• Oil Extends Drop After Report Stokes Concerns Over Excess Supply

    Oil Extends Drop After Report Stokes Concerns Over Excess Supply(Bloomberg) — Oil fell a second day after a report showing a jump in U.S. crude stockpiles raised fresh concerns over excess supply, while doubts are also creeping in over Russia’s commitment to maintaining production curbs.Futures in New York fell as much as 2.6%, adding to Wednesday’s 4.5% drop. The American Petroleum Institute reported that oil inventories rose by 8.73 million barrels last week, according to people familiar. If confirmed by government data on Thursday it would reverse two weeks of declines — an indication that record supply cuts are not draining a massive glut fast enough. Gasoline supplies also swelled by 1.12 million barrels, according to the report.Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday reiterated their cooperation on the OPEC+ supply-deal ahead of a June 9-10 meeting. But earlier Moscow said that it wanted to scale back curtailments as soon as the current agreement expires in July, according to people familiar with the matter.The API report also showed supplies at the key storage hub of Cushing, Oklahoma, fell by 3.37 million barrels, which would be the third consecutive weekly decline. OPEC+’s commitment to reducing output by almost 10 million barrels a day starting in May has helped to lift oil prices by about 70% this month. But the market’s recovery remains fragile, with higher prices likely to prompt producers to turn the taps back on even as the pandemic continues to quash energy demand.The physical market has recovered in recent days as economies reopen. Indian, Chinese and South Korean refineries are buying distressed cargoes in a sign of returning demand. In the U.S., top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said that there is a chance that a coronavirus vaccine will be available by the end of the year and that U.S. testing capabilities are improving. The remarks feed optimism that the country could get back to work sooner than expected.The damage inflicted by the Covid-19 pandemic continues to reverberate across the industry. Chevron Corp. is planning a 10% to 15% reduction in its global workforce this year, the biggest cut to headcount yet among global oil majors. Global energy investment will suffer a record slump of $400 billion, or about 20%, this year, the International Energy Agency said in a report on Wednesday.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • Is the Transurban share price a buy today?

    Busy freeway and tollway, transurban share price

    The Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) share price is down 3.82% this year. But is the Aussie infrastructure group in the buy zone?

    What’s happened to the Transurban share price?

    Transurban hit a new 52-week high of $16.44 per share in mid-February prior to the coronavirus pandemic response kicking in. Following the implementation of widespread lockdown restrictions, the Aussie toll road operator’s shares fell to a 52-week low of $9.10 on 23 March. But are they headed higher now?

    The Transurban share price has rebounded strongly and is now up more than 40% since mid-March.

    Normally, I would consider toll roads as delivering non-cyclical earnings. However, the nature of the pandemic has forced Aussies to stay home. This has reduced traffic (and revenue) for operators like Transurban.

    It has also spooked investors, sending the Transurban share price plummeting in late February and throughout most of March.

    Is Transurban’s value set to soar?

    Things are looking up for the Aussie infrastructure group with the easing of restrictions. Given the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has slumped 13.60% lower, Transurban is outperforming by nearly 10% this year. 

    This optimism could push the Transurban share price higher, boosting its market capitalisation beyond $39.22 billion.

    I think one big tailwind for Transurban will be the way in which we adjust to life as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. Governments are trying to reduce public transport numbers amid fears large numbers of people in close contact could spark a second wave of the pandemic. 

    This should result in more people driving to work and, therefore, using Transurban’s roads. That’s good for earnings but it’s not as clear cut as it may seem.

    Transurban operates 18 roads and projects across Australia and North America. This means there could still be a substantial earnings hit depending on how each region manages the easing of restrictions.

    So whilst there are some strong, potential tailwinds for the Transurban share price in 2020, I feel there could be a few more ups and downs on this particular rollercoaster until the August earnings season.

    Foolish takeaway

    The Transurban share price could be right in the buy zone. I think it’s a speculative buy at $14.34 per share, but it does have the potential to provide both income and growth to a diversified portfolio.

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    Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Transurban Group. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    The post Is the Transurban share price a buy today? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Should you ever buy ASX shares at an all-time high?

    man walking up line graph into clouds, asx shares all time high

    Over the last few weeks, ASX 200 shares have been on a tear, rising over 27% from the lows we saw back in March.

    Accompanying this meteoric rise in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has been a few new records – specifically some ASX shares making new, all-time highs.

    Not 52-week highs, all-time highs.

    It’s strange to think this is happening during these uncertain times, but it is.

    Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT), for one, hit a new all-time high above $50 per share on Tuesday. The fact that it was only in March this company was trading at under $9 per share makes this even more remarkable.

    Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) wasn’t far behind, setting a new record of $14.13 per share last week.

    Other ASX shares entering the record books recently include Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH), Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN).

    Watching a share reach a new high is exciting – particularly if you already own it. But it can also be disheartening if you have a certain company on your watchlist.

    But some ASX shares are seemingly at ‘all-time highs’ more often than they’re not. As an investor who has been watching CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) for years, waiting for a ‘buy-the-dip’ opportunity, I can tell you from personal experience it can be frustrating.

    So is it ever ok to buy an ASX share when it’s trading at all-time highs?

    Should you ever buy ASX shares at all-time highs?

    Normally, I think buying shares when they are at all-time highs is a bad idea. Most ASX shares fluctuate in the eyes of the market, and thus buying opportunities often emerge sooner or later. This is particularly true for ASX resources shares and other highly cyclical companies.

    But there are exceptions to this rule. After all, there was a time when Afterpay was at ‘all-time highs’ at $12 per share. Or when CSL hit $200 per share and everyone called it ‘overvalued’. Today these prices seem like bargains – but they certainly didn’t at the time.

    So if you have found a company that’s growing fast, and you can see it continuing to grow well into the future, then perhaps an investment at all-time high prices is justified. But it will probably only turn out well if you have a long-term mindset. Furthermore, you really have to know the company back-to-front in order for your bullish outlook pay off.

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    Plus 3 more cheap bets that could position you to profit over the next 12 months!

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    Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd and PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

    The post Should you ever buy ASX shares at an all-time high? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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