Reluctance to be a first mover is now turning into a race for state premiers!

The risk averse Victorian premier Daniel Andrews declared that the state’s tourism sector is back in business with a significant easing of restrictions from next month.

The decision comes two days after his counterpart in South Australia made a surprise decision to reopen pubs and clubs immediately as it tries to play catchup with New South Wales.

Positive sentiment could lift these ASX shares

Victoria will open the ski season from June 22, while overnight stays will be allowed from June 1, according to the Australian Financial Review.

The move will not be a major earnings booster for ASX shares linked to the tourism industry. Interstate travel is still barred so forget about Sydney Airport Holdings Pty Ltd (ASX: SYD) and Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) for the moment.

But this latest development from one of the most conservative state leaders will provide a further lift to sentiment for the likes of Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) and rival Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT).

And the big rebound in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (Index:^AXJO) from its bear market low of March 23 shows how a little bit of good feeling can make a big difference.

More easing in the near-term

The pressure is building on removing the ban on interstate travel, particularly in Queensland where Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is resisting calls to open its borders until September at the earliest.

International travel to a select few countries that the COVID-19 pandemic under firm control, such as New Zealand, may also happen sooner than what many think.

The big easing of social restrictions by the Andrews government was more liberal than expected and is due to the mass coronavirus testing in the state.

Is mass testing the answer to COVID-19?

Victoria tested 6340 per 100,000 people – making its population the most tested in Australia and one of the world’s most tested in the world if the state was a country. The state has undertaken more than 420,000 coronavirus tests.

South Korea have used mass testing as a way of containing the virus and is hailed as one of the most successful countries in the world to squash the COVID-19 curve.

But some experts do not believe mass testing is the answer and they point to Japan where the death rates are low and testing is extremely limited.

Last sector to recover from COVID-19

Victoria is not extending the easing to offices though. The premier is not allowing employees to return to their regular work desks, and that is bad news for landlords such as GPT Group (ASX: GPT) and DEXUS Property Group (ASX: DXS).

Premier Andrews believes high-rise dense office environments are the perfect breeding grounds for coronavirus.

This makes me wonder if office-exposed real estate investment trusts (REITs) will be the last in the property sector to recover from the COVID-19 disaster.

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Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau owns shares of Webjet Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Webjet Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. 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 Why these ASX stocks will be under the spotlight on Monday appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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One of the most effective investment strategies is buy and hold investing.

With this strategy investors will buy the shares of quality companies (with positive long term outlooks) and hold onto them for as long as the investment thesis remains intact.

But which shares should you buy? Here are three mid cap ASX shares that I think would be quality buy and hold options:

BINGO Industries Ltd (ASX: BIN)

BINGO is one of Australia’s leading waste management companies. I think it would be a great long term option for investors. This is due its expansion plans and the recent acquisition of rival Dial a Dump Industries. This acquisition has allowed BINGO to be fully vertically integrated from collections to landfill. It also makes it the largest player in B&D waste in Sydney and provides some much-needed diversification. And while its short term performance is likely to be impacted by the pandemic, I expect things to recover quickly once the crisis passes.

Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF)

Another mid cap to consider buying is Collins Foods. It is one of the region’s largest quick service restaurant operators with 240 KFC stores in Australia, 41 KFC stores in Europe, 12 Taco Bell restaurants in Australia, and 75 franchised Sizzler restaurants across Asia. I believe it would be a great long term option due to its sizeable opportunity in the under-penetrated European market. It has a significant expansion opportunity over the next decade, which could underpin strong earnings growth. 

Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA)

A final option to consider is Nearmap. It is a leading aerial imagery technology and location data company that gives businesses instant access to high resolution aerial imagery, city-scale 3D datasets, and integrated geospatial tools. This helps users conduct virtual site visits, which enables informed decisions, streamlined operations, and ultimately significant cost savings. While its growth has taken a bit of a hit this year, I believe this is just a temporary hiccup and its long term potential remains extremely positive.

More reading

• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
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• ASX retail stocks facing new billion-dollar earnings scare during COVID-19 recovery
• ASX 200 market close: Share market up 1.8%
• These mid cap ASX shares could grow into large caps in the future

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Collins Foods Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Collins Foods Limited. 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 3 top ASX mid cap shares to buy and hold for a decade appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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