Category: Stock Market

  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

    Business woman watching stocks and trends while thinking

    Business woman watching stocks and trends while thinking

    On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week with a very small gain. The benchmark index rose 4.7 points to 7,351.5 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to fall

    The Australian share market looks set to give back yesterday’s gains and more on Tuesday following a poor start to the week on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 28 points or 0.35% lower. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.4%, but the S&P 500 is down 0.3% and the NASDAQ is down 0.6%.

    Oil prices rise

    Energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a decent day after oil prices stormed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.15% to US$77.22 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.2% to US$83.99 a barrel. Traders appear to believe oil prices were oversold after another heavy decline last week.

    Altium half-year result

    The Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) share price will be one to watch on Tuesday. This follows the release of the electronic design software company’s half year results after the market close on Monday. Altium reported a 17% increase in revenue to US$119.5 million and a 30% jump in net profit after tax to US$29.6 million. Goldman Sachs commented: “In-line result drives minor changes; pricing and Octopart yield offset weaker than expected volumes.”

    Gold price edges higher

    It could be a subdued day for gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) after the gold price edged ever so slightly higher overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up a fraction to US$1,850.3 an ounce. Traders appear unsure where gold is heading next given the outlook for interest rates.

    Seek results

    The Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK) share price will be in focus today when the job listings giant releases its half year results. According to CommSec, the market is expecting the company to report a net profit after tax of $159.7 million and declare an interim dividend of 34 cents per share.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 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 February 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Altium and Seek. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Altium. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Seek. 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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  • 4 ways interest rates could go and what they mean for ASX shares: expert

    Group of thoughtful business people with eyeglasses reading documents in the office.Group of thoughtful business people with eyeglasses reading documents in the office.

    Investors in ASX shares are skittish right now.

    Nucleus Wealth chief investment officer Damien Klassen described it as the market “oscillating between fear and elation”.

    “Any investment is an exercise in probabilities. As part of the process, it is prudent to look at the various outcomes and consider the likelihood of different scenarios occurring.”

    As such, he laid out four possible paths that interest rates could head in 2023 — and what each would mean for ASX shares:

    Scenario 1: central banks cave quickly

    If central banks like the Reserve Bank of Australia and the US Federal Reserve get frightened by how much their economies are tanking, they could cut rates rapidly.

    According to Klassen, this is the scenario “most positive for equities”.

    “It is the least likely in my view, but we have seen it play before,” Klassen said on the Nucleus blog.

    “When Powell first became the US central bank chairperson he explained that he wasn’t there to backstop equity markets. A plunge in equity markets culminated on Christmas and Powell essentially reversed that position.”

    At the first hint of a rate cut, bond yields would tumble and share markets would “go into a wild ‘risk-on’ rally”.

    Growth and cyclical stocks in particular would pace the market,” said Klassen.

    “The US dollar would be hit hard, emerging markets and commodities would fly as global growth picks up. The party would be in full swing.”

    Scenario 2: interest rates pause soon, cut in second half of 2023

    This option is the one that stock markets have currently priced in, according to Klassen.

    “A looming recession, albeit mild, weak economic growth and falling corporate earnings lead central banks into starting to reverse interest rates.”

    Again, bond yields would fall but the flight to shares would be more orderly than the first scenario.

    “Within stocks, quality stocks will perform better,” said Klassen.

    “You want stocks that can maintain their margins, as earnings will be under pressure. At the same time, markets will be rewarding earnings growth with multiple expansion.”

    Klassen reckons this situation or the next one seems “the most likely” to happen.

    Scenario 3: interest rates pause middle of year, cut late in 2023

    According to Klassen, this situation is halfway between what share markets have priced in and what central banks are stating they would do.

    “It would eventuate if inflation is stickier than expected, or if central banks are more resistant to market pressure than they have been in the past,” he said.

    “Either way, corporate earnings will be hit harder under this scenario.”

    Shares will fall as multiple expansion is delayed.

    “Corporate profits are down moderately on a big margin squeeze,” said Klassen.

    “Commodities fall. Quality stocks and defensive stocks give the best returns within equities.”

    Scenario 4: interest rates rise first half of 2023, then pause for second half 

    Klassen considers this situation possible but “not probable”, even though it’s the path that the central banks are predicting they’ll take.

    For this scenario to take place, inflation would have to remain stubbornly high, more supply chain disruptions occur for some reason, or central banks ignore market pressure.

    This situation would be disastrous for stocks.

    “Corporate profits are down significantly on both falling sales and falling margins. Significant bankruptcies emerge. Valuation multiples fall,” said Klassen.

    “The US dollar is strong. Emerging market stocks tumble, along with commodities. Defensive stocks give the best returns within equities.”

    The post 4 ways interest rates could go and what they mean for ASX shares: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in right now?

    Before you consider , 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 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 February 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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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  • 2 stellar ASX 200 growth shares to buy now: analysts

    man using laptop happy at rising share price

    man using laptop happy at rising share price

    Are you looking to add some growth shares to your portfolio?

    If you are, listed below are two ASX 200 growth shares that analysts are tipping as buys. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

    The first ASX 200 growth share that has been tipped as a buy is Aristocrat Leisure. It is one of the world’s leading gaming technology companies.

    It owns a portfolio of world class poker machines and a growing digital business. The former continues to win market share thanks to their popularity with casinos and players. Combined with the strong recurring revenues being generated by digital/mobile games such as Raid and its recent expansion into the real money gaming market, Aristocrat has been tipped to continue its solid earnings growth over the coming years.

    Citi is positive on the company and notes that “digital industry bookings have flattened out while Aristocrat continues to outperform.”

    As a result, it recently reaffirmed its buy rating and $41.20 price target on its shares.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    Another ASX 200 growth share that could be a top option for investors right now is Treasury Wine.

    It is one of the world’s leading wine companies with a high quality portfolio of wine brands including Penfolds, 19 Crimes, and Wolf Blass.

    After going through a difficult period due to being effectively kicked out of China, Treasury Wine has bounced back strongly. The good news is that analysts at Morgans believe the company’s growth is only just starting. In fact, its analysts are expecting “TWE to deliver double digit earnings growth over 2H23/FY24/FY25.”

    The broker has an add rating and $15.05 price target on its shares.

    The post 2 stellar ASX 200 growth shares to buy now: analysts 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 February 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 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.

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  • 2 ASX 200 shares to buy post-results: Morgans

    A man holding a cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    A man holding a cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    If you’re looking for ASX 200 shares to add to your portfolio, then you may want to look at the two named below that have been tipped as buys by analysts at Morgans following the release of their results.

    Here’s why the broker is very positive on these shares:

    Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

    The first ASX 200 share that Morgans is bullish on is Cochlear.

    It is a manufacturer and distributor of cochlear implantable devices for the hearing impaired across over 30 countries. It offers three main products: Cochlear implants, Baha bone conduction implants, and Cochlear Wireless Accessories.

    Morgans was pleased with Cochlear’s recent half year update. It commented:

    Cochlear’s 1H results were better than expected, underpinned by strong sales growth in both developed and emerging markets, but OPM declined on growth initiatives. […] We see continued momentum, with FY23 guidance reaffirmed, implying a strong 2H (+25% at the mid-point), underpinned by strong fundamentals and progressively improving trading conditions.

    The broker has an add rating and $250.60 price target on its shares.

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

    Another ASX 200 share that Morgans is bullish on right now is corporate travel specialist Corporate Travel Management. It believes it is well-placed for growth over the medium term. This is thanks to acquisitions, its lower cost base, and technology development.

    In response to its half year results, Morgans commented:

    CTD’s 1H23 result was a slight miss compared to implied guidance and our forecast. However, the result included additional costs so that CTD can take advantage of the expected strong recovery in the 2H23 and FY24. The midpoint of FY23 EBITDA guidance was slightly better than consensus however higher D&A and tax results in NPATA downgrades. CTD is confident of achieving a full recovery in FY24 based on significant new clients wins.

    Morgans currently has an add rating and $21.90 price target on the company’s shares.

    The post 2 ASX 200 shares to buy post-results: Morgans 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 February 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 Cochlear. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear and Corporate Travel Management. 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 this ASX mining share rocket 40% on open today?

    Vanadium Resources share price person riding rocket indicating share price increaseVanadium Resources share price person riding rocket indicating share price increase

    ASX mining share Okapi Resources Ltd (ASX: OKR) set the bar high on Monday.

    Shares in the tiny ASX mining stock were up more than 41% in early trading today before some profit taking took place, giving back a lot of those gains.

    At market close, the Okapi Resources share price closed up 5.88%, trading for 18 cents per share.

    What’s piquing investor interest in the ASX mining share?

    The Okapi Resources share price entered a trading halt on Thursday pending the release of a capital raising announcement.

    The ASX mining share released that capital raise announcement before market open this morning. And investors appeared enthusiastic with the outcome.

    Okapi said it has received binding commitments to raise $5.1 million (before costs) through a placement of approximately 34.2 million shares at an issue price of 15 cents per share. That’s 25% below the current share price, mind you.

    Okapi will use the funds to complete its investment in uranium enrichment technology company, Ubaryon Pty Ltd. The miner also plans to advance its Tallahassee, Maybell and Athabasca uranium projects.

    The $5.1 million placement will take place in two tranches.

    The directors’ participation of $129,000 worth of shares in tranche two of the placement is subject to shareholder approval. That approval will be sought at a general meeting in early April.

    Commenting on the capital raise that sent the ASX mining share soaring today, Okapi’s managing director Andrew Ferrier said:

    We are delighted to have new institutional and sophisticated investors participating in this placement… We are also very pleased to see the strong support from existing shareholders.

    Most importantly, this raising provides Okapi sufficient funding to complete the Ubaryon investment. We are very excited to acquire an interest in Ubaryon’s Enrichment Technology, and it has the potential to add significant value to Okapi and its shareholders.

    Okapi share price snapshot

    The ASX mining share slid lower during the second half of 2022.

    However, as you can see in the chart below, the Okapi share price is up 20% so far in 2023.

    The post Why did this ASX mining share rocket 40% on open today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Okapi Resources Limited right now?

    Before you consider Okapi Resources 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 Okapi Resources 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 February 1 2023

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    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 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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  • Own Zip shares? Here’s an earnings preview

    A young man sits at his desk working on his laptop with a big smile on his face due to his ASX shares going up and in particular the Computershare share price

    A young man sits at his desk working on his laptop with a big smile on his face due to his ASX shares going up and in particular the Computershare share price

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) shares will be in focus later this week when the buy now pay later (BNPL) provider releases its half year results.

    Ahead of the release, let’s take a look at what we should be looking out for from its results on Thursday 23 February.

    Zip results

    Given that Zip released its second quarter update last month, there won’t be too many surprises from its results.

    As a reminder, the company ended the period with 7.4 million active customers. This comprises 4 million in the United States, 2.3 million in the ANZ market, and 1.1 million across its Rest of the World segment.

    From these customers, Zip delivered transaction volume of approximately $4.9 billion across the first half. This was up 8.9% over the prior corresponding period.

    And with the company’s revenue margin improving year over year despite the tough operating conditions, Zip’s first half revenue came in 16.2% higher at $351.2 million.

    The big question for investors, though, is what will this top line growth and its quest to accelerate its path to profitability mean for its bottom line.

    A year earlier, Zip reported a loss of $214.3 million or an adjusted loss of $153.6 million. The former includes impairments of goodwill allocated to Zip UK and global rebranding costs.

    Clearly, the market is expecting much better this time around. And with management revealing that it is making “great progress” to deliver sustainable growth and accelerate its “path to profitability”, the market will undoubtedly be looking for signs that this is the case.

    What else?

    Analysts at Citi also suggested investors look out for commentary on asset divestments with its update. Last month it commented:

    The key highlight of Zip’s 2Q trading update was the sharp reduction in loss rates in the US that resulted in US becoming cash flow positive in Nov/Dec. With ~$80 million in available cash and further proceeds expected from the sale of RoW businesses (CitiE: $25 million in 2H23e), we see Zip as having ample cash to reach its cashflow breakeven target.

    However, we believe Zip will need further capital when the focus shifts to growth, especially when considering that it lacks scale in the US. While the company has made strong progress in reducing losses, we remain Sell/High Risk rated as we continue to see risks to customer losses given slowing macro. We open a positive catalyst watch as we expect an update on the proceeds from selling RoW businesses which could boost balance sheet.

    The post Own Zip shares? Here’s an earnings preview 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 February 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 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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  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

    A man sits on a bench atop a mountain with a laptop, making investments with a green ESG mind.A man sits on a bench atop a mountain with a laptop, making investments with a green ESG mind.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a decent start to the week, gaining 0.06% to close at 7,351.5 points.

    It was driven higher by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) which rose 0.9% today amid earnings from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) and NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF).

    The former stock rose 1.9% after posting a 49% just in a half-year profit while the latter tumbled 11.6% despite growing its interim dividend by 18%.

    Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) fell 1% despite a strong performance from the Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price. Shares in the fuel refiner and distributor lifted 1.7% after it posted record 2022 earnings.

    The sector’s suffering followed a rough Friday for oil prices. After the Aussie market shut for the week, the Brent crude oil price fell 2.5% to US$83 a barrel while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 2.7% to US$76.34 a barrel.

    But which ASX 200 share posted the biggest gain on the index today? Let’s take a look.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Today’s top-performing ASX 200 share was none other than Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING). It gained 11.7% to close at $3.06 after a number of brokers upgraded the stock.

    These shares made today’s biggest gains:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) $3.06 11.68%
    QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) $14.92 3.68%
    Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS) $6.39 3.4%
    Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL) $13.24 2.64%
    Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF) $7.57 2.44%
    Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA) $7.67 2.4%
    Link Administration Holdings Ltd (ASX: LNK) $2.14 2.39%
    Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA) $3.50 2.04%
    Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) $3.55 2.01%
    Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) $9.79 1.87%

    Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares 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. 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 February 1 2023

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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 Link Administration, Reliance Worldwide, and Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank and Super Retail Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Challenger, NIB Holdings, Orora, and Reliance Worldwide. 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 Monday

    Arrows pointing upwards with a man pointing his finger at one.

    Arrows pointing upwards with a man pointing his finger at one.

    It’s been a rather volatile day of trading so far this Monday for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

    At the time of writing, the Index is in the green, but only just, currently sitting at 7,352 points, up 0.07% for the day. But that comes after the ASX 200 spent much of the day in red territory, with several jumps over the breakeven line throughout the session thus far.

    But rather than trying to figure all of that out, let’s instead check out the ASX 200 shares that are topping the share market’s trading volume charts at present, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

    ASX 200 lithium share Core Lithium is our first stock worth checking out this Monday. So far today, a notable 13.1 million Core shares have been exchanged on the ASX today.

    There’s been no fresh news out of Core itself. But that hasn’t stopped this company’s shares from copping quite a beating. Right now, Core is down a nasty 4.48% at 92 cents per share, the likely catalyst of the high volumes we see.

    My Fool colleague James went through some of the reasons ASX lithium stocks like Core Lithium are having such a painful day earlier this afternoon.

    One such reason appears to be “reports that the world’s largest battery maker, CATL, is offering discounts to some of the Chinese automakers it supplies batteries”. This could be an indication that lithium prices might be heading down soon.

    Pilbara Mienrals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Another ASX 200 lithium share in Pilbara Minerals is next up today. This leading lithium producer has watched as 25.62 million of its shares have changed hands so far this Monday. Pilbara did announce some new lithium pricing arrangements this morning.

    But it appears that these haven’t been enough to stop investors from punishing the company alongside Core Lithium. In Pilbara’s case, the company is down almost 5% at $4.22 a share, so no further questions are needed about this volume on display.

    Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

    Finally today, we have the trifecta of ASX 200 lithium stocks with Sayona Mining. A whopping 32.25 million Sayona shares have found a new ASX home on the markets at this point of today’s session.

    At the risk of sounding like a broken record, another nasty selloff seems to be the culprit for Sayona’s elevated trading volumes. In this share’s case, we have seen a 4.65% slide in price, which puts Sayona stock down to 20 cents a share.

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

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

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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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  • One top ASX 200 stock on my best shares to buy now list

    A young man wearing glasses writes down his stock picks in his living room.

    A young man wearing glasses writes down his stock picks in his living room.

    The current Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price on offer makes it look like a very attractive S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) stock. I think it could be one of the best to buy today.

    There aren’t that many ASX shares that have fallen as much as Xero since November 2021 – it’s down around 50%. That’s despite it rising by just over 10% since the start of the year.

    As one of the world’s largest cloud accounting businesses, it is indirectly connected to millions of the world’s small and medium businesses. An economic downturn could have an impact on Xero’s financials.

    However, while the Xero share price has sunk 50%, it’s not as though revenue has sunk 50%. Or 40%. Or 10%. In fact, the business has continued to grow.

    That’s one of the key elements to my bullish thoughts on the investment. It has continued to develop, meaning we’re simply getting the ASX 200 stock at half the price of what it used to be – the business hasn’t suffered a significant decrease in performance.

    Growth continues

    In the six months to 30 September 2022, total subscribers grew 16% to 3.5 million, average revenue per user (ARPU) rose 13% to $35.30. This helped operating revenue jump 30% to $658.5 million.

    The gross profit margin was stable at 87% and free cash flow soared 145% to $15.6 million, despite Xero investing for growth globally. The northern hemisphere is a key focus for growth, with the UK and Canada being two of the markets that Xero is trying to win in.

    In the half-year result, we saw the ASX 200 stock’s UK revenue rise 32% to $175 million. The company said it expects momentum in subscriber additions in the UK to improve over the rest of FY23.

    North America saw revenue increase by 44% to $44 million. It’s also expecting momentum in subscriber additions in North America to improve over the rest of FY23.

    A long-term focus on growing the ASX 200 stock’s scale

    When Xero talked about its outlook, it said:

    Xero will continue to focus on growing its global small business platform and maintain a preference for reinvesting cash generated, subject to investment criteria and market conditions, to drive long-term shareholder value.

    Outgoing CEO Steve Vamos said:

    We’re focused on delivering the world’s most insightful and trusted small business platform by driving cloud accounting adoption, growing the small business platform and building for global scale and innovation. We remain committed to investing for the short and long term opportunity and supporting customer needs while maintaining a disciplined cost focus.

    The ASX 200 tech stock is expecting its operating expenses as a percentage of revenue to decline in the longer term, which should lead to higher profit margins for the business.

    I think Xero is a very profitable business underneath the expansion expenditure. If it halved its marketing and product development spending then it would make quite a lot of profit. But, it doesn’t need to do that.

    In my opinion, the business still has a significant growth runway. The world is a big place. I think that’s why it’s still pursuing growth so heavily.

    Over the next five years, I can see the Xero share price doubling thanks to a combination of revenue growth and improving margins, making it a smart investment at the current level.

    The post One top ASX 200 stock on my best shares to buy now list appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Xero 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 Xero Limited wasn’t one of them.

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. 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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  • 2 excellent ASX 200 mining shares to buy now: experts

    a man with a hard hat and high visibility vest stands with a clipboard and pen in front of a large pile of rock at a mining site.

    a man with a hard hat and high visibility vest stands with a clipboard and pen in front of a large pile of rock at a mining site.

    If you’re looking to diversify your portfolio with some mining sector exposure, then read on.

    Listed below are two ASX 200 mining shares that experts are tipping as buys with material upside potential.

    Here’s why these could be the mining shares to buy right now:

    Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

    The first ASX 200 mining share to consider is Allkem.

    It is one of the world’s largest lithium miners and the result of the merger between Galaxy Resources and Orocobre in 2021.

    From its projects in Argentina, Australia, and North America, the company is aiming to grow its production in a way that allows it to maintain a 10% share of global lithium supply over the long term. This leaves it well-placed to benefit from the insatiable demand for lithium from the electric vehicle market.

    And while lithium prices have been tipped to fall materially over the next 18 months, its production growth and downstream opportunity are expected to keep its earnings strong. This has many tipping the company to start paying dividends in the not too distant future.

    Bell Potter is bullish and has a buy rating and $19.36 price target on its shares. It also expects a maiden dividend to be paid in 2023.

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    Another ASX 200 mining share that has been named as a buy is South32.

    It is a diversified mining and metals company producing bauxite, alumina, aluminium, energy and metallurgical coal, manganese, nickel, silver, lead and zinc at our operations in Australia, Southern Africa and South America.

    Through its operations, the miner notes that it is supporting the transition to a low-carbon world by producing the commodities essential for this transition.

    Morgans is positive on South32 due to the successful transformation of its portfolio and its positive long term outlook.

    Last week, the broker retained its add rating and $5.40 price target on its shares.

    The post 2 excellent ASX 200 mining shares to buy now: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem. 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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