Month: May 2022

  • Why is the Suncorp share price cratering today?

    Codan share price A dismayed kid dressed as a scientist stands with his back to a rocket crashed into the groundCodan share price A dismayed kid dressed as a scientist stands with his back to a rocket crashed into the ground

    The Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) share price is tanking today after a top broker downgraded it due to “structural” risks from climate change.

    Shares in the insurance and banking group have so far tumbled 5.12% to a three-week low of $11.50.

    This makes the share the worst performer on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) at the time of writing.

    For comparison, the Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price and QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) share price are also falling, by around 3% and 2% respectively.

    What’s up with the Suncorp share price?

    No catastrophe (CAT) insurer can escape the impact of climate change. But the Suncorp share price could also be taking a beating after Morgan Stanley cut its price target with an “underweight” rating, according to the Australian Financial Review.

    The broker reckons that Suncorp and IAG are more exposed to catastrophic weather events than QBE. QBE is a more diversified business.

    Morgan Stanley said:

    Investors have been discounting climate change and CAT risks as cyclical for insurers, but we think they are structural as our new analysis shows.

    Consensus ratings are heavily OW [overweight] on both SUN and IAG, leaning on both stocks being cheap because they have de-rated in the past three years, and also ascribing the ongoing over-runs on CAT costs as cyclical one-offs or sheer bad luck.

    We would say that just because SUN and IAG have de-rated recently, does not mean that SUN and IAG are cheap enough.

    When cheap isn’t cheap enough

    The Suncorp share price has de-rated by around two times price-to-earnings (P/E) points to circa 14 times consensus P/E. The IAG share price shed around 3 times P/E points to 15 times consensus.

    But despite the big sell-off today, there is further downside risk to the Suncorp share price, according to Morgan Stanley.

    The broker lowered its 12-month price target on Suncorp to $10.50 from $12.50 a share. This implies that the Suncorp share price has to fall another 9% before reaching fair value.

    The Suncorp share price vs. the IAG share price

    The IAG share price was also downgraded by the broker. Morgan Stanley trimmed its 12-month price target to $3.70 from $4.05 a share.

    The reason why IAG is fairing a little better is probably because the broker kept its “equal-weight” recommendation on the shares.

    With the big loss in the Suncorp share price today, it is now down 0.2% since the start of 2022. At least that’s a bit better than the IAG share price, which has shed almost 2% of its value since the start of January.

    In comparison, the ASX 200 is nursing a loss of 4.6% for the calendar year.

    The post Why is the Suncorp share price cratering today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Suncorp, 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 Suncorp 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 positions in and has recommended Insurance Australia 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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  • Investing fails: I never want to repeat these 3 embarrassingly bad moves

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

    A close up picture taken from the side of a man with his head face down on his laptop computer keyboard as though he is in great despair over a mistake or error he has made or bad news he has received.

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

    All investors make mistakes from time to time, and I’m no exception. I’ve lost money and missed opportunities to maximize my savings growth on multiple occasions. I’m not proud of it but I’ve learned a lot as a result of these costly errors.

    Here are three I plan never to repeat — and hopefully you won’t either.

    1. Not contributing to my retirement account regularly

    I opened my first retirement account when I was 20 years old but there were several years I didn’t contribute much, if anything, to it. I didn’t have a ton of cash to spare back then and retirement seemed pretty far away, so I didn’t think skipping a few years would make a difference.

    Now, a decade later, I really wish I’d consistently put money away for retirement in my 20s. I understand now that those early contributions are some of the most important for my retirement. They’re going to be invested the longest, so they can grow much more than contributions I’ve made more recently.

    Fortunately, I learned from this mistake while I was still fairly young. Now, I make retirement contributions a high priority. I try to save at least 15% of my annual income each year and I set reminders to myself to make contributions monthly so I don’t forget.

    2. Investing in things I didn’t understand

    I bought some cryptocurrency during the 2017 boom without knowing too much about it. I had relatives who had made quite a bit of money trading crypto at the time and, like many others, I decided to try to cash in before prices went even higher.

    While I did make a small profit, my limited crypto knowledge definitely hampered me. There were times when I bought coins while prices were high, only to watch them fall the next day. And sometimes I sold some when I could’ve made more money by holding onto them. Those errors may not have happened if I’d understood what I had and what was driving the extreme volatility. But as it was, I was often making decisions in response to the coins’ recent performance.

    Since then, I’ve learned that I can do a lot better by taking the time to understand my investments and focusing on their long-term growth potential. I tend to be wary of stocks that skyrocket overnight, like meme stocks, and do my best to tune out to a lot of the internet hype.

    3. Not paying enough attention to investment fees

    I didn’t think much about investment fees when I first started investing, especially since they came directly out of my account. As a result, I can’t be sure how much I paid in investment fees over the years or how much I could’ve saved if I’d focused on low-cost investments from the start.

    Before I invest in anything today, I make sure to look into the fees associated with it and I try to keep these as low as possible so I can hold on to more of my earnings. One of the best ways to do this is investing in index funds. These bundles of stocks mimic the performance of a market index, and they instantly diversify your savings. They’re also known for being really affordable. The best S&P 500 index funds only charge you about $3 per year for every $10,000 you have invested in the fund.

    I can’t go back and undo the investment mistakes I’ve made so far, but I can use what I’ve learned to ensure they never happen again. In addition to taking these steps, I also review my investments each year and look for opportunities to improve my portfolio’s performance. That doesn’t mean I’ll never make any investing mistakes again, but I at least feel confident that I’ll continue to improve over time.

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

    The post Investing fails: I never want to repeat these 3 embarrassingly bad moves 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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    The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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



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  • Why ASX lithium shares have ‘absolutely more room to run’ in 2022: expert

    a smiling woman holds an arm in the air as she holds a fully-charged battery symbol with her other hand.

    a smiling woman holds an arm in the air as she holds a fully-charged battery symbol with her other hand.

    ASX lithium shares have been amongst the top performers on the index over the past 12 months.

    This comes on the back of soaring prices for the lightweight, conductive metal. Lithium is a core component in the rapidly growing battery market that’s powering the global rise of EVs.

    So, what kind of outperformance are we talking about?

    Well, since this time last year the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 1%.

    Over that same time, ASX lithium share Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) has gained 141.9%; the Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) share price has leapt 41%; Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) shares have gained 113.3%; IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) is up 67.1%; and the Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR) share price has rocketed 153.6%.

    With those kinds of gains behind them, can ASX lithium shares continue to deliver?

    Absolutely, according to Saxo Markets strategist Jessica Amir.

    ASX lithium shares lift off on Labor victory

    With Labor sweeping into power last week, numerous analysts are tipping lithium explorers and producers can continue their outperformance in 2022.

    That’s in part based on Labor’s greater focus on emissions reductions, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying Australia has the potential to be a “renewable energy superpower”.

    “Already, just since the government was sworn in this week,” Amir said, ASX lithium shares “have been some of the best performers on the local market. And there’s absolutely more room to run.”

    According to Amir (quoted by The Australian):

    We expect the lithium price to hit new highs this year. And that’s not only because of the momentum for increasing demand, but there’s now a punitive lack of supply. And on top of this, we’re getting this government support.

    Massive growth in EVs forecast

    For some insight into the booming demand for lithium helping propel ASX lithium shares higher, Barrenjoey said, “Electric Vehicles are set to transform the lithium and nickel commodity markets. We forecast global EV sales growing to 30 million in 2030 or around 30 per cent of new car sales.”

    The future, of course, is unknown.

    Should an alternative environmentally friendly power source become economically viable, like hydrogen perhaps, lithium demand could fall sharply.

    But for now, it appears ASX lithium shares have plenty of runway to keep charging ahead.

    The post Why ASX lithium shares have ‘absolutely more room to run’ in 2022: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Liontown Resources right now?

    Before you consider Liontown Resources, 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 Liontown Resources 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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    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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  • If you’d bought $5,000 of Tesla shares 5 years ago, woohoo! Here’s how much you’d have now

    Despite the rollercoaster ride in 2022, the Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) share price has rocketed throughout the past five years.

    In fact, the American automotive and clean energy company’s shares have soared tenfold in value, representing strong long-term growth.

    During November 2021, Tesla shares reached an all-time high of US$1,243.49 before travelling lower soon afterwards. While the company’s shares have slightly recovered, they are still some way off moving again into uncharted territory for now.

    Nonetheless, let’s wind the clock back and see how much you would have made if you’d invested $5,000 in Tesla shares five years ago.

    How much would your initial investment be worth now?

    If you’d spent $5,000 on Tesla shares five years ago, you would have bought them for US$67.97 (A$91.13) each. That’s using the exchange rate of US$1:$A0.7458 back on 31 May 2017.

    Thus, this long-term investment would have given you approximately 54 shares without topping up along the way during retracement periods.

    Looking at yesterday’s market close, the Tesla share price finished at US$759.63.

    This means that those 54 shares would be worth a staggering US$41,020.02 right now, or A$57,114.14 using today’s exchange rate.

    In percentage terms, the initial investment implies a return of about 1,017%, or an average return of 52.34% per year.

    If you are wondering about Tesla’s dividends, the company has yet to pay a percentage of its profits to date. Previously, the board decided to invest in its business and keep the balance sheet healthy.

    However, Tesla will seek approval from shareholders for a stock dividend at its annual shareholders meeting later this year.

    If given the go ahead, the company will be able to issue additional stock after a final approval by its board of directors.

    Stock dividends, unlike cash dividends, dilute the value of each share. In layman’s terms, it’s more like a miniature stock split than a conventional cash dividend that is paid to shareholders.

    Tesla share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Tesla share price has gained 21% but is down almost 37% year to date.

    Tesla has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 102.65 and commands a market capitalisation of a massive $787 billion.

    The post If you’d bought $5,000 of Tesla shares 5 years ago, woohoo! Here’s how much you’d have now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Tesla, 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 Tesla 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 Aaron Teboneras 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 Tesla. 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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  • The Rio Tinto share price has leapt 11% in 3 weeks. Is there more to come?

    Female miner smiling while inspecting a mine site with another miner.

    Female miner smiling while inspecting a mine site with another miner.The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price has been a positive performer in recent weeks.

    Since this time three weeks ago, the mining giant’s shares have stormed 11% higher.

    This means the Rio Tinto share price is now up 22% over the last six months.

    Can the Rio Tinto share price keep rising?

    The good news is that one leading broker believes there’s still room for the Rio Tinto share price to keep rising.

    According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have a buy rating and $135.10 price target on miner’s shares.

    Based on the current Rio Tinto share price of $114.49, this implies potential upside of 18% for investors over the next 12 months.

    In addition, Goldman is forecasting big dividends from the company over the next two years. It expects fully franked dividend yields greater than 10% in FY 2022 and FY 2023.

    What did the broker say?

    While Goldman acknowledges that there are a few risks to consider, overall it appears to believe the risk/reward on offer is compelling. It commented:

    Despite ongoing operational issues and concerns over future growth (Pilbara heritage and replacement mines, Simandou, Oyu Tolgoi, Resolution) and uncertainty over decarbonisation capex, we rate RIO a Buy.

    This is based on its attractive valuation, strong free cash flow, the strong iron ore outlook, production growth potential, and its compelling low emission aluminium exposure.

    Goldman commented:

    Rio is a FCF story in our view, however, and we see the company returning to growth in 2022 & 2023 with a c.3% and 5% increase in Cu Eq production driven mostly by iron ore copper.

    In addition to copper production growth, Rio has one of the highest margin, lowest carbon emission aluminium businesses in the world, with over 2.2Mt of Ali production powered by hydro, and we think ELYSIS inert anode technology could be worth billions of $. Aluminium will contribute 20% of RIO’s group EBITDA and generate US$3bn of FCF in 2022 on our estimates.

    The post The Rio Tinto share price has leapt 11% in 3 weeks. Is there more to come? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rio Tinto right now?

    Before you consider Rio Tinto, 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 Rio Tinto 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 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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  • 3 ASX mining shares going gangbusters on Tuesday

    A man in a hard hat and high visibility vest holds his thumb up in a gesture of confidence with heavy moving equipment in the background as on a mine site.A man in a hard hat and high visibility vest holds his thumb up in a gesture of confidence with heavy moving equipment in the background as on a mine site.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is down 0.11% at the time of writing, but three shares are outperforming the index on Tuesday.

    The Kalium Lakes Ltd (ASX: KLL), Belararox Ltd (ASX: BRX) and Arafura Resources Ltd (ASX: ARU) shares are all steaming ahead.

    Lets take a look at why these three ASX mining shares are attracting investor interest today.

    Kalium Lakes Ltd (ASX: KLL)

    The Kalium Lakes share price is surging 19.32% to 10.5 cents apiece at the time of writing. It’s settled after jumping 25% to 11 cents earlier today. Kalium is developing the Beyondie Sulphate of Potash (SOP) Project in Western Australia. In today’s news, the company advised it has validated the process chemistry and plant design for the production of about 400 tonnes of commercially saleable SOP. The company now targets commercial production in July 2022. Commenting on the news, CEO Len Jubber said:

    Kalium Lakes is the first SOP producer in Australia, and we look forward to selling our first commercial production into the current extremely strong SOP price environment.

    Belararox Ltd (ASX: BRX)

    Belarox shares are soaring nearly 22% today. Investors appear to be buying up the mineral explorer’s shares after it identified 34 new exploration targets outside the Belara and Native Bee resource areas. Belarox is exploring the Belara Project in the Lachlan Fold Belt of New South Wales. Of these targets, 11 had a combined strike of eight kilometres, eight times the known mineralisation. Belarox is searching for zinc, copper, gold, silver, nickel, and lead. The company is particularly focussed on clean energy metals, including those used in electric vehicles (EV). Commenting on the news today, managing director Arvind Misra said:

    We are excited with the findings of the prospectivity modelling work and look forward to extending our knowledge with downhole EM surveys and additional targeted drilling in the highest prospective areas.

    Arafura Resources Ltd (ASX: ARU)

    The Arafura Resources share price is soaring 16.7% today despite no new news from the company. However, in a tweet yesterday, the rare earths explorer said it is continuing to introduce itself to “significant national and international investors”. The company highlighted it presented at three conferences last week. These included the UBS Australian Emerging Companies Conference, the ALTA Presenter Breakfast, and the Austmine CEO Leadership Luncheon. Arafura is developing the Nolans Project for Neodymium-Praseodymium (NdPR) oxide in the Northern Territory. In the presentation to Austmine, Arafura highlighted the project is the only “NdPR focussed project in Australia” planning to mine and process ore to oxide at the one site. On 19 May, Arafura signed a non binding memorandum of understanding with Hyundai for the supply of NdPR oxide from the Nolans project.

    The post 3 ASX mining shares going gangbusters on Tuesday 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

    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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  • What’s dragging on the Tabcorp share price today?

    Two men in a bar looking uncertain as they hold a betting slip and watch TV.Two men in a bar looking uncertain as they hold a betting slip and watch TV.

    The Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) share price is struggling as the company gets ready to undergo key leadership changes.

    The gambling entertainment group split in two last week. Its lotteries and Keno business was spun out into The Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC). The company today reminded the market that some of its management team will embark on previously foreshadowed changes this afternoon.

    At the time of writing, the Tabcorp share price is 95 cents, 1.55% lower than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.6%. Meanwhile, the company’s home sector – the S&P/ASX 200 consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) – is falling 0.53%.

    Let’s take a closer look at the latest news from Tabcorp.

    What’s weighing Tabcorp down on Tuesday?

    The Tabcorp share price is sliding lower after the company gets ready to wave goodbye to its chair, CEO, managing director, two board members, and two senior managers this afternoon. They will each move to run the newly demerged Lottery Corporation.

    The changes will see the Lottery Corporation headed up by Tabcorp chair Steven Gregg. Bruce Akhurst will be taking the reins at Tabcorp as of tomorrow.

    Tabcorp CEO and managing director David Attenborough will also hang up his hat at the company and move to the same role at the Lottery Corporation. Adam Rytenskild will fill Attenborough’s boots.

    Tabcorp board members Harry Boon and Anne Brennan will also shift to seats on that of the Lottery Corporation.

    Meanwhile, Brett Chenoweth, Raelene Murphy, and Karen Stocks will act as observers to the Tabcorp board until they’re given approval to take up their assigned board seats.

    Finally, Tabcorp chief financial officer Adam Newman and chief legal and risk officer and co-company secretary Patrick McGlinchey will move to new roles at the Lottery Corporation.

    Newman’s previous role will be filled by Daniel Renshaw while Chris Murphy will remain as Tabcorp’s the company secretary.

    Tabcorp share price snapshot

    The Tabcorp share price appeared to plummet following the company’s split last week. However, its fall simply reflected the spin-off of much of its business.

    Right now, the company’s shares are trading for 81% less than they were at the start of 2022. Meanwhile, stock in the Lottery Corporation has lifted 2% since the company listed.

    The post What’s dragging on the Tabcorp share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Tabcorp, 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 Tabcorp 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 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 did the BHP share price jump in May?

    Happy miner with his arms folded.Happy miner with his arms folded.

    The recent rebound in ASX mining shares will see the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price exit May with a decent gain.

    Our iron ore miners copped a beating several weeks ago when China imposed a harsh COVID-19 lockdown in Shanghai. But the easing of restrictions and stubbornly high commodity prices have attracted bargain hunters.

    BHP share price records gains in May

    This sets the BHP share price for a gain of around 6% in the month of May. This is in contrast to a 1.5% gain in the Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price and a 2.6% decline in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    While it isn’t usually easy to put your finger on just one thing affecting a company’s share price, the divestment of BHP’s oil and gas assets into Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) is one of the key events during the month.

    New Woodside shares

    The Woodside share price will incorporate BHP’s petroleum assets from Thursday. As part of the transaction, Woodside will issue new shares, which will make up around 48% of all Woodside’s outstanding shares (post-merger).

    This means BHP shareholders should get one Woodside share for every 5.534 BHP shares they own. The ex-entitlement date for BHP shareholders was 26 May.

    How the transaction could affect BHP’s share price

    It’s possible some BHP shareholders could have dumped their BHP shares ahead of that date. This may have been due to environmental concerns with some investors refusing to touch carbon-producing ASX energy shares.

    The BHP share price should also be adjusted downwards to reflect the shedding of its petroleum division – all things being equal.

    It seems ESG concerns and the upcoming readjustment in the BHP share price have probably been outweighed by the high energy and commodity prices.

    Could the Woodside share price be next to underperform?

    On the other side of the equation, some might be worried that the Woodside share price could be next to come under pressure in June. This is because carbon-conscious BHP shareholders who have hung on to their BHP shares could dump their Woodside allocation.

    However, JPMorgan thinks there could be eager fund managers waiting to buy the Woodside shares on dips. The broker noted that 70% of fund managers they have surveyed are overweight on ASX energy shares.

    The expanded asset base of Woodside come 2 June will increase the company’s weighting in the sector. That, in turn, will force these fundies to buy Woodside shares on market to maintain their overweight position.

    The post Why did the BHP share price jump in May? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider BHP, 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 BHP 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 Brendon Lau has positions in BHP Billiton Limited and Rio Tinto Ltd. 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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  • The Ethereum share price tumbled 27% in May. Here’s why

    a headless man in a business suit holds out his palm where a graphic image of a sphere appears with the word 'Ethereum' while his other hand points to it amid a dark background.

    a headless man in a business suit holds out his palm where a graphic image of a sphere appears with the word 'Ethereum' while his other hand points to it amid a dark background.

    The Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) price is roaring back here on the last day of May.

    The world’s number two token by market cap is up 10% over the past 24 hours, currently trading for US$1,999 (AU$2,776).

    But even with that admirable last minute sprint, the Ethereum price is down 27% since the start of the month, according to data from CoinMarketCap. That puts the token down 47% for the calendar year.

    Why did the Ethereum price tumble in May?

    Ethereum runs the biggest blockchain network in the world. One that allows for the decentralised execution of smart contracts.

    But its real world applications didn’t keep the crypto from falling hard in May.

    A big part of the headwinds dragging the Ethereum price lower is the dawning reality that the past years’ rock bottom interest rates are going to head significantly higher to stem fast rising inflation.

    Most cryptos sold off over the past month, as investors re-evaluated their holdings and many reduced their exposure to risk assets, like high growth tech shares and Ether.

    In fact, the Ethereum price fall is largely in line with the 28% drop in the global crypto market in May.

    Commenting on the crypto market’s struggles earlier this month, eToro’s crypto expert Simon Peters said:

    The market is caught in the wider adversity of investment markets that are battling to decide where comfortable levels are in the wake of interest rate hikes designed to quell soaring inflation around the Western world.

    This is indicative of the major shift in the presence of institutions within the crypto asset market, which now account for a much greater proportion of ownership and tend to bundle their decision-making on crypto with other major assets.

    Un-stablecoin meltdown roils markets

    As if interest rate hikes weren’t enough, 12 May also saw the implosion of a of a top ranked stablecoin.

    When investors lost confidence in the algorithmic stablecoin TerraUSD (CRYPTO: UST) – which was meant to be pegged to the US dollar – and its supporting token, Terra (CRYPTO: LUNA), UST fell as much as 90% while Luna plummeted more than 99% over the coming days.

    The ripple effects of the multi-billion dollars going up in virtual smoke hit most every crypto.

    Ether was no exception.

    In the 12-hour period following the initial panic over the Terra stablecoin collapse, the Ethereum price fell from US$2,432 to US$1,807, a loss of 26%.

    As for what’s ahead for the Ethereum price in June, we’ll dive into that later this week.

    Stay tuned!

    The post The Ethereum share price tumbled 27% in May. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Ethereum, 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 Ethereum 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 Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ethereum. 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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  • ResApp share price halted ahead of Pfizer takeover update

    Female doctor with a mask holds out hand in a stop gesture.Female doctor with a mask holds out hand in a stop gesture.

    The ResApp Health Ltd (ASX: RAP) share price won’t be going anywhere on Tuesday.

    This comes as the company requested its shares be placed in a trading halt.

    At the time of writing, shares in the digital health company are frozen at 11 cents apiece.

    Details of the ResApp share price halt

    Prior to the market opening, the company requested trading in its shares be halted while it prepares an announcement.

    According to the company’s release, ResApp is planning to provide an update regarding a proposed acquisition by Pfizer Australia.

    The global biopharmaceutical giant offered to purchase ResApp for 11.5 cents per share in cash. In total, this represents an equity value of around $100 million.

    Following the proposal, ResApp’s directors unanimously recommended its shareholders vote in favour of the scheme of arrangement.

    However, for the deal to go ahead, certain regulatory approvals need to be met. This includes being given the nod from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

    ResApp has requested the trading halt remains in place until Thursday 2 June or when the announcement is made, whichever comes first.

    Quick take on ResApp

    ResApp is a digital health company that specialises in developing smartphone apps for the diagnostics and management of respiratory diseases.

    Machine learning algorithms use sound to detect and measure a variety of breathing conditions, such as restricted breathing, snoring, and coughing.

    Its regulatory-approved products include ResAppDx and SleepCheck, which are both approved for sale and marketing in Australia and Europe.

    ResApp share price snapshot

    Since this time last year, ResApp shares have more than doubled in value to register a gain of around 110%.

    In 2022, the company’s shares are 70% higher on the back of the Pfizer takeover offer.

    Based on valuation grounds, ResApp presides a market capitalisation of roughly $94.5 million.

    The post ResApp share price halted ahead of Pfizer takeover update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider ResApp, 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 ResApp 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 Aaron Teboneras 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/t4pxuYU