Category: Stock Market

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

    a group of three people carry a large block to line it up in ascending order with two other blocks nearby.

    a group of three people carry a large block to line it up in ascending order with two other blocks nearby.

    In some sweet relief, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is rebounding strongly today after the savage selloff we saw earlier in the week. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up by a healthy 1.14% at just over 7,340 points.

    So let’s dig deeper into these gains and have a look at the shares currently topping the ASX 200’s volume charts, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most-traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Thursday

    Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

    Paladin Energy is first up today. This ASX 200 uranium share has had a hefty 31.7 million of its shares change hands as it currently stands. Paladin is under pressure today after the release of its quarterly report for the three months ending 31 March.

    As my Fool colleague Bernd covered, Paladin reported that its Langer Heinrich Mine remains in limbo. This seems to have spooked investors, who have sent the Paladin share price down by more than 5% today. These two events have likely resulted in the high trading volumes we are witnessing.

    AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ)

    ASX 200 lithium stock AVZ Minerals is our next cab off the rank today. AVZ has watched a notable 35.37 million of its shares trade on the markets thus far. This follows the release of the company’s own quarterly activities report this morning.

    Investors mustn’t have liked what they saw, seeing as the AVZ share price is currently down by a nasty 4.46% at 96 cents a share, bucking the positive trend we see across some other ASX lithium stocks. It’s this sharp move downward that is probably behind this elevated trading volume we see. 

    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

    Financial services provider and former ASX 200 blue-chip AMP is our final and most traded share of the day thus far. At the time of writing, a whopping 45.09 million AMP shares have been bought and sold so far today. We don’t have to look too far for this one.

    As we covered this morning, AMP has just reported that it has found a buyer for its Collimate Captial international infrastructure equity business in DigitalBridge. AMP is set to receive $699 million for this asset. Investors clearly approve, seeing as the AMP share price is currently up an impressive 14.63% so far today at $1.148 a share. No wonder so many AMP shares have found a new home today. 

    The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Kogan share price dips amid ACCC online marketplace probe

    a young woman sits with her hands holding up her face as she stares unhappily at a laptop computer screen as if she is disappointed with something she is seeing there.a young woman sits with her hands holding up her face as she stares unhappily at a laptop computer screen as if she is disappointed with something she is seeing there.

    The Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price is in the red on Thursday amid a probe into online retail marketplaces.

    The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has highlighted concerns about competition and privacy across Australia’s major marketplace platforms.

    The competition watchdog’s review focused on Australia’s 4 largest online marketplaces: Kogan, Amazon Australia, Catch, and Ebay Australia.

    In light of its findings, the ACCC is considering introducing more regulatory framework regarding digital platform services.

    At the time of writing, the Kogan share price is $4.53, 2.58% lower than its previous close.

    For context, both the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) are in the green. Right now, they’ve gained 1.12% and 1.16% respectively.

    Let’s take a closer look at what has concerned ACCC.

    Kogan slumps as ACCC ponders new regulation

    The Kogan share price is slumping amid concerns of marketplaces’ use of algorithms, consumer data, and dispute processes.

    After concluding its probe, the ACCC believes the industry needs more consumer protections. Particularly, surrounding platforms’ control and involvement with transactions.

    “Online marketplaces have an important role in connecting Australian consumers and sellers, and make up a growing share of consumer sales,” said ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb. “But we are concerned about their impact on both consumers and third-party sellers who rely on online marketplaces to reach their customers.”

    The watchdog is also concerned over the use of ranking algorithms, which impact consumers’ purchasing decisions.

    How much data platforms collect from consumers, as well as what that data is used for, also sparked worries.

    Finally, a continued lack of dispute resolution processes has pushed the regulator to once again recommend the establishment of an ombudsman scheme to resolve complaints.

    Following the probe, the ACCC is calling for platforms to offer consumers and sellers more information and control over how ranking algorithms work and what marketplaces are doing with their data.

    The competition watchdog is also considering if Australia would benefit from new regulatory framework addressing competition and consumer concerns with digital platform services more broadly.

    “Any such framework should be able to be applied to an online marketplace if it reaches a position where it could exercise a certain level of market power or, potentially, act as a gatekeeper between businesses and consumers,” said Cass-Gottlieb.

    Kogan share price snapshot

    This year has been rough on the Kogan share price.

    It has tumbled 49% since the start of 2022. It is also nearly 58% lower than it was this time last year.

    The post Kogan share price dips amid ACCC online marketplace probe appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Kogan, 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 Kogan 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. 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 Amazon and Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended eBay and has recommended the following options: short April 2022 $62.50 calls on eBay. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Kogan.com ltd and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Nickel Mines share price lifts following record quarter

    a man wearing a hard hat and high visibility vest looks out over a vast plain where heavy mining equipment can be seen in the background as the Nickel Mines share price rises todaya man wearing a hard hat and high visibility vest looks out over a vast plain where heavy mining equipment can be seen in the background as the Nickel Mines share price rises today

    The Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC) share price is leaping today following the release of the company’s quarterly results. The ASX nickel producer’s share price is currently $1.22, a 5.8% gain. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 1.17% today.

    Let’s take a look at the news Nickel Mines has for ASX investors today.

    Nickel Mines share price jumps on quarterly results

    Highlights included:

    • Record US$81.7 million EBITDA from operations, up 18.7% on the December quarter
    • 11,166 tonnes of 100% nickel produced, up 10.7%
    • Record Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) EBITDA of US$72.8 million, up 19.7%
    • US$7,386 per tonne of nickel sold, a 22.5% increase on the US$6,028 per tonne sold in the December quarter
    • Sales revenue increased 4.4% to $195.4 million
    • Underlying cash generation from operations of US$81.3 million, up 19.9%
    • Hengjaya Mine production down 4.3% to 1,073,525 wet metric tonne (wmt)
    • Final dividend of $0.02 per share declared.

    What else happened during the quarter?

    Underpinning this result were record sales from the Hengjaya and Ranger Nickel projects in Indonesia. A total of 10,089 tonnes of nickel was sold from these projects alone.

    Nickel Mines is also exploring the Angel Nickel project, where sales are expected to start in the June quarter.

    The revenue increase was driven by an US$823 per tonne jump in the realised price of nickel. Higher nickel prices were due to rising nickel ore costs and strong demand from the global stainless steel market. The Russia-Ukraine conflict and a global nickel short squeeze created supply issues.

    The company signed its biggest ever Nickel pig iron (NPI) contracts in March and April from the Hengijaya Nickel and Ranger Nickel projects.

    Operating cash costs at Hengjaya Nickel and Ranger Nickel fell during the third quarter. This was in stark contrast to the previous five quarters when prices increased.

    Nickel Mines commissioned three Angel RKEF lines during the third quarter.

    Nickel Mines also completed the take-up of a 10% interest in the Oracle Nickel Project.

    Management comment

    Commenting on the results, managing director Justin Werner said:

    The March quarter was a milestone quarter for both the Company’s RKEF and mining operations with numerous production and financial records set.

    With increasing production from both our RKEF and mining operations, underpinned by strong and stable operating margins, we are well positioned to deliver an exceptionally strong financial performance for our shareholders over the next 12 months.

    What’s next?

    Nickel Mines also advised the ASX today that the Australian Foreign Investment Review Board has no objection to Shanghai Decent owning up to 22% of Nickel Mines.

    Nickel Mines predicts production and EBITDA will more than triple in the next twelve months.

    The company described Indonesia, where the company’s flagship projects are located, as the “epicentre of new nickel supply”.

    Nickel Mines share price snapshot

    The Nickel Mines share price has leapt by 13% in the past 12 months. It has fallen 16% year to date. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has returned about 4% over the past year.

    Nickel Mines has a market capitalisation of about $3 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Nickel Mines share price lifts following record quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Nickel Mines right now?

    Before you consider Nickel Mines , 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 Nickel Mines 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here are 2 top ASX dividend shares analysts are tipping as buys

    woman happy at dividends she will recieve

    woman happy at dividends she will recieveLooking for dividends shares for you income portfolio? If you are, you may want to check out the two listed below.

    Here’s what you need to know about these ASX dividend shares:

    Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN)

    The first ASX dividend share that could be in the buy zone is Baby Bunting. It is the leading baby products retailer with a strong (and growing) presence through its national superstores and online business.

    Citi is a fan of the company and has a buy rating and $6.22 price target on its shares. The broker highlights that the retailer has a strong position in a less discretionary category. It expects this to support strong growth in the coming years.

    Citi explained: “We see Baby Bunting well placed to outperform the broader small cap retail sector this year given the non-discretionary nature of its category. While the FY22 PE multiple of 24x (or 29x when adjusted for transformation costs) is not cheap, we forecast a FY21 to FY24 EPS CAGR of 17%.”

    In respect to dividends, Citi has pencilled in fully franked dividends per share of 16 cents in FY 2022 and 19 cents in FY 2023. Based on the current Baby Bunting share price of $4.59, this will mean yields of 3.5% and 4.1%, respectively.

    Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)

    Another ASX dividend share that could be in the buy zone is Harvey Norman. It is of course one of Australia’s largest retailers with stores across the country and internationally.

    The team at Goldman Sachs is very positive on the retail giant and has a buy rating and $5.80 price target on its shares.

    Goldman highlights that Harvey Norman “has a greater preference within the boomer generation and a higher exposure to regional Australia.” The broker believes this shields it from online disruption.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of 43.3 cents per share in FY 2022 and 39.6 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the current Harvey Norman share price of $5.04, this will mean yields of 8.6% and 7.9%, respectively.

    The post Here are 2 top ASX dividend shares analysts are tipping as buys 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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 Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Baby Bunting. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why Cettire, Newcrest, Silver Lake, and Whispir shares are tumbling lower

    Red arrow going down on a stock market table which symbolises a falling share price.

    Red arrow going down on a stock market table which symbolises a falling share price.

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is back on form and on course to record a strong gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 1.1% to 7,342.2 points.

    Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are tumbling lower:

    Cettire Ltd (ASX: CTT)

    The Cettire share price is down 7% to 68.5 cents. Investors have been selling this online luxury goods retailer’s shares following the release of its quarterly update. Although Cettire reported strong growth in its gross revenue, there were a few metrics that appear to have spooked investors. For example, conversion rates and average order size both fell year on year and compared to the average during the first two quarters of FY 2022.

    Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    The Newcrest share price is down 2% to $26.50. This follows the release of the gold miner’s quarterly update. That update revealed a 10% increase in gold production to 480,000 ounces. And with an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $1,008 per ounce, Newcrest enjoyed an AISC margin of $809 per ounce. This appears to have been overshadowed by a pullback in the gold price overnight.

    Silver Lake Resources Limited (ASX: SLR)

    The Silver Lake share price has slumped 6% to $1.88. This morning the gold miner released its quarterly update and reported production of 53,822 ounces of gold. While this left it positioned to meet its FY 2022 production guidance, management warned that COVID-19 related labour shortages could disrupt its operations. As a result, it is withdrawing its guidance.

    Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP)

    The Whispir share price has sunk over 15% to $1.24. Yesterday this communications workflow platform provider avoided the tech selloff after investors responded positively to the release of its quarterly update. That positivity has faded very quickly, with a broker note out of Wilsons potentially to blame. This morning its analysts slashed their price target by 22% to $3.05. Though, this is still meaningfully higher than current levels.

    The post Why Cettire, Newcrest, Silver Lake, and Whispir shares are tumbling lower 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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 Cettire Limited and Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cettire Limited and Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why is the Woodside share price in the spotlight on Thursday?

    Two workers at an oil rig discuss the rising crude oil price and the impact on the Woodside share price todayTwo workers at an oil rig discuss the rising crude oil price and the impact on the Woodside share price today

    The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is currently down 0.2% to $30.89. Today, it has been as high as $31.59 and as low as $30.67. That’s a swing of almost 3% in just five hours of trading.

    Other oil and gas producers, like Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT), have seen a similar pattern with their share prices – they were higher earlier today and then those gains faded.

    During this week, Woodside released its quarterly update for the three months to 31 March 2022.

    First-quarter update

    Woodside said that its delivered production was 22.3 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe) for the quarter. This was down 1% from the fourth quarter of 2021.

    Its sales volume was 25.5 MMboe, which included a 2% increase in the produced LNG sales volume from the 2021 fourth quarter.

    The average realised price increased to $93 per barrel of oil equivalent. This was an increase of 3% from the 2021 fourth quarter.

    While the price per barrel increased, the sales revenue of $2.36 billion was down 17% from the fourth quarter of 2021 due to lower trading activity.

    Highlights included the commencement of processing Pluto gas at the Karratha Gas Plant. This followed the start-up of the Pluto-KGP interconnector pipeline.

    Outlook for Woodside and its share price

    Woodside said that it’s expecting to see the continued benefits of stronger pricing in the second quarter, reflecting the oil price lag in many of its LNG contracts.

    The ASX oil share pointed to the implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which exacerbated the energy markets, which were already “tight”, particularly for LNG. It has driven prices higher.

    Woodside continues to make progress toward the merger with the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) petroleum business. Why are they merging? Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill explains:

    We believe the case for the proposed merger with BHP Petroleum is compelling. It will bring together the best of two successful organisations and deliver the increased scale, diversity and resilience to provide value to shareholders and ensure Woodside better navigates the energy transition.

    The company points to progress with a number of its other projects. This includes Scarborough where the manufacture of the pipeline has started. It has signed binding agreements for the long-term charter of three new-build LNG carriers to be delivered before the start-up of Scarborough. These new vessels “will improve the cost-competitiveness and fuel efficiency of the Woodside fleet”.

    Is the Woodside share price an opportunity?

    The broker Morgans thinks that Woodside is a buy, with a price target of $33.60. That implies a potential rise of around 10% over the next year.

    However, UBS is only neutral with a price target of $32.20, suggesting a smaller potential rise for the Woodside share price. UBS has decreased its production expectations for the next couple of years.

    The post Why is the Woodside share price in the spotlight on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Woodside, 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 Woodside 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Xero share price is a buy right now: experts

    A woman sits at her computer in deep contemplation with her hand to her chin and seriously considering information she is receiving from the screen of her laptop regarding the Xero share priceA woman sits at her computer in deep contemplation with her hand to her chin and seriously considering information she is receiving from the screen of her laptop regarding the Xero share price

    The Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price has dropped 35% since the start of 2022. The ASX tech share is seen as an opportunity, according to some experts.

    It has been a volatile period for the ASX share market. There is elevated inflation around the world, which is why expectations for rising interest rates are increasing.

    That may explain some of the market sentiment on the Xero share price in recent times. But after the decline, some experts believe that the cloud accounting business is worth buying.

    Here are some of the factors that are favourable about the company.

    High-profit margin with growing SaaS metrics

    It is possible for technology companies to achieve relatively high-profit margins because of the intangible nature of what they offer customers. Software can be reproduced easily and cheaply. Furniture, phones, or other physical goods have to be manufactured and shipped.

    Xero reported in its FY22 half-year result that its gross profit margin improved by another 1.4% to 87.1%. This means that a large majority of new income for Xero can turn into gross profit. Xero is utilising this money to invest in further growth.

    The company said it’s seeing “strength” with a number of its software as a service (SaaS) metrics. Over HY22, its average revenue per user (ARPU) increased by 5% to NZ$31.32.

    Xero also said that its subscriber ‘churn’ was low and went lower. HY22 churn was 0.88%, down from 1.11% in HY21.

    Global growth for Xero

    The ASX tech share started operations in New Zealand but it is now a global accounting software business.

    In Australia and New Zealand, it reached 1.72 million subscribers – that was an increase of 20% year on year, with 22% growth in Australia to 1.24 million. Xero said this points to the “positive potential of international segment.”

    The business is growing quickly outside of Australia/New Zealand.

    In the UK, it grew subscribers by 23% to 785,000 in HY22. It’s looking to grow by expanding its compliance and tax offerings. In North America, subscribers rose 23% to 308,000. Xero is looking to grow in both the US and Canada.

    Xero is also aiming to gain a significant presence in the ‘rest of the world’ segment. HY22 saw subscribers grow by 48% to 201,000. The ASX tech share is making “strong progress” in South Africa and Singapore.

    Platform business model

    Xero wants to build its small business platform. Indeed, CEO Steve Vamos said:

    We are committed to delivering the world’s most insightful and trusted small business platform to make life better for people in small business, their advisors and communities around the world.

    The company is seeing growth in the number of Planday users and employees being paid through Xero payroll. The total payment value is also increasing on Xero’s platform.

    Xero is directing the cash flow it generates to grow its platform to “drive long-term shareholder value”.

    The percentage of revenue that comes from its platform, rather than core accounting, is growing. In HY22, platform revenue was 11% of the total revenue, up from 6%. Platform revenue increased 104% year on year, or 37% excluding revenue from acquired businesses.

    Xero share price targets

    Ord Minnett rates Xero as a buy, with a price target of $107. The broker thinks Xero can benefit from global tailwinds toward cloud software. Citi also rates Xero shares as a buy, with a price target of $132.60.

    At the time of writing, Xero shares are swapping hands for $93.68, down 0.92% for the day. The Xero share price has dived 36% year to date and 32% over the past 12 months. Its 52-week high is $156.65.

    The post Why the Xero share price is a buy right now: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Xero, 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 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why AMP, Fortescue, Pilbara Minerals, and Sandfire shares are racing higher

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is rebounding from recent weakness. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 1.1% to 7,340.2 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are racing higher:

    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

    The AMP share price is up 15% to $1.18. Investors have been buying this financial services company’s shares after it announced an agreement to sell its international infrastructure equity business to DigitalBridge. The two parties have agreed an upfront consideration of A$462 million and a total value of up to A$699 million. This follows recent agreements to sell its domestic infrastructure equity and real estate business and its infrastructure debt platform. AMP intends to return the majority of the proceeds to shareholders.

    Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

    The Fortescue share price is up 6.5% to $21.43. This morning the mining giant released its third quarter update which revealed iron ore shipments up 10% year on year to 46.5 million tonnes (mt). This means Fortescue’s shipments reached a record of 139.5mt for the first three quarters of the financial year. This led to management upgrading its shipments guidance for FY 2022.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    The Pilbara Minerals share price is up 2% to $2.65. Earlier today the lithium miner released its quarterly update and revealed production of 81,431 dry metric tonnes (dmt) of spodumene concentrate. While this was down 2% quarter on quarter, management has retained its FY 2022 production guidance of 340,000–380,000 dmt. It also reported another increase in lithium prices for the quarter.

    Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR)

    The Sandfire share price is up 11% to $5.77. Investors have been buying this copper producer’s shares following the release of its quarterly update. That update revealed strong production, sales, and earnings thanks largely to the transformational acquisition of MATSA.

    The post Why AMP, Fortescue, Pilbara Minerals, and Sandfire shares are racing higher 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Mineral Resources share price is leaping 5%

    man jumping along increasing bar graph signifying jump in alumina share priceman jumping along increasing bar graph signifying jump in alumina share price

    The Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) share price is storming higher today.

    This comes after the mining services company announced an update to its unsecured senior notes offer.

    At the time of writing, the Mineral Resources share price is up 4.79% to $58.15.

    Mineral Resources bolsters its notes offer

    According to its release, Mineral Resources advised the pricing and upsizing of its US$1.25 billion unsecured notes offer.

    As previously stated, the notes will be offered across two tranches to persons believed to be qualified institutional buyers.

    It appears investors are viewing the release as a positive one, sending the Mineral Resources share price higher.

    The first offer comprises US$625 million senior unsecured notes priced at 8% per annum, maturing in 2027. The interest is payable on 1 May and 1 November each year, commencing in November 2022.

    The second tranche of US$625 million senior unsecured notes will be priced at 8.5% per annum, expiring in 2030. These will also have the same payable interest dates as above, commencing in November 2022.

    Originally, the proposed notes offering was placed at US$1 billion.

    Mineral Resources stated that it intends to use the cash proceeds for general corporate purposes, including capital expenditures.

    The settlement of the offering of the notes is expected to occur on 2 May 2022, subject to customary closing conditions.

    Mineral Resources share price snapshot

    Despite being down 5% for the week, Mineral Resources shares have gained almost 20% since this time last month.

    When looking further back, its shares are up 26% over the past 12 months.

    On valuation grounds, Mineral Resources presides a market capitalisation of roughly $11 billion, with approximately 189.2 million shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the Mineral Resources share price is leaping 5% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Mineral Resources, 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 Mineral Resources 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why is the Rio Tinto share price rebounding strongly on Thursday?

    mining worker making excited fists and looking excited

    mining worker making excited fists and looking excited

    It’s been a very pleasing day on the whole for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). After some heavy losses earlier in the week, the ASX 200 is rebounding strongly today, up 0.95% at the time of writing to around 7,330 points. But it’s been an even better day for the Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price. Rio shares are currently up a healthy 2.34% at $111.51 each. That comes after some steep selling earlier this week.

    So why are Rio shares surging higher today?

    Well, we can’t be completely certain. The company hasn’t released any news itself today. However, looking at the market, we can take a guess. The materials and metals and mining indexes on the ASX 200 are the top two performing sectors so far today. So Rio is certainly not alone in its gains. Its peers like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) are also surging, both up even more than Rio. Fortescue’s shares have risen an eye-popping 5.82%.

    Rio share price rises amid higher iron ore price, falling dollar

    These moves come as the iron ore price sees a rebound. According to Trading Economics, iron ore rallied overnight to US$137 a tonne. The Aussie dollar has also fallen in recent days. It’s now at just over 71 US cents, down from over 72 earlier n the week. A falling dollar makes exports from Australia cheaper to buy for foreign buyers, which is good news for miners like Rio.

    So a rising iron ore price, and a falling Aussie dollar is the likely reason why iron ore miners like Rio, BHP and Fortescue are rallying today. This is no doubt coming as a relief for Rio investors, who had to watch the company lose around 4% of its value over Tuesday and Wednesday’s trading.

    At the current Rio Tinto share price, this ASX 200 mining giant has a market capitalisation of $40.44 billion, with a trailing dividend yield of 9.75%.

    The post Why is the Rio Tinto share price rebounding strongly on Thursday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rio Tinto right now?

    Before you consider Rio Tinto, 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 Rio Tinto 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 Bruce Jackson.

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