Month: May 2022

  • Chrysos Corporation share price plummets 40% on ASX debut

    Man in business suit above the clouds plummeting downwards back firstMan in business suit above the clouds plummeting downwards back first

    After much anticipation, Chrysos Corporation Limited (ASX: C79) shares hit the ASX this morning, tumbling to trade 34.9% lower than the company’s initial public offering (IPO) asking price.

    The mining technology company provides PhotonAssay, a gold assay solution. The tech is said to deliver faster, safer, and more accurate gold analysis.

    At the time of writing, the Chrysos share price is $4.23, down from its IPO asking price of $6.50. However, earlier today it plunged to $3.90, representing a 40% tumble.

    Let’s take a closer look at the mining technology company’s journey to the ASX and what it’s planning to do moving forward.

    Chrysos share price sinks on ASX float

    All eyes are on the Chrysos share price as the company hits the ASX following its $183.5 million IPO.

    Some 28.2 million Chrysos shares were offered for $6.50 apiece under the company’s prospectus.

    Funds raised through its IPO will help the company manufacture and deploy more PhotoAssay units. PhotonAssay works by exciting gold atoms with X-rays.

    The company makes its money by leasing PhotonAssay units to customers under long-term contracts. Those customers pay the company per assay they process using the technology.

    Chrysos already has contracts signed for 33 units, reflecting a total contract value of $448 million.

    It also has sales commitments extending to 2024, a 5.4% market penetration, and an addressable market of 610 PhotoAssay units.

    Its customers include two of the world’s biggest producing gold miners and three of the world’s largest testing, inspection, and certification companies.

    The CSIRO – which originally conceived the technology – remains a major Chrysos shareholder.

    Commenting before the company’s float, Chrysos CEO and managing director Dirk Treasure said:

    PhotonAssay represents the first major advancement in gold assaying in centuries and aims to displace the existing fire assay method. It offers a unique solution to a range of operational, economic and ESG challenges currently facing mining and exploration companies.

    We have already made significant headway in the acceptance of PhotonAssay within the gold sector … yet there is so much potential ahead of us for growth within our addressable market, and further expansion into the analysis of other elements such as silver and copper.

    The company expected to list with a market capitalisation of around $637 million and 98 million outstanding shares. However, at its current share price, Chrysos has a valuation of approximately $401 million.

    The post Chrysos Corporation share price plummets 40% on ASX debut appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Chrysos right now?

    Before you consider Chrysos, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Chrysos wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why is the Pilbara Minerals share price sinking 9% today?

    Scared, wide-eyed man in pink t-shirt with hands covering mouth

    Scared, wide-eyed man in pink t-shirt with hands covering mouth

    The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price is having a difficult day.

    In early afternoon trade, the lithium miner’s shares are down 9% to $2.58.

    Why is the Pilbara Minerals share price sinking?

    Investors have been selling down the Pilbara Minerals share price on Friday amid a broad market selloff.

    The lithium industry has been hit particularly hard, with Pilbara Minerals just one of many lithium shares that are recording sizeable declines. This is being driven by a selloff on Wall Street overnight which saw risk assets hit incredibly hard.

    Given how far up the risk curve lithium shares are, Friday’s session was always going to be a difficult one for them.

    Nevertheless, Pilbara Minerals’ shares are still thumping the market on a 12-month basis. Since this time last year, booming lithium prices have helped drive the company’s shares almost 120% higher.

    Is this a buying opportunity?

    One leading broker that is likely to see the weakness in Pilbara Minerals’ shares today as a buying opportunity is Citi.

    Last week the broker put a buy rating and $3.60 price target on the company’s shares. This implies potential upside of approximately 38% over the next 12 months.

    The post Why is the Pilbara Minerals share price sinking 9% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Pilbara Minerals right now?

    Before you consider Pilbara Minerals, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Pilbara Minerals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Atomos share price plunges 42% lower on ‘slower than expected sales’

    The Atomos Ltd (ASX: AMS) share price has imploded following the release of a company trading update.

    Evidently, investors are abandoning tech shares in droves on Friday, demonstrated by the 3.8% fall across the sector. However, the video technology company is feeling the pain more than most today. At the time of writing, Atomos shares are down a staggering 41.67% to 35 cents. In early trade, they sank as low as 26 cents.

    The cataclysmic reaction to the announcement has resulted in the company collecting a new all-time low share price.

    Promotional misstep and margin compression

    Many Atomos shareholders are choosing not to stick around any longer following the company’s latest trading update.

    According to the release, the first four months of the 2022 calendar year have been disappointing compared to expectations. The slower sales volume was attributed to a change in marketing approach and lower promotional activity.

    In turn, FY22 revenue forecasts have been revised to adjust for the quieter trading conditions. Now, shareholders should expect revenue to range between $80 million and $90 million for the full year. Meanwhile, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) margin is forecast to be between 6% and 8%.

    Unfortunately for the Atomos share price, the insights within the update contained further caution for future expectations. For example, the recent COVID-19 lockdowns in Shanghai might put a short-term dent in the company’s production schedule. However, this is included in the newly advised guidance.

    Furthermore, margins are slated to suffer while Atomos ramps up promotions and discounting of its cloud-enabled products. This is a targeted approach to give take-up of the company’s cloud services a nudge forward.

    What about the positives for the Atomos share price?

    On a positive note, the company highlighted that recent new launches have got a good reception. Encouragingly, the Aussie company landed itself seven awards at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) trade show recently.

    Commenting on the successful event, Atomos interim CEO Trevor Elbourne said:

    The reception we have received to our recent product launches is a strong endorsement of the technology roadmap we have been executing for the last couple of years. Whilst we were confident that the approach we were taking would resonate with our customers and the industry, it is gratifying to have that validated so strongly at NAB. The response we’ve had at NAB this year from all quarters has been so positive that I would mark this the most successful NAB for Atomos that I can recall.

    However, Elbourne also shared in the disappointment with the revised guidance. A feeling clearly resonating across the market today as the Atomos share price sinks lower.

    The Atomos share price is now down 68% since the beginning of the year.

    The post Atomos share price plunges 42% lower on ‘slower than expected sales’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Atomos right now?

    Before you consider Atomos, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Atomos wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Atomos Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Atomos Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • News Corporation share price crashes despite posting record quarterly result

    A man holds his head in his hands after seeing bad news on his laptop screen.A man holds his head in his hands after seeing bad news on his laptop screen.

    The News Corporation (ASX: NWS) share price is tumbling on Friday despite posting its highest March quarter revenue numbers in its history.

    The company’s revenue hit $2.49 billion in 3QFY22, which is 7% ahead of the previous corresponding period. This takes its year-to-date FY22 revenue to $7.7 billion, or 12% ahead of the same period last year.

    But the news could not save the News Corp share price from diving over 10% this morning to $25.80. That is its lowest point in 16-months. At the time of writing, News Corp shares are trading at $25.92.

    News Corp shares caught up in market sell-off

    The market is in a dramatic sell-off with all sectors trading in the red following big falls in the US last night.

    Perhaps investors were also not too impressed by the headline growth rates as they have been bolstered by one-off items. If you excluded these, like acquisitions, the normalised revenue growth rate would be a more modest 6%.

    Most divisions reporting quarterly growth

    At least shareholders can take some comfort that just about every division under the group delivered growth. The only outlier was Subscription Video Services, which declined 6% in the quarter to $494 million.

    This is despite higher revenues from its video streaming services BINGE and Kayo. The gains were offset by fewer residential broadcast subscribers.

    Leveraged to the residential boom

    The segment that did the best was Digital Real Estate Services. Its quarterly revenue jumped 19% to $65 million. The division includes News Corp’s holding in REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) and home loan brokering network, Mortgage Choice.

    The next best division was Dow Jones with its 16% uplift in quarterly revenue to $487 million. Acquisitions contributed to the gain. These include Investor’s Business Daily and the Oil Price Information Services business and related assets.

    The group’s Book Publishing and News Media segments also grew quarterly revenue by 5% each to $515 million and $580 million, respectively.

    How the News Corp share price compares to its peers

    Net income and total earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) also improved with the higher revenue. Net income in the quarter increased 8% to $104 million and EBITDA jumped 20% to $358 million.

    “News Corp revenues and profitability set new records for the third quarter, building on the momentum of preceding record quarters,” said its chief executive Robert Thomson.

    “We have now achieved more in profitability through the first three quarters of fiscal 2022 — at over $1.3 billion and rising 27 percent compared to the prior year — than in any entire fiscal year since our rebirth in 2013.”

    The New Corp share price has fallen 19% since January. Its rivals are faring better with the Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) share price down 15% and Seven West Media Ltd (ASX: SVM) gaining 3% in 2022.

    The post News Corporation share price crashes despite posting record quarterly result appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in News Corporation right now?

    Before you consider News Corporation , you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and News Corporation wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Everything you need to know about the latest Macquarie dividend

    Smiling man holding Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.Smiling man holding Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

    It’s looking like this Friday will prove a very disappointing end to the week for ASX shares. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has shed a nasty 2.6%, which puts it back under 7,200 points. Unfortunately for enthusiasts of the Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price, the news is even worse.

    Macquarie shares are currently down a depressing 7.78% at $186.88 each. This steep fall comes after the ASX bank reported its full-year results for the 2022 financial year this morning.

    As my Fool colleague James covered earlier, Macquarie reported a 56% increase in profits to $4.71 billion. It also announced a 36% rise in operating income to $17.32 billion, with $774.8 billion in assets under management.

    But let’s check out Macquarie’s dividend announcement in more detail.

    Macquarie dividend: everything you need to know

    Macquarie doesn’t have the same kind of dividend income reputation as its peers in the ASX banking sector. But the bank still announced a final dividend for FY 2022 of $3.50 a share this morning. This represents a slight 4.5% increase on last year’s final dividend of $3.35 per share. Like most of Macquarie’s dividends of recent years, this payment will also come partially franked at 40%.

    Macquarie shares will trade ex-dividend for this payment on 16 May, so any investor who wants to receive it will have to own Macquarie shares before then. It will then hit investors’ bank accounts on 4 June.

    Macquarie is operating its dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP) for this dividend too. So investors have the option of receiving Macquarie shares instead of cash for this dividend if they so wish. In this case, Macquarie’s DRIP allows a 1.5% discount rate for shares received if an investor opts for the reinvestment plan.

    Macquarie‘s previous dividend was the interim payment of $2.72 per share that was doled out back in December. Together with the newly announced final dividend, this means Macquarie shares would have a forward dividend yield of 3.32% on current pricing.

    Macquarie shares have been a poor performer in 2022 so far. The ASX investment bank has lost almost 12% of its value over the year to date. However, it is still up by 17% over the past 12 months.

    At the current Macquarie share price, the company has a market capitalisation of $72.48 billion.

    The post Everything you need to know about the latest Macquarie dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Macquarie Group right now?

    Before you consider Macquarie Group, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Macquarie Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • ASX 200 midday update: Macquarie and REA updates disappoint

    Disappointed man with his head on his hand looking at a falling share price his a laptop.

    Disappointed man with his head on his hand looking at a falling share price his a laptop.

    At lunch on Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week deep in the red. The benchmark index is currently down 2.5% to 7,178.5 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the ASX 200 today:

    Macquarie full year results

    The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price is falling on Friday. This follows the release of the investment bank’s full year results. Although Macquarie reported a profit surge in FY 2022, this still fell short of the market’s lofty expectations. The company reported a second-half net profit of $2,663 million, up 31% over the prior corresponding period. This compares to Goldman Sachs’ estimate of $2,800 million. Macquarie’s $3.50 per share final dividend was also short of Goldman’s forecast of $4.40 per share.

    Block misses on earnings but outlook impresses

    The Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) share price is trading lower but faring better than most in the tech sector today. This follows the release of a first quarter update that revealed softer than expected revenue and earnings. However, a strong start to the second quarter has offset this and prevented a much greater selloff.

    REA shares sold off

    The REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) share price has crashed to a 52-week low after the property listings company’s third-quarter update disappointed. For the three months ended 31 March, REA delivered a 23% increase in revenue to $278 million and a 27% increase in EBITDA to $155 million. However, this was 7% and 6% lower, respectively, than Goldman Sachs’ estimates.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Friday has been the PolyNovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) share price with a 4% gain. This follows news that insiders have been buying the medical device company’s shares. Going the other way, the News Corp (ASX: NWS) share price is the worst performer on the index with an 11% decline. This follows the release of the media giant’s quarterly update.

    The post ASX 200 midday update: Macquarie and REA updates disappoint appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Block, Inc. and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and REA Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • The Temple & Webster share price is being crushed, down 14%

    The Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) share price is sinking today. It’s currently down 13.77% to $4.26, adding to the declines of recent times.

    It’s down 30% since 28 April and it has fallen around 60% since the start of the 2022 calendar year.

    But, it’s not just Temple & Webster that is suffering today. The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 2.49%, with fellow retail shares Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT) slumping 10.5% and Peter Warren Automotive Holdings Ltd (ASX: PWR) tumbling 7.7%.

    There is currently a lot of market attention on the level of inflation that’s happening globally and how central bankers will need to raise interest rates to tackle this.

    Recent trading update

    Earlier this week, Temple & Webster told investors how its business is performing in an update.

    In the second half of FY22, its trading was in line with management’s expectations with year-on-year revenue growth of 23% for the period of 1 January 2022 to 30 April 2022 compared to the same period in 2021. When compared to the same period in 2020, the business reported revenue growth of 116%.

    Despite this growth, the Temple & Webster share price has been falling since this update.

    The furniture and homewares retailer said its diversified supply chain “continues to hold up well” and underpin growth.

    The company is also investing in areas that are helping it grow its competitive position, such as its private label offering.

    Temple & Webster also recently launched the home improvement website The Build. It wants to become a sizeable digital competitor in the space.

    The post The Temple & Webster share price is being crushed, down 14% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Temple & Webster right now?

    Before you consider Temple & Webster, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Temple & Webster wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Cettire Limited and Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cettire Limited and Temple & Webster Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why Apple, Meta Platforms, and Salesforce stocks plunged today

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    man looking at laptop waiting for Pilbara Minerals trading halt to end

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    What happened

    Shares of Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: FB), and Salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM) were plunging today, down 5.6%, 6.8%, and 7.9%, respectively, as of 2:05 p.m. ET. There wasn’t any material news out of these companies today, although Apple did announce it was leading an initiative to implement passwordless sign-in open standards for the web. In addition, news out of the European Union suggested stiffer rules for big tech, and potential penalties could be in the offing.

    More likely, these companies fell in sympathy with an overall market decline, with the S&P 500 index falling 3.7% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite down a whopping 5.2% as of 2:06 p.m. ET.

    So what

    One could probably chalk today’s market decline to a reversal from yesterday’s big rally. Yesterday, the Federal Reserve released its minutes for its May meeting. The Fed hiked interest rates 50 basis points, as expected, and also announced plans for a gradual reduction in its balance sheet of Treasuries and mortgage-backed securities.

    The market likely rallied because Chairman Jay Powell said the Fed was not yet considering a higher 75 basis-point hike at the next meeting, which some had feared. In addition, perhaps the gradual ramping up of balance-sheet reduction calmed the nerves of the markets, which were expecting the Fed to slam even harder on the brakes.

    After a relief rally, there’s usually a reversion back to skepticism. Investors are now likely turning their attention to the next inflation reports, which come out next week. If inflation stays high, the Federal Reserve may have to move faster, which could increase risks of a recession.

    A first-time jobless-claims number also came out today, showing first-time claims ticked up above 200,000. That was higher than expected, although unemployment is still very low by historical standards. Still, the above-consensus number likely alerted some investors that the Fed could be hiking into a slowdown.

    High inflation and higher interest rates also hurt the intrinsic value of high-growth stocks with their earnings well into the future. So even as bad as Apple, Meta, and Salesforce were today, the high-growth Cathie Wood-like stocks were down even more.

    Still, often times, “tech” is painted with a broad brush, even though Meta Platforms trades at a bargain-basement valuation of 15.9 times earnings and Apple trades at a reasonable 25 times earnings. It’s not surprising that Salesforce is down more than the others, as it trades at 116 times earnings, although just 37 times earnings based on forward estimates.

    There could also be some hedge fund liquidations today. This could occur if funds are now forced to sell stocks due to higher rates on margin loans or a tidal wave of investors are asking for redemptions.

    In terms of the news, Apple, in conjunction with Alphabet and Microsoft, announced they would work together to expand support for passwordless sign-ons across websites and apps. This is based on standards created by the FIDO Alliance (the Fast Identity Online non-profit for web security) and the World Wide Web Consortium. The consortium aims to grow more secure solutions such as fingerprint, face, or device PIN number sign-ins, as passwords have become cumbersome and a growing security liability in recent years.

    European lawmakers also recently proposed regulations that could force Apple to open up its devices to other third-party payments systems besides Apple Pay. The EU is even contemplating a large fine on Apple for failing to provide access to other digital wallets in the past. European Commission Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager said, “We have indications that Apple restricted third-party access to key technology necessary to develop rival mobile wallet solutions on Apple’s devices.”

    Big tech has regularly been subjected to hefty fines from the European Union, and it looks like another could be coming. It’s obviously not a great time for Apple and other tech companies for that to happen, given recent supply chain woes and fears over a consumer device demand slowdown.

    Now what

    It’s hard to know what to do with all-star large-cap tech companies today. They’re not unprofitable, like so many high-growth software, electric-vehicle, and meme stocks. The three I’ve previously mentioned are also reasonably priced, given their scale and growth potential as the world continues to digitize.

    Today and the upcoming months could continue to be volatile, as every month will bring new inflation data, which will spur a debate over whether or not we might have a recession. And the ongoing war in Ukraine provides even more uncertainty.

    However, for highly profitable, cash-rich tech companies with large moats and solid growth outlooks, such as these three names, this marketwide pullback is likely going to turn out to be a good long-term buying opportunity. Investors in these names should probably hold on over the summer, while those without a position who have a longtime horizon may wish to think about scaling gradually into owning these stocks. 

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

    The post Why Apple, Meta Platforms, and Salesforce stocks plunged today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Billy Duberstein has positions in Alphabet (C shares), Apple, Meta Platforms, Inc., and Microsoft and has the following options: short June 2022 $145 puts on Microsoft. His clients may own shares of the companies mentioned. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Apple, Meta Platforms, Inc., Microsoft, and Salesforce.com. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Apple, Meta Platforms, Inc., and Salesforce.com. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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  • Down 25% in a month, the Incannex share price is now halted. Here’s why

    A dollar sign embedded in ice, indicating a share price freeze or trading haltA dollar sign embedded in ice, indicating a share price freeze or trading halt

    Shares of Incannex Healthcare Ltd (ASX: IHL) are on ice today pending a company announcement. Before being placed on the backburner, the Incannex share price rested at 38 cents apiece.

    Zooming out, shares of the cannabis player have faltered more than 39% this year to date, amid a violent selloff in growth-type shares in 2022.

    In wider market moves, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) has crumbled today and is now more than 3% in the red, bringing losses to 12% this year.

    Meanwhile, in the US, the Nasdaq Composite Index (Nasdaq) fell sharply overnight, marking its largest single-day drop since 2020.

    Investors sold off shares in the tech-biased Nasdaq after US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell raised the Fed’s base interest rate by 0.5 percentage points, in an effort to control inflationary pressures.

    Why is the Incannex share price halted?

    The company requested its shares be put on ice in lieu of a market-sensitive announcement regarding upcoming study readouts.

    “[Incannex] requests a trading halt to be applied to its securities…pending an announcement by the company regarding results of its extensive preclinical study assessing IHL-216A in a sports concussion model,” it said in the filing.

    “The Company requests that the trading halt remains in place until the earlier of the commencement of normal trading on May 10, 2022 or the release of the announcement.”

    Naturally the ASX awarded Incannex its request and, as such, investors must now wait until the company posts its next update on or before May 10.

    Earlier in the year, investors appeared rattled by Incannex’s decision to acquire APIRx Pharmaceutical USA, LLC for US$93 million.

    Even though it now claims a total addressable market of more than US$400 billion globally, investors didn’t appear as thrilled.

    As such, losses have continued into May and shares have stooped from a high of 70 cents in March.

    Incannex Healthcare share price snapshot

    In the last 12 months, the Incannex Healthcare share price has held a 24% gain. However, it has collapsed into the red on each of the shorter time frames.

    The post Down 25% in a month, the Incannex share price is now halted. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Incannex Healthcare right now?

    Before you consider Incannex Healthcare, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Incannex Healthcare wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Bitcoin price plunges 11%. What’s going on?

    Red arrow crashing in the ground with a Bitcoin token next to it.

    Red arrow crashing in the ground with a Bitcoin token next to it.

    The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price cratered overnight, falling as much as 11% to hit US$35,612.

    At time of writing, the world’s biggest crypto by market cap is down 9% over the past 24 hours, currently worth US$36,509.

    The last time the Bitcoin price fell as much in a single day was when Russian troops crossed into Ukraine, sending global markets into turmoil in late January.

    And it’s not just Bitcoin. CoinMarketCap tells us that all but one of the top 100 cryptos by market cap are well into the red today (stablecoins aside).

    So, what’s going on?

    Bitcoin price succumbs to rate fears

    The finger of blame looks to be pointing squarely at surging global inflation figures. Figures that are forcing central banks the world over to begin ratcheting up interest rates more aggressively than most analysts had expected.

    The US Federal Reserve restrained itself this week with a 0.50% rate hike rather than the feared 0.75%. But investors are all too aware that further rises are just around the bend from the Fed and other central banks the world over.

    Following a big relief rally on Wednesday, yesterday (overnight Aussie time) US markets tanked. The tech-heavy Nasdaq led the way down, plummeting 5%.

    And as we’ve seen throughout this year, the Bitcoin price tends to move in close alignment with risk assets like high growth tech shares.

    What the experts are saying

    Commenting on the crypto rout, Jason Lau, chief operating officer of Okcoin exchange said (quoted by Bloomberg), “Investors are jittery about the Fed continuing to raise interest rates after yesterday’s 50 bps hike. The potential of additional rate hikes makes the trajectory of the global economy uncertain.”

    Digital asset fund manager Valkyrie Investments head of research, Josh Olszewicz added:

    Bitcoin has become increasingly correlated with US trading hours and US traditional market indices, likely due to a combination of increasing US institutional presence as well as the absence of China after the sweeping bans last year.

    Since March this year, most of the large selloffs in Bitcoin have kicked off during US market open, potentially suggesting a market participant continues to sell every bullish rally.

    Following the latest round of selling, the Bitcoin price is down 23% so far in 2022.

    The post Bitcoin price plunges 11%. What’s going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bitcoin right now?

    Before you consider Bitcoin, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bitcoin wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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