Q+A: The Week Ahead | 17 Aug 2026

The RBA may have finally reached the end of its rate-hiking cycle, with signs that higher interest rates are starting to bite across the economy.Michael Thompson is joined by economist Stephen Koukoulas for the Week Ahead, looking at why rates could now stay on hold for the next year, whether falling house prices are being overblown, and what could turn a housing downturn into a credit crunch.They also preview the upcoming wages and jobs data, including Stephen's forecasts for wage growth and unemployment, and explain why Australia's productivity problem is much harder to measure than it might seem. Join our free daily newsletter here.Find out more: https://fearandgreed.com.au/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.