Chanticleer End of year special: Chook Awards and stocks to watch in 2026
18 snips
Dec 19, 2025 Katie Hudson, Head of Australian Equities Research at Yarra Capital Management, discusses key trends shaping the markets for 2026. She highlights the risks of passive ownership affecting market efficiency and shares insights on the potential winners and losers in AI. Hudson also explores gold's role in portfolios amidst production challenges and outlines investment opportunities in compounders and contractors linked to defense and renewables. The conversation wraps up with a listener question on navigating cultural barriers for companies looking to expand into Asia.
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Persistent Budget Pressures Loom
- Australia faces structurally rising budget pressures from interest, NDIS, defence, hospitals and childcare.
- James Thomson argues those demands mean persistent deficits and rising debt for the foreseeable future.
Budget Ignores AI's Structural Risk
- The budget does not yet account for big structural changes from AI like productivity booms or unemployment spikes.
- Thomson highlights gaps around taxing capital versus labour and intergenerational inequality that need future policy work.
Eagers' Rapid Market Share Gain
- Anthony Macdonald praises Eagers for gaining market share in new car and EV sales despite a softer market.
- He highlights M&A abroad, strong turnover growth and imminent ASX100 inclusion as markers of success.