By Daniel Ziffer
Publication Date: 2025-12-31 18:38:00
Is the economy likely to be quieter in 2026 after the US government imposed tariffs on penguin-only islands in 2025?
“Follow the money,” says George Tharenou, chief Australia economist at investment bank UBS, after strong gains in assets such as stocks in 2025.
“There has been a certain level of institutional investors and ‘mum and dad’ investors who are simply pouring money into asset markets so as not to miss out. This concept will continue to be the main driver of growth until something comes along and destroys this sentiment.”
George Tharenou is chief Australian economist at mega fund manager UBS. (ABC News: John Gunn)
This could be triggered by Reserve Bank interest rate hikes, AI bubble deflation, ongoing trade tensions or a variety of other factors.
After examining the economy in 2025, the ABC spoke to five of the country’s leading economists about their predictions for the year ahead.
The discussion focused on four key themes that had defined…
