and respond to listener concerns about borrowing against the mortgage, geared ETFs and active management fees.
In this episode:
00:00 Exciting Finfest speaker announcement
03:33 August markets: rates, debt, reporting season & crypto
05:15 Bryce’s portfolio: gold, copper and Bitcoin deliver
10:26 Ren’s portfolio & the case for doing nothing
15...
How to Invest for a 30-Year Retirement with Kanish Chugh
Retirement is getting longer, markets are getting more volatile, and the old playbook of simply building a nest egg and drawing it down may need a rethink. PIMCO’s Head of ETF Sales, Kanish Chugh, joins us to unpack how investors can build portfolios designed to generate income for decades. We explore the role of bonds and defensive assets, sequencing risk, why chasing double-digit yields can come with hidden risks, and how your mix of growth, defensive assets & cash should evolve as your goals change.
In this episode:
00:00 Why a 30-year retirement changes the in...
Money can’t fix a population crisis, a robot just beat Usain Bolt & an introduction to factor investing
Fertility rates are collapsing around the world, China’s robotics boom is sending tech valuations into the stratosphere, and some of the market’s most beaten-up stocks are staging serious comebacks. Bryce & Ren unpack what changing demographics could mean for investors, and finish with a deep dive into factor investing, including whether QOZ’s recent outperformance makes it a better bet than A200.
00:00 The global baby bust
07:31 Beaten-up stocks making a comeback
12:03 China’s tech bubble & wild IPO valuations
17:35 China’s humanoid robotics boom
23:00 Community question: QOZ vs A200
Replace your salary with dividend income
Could a share portfolio eventually generate enough income to replace your salary? Plato Investment Management founder Dr Don Hamson joins Bryce and Alec to unpack the maths behind that goal, why dividends have contributed so much to long-term Australian market returns, and the traps investors can fall into when chasing headline yield. Plus, why investors still accumulating wealth may be better served focusing on total return rather than income alone.
In this episode:
00:00 Why Dividends Matter
04:17 Dividends Drive Market Returns
07:52 Budget Boosts Income Investing
10:20 Can Dividends Replace Your...
Moderna’s skin cancer breakthrough, a cheap stock for the Community Portfolio & can you time your investments?
Moderna’s latest cancer vaccine results sent its shares soaring 177% in a day, but the bigger story could be what mRNA and AI mean for the future of healthcare investing. Bryce & Ren unpack the breakthrough, check in on the Equity Mates Community Portfolio, investigate Scorpio Tankers as a potential addition, and answer a listener question every stock picker wrestles with: should you buy before, during or after earnings season?
In this episode:
00:00 Moderna’s potential cancer breakthrough
01:42 Moderna, Merck and the investing implications
06:49 Are we entering a golden age of heal...
Not all income is created equal with Helen Mason | Schroders
Australians love dividends, but in a higher-rate world, are investors overlooking other ways to generate income? Schroders’ Helen Mason makes the case for public credit, explains why she’s cautious on the private credit boom, and argues that investors need to look beyond headline yield to understand the risk, reliability and liquidity underneath it.
In this episode:
00:00 Are Dividends Overrated?
04:20 Rethinking Your Income Options
09:23 Private Credit’s Hidden Risks
13:13 Public vs Private Credit
16:44 Why Australian Credit Is Booming
21:19 Stop Chasing Yield
27:03 How Credit...
Data centre resistance grows, CSL is (sort of) back & a stock picker joins Pimp my Portfolio
Data centres are swallowing an ever-bigger share of the world’s electricity, and communities are starting to push back. Bryce & Ren unpack what rising resistance to AI infrastructure means for investors, why long-term borrowing costs are flashing an inflation warning, and the latest results from A2 Milk, JB Hi-Fi & CSL. Then Pimp My Portfolio returns, with Owen Rask reviewing Vishal’s 40-plus-stock portfolio and digging into concentration, selling discipline and what it really takes to let your winners run.
00:00 Data centres face a growing backlash
01:32 FinFest is 10 weeks away
04:17 Data centres, power dema...
How your financial plan changes as life changes with Matt Ingram
Having kids can reshape almost every part of a financial plan, from income and borrowing capacity to childcare, super and the possibility of future school fees. Financial adviser Matt Ingram (Northhaven Financial Management) joins Bryce and Alec to unpack how planning ahead can preserve flexibility, why returning to work isn’t always a simple financial calculation, and the decisions worth thinking about well before kids arrive.
In this episode:
00:00 Introduction
04:03 Preparing for Income Changes
08:15 Avoiding Lifestyle Creep
10:37 Financial Planning Before Kids
14:09 Maximising Parental Leave
17:56 Th...
Banks flag a housing slowdown, AI won’t pick your stocks & Ren’s portfolio reviewed
Australian housing is cooling, investors are stepping back, but the big banks are still making billions. Bryce & Ren unpack what the latest lending data actually tells us about house prices, before looking at the extraordinary collapse in diamond prices. Then, they answer a community question on finding stock ideas & using AI in the investing process, followed by running Ren’s stocks through an AI-powered thesis check.
In this episode:
00:00 Are Australian house prices really crashing?
02:08 Housing slows as home loan applications fall
08:03 Lab-grown diamonds disrupt a century-old market
12:51 Ho...
4 investors, $100,000: Who’s winning 6 months in? | Portfolio Challenge
We’re just over halfway through the year, which means it’s time to check the scoreboard. Bryce, Ren, Ally and Betashares’ Cam Gleeson reveal how their $25,000 portfolios are tracking, unpack their latest trades and confront an uncomfortable question: is all that stock picking actually adding value? From Asian tech and cybersecurity to copper, uranium and momentum stocks, there are plenty of lessons on timing, conviction and the dangers of overtrading.
In this episode:
00:00 Who’s winning the portfolio challenge?
02:03 A volatile few months for markets
02:37 Cam’s trades and the cost o...
3 impressive Aussie companies, how often should you invest & don’t listen to Michael Burry
Markets around the world are hitting record highs and reporting season is delivering plenty for investors to unpack. Bryce & Ren break down results from some unassuming Aussie companies, ask whether the day or frequency of your dollar cost averaging actually matters, and explain how proposed capital gains tax changes could make record-keeping more complicated. Plus, Michael Burry is betting against the AI trade again. Should investors listen to the man who famously called the GFC?
00:00 Markets are hitting record highs
03:58 Australian reporting season: numbers that caught our eye
05:30 Nick Scali, ResMed and...
AI investors are getting nervous. Should they be?
Big Tech is spending at a scale we’ve never seen before to build the infrastructure behind AI, but investors are still trying to answer the trillion-dollar question: will the returns justify it? Alec is joined by T. Rowe Price portfolio specialist Sam Ruiz to unpack what earnings season has revealed, where the AI bottlenecks are shifting, and why the hardware supplying the boom may be an easier question to answer than picking the eventual AI winners.
In this episode:
00:00 Is the AI Boom Sustainable?
03:52 Big Tech’s Trillion-Dollar AI Bet
06...
We're back: AI selloff reverses, US earnings, Aussie property & more
Bryce is back from 5 weeks in Europe and markets have been anything but quiet. AI stocks plunged & rebounded, leverage wiped out some huge trades, Big Tech delivered monster earnings, and markets pushed back towards record highs despite a shaky macro backdrop. Back home, Australian property prices are finally softening…
In this episode:
00:00 - Bryce’s holiday recap & a wild month in markets
04:20 - The AI trade gets a reality check
08:48 - Leverage, margin calls & Leopold Aschenbrenner
12:26 - Is the AI spending boom sustainable?
14:59 - Earnings season deli...
The economics of the AI companies is being tested with Alex Pollak | Loftus Peak
Big Tech is pouring unprecedented amounts of capital into AI infrastructure, but is it a once-in-a-generation investment opportunity or the beginning of an expensive arms race? Loftus Peak CIO Alex Pollak joins Ren to unpack why hyperscalers continue to spend despite growing bond market concerns, whether AI models will become commoditised, and how investors should think about semiconductors, disruption and portfolio construction as the AI race evolves.
In this episode:
00:00 – Has AI moved beyond the bubble debate?
03:03 – Why semiconductor stocks are falling despite record AI spending
09:10 – The bond market, debt and fu...
Luxury: How Experiences Became the New Luxury | The Decade Ahead
The rich are getting richer, and they're spending in ways that are reshaping entire industries. In this episode of The Decade Ahead, Bryce & Ren unpack why rising wealth inequality could become one of the biggest investing themes of the next decade. From luxury brands to Formula One, VIP experiences & ultra-premium travel, they explore where the world's wealthiest are directing their money, the companies positioned to benefit, and the risks investors need to watch.
In this episode:
00:00 – Why wealth inequality is creating a luxury boom
03:54 – The numbers behind the luxury economy
09:50 – From l...
Agriculture: Robots, Drones and the Future of Food | The Decade Ahead
The world can't create more farmland, but it does need to feed more people. From AI-powered cattle collars and autonomous robots to precision irrigation and gene-edited crops, this episode explores the technologies transforming agriculture. Bryce & Ren unpack why AgTech could become one of the defining investment themes of the next decade, the companies leading the charge, and the risks investors need to understand before backing the future of farming.
In this episode:
00:00 – Why agriculture is one of the decade's biggest opportunities
03:47 – Agricultural innovation & feeding a growing population
05:41 – AI, robotics & smart farming t...
Cybersecurity: The AI too dangerous to release to the public | The Decade Ahead
AI isn't just making cybersecurity stronger, it's making cybercriminals more powerful. In this episode of The Decade Ahead, Bryce & Ren explore why cybersecurity has become one of the defining investment themes of the next decade. From Anthropic's Mythos uncovering thousands of software vulnerabilities to the rise of cloud security and identity protection, they unpack the trends driving billions of dollars in cybersecurity spending and the companies positioned to benefit.
In this episode:
00:00 – Why cybersecurity is entering a new era
02:57 – How AI is transforming cybercrime & cyber defence
08:57 – The biggest growth drivers over t...
Emerging Middle Class: 300,000 New Consumers Every Day | The Decade Ahead
The global middle class has surpassed 4.4 billion people and now accounts for more than two-thirds of global consumer spending. Over the next decade, the centre of gravity of economic growth is expected to shift towards India, Southeast Asia and Latin America as hundreds of millions more people emerge into the middle class. In this episode, Bryce and Ren unpack the structural forces behind this shift, the industries set to benefit, the risks investors should watch, and the companies and ETFs offering exposure to one of the decade's biggest investment themes.
In this episode:
00:00 Why...
AI & Robotics: From $300bn to $5.2 trillion in three years | The Decade Ahead
AI has already transformed how we work, but the next decade could see it reshape the physical world. From fully autonomous "dark factories" in China to humanoid robots working in warehouses, aged care, construction and even the home, Bryce and Ren explore why robotics could become the next frontier of the AI revolution. They unpack the companies leading the charge, the investment opportunities emerging, and what investors should watch as AI moves beyond the chatbot and into everyday life.
In this episode:
00:00 – Why robotics is the next AI revolution
03:02 – The size of the...
Entertainment: The Smartphone Is Eating Hollywood | The Decade Ahead
Digital entertainment has already transformed how we spend our time, but the next decade could see it become an even bigger investing opportunity. In this episode, Bryce and Ren unpack the forces driving the industry's growth, from the rise of the global middle class and mobile gaming to AI-powered content creation, and explore the companies and ETFs giving investors exposure to one of the world's fastest-growing sectors.
In this episode:
00:00 – Why digital entertainment is booming
02:56 – Emerging markets and the rise of the global middle class
04:16 – Mobile gaming becomes the biggest force...
Electrification: Australia’s Chance to Power the World | The Decade Ahead
Electricity demand is surging, driven by AI data centres, EVs & the global shift to electrification. Australia holds some of the world’s largest deposits of the critical minerals needed to power this transition, but can we turn that natural advantage into long-term economic success? In this episode, Bryce & Ren unpack the investment case for four of those critical minerals, explore the biggest growth drivers over the next decade, and list the stocks and ETFs giving investors exposure.
In this episode:
00:00 – Why electrification is the defining trend of the next decade
03:59 – The four critic...
Pet Care: Australia Has More Pets Than People | The Decade Ahead
There are now more pets than people in Australia, and we're spending more on them than ever before. From premium pet food & insurance to longevity drugs & daycare, the pet economy is becoming one of the fastest-growing consumer sectors in the world. In this episode of The Decade Ahead, Bryce and Ren unpack the trends driving the boom, the companies positioned to benefit, and whether this is a theme investors should be watching over the next decade.
In this episode:
00:00 - Why the pet economy is booming
03:50 - Australia's pet population and spending...
