Hello Fellow (or Future) Investors,
Diana Mousina, Deputy Chief Economist at AMP, has put together an excellent “wishlist” for what she’d like to see in 2026 from an economist’s point of view. I thought this presented a great opportunity to provide my own take—what this Brisbane-based financial planner hopes to see in 2026, and what it may mean for everyday Australians.
Below is my perspective on each point from Diana’s list.
1. No RBA rate hikes
Diana highlights that inflation has been higher than ideal, and that the economy has proven more resilient than expected. I completely agree with her hope for no additional rate increases – and not just because I have a mortgage.
As she points out, the mere expectation that rate cuts are no longer imminent has already shifted consumer sentiment in a more cautious direction. Households are tightening their belts without the RBA having to tighten policy further. For financial planners, this highlights the importance of consistent budgeting and cashflow awareness.
2. More US tariff concessions
Diana suggests that easing the tariffs introduced under Trump would help with global cost-of-living pressures. I agree in principle, but from a financial planner’s lens, my bigger wish is stability out of the US.
Markets have performed well overall, but political and trade instability makes it harder for businesses to operate and for investors to plan confidently. A predictable global environment is always beneficial.
3. Lower inflation
This one’s universal. Every Australian, economist or not, wants to see inflation back in a comfortable range. Lower inflation eases pressure on households, businesses, and interest rates.
4. Fiscal sustainability
As a financial planner, this area falls more within policy and macroeconomics than personal advice. I encourage readers to look at Diana’s analysis here as she explains it clearly and concisely. While not my specialty, sustainable public finances are always beneficial for long-term planning and stability.
5. A less tight labour market
Diana notes that wage growth is slowing and unemployment is gradually rising. While these figures are still better than pre‑COVID averages, the trend matters.
From an economist’s viewpoint, a slightly softer labour market helps reduce inflation and business labour costs. From a planner’s viewpoint, it’s a timely reminder:
- Don’t assume the strong wage growth of the past few years will continue.
- Don’t assume employment will remain easy to find.
- Now is the time to maintain a healthy savings buffer and stay disciplined with spending.
This is about resilience, not pessimism.
6. More home building
Australia continues to fall short on its housing construction targets. While rising property values have helped many homeowners grow wealth through increased equity – and potentially investing that equity – ultimately, people need places to live.
More supply is essential, and as financial advisors, we should encourage clients to look at long‑term strategies, not just capital gains.
7. More sustainable population growth
Another contributor to housing demand has been the high immigration rates. As mentioned above, strong demand has supported property equity growth, which has been a benefit for investors. However, sustainable immigration planning is vital to balance housing pressure with economic growth.
8. A turnaround in productivity growth
Productivity growth in Australia has been stagnant for close to a decade. As Diana highlights, this became especially concerning in 2025.
From a financial planning perspective, improved productivity would be a significant positive for:
- Australian company earnings
- Wage growth over the long term
- Investment opportunities, especially for small and mid‑sized businesses
Higher productivity tends to flow directly into improved long-term investment returns.
9. Stronger business investment
I agree with Diana, though I would broaden this to business investment outside of tech. While technology continues to dominate, seeing more capital flow into other industries would diversify economic growth and create new investment opportunities for Australians.
10. Earnings broadening out (beyond tech)
Tech has outperformed the broader market significantly. Naturally, this raises concerns about whether we’re seeing a repeat of the early‑2000s tech bubble.
As a financial planner, I see this as a great opportunity to highlight the importance of diversification—and potentially looking beyond index‑only strategies. Strong, sustainable long‑term portfolios shouldn’t rely on one sector outperforming forever.
Final Thoughts
Economists and financial planners often look at the same data, but from different angles.
Diana’s wishlist provides excellent economic context; my hope is that this adds a practical, real‑world planning perspective to help everyday Australians navigate whatever 2026 brings.
Joshua Napier
(Provisional Financial Planner)