Our Scans · (FS.6.06) Personal Finance · Weekly Summary

• [New] There is an average 12-year gap between Australians' lifespan and healthspan that will reshape how people experience ageing, from the jobs they hold in their 60s and 70s to the products they buy, the health care they receive, and the way they plan for retirement. UNSW Sites
• [New] Since the First Guardian and Shield managed investment schemes were wound up in April, thousands of Australians have faced devastating financial consequences, and now face the possibility they will not recover their retirement savings. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] The 2026 minimum wage changes mark a major milestone for U.S. labour policy. Rebel Cause
• [New] The year will see the Matched Retirement Savings Scheme expanded to include younger Singaporeans with disabilities. ST
• [New] Japan releases its inflation-adjusted real wage data for October today, and it will almost certainly mark the 10th straight monthly decline. Japan Today
• [New] Companies expect to hold average merit increases at 3.0% and total salary increases at 3.3% for 2026, the same as what they actually delivered in 2025. Benefits and Pensions Monitor
• [New] Salary growth in Malaysia and the Philippines is expected to outpace GDP, fuelled by demand for shared services and global capability centers. WTW
• [New] China: Salary movement in China rose to nearly 4.9% from 2024 to 2025, outpacing the projected salary increase rate of 4.3%. WTW
• [New] Industrial production is expected to decline, partially offsetting gains from the past two months, while retail sales should continue to rise on the back of robust wage growth. / Japan investing.com
• [New] A slowdown in wage growth will create silent pain in 2026. Morningstar, Inc.
• [New] The FCA says it plans to simplify mortgage rules to allow more flexible products that reflect different working patterns and income levels at different stages of life and to review retirement interest-only requirements to make them more accessible. FinExtra
• [New] The average cost of employer-sponsored health insurance is expected to rise 6.7% in 2026, with the average total benefit cost topping $18,500 per employee. CNBC
• In 2026, the industry size of personal finance apps is evaluated at USD 38.2 billion. Research Nester
• The Government of Canada has announced that it will end mandatory retirement at age 65 nationwide, aligning with a growing movement toward flexible employment and retirement models. www.indigenousrocks.com
• 68% of Canadians support ending mandatory retirement, while 24% oppose it, citing fears of job scarcity for younger workers. www.indigenousrocks.com
• The average base salary for data scientists is $116,946, with the potential to earn between $77,000 to $198,000 USD annually. Pangea.ai
• The expected salary for AI research scientists ranges from $136,000 to $225,000 annually, with a projected job growth rate of 20% higher by 2033. Pangea.ai
• Australia's primary retirement savings program - known as superannuation - might have caught the attention of Washington officials. CNN
• The proposed retirement savings account in Germany might become another stimulus for the future growth of ETFs in Germany. investing.com
• If the unemployment rate continues to inch up, mortgage rates might go down in anticipation of more Fed cuts. WSJ Buyside
• Current systems could already take over tasks tied to roughly 11.7% of total wage value, or $1.2 trillion in pay, with especially high exposure across finance, health care and professional services. Insurance Business

Last updated: 29 December 2025