1. Recession talk gathers

Recession fears are hitting stock markets with the local stock market to open down 1.3% on a week when the RBA is expected to raise interest rates on Tuesday. The negative for US stocks came after Amazon reported the slowest sales since 2001, adding to recession fears. And this comes as the Reserve Bank is expected to raise interest rates on Tuesday with the big question being whether it it be a 0.15% rise or a 0.4% increase. I favour a small 0.15% hike, especially with recession talk around.

2. Housing market coming off the boil

House prices are set to come off the boil, with Sydney auction clearance rates falling to a new low. The mere talk of rising interest rates has started to cool down the once ‘too hot’ property market, with Sydney’s auction clearance rates going below 60% for the third week in a row. But not all cities' prices are falling yet. CoreLogic’s March price numbers show Sydney down 0.2%, Hobart down 0.3% but the other capitals are still rising, with Brisbane up 1.7% and Adelaide 1.9%, while Melbourne was unchanged.

3. Cocktail of inflation plus childcare costs

Inflation and how it hits you is a centrepiece of the current election campaign and the price rise of childcare is set to be a big issue. Last week’s inflation figure of 5.1% has spooked economists into tipping three or more interest rate rises this year starting tomorrow. And this will hit voters with a home loan harder if they pay childcare fees, with the SMH saying the out-of-pocket cost of childcare has risen nearly 15% since the last election — nearly double the rate of overall inflation.

4. “PC” insanity – the word “mate” is deemed offensive.

Perrottet government ministers were advised to avoid using the word "mate” and to not drink alcohol in the office as part of new workplace behaviour advice. The Daily Telegraph revealed on Sunday ministers undertook Respect at Work training sessions during the week. "I use 'mate' all the time – it's as ­Australian as you can get. How can it be offensive?" one minister told The Daily Telegraph. Some ministers who took part in the training sessions described it as “PC insanity”. The training sessions have been organised by the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet after a review into harassment and bullying by former sex ­discrimination commissioner Pru Goward.

5. Direct flight from London to Sydney will no longer be a dream

Qantas has reached a deal with manufacturer Airbus to create aircrafts capable of travelling from London to Sydney. This will be deemed the world's longest nonstop commercial route. The multibillion-dollar agreement would see the Qantas and European manufacturer designing planes that can withstand a 20hour flight and is expected to be completed by mid-2025. In 2018, Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce told BBC Breakfast that the Sydney-London route would be the "Holy Grail" for the company, after beginning routes from the West of Australia to the UK capital.