Fire, floods disasters; BHP closes on CBA as top stock; rate cut guessing game

Monday 12 January 2026 Fires in Victoria and floods in Queensland threaten lives and property, as federal and state governments step in to offer financial assistance.  BHP closes in on Commonwealth Bank in the race to be the country’s largest company.  Investors and economists are split on whether the Reserve Bank will hike rates in 2026.  Rio Tinto and Glencore in discussions to create the world’s biggest ming company. Investors take a punt that a $13 billion bid for BlueScope Steel will ultimately succeed. Join our free daily newsletter here. And don’t miss the latest episode of How Do They Afford That? - this week, six financial goals for 2026. Get the episode from APPLE, SPOTIFY, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.