Personal Finance

Your twenties can feel like the wrong time to think about investing. Income may still be developing, expenses can be unpredictable and major financial goals may seem years away.

• Regular check-ups help keep financial decisions connected with changing goals and circumstances.

• An early, modest step can sometimes have more impact than a much larger step taken years later.

Pepper Money (ASX:PPM) delivered higherEarningsin the first half of FY26, supported by increased lending volumes, a larger asset base and an improvement in net interest margin.

Australian Finance Group (ASX:AFG) reported a significant increase in FY26 profitability, with net profit after tax rising 39% to $49 million. Underlying NPATA increased 33% to $54 million, reflectingEarningsgrowth across both the Distribution and Manufacturing segments.

Artificial intelligence has become one of the defining investment themes of the current market cycle.

Starting with AUD 1,000 and managing AUD 100,000 may look like two completely different investing situations. One offers only a handful of immediate choices, while the other appears to open the door to a much broader portfolio.