Category: Stock Market

The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price will be in focus today. This comes following the Western Australian government’s backing for the energy company’s hydrogen project.

At the time of writing, the oil and gas company’s shares are down 1.64% to $22.26.

Woodside pushes ahead with plans despite Fortescue objection

Last month, Woodside revealed plans to build a $1 billion hydrogen and ammonia plant in Kwinana, south of Perth. However, this has been met with opposition by Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) over the project’s green credentials.

The facility aims to produce 1,500 tonnes of hydrogen every day to export in the form of ammonia and liquid hydrogen. Woodside hopes to supply green energy from the hydrogen plant into Western Australia’s electricity grid. This would make the facility one of the largest in the world when running at full capacity.

The state government wants to make hydrogen more readily available to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

Fortescue subsidiary, Fortescue Future Industries isn’t happy about Woodside’s developments. It claims that while most ammonia manufacturers are using less gas to make hydrogen, Woodside has gone in the opposite direction. Two-thirds of the hydrogen created will come directly from gas, a significant carbon emitting pollutant.

This strangely enough works against the government’s target to become carbon neutral in the future.

On the other hand, Fortescue is aiming to make 15 million tonnes of green hydrogen each year by 2030. The company has been progressing its $1 billion plant in Gladstone, Queensland.

In addition, the miner is developing large wind and solar projects across its Pilbara operations in Western Australia. The push for creating clean and renewable energy comes at a time where demand for iron ore could sink. This is particularly concerning for Fortescue given it produces lower grade ore compared to BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO).

About the Woodside share price

The Woodside share price is up around 15% over the last 12 months, but flat when looking at year-to-date. The company’s shares took a dive to $14.93 when COVID-19 put the global economy at a standstill. However, gradually its shares began to rebound since then.

Woodside commands a market capitalisation of roughly $21.58 billion, with 969.63 million shares on its registry.

The post Government support of Woodside (ASX:WPL) hydrogen project ‘doesn’t stack up’, says Fortescue appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price up 3%, but what’s the outlook for oil?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns shares of Woodside Petroleum Ltd. 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 in focus this morning following the release of the company’s latest trading update.

At the time of writing, shares in the global health operator are down 6.24% to $67.75. The company’s shares are now roughly on par with their price on 20 October, when the company announced a change to surgical restrictions in New South Wales and Victoria.

However, today is all about the details in Ramsay Health’s FY22 trading update.

What’s moving the Ramsay Health share price today?

COVID-19 continues to weigh on the bottom-line

The Ramsay Health share price is sinking after the company released its results for the quarter ending 30 September 2021.

According to the release, unaudited revenue for the quarter came in at $3.2 billion, up 1.3% on the prior corresponding period. Although, the metrics begin to look underwhelming as we move down the financial statements.

In the first quarter of FY22, unaudited net profit after tax fell a dramatic 39.5% to $58.1 million. The company highlights this was due to the impacts from elective surgery restrictions and disruptions caused by isolation orders and lockdowns across Greater Sydney and Western Australia.

In addition, Victoria and Queensland also incurred disruptions due to COVID lockdowns, impeding activity levels. As a result, Ramsay Health experienced elevated costs for doing business.

Further, the healthcare giant took a hit in the United Kingdom with significant procedure cancellations and higher operating costs. These heightened costs included extra staffing costs associated with COVID-related isolation orders.

What else?

Commenting on the continued impacts, Ramsay CEO and managing director Craig McNally said:

While the COVID environment has continued to create significant disruption across our business, we are seeing strong underlying demand for health care services across our regions. Our team will continue to support the public health sector as we transition the business to an environment where the world learns to live with COVID.

On another note, the company wiped its $200 million worth of fixed-rate loan facilities. In order to do so, Ramsay is up for $11.3 million in early repayment fees. However, it is estimated to save a total of $13.2 million in finance costs over the next 3 years.

The Ramsay Health share price is up around 9% since the beginning of this year.

The post Ramsay Health (ASX:RHC) share price falls 6% as earnings take a dive appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These three ASX shares smashed 52-week highs today
• These were the best performing ASX healthcare shares in October
• Ramsay (ASX:RHC) share price finishes higher as COVID surgery restrictions ease

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 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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The Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR) share price is back from its trading halt and has tumbled lower.

At the time of writing, the lithium developer’s shares are down over 9% to $1.69.

Why is the Liontown Resources share price tumbling?

Investors have been selling down the Liontown Resources share price this morning despite the release of its definitive feasibility study (DFS).

According to the release, the DFS confirms the potential to develop a state-of-the-art, second-generation lithium-tantalum mining and processing operation at the 100%-owned Kathleen Valley Project in Western Australia’s north-eastern Goldfields.

The release notes that the DFS base production has been increased from 2Mtpa to 2.5Mtpa, producing ~500ktpa of spodumene concentrate with a 4Mtpa expansion planned in year six, to deliver ~700ktpa spodumene concentrate.

In respect to costs, Liontown revealed that its pre-production capital cost estimate has increased to $473 million.

Nevertheless, the company estimates that the project has a post-tax net present value (NPV) of $4.2 billion, a payback of 2.3 years, and post-tax Life of Mine (LOM) free cash flow of $12.2 billion.

First production is expected to commence in the first half of 2024. This is a full year earlier than originally planned. Management notes that this will be when demand for lithium is forecast to accelerate significantly due to the stronger adoption of electric vehicles globally.

Liontown’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Tony Ottaviano, commented: “The completion of the DFS marks a major step towards Liontown becoming a substantial global lithium producer and, together with the Updated Downstream Scoping Study also released today, lays very strong foundations for our aspiration to become a world-class battery materials company.”

So why are its shares falling?

The weakness in the Liontown share price may be due to some of the inputs being used in its NPV.

For example, the company’s DFS assumes a long term weighted average US$1,392/t Free on Board (FOB) LOM spodumene price. As a comparison, in July, Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) used an average price of US$731 per tonne.

Some investors may believe Liontown’s estimate is unrealistic over the long term and inflating the value of the project.

The post Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) share price sinks 9% after Kathleen Valley DFS appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why ASX lithium shares are booming on Thursday

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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The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price has continued its declining trend, falling to near multi-decade lows this month. Investors have continued to dump the energy company’s shares, leading to a 12% loss in the past month alone.

During early morning trade, AGL shares are adding more pain to shareholder portfolios, down 0.55% to $5.43 apiece.

What’s the go with AGL?

It’s been a relatively quiet couple of months for AGL with the last market-sensitive news out of the company being its full-year results in August.

However, a catalyst dragging down the AGL share price might be tough conditions for the national electricity market along with unstable electricity prices.

The company previously noted that a sharp decline in wholesale prices for electricity and renewable energy certificates affected its financial performance. AGL regarded the 2021 financial year as one of the most difficult energy markets on record.

In addition, the increased demand to decarbonise its operations has impacted Australia’s largest carbon emitter. Nonetheless, management plans to turn around its fortunes for AGL to become a more agile business towards renewable energy.

At its annual general meeting (AGM) in September, AGL recognised the disappointing result and aimed to change its fortunes around.

As such, management has focused on reducing operating costs by $150 million by the end of FY22. Also, the sale of non-core assets for $400 million by the end of FY22 is expected to provide ample firepower to the company’s balance sheet. The AGL share price gained 3% on the back of this news.

More than half the company’s shareholders voted in favour of AGL setting emission targets ahead of its demerger. This is in accordance with the Paris Agreement which sets out a global framework to combat climate change.

The soon-to-close Liddell coal-fired power station could be a sign of greener pastures. AGL plans to transform the site with a hydro and solar energy facility after Liddell’s shutdown in 2023.

The company is aiming to split into two separate businesses by June 2022. They are bulk power generator, AGL Australia, and a carbon-neutral energy retailer, Accel Energy.

About the AGL share price

In 2021, the AGL share price has continued to plummet in value, losing around 55% for investors. When looking at the last 12 months, its shares are down almost 60%.

Based on valuation metrics, AGL presides a market capitalisation of approximately $3.59 billion, with approximately 658.38 million shares outstanding.

The post What’s going wrong for the AGL (ASX:AGL) share price in November? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• These are the 5 highest yielding dividend stocks in the ASX 200

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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The Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price has zipped higher in recent times following positive investor sentiment.

In the past 3 months, the telco provider’s shares have gained around 2.6%. By compassion, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen 1.8% over the same period.

It’s worth noting that Telstra shares reached a new 52-week high of $4.05 last week before treading lower.

Below, we take a closer look at what’s been fuelling the Telstra share price.

What’s driving Telstra shares higher?

Without a doubt, there have been a few catalysts that have led the Telstra share price to shoot higher this year.

The company released the notes from its annual general meeting (AGM) last month, highlighting a turning point in its financial trajectory.

Telstra spent the year building financial momentum to target a return to full-year growth in FY22. It has made progress on its transformational T22 strategy to simplify and digitise the business.

The performance of its mobile division has been a standout as Australians continue to work from home.

Management’s focus on cutting down costs across the business has had a positive effect on its share price. The company delivered cost reductions of $2.3 billion and is on track to deliver a T22 productivity target of $2.7 billion.

In addition, Telstra’s acquisition of Pacific-based telco, Digicel is also expected to provide ample returns with relatively low risk. The telco paid US$270 million while the Australian government put in the majority of funds for the $1.6 billion price tag.

The deal is anticipated to be earnings per share accretive, more than a share buyback. Telstra launched a $1.35 billion share buyback after selling a stake in its InfraCo Towers business.

More recently, the company signed a significant renewal contract with the Australian Department of Defence.

Extended for 5-years and worth over $1 billion, the agreement will see Telstra deliver critical network and telecommunications services. It’s the largest ever customer contract signed by Telstra Enterprise and will aid the business in returning to growth.

After market close on Wednesday, the telco’s share price finished 0.26% higher to $3.93 apiece.

Telstra share price summary

In 2021, the Telstra share price has gained more than 35%, reaching pre-pandemic levels. If the company’s share price can push above $4.05 today, it will be at a multi-year high from 2017.

Telstra commands a market capitalisation of around $46.74 billion, making it the 10th largest company on the ASX.

The post Why the Telstra (ASX:TLS) share price has beaten the ASX 200 in the last 3 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns shares of Telstra Corporation 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 owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Corporation 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 Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO) share price has returned from its trading halt and is sinking.

At the time of writing, the global document productivity software company’s shares are down 9% to $3.50.

Why is the Nitro share price sinking?

The Nitro share price is falling after announcing the completion of the institutional component of its $140 million equity raising.

The company raised a total of approximately $117 million from institutional and sophisticated investors at $3.43 per new share. This represents a 10.7% discount to the Nitro share price prior to the trading halt.

A fully underwritten retail entitlement offer, which will raise a further $23 million, will open on 16 November and close on 30 November.

Why is Nitro raising funds?

Nitro launched its equity raising after entering into a binding agreement to acquire Connective NV for an enterprise value of €70 million (~US$81 million or ~A$110 million).

Connective is Belgium’s leading eSign software-as-a-service (SaaS) business, with a fast-growing market share in France and customers in 11 other European countries.

It is focused on serving the needs of enterprise and government customers that require high levels of trust, security, and regulatory compliance. It also offers expansive electronic identity (eID) support and a powerful document workflow automation solution.

Game changer

The team at Bell Potter are very positive on the deal, referring to it as a “game changer”.

Its analysts commented: “We have updated our forecasts for the acquisition and the impact is revenue upgrades in 2022 and 2023 of 13% and 16%. There is no change in our 2021 forecasts as the acquisition is only expected to be completed in late December and the company also reiterated its 2021 guidance with the announcement of the acquisition today. We have modestly increased our forecast operating EBITDA loss in 2022 but also modestly increased our forecast operating EBITDA profit in 2023 as we expect Connective to be EBITDA positive in that period.”

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $4.50 price target the company’s shares. Based on the current Nitro share price, this implies potential upside of 28%.

The post Why the Nitro (ASX:NTO) share price is down 9% on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Nitro Software 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 Bank of Queensland Limited (ASX: BOQ) dividend ticked up a notch last earnings season on the back of an improved performance for FY21. In particular, the regional bank achieved an increase in cash earnings, net interest margin (NIM) and cash earnings per share (EPS).

The surging profits led the company to give back to its shareholders, reflecting its consistent dividends policy.

But let’s see how the Bank of Queensland dividend stacks up against its rivals.

How does the Bank of Queensland dividend stack up?

Bank of Queensland is set to pay a fully franked final dividend of 22 cents per share to eligible investors on 18 November.

When combined with its interim dividend of 17 cents apiece, this brings the total FY21 dividend to 39 cents.

Based on the closing Bank of Queensland share price of $8.73 yesterday, this gives a dividend yield of 4.4%.

What about its competitors?

The company’s main direct competitors are Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) and the big four banks. They include Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and National Australia Bank Ltd(ASX: NAB).

By comparison, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank rewarded its shareholders with a fully franked final dividend of 26.5 cents per share.

The full-year dividend, comprising of an interim dividend of 28 cents apiece, equates to 54.5 cents per share. Bendigo and Adelaide Bank shares finished yesterday at $9.22, which gives it a dividend yield of 5.9%.

Another competitor in the sector, Westpac, is on track to distribute a final dividend of 60 cents per share to shareholders on 21 December. The company’s interim dividend for the FY21 period came to 58 cents a pop, translating to a full-year dividend of $1.18.

Calculating using the last price of $22.71 for Westpac shares, this is a dividend yield of 5.19%. 

Comparing the Bank of Queensland dividend yield against its peers may be one point to consider when investing. However, it is important to also look at the total shareholder return for the past 12 months.

As such, Bank of Queensland shares have gained 36% for the period, while Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and Westpac shares have moved up 27% and 21% respectively.

Are Bank of Queensland shares a buy?

A number of brokers weighed in after the company released its full-year results in mid-October.

Analysts at Citi slapped a “buy” rating on the Bank of Queensland share price, raising its outlook by 6.1% to $10.50. On the other hand, Credit Suisse and Morgan Stanley cut their price targets by 4.3% to $11.00 and 1% to $10.40 respectively.

However, the most recent broker note came from Morgans which lifted its view on Bank of Queensland shares by 1.9% to $11.00. Based on the current share price, this implies an upside of around 26% on Morgan’s assessment.

Bank of Queensland commands a market capitalisation of roughly $5.59 billion, with approximately 640.89 million shares on its books.

The post How does the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) dividend compare to its sector? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price is now trading on a forecast 4.4% fully-franked dividend yield
• Why is the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price trading at 7-month lows?
• Here’s why the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price tumbled 5% in October
• Own Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) shares? Here’s what you should know about its home loans
• Why is the Bank of Queensland (ASX:BOQ) share price plunging today?

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 owns shares of and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank 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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US markets tumbled on Wednesday, putting the spotlight on S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) tech shares for Thursday’s session. As most of Australia slept, the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.66% while the S&P 500 Index dropped 0.82%.

The slip followed the release of data that showed US inflation hit a 30-year high in October.

Over the 12 months ended October, the US’s consumer price index increased 6.3%. The index measures how prices for goods and services change month-to-month.

According to reporting by the Wall Street Journal, the initial impact of the data saw the price of stocks drop and that of bonds bolster.

Which stocks dragged on the US market overnight?

Nasdaq

The biggest weights on the Nasdaq Composite include the Moderna Inc (NASDAQ: MRNA) share price, which fell 3.33%.

That of Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) also dropped 2.63% while the newly re-branded Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: FB) share price dipped 2.3%.

Interestingly, the Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TLSA) share price slightly recovered from its earlier 16% plunge. It gained 4.34% on Wednesday.

S&P 500

Weighing on the S&P 500 were the share prices of Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE), and Twitter Inc (NYSE: TWTR).

They fell 3.7%, 3.1%, and 2.5% respectively.

ASX 200 tech shares in focus

The dip in US markets might make for an interesting day on the ASX. Particularly, since ASX 200 tech shares tend to trend in line with their Nasdaq-listed peers.

One of the obvious share prices to keep an eye on is that of Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT). The buy now, pay later company’s suitor, Square Inc (NYSE: SQ) saw its share price drop 1.55% overnight.

Both the Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) and Nuix Ltd (ASX: NXL) share prices could also be in for a big session on Thursday.

The 2 ASX 200 tech shares have already struggled this week. They’ve both fallen 4% since Friday’s close.

The post ASX 200 tech shares in focus as Nasdaq plunges 1.7% 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. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, Meta Platforms, Inc., Square, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Nuix Pty Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Meta Platforms, Inc., and Nike. 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 Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price has come under significant pressure in November

Since releasing its full year results on the first of the month, the banking giant’s shares have shed almost 12% of their value.

Broker lifts target on Westpac share price

Despite the bank’s full year result and its net interest margin outlook falling short of the market’s expectations, one leading broker remains positive on the Westpac share price.

In fact, at a time when many brokers were downgrading Westpac’s shares or their price targets, the team at Morgans bumped its price target higher.

According to the note, the broker has retained its add rating and lifted its price target on the company’s shares by 3.4% to $30.50.

Based on the latest Westpac share price, this implies potential upside of 34% for investors over the next 12 months.

And if you include the $1.23 per share fully franked dividend that Morgans is forecasting in FY 2022, the total potential return stretches to approximately 40%.

What did the broker say?

Morgans was pleased with Westpac’s performance and while it was disappointed with its margin outlook, it is looking beyond this and focusing more on its valuation, cost cutting plans, and future share buybacks.

It commented: “Westpac Banking Corp has posted FY21 cash earnings which are 2.2% better than our expectation. The beat is largely the result of a larger credit loss provision release than we expected, more than offsetting a very soft net interest margin outcome. A $3.5bn off-market share buyback has been announced. We expect another $3.5bn off-market share buyback in FY23F.”

“We find the management of the margin-volume tradeoff in Australian home lending in FY21 to be disappointing and we hope for better management of this tradeoff going forward. Having said this, our view has been that the stock was not being priced for perfection and was offering considerable value. While the NIM has now re-based notably lower, we continue to see considerable value in the stock particularly due to our expectation of significant cost out by FY24F,” it added.

Morgans concluded: “Although we have downgraded our cash EPS forecasts, our target price has increased with the introduction of FY24 forecasts, by which year we are forecasting WBC’s annual cost base to reduce to $8.25bn (compared with $10.2bn in FY20) and the return on tangible equity (ROTE) to rise to 14.8%.”

All in all, the broker appears to believe this could make the Westpac share price a bargain buy today.

The post Morgans just bumped up its target for the Westpac (ASX:WBC) share price. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. 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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Silence.

A deep, heavy silence after more than four years of almost constant warfare.

For many, perhaps most, on the front lines, there was no jubilation. No joy.

Just relief.

The clock had struck 11am, on November 11, 1918.

The armistice, negotiated between the two sides of The Great War, came into effect.

The artillery ceased. The fighting stopped.

It was finally over.

As the RSL’s description reads:

“At 11.00 am on 11 November 1918 the guns fell silent as hostilities ceased on the Western Front, ending four years of death and destruction. Earlier that day, at 5.00 am, the Germans signed an armistice in a railway carriage at Compiègne. In the following year, the Treaty of Versailles made the cease-fire permanent.”

Thereafter, November 11 became Armistice Day — the day on which Commonwealth countries remembered those who had served, and died, in The Great War.

Tragically, it wouldn’t be the war to end all wars, as they hoped.

And so, Armistice Day was subsequently named Remembrance Day, and became a day to remember those who served, suffered and died in all wars.

While ANZAC Day has become Australia’s primary day of commemoration, we also pause to reflect on Remembrance Day.

Every year, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month — today —  a minute’s silence is observed in their memory.

A few years ago, I had the solemn privilege of visiting some of the battlefields and cemeteries on the Western Front.

The ground still bears some of the scars of war. And the Flanders poppies still grow.

The words of the Canadian serviceman and poet, John McCrae, came immediately to mind:

In Flanders Fields, the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie,
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
 If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Today, at 11am, I will observe a minute’s silence.

In remembrance of those who served in our Australia’s name, and in the armed services of her allies.

In remembrance of those who suffered then, and those who still suffer now.

In remembrance of those who did not return.

It is a personal choice, of course. But I would encourage you to do the same.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning.

We will remember them.

Lest We Forget.

The post We will remember them appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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