Category: Stock Market

Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) suffered a brutal selloff, mirroring the selling pressure on Wall Street last night. At the end of the session, the benchmark index finished 2.74% lower at 7,358.3 points.

In complete contrast to the Aussie market’s first session of the year, today was a sea of red. Not a single sector was unable to escape a more bearish sentiment across the ASX on Thursday. The effect was further exaggerated for tech investors, with the sector tumbling 6.4% — its worst one-day session since February last year. Meanwhile, shares in the materials sector stayed the sturdiest, despite also falling 1.45%.

However, the question is: which shares delivered the biggest returns to investors on the ASX today? It is a challenging question to pose on such days. Fortunately, there were still a handful of companies that stayed in the green.

Here are the top ten stocks that came through for investors:

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the financial services provided rose 1.78% after announcing its intent to acquire the consumer finance business of Humm Group Ltd (ASX: HUM) for $335 million. Find out more about Latitude Group here.

The next biggest gaining ASX share today was Zimplats Holdings Ltd (ASX: ZIM). The platinum group metals mining company moved 1.73% higher despite there being no announcements. Uncover the latest Zimplats details here.

Today’s top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX shares:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS)	$2.00	1.78%
Zimplats Holdings Ltd (ASX: ZIM)	$23.50	1.73%
Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO)	$101.21	0.73%
OZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: OZL)	$28.95	0.59%
Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: CUV)	$26.88	0.41%
Ausnet Services Ltd (ASX: AST)	$2.56	0.39%
Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)	$3.40	0.30%
Mercury NZ Ltd (ASX: MCY)	$5.95	0.17%
BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)	$42.68	0.12%
Summerset Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: SNZ)	$12.99	0.08%

Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check-in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why BHP, Clinuvel, Latitude, and Peet shares are pushing higher
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Afterpay sinks again, BHP and Rio rise
• Latitude (ASX:LFS) share price higher on $335m Humm BNPL acquisition
• Humm (ASX:HUM) share price shoots 8% higher after BNPL takeover approach
• ASX 200 tech shares on watch after Nasdaq selloff

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 Limited. 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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While it might have been a blockbuster year for commodity prices in 2021, it was a patchy market for mining and resource shares across the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

It turned out not every commodity was hot last year. While lithium prices were going up, iron ore prices were going down. The variety in performance across commodities meant most of the winners during the year were benefitting from attractive supply and demand dynamics.

Unsurprisingly, ASX lithium shares dominated the market — proving to be a lucrative investment for shareholders.

The overall mining and resource sector’s performance was average compared to the index. But, when companies in the sector performed, they performed extremely well. For that reason, some of these ASX 200 shares will be familiar if you’ve read our 5 best performing ASX shares of 2021 coverage.

5 top ASX 200 mining and resource shares in 2021

Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR)

Investors weren’t deterred by the fact Liontown Resources is still a pre-revenue lithium company.

During the 12 months of 2021, the company’s share price latched onto the booming enthusiasm towards the electric battery material. This proved rewarding for shareholders, with shares gaining 388% in the year.

As the demand for lithium-ion batteries continues to grow, Liontown Resources attracted eager eyes with its Kathleen Valley lithium project. The company describes the project as “a world-class lithium deposit with a mineral resource estimate of 156 million tonnes at 1.4% lithium oxide”.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The next ASX 200 mining share making the list has been dubbed Macquarie Group Ltd‘s (ASX: MQG) top pick among ASX lithium shares. The Pilbara Minerals share price entered 2021 at 87 cents per share. By the end of the year, it had gained 267% to finish at $3.20.

Unlike Liontown Resources, Pilbara Minerals is already up and running, with the company booking record shipments of spodumene concentrate in 2021. In FY21, the lithium producer recorded $175.8 million in revenue — representing an increase of 109% on the previous year.

Macquarie currently holds a price target of $3.70 on Pilbara Minerals’ shares.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

Switching up gears, the next entrant in our best performing ASX 200 mining shares is not a lithium producer. Instead, Lynas Rare Earths is unearthing another crucial element group used in green technology — rare earth elements.

The Lynas share price surged 156% in 2021, giving shareholders something to smile about. Much like the companies mentioned before, this was mostly due to an increase in demand for the underlying commodity. Neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr) prices skyrocketed last year, greatly improving Lynas’ revenue and profitability along with it.

However, two experts have recently tagged the mining company with a hold rating.

Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN)

Chalice Mining had a blast of a year in 2021. Shares in the mineral explorer enjoyed a 146% increase during a year to remember.

Shareholders willing to stick it out with Chalice basked in the glory of further positive updates in relation to its Julimar project in Western Australia.

On 9 November 2021, the company released its maiden mineral resource estimate for the Gonneville deposit. The estimate came out to be 10 million ounces of palladium, platinum, and gold — making it the largest nickel sulphide discovery in more than 20 years.

Bell Potter remains bullish on the ASX 200 mining share, placing a speculative buy and an $11.73 price target on it.

Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

The last company on the list is lithium carbonate and boron producer, Allkem. This name is a bit of a new one, but its components are more familiar. During the year, the previously ASX-listed lithium companies of Orocobre and Galaxy Resources merged to form Allkem.

Thanks to the increase in lithium prices, this ASX 200 mining share notched up a 132% gain in 2021. Analysts at JP Morgan are convinced there’s more still in the tank of this newly formed lithium giant. Currently, the broker holds an overweight rating on Allkem’s shares.

The post Here are the 5 best performing ASX 200 mining and resource shares of 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares this Thursday
• What is JP Morgan saying about ASX lithium shares?
• 6 ASX shares involved with green metals
• These are the 5 best performing ASX shares of 2021
• These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns Lynas Corporation Limited and Macquarie Group Limited. 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 Macquarie Group Limited. 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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The Firefinch Ltd (ASX: FFX) share price went underground today.

The gold miner and lithium producer announced this morning that mining had started at its West African site.

But despite the positive news, the Firefinch share price spent the entire day in the red and was down 6.78% at 83 cents apiece at market close.

Mining operations begin at Morila Super Pit

Morila Super Pit is a gold mine located in West Africa — one of two major Firefinch projects.

In fact, the miner is so proud of this site, they’ve nicknamed it Morila the Gorilla — earning its name for producing some of the highest gold grades in the world.

Now that mining has started, the company hopes to produce more than 100,000 ounces of gold per annum from the site.

To do so, the activities will be undertaken by Firefinch’s primary mining contractor, Mota Engil, in conjunction with Malian group Interline (MEIM).

So far, Firefinch has moved the first material at the site, and now the next order of business is to pre-strip the waste.

The company said it expected ore mining to start during the second quarter of 2022, with the hope it would become a “consistent source of ore” soon after.

Comment from management

Firefinch managing director Dr Michael Anderson said the company was “well set up” for the work to come.

Morila Super Pit is where the greatest value for the business lies and, as we have done consistently to date, we have successfully delivered on another Morila development milestone.

Having previously stated that we’d commence mining at the Morila Super Pit in Q1 2022, we have broken ground in the first week of the quarter.

Firefinch share price snapshot

Over the last 12 months, the Firefinch share price has increased by a whopping 310%.

The miner has a market capitalisation of $971 million based on the current share price, and 1.17 billion shares issued.

The post Firefinch (ASX:FFX) shares tumbled 7% today despite project milestone appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here’s why the Firefinch (ASX:FFX) share price is flying higher today
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• Here’s why the Firefinch (ASX:FFX) share price is plunging 10% today

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It might be easy to forget after today’s dramatic sell-off, but in 2021, ASX shares and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a pretty strong year. The ASX 200 ended up gaining a solid 13% or so for the calendar year, not including dividend returns. But the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK) made that look pretty paltry by comparison.

HACK units had a stellar year, no way about it. This exchange-traded fund (ETF) started the year at $8.82 but finished up last week at $10.86. That’s a capital gain of just over 23%. But if we factor in the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF’s dividend distributions, and the returns get even better. According to the provider, HACK’s total 2021 returns came to roughly 26.6%.

So how did the BetaShares Cybersecurity ETF manage to double the returns of the ASX 200?

One HACK of a year for BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF

It would have helped that this ETF doesn’t invest in any ASX 200 shares. Or any Australian shares for that matter.

HACK holds a concentrated basket of companies that are judged to be world leaders in cybersecurity. Currently, 91.9% of those are US-listed companies, but there is a small presence from Israel, Japan, France, and India.

As of yesterday, its top 5 holdings were:

1. Accenture Plc (NYSE: ACN) with a portfolio weighting of 6.9%
2. Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CSCO) with a weighting of 6.8%
3. Palo Alto Networks Inc (NYSE: PANW) with a weighting of 5.9%
4. Crowdstrike Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: CRWD) with a weighting of 5.3%
5. Cloudflare Inc (NYSE: NET) with a weighting of 3.7%

During 2021, Accenture shares rose by a very rewarding 58.7%.

Cisco shares were up 41.6%, while Palo Alto managed a 56.66% rise.

An outlier, Crowdstrike went backwards over the year that was, falling by 3.34%.

But Cloudflare went on to record a very pleasing 73.3% gain for 2021.

With such robust performances from HACK’s top 5 holdings, it’s perhaps no surprise this ETF enjoyed such a successful year.

But BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF investors might be used to this by now. After all, this is a fund that has averaged a return of 30.51% per annum over the past 3 years. And 22.4% per annum over the past 5.

As we begin 2022, it will be interesting to see how HACK performs over the year to come.

The BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF charges a management fee of 0.67% per annum, or $67 for every $10,000 invested.

The post Here’s how the BetaShares Cybersecurity ETF (ASX:HACK) beat the ASX 200 in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX ETFs for smart investors in 2022
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• Here are 2 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors in 2022
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• 3 highly rated ASX shares to buy next week

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns Cloudflare, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS, Cloudflare, Inc., and CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. 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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The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price provided shareholders with a reasonable return in 2021. While the company contested with ongoing COVID-19 impacts, shares began to lift off, rising 11.2% by the end of the year.

However, the gain proved not enough to outpace the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). The market’s collection of the top 200 companies achieved a 13% return before dividends. While it wasn’t to be for Flight Centre shareholders, there were 2 ASX travel shares that went above and beyond the benchmark index.

Let’s take a look at the 2 travel companies that performed better than Flight Centre on the ASX last year.

2 shares flying over the top of Flight Centre on the ASX

In 2021, there were 2 ASX travel shares that exceeded expectations, despite being exposed to the same perils as Flight Centre. These companies were Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) and Sydney Airport (ASX: SYD). So, what was it that set these investments apart from their less fortunate peer?

The answer for Sydney Airport is quite an obvious one for anyone who followed the merger and acquisition space last year. On 5 July 2021, Australia’s largest airport received a buyout offer for $22.6 billion in an all-cash transaction.

Shares in Sydney Airport quickly responded to the $8.25 per share offer, rising 37% on the day. As the year went on, this offer was increased to $8.75. Prior to the offer, Sydney Airport shares were 9.4% below where they had started the year at. If not for the buyout, the airport operator might have been in a similar position as ASX-listed Flight Centre.

Meanwhile, Corporate Travel Management did not have a buyout offer to boost its share price. Instead, investors might have been more optimistic for this ASX travel share’s bounce back.

Unlike Sydney Airport and Flight Centre, Corporate Travel has had zero debt on its books since March 2020. Simultaneously, the company had cash piled up to the tune of $100 million throughout last year.

Furthermore, shareholders were informed in April 2021 that the company had broken even in March and was expecting positive underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) in the fourth quarter.

As it turned out, Corporate Travel Management returned to positive EBITDA in the second half. Notably, the ASX travel share announced the acquisition of Travel & Transport in September.

With these drivers behind it, the Corporate Travel Management share price gained 25.8% in 2021.

The post 2 ASX travel shares that flew higher than Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top ASX shares to buy in January 2022
• Why didn’t Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) shares enjoy any Christmas cheer in December?
• How are ASX 200 travel shares faring over the holiday season?
• Why Afterpay, Corporate Travel, Dicker Data, and Synlait shares are falling
• ASX travel shares in focus on global flight cancellations

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 Corporate Travel Management Limited and Flight Centre Travel Group Limited. 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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Wow, 2022, huh?

This time last year, we were hoping that the turning of the calendar page would herald the end to a tough year, and brighter times ahead.

That wasn’t, unfortunately, to be the case.

This time around, we weren’t so keen.

Not only were many of us reconsidering New Year’s Eve plans, as cases surged around the country, but we weren’t so naive as to assume a new digit at the end of the year would mean the end of our troubles.

Now, as you likely know, I’m an optimist. And – cross your fingers as I tempt fate – I do hope and expect we’ll finish the year in a better state than we started it.

So the fact that we’re about to tick over into a third year of dealing with the pandemic is cause for disappointment, but not the abandonment of hope.

I’m disappointed with facets of the various governments’ handling of the pandemic, to be sure, and I hope they do better in future. But while we should expect accountability for past mistakes, we should always continue to look forward, too.

We’ve been through tougher times before, and come out stronger. We will, again.

At the same time, we’re almost a week through the new year. Time enough for some people to be making real traction on New Year’s resolutions, while others may have already faltered.

To be honest, I’m not really a resolutions kinda guy.

But I do like the fact that for many people, a new year is a mental and emotional opportunity to leave the old behind, and focus on the new.

No, there’s nothing magical about an arbitrary point in a solar calendar. We can ‘start again’ or ‘start from scratch’ at any time. But we know from behavioural psychology that external prompts or social ‘norms’ can give us a running start.

So that’s good. And if that’s you, I want to ask you to consider making some New Year’s resolutions for your finances, to get 2022 (and the rest of your life) off to a cracking start.

And if, like me, you kinda shun the whole idea, perhaps you’ll consider what follows as what it is – just a common sense set of concepts that I reckon, put together, will improve your finances.

So, here’s to 2022.

And to 2023.

And to 2030… and many, many more years into the future, at which point I hope you’ll look back on 2022 as the year in which some decisions made, and habits formed, set you up for a bright financial future.

No, they’re not new. There’s little in investing that truly is. Instead, financial success is far more likely to come from doing the simple things, repeatedly. So, without further ado…

Here are 13 New Year’s Resolutions that I hope will be a touchstone to help you on that journey.

13 Foolish New Year’s Resolutions

To help you become smarter, happier and richer

1. I will live below my means — spending less than I earn.

2. I will save money into a rainy-day fund so I’m ready for what life might bring.

3. I will pay off my credit card debt, and then only spend what I can pay off within the interest free period each month.

4. I will regularly add to my investment account.

5. I will invest money I don’t need for at least 3-5 years to build my nest egg.

6. I will learn more about investing, taking control of my financial future.

7. I will invest in quality businesses, buying a slice of the company, not just a code on a screen.

8. I will buy shares in a company with the intention of holding them for the long term.

9. I will sell when my investment thesis fails, the company is overvalued or I have a better idea.

10. I will avoid anchoring my decisions to the price I paid for my shares.

11. I will remember that the market can be moody and over-react, both on the upside and the downside.

12. I will expect volatility, and I won’t let it spook me into selling. Indeed, volatility can offer me great opportunities!

13. I will let the market offer me prices (be my servant), not dictate my mood or actions (be my master).

(Want a printable version? I’m glad you asked. Here it is!)

Fool on!

The post Resolutions for a better financial future appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why did the Beach Energy (ASX:BPT) share price nosedive 30% in 2021?
• Why analysts slapped buy ratings on these ASX shares
• Here’s why the QBE (ASX:QBE) share price surged 30% in 2021
• Ramsay (ASX:RHC) share price falls 6% amid reports of COVID battle plan
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares this Thursday

Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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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The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price had a shocker of a year in 2021, suffering more lows than highs.

Shares in the oil and gas company fell from $1.81 to $1.26 during the year, a 30% decrease.

Let’s take a look at what weighed on investors’ minds.

A tough year

Beach Energy’s shares had a rollercoaster year characterised by a few bumps and one devastating fall in late April.

In mid-January, the share price fell 15% on the back of falling oil prices and broker downgrades. Between 13 January and 1 February, the company’s share price dropped 15%.

Investors also reacted to the company’s quarterly report released on 27 January, showing a 35% decline in sales revenue to $344 million. Shares then recovered 12% between 1 February and 9 February as oil prices continued to rise.

But the largest fall for the Beach Energy share price took place on one day in late April. Shares dropped 24% from $1.68 at market close on 29 April to $1.275 on 30 April.

Shares in the energy producer crashed following the release of the company’s third-quarter results. Investors reacted negatively to its production dropping 5% against the previous quarter and 15% lower than the third quarter of FY20.

September, however, brought far more joy to Beach’s shareholders. From 20 September to 30 September, shares exploded an incredible 43%. The company entered into an agreement with energy giant BP relating to its share of liquefied natural gas from the Waitsia gas project stage 2.

A well-received investor update from the company also helped the Beach Energy share price. Beach revealed it was aiming for production of 28 MMboe by FY 2024.

Continuing rising oil prices likely weighed on investors’ minds. Oil producers were struggling to provide enough of the liquid due to supply worries.

However, shares fell again in October and November, dropping nearly 21% in just those two months. Managing director and chief executive officer Matt Kay also resigned on 2 November. In addition, the company’s quarterly report didn’t help. As my Foolish colleague James reported, the results showed Beach’s production was down 4% to 5.7MMboe. Sales revenue also declined to $388 million.

Finally, December saw brighter days for Beach Energy, with the company’s shares gaining nearly 6% during the month. Rob Jager ONZM was appointed as an independent non-executive director on December 14. The share price also lifted slightly on news of progress on its joint venture with Mitsui & Co.

Looking ahead, ASX energy shares have had a positive start to the year thanks to rising oil prices.

Beach Energy share price snapshot

The Beach Energy share price performed 43% worse than the broader S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in 2021.

It closed today down 3.8% at $1.265. However, it is up around 8% over the past month.

Beach Energy has a market capitalisation of nearly $2.9 billion based on its current share price.

The post Why did the Beach Energy (ASX:BPT) share price nosedive 30% in 2021? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• LNG hit record highs in 2021 so why did the Santos (ASX:STO) share price struggle?
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Pilbara Minerals hits record high, energy shares rise
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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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If you’re on the lookout for some new additions to your portfolio, then you may want to hear what analysts are saying about the ASX shares listed below.

Here’s what you need to know:

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

The team at Bell Potter believe this diversified food company’s shares are in the buy zone at the current level. That’s despite a recent rally after it emerged that Andrew Forrest’s investment business has been loading up on shares.

The broker likes Bega Cheese largely due to its game-changing acquisition of the Lion Dairy & Drinks business for $528 million last year.

It commented: “The acquisition of Lion Dairy & Drinks (LDD) and targeted synergy base is expected to drive a material step change in returns for BGA over the next three years. In addition, we see BGA benefiting from recent upward moves in both commodity price drivers (SMP returns up +32% since Jun’21) and price increases on private label milk for only the second time in 20 years (+10¢/l by both Woolworths and Coles).”

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $6.45 price target on its shares. This compares to the latest Bega Cheese share price of $5.31.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Another ASX share that analysts rate highly right now is Transurban. The team at Morgans, for example, appear to believe it could be a good option for investors looking for income. This is due to its forecasts for a rapid dividend recovery post-pandemic as traffic volumes recover.

Morgans commented: “We think TCL will continue to be attractive to investors given its market cap weighting (important for passive index tracking flows), the high quality of its assets, management team, balance sheet, and growth prospects. Watch for rapid recovery in DPS alongside traffic recovery and WestConnex acquisition prospects.”

The broker has an add rating and $14.57 price target on its shares. This compares to the latest Transurban share price of $13.49.

The post Why analysts slapped buy ratings on these ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Would you like cheese with that? A look at some of Twiggy’s highest profile ASX investments of 2021
• Morgans names 2 ASX 200 dividend shares to buy
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares last week
• ASX 200 falls on Friday but records 13% gain in 2021
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Big four banks fall, Bega Cheese jumps again

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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Last year was an eventful one for the QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) share price as it rebounded from a disappointing 2020 to finish up 33%.

In late trading today, the QBE share price is down 0.25% at $11.97.

Let’s take a look at the year that was for the insurer…

2021 off to a rocky start

After falling around 34% in 2020, the QBE share price got off to a rocky start in January 2021, before finding its stride in February.

The lower share price coincided with QBE announcing the renewal of its 2021 reinsurance program — arming itself with the help of other insurers in the protection of larger claims made.

The company increased its main retention to $3.4 billion — up by $1 million from its 2020 plan.

Its North America plan was cut in half, down to $200 million, due to COVID-19.

The QBE share price shifted slightly in mid-February after the insurer released its FY 2020 results.

In the presentation, the company reported a net cash loss (after tax) of US$863 million. This compared to an adjusted net profit (after tax) totalling US$733 million the year before.

QBE also did not declare a dividend for FY 2020.

QBE share price overcoming internal struggle

From 27 April to 6 May, shares in the insurer jumped by 17%. However, the company was expected to endure a pushback from shareholders at its AGM on 5 May.

The memo on the shareholders’ agenda? QBE’s remuneration report and its overall financial performance.

QBE chair Michael Wilkins AO cited COVID-19 and “heightened catastrophe activity” as reasons for the losses, though acknowledged the “unacceptable level of prior year reserve deterioration”.

However, Wilkins remained firm that QBE would make a comeback — and in the days following the AGM, QBE became one of the best performing ASX 200 shares.

The QBE share price continued to rise through August, before hitting its 52-week-high mid-month.

Strong prices to end the year

In the remainder of the year, the insurer’s shares dropped by 10% to end the year trading for $11.35 apiece.

The QBE share price saw a small rise after Melbourne’s 5.9 magnitude earthquake on 22 September.

It also saw a small drop following a Federal Court decision that businesses could not be compensated for losses due to government lockdowns.

So what’s on the 2022 agenda for the Australian insurer? Well, we spoke to a number of advisors who have their own predictions — you can read it here.

The company has a market capitalisation of more than $17.7 billion and almost 1.5 billion shares issued.

The post Here’s why the QBE (ASX:QBE) share price surged 30% in 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Morgans names 2 ASX 200 shares to buy
• Why is the IAG (ASX:IAG) share price underperforming QBE in 2021?
• Where are QBE (ASX:QBE) shares headed in 2022?
• 3 ASX shares to buy before Xmas (hint: one predicted to rise 41%)
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Motley Fool contributor Alice de Bruin 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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The Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) share price is suffering today amid a broader market sell off.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged the private hospital operator has its sights set on a hiring spree, bringing in graduate nurses to fight against a COVID-19-exacerbated shortage.

At the time of writing, the Ramsay Health Care share price is $67.58, 5.76% lower than its previous close.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has slumped 2.78% today, while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 2.83%.

Let’s take a closer look at Ramsey’s apparent plan to staff its hospitals through yet another COVID-19 outbreak.

Ramsay share price slides amid planned hiring spree

According to reporting by The Australian, Ramsay is planning to onboard its highest intake of graduate nurses to battle a shortage of staff made worse by the pandemic.

It expects to employee 550 new graduates – 25% more than it did during 2021.

Previous research by the federal government – conducted in 2014 – forecasts a shortfall of 85,000 nurses by 2025 and 123,000 by 2030.

On top of that, CEO of Ramsay’s Australian operations Carmel Monaghan was quoted as saying the pandemic has worsened the shortage:

Like all industries, we see the workforce as our most significant challenge for the next few years. Supply has been constrained with borders closed and staff furloughed due to COVID.

Monaghan also stated some nurses refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19, further exacerbating the shortage.

The Australian noted a shortage of nurses may block the company’s hospitals from bouncing back to their full elective surgery capacity.

Elective surgeries are a major income source for Ramsay’s private hospitals. In its results for financial year 2021, Ramsay reported a 90-day restriction on elective surgeries in Victoria had a $70 million impact on the company’s earnings before interest and tax.

Similar restrictions were put in place in New South Wales over the first half of financial year 2022 and were one reason behind a 39.5% fall in the company’s unaudited net profit after tax for the first quarter of financial year 2022.

Thus, it likely goes without saying the market will be watching the Ramsay Health Care share price when it releases its results for the first half of financial year 2022.

Monaghan reportedly told The Australian the company has already received expressions of interest from 500 graduate nurses.

The post Ramsay (ASX:RHC) share price falls 6% amid reports of COVID battle plan appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care Limited. 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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