Category: Stock Market

  • Why the Okapi Resources (ASX:OKR) share price is rocketing 28% today

    woman blowing gold glitter

    The Okapi Resources Ltd (ASX: OKR) share price is soaring to dizzying heights after the company reported a positive update.

    At the time of writing, the miner’s shares are up an astonishing 27.89% to 66.5 cents. In comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.26% to 7,806 points.

    Let’s take a closer look at what the company announced to the ASX today.

    Major gold discovery

    In a statement to the ASX, Okapi Resources revealed the results at its 100% Enmore Gold Project in New South Wales.

    The maiden drilling program returned a significant, thick, shallow gold mineralisation at the Sunnyside East Prospect. The company highlighted the following results:

    • 174 metres at 1.83 grams per tonne of gold from surface (OSSRC06)
    • 37 metres at 1.27 grams per tonne of gold from 27 metres deep (OSSRC01)
    • 39 metres at 1.19 grams per tonne of gold from 51 metres deep (OSSRC02)

    Okapi Resources executive director David Nour commented:

    These results show the potential for a very large, shallow, high-grade gold deposit at our Enmore Gold Project, with mineralisation from surface with some of the highest grades returned below 170 metres. The depth potential is very encouraging and we have multiple prospects that remain untested.

    In addition, the company conducted several other drill holes at the Sunnyside West Prospect, located around 400 metres from Sunnyside East. They included:

    • 7 metres at 1.25 grams per tonne of gold from 30 metres deep (OSSRC07)
    • 17 metres at 0.69 grams per tonne of gold from 20 metres deep (OSSRC08)

    Okapi Resources noted that further work is required at Sunnyside, including following up on drill intercepts and locating high-grade shoots.

    About the Okapi Resources share price

    Over the past 12 months, Okapi Resources has gained more than 224%, with a year-to-date rise of 241%. The company’s share price hit a record high of 79.5 cents today before profit-taking set in.

    Okapi Resources has a market capitalisation of approximately $67 million, with around 101 million shares on its books.

    The post Why the Okapi Resources (ASX:OKR) share price is rocketing 28% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Okapi 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 Okapi Resources wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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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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  • IGO (ASX:IGO) share price slips despite positive survey updates

    Miner standing at quarry looking upset

    The IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price has dipped into the red in afternoon trade on Wednesday.

    Shares in the gold and minerals miner are on the way down despite the company releasing an update on its joint venture with Moho Resources Ltd (ASX: MOH).

    Let’s investigate further.

    A bit of background

    Recall that IGO and Moho formed an unincorporated joint venture (JV) to explore and mine at Moho’s Buracoppin Gold project back in 2015.

    Specifically, the JV pertains to a location known as “E70/4688” on the Buracoppin site. Moho is also the manager of the JV.

    IGO has a 30% interest in the venture and the company has the option to contribute “pro-rata to ongoing work” or to convert its 30% interest into a “10% carried interest”.

    What was announced today?

    In news that could weigh in on the IGO share price, the company advised that “encouraging assay results” had been received from the “stream sediment sampling program” at Buracoppin.

    The release was made through an announcement from Moho regarding the same assay results.

    As per the release, a total of 369 samples were collected and “ten prioritised exploration targets” were identified as a result of the campaign.

    These targets were found “within extensive areas of gold anomalism”. Some of the gold anomalism was “associated with arsenic and copper”, according to Moho.

    As a result of the survey findings, “four areas [are] prioritised for further exploration” at the project. As such, an additional tenure has been granted, effectively “increasing [the] Buracoppin project by 12%”.

    In addition, a “high resolution gravity survey” was completed at Buracoppin. The interpretation of this data “will assist Moho’s understanding” of the site.

    Investors have sold IGO shares on the update and have pushed the IGO share price into the red on Wednesday.

    IGO shares are now exchanging hands at $9.45 apiece, a 2.07% drop from the market open.

    IGO share price snapshot

    The IGO share price has climbed 47.5% over this year to date. This extends the gain over the previous 12 months to 111%.

    Despite this, IGO shares are 3.6% in the red over the past month. They are around 2% in the red over the last week as well.

    Nonetheless, both longer-term returns have outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s returns of around 14% year to date and 25% over the past year.

    The post IGO (ASX:IGO) share price slips despite positive survey updates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These 5 Cheap Shares Could Be Set For Huge Gains (FREE REPORT)

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can find out the names of these stocks in the FREE stock report.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of February 15th 2021

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    The author Zach Bristow has no positions 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 Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price has plunged 30% in 5 months. Is it a buy?

    A person plunges into the pool with only their feet visible above the surface, diving through a heart-shaped inflatable ring.

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) has had a tough run lately, but one trading and investment specialist has noted its clients have been drawn to its embattled share price.

    Saxo Capital Markets placed Zip stock as one of the top 10 most traded stocks among its Australian clients last month. And it had some choice words to say about the future of the BNPL provider’s shares.

    Right now, the Zip share price is $6.86, having fallen another 1.86% today.

    Let’s take a look at what’s gotten Saxo’s clients riled up about the Zip shares.

    Is now a good time to buy shares in Zip?

    According to Saxo, its clients have been enthused by the Zip share price’s recent troubles.

    The Zip share price fell a massive 34% over the 6 months ended 31 August. Zip’s often holds a spot on the list of the ASX’s most shorted shares, leading to increased volatility.

    But is it a buy? According to Saxo, it’s not.

    Saxo stated that Zip’s results for financial year 2021 were noticeably less impressive than those of its competitor, Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT).

    Zip posted an after-tax loss of $653 million for FY21. For comparison, Zip reported a loss of just $20 million for FY20.

    Whereas Zip’s BNPL peer, Afterpay, reported a loss of $159.4 million for FY21.

    Additionally, Zip ended the period with 7.3 million active customers and 51,300 active merchants. While Afterpay reported it had 16.2 million active customers and 98,200 active merchants.

    According to Saxo, Zip’s FY21 performance has caused the market to lose confidence in its ability to compete globally.

    Additionally, Saxo pointed to Square Inc‘s (NYSE: SQ) $39 billion acquisition of Afterpay and the continued growth of unlisted BNPL giant Klarna, stating Zip simply might not be able to keep up with the future of the BNPL industry.

    Despite its recent poor performance, the Zip share price has gained 29% in 2021. It is also 1.6% higher than it was this time last year.

    The post The Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price has plunged 30% in 5 months. Is it a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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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. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, Square, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. 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 Deep Yellow (ASX:DYL) share price has surged 45% in a month

    Graphic showing yellow arrow above vertical columns indicating a rising share price

    The uranium sector is heating up and the Deep Yellow Limited (ASX: DYL) share price is no exception.

    Shares in the uranium explorer have added another 6.38% to $1 on Wednesday, lifting its performance for the past month to an impressive 47%.

    Why the Deep Yellow share price is almost vertical

    Uranium spot prices have managed to climb to six year highs of US$35/lb.

    This has sparked broad-based buying across the uranium sector, from large cap players like Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) to newly listed explorers such as 92 Energy Ltd (ASX: 92E).

    Uranium prices have been supported by the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust, the world’s largest actively managed uranium fund that invests in physical uranium.

    The fund began trading on Canada’s Toronto Stock Exchange in July this year, but only recently began to aggressively buy uranium off the spot market.

    The Motley Fool US reported that the fund purchased 900,000 lb of uranium on August 21, and then added another 1.1 million pounds by the end of August.

    The aggressive buying continued, with the ETF adding 400,000 on 2 September.

    The momentum is likely to continue with the Fool US saying that ” there’s been massive investor buying in the fund on big volumes this week. The higher the investor interest in the ETF, the larger the quantity of uranium it’ll buy.”

    The sudden buying activity in the spot market has driven prices to multi-year highs, which in turn, is propping up the Deep Yellow share price.

    What’s next for Deep Yellow?

    Deep Yellow has been undergoing exploration activities at its Tumas Project in Namibia since 2017.

    Back then, the Deep Yellow share price was fetching around 40 cents.

    More recently, the company completed drilling at the Tumas 1 East site, delivering an impressive 102% direct conversion of existing inferred mineral resources to indicated mineral resources category.

    The company believes its robust resource base will support and optimise its upcoming definitive feasibility study, which is expected to be completed by the end of calendar year 2022.

    The post Here’s why the Deep Yellow (ASX:DYL) share price has surged 45% in a month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Deep Yellow right now?

    Before you consider Deep Yellow, 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 Deep Yellow wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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 A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price has this leading broker’s Aussie clients scrambling

    Babies drinking from milk bottles

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) shares have emerged among the top 10 most popular traded stocks of Saxo Capital Markets’ Australian clients in August.

    What did Saxo say about the A2 Milk share price?

    A2 Milk managed to slide into number 10 on Saxo’s most popular stocks list, trailing behind household names such as Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) and Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN).

    Saxo commented that:

    The A2 Milk Company also made it in our list of the ten hottest stocks among our retail traders last month. The infant formula giant, which was once one of the favourites among the bulls, has lost its sparkle. The firm published its FY21 results towards the end of August, with revenue plunging over 30% to just AU$1.21bn.

    Saxo analysts added:

    Revenues fell most significantly throughout Australia and New Zealand, earnings 42% down year-on-year at AU$559.7m, which remains its biggest market. The stock’s increasingly bearish sentiment was compounded by a 77.6% fall in EBITDA to just AU$123m.

    Popular, but for the wrong reasons

    A2 Milk experienced heightened levels of trading activity following the release of its FY21 results.

    On 26 August, the A2 Milk share price plunged 11.8% to $6.05 with ~27.5 million shares changing hands.

    The next day, it would fall another 2.64% to $5.89 with volume of ~15.7 million shares.

    To add some perspective, its current 10-day average volume is approximately 8 million.

    Looking at A2 Milk’s volume profile, the company’s shares might have landed on Saxo’s top 10 list for the wrong reasons. Investors might have opted to sell their shares in August following yet another weak financial result.

    What’s next for A2 Milk?

    A2 Milk’s near-term outlook doesn’t appear to be so bright according to its results commentary.

    The company has observed that the Chinese infant nutrition market was “materially impacted by a lower birth rate, especially recently due to COVID-19 and related vaccination programmes causing many people to delay pregnancy”.

    Competition in the Chinese market has also been intensifying, with A2 Milk citing that “market share gains by domestic brands compared to international brands are expected to continue”.

    The post Why the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price has this leading broker’s Aussie clients scrambling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in A2 Milk right now?

    Before you consider A2 Milk, 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 A2 Milk wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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 A2 Milk. 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 these seasoned investors are watching the Pilbara (ASX:PLS) share price

    Three men on mining site wearing hard hats discussing plans

    The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price stands at $2.15 at time of writing, right where it closed yesterday.

    But Pilbara’s share price isn’t well-known for its lack of movement.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lithium producer leapt 26% in August alone.

    August’s gains were partly driven by strong lithium prices as investors look to long-term growth in global battery demand.

    August also saw the company report an impressive 109% year-on-year leap in revenue for FY21 to $175.8 million.

    Not surprising then, that Pilbara made the top-10 list of most popular traded shares among Saxo Capital Markets’ Australian clients in August. And this list isn’t exclusive to ASX shares. It includes international shares as well.

    What did Saxo report on Pilbara?

    Pilbara came in at number 9 on Saxo’s list of top-10 most popular traded shares last month among its Aussie clients.

    Saxo said this came after the lithium mining giant delivered, “hugely promising FY21 results. The firm revealed it had increased its cash gross margin to AU$46.2 million in the 12 months to 30 June 2021”.

    According to Saxo:

    Pilbara Minerals’ managing director Ken Brinsden described their results as an “incredible turnaround”, particularly “during the second half of FY 2021”. Brinsden cited the surge in demand for lithium raw materials worldwide as the basis for generating “substantial increases” in its products.

    Pilbara also offered some positive guidance, despite anticipating higher costs in the year ahead. It forecast shipments will continue to increase in the 2022 financial year. “Shipments are expected to total 440,000 to 490,000 dmt for the full year, which would represent a year-on-year increase of between 56% and 74%.”

    As at 30 June, Pilbara Minerals had a cash balance of $115.7 million.

    Pilbara share price snapshot

    If you’d invested in Pilbara 1-year ago you’d be sitting on paper gains of 572% today. To put that in some perspective, over that same time the ASX 200 is up 25%.

    2021 has seen the Pilbara share price continue to outperform, up 147% year-to-date.

    The post Why these seasoned investors are watching the Pilbara (ASX:PLS) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Pilbara, 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 Pilbara wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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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  • ASX 200 midday update: Macquarie jumps, gold miners sink

    man on an iPad looking at chart of an increasing share price

    At lunch on Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is once again fighting back from a poor start. The benchmark index is down 0.2% to 7,516.7 points at the time of writing.

    Here’s what is happening on the ASX 200 today:

    Macquarie shares storm higher

    The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price is storming higher on Wednesday after the release of an update. The investment bank revealed that it expects its first half profits to be down slightly on the second half of FY 2021. Looking further ahead, the bank believes it is positioned to deliver superior performance in the medium term.

    Mineral Resources update

    The Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) share price is trading lower today despite a positive drilling update. That update reveals that drilling activities have identified a significant gas discovery at Lockyer Deep-1. According to the release, the company has encountered excellent reservoir quality at its Kingia Sandstone site along with significant gas elevations throughout the IRCM and Kingia Sandstone.

    Gold miners tumble

    Australian gold miners such as Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) are trading notably lower today. This follows a pullback in the gold price during overnight trade. According to CNBC, the spot gold price fell 2% last night to US$1,796.40 an ounce. A combination of a strengthening US dollar and higher bond yields took the shine off the precious metal.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 has been the Macquarie share price with a 5.5% gain. This follows the release of its trading update. The worst performer has been the St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) share price with a 5% decline. This follows the pullback in the spot gold price overnight.

    The post ASX 200 midday update: Macquarie jumps, gold miners sink 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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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 owns shares of and 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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  • Metalstech (ASX:MTC) share price jumps 15% on lithium spin out update

    A girl jumps high over a skipping rope in a garden.

    The Metalstech Ltd (ASX: MTC) share price has jumped out of the starting blocks on Wednesday and landed firmly in the green.

    Metalstech shares are on the move after the company delivered an investor presentation on its planned lithium asset spin-out today.

    Let’s investigate further.

    A bit of background information

    Recall that Metalstech lodged a “short form prospectus” and called for shareholder voting on the spin-out of its lithium projects to Winsome Resources earlier this year.

    Major shareholders indicated support for the spin-out early on, and advocated for a separate ASX listing of Winsome Resources.

    Under the arrangement, Metalstech shareholders are to receive “$9 million worth of shares in spin out by way of an in species distribution” of 45 million Winsome shares.

    This equates to approximately one “free (Winsome) 20 cent share for every 3.5 (Metalstech) shares held”.

    As a result of the spin-out, Winsome will focus on developing the “100% owned” Cancet, Adina and Sirmac–Clapier Lithium lithium projects in Quebec, Canada.

    Metalstech also stated that Winsome’s initial public offering (IPO) will occur on a valuation of $12 million to $18 million. Winsome will trade under the ticker “WR1”.

    Metalstech shareholders will have their say on 4 October, when they will vote on successfully passing the lithium assets over to Winsome.

    What did Metalstech announce today?

    In what was deemed a positive for the Metalstech share price, the company gave an update and presentation on its lithium spin-out entitlements.

    In its report, Metalstech outlined the opportunity at hand, explaining its positioning within the world of battery manufacturing.

    The company believes that the battery “value chain” has a number of “social, environmental and integrity issues”.

    This coincides with the fact that most of the world’s lithium reserves are in “Australia, Argentina, Chile and China”. As such, Metalstech believes its assets “offer greater diversity”.

    Metalstech also explained its Quebec lithium projects are “strategically located” near “established infrastructure and supply chain”.

    Investors have bought on the news, and are driving the Metalstech share price higher today.

    Metalstech shares are now exchanging hands at 30 cents apiece, a 15.38% gain from the market open.

    Metalstech share price snapshot

    The Metalstech share price has climbed 44% this year to date. This extends the gain over the previous 12 months to 40%.

    In the past month alone, Metalstech shares have climbed a further 31% in the green.

    These results have outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) return of around 25% over the past year.

    The post Metalstech (ASX:MTC) share price jumps 15% on lithium spin out update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Metalstech, 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 Metalstech wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    The author Zach Bristow has no positions 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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  • Leading broker reveals why these 10 big-name shares have been firing up its clients

    We all have a general idea of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that are the most popular with ASX investors. BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)… the big 4 banks… CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)… you get the idea. But today, let’s put some actual data to this question.

    Broker Saxo Markets has just released its 10 most popular traded shares on its platform over August 2021. And it makes for some interesting reading.

    So, here are the 10 shares that were the most popular and traded on Saxo Markets over August. They include both ASX and US shares, giving a pretty well-rounded view of what Aussie investors were finding interesting over the month just passed.

    Saxo’s 10 most popular shares for Aussie investors

    10 – A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    Ah A2 Milk… It’s no secret that this dairy company has had a year it would rather forget in 2021 so far. Not only did A2 spend most of the year downgrading its FY21 earnings guidance, but it also delivered a poorly-received FY21 earnings report last month. Saxo reckons it was how A2 “lost its sparkle” in 2021 that kept it on this list.

    9 – Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Pilbara has been one of the standout ASX 200 performers in 2021 so far. This lithium producer is up close to 150% year to date in 2021 so far. Saxo says that its “hugely promising” FY21 earnings report last month really got ASX investors going with this one. In particular, Pilbara’s anticipation of a “further rise in shipments for FY22”.

    8 – Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

    Buy now, pay later company Zip is next up at the number 8 position. Saxo tells us that “many of our retail clients have been drawn to the decline in the Zip Co share price, which has plunged by a third in the last six months”.

    It also points to how Zip was one of the most shorted ASX shares over August, as well as its FY21 results which Saxo calls ” less than impressive compared with its long-time competitor [Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)]”.

    7 – Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA)

    And we have our first US share here, electric vehicle and battery manufacturer Tesla. Saxo reckons it is Tesla’s potential move into the Indian market that have been exciting investors over August, saying “India is considered one of the world’s fastest emerging car markets and if Tesla can partner with auto parts suppliers within the country, it could make huge inroads”. Even though the Tesla share price remains infamously volatile, it is still up more than 33% over the past 6 months.

    6 – Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

    Another ASX share for the number 6 spot, we have the Flying Kangaroo. ASX investors’ affections for Qantas are well-known. The airline is the national carrier after all.

    Saxo is confident that it was Qantas’ FY21 earnings report from last month that really got investors in the mood for flying. It said that “investors were able to look beyond the headline figures and delve deeper into the balance sheet” with Qantas, noting how the company still has “impressive liquidity”.

    5 – Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE: BABA)

    Alibaba is a Chinese company but is listed on the New York Stock Exchange. This e-commerce giant has been attracting headlines lately due to the sharp sell off we have seen over the past few months. Alibaba shares remain down more than 23% year to date, mostly due to concerns over the Chinese regulatory environment at the moment.

    According to Saxo, these woes have “helped capture the imagination of bearish retail traders”. It also points out that the company is trading at around “half the value of its historic peak” from October 2020. No wonder it was getting some love from ASX investors.

    4 – Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL)

    Everyone knows Apple. So it’s probably no surprise that this tech giant also makes this list. Saxo highlights that Apple “is part of an exclusive club of stocks that simply garners interest from retail traders purely because of its name”.

    The broker points to its recent healthy earnings report as well as its continual share price growth over the past few month. These factors have culminated in a series of new all-time highs recently, generating enthusiastic support for Apple from Aussie investors.

    3 – BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    Finally, another ASX share. We already mentioned BHP as one of the ASX’s most popular shares and now we have it in writing.

    Saxo points to BHP’s announcement last month that it would cease its dual listing on the London Stock Exchange and ‘come home’ for good as a major driver of client interest here. It also highlights BHP’s recent earnings report which contained record dividend payments, as well as plans to divest its petroleum assets, as major catalysts here.

    2 – Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)

    If you thought we weren’t going to hit Amazon on this list, stand corrected. Yes, this e-commerce giant makes the number 2 spot today. Saxo says that “Amazon’s Australian trading arm has been tipped to experience exponential growth in 2021” after laying down the groundwork in Australia for several years.

    Saxo seems to argue that it’s Amazon’s growing presence down under that may be behind its enduring popularity with ASX investors. That’s as well as its eye-watering growth numbers and profitability of course.

    1 – Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

    And last, but certainly not least, we have the giant ASX 200 iron ore miner Fortescue. Saxo said the following on its number one share for August:

    The undisputed number-one stock our clients wished to trade in August 2021 was FMG – and it’s not surprising when you consider it recently revealed its annual profits more than doubled. The outcome for FMG shareholders was a record-high dividend of AU$2.11, which represented a 17% yield underpinned by healthy iron ore prices.

    Saxo also points to Fortescue’s focus on ‘green iron ore’ and hydrogen power may also be attracting some investor attention. But given Fortescue’s wild ride over 2021 so far, it’s perhaps no surprise that this company took out the top spot for August over at Saxo.

    The post Leading broker reveals why these 10 big-name shares have been firing up its clients appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Sebastian Bowen owns shares of A2 Milk and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., Amazon, Apple, CSL Ltd., Tesla, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $1,920 calls on Amazon, long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2022 $1,940 calls on Amazon, and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk, Amazon, and Apple. 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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  • 2 ASX 200 shares that could be buys for dividends

    Older woman looks concerned as she counts cash notes

    There are a number of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that could be good options to consider for dividend income for the long-term.

    Businesses that are growing their operating earnings over the long-term have the ability to grow their cash payouts to shareholders over time as well.

    Not every ASX 200 share that pays a dividend is worth owning.

    But these two ideas could be ones to think about:

    Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

    As the name suggests, this is a real estate investment trust (REIT) which focuses on quality industrial properties.

    In FY21, the portfolio expanded to 62 industrial assets, with the total portfolio value increasing to $2.9 billion. During the year, it acquired 18 assets worth $966 million and introduced two new industrial sub-sectors, being data centres and cold storage.

    It was a strong year for the ASX 200 dividend share with a $587 million increase in valuation, representing a 25% lift in the valuation.

    The portfolio has a high level of income visibility. It has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of 9.6 years with an occupancy rate of 96.9%.

    In FY21, the business generated funds from operations (FFO) of 17.6 cents per unit, or $91.4 million in total. With that rental profit, it paid a distribution of 17 cents per unit.

    In FY22, Centuria Industrial REIT is expecting to report growth. FFO per unit guidance is at least 18.1 cents and a distribution per unit of 17.3 cents. That translates to a FY22 yield of 4.3%.

    The fund manager of the REIT, Jesse Curtis, has said:

    The domestic industrial market has continued to strengthen the strong tailwinds from increased adoption of e-commerce as well as demand from tenants onshoring operations. With record low vacancy rates across all major markets, Australia’s industrial real estate sector remains a highly sought-after market attracting investment demand and creating robust competition for quality industrial and logistics assets.

    It’s currently rated as a buy by the broker Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG).

    Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

    Rural Funds is an ASX 200 dividend share that aims to grow its distribution by 4% per annum. It’s a landlord that owns a diversified farm portfolio including cattle, almonds, macadamias, vineyards and cropping (sugar and cotton).

    The business doesn’t carry the operational risks of farming, that’s on the tenant. But Rural Funds does own a large amount of water entitlements for farmers to use.

    Rural Funds looks to grow its distributions thanks to two organic elements. Its rental income is contracted to grow at the farms, either with a fixed 2.5% annual increase or linked to CPI inflation, with some contracts having market reviews. It is also investing in some farms to make them more productive, such as more water access points.

    The ASX 200 share’s farms are spread across different states and climate conditions, so it’s increasingly diversified in that regard.

    Rural Funds saw its pro forma adjusted net asset value (NAV) increase by 13% to $2.20 per unit after property revaluations during the year.

    In FY22, Rural Funds has forecast a 4% increase of the distribution to 11.73 cents per unit. That translates to a forward distribution yield of 4.4%.

    The post 2 ASX 200 shares that could be buys for dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rural Funds right now?

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

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns shares of RURALFUNDS STAPLED. 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 Macquarie Group Limited and RURALFUNDS STAPLED. 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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