Wed, 7th Jan 2026

In this episode of Financial Services Online, Paige Estritori discusses recent trends within the Australian financial sector. OnDeck Australia reported a 246% year-on-year surge in broker-originated loans for SMEs, and a 24% month-on-month uplift in loan volumes across diverse sectors, suggesting renewed trust in broker-backed financial channels by small businesses. Lightning Loans' approval time has halved to less than 65 minutes, demonstrating the effectiveness of supple, fast financing solutions. However, the Australian Financial Complaints Authority warns SMEs to avoid unregulated lenders, after a rise in complaints over the past year. National Truck Accident Research Centre's report on road safety amid increased freight traffic was also mentioned. A major global shift in the Insurtech sector, with a 50% quarterly decrease in investments and a rise in AI-augmented claim processing, wraps up the financial news for the day.