Stock Pick

Author: openjargon

  • A former FBI official says Secret Service snipers could have mistaken the Trump shooter for a police sniper

    Secret Service agents converge on Trump on the stage of his Pennsylvania campaign rally, while a uniformed agent stands nearby holding a rifle.
    Secret Service agents converge on former President Donald Trump onstage at his Pennsylvania campaign rally.

    Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    • An ex-FBI official says the Secret Service may have had a comms breakdown at the Trump rally shooting.
    • Frank Figliuzzi said agents may have mistaken the shooter for a police sniper.
    • He said security protocols and coordination between the Secret Service and local police need improvement.

    A former FBI official says a communications breakdown between the Secret Service and the local police may be to blame for why President Donald Trump got shot at on Saturday at his Butler, Pennsylvania rally.

    Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI official, said that the Secret Service may have mistaken the shooter for a Butler policeman.

    In an opinion piece published in Daily Mail, he said it was "highly likely" that the Secret Service was "responsible for security within an enclosed perimeter, while the local police took charge of the wider zone outside."

    Figluizzi theorized that Secret Service agents could have mistaken Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old shooter from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, for a police sniper.

    Investigators said that Crooks fired multiple rounds from a rooftop around 150 meters away from Trump using an AR-15 rifle.

    "We know that a Secret Service sniper must have had a clear view of the rooftop because the gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot dead within a few seconds of opening fire on Trump," wrote Figliuzzi.

    "But why did that sniper ignore Crooks till then? One plausible explanation is that the Secret Service (which is entirely separate from the FBI) assumed the assassin was a police sniper, part of their security team," Figliuzzi added.

    He wrote that such a case "implies serious failures in communication."

    "I would expect police and Secret Service teams to not only meet and introduce themselves but map out their specific roles in detail," Figliuzzi said in his opinion piece. "They ought to have been able to recognize each other by sight."

    Figliuzzi also wrote that he disagreed with what the Secret Service agents did during the rally, like letting Trump pause to pose for a photo with his face bloodied or complying with his request to retrieve his shoes.

    "In that moment, the Secret Service had no way of knowing if the gunman was acting alone. Other shooters might have been present," he wrote.

    Figliuzzi served in the FBI for 25 years, working in its Atlanta and Washington, DC headquarters.

    In 2011, he landed the role of assistant director of the FBI's counterintelligence division. He now works as a news analyst and commentator on MSNBC.

    Other details have since emerged about Crooks. He was a dietary aide at the Bethel Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, the center said in a statement obtained by The Hill on Sunday.

    Crooks' ex-classmate also told media outlets that the gunman was such a bad shot that he got rejected from his high school rifle team. But outside school, Crooks was a member of the Clairton Sportsmen's Club, a club with multiple pistol and rifle ranges in Clairton, Pennsylvania, CBS News reported.

    Crooks' motives for the attack are, at press time, unclear.

    For his part, Trump has emerged emboldened from the botched assassination attempt.

    On Monday evening, he received a hero's welcome at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee when he walked in with a giant bandage on his ear.

    At the RNC, he declared his running mate pick — Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.

    Representatives for the Secret Service and the Butler police did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • A tech stock with a name sounding like ‘Trump’s Big Win’ surged by the maximum in China after the Pennsylvania assassination attempt

    Former President Donald Trump cheers with a gauze patch on his ear at the Republican National Convention.
    Former President Donald Trump attended the Republican National Convention on Monday evening, as his survival of an assassination attempt against him prompted a meme stock's surge in China.

    BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

    • Wisesoft stock surged 10% after former President Trump survived an assassination attempt.
    • Wisesoft, known as a meme stock in China, often sees price jumps linked to Trump events.
    • Chinese retail investors trade Wisesoft shares as a joke, leveraging its Trump-related name.

    A Chinese tech firm with a name that sounds like "Trump's Big Win" enjoyed a surge in its stock price on Monday after former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

    Chuanda Zhisheng, also known by its English name Wisesoft, saw its share price rise from 10.20 CNY to 11.22 CNY, or $1.40 increasing to $1.55.

    That's the maximum that the company's shares could have risen on Monday while trading on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, which limits price changes to 10% per day.

    Wisesoft has a meme stock reputation in China because its Mandarin name comes from Sichuan University, which is known colloquially as "Chuan Da."

    Coincidentally, the Chinese nickname for Trump uses the same character as "Chuan," with "Da" translating to "big."

    The second half of Wisesoft's name means "wise triumph," so the entire moniker can be taken to literally mean "Trump's Big Win" or "Trump's Great Victory."

    Chinese financial news outlet Southern Finance Network reported that a company spokesperson said the reason for Monday's price jump for Wisesoft "couldn't be determined" as nothing had changed in its operations.

    Its intended name is "Sichuan University Wise Victory." The company was founded in 2000 and specializes in using tech and AI for air traffic management.

    The company also saw its share price leap by the maximum daily limit on June 28, the day after President Joe Biden's disastrous debate performance against Trump.

    Pockets of Chinese retail investors are known to trade meme stocks simply because their names sound phonetically like references to real-world events. One stock, Goertek, saw its share price rise 2.2% on Monday because its name sounds like "cutting ears," The South China Morning Post reported.

    Wisesoft also saw a one-day 10% share price jump in 2016, when Trump won the presidential election, despite the company suffering from lagging results, Chinese outlet The Global Times reported at the time.

    The share price of another company, Yunnan Xiyi, simultaneously fell 10% in one day because it sounded phonetically similar to "Auntie Hillary," a nickname for then-presidential candidate Hillary Clinton.

    Yunnan Xiyi has changed its name and is now known as Jianshe Industry Group Yunnan.

    Trump was speaking on Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire at him with an AR-style rifle. The former president's right ear was bleeding as Secret Service agents escorted him away, and he later said the ear was struck by a bullet.

    One spectator in the crowd died, while two others were critically injured.

    Trump is often the subject of memes on the Chinese internet, where users lampoon him as secretly working for Beijing to undermine the US and build up China. As a result, social media platforms in the country are often filled with posts jokingly expressing support for the former president.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • 5 ways ASX shares investors define financial success

    A guy wearing glasses tries to show off his muscles.

    ASX shares investors say being debt-free and owning a home are their most important definitions of financial success, according to new research.

    These are the findings of a survey conducted by online trading platform Stake in May.

    Stake surveyed more than 2,000 Australian investors who held either ASX shares or overseas stocks.

    The most popular definition of financial success was being debt-free, according to 86% of respondents.

    It’s likely that being debt-free is even more appealing during today’s cost-of-living crisis!

    Owning a home was the second most popular definition of financial success, with 85% of respondents agreeing that this was a key aspiration.

    Debt-free home ownership is considered essential for a comfortable lifestyle in retirement in Australia.

    But as we all know, getting into the property market can be difficult for many reasons.

    One of them is that values continue to rise faster than most people can save a deposit. For example, in FY24, the median home price rose by $59,000, according to CoreLogic data.

    On top of that, 13 interest rate rises between May 2022 and November 2023 have made it not only difficult to service a loan but also hard to get finance in the first place.

    When assessing loan applications, banks typically add a 3% serviceability buffer. This means most customers today have to prove they can afford an interest rate of 8% or 9% to get a home loan.

    What are the other definitions of financial success?

    The third most popular definition of financial success, with 77% support among ASX shares investors, was being able to live in an area of their choosing.

    This definition may reflect the compromises people are making in the property market as values continue to increase and buyers are forced to seek more affordable accommodation.

    The fourth most desired milestone of financial success is having the capacity to support family members. Three-quarters of survey respondents said this represented financial success to them.

    This reflects the rising role that the Bank of Mum and Dad is playing in Australia’s property market.

    Finally, the fifth most common definition of success among ASX shares investors is having the flexibility to reduce working hours, or quit altogether, and live off one’s investments.

    If you also aspire to this, check out this article by my colleague Sebastian: How much cash do you need to quit work and live off ASX dividend income?

    You can also check out these 7 tips for successful ASX shares investing.

    Which ASX shares are attractive to investors today?

    The Stake survey explored the top investment themes exciting ASX shares investors today.

    Gold was at the top of the list. This was not surprising given the year that ASX gold stocks had in FY24.

    The top three ASX 200 mining shares for price growth last financial year were all gold stocks.

    The survey also revealed the five most popular ASX shares bought by investors over the 12 months to May.

    They included ASX lithium share Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) and the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS).

    On Tuesday, S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) shares are down 0.16%.

    The post 5 ways ASX shares investors define financial success 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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. 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.

  • Own the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS)? Here’s how much you’ll get paid today

    The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) is a popular exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the ASX. It’s so widely held, in fact, that VAS has long held the title of the most popular ETF and index fund on the ASX by funds under management for a number of years.

    As such, there will be many ASX investors who will be receiving a paycheque today. That’s because it’s dividend payday for the Vanguard Australian Shares ETF this Tuesday.

    The Vanguard Australian Shares ETF typically pays quarterly dividend distributions rather than the six-month interval that is common on the ASX.

    We first got an idea about what the latest VAS dividend distribution would be late last month. Back on 28 June, Vanguard announced that the latest investor payment for this ETF would be worth 67.21 cents per unit – an amount later confirmed on 1 July.

    That was the same day that VAS units traded ex-dividend on the ASX. So if you didn’t own this ETF at the end of trading on 30 June, you won’t be eligible to receive this latest dividend distribution.

    But for those lucky investors who did make the cut, today is your lucky day.

    If you haven’t already received this cash payment, you will see 67.21 cents for every VAS unit owned arrive sometime today. Like most VAS dividends, this payment will come partially franked, reflecting the mixed nature of its underlying holdings.

    VAS’ latest ASX dividend goes low

    However, this payment might not be as enthusiastically welcomed as some of VAS’s former ASX dividend distributions. That’s because this 67.21 cents per unit payment is well below what VAS’s ASX investors would be used to.

    For one, it pales in comparison to this ETF’s last three quarterly dividend distributions. The quarter ending 31 March saw investors bag 84.79 cents per unit, for example. Before that, investors enjoyed payments worth 71.62 cents and $1.29 per unit, respectively.

    2024’s June quarter distribution is even smaller than the payment investors received this time last year. 2023’s June distribution came to 88.9 cents per share. So this year’s paycheque is in effect a 24.4% pay cut from last year.

    But there’s not a lot Vanguard could have done about that. Like all ETFs, VAS can only pass on what it receives in dividend income from its underlying holdings. So the fact that this month’s distribution is so low is more of a reflection of the dividends it has enjoyed from its top holdings, like the big four banks, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES).

    But saying that, the passive income from an ASX index fund like VAS is usually quite volatile. So long-term investors would be used to their dividend distributions coming in ebbs and flows.

    This latest dividend distribution from VAS takes this ASX ETF’s annual distribution total to $3.52 per unit. At the current VAS unit price of $99.06 (at the time of writing), this gives the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF a dividend yield of 3.55%.

    The post Own the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS)? Here’s how much you’ll get paid 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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in CSL, Wesfarmers and Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Big ASX news! DroneShield share price crashes 31%

    drone stuck in a tree representing crashing Aerometrix share price

    It’s been a fairly ho-hum day on the ASX so far this Tuesday. Fresh from cracking a new all-time record of 8,281.4 points yesterday, the All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO) Index is currently down 0.07%. But let’s talk about what’s happening with the DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) share price. 

    As one might expect, most ASX All Ords shares are having a pretty average day, apart from some new highs from the ASX banks. But the Droneshield share price’s day has been anything but ordinary. Unfortunately, it’s not good news for the true believers in this ASX defence stock.

    Droneshield closed at $2.60 a share yesterday afternoon after enjoying an 11.11% bounce on Monday’s session. But today, it has been a very different story. Things started well for the company, with Droneshield opening at $1.71 before hitting yet another fresh new record high of $2.72 soon after open.

    But that’s when the selling started. After less than 30 minutes of trading, the Droneshield share price was back in the red. Things didn’t look too dire by midday, which had the company drop down to $2.53 a share.

    However, investors seemed to have gotten a bad case of the afternoon blues soon after. Selling quickly accelerated. The Droneshield share price dropped below $2.40, then $2.20 and finally $2.

    At the time of writing, the company has gone into a trading halt, but not before losing an astonishing 28.5% of its value and coming to a stop at $1.86 a share. That’s after getting as low as $1.79 in earlier trading, a drop worth more than 31%.

    So what on earth is going on with the Droneshield share price that has caused investors to wipe off more than a quarter of this company’s value in just a few short trading hours?

    Why have DroneShield shares tanked by 31% today?

    Unfortunately for lovers of certainty and logic, it’s a gosh darn mystery. Prior to the request for the trading halt, Droneshield had not made any fresh news or announcements today. In fact, we haven’t had any major news from the company for almost a month.

    There doesn’t appear to be any other news out regarding Droneshield either.

    So all we can do at this point is speculate and wait for further updates.

    It is possible that some investors have finally decided to take some gains off the table, sparking a rush to get out of the stock today.

    Today’s drop does look dire. But investors have been raking in the profits (at least on paper) from Droneshield for months now.

    Remember, this is a company that has risen from 38 cents a share at the start of 2020 to the record high of $2.72 that we saw this morning. That’s a gain worth over 615%. Even after today’s drop, the Droneshield share price remains up by around 400% year to date.

    As of yesterday’s close, the Droneshield share price was also up close to 80% over the past month alone and had risen 20% just last week. Check all of that out for yourself below:

    Too hot to handle?

    Deep down, most investors know that gains like these are rare on the ASX and don’t typically last too long without a pullback. So it was arguably only a matter of time before some investors started to blink and pull money off the table. This could have caused a cascade effect, sparking a rush for the exits.

    At this point, that’s the best explanation we have as to why Droneshield has suddenly cratered in value today after such a strong run.

    Even so, long-term investors are still up substantially here. It will be interesting to see what happens with this hot (until this afternoon) ASX All Ords stock next. I, for one, will be watching closely for more updates from the company, and what happens when trading resumes.

    The post Big ASX news! DroneShield share price crashes 31% 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. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    *Returns as of 10 July 2024

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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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.

  • Nancy Pelosi has been working behind the scenes to plot Biden’s ouster: Politico

    President Joe Biden presenting the Presidential Medal of Freedom to former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
    "It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run," former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said of President Joe Biden's candidacy in an interview with MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Wednesday.

    Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

    • Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi has been quietly working with party insiders to oust Biden, per Politico.
    • Pelosi failed to give a firm endorsement of Biden's candidacy in an MSNBC interview last week.
    • Pelosi told MSNBC Biden should "make a decision" about 2024 soon "because time is running short."

    It looks like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may be taking matters into her own hands since President Joe Biden doesn't seem likely to withdraw from the election.

    Politico's Jonathan Martin wrote on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter, that Pelosi is "convinced Biden will lose." She's also been "working the phones" since the CNN debate in a behind-the-scenes bid to remove Biden from the ticket," Martin wrote.

    Last week, Pelosi was seen openly talking to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in the House Democratic cloakroom, Martin reported, citing a Pelosi colleague who saw the exchange.

    And on Friday, Jeffries said in a letter to Democratic lawmakers that he had met Biden in a private meeting on Thursday.

    "In my conversation with President Biden, I directly expressed the full breadth of insight, heartfelt perspectives, and conclusions about the path forward that the Caucus has shared in our recent time together," Jeffries wrote.

    Notably, Jeffries' letter did not say whether the House Democratic Caucus wanted Biden to step aside or stay the course.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Martin further reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that Pelosi has also been communicating with big-name Democrats. She's also told a former elected official that the destruction of the Democratic Party shouldn't be a part of Biden's legacy, per Politico.

    It's worth noting that Pelosi failed to endorse Biden during an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Wednesday.

    "It's up to the president to decide if he is going to run," Pelosi said. "We're all encouraging him to make that decision. Because time is running short."

    "I want him to do whatever he decides to do. And that's the way it is. Whatever he decides, we go with," Pelosi continued.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    A Pelosi representative later issued a statement on the same day, reiterating that it was up to Biden to decide whether to stay on. Again, the statement did not fully endorse Biden's candidacy.

    "Speaker Pelosi fully supports whatever President Biden decides to do. We must turn our attention to why this race is so important: Donald Trump would be a disaster for our country and our democracy," Ian Krager, a spokesperson for Pelosi, said in an email to The Washington Post.

    To be sure, Pelosi may not be alone in her stance — as multiple Democratic lawmakers have lost faith in Biden's ability to pull off a win this year.

    The presumptive Democratic nominee has faced growing calls to step down after his disastrous performance at his June 27 presidential debate with former President Donald Trump.

    At least 18 House Democrats and one Democratic senator have called on Biden to quit following his poor debate performance.

    Biden, on the other hand, has remained steadfast in wanting to stay in the race.

    "I'm old. But I'm only three years older than Trump, number one. And number two, my mental acuity's been pretty damn good," Biden said in an interview with NBC News' Lester Holt on Monday.

    "I've gotten more done than any president has in a long, long time in three-and-a-half years. So I'm willing to be judged on that," he continued.

    Representatives for Pelosi and Biden didn't immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Why are BHP and other ASX 200 mining shares getting hammered on Tuesday?

    Two miners standing together.

    ASX 200 mining shares including BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) are tumbling on Tuesday after Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) released second-quarter results that fell short of some consensus expectations.

    Investors appear to feel that Rio’s report does not bode well for other ASX 200 mining shares.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is the worst performer of the day so far, down 1.12%.

    Meantime, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.13% today.

    What’s happening with the ASX 200 mining shares today?

    At the time of writing:

    • The Rio Tinto share price is down 2.15% to $117.26
    • The BHP share price is down 1.63% to $42.96
    • The Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price is down 0.27% to $22.42
    • The Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA) share price is down 2.16% to $6.33

    What did Rio Tinto report today?

    Rio Tinto released its 2Q FY24 update before the market open on Tuesday.

    As my colleague James covered earlier, some of Rio’s results fell short of consensus expectations. This has led to a fall in the share price of the ASX 200 mining share.

    Rio Tinto reported iron ore production of 79.5Mt in 2Q FY24, up 2% on 1Q FY24 and down 2% on 2Q FY23. This took 1H FY24 production to 157.4Mt, down 2% on 1H FY23.

    Iron ore shipments in 2Q FY24 totalled 80.3Mt, up 3% on 1Q FY24 and up 2% on 2Q FY23. This took 1H FY24 shipments to 158.3Mt, representing a 2% decline on 1H FY23.

    Consensus expectations among analysts had been 82Mt in shipments for 2Q FY24.

    The ASX 200 mining major explained that a train collision in mid-May impacted production and shipments.

    Aluminium production was flat at 824kt over 2Q FY24 compared to 1Q FY24 and up 1% compared to 2Q FY23. This took production for 1H FY24 to 1,650kt, up 3% on 1H FY23.

    Copper production rose 10% in the second quarter to 171kt and increased 13% over 1H FY24 to 327kt. Consensus estimates were 175kt for 2Q FY24.

    Falling iron ore price weighs on ASX 200 miners in 2024

    The iron ore price has fallen dramatically in 2024 due to concerns over the Chinese economy.

    At the beginning of the year, the iron ore price was about US$144 per tonne. Today, it’s US$109.58.

    As a result, ASX 200 mining share prices have weakened in the year to date.

    Analysts at Trading Economists said the 62% fe iron ore price held steady overnight as investors considered the latest economic data from China.

    According to Trading Economics:

    Data showed that China’s economy grew less than expected in the second quarter amid a persistent property downturn, weak domestic demand and rising trade tensions with the West.

    Investors now await the outcome of a key political meeting in Beijing this week where traders are hoping for further stimulus to support the economy.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) forecasts the iron ore price will weaken further in 2024 and 2025.

    Rio shares are down 14%, and BHP shares are down 15% year to date. Fortescue shares have lost 23.5%, and ASX 200 mining junior Champion Iron has lost 26.5%.

    The post Why are BHP and other ASX 200 mining shares getting hammered on Tuesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you buy Bhp Group shares, consider 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 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 may be better buys…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 10 July 2024

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group. 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.

  • Trump is back out in the spotlight for the first time after his assassination attempt, and he’s wearing a massive rectangular bandage over his ear

    Former President Donald Trump sporting a huge bandage on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
    Former President Donald Trump sporting a huge bandage on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

    Evan Vucci/AP

    • Donald Trump has appeared at his first major event since being shot at in Butler, Pennsylvania.
    • He arrived at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee with a giant bandage on his ear.
    • The crowd welcomed him with applause and cheers as "God Bless the USA" by Lee Greenwood played.

    Former President Donald Trump is back out in public for his first major appearance after he got shot at during a Saturday rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

    He pulled up to the first day of the Republican National Convention 2024 in Milwaukee, sporting a massive rectangular bandage that covered almost his entire ear.

    The crowd erupted into applause as Trump entered the venue, and Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA" played.

    https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

    Like his pose in a photograph from Saturday snapped by the Associated Press' Evan Vucci, Trump was seen pumping his fist while waving to the crowd of conservatives in Milwaukee.

    Trump was seen ducking for cover after gunshots rang out at the Pennsylvania rally. He later stood up with blood streaks on his face and pumped his fist in front of rallygoers in Butler in a show of defiance.

    Trump earlier said he was glad he didn't have to die for the viral photo.

    "A lot of people say it's the most iconic photo they've ever seen," Trump said to the New York Post on Sunday. "They're right, and I didn't die. Usually, you have to die to have an iconic picture."

    The 20-year-old gunman has been identified, and an investigation into the assassination attempt is ongoing.

    Trump's first public appearance at the RNC was after he selected Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his vice presidential nominee.

    Vance, 39, is the author of the bestseller memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy." He was once a Trump critic, and per leaked text messages from 2016, once told his college roommate that he feared Trump might become "America's Hitler."

    But Vance has now made it clear that as vice president, he intends to be a Trump loyalist.

    "As Vice President, J.D. will continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN," Trump said when announcing his pick on Truth Social on Monday.

    A representative for Trump did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Biden denounced political violence and said using ‘bull’s-eye’ was a mistake during an interview with NBC News

    Biden speaking at podium
    President Joe Biden had his first interview since the Trump assassination attempt with NBC on Monday.

    Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

    • President Joe Biden denounced political violence in an NBC News interview following the Trump rally shooting.
    • Biden said he and Donald Trump had a cordial call after Trump survived an assassination attempt.
    • Biden, who misspoke at times, also expressed frustration with the media.

    President Joe Biden said there's no place for violence in American politics and criticized the media in a roughly 20-minute interview that aired on NBC on Monday night.

    Biden sat down with NBC News's Lester Holt at the White House earlier on Monday, two days after former President Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.

    Biden, who is still trying to recover from a disastrous debate performance last month, was soft-spoken and at times appeared unable to finish articulating his thoughts, resulting in some rambling answers. He reiterated that he's staying in the race despite calls from some Democrats to step down.

    During the interview, Biden described his conversation with Trump following the rally shooting on Saturday as "very cordial" and said that the former president thanked him for calling.

    "There's no place at all for violence in politics in America. None. Zero," he said.

    Holt said the shooting had sparked conversations about the rhetoric used in American politics, noting Biden had recently called Trump an "existential threat" and said that it was time to put Trump in the "bull's-eye."

    Biden responded that he "didn't say crosshairs" and that what he was trying to say was "there was very little focus on Trump's agenda."

    Holt then pointed out the word was "bull's-eye," not "crosshairs."

    "It was, it was a mistake to use the word," Biden said. "I didn't mean — I didn't say cross-hairs. I meant bull's-eye, I meant focus on him. Focus on what he's doing."

    When Holt pressed Biden on whether he'd done any soul-searching since the debate about the rhetoric he uses, the president pointed at Trump's rhetoric and his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election.

    "How do you talk about the threat to democracy, which is real, when a president says things like he says? Do you just not say anything because it may incite somebody?" Biden said.

    "Look, I am not engaged in that rhetoric," he continued. "Now, my opponent's engaged in that rhetoric."

    Biden then cited comments Trump made about pardoning January 6, 2021, rioters and that it would be a "bloodbath" for US auto industry jobs if he lost the election. He also noted the jokes Trump made after Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi's husband was attacked.

    At several points in the interview, Biden expressed frustration with how the media has covered Trump.

    When Holt pressed Biden on his debate performance, the president asked why there wasn't more coverage of lies told by Trump during the debate.

    "Where are you on this? Why didn't the press ever talk about that? 28 times, it's confirmed, he lied in that debate," Biden said.

    Fact-checkers from many outlets reported on false claims made during the debate, with CNN saying Trump made over 30 while Biden made at least nine.

    At the end of the interview, Biden asked Holt to come and talk to him sometime about "what we should be talking about."

    "The issues," he said.

    Another interview with Complex, which took place on Friday — before the attempted assassination of Trump — was published on Monday. Similarly, in that interview, Biden was soft-spoken and misspoke at times.

    Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, Biden's opponent was formally nominated as the GOP candidate for president. Earlier Monday, Trump announced that he had chosen Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his vice presidential running mate. Vance gave his first interview as a vice presidential candidate Monday night.

    Campaigns for Biden and Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Top broker slaps $33 price target on Guzman y Gomez (GYG) shares

    Man smiling at a laptop because of a rising share price.

    The Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) share price has seen plenty of volatility in its early listed life. It’s up 21% from the initial public offering (IPO) price but down 11% from the first-day-of-trading price of $30, as shown on the chart below.

    With such a volatile stock, it’s hard to say where the valuation is going to go next.

    Some experts think the GYG share price is going to sink while others see a long-term opportunity. One of Australia’s leading broker has just put a very optimistic price target on the Mexican food business.

    Bullish price target on the Guzman y Gomez share price

    According to reporting by The Australian, the broker Barrenjoey has initiated its coverage on GYG shares with a price target of $33.

    A price target is where the broker thinks the share price is going to go over the next 12 months. Of course, these price targets are just guesses – no one actually knows where share prices are going in a year.

    If the Guzman y Gomez share price increased to $33, it’d represent an increase of approximately 24% over the next 12 months.

    Of course, Barrenjoey has a close connection with GYG. Barrenjoey acted as a joint lead manager, bookrunner, and underwriter during the IPO process. The broker also owns around 10% of Guzman y Gomez, so it would benefit substantially if the GYG share price rose to $33.

    However, as I mentioned, not every expert is positive on the company.

    Sell call on GYG stock

    Writing on The Bull, Jabin Hallihan from Auburn Capital called the Mexican food ASX share a sell.

    He noted that the business has done well for IPO investors, but Hallihan suggested “investors may want to consider trimming their positions to pocket some profits”.

    The Auburn Capital investment team likes the business but suggests that the reporting season of August 2024 “will more than likely highlight a challenging year ahead for restaurants and discretionary retailers.”

    In the Guzman y Gomez prospectus, it disclosed it’s expecting to report FY24 revenue of $339.7 million (up 31%), $25 million of earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) and a net loss after tax of $16.2 million.

    In FY25, the company projects revenue of $428.2 million (up 26%), EBITDA of $59.9 million (up 136%), and a net profit of $6 million (up $22.2 million).

    The post Top broker slaps $33 price target on Guzman y Gomez (GYG) shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Guzman Y Gomez. 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.