We asked Australians how investing fits into their lives, from their first pay cheque to retirement. The answers show plenty of ambition, and a few gaps worth closing.

It has been a volatile few days for global markets. A sharp sell-off in AI and technology stocks sent the S&P 500 down 4.4% in a single session and pushed the Nasdaq into correction territory, before US shares rebounded strongly on Monday. Australian shares also recovered, with the ASX 200 reaching an 11-week high. The swings reflected growing concerns about AI spending, potential US regulation and the impact of high borrowing costs. Closer to home, consumer confidence fell to a four-year low. Here is what happened, and what it means for investors.

The Reserve Bank has lifted the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.85% on Melbourne Cup Day. The fifth increase this year came as stubborn inflation continues to challenge the economy. But with markets expecting a pause in December, could this be the last hike of 2026?

Australia's latest inflation figures have increased pressure on the RBA to lift interest rates again next Tuesday. Meanwhile, the US Federal Reserve held rates steady, despite growing divisions among policymakers, and Big Tech earnings are putting the enormous investment in artificial intelligence under scrutiny. Here's the weekly wrap.

After the RBA’s rate hike to 4.60% and a run of soft data, this week is lighter on local releases but still telling

A run of local data this week and last showed the RBA’s rate hikes working their way through the economy.

The Reserve Bank lifted the cash rate again this week, to 4.60%, its fourth increase this year, and one markets had firmly expected.

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The US Federal Reserve raised interest rates last week for the first time since 2023, and signalled another increase may follow before year-end.

If you've got $50 to invest and a share like CSL or Amazon costs hundreds of dollars, fractional shares and micro-investing apps promise a way in. But the two terms get used almost interchangeably online — and in Australia, the details vary a lot by platform and by market.

US inflation cooled for a second month running, easing fears that the Federal Reserve will need to raise rates next month and lifting shares to record highs. The relief has proved short-lived, though, as oil has pushed higher and bond yields have climbed to multi-year highs, already nudging shares back from those peaks. Closer to home, it is reporting season with the major banks lagging.

Every self-managed super fund (SMSF) in Australia must be audited every year by an independent, ASIC-approved SMSF auditor, and that audit must be finished before you lodge the fund's annual return.