Category: Stock Market

  • The Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price is falling on Friday

    white arrow pointing down

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price is dropping today, along with the entire tech sector.

    Currently, the buy now, pay later (BNPL) giant’s shares are trading for $116.85, 5.5% lower than they were at yesterday’s close.

    The Afterpay share price’s woes are dragging on the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX), which is dipping 3.18% right now.

    The broader market is also falling today. The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 1.33% and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is falling 1.37%.

    Let’s take a closer look at how the Afterpay share price is performing today.

    What’s up with Afterpay today?

    The Afterpay share price opened at $121 today. That was 2.1% lower than its previous closing price of $123.65.

    It’s since plummeted lower, losing the 4.5% it had gained since last Friday’s close. Unless it makes a comeback this afternoon – which is seems unlikely right now – Afterpay will finish the week in the red for the second week in a row.

    Fortunately or unfortunately, Afterpay isn’t alone in its pain today.

    The company’s BNPL competitor Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) is suffering alongside it.

    The Zip share price is currently 5.24% lower than its previous close, with shares in the company trading for $8.32.

    Afterpay share price snapshot

    Today’s major fall has put Afterpay shares back in the red. They’re currently down 2.47% year to date.

    However, they’re still trading for 57% more than they were this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $35.8 billion, with approximately 290 million shares outstanding.

    The post The Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price is falling on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Afterpay, 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 Afterpay 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 May 24th 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 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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  • Why the Invictus Energy (ASX:IVZ) share price is dipping lower today

    bars showing share price dip

    The Invictus Energy Ltd (ASX: IVZ) share price is sinking during early afternoon trade. This comes after the energy producer provided an update to its 80% owned and operated Cabora Bassa Project in Zimbabwe.

    When the ASX opened up, the company’s share price fell to an intraday low of 15 cents. However, Invictus shares have slightly rebounded at the time of writing, down 2.86% to 17 cents.

    Farm-in agreement terminated

    Investors are selling Invictus shares following the latest news to come out of the company.

    According to its release, Invictus advised that the farm-in offer received in December last year has been terminated.

    The company stated that it was unable to satisfactorily complete the proposed transaction due to diligence on the unnamed counterparty. The offer had been subjected to finalising technical, legal and commercial due diligence by both parties.

    As a result, discussions between the pair have stopped. Invictus is continuing to engage with other interested parties at this point in time.

    Invictus noted that its near-term focus is now on completing the seismic acquisition program. This is expected to be wrapped up sometime towards the end of the third-quarter of the calendar year.

    Seismic contractor, Polaris Natural Resources Inc. has received work permits for its staff to commence 2D seismic operations. Invictus is assisting Polaris with camp construction and the recruitment of 120 field crew ahead of the program start date.

    Invictus intends to conduct, process, and interpret a minimum of 400-line kilometres of 2D seismic. The company will use this data to refine the location of the Muzarabani-1 well and identify additional prospects.

    Perth-based, Aztech Well Construction has been appointed as the drilling project manager for the upcoming basin opening drilling program.

    Invictus Energy share price summary

    Despite today’s fall, Invictus shares have accelerated by more than 500% over the past 12 months. In 2021 alone, the company’s share price is up by 200%, reflecting positive investor sentiment.

    Invictus presides a market capitalisation of around $99 million, with approximately 585 million shares on its books.

    The post Why the Invictus Energy (ASX:IVZ) share price is dipping lower today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Invictus, 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 Invictus 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the Viva (ASX:VEA) share price is 5% higher

    share price rising

    The Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price is jumping today. At the time of writing, shares in the energy producer are selling for $2.07 – up 5.08%. Earlier in the day, shares were up even higher before retreating back to the current price.

    The massive price rise comes after the company released a large increase in earnings.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news.

    The Viva share price is rising

    In a statement to the ASX, Viva Energy revealed its unaudited earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) of somewhere between $390 million and $410 million for the six months ending 30 June 2021. That represents an increase of 34% on H1 2019. 2019’s results were better for Viva than 2020 due to the shock of COVID-19.

    This large increase in earnings comes despite drops in output across petrol, diesel, and a 60% fall in jet fuels production. The company says retail sale volumes were affected by sporadic lockdowns, with an average fall of roughly 58 million litres per week. 30% of all petrol sales are from premium fuels.

    The margin of its Geelong refinery has improved from $5.10 per barrel in 2019 and $2.90 per barrel in 2020 to $6.60 per barrel for this reporting period. This is a 29% improvement on the 2019 figure.

    Due to the introduction of federal government’s fuel security package (FSP), Viva says it can now proceed with “major maintenance activity” (and associated expenditures) at the plant.

    Investors are enjoying today’s news, judging by the rise in the Viva share price.

    Management commentary

    Viva CEO and Managing Director, Scott Wyatt, said

    Viva Energy has delivered very strong first half performance driven by strong sales growth in our non-aviation businesses, supportive margins, and an improved refining performance since returning to full production in late 2020.

    While retail fuel sales continue to be impacted by periodic lockdowns, and aviation by ongoing border closures, overall growth across all retail and commercial channels has been very encouraging with total Petrol and Diesel sales volumes up 4% and 16% respectively on 1H2019, as a comparison to pre-COVID demand.

    Refining remains challenging, but supported by strong production levels, receipt of the short-term production payment grant, and the long-term fuel security package commencing 1 July 2021 that minimises the downside volatility of refining margins. Our recovery program remains on track, and I am very pleased with the performance of the business.

    Viva share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Viva share price has increased by 1.29%. Since hitting its 52-week high of $2.27 a share – Viva’s value has dropped approximately 10%.

    Viva Energy has a market capitalisation of approximately $3.4 billion.

    The post Why the Viva (ASX:VEA) share price is 5% higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Viva Energy right now?

    Before you consider Viva Energy, 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 Viva Energy 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 May 24th 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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  • Here’s why the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price is falling on Friday

    asx share price fall represented by lady in striped tshirt making sad face against orange background

    The Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price is taking a tumble in trade on Friday. With no announcements out from the online retailer, it appears the company is at the peril of a broader selloff in the market.

    At the time of writing, the Kogan share price is 3.79% lower to $11.16 apiece. Likewise, the consumer discretionary sector is the second worst-performing today, down 2.2%.

    For comparison, the broader S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is trending 1.4% lower to 7,237.2 points.

    Let’s cover a couple of reasons why Kogan might be feeling the pinch today.

    Making the most shorted

    While the Kogan share price is possibly feeling the pain of a widespread red day, there’s a couple of reasons that could be making it worse for this company.

    Firstly, the company has found itself the target of heavy short selling over recent times. As covered on Wednesday, Kogan shares are the second most heavily shorted shares on the ASX this week. According to ASIC data, short interest was 10.2% — only beaten by Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB).

    Often companies that are heavily shorted find themselves under added pressure on negative trading sessions. As a result, this could be adding to the displeasure of Kogan investors on Friday.

    Secondly, the Kogan share price experienced a possible sugar hit when roughly a third of Australia entered lockdowns in late June. Since then, many restrictions have been lifted across states and territories.

    With this in mind, any potential uplift in online sales may have been short-lived.

    Kogan share price recap

    Investors of the online retailer would be well experienced with red days by now. The Kogan share price has been on a bearish trend since late October 2020. Back then the company’s shares reached a peak of $25.57, a far cry from today’s ~$11.16 figure.

    Since the beginning of the year, the Kogan share price has fallen more than 42%. As a result, the company now seats around a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 27.55. This compares to the retail industry average P/E ratio of 38.2 times.

    The post Here’s why the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price is falling on Friday 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 May 24th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares in Kogan. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a large number of broker notes.

    Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

    According to a note out of Morgan Stanley, its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $175.00 price target on this investment bank’s shares. This follows news that Macquarie is acquiring the Global Equities and Fixed Income business from AMP Limited (ASX: AMP). Morgan Stanley notes that the purchase is consistent with Macquarie’s strategy and expects it to add further scale and diversity. The Macquarie share price is trading at $153.95 today.

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    A note out of UBS reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this elastic interconnection services provider’s shares to $18.75. This follows the release of Megaport’s latest quarterly update, which revealed strong customer and ports growth. UBS is expecting this momentum to continue in FY 2022 and suspects consensus upgrades could follow if it does. The Megaport share price is trading at $16.18 this afternoon.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

    Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating and $29.50 price target on this banking giant’s shares. This morning the broker updated its forecasts to reflect a probable provision from Westpac’s potential Forum Finance fraud and the benefits of its Westpac Life NZ sale. While this has resulted in a 2% reduction in its earnings estimates for FY 2021, it has no real bearing on its future estimates. In light of this, the broker holds firm with its positive rating. The Westpac share price is trading at $25.26 today.

    The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT 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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  • Is the CSL (ASX:CSL) vaccine business under threat?

    healthcare asx share price flat represented by doctor shrugging

    The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price has been underperforming the ASX 200 in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the biotherapeutics company’s shares are down 2%. This compares to a 10% gain by the benchmark index.

    Why is the CSL share price underperforming?

    The main drag on the CSL share price is 2021 has been concerns over its plasma collections due to COVID-19 headwinds. Given that these are a core ingredient to many of its leading therapies, investors fear that margins could be squeezed in the near future due to collection constraints.

    However, this morning one leading broker has brought up another potential cause for concern. This time it is with CSL’s Seqirus vaccine business.

    What’s happening?

    According to the note, Goldman Sachs believes new vaccines using mRNA could potentially disrupt the seasonal influenza vaccine market in the future.

    Goldman notes: “Whilst vaccine development efforts using mRNA have been around for many years, the COVID-19 pandemic materially accelerated commercialization timelines, provided strong validation to the technology and considerably raised awareness across healthcare professionals, policy-makers and the general public.”

    The broker notes that industry leader Sanofi, which had a 48% share of the 2020 influenza vaccine market, is making progress with its mRNA candidate.

    It said: “Sanofi, partnered with Translate Bio, progressed its first mRNA candidate into Ph1 trials last month, and has just committed €400m of annual investment into a new mRNA Centre of Excellence (from which it expects to produce 6+ clinical candidates by 2025E).”

    In addition, GlaxoSmithKline has partnered with CureVac for a 2nd-generation LNP/mRNA vaccine candidate that has demonstrated strong/durable immunogenicity in pre-clinical studies. GlaxoSmithKline’s share of the influenza vaccine market was 16% in 2020.

    What about CSL?

    The broker notes that little is known of CSL’s activities, which it appears a touch concerned about.

    Especially given how it has a 29% share of the market and Goldman is estimating that this side of the business will contribute US$1.6 billion (16% of total revenue) and EBIT of US$430 million (14% of EBIT) in FY 2021.

    Its analysts commented: “CSL is notable as the only major incumbent flu vaccine supplier without tangible information about its own mRNA program (currently ‘pre-clinical’ but with no further detail). If mRNA-based approaches can fulfil their potential in seasonal influenza, as appears increasingly possible, then CSL may need to develop/license its own viable mRNA program more quickly in order to mitigate the potential threat to its vaccine business.”

    Is mRNA the real deal?

    Goldman Sachs acknowledges that there are still a lot of unknowns with the technology. However, it sees significant potential in it.

    It concluded: “Whilst there are many questions which must be answered around the prospects for mRNA in flu, the technology certainly offers the potential for one of the more meaningful innovations in the space since egg-based viral replication was first commercialised >70 years ago.”

    The post Is the CSL (ASX:CSL) vaccine business under threat? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider CSL, 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 CSL 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended CSL Ltd. 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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  • It’s been a disappointing past year for the Newcrest (ASX:NCM) share price

    Miner with thumbs down

    It’s been more than an interesting year on the charts for the Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price, which stand on the podium as one of the world’s largest gold producers.

    The Newcrest Mining share price has taken a nosedive over the previous 12 months, sliding 23% into the red, over this time period.

    Let’s dive in and see what happened to the Australian gold mining magnate.

    The gradual walk down south from 2020

    Turbulence in Newcrest’s share price was first observed back at the beginning of August 2020.

    Newcrest shares begun to slide firmly into the red from 6 August, and although there was no market sensitive information for the company on that day, a week earlier the company did release its quarterly report.

    In the statement, the company demonstrated it achieved FY20 guidance and was able to strengthen its balance sheet by refinancing its debt profile at a lower cost.

    Moreover, the company stated its copper production had increased by 15% sequentially from March 2020.

    Despite these updates, Newcrest shares transcended into the red, falling from a high of $36.80 to $31 by the beginning of September.

    After a positive quarterly report released in September, the share price began to consolidate slightly, however then made a turn back south after the company’s presentation at the Credit Suisse conference.

    This year in review for the Newcrest Mining share price

    Since these 2 major announcements, the company’s share price has continued to slide further out of the money.

    Each time Newcrest shares have shown signs of life over the past 12 months, this has been succeeded by further downward pressures on the market price.

    On 11 February the company filed its half year results for FY21, which detailed its increase in operating performance and free cash flow conversion.

    The company also mentioned it had targeted 30-60% of annual free cash flow to be paid in dividends, up from 10-30% a year prior.

    In early March, the company announced it had refinanced its debt at more favourable terms, taking advantage of record low-interest rates.

    Newcrest shares began to recover following this announcement and continued their climb to $28.64 by mid-April.

    Then, on 5th May 2021, the company announced that Gerard Bond, Newcrest’s finance director and chief financial officer, would be resigning in January 2022, after 10 years in the role.

    Following this, the share price began to work its way back down, where it has trended down slightly, to the current market price of $29.95.

    Newcrest Mining share price snapshot

    It has been a bumpy road for Newcrest shares over the last 12 months. Year to date, the company has dipped into the green by 0.66% but still lags the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s year to date return of ~11%.

    Newcrest shares are also 6% down on the month, and at the current market price, Newcrest has a market capitalisation of $21.4 billion and trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 16.

    The 52-week range exhibited is $23.08 – $38.15, and the company pays a 44 cents per share dividend, fully-franked, with a current yield of 1.7%.

    The post It’s been a disappointing past year for the Newcrest (ASX:NCM) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Newcrest, 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 Newcrest 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

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  • Why Althea, Audinate, Perenti, & Viva Energy shares are pushing higher

    man pointing up at a rising red line which represents a growing share price

    In early afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week deep in the red. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 1.5%.

    Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are pushing higher:

    Althea Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: AGH)

    The Althea share price is up 3% to 36 cents. Investors have been buying the cannabis company’s shares after it signed a manufacturing agreement with Delshen Therapeutics Corp. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of 48North Cannabis Corp, which is a Canadian cannabis licensed operator and brand marketer. According to the release, Althea’s Peak Processing Solutions business will manufacture four products for 48North’s Latitude brand with minimum order quantities of C$1.25 million.

    Audinate Group Ltd (ASX: AD8)

    The Audinate share price has jumped 6.5% to $9.19. This follows the release of a full year update by the audio over IP networking solution provider. That update reveals that Audinate achieved revenue of US$25 million in FY 2021. This was an increase of 23% from the US$20.4 million it achieved a year earlier. Audinate’s solid growth was driven partly by an extremely strong fourth quarter performance. During the three months ended 30 June, the company’s revenue increased 74% over the prior corresponding period.

    Perenti Global Ltd (ASX: PRN)

    The Perenti share price is up almost 3% to 75.5 cents. The catalyst for this was an announcement that the engineering company’s Barminco business has finalised a contract with Panoramic Resources Limited (ASX: PAN). The contract is for development and production works at the Savannah Nickel Project in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. The finalised contract represents a value of approximately $280 million over a four-year term.

    Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)

    The Viva Energy share price is up over 4% to $2.05. Investors have been buying the energy company’s shares following the release of a first half update. According to the release, Viva Energy had a very strong first half thanks to sales growth from its non-aviation businesses. It expects first half operating earnings of $390 million to $410 million. This will be an increase of 34% over the pre-pandemic levels of FY 2019.

    The post Why Althea, Audinate, Perenti, & Viva Energy shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AUDINATEGL FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AUDINATEGL 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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  • The QEM (ASX:QEM) share price is soaring 19% today

    A graphic of a tree and a green leafy capital letter H on a blue sky background, indicating a share price rise for ASX companies dealing in hydrogen energy

    The QEM Ltd (ASX: QEM) share price is soaring today after the company updated the market on its Julia Creek vanadium and oil shale project’s potential green hydrogen hub.

    At the time of writing, the QEM share price is up 19.35%, with shares in the company trading for 18.5 cents apiece.

    However, earlier today, shares in QEM were swapping hands for 25 cents – a whopping 56% higher than their previous close.

    3.3 million shares in the company have swapped hands so far today. Let’s take a look at the news driving the excitement for QEM shares.

    What’s driving the QEM share price today?

    Today’s news from QEM regards its plans to create a green hydrogen hub in outback Queensland.

    Green hydrogen is hydrogen created using renewable energy.

    The company has received the first stage of its pre-feasibility study into the potential to generate electricity from solar and wind to power the project.

    So far, it has found it can house a wind farm capable of producing 126 megawatts of electricity using 21 wind turbine generators.

    Further studies will assess the site’s wind speeds and other factors pertaining to the windfarm’s viability.

    The second stage of the QEM’s pre-feasibility study is underway. It will investigate the additional possibility of creating a solar farm.

    Additionally, a $1.5 billion high voltage transmission line named Copperstring 2.0 is being built between Townsville and Mount Isa. It will run within 10 kilometres of Julia Creek and will allow QEM’s project access to Queensland’s electricity grid.

    A green future

    QEM also announced the findings of a report by Siecap, a project management consultant engaged with QEM’s project.

    The report found global demand for green hydrogen will increase by 750% by 2050.

    According to Siecap, by 2030 Australia’s green hydrogen export market will be worth $2.6 billion, driven by demand from Asia. The continent will account for 70% of global demand.

    Siecap also reported the global market for green hydrogen will be worth US$12 trillion by 2050.

    Commentary from management

    QEM’s managing director Gavin Loyden commented on today’s news from the company, saying:

    The results of the wind farm stage of the study brings QEM another step closer to becoming a pioneering Queensland producer of green hydrogen…

    The hydrogen market report independently produced by Siecap further reinforces that our path towards green hydrogen, commencing with investment in on-site renewable energy generation, is the optimal one to deliver long-term value for QEM.

    QEM share price snapshot

    2021 has been a good year for the QEM share price, which has gained 111% year to date.

    It is also 90% higher than it was this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $15.5 million, with approximately 100 million shares outstanding.

    The post The QEM (ASX:QEM) share price is soaring 19% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider QEM, 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 QEM 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    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 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 is sinking today

    Man slipping over on banana skin

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has spent all morning in the red, dumping more than 6% in today’s trading session.

    After closing yesterday at $8.78, the Zip share price has see-sawed from $8.53 to as low as $8.21. At the time of writing, shares in the popular buy now, pay later (BNPL) provider are swapping hands for $8.32, a drop of 5.30%.

    Let’s take a look at what happening with the company today.  

    Zip share price tumbles with overall market

    Zip has not released any price-sensitive news that could explain today’s bearish price action. It’s possible shares in the BNPL company could be feeling the effects of weakness in the overall market.

    At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is well in the red today, with Zip being the second-worst performer in the index after Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) which has plummeted almost 7%.  

    In addition, the Zip share price had rallied more than 14% since Tuesday, which could be prompting investors to lock in profits.

    Snapshot of the Zip share price

    Overall, it has been a turbulent month for the Zip share price thus far.

    Shares in Zip surged more than 13% yesterday following speculation that a rival BNPL provider acquired a stake in the company.

    Although there has been no confirmation, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)-backed Klarna reportedly took a 4% stake in Zip.

    Shares in Zip have also been one of the most shorted on the ASX. it appears some investors are pessimistic on the outlook for the company’s Quadpay business as Afterpay expands into the US.

    Despite today’s turbulent price action, the Zip share price is still more than 58% higher for the year. However, the company’s shares are currently trading a long way off their all-time highs of $14.53 back in February.

    The post The Zip (ASX:Z1P) share price is sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Nikhil Gangaram 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 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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