The Monday Call

Hosted by New Zealand Funds Management Limited

Business Investing

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Episodes

121

Latest episode

Oct 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

This is the Monday Call, brought to you by NZ Funds. It’s about financial markets - where they are now, and where we think they’re headed. It’s not just about share market movements or changes in bond prices. It’s about new technologies and crypto assets. It’s about decarbonisation, commodities, and how geopolitical events can change the direction of the global economy. Every week, we talk to the innovators and commentators, the fund managers and headline makers, to gain insights into the new market realities. It’s a global view of finance from a uniquely New Zealand perspective, keeping Kiwi investors and financial advisers up to date with the latest market news.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

October 19, 20261 hr 5 min

Rise of the machines | AI, earnings and where markets go next

The mood is sombre: a cost-of-living crisis, interest rates are rising, war with Iran and fears that AI might kill us all. Yet beneath the gloom, core inflation is easing, New Zealand’s economy is growing, and earnings at America’s largest companies are on course to rise by a remarkable 30% this year. The steam engine remade transport, electricity lit our cities, and the internet put the world in our pockets. AI may be the next general-purpose technology, reshaping how we live and work, including at NZ Funds. But how much of its promise is already priced into markets, and how much is yet to come? Drawing on NZ Funds’ H2 2026 Investment Outlook, Chief Investment Officer Mark Brooks and Investment Strategist James Grigor weigh the risks against the rewards, consider what America’s midterm elections may mean, and explain how NZ Funds is positioning client portfolios for the road ahead - which, as ever, is unlikely to be a straight line.

October 4, 20261 hr 1 min

The long view | Markets, megatrends and the $90 billion investor

Mike Frith is Chief Economist at the NZ Super Fund, New Zealand’s single largest pool of long-term capital. The NZ Super Fund invests more than $90 billion for the Government to reduce the future cost of universal superannuation. Its long horizon lets it look beyond the headlines. Mike will discuss the forces driving markets: technology, trade, and shifting economic dynamics. What can rising interest rates tell us? How might a productivity leap affect earnings? And how do long-term investors account for elections, such as the United States midterms? We will also look inside NZ Super’s portfolio, from strategic tilting and global equities to commodities and alternatives. Join us for a rare look at how a leading sovereign fund is investing for a changing world - and the opportunities it presents.

September 20, 202657 min

Good Returns, Compounded | 35 Years Covering the Industry

After 35 years covering financial services, Philip Macalister has seen New Zealand’s advice sector through booms, busts and enough industry buzzwords to fill a small dictionary. Through Good Returns , the website he founded, he’s become the industry’s institutional memory, one finger permanently on its pulse. Advice is changing on almost every front: who can access it, how businesses are structured, and how consolidation and succession are playing out. Investment, mortgage and insurance advice, KiwiSaver and retirement are all part of it too – especially in an election year bringing new government policy. AI is speeding all of this up, making financial information faster to find, cheaper to access and easier to use than ever. Join the NZ Funds team as we talk to Philip about the opportunities these changes create for the industry, and how they can benefit both advisers and the clients they serve.

September 7, 202654 min

Computer says yes | Does AI really know best?

Ask different AI models who is the best KiwiSaver provider or investment manager and get a potpourri of different answers. All confident. Most contradicting each other. AI is likely recycling whatever’s loudest online. Yet there’s no single 'best' - only the best for you, with your goals and your circumstances. Richard Conway, CEO of The Optimisers and a leading voice on AI and search optimisation, is an authority on how these models reach their conclusions. The implications go far beyond retirement savings; AI is now influencing how people choose accountants, lawyers, power companies, even doctors. Join the Monday Call team as we speak with Richard about what this means for investors, advisers and consumers alike. There’s no debate AI is powerful and convenient, but should we hand over how we make important decisions? Or does good advice really require care, context and judgement – and an understanding of what matters to you?

August 23, 202650 min

Making it count | Lifespan, healthspan, wealthspan

As Chief Executive of Southern Cross, Nick Astwick heads one of New Zealand's most significant organisations, with close to one million members and a unique view of the health, ageing and wellbeing of the nation. With 25 years at the heart of New Zealand business, including almost a decade at the helm of Southern Cross, Nick is one of the country's best-informed voices on longevity, and what it means for how we plan, secure and spend our later years. Join the Monday Call team for an important conversation on New Zealand's future: the opportunity to extend our healthspan, the changing economics of healthcare, and how we can build a healthier, more prosperous community.

August 11, 202652 min

The Thinking Machine | FT Business Book of the Year Winner

Stephen Witt won the Financial Times Business Book of the Year for The Thinking Machine, his biography of NVIDIA founder Jensen Huang. He writes for The New Yorker, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and GQ, examining the forces reshaping technology and the global economy. With rare access to Silicon Valley's leaders, innovators and investors, Stephen reveals how breakthrough technologies can ignite waves of capital investment, create and destroy fortunes, dismantle old industries and transform society. Join the Monday Call team for a conversation on the forces - seen and unseen - defining this era. Are we witnessing the greatest investment cycle in history? How will AI reshape work, wealth and power? When will humanoid robots arrive? And who will capture the gains from this new industrial age?

July 26, 202654 min

Beyond the Pump | Growth Keeps Flowing

It's been a year of headlines. Conflict in the Middle East, higher oil prices and geopolitical uncertainty have tested investors, yet the global economy remains remarkably resilient. Beneath the surface, growth is holding up, share markets have moved higher, and new opportunities are emerging. The investment landscape is also broadening. AI and US technology remain powerful themes, but opportunities are appearing elsewhere - in cyclical sectors and markets beyond the United States. New Zealand is among them, with improving economic indicators, rising confidence and early signs of renewed momentum. Mark Brooks, NZ Funds Chief Investment Officer, returns to the Monday Call alongside James Grigor and Stephan Clark to explore the forces shaping markets today. They will discuss the outlook for the second half of the year, where opportunities may emerge, and what it means for long-term investors.

July 12, 20261 hr 0 min

From the Beehive to the Boardroom | A Prime Minister’s Outlook

Sir Bill English has spent more than three decades at the centre of New Zealand’s biggest economic and policy decisions — as Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and now a leader in business. Few better understand what drives national success and where New Zealand’s opportunities lie. In a conversation spanning productivity, infrastructure and education, Bill will share his perspective on lifting living standards, strengthening our economy and competing globally. He will explore the role of business, the lessons government should learn, and the changes needed to unlock the country's potential. With an election fast approaching, join the Monday Call team for a timely discussion with one of New Zealand’s most respected economic leaders. Hear why Bill remains optimistic, what leaders should focus on, and how we can build a more prosperous future.

June 29, 202639 min

Unicorn Whisperer | A Legend in Early Stage Investing

Tim Draper is one of the defining investors of the modern era. Founder of Draper Associates, he was the first outside investor in SpaceX and an early investor in Tesla, Skype, Hotmail, Baidu and Coinbase before they became giants. In 2014, he stunned the world by buying 30,000 Bitcoin seized from the infamous Silk Road marketplace in a US government auction. For decades Tim has invested early in breakthrough technologies, often before their potential was widely recognised. He backed digital assets, AI, robotics and space with bold conviction, while championing entrepreneurial freedom. His track record is built on spotting seismic shifts long before they reach the mainstream. Join us for a rare conversation with one of Silicon Valley’s true legends. Hear the stories behind some of history’s most iconic companies, how he spots exceptional founders early, and where he believes the next wave of trillion-dollar opportunities will come from.

June 14, 202652 min

The space economy | SpaceX and the business of orbit

Few understand the space economy and opportunities it presents better than Chris Quilty. As President of Quilty Space, he advises investors, operators and policymakers worldwide and is widely regarded as one of the sector’s most trusted voices, regularly featured by Bloomberg, CNBC and The Wall Street Journal. The space economy is growing rapidly. There are now over 10,000 satellites in orbit, up from 1,500 ten years ago. SpaceX operates 6,000 of these through Starlink and alone launches multiple times per week, compared with around 70 launches per year worldwide 20 years ago. Alongside others like Rocket Lab, it is building a new layer of infrastructure for communications, defence and data. With SpaceX entering public markets and well established as a company in the modern space era, join the Monday Call team for a rare conversation with Quilty. Hear where this frontier economy is heading, the companies shaping its future, and the opportunities for long-term investors as the sector continues to mature.

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