Destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) fires a Tomahawk missile. The US has developed a ground-based system that can fire this weapon, as well as the SM-6. This system, among others, will be deployed to Germany in 2026.
U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino/Released
The US announced deployments of new long-range fires weapons to Germany will start in 2026.
The capabilities will include the SM-6, Tomahawk, and developmental hypersonic weapons.
The war in Ukraine has shown a need for more deep-strike options.
The US just announced plans to put new long-range weapons in a European ally by 2026.
The planneddeployment of new weapons systems to Germany follows the collapse of the INF Treaty and comes as NATO learns key lessons from the war in Ukraine, one being the value of ground-launched long-range strike options.
The US and Germany released a statement on Wednesday on the coming "episodic deployments of the long-range fires capabilities of its Multi-Domain Task Force in Germany in 2026, as part of planning for enduring stationing of these capabilities in the future."
The allies wrote that "these conventional long-range fires units will include SM-6, Tomahawk, and developmental hypersonic weapons, which have significantly longer range than current land-based fires in Europe."
The US recently deployed its Mid-Range Capability (MRC) Launcher to the Philippines.
US Army photo by Captain Ryan DeBooy
The US withdrawal from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019, which Washington accused Moscow of violating, allowed it to begin developing and fielding new ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers.
Since then, the US has been fast-tracking the development of systems like the Typhon, which uses a ground-based launcher to fire the Standard Missile 6 (SM-6) and the Tomahawk, and hypersonic missiles like the Army's Long-Range Hypersonic Weapon, which is in the works but with some delays and funding issues.
The Typhon system was recently deployed abroad during US military exercises in the Philippines.
Ukrainian militaries supervise as a M142 HIMARS launching a rocket on the Bakhmut direction in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine.
Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images
The Ukraine war has highlighted the value of being able to effectively conduct long-range, stand-off attacks.
Russia has used its arsenal of long-range ballistic and cruise missiles, often in concert with one-way attack drones, to target Ukrainian cities and critical infrastructure, and for Ukraine, Western-provided Army Tactical Missile Systems, or ATACMs, and Storm Shadow cruise missiles have given it the ability to hit targets in Russian-occupied areas such as Crimea.
Fabian Hoffman, a doctoral research fellow with the Oslo Nuclear Project, explained in a War on the Rocks commentary last year that "the ability to engage targets at operational and strategic depth critically enables the conduct of offensive and defensive maneuvers and can shape the conditions for victory on the battlefield."
But, he said, "European states have long ignored the shift towards stand-off range and precision strike in modern war."
New efforts are presently underway, though, and as Timothy Wright and Zuzanna Gwadera with the International Institute of Strategic Studies wrote recently, "NATO member states are reversing decades of surface-to-surface missile and rocket-inventory cuts by acquiring new capabilities."
But brain aging experts say the candidates' chronological ages are, to some extent, a red herring.
"There's this widespread belief that older people lose it, but it's really less to do with chronological age per se, and more to do with all the crappy things that your age puts you at greater risk for," neuropsychologist Joel Kramer, the director of the Memory and Aging Center Neuropsychology program at the University of California, San Francisco, told Business Insider.
"It's really no different than your knees. Just because you're older doesn't mean you're going to have bad knees, but there are a lot of older people with bad knees."
There are some quick assessments that only take doctors a couple of minutes to administer in the clinic, giving them a general sense of how you're doing. You might've heard of a few of these in recent political coverage.
The Mini-Cog test requires you to repeat and then remember a few spoken words, and draw a clock correctly with a specific time of day on it, testing not only basic memory skills but also visual spatial control and other key brain functions.
MoCA: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (Trump took it six years ago when he was President.) Like the Mini-Cog, there is some clock drawing, repeating and recalling, as well as naming simple pictured objects like a lion and a camel.
SAGE: A self-administered home test designed by The Ohio State University.
These aren't perfect tools, though, and aren't really what a doctor would use to determine whether someone is mentally fit enough to hold a high-powered job. These tests are rudimentary, and people with dementia can pass them, especially if they are still in the early stages of a disease — all of us are good at masking subtle memory issues, Kramer said. ("When was the last time you ran into someone whose name you couldn't quite come up with, and you faked it for a while?")
Kramer says a full clinical assessment checking for neurodegenerative issues usually takes about an hour, or longer.
He gave me a taste of how clinicians suss out a person's ability to learn and retrieve new information, multitask, and perform age-appropriate motor skills.
A true cognitive evaluation should be challenging
Dusan Stankovic/Getty Images
"I'm going to read a list of words to you," Kramer said. "Listen carefully, and when I'm through, say back as many of them as you can: hat, berries, wrench, sweater, lemon, pliers, belt, peaches, drill."
This exercise can be adjusted based on a person's age and ability. (Kramer said if we were really doing this, he'd give me a much longer list.)
Later on in the session, the clinician might ask you to recall, "Hey, what was on that list again?" It's a test you can't really cheat on, since the words aren't written down anywhere, and can easily change from session to session.
I found the multitasking part of his assessment more challenging:
"I'm going to say some numbers, when I'm through, say them to me backward: 4, 9, 2, 6, 3."
I know it looks easy written down here, but remember, he's just saying this out loud. You have to keep the list straight in your head, while also repeating it from back to front. I did pretty terribly:
"3, 6, 4 …" Whoops.
Multitasking gets a bad rap — we've all heard it's bad for focus and, in some ways, biologically impossible. But the more complicated truth is we are actually doing certain forms of multitasking all the time, and some of them are telltale signs of a healthy, well-functioning brain (walking and talking, for example).
The particular kind of multitasking being tested here is a critical skill for a good leader. You need to be someone who's capable of operating well in high-pressure situations, filtering out irrelevant information, taking in new data while responding to it instantaneously.
Another multitasking test brain experts use involves being given a page of jumbled numbers and letters, and having to ping-pong back and forth between finding them on paper and saying them out loud, matching "A" to "one," then "B" to "two," et cetera.
"You have to keep track of where you are and what you're supposed to be doing," Kramer said. "I mean, it's not rocket science, but when it's part of a multidisciplinary evaluation, those are the things that are really more than a scan, more than a neurological workup, can be sensitive to the early changes associated with a lot of these syndromes."
And the fifth letter of the alphabet is?
Andrii Zorii/Getty Images
More straightforward chores patients might be asked to perform in the assessment include drawing something from memory (like a clock), or being shown a picture of a common object, and then naming that item out loud.
Watching the patient in real time, and assessing things like their motor skills, language ability, and eye movements is also key to making a final diagnosis. Often, by the time a family member brings someone in, the news isn't good, Kramer said.
"After our evaluation, we sit down and we say, 'You know, here's some of the skills you need to perform well at your job, and based on our evaluation, you ain't got it, and it's time to hang it up.'"
A full neuro workup requires more than just memory tests
MRIs can identify tiny, asymptomatic strokes someone might've had.
simonkr/Getty Images
There's also:
Detailed interviews with family members
A review of any other medications the person is taking and preexisting conditions that may make their brain more vulnerable (some drugs can put you at increased risk for dementia.) "A lot of times you just change their medicines a little bit, and they do better," Kramer said.
In general, a focus on ruling out any other non-neurological reason someone might be having some memory issues, like depression, or a deficiency of some kind.
Diagnostics vary, but can include:
MRI scans to screen for cerebrovascular disease (sometimes caused by tiny, asymptomatic strokes)
A spinal tap or skin biopsy, looking for proteins that may lead to Parkinson's
A new and pricey FDA-approved blood test, scanning for key proteins that put you at risk of developing Alzheimer's
Full blood work, to rule out some other reasons someone might be having some memory issues, like low thyroid or low B12. (Those can be remedied with diet, hormones, or supplements.)
President Biden's latest publicly-available health summary from the White House, released in February of this year, said that Biden recently underwent "an extremely detailed neurologic exam" which was "again reassuring in that there were no findings which would be consistent with any cerebellar or other central neurological disorder." The report also applauded his fine motor skills.
The argument against releasing Biden's cognitive test results
Journalists, including Stephanopoulos and Dr. Sanjay Gupta, have asked President Biden to undergo new and detailed cognitive testing, and release his results to the public. Given his dismal debate performance, people want to know whether this commander in chief would pass or fail if he took a cognitive exam screening for dementia right now.
"They said I'm good," Biden told George Stephanopoulos on Friday. "I have a cognitive test every single day," he added, alluding to the requirements of his job.
Trump continues to boast that he "aced" the basic cognitive tests he took over four years ago, when he was president. But he also has not agreed to a public result reveal.
But experts say these tests are not the best way to assess mental fitness for this job. A lot of things are important to job performance that have nothing to do with your memory. These cognitive tests only rule out disease. What would a passing result really tell us? And would a failing result guarantee Biden drops out?
Doctors themselves have resisted mandatory cognitive tests for older physicians — in part because it's ageist, but also because memory tests don't tell you whether someone is good at their job.
"When you're trying to decide who you want to serve in a particular position, i.e. the presidency, what are the characteristics that are really important?" Kramer said. "Is it memory, or is it empathy, or is it problem-solving, or is it a value system that you can relate to, the ability to work with people?"
Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares had a rough ride in FY24, dropping 13%.
Stock in the rare earth explorer started the year trading at $6.85 and finished 12 months later at $5.93 apiece.
Investors are no doubt wondering if FY25 will mark a turnaround for this critical minerals producer. Here’s a recap of last financial year and what’s in store for Lynas shares.
Lynas shares down in FY24
Weaker demand for electric vehicles (EVs) and falling rare earth prices appear to be the primary drivers behind the fall in Lynas shares over FY24.
Lynas, one of just two non-Chinese producers of rare earth elements in the world, is heavily influenced by these market dynamics.
China has global dominance in the rare earths market, with a 70% share in mining and 90% processing capacity. According to my colleague Kate, sluggish EV demand has put pressure on rare earths prices and impacted Lynas’ revenues.
In FY24, the prices for key rare earth elements like neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) oxide fell by more than 50%.
Neodymium hasn’t recovered, still hovering at CNY457,500 per tonne at the time of writing. Meanwhile, praseodymium is fetching US$95.80 per kilogram, down from highs of $217 per kilogram in January 2022.
Due to the challenging market conditions, Lynas reported a decrease in sales by 36.5% to $234.8 million in its first-half results.
Lynas doesn’t appear to be resting on its laurels. In its half-year results, the company also announced plans to target the first production of two separated heavy rare earths (HRE) products in 2025.
This includes separated dysprosium (Dy) and terbium (Tb) at its Malaysian facility.
Both are crucial for high-performance magnets used in EVs and other high-tech applications.
Lynas CEO Amanda Lacaze expressed optimism about this development, saying, “This circuit reconfiguration at Lynas Malaysia provides a pathway to accelerate our commitment to processing all of the elements in the Mt Weld ore body.”
Additionally, Lynas is progressing with pre-construction activities for its planned US Rare Earths Processing Facility, designed to accept third-party feedstocks. This facility is part of the company’s strategy to enhance its production capabilities.
What are brokers saying?
Several top brokers see potential in Lynas shares.
Ord Minnett describes Lynas as “the safe way to play the sector”, according to my colleague James. Ord also highlights Lynas’ status as the only significant producer of rare earths outside China.
The broker notes that rare earths prices are currently at depressed levels, potentially making it a ripe time to buy into the sector. It set a buy rating with an $8.00 price target on Lynas shares, implying a potential upside of 28% from current levels.
Similarly, Bell Potter has a buy rating and a $7.80 price target, while Goldman Sachs also maintains a buy rating with a $7.50 price target.
Foolish takeout
While Lynas shares have faced significant headwinds in FY24, the company’s strategic initiatives and the potential recovery of rare earth prices could change the case. Time will tell.
As always, remember to conduct thorough due diligence and stay updated on market developments.
Should you invest $1,000 in Lynas Rare Earths Ltd right now?
Before you buy Lynas Rare Earths Ltd 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 Lynas Rare Earths Ltd wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service heâs 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…
Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a subdued session and ended the day in the red. The benchmark index fell 0.15% to 7,816.8 points.
Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:
Strong session expected for the ASX 200
The Australian share market looks set to rebound strongly on Thursday following a very good night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 72 points or 0.9% higher this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones was up 1.1%, the S&P 500 rose 1% and the Nasdaq stormed 1.2% higher.
Oil prices charge higher
ASX 200 energy shares such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good session after oil prices charged higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.2% to US$82.39 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.8% to US$85.35 a barrel. A decline in US inventories and positive outlook commentary from OPEC boosted prices.
Buy Light & Wonder shares
Goldman Sachs thinks Light & Wonder Inc. (ASX: LNW) shares are great value at current levels. This morning, the broker has initiated coverage on the cross-platform global games company that provides gambling products and services with a buy rating and $190.00 price target. This implies potential upside of 22% for investors over the next 12 months. It said: “LNW is well-placed to continue winning market share in ANZ and North America gaming operations, driving earnings growth of +12% (2-year CAGR) to achieve its FY25 AEBITDA target of US$1.4bn, which we believe has not been factored into market expectations (GSe +3% above VA consensus).”
Gold price rises
It could be a decent session for ASX 200 gold shares Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) after the gold price pushed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.45% to US$2,378.9 an ounce. US interest rate cut optimism boosted the precious metal.
Aristocrat rated neutral
Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) shares have been given a neutral rating by analysts at Goldman Sachs. The broker is very positive on the gaming technology company but believes its shares don’t have enough upside to initiate with a buy rating. Goldman has put a neutral rating and $55.30 price target on them instead. This implies potential upside of 7% for investors. It said: “We are most positive on the near to mid-term prospects within land-based gaming, expecting ongoing share gains from the big three, but prefer LNW to ALL given a greater risk-reward skew.”
Should you invest $1,000 in Aristocrat Leisure Limited right now?
Before you buy Aristocrat Leisure Limited 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 Aristocrat Leisure Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service heâs 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…
Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Light & Wonder. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Light & Wonder. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
The first ASX 200 income stock to look at is Inghams. It is Australia’s leading poultry producer and supplier.
The team at Morgans is feeling very positive about the company and has described its shares as “undervalued” at current levels. This is because it believes Inghams deserves to trade on higher multiples due to its market leadership position and favourable consumer eating trends.
In respect to income, Morgans is forecasting fully franked dividends of 22 cents per share in both FY 2024 and FY 2025. Based on the current Inghams share price of $3.60, this equates to dividend yields of 6.1% for both years.
Morgans has an add rating and $4.25 price target on its shares.
Another ASX 200 income stock that could be a buy according to brokers is Stockland. It is Australia’s largest community creator. It owns, manages, and develops retail town centres, workplace and logistics assets, residential and land lease communities.
Morgan Stanley is a fan of the company and believes it is well-placed to reward investors with big dividend yields in the near term.
It is forecasting Stockland to pay dividends per share of 24.6 cents in FY 2024 and then 25.8 cents in FY 2025. Based on the current Stockland share price of $4.24, this will mean yields of 5.8% and 6.1% yields, respectively.
A final ASX 200 income stock that could be in the buy zone right now is Super Retail. It is the retail conglomerate behind popular store brands BCF, Macpac, Rebel, and Super Cheap Auto.
Goldman Sachs is very positive about the company in the current complex environment. This is largely due to its vast loyalty program. It highlights that Super Retail is “building a competitive advantage through 11.1mn members and 76% sales to members.” Its analysts expect this to “help drive sales in a more complex operating environment.”
Goldman expects Super Retail to pay fully franked dividends per share of 67 cents in FY 2024 and then 73 cents in FY 2025. Based on the latest Super Retail share price of $13.90, this will mean dividend yields of 4.8% and 5.25%, respectively.
The broker currently has a buy rating and $17.80 price target on its shares.
Should you invest $1,000 in Inghams Group Limited right now?
Before you buy Inghams Group Limited 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 Inghams Group Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service heâs 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…
Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group and Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
I’ve owned the ASX dividend share Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) for several years now and plan to hold it for a long time.
It’s a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns farmland in various states, climactic conditions, and farm types. It’s invested in almonds, macadamias, cropping, vineyards, and cattle.
I like owning Rural Funds as a way to gain exposure to Australia’s agricultural sector, which is one industry in which Australia is a global leader.
Here are three key reasons why I think it’s an appealing pick for long-term passive income.
Long rental contracts
Rural Funds has a number of high-quality tenants, which is useful for providing reliable rental income. Those tenants include Olam, The Rohatyn Group, JBS, Select Harvests Ltd (ASX: SHV), Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE), and Australian Agricultural Company Ltd (ASX: AAC).
The ASX dividend share has a very long weighted average lease expiry (WALE), which means the rental income is locked in for a long time.
As of the FY24 first-half result, the WALE was 12.8 years, with the almond and macadamia leases on particularly long contracts.
As Rural Funds put it: “Long-dated WALE provides stability of income and long-term rental growth via a mix of indexation mechanisms.”
Growing income
Growing rental income can increase the value of the properties and also unlock higher distributions.
Most of the ASX dividend share’s rental income grows with either a CPI-inflation-linked increase or a fixed annual increase, with some contracts having market reviews.
While higher interest rates are currently a headwind for rental profits, rental income growth helps to offset this. It also seems as though interest rates may soon stop rising in Australia.
Rural Funds has been investing in some of its farms to increase the productivity, and therefore the rental and underlying value, of those properties.
Farmland has been an important asset for hundreds of years. I think it will be a good asset to own for many more years.
Strong yield
The ASX dividend share is currently paying a solid annualised distribution of 11.73 cents per unit. That translates into a distribution yield of close to 6%.
That’s not the biggest yield around, but it’s more than what someone could get from a savings account, and there’s good potential for distribution growth in the coming years.
I think Rural Funds is the sort of business that could continue to pay good distributions for decades to come. If farm values keep rising, then shareholders could be on track for fertile passive income.
Should you invest $1,000 in Rural Funds Group right now?
Before you buy Rural Funds 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 Rural Funds Group wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service heâs 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…
Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Rural Funds 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 positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have been shooting the lights out over the past year.
Despite a 0.93% retrace yesterday to $2.13, shares in the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) drone defence company are up an eye-watering 719% over 12 months.
Yep, that’s no typo.
To put this blistering performance in perspective, this will have turned a $5,000 investment into $40,962.
In one year.
But with DroneShield shares having now leapt from 26 cents to more than $2, would I be crazy to buy?
Let’s dig in.
What’s been sending the ASX drone defence stock to the moon?
ASX investors have been sending DroneShield shares flying higher amid ongoing and rising global tensions.
As we’ve seen over the last year in hotspots including Ukraine and the Middle East, drones are quickly gaining traction in military conflicts, as well as posing increasing threats to civilian infrastructure, prisons and airports.
With the AI revolution in full swing, the threats posed by ever-increasing autonomous drones are only likely to grow. And the demand for AI-enabled drone defence capabilities is likely to grow alongside those threats.
The last 12 months has seen DroneShield tap into that growing defence demand, inking a series of multi-million dollar contracts with government agencies across the globe.
And this has led to some smashing financial results.
On 15 April, the company reported record first-quarter revenues of $16.4 million, up a whopping 900% from the $1.6 million reported in the prior corresponding quarter.
In its quarterly results, the company also reported having a $27 million contracted backlog and a sales pipeline of over $519 million.
DroneShield shares closed up 11.1% on the day at 95 cents a share.
And shares have kept charging higher from there.
Most recently, on 20 June, shares hit another all-time closing high after the company reported on a $4.7 million order from a new non-government Swiss international customer to provide multiple vehicle-based counter-drone (C-UxS) systems.
So, would I be crazy to buy DroneShield shares at more than $2 apiece?
I think not.
Among the tailwinds that could continue to see it grow are the potential threats and accompanying defence capabilities posed by AI technology.
Commenting on that potential following the $4.7 million C-UxS systems sale on 20 June, DroneShield CEO Oleg Vornik said:
This order highlights DroneShield expertise not only as a maker of cutting-edge AI-based C-UAS sensor and effector technologies, but also a system integrator, for demanding applications that involve multiple sensor and effector modalities, operating in tough conditions.
What are the experts saying about DroneShield shares?
Turning to what the experts are saying about DroneShield shares, in mid-June, Frazis Capital founder Michael Frazis noted:
DroneShield recorded revenues of $55 million in 2023, more than triple the $17 million in 2022. And analysts forecast 2024 revenues of over $90 million, with the bulk coming from high margin defence contracts…
The opportunity is immense. Less than 1% of infantry units, ships, military bases, and civilian targets are protected against low-cost drones.
The fund managers at Tamim Asset Management are also bullish on the outlook for DroneShield shares, recently stating:
In the most recent quarterly report, DroneShield reported incredible financial results for the first quarter of 2024, with revenue growing 10 times year-over-year and a significant increase in order intake.
As the threat of drone-related incidents continues to rise, DroneShield is well-positioned to capitalise on the increasing need for effective counter-drone technologies.
Should you invest $1,000 in Droneshield Limited right now?
Before you buy Droneshield Limited 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 Droneshield Limited wasn’t one of them.
The online investing service heâs 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…
Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.
I often saw travelers make the same mistakes, putting themselves, others, and wildlife at risk.
Don't stop in the middle of the road to look at animals and try to see more than just Old Faithful.
Yellowstone National Park isn't a theme park, and it's a mistake to treat it like one.
My husband and I spent a year living out of a pickup truck driving cross-country. During that time, he took a seasonal job in Yellowstone National Park, and we ended up living there for three months.
I'd spent a lot of time in national parks prior to this, but the mistakes that I saw travelers consistently making here were shocking.
Things were especially rough during the busy summer season when most people treated the park more like a shopping mall on Black Friday than a shared space in nature.
If you're going to Yellowstone — especially if you're visiting this summer — don't make these mistakes.
Instead of braking without warning, find a safe spot to pull over and then walk back to see wildlife. Taking the time to find a place to park off-road may jeopardize your chance to see certain animals, but it can keep you from getting rear-ended.
Only sticking to the classic tourist spots
Consider trying to see more than just Old Faithful.
Kyle Sparks/Getty Images
There's more to Yellowstone than Old Faithful.
Yellowstone National Park is 2.2 million acres — don't make the mistake of spending your whole trip only seeing a series of popular spots that wouldn't even cover a single acre.
Looking off the beaten path allowed me to see boiling mud pots, soaring eagles, and herds of pronghorns without crowds. Before your trip, look up more than just the most popular attractions to find other spots and trails to explore.
Thinking you can see the whole park in a day
You can't see all of Yellowstone in a day. I didn't even see all of it during my three months living there.
If your time is limited, put just a few things on your itinerary and take the time to see, enjoy, and learn from them.
Don't spend the majority of your days driving all over the park just to check things off of a must-see list or to post photos to the internet of attractions. There are plenty of those already.
Treating wildlife like pets
Yellowstone isn't a pet store or a zoo. Animals live here.
Design Pics Editorial/Getty Images
Unfortunately, I saw travelers harass animals often. They aren't there for your entertainment — respect them and their homes.
Just because animals in Yellowstone don't run away from you doesn't mean that you should head toward them, either.
Bison look cute until they gore you. Elk are just giant deer until they swing their antlers like a sword. Feeding prairie dogs your lunch can expose you to disease while potentially making them sick.
Being unprepared
As someone who has been freezing cold in Yellowstone in August, I recommend being prepared for temperature swings as big as 40 degrees Fahrenheit in just a few hours.
Wear hiking boots and layers you can add and subtract from throughout the day to stay comfortable. Pack snacks and plenty of water so that you can stay hydrated and fueled.
Having what you need can help you comfortably stay out in the parks even longer.
President Joe Biden's second attempt at student-loan forgiveness could happen in October.
Nic Antaya/Getty Images
The Education Department announced it plans to finalize its broader student-loan forgiveness plan in October.
This means millions of borrowers could get relief weeks before the election.
The department also plans to propose a separate debt relief rule for borrowers facing hardship.
Millions of student-loan borrowers could benefit from President Joe Biden's broader debt relief plan just weeks before the election.
Biden's administration published its Spring 2024 Unified Agenda in early July, which outlines deadlines for federal agencies to finalize ongoing rules and priorities.
With regards to the Education Department's ongoing student-debt relief proposals, borrowers now have a clearer timeline to expect implementation. The department's broader plan to cancel student debt — proposed after the Supreme Court struck down Biden's first attempt — is expected to be finalized in October. This timing is in accordance with the department's previously stated timeline to implement the relief this fall.
Additionally, the department has been working toward a separate student-debt relief proposal for borrowers experiencing financial hardship. The proposed rule is expected to be published in September and would be separate from the department's broader debt relief plan.
Education Department officials have repeatedly said they were working toward implementing its student-loan forgiveness plan as soon as possible, which it expects would benefit over 30 million borrowers. Specifically, the plan would cancel unpaid interest for 23 million borrowers, fully cancel balances for 4 million borrowers, and give over 10 million borrowers at least $5,000 in debt relief.
At the same time, advocates and some Democratic lawmakers have been pushing the Education Department to make its plan more robust by including an additional relief category for borrowers experiencing hardship, which could include borrowers who have made good faith efforts to repay their debt but financial or medical circumstances prevented them from doing so.
"Failing to finalize a proposal to provide relief for borrowers experiencing hardship would result in millions of borrowers — including most recent graduates, many low-income borrowers, borrowers of color, and borrowers with disabilities — being left out of the necessary debt relief," advocacy organizations wrote in a January letter to the Education Department. "This cannot be an option."
Still, even if the department finalizes the relief by October, it's highly likely to encounter legal challenges that could delay or block the plan. The election also poses additional challenges — should former President Donald Trump win the election, any relief Biden's administration is working to implement will likely be thrown out.
"These historic steps reflect President Biden's determination that we cannot allow student debt to leave students worse off than before they went to college," Undersecretary of Education James Kvaal previously said in a statement. "The President directed us to complete these programs as quickly as possible, and we are going to do just that."
According to my colleague Mitch, the outlook for ASX REITs is backed by a strong residential property market. And according to Macquarie, the picture could be even brighter than we think.
Analysts at the investment bank issued a recommendation for investors to consider overweight positions in ASX REITs this week.
This comes as part of a strategic shift in response to anticipated changes in the economic cycle and potential interest rate cuts. Let’s take a look at what this means.
Macquarie bullish on ASX REITs
Macquarie says ASX REITs could be at a crucial inflection point in the market cycle, noting that global asset managers are also bullish on the sector.
In the past when sentiment was already very bullish, forward returns were weak and led by defensives. When the cycle shifts to a slowdown, the odds of defensives outperforming likewise start to rise.
According to Macquarie, this phase typically yields positive but lower returns for stocks. This could warrant a move towards more defensive investments like healthcare and real estate.
Despite concerns over potential rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), global trends suggest that major central banks â including the US Federal Reserve â might soon cut rates.
This outlook supports a particularly favourable environment for ASX REITs, the broker says. Due to their attractive yields, these assets tend to perform well when interest rates decline.
Overweight recommendation on ASX REITs
In light of these insights, Macquarie has upgraded its position on the ASX real estate sector. It recommends investors to be ‘overweight’ with exposure to the domain.
The recommendation is based on the RBA’s potential moves. But, it says the potential for a stronger Australian dollar could also mitigate the need for additional rate hikes by the RBA.
We expected a hawkish shift from the RBA, and it has happened. With the shift to slowdown and global banks easing, there is reason to think the RBA will hold so as not to risk pushing the [AUD] up too far.
Macquarie’s shift towards REITs is part of a broader strategic adjustment. The bank is reducing exposure to sectors more vulnerable to economic downturns, such as banking and mining.
It has increased its exposure to defensive healthcare stocks like ResMed Ltd (ASX: RMD) and CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) instead.
Foolish takeaway
Macquarie’s recommendation to overweight ASX REITs is driven by its insights into the shifting economic cycle and potential interest rate cuts.
The performance of REITs like Goodman Group and Scentre Group set the bedrock for FY25. As always, it’s imperative to conduct your own due diligence.
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Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Goodman Group, Macquarie Group, and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Goodman Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.
