Category: Stock Market

  • 3 excellent ETFs for ASX investors to buy for the long term

    Man looking at an ETF diagram.

    Man looking at an ETF diagram.

    There are plenty of exchange traded funds (ETFs) for investors to choose from on the Australian share market. But which ETFs could be top options right now?

    Listed below are three excellent ETFs from very different sides of the market that could be worth considering. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

    The first ETF for investors to look at is the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF. This fund provides investors with the opportunity to invest in the rapidly growing cybersecurity sector. This means you’ll be buying companies such as Accenture, Cisco, Cloudflare, Crowdstrike, and Palo Alto Networks. As we saw countless times last year, cyber attacks are on the rise and demand for cybersecurity services is growing. This bodes well for the companies included in this ETF.

    BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF (ASX: FUEL)

    If you’re keen to gain exposure to the booming energy market, then the BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF could be the way to do it. This ETF allows investors to invest in many of the largest energy producers in the world through a single investment. Through this ETF you’ll be owning a slice of the likes of BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and Royal Dutch Shell.

    BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    A final ETF for investors to look at buying is the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF. This incredibly popular ETF gives investors access to some of the highest quality companies in the world. Among the companies you’ll be investing in are Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Netflix, and Tesla. With the NASDAQ still down 11% over the last 12 months, then it could be a good time to make a long term investment.

    The post 3 excellent ETFs for ASX investors to buy for the long term appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    “Cornerstone” ETFs for building long term wealth…

    Scott Phillips says plenty of people who hear the ‘ETFs are great’ story don’t realise one important thing. Not all ETFs are the same — or as good as you may think.

    To help investors navigate this often misunderstood area of the market, he’s released research revealing the “cornerstone” ETFs he thinks everyone should be looking at right now. (Plus which ones to avoid.)

    Click here to get all the details
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here’s why this top broker is tipping 27% upside for ANZ shares

    A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.

    A man sits in deep thought with a pen held to his lips as he ponders his computer screen with a laptop open next to him on his desk in a home office environment.

    ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares have taken a bit of a beating recently.

    Concerns over the Silicon Valley Bank collapse have sent many investors to the exits, driving the bank’s shares deep into the red.

    The good news is that if you have confidence in the Australian banking sector, then this may have created a mouth-watering opportunity for investors.

    ANZ shares could have huge upside

    According to a recent note out of Citi, its analysts believe that ANZ is the best bank to buy right now.

    Citi was pleased with ANZ’s first-quarter update and believes its earnings are currently ahead of expectations.

    As a result, the broker has named it as its top pick in the sector with a buy rating and $29.25 price target on its shares. Based on the current share price, this implies potential upside of 27% over the next 12 month for ANZ shares.

    Citi commented:

    ANZ’s 1Q23 disclosures exhibited strong trends in both lending growth and asset quality. No earnings disclosure was provided, but we think that after backing out RWA movements from capital, it comfortably implies above market earnings, although subject to movements in deductions/reserves.

    Citi also highlights that ANZ’s asset quality remains strong despite the current environment. It adds:

    Despite fears of deteriorating asset quality, impaired assets declined again in the quarter, although this could be the bottom as seasonally mortgages and personal credit arrears tick higher in the March quarter.

    The broker concludes:

    Institutional lending momentum continued and accelerated in the Dec qtr, which we expect was driven by more available liquidity and pricing vs debt markets. ANZ remains our top pick in the sector, and we expect the lending momentum, particularly in institutional, to continue to differentiate vs peers.

    Don’t forget the dividends

    But there’s more than just upside on offer with ANZ shares. The broker is also expecting some big dividend yields in the near term.

    Citi is forecasting fully franked dividends of 166 cents per share in FY 2023 and then 176 cents per share in FY 2024. This would mean yields of 7.2% and 7.6%, respectively, for investors.

    The post Here’s why this top broker is tipping 27% upside for ANZ shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Australia And New Zealand Banking Group right now?

    Before you consider Australia And New Zealand Banking Group, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Australia And New Zealand Banking 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 are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Zip share price dips amid cap raise rumours

    Little girl looking down trying to zip up her pink windcheater.Little girl looking down trying to zip up her pink windcheater.

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price closed 4.95% lower today amid rumours that a listed buy now, pay later (BNPL) company has been asking banks for extra funds.

    The rumours were reported by The Australian today.

    Zip has not formally responded to the article via an ASX lodgement, and there is no other news out from the company today.

    Meanwhile, it’s been a crummy day for the market all round, with the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) finishing 1.45% in the red on Tuesday afternoon.

    Let’s look into the rumours possibly affecting the Zip share price today.

    Is gossip causing the Zip share price to fall?

    The Australian cites unnamed sources claiming that a listed BNPL provider “has recently been approaching banks for additional funding, which some believe could signal that further efforts could be afoot to raise equity if funding cannot be sought elsewhere”.

    According to the article:

    Zip has said it was part of its normal course of business to be engaged with numerous banks, regarding its securitisation and debt funding programs – and based on its path to positive earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for the first half of the 2024 financial year, it did not see a need to raise more capital.

    The Australian says Zip made a $241 million statutory loss in 1H FY23 with cash losses of $33 million. This left it with $78.5 million of total cash and liquidity at 31 December, according to the article.

    In its 1H FY23 results presentation on 23 February, Zip stated it “remains well funded with sufficient available cash and liquidity to deliver on positive group cash EBTDA during HY24”.

    In an investor presentation released the same day, Zip said it expects its “RoW cash burn to be neutralised in 2H FY23” following a strategic review of its operations.

    The review led to a decision to exit 10 out of 14 international markets. This will allow Zip to focus on the core markets of Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and Canada.

    Zip’s Australia business has been cash flow positive for four years.

    The company said its US and New Zealand businesses delivered positive cash EBTDA in November and December 2022. They “remain on track to exit FY23 with positive cash EBTDA on a sustainable basis”.

    Global asset sale to boost liquidity

    As we reported recently, Zip is now undertaking a global asset sale as it exits those 10 regions.

    Zip CEO Larry Diamond said he expects “significant inflows from those regional sales”.

    He expects them to be completed by the end of FY23.

    Diamond said:

    [The asset sales will] deliver cash inflows during the second half of FY23 and neutralise the cash burn in these markets. With these proceeds and the improvements we are seeing in the core business, we have sufficient cash and liquidity to deliver on our target of group positive cash EBTDA during HY24.

    According to Bloomberg, Zip is working with advisory firms to arrange the asset sales.

    Zip remains one of the most shorted stocks on the ASX, with 9.3% of its capital shorted by the experts.

    Other news in the BNPL space today

    As my colleague James reported this morning, Zip rival Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) has announced it is planning to list on the NASDAQ exchange in the United States.

    Sezzle said it is not seeking to raise capital by listing on the NASDAQ.

    However, the company does hope the listing will expand its investor base.

    The post Zip share price dips amid cap raise rumours appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Zip Co right now?

    Before you consider Zip Co, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Zip Co wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Zip Co. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Zip Co. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Is the Westpac share price a buy below $22?

    A man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and reads about the ANZ share priceA man holds his hand under his chin as he concentrates on his laptop screen and reads about the ANZ share price

    The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is down 1.2% in afternoon trading, having recovered from earlier intraday losses of more than 2.5%.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock closed yesterday trading for $21.49 each. They are currently changing hands for $21.23 apiece.

    Like the other ASX-listed banks, and indeed bank stocks the world over, the Westpac share price has been under selling pressure since Thursday’s close.

    Investors have been lightening their holdings of financial shares in the wake of last week’s collapse of United States-based SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB).

    With Westpac shares now trading below $22, is the ASX bank 200 bank a buy?

    Is the ASX 200 bank stock a buy?

    Financial shares may remain under some short-term selling pressure as investors eye other potential global bank collapses.

    But this week’s retrace in the Westpac share price to $21.23 could well represent a good buying opportunity.

    Indeed, Morgans’ analysts are bullish on the stock.

    “We view WBC as having the greatest potential for return on equity [ROE] improvement amongst the major banks if its business transformation initiatives prove successful,” the analysts note.

    Morgans said the sources of that ROE improvement include “improved loan origination and processing capability, cost reductions (including from divestments and cost-out), rapid leverage to higher rates environment, and reduced regulatory credit risk intensity of non-home loan book”.

    The broker has an add rating on Westpac shares with a $25.80 price target. That’s almost 21% above the current share price.

    Morgans also has high dividend expectations from the big bank. Its analysts forecast a fully franked FY23 dividend of $1.53 per share.

    At the current Westpac share price, that works out to a heady yield of 7.2%.

    Now, not everyone is equally bullish on Westpac.

    CEO of Fat Prophets Angus Geddes has a hold recommendation on the bank’s shares.

    However, Geddes noted that Westpac could benefit from further Reserve Bank of Australia rate hikes (courtesy of The Bull):

    The bank’s mortgage portfolio is delivering higher yields from increasing interest rates. The company’s total Australian mortgage portfolio marginally grew between September 2022 and December 2022. We expect the bank’s net interest margin to benefit from any further increases in interest rates.

    Westpac share price snapshot

    As you can see in the chart below, with the past days’ losses factored in, the Westpac share price is now down 9% in 2023.

    The post Is the Westpac share price a buy below $22? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    FREE Beginners Investing Guide

    Despite what some people may say – we believe investing in shares doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated…

    For over a decade, we’ve been helping everyday Aussies get started on their journey.

    And to help even more people cut through some of the confusion “experts’” seem to want to perpetuate – we’ve created a brand-new “how to” guide.

    Yes, Claim my FREE copy!
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    SVB Financial provides credit and banking services to The Motley Fool. 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 SVB Financial. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SVB Financial and Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday

    An office worker and his desk covered in yellow post-it notes

    An office worker and his desk covered in yellow post-it notes

    It’s been another calamitous day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) so far this Tuesday. After a rough start to the week yesterday, sellers have stepped on the gas today, sending the ASX 200 down by a nasty 1.67% at the time of writing to just under 7,000 points.

    The ASX 200 has now wiped out its gains for the entire 2023 year to date.

    But let’s not let that sobering statistic ruin our Tuesday. So instead, let’s turn to an analysis of the ASX 200 shares that are presently at the top of the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com. 

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Tuesday

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    First up this Tuesday we have the ASX 200 lithium leader Pilbara Minerals. So far today, a sizeable 28.12 million Pilbara shares have made their way across the ASX boards. There hasn’t been any fresh news out of Pilbara itself today.

    But we don’t have to look too much further to see where this volume might be coming from. The Pilbara share price has collapsed today, currently down by a depressing 6.56% at $3.64 a share. Lithium shares have been particularly hard hit in this sell-off, so this seems to be the cause of the high trading volumes we are seeing.

    Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

    Next up we have ASX 200 health insurer Medibank Private. So far this session, a chunky 27.87 million Medibank shares have been exchanged on the ASX. We haven’t had any news out of Medibank today either, or indeed this month so far.

    So it looks like another share price fall is to blame. Medibank hasn’t copped it as badly as Pilbara today. But this ASX 200 share is still down by a hefty 2% at $3.20 each. That puts its losses in March so far at just over 4%.

    Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

    Finally, this Tuesday, let’s take a look at another ASX 200 lithium stock in Sayona Mining. This trading session hasn’t been kind to Sayona shares. Despite a lack of news from the company itself, the Sayona share price has fallen by a nasty 6.7% and is now going for just 21 cents each.

    Since last Thursday, the Sayona share price has lost more than 17% of its value. It’s this sizeable sell-off that seems to have placed Sayona at the top of the most traded stocks pile today, with a whopping 40.89 million shares traded thus far.

    The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • ASX 300 cannabis stock Incannex suspended ahead of ‘material update’

    A cool white-bearded man holds his hand up signalling you should halt.A cool white-bearded man holds his hand up signalling you should halt.

    Trading in ASX 300 cannabis stock Incannex Healthcare Ltd (ASX: IHL) has been suspended at the company’s request today.

    This follows Incannex shares going into a trading halt shortly after the market open on Friday.

    The Incannex share price was frozen on Friday at 14 cents per share.

    Let’s find out what’s happening with this ASX 300 cannabis stock.

    ASX 300 cannabis stock on hold…

    According to a statement, Incannex asked for a voluntary suspension in trading “pending the release of a material update regarding the company’s psychedelic program”.

    Incannex asked the ASX to suspend trading until the earlier of either its announcement or the start of trading tomorrow.

    What’s the latest news from Incannex?

    Incannex develops medicinal cannabinoid pharmaceutical products.

    The last lot of news from the ASX 300 cannabis stock came earlier this month.

    Incannex announced it is going to develop and manufacture its own cGMP-grade psilocybin drug for clinical trials.

    Investors loved the news and pushed the ASX 300 cannabis stock 12% higher on the day.

    Last Thursday, my colleague Bernd reported that the Victorian government is considering amending state drug-driving laws to reflect the legality of medicinal marijuana.

    Victoria was the first state to legalise medicinal cannabis in 2016.

    Medicinal cannabis comes in a variety of forms. One form is plain cannabidiol oil, or CBD oil, which contains no psychedelic component, so it’s perfectly safe to take it and drive.

    Another form of CBD oil mixes in a bit of THC, which is the active component in marijuana, and which shows up on roadside drug-driving tests.

    The Victorian government is trying to work out a way to distinguish between the presence of THC in a driver’s system due to a medicinal cannabis prescription, and impairment as a result of THC ingested from the recreational use of marijuana.

    The post ASX 300 cannabis stock Incannex suspended ahead of ‘material update’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Incannex Healthcare Limited right now?

    Before you consider Incannex Healthcare Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Incannex Healthcare Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • This ASX All Ordinaries stock is down 40% in a year, and the chair is buying up big

    Woman looking at her smartphone and analysing share price.Woman looking at her smartphone and analysing share price.

    The chair of ASX All Ordinaries stock Humm Group Ltd (ASX: HUM) appears to be taking advantage of his company’s share price slump.

    The buy now, pay later (BNPL) share is down 2.04% today to 48 cents. This is broadly in line with the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO), which is down 1.77% today.

    But the performance of the stock and its index diverge significantly when we look at the past 12 months.

    The ASX All Ordinaries stock has lost 40% of its value while the All Ords has dropped by just 3.2%.

    While this has, no doubt, disappointed shareholders, founding director and chair Andrew Abercrombie appears to see an opportunity for some dollar-cost averaging.

    Let’s investigate.

    Buying the dip on this ASX All Ordinaries stock?

    A series of notices lodged with the ASX since the start of March reveal that Abercrombie made five on-market purchases of Humm shares through his super fund between 28 February and 7 March.

    In total, Abercrombie spent just over $407,000 including brokerage fees purchasing 815,329 Humm shares.

    This latest spending spree follows another that Abercrombie undertook in December when he made four other on-market purchases through this super fund.

    The chair spent just over $174,000 on 319,453 shares that month.

    He now holds almost 118.5 million shares in this ASX All Ordinaries stock.

    Abercrombie isn’t the only Humm director buying shares in recent times either.

    This indicates to investors that the people running the BNPL business are very confident in its future.

    How is the Humm business going?

    In its 1H FY23 results, Humm reported a 20% increase in total volumes to $2 billion and a statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $7.5 million.

    This was a vast improvement on the $168.3 million loss reported in 1H FY22.

    The company said it had a strong balance sheet with $103 million in unrestricted cash.

    The ASX All Ordinaries stock will pay a fully franked interim dividend of 1 cent per share on 11 April.

    The post This ASX All Ordinaries stock is down 40% in a year, and the chair is buying up big appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Humm Group Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Humm Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 recommended Humm Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Guess which ASX All Ords share is rocketing 20% on lithium battery news

    Man with rocket wings which have flames coming out of them.

    Man with rocket wings which have flames coming out of them.

    The market may be a sea of red on Tuesday, but that hasn’t stopped one ASX All Ords share from shooting higher.

    In afternoon trade, the PPK Group Limited (ASX: PPK) share price is up 20% to $1.12.

    Why is this ASX All Ords share shooting higher?

    Investors have been buying this ASX All Ords share in response to the release of a promising announcement.

    According to the release, the technology investment company has entered into a series of conditional transactions to acquire a material interest in PowerPlus Energy.

    PowerPlus Energy is Australia’s largest privately owned lithium battery manufacturer. It specialises in supplying reliable, long-lasting modular battery storage solutions for on-grid and off-grid homes and businesses.

    Management notes that the strategic acquisition complements its key business, commercial and operational strategies, and is synergistic with its other investments. This includes its investment in Li-S Energy Ltd (ASX: LIS).

    If all conditions are met, PPK will initially pay $1.8 million to acquire a 33% interest in PowerPlus Energy under a share purchase agreement. It also has a clear fixed price pathway to increase its interest up to 75% within two years for an additional $2.8 million.

    Management commentary

    PPK’s Chairman, Robin Levison, was pleased with the news. He commented:

    PPK has been assessing a variety of opportunities in the energy market as we believe the world continues to shift towards renewable energy, and that energy storage will play a crucial role in ensuring a reliable and efficient energy system. We see the PowerPlus Energy acquisition as a key step in supporting this shift.

    PowerPlus Energy’s founder, Bradley Paton, echoed this. He added:

    We are excited by the opportunity for PowerPlus Energy to join the PPK Group of companies, which will help drive growth pathways in our business. This growth will also provide upside opportunities to our Australian suppliers, both to grow their businesses and innovate with us.

    The post Guess which ASX All Ords share is rocketing 20% on lithium battery news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Ppk Group Limited, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Ppk Group Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Why did the Bank of Queensland share price just hit a multi-year low?

    Person with thumbs down and a red sad face poster covering the face.Person with thumbs down and a red sad face poster covering the face.

    As most investors would be painfully aware by now, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has had a truly awful week so far. Yesterday, the ASX 200 lost 0.5%, which has been backed up by today’s savage 1.64% sell-off (so far).

    But let’s check out the damage that has been done to the Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) share price. Bank of Queensland shares have had an even worse time of it today. This ASX 200 bank share has lost a nasty 2.55% at the time of writing, which puts the bank at $6.49 a share.

    It was worse for this regional ASX bank this morning too. At one point, Bank of Queensland shares got down to a low of $6.32 each. Not only is that a new 52-week low for the Bank of Queensland share price, but it is the lowest this ASX 200 share has traded at since October 2020:

    So why are Bank of Queensland shares seemingly getting singled out for punishment on the ASX this week?

    ASX 200 bank shares feel the squeeze

    Well, the first thing to note is that it’s not just Bank of Queensland that is feeling the pain. As we touched on earlier, it is the entire ASX 200 that is having a rough time of it this week. It’s hard to find an ASX 200 share outside the gold sector that is having a decent week thus far.

    But ASX 200 banks seem to be getting especially hard hit by this bout of selling. All of the ASX 200 banks are down substantially over the past few days. But it seems to be the smaller banks outside the Big Four that are getting the biggest caning.

    Case in point, since last Friday, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has lost 0.87% of its value. Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares are faring worse, down around 2%.

    Why is the Bank of Queensland share price at a two-year low today?

    But Bank of Queensland has lost around 4.3% over the same period. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) shares are down by 2.35%. And Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) has lost more than 4.5%.

    So what’s going on here?

    Well, it’s no secret that the woes that the ASX has been experiencing this week largely stem from the ructions we’ve seen over on the US markets with the collapse of the US bank SVB Financial Group. When banks run into trouble, it tends to really spook investors. This is because it could indicate problems with the entire financial system.

    As such, we’ve seen bank shares all around the world come under pressure over the past few days. One of the largest US banks – Bank of America Corp – has lost close to 17% over the past week alone.

    Smaller banks can be deemed riskier simply due to their size and lack of scale compared to larger banks. As such, they are often shunned by investors in times of strife. This probably explains why the Bank of Queensland, share price, along with the other smaller ASX bank shares, are faring worse than the big banks today.

    The post Why did the Bank of Queensland share price just hit a multi-year low? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bank Of Queensland right now?

    Before you consider Bank Of Queensland, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Bank Of Queensland wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    SVB Financial provides credit and banking services to The Motley Fool. Bank of America is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Bank of Queensland. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bank of America and SVB Financial. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SVB Financial and Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Another ASX 200 company has been hit with a cyber incident. Here’s what we know

    a man in a hoodie grins slyly as he sits with his hands poised on a keyboard. He is superimposed with a graphic image of a computer screen asking for a password, suggesting he is a hacker.

    a man in a hoodie grins slyly as he sits with his hands poised on a keyboard. He is superimposed with a graphic image of a computer screen asking for a password, suggesting he is a hacker.

    The IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH) share price is missing out on the market selloff today.

    That’s because the ASX 200 intellectual property (IP) services company’s shares were slammed into a trading halt this morning.

    However, judging by its trading halt request, its shares may well take a tumble when they return to trading on the ASX boards on Wednesday.

    Why is this ASX 200 share in a trading halt?

    IPH requested a trading halt on Tuesday after it became the latest victim of a cybersecurity incident.

    This follows incidents in recent months impacting Costa Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: CGC), Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL), Optus, and TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG).

    Not much is known about the cyber-attack at present, with IPH holding its cards close to its chest. Its request only states:

    IPH requests the trading halt to enable it to manage its continuous disclosure obligations in relation to a cyber incident that IPH has recently become aware of; (b) IPH requests that the trading halt continue until the earlier of a release of an announcement by IPH and the commencement of normal trading on Wednesday, 15 March 2023.

    Investors will have to be patient and wait for that announcement tomorrow to see what damage has been done from the attack.

    In light of the above, it is no wonder that the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK) share price is up over 6% this year. This compares favourably to the performance of the ASX 200 index, which is down almost 1% in 2023.

    The post Another ASX 200 company has been hit with a cyber incident. Here’s what we know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Iph, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Iph wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of March 1 2023

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    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 BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Costa Group, IPH, and Tpg Telecom. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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