Category: Stock Market

  • Qantas or Telstra share price: Which will climb higher in 2024?

    A man leaps from a stack of gold coins to the next, each one higher than the last.A man leaps from a stack of gold coins to the next, each one higher than the last.

    The Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price closed the session yesterday at $3.76, down 0.13% for the day and down 10.8% over the past year.

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price closed at $5.35, down 0.56% for the day and down 17.7% over the past 12 months.

    Both stocks are considered ASX blue chips, but which one will rise in value faster over the next year?

    We canvas the views of top broker Goldman Sachs, which has a buy rating on both stocks.

    Telstra share price to ring in 21% upside, says broker

    Goldman Sachs has a 12-month share price target of $4.55 on Telstra.

    This implies a potential upside of 21% for investors who buy Telstra shares today.

    In a note released this month, the broker says Telstra is its preference among Australia/New Zealand telcos.

    However, the ASX telecommunication share is not without downside risks.

    Goldman explained:

    Key downside risks: (1) higher competition in mobile/fixed from Optus/TPG or from smaller players using the NBN to loss lead, both of which would reduce our earnings & dividend growth; (2) disappointing cost out performance, meaning TLS is unable to offset wage cost inflation; (3) unfavorable regulation in fixed & mobile, including NBN pricing; and (4) delays to infrastructure monetisation or lower than expected realised value.

    What do other analysts think?

    The consensus among analysts on CommSec is for Telstra to improve its earnings over the next few years.

    The consensus on earnings per share (EPS) is 18.1 cents in 2024, 19.5 cents in 2025, and 21.8 cents in 2026.

    The analysts expect Telstra to pay dividends of 18 cents per share in 2024, 19 cents in 2025 and 20 cents in 2026.

    Based on yesterday’s closing share price, this means Telstra will pay dividend yields of 4.78%, 5.05%, and 5.32%, respectively.

    The consensus rating on Telstra shares among the 18 analysts is a moderate buy. Twelve say Telstra is a strong buy and three say a moderate buy. Two say hold and one gives the telco a moderate sell rating.

    What about the Qantas share price?

    Goldman Sachs has a 12-month share price target of $8.05 on Qantas.

    This implies a potential upside of 50.5% for investors who buy Qantas shares today.

    In a note last month, the broker said 1H FY24 earnings provided “another proof point on reset earnings capacity”.

    The broker said:

    … we note that our FY24 EPS remains 52% above pre-COVID levels even as the business faces higher (vs pre COVID) fuel prices, elevated current customer investment and a 10% yoy GSe decline in unit revenue (FY24 RASK is 24% above pre-COVID equates to average 4.4% per annum). Despite this, QAN is trading 17% below its pre-COVID market capitalization with the enterprise value 24% lower.

    Goldman said that, like Telstra shares, Qantas also has downside risks.

    These include slower-than-expected traffic recovery; a structurally reduced travel demand post-pandemic; irrational domestic market pricing; higher-than-expected fuel prices, and unfavourable exchange rates.

    What do other experts think?

    The consensus is for Qantas to grow its EPS from 90.2 cents in 2024 to 99 cents in 2025 and $1.01 in 2026.

    The analysts expect Qantas to pay no dividend in 2024, 20 cents per share in 2025 and 27 cents in 2026.

    Based on yesterday’s closing share price, this means Qantas will pay yields of 3.74% in 2025 and 5.05% in 2026.

    The consensus rating on Qantas shares among 16 analysts on CommSec is a strong buy. Eleven say the flying kangaroo is a strong buy, two say a moderate buy, and three say hold.

    Qantas or Telstra share price: Which wins?

    Qantas, easily.

    Goldman Sachs is expecting an uplift of 50.5% in the Qantas share price this year.

    By comparison, the broker expects the Telstra share price to rise by 21%.

    The post Qantas or Telstra share price: Which will climb higher in 2024? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 2 Australian dividend shares to buy under $2

    A fresh-faced young woman holds an Australian flag aloft above her head as she smiles widely on a beach as though celebrating a national day or event where Australia has been successful.

    A fresh-faced young woman holds an Australian flag aloft above her head as she smiles widely on a beach as though celebrating a national day or event where Australia has been successful.

    Investors are spoilt for choice when it comes to Australian dividend shares.

    But which ones could offer investors bang for their buck right now? Let’s take a look at two under $2 that could be top options according to analysts. Here’s what you can expect from them:

    Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

    The first Australian dividend share for income investors to look at is footwear focused retail Accent.

    With over 800 stores, 34 brands, and over 35 online platforms, there’s a good chance that you will have bought shoes or sneakers from Accent in the past.

    Among its store brands are Platypus, Sneaker Lab, The Athlete’s Foot, and Hype DC. It also recently moved into clothing with brands including Nude Lucy, Owwy, First Muse, and Glue Store.

    Last month, analysts at Bell Potter retained their buy rating on the company’s shares with an improved price target of $2.50.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 13 cents in FY 2024 and 14.6 cents in FY 2025. This equates to dividend yields of 6.5% and 7.3%, respectively.

    Centuria Office REIT (ASX: COF)

    Another Australian dividend share that has been named as a buy is the Centuria Office REIT.

    It offers investors an easy way to invest in commercial property. Centuria Office REIT is Australia’s largest pure play office REIT with a geographically diversified portfolio of high quality assets. The portfolio is predominantly exposed to metropolitan and near city office markets that are well connected to transport and lend themselves to affordable rents.

    Morgans thinks it would be a good option for income investors. It currently has an add rating and $1.60 price target on its shares.

    In respect to income, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 12 cents in FY 2024 and then 11.4 cents in FY 2025. This equates to yields of 9.1% and 8.7%, respectively.

    The post 2 Australian dividend shares to buy under $2 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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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 Accent Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 3 small-cap ASX shares with ‘long runways for growth’

    A woman smiles as she sits on the bus using her phone and listening to music through headphones.A woman smiles as she sits on the bus using her phone and listening to music through headphones.

    ASX small-cap shares are enjoying a nice run at the moment.

    No doubt the prospect of interest rates peaking and even coming down this year has helped the cause.

    This week DNR Capital portfolio manager Sam Tweedale named three small-cap stocks that his team is loving right now:

    Sales, cash and expansion. What more could you want?

    In a DNR video, Tweedale said that a big takeaway from last month’s reporting season was the bullishness for some consumer discretionary stocks.

    “That’s an area we’ve been adding to in our emerging companies fund. It’s been a core overweight.

    “We’ve seen some great opportunities to buy some good quality businesses where the market’s got some short-term concerns around the outlook.”

    And the pick of the lot, which his team has been buying regularly over the past year, is Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV).

    “I think the result really sort of put to bed some concerns there that the market had [with] sales more resilient than the market was expecting. 

    “Also the margins came in better than expected, showing very good cost control, strong cash flow, strong balance sheet, and really brought the focus back onto the store rollout potential.”

    The small cap on the comeback trail

    After a pretty ordinary couple of years, 4WD accessories merchant ARB Corporation Ltd (ASX: ARB) had a turnaround reporting season.

    “Again, that business is really benefiting from its strong market leadership,” said Tweedale.

    “The company now has sales better than expected [and] a very strong order backlog.”

    Similar to Lovisa, Tweedale felt margins reported better than expected, and ARB exercised decent pricing power and cost control.

    “The company’s really benefiting from that fixed cost leverage, benefiting from the economies of scale and the efficiencies that they’re getting.”

    Small-cap disruptors shining bright

    Technology was another boom area to come out of earnings season, according to Tweedale.

    “We’re seeing what’s happening overseas with the impact of AI and there’s some great companies here for investors to get exposure to with a lot of disruption happening.”

    A great example of businesses cashing in on this structural change is Audinate Group Ltd (ASX: AD8).

    “That company’s really disrupting the professional AV industry, helping them convert from analog to digital based signals over networks.

    “And that company really is consolidating that market leadership position that they have. The result really highlighted that.”

    Tweedale noted that Audinate now has almost 7 million devices in the real world with its networking protocol embedded.

    “There’s an opportunity to leverage that install base with a software opportunity on top,” he said.

    “We continue to like these businesses, which have a long runway for growth. They’re reinvesting a high return on invested capital, and we think that puts them in an attractive position, long-term, to deliver that capital growth for investors.”

    The post 3 small-cap ASX shares with ‘long runways for growth’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Audinate Group and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation, Audinate Group, and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Audinate Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation and Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • 3 ASX shares to buy in 2024 and hold for the next 10 years

    a man with a wide, eager smile on his face holds up three fingers.

    a man with a wide, eager smile on his face holds up three fingers.

    If you want to grow your wealth, then buying and holding some high-quality ASX shares could be the way to do it.

    That’s because by holding shares for a long period, it allows investors to benefit from the power of compounding to supercharge their returns.

    Compounding is what happens when you earn returns on top of returns. It helps explain why earning a 10% return on $1,000 turns into $1,100 in one year but approximately $2,600 in ten years.

    But which ASX shares could be good options right now? Here are three ASX shares to consider:

    CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

    As arguably the highest quality company trading on the Australian share market, this biotechnology giant could be a great option for buy and hold investors.

    It certainly has been in the past. Despite a recent blip, this ASX share has delivered a 15.8% per annum return over the last decade. And thanks to this blip, investors can pick up its shares at an attractive price today.

    UBS currently has a buy rating and $330.00 price target on its shares. This offers almost 17% upside for investors from current levels.

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    Another ASX share that could be a good buy and hold option is Domino’s. It is of course Australia’s leading pizza chain operator. In addition, the company has a growing network of stores across Asia and Europe.

    It has been going through a tough period due to inflationary pressures and some poor choices from management. While this is disappointing, it could prove to be an excellent buying opportunity for patient investors.

    Morgan Stanley believe this could be the case. It has an overweight rating and $68.00 price target on the ASX share. This suggests potential upside of over 55% for investors.

    Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

    Another ASX share that could be a great buy and hold option is Lovisa. It is a fashion jewellery retailer with bold global expansion plans.

    It is because of these plans that the team at Morgans thinks investors should be buying and holding the company’s shares. The broker has previously stated its belief that Lovisa “may prove to be one of the biggest success stories in Australian retail” and that “now is the time LOV steps up to become a global force.”

    Morgans has an add rating and $35.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 8% from current levels, but greater gains could follow as its growth continues.

    The post 3 ASX shares to buy in 2024 and hold for the next 10 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in CSL, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL, Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, and Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • $19 billion in ASX dividends is being paid out this week. Are you getting your share?

    Person with a handful of Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

    Person with a handful of Australian dollar notes, symbolising dividends.

    The ASX is well known for its dividends, and of course, by extension, its dividend-paying shares. ASX shares have been incentivised to pay out high levels of fully franked dividend income to shareholders for decades now. That’s primarily thanks to a number of factors, most potently our unique system of franking,

    That’s why we tend to see much higher yields from an ASX index fund compared to similar products covering international markets.

    But there’s another rather unique feature of our share markets that international investors might find odd. That would be our companies’ propensity to pay biannual dividends.

    In most other markets, including both the United States and the United Kingdom, quarterly dividend payments are the norm. But here on the ASX, we have twice as long between the metaphorical drinks. The vast majority of ASX dividend shares funding a dividend payment only every six months.

    This means that whilst investor income is a little irregular, when the payments do arrive, it’s something of a cash deluge.

    Luckily for ASX investors, one of those deluges just happens to be scheduled for this week.

    The five-day period we are currently in the midst of will see a plethora of ASX dividend shares dole out their latest dividend payments. Most of these were announced during the February earnings season we’ve just gone through. A rough $19 billion in dividends is set to be showered on investors by Friday’s close of business.

    Which ASX 200 shares are paying out dividends this week?

    Here’s a non-exhaustive list of some of the major ASX 200 blue-chip shares that will pay out dividends over this trading week:

    This Thursday, 28 March, might well be the biggest payday on the ASX this dividend season. That day, we’ll see what could conceivably be a majority of all ASX investors receive some kind of dividend paycheque.

    That’s the day that Beach Energy, Origin Energy, CBA, Telstra, BHP, Lottery Corp and Newmont will send out their latest shareholder payments.

    So strap yourself in, and get yourself an umbrella, because some of the ASX’s favourite shares are about to make it rain.

    The post $19 billion in ASX dividends is being paid out this week. Are you getting your share? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Newmont, Telstra Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Altium, Lottery, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank, Coles Group, Telstra Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Missed out on Nvidia? My best ASX tech stock to buy and hold

    woman working on tabletwoman working on tablet

    There’s not much argument that the world’s hottest stock in the past year or so has been Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA).

    The shares for the US company have rocketed 539% since early January 2023, on the back of the hype around artificial intelligence (AI).

    Funnily enough, Nvidia itself doesn’t produce any AI.

    The Californian business makes computer chips that its customers need to power all the intensive computing needed to run intelligent algorithms.

    In other words, Nvidia is selling the “picks and shovels” — or the tools — needed to make the coolest tech that everyone wants.

    Now, if you feel like you missed the boat on Nvidia shares, you need not worry.

    There are plenty of other companies that could benefit from the AI revolution in a similar way, even here in Australia.

    The tech stock in ‘outstanding position’ to cash in on AI hype

    One example looking like an excellent buy right now is NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT).

    As a data centre provider, the Australian company is even further up the supply chain than Nvidia. It’s providing the facilities to house the computers.

    The NextDC share price has already doubled since the start of last year, but many professionals are predicting there is plenty more where that came from.

    The recent half-year results were warmly received, with the stock hitting all-time highs.

    Chief executive Craig Scroggie acknowledged the contribution artificial intelligence was making to the booming business.

    “As demand continues to be bolstered by the broad adoption of new technologies such as generative AI, the business remains in an outstanding position to support customer growth requirements across the enterprise, government and hyperscale verticals.”

    NextDC also has a second long-term tailwind that it’s riding on, in cloud computing.

    All this has led to a remarkable 14 of 17 analysts naming the stock as a buy, according to broking platform CMC Invest.

    Moomoo market strategist Jessica Amir last month named NextDC as one of the stocks she would buy and hold onto until the next leap year.

    “Positioned to capture [and] generate AI opportunities,” she said.

    “Half of its revenue is from NSW and ACT — huge potential to expanding capacity and geographically — and it’s doing that.”

    The post Missed out on Nvidia? My best ASX tech stock to buy and hold appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of 1 February 2024

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

    Fancy font saying top ten surrounded by gold leaf set against a dark background of glittering stars.

    Fancy font saying top ten surrounded by gold leaf set against a dark background of glittering stars.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) suffered a fall today, returning the index back to earth after yesterday’s strong start to the trading week.

    By the close of trading, the ASX 200 had endured a 0.41% decline, which pulled the index back down to 7,780.2 points.

    This taxing Tuesday comes after a rough night up on Wall Street last night for the start of the American trading week.

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) opened the week with a whimper, dropping 0.41%.

    It wasn’t quite so bad for the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), which took a 0.27% hit.

    But getting back to the local markets, let’s see how today’s trading went for the various ASX sectors.

    Winners and losers

    There was plenty of pain all around on the stock market today, with only a few sectors managing to extract a raise from investors.

    But first, the losers. Leading the droppers this Tuesday were tech stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) had a horrible day, tanking by 1.55% by the closing bell.

    Communications shares came next. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) had a nasty day too, getting a 0.99% whack.

    Miners weren’t rising to anyone’s rescue, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)’s 0.73% crater.

    Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were another sore spot. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) had a day to forget, collapsing 0.67%.

    Industrial stocks were the next cab from the rank. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) suffered a 0.45% swing against it.

    Healthcare shares didn’t exactly live up to their name either this Tuesday, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)’s fall of 0.32%.

    Consumer discretionary stocks fared a little better, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 0.23% drop.

    Financial shares weren’t in a kind mood either, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) banking a loss of 0.22%.

    Our final loser was the utilities space. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) got a 0.07% downgrade from investors today.

    That’s it for the losers though. Turning to the winners now, it was gold stocks that stole the show today. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) had a wonderful time, soaring by 0.82%.

    Energy shares comforted investors too. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) shot up by 0.5%.

    Our third and final winner was the consumer staples sector. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) had a decent day, gaining 0.23%.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    This Tuesday’s winning stock was energy share Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR). Karoon shares careened 6.06% higher up to $2.10 each by the close of trading. There wasn’t any news out of the company itself, but oil prices have been ticking up this week.

    Here’s how the rest of today’s list looks:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) $2.10 6.06%
    Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) $0.55 4.76%
    Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV) $32.00 4.40%
    Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD) $0.29 4.03%
    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) $27.15 3.31%
    Regis Resources Ltd(ASX: RRL) $1.92 2.95%
    De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) $1.23 2.93%
    Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) $1.785 2.88%
    Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) $5.13 2.81%
    Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) $1.58 2.60%

    Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elders and Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • NAB boss issues dire prediction for Aussie economy

    A worried woman looks at her phone and laptop, seeking ways to tighten her belt against inflation.

    A worried woman looks at her phone and laptop, seeking ways to tighten her belt against inflation.

    Outgoing National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) CEO Ross McEwan has an alarming prediction for Australia’s economy.

    And whether you’re a renter or a homeowner, McEwan’s prediction will likely strike a chord.

    With immigration levels in Australia surging post the COVID intake pause, and new housing construction slumping, rental vacancies are plummeting, and house prices are rising, despite elevated interest rates.

    Why NAB’s prediction is gloomy

    Speaking yesterday, McEwan flagged the housing crisis as a critical issue for Australia. And one that could hamstring economic growth.

    Addressing the housing situation, McEwan said (quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald) “We just don’t have enough of it.”

    This could become a big problem, is the NAB boss’ prediction.

    “That will slow down the growth of this economy because if you don’t have houses for migrants to come in to, we’ll soon be cutting off the migration levels coming into the country.”

    Indeed, the September quarter saw net overseas migration levels top 145,000 arrivals. That brought the annual increase to almost 550,000 new arrivals, well outpacing the number of new homes being built each year.

    As dictated by the laws of supply and demand, this is seeing rents and property prices soar.

    CoreLogic’s national Home Value Index (HVI) rose 8.1% in 2023. Most recently, the HVI increased another 0.6% in February, the strongest monthly gain since October.

    Renters are doing it tough as well, with rental vacancies plunging to all-time lows of 0.7% in February.

    According to McEwan, “If we can solve [the housing issue], we can keep this economy growing at a good pace and keep productivity lifting in the Australian marketplace, which will make us better as we export overseas as well.”

    Failing that, NAB’s CEO has a rather dire prediction.

    “If we don’t, well, I think Australia will slow down accordingly,” he said.

    McEwan will step down as NAB’s CEO on 2 April. Andrew Irvine, NAB’s group executive business and private banking, will take over the reins.

    The post NAB boss issues dire prediction for Aussie economy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • Why did this ASX All Ords stock just crash 36%?

    a business man in a suit holds his hand over his eyes as he bows his head in a defeated post suggesting regret and remorse.

    a business man in a suit holds his hand over his eyes as he bows his head in a defeated post suggesting regret and remorse.

    It has been another tough session for 29Metals Ltd (ASX: 29M) shares.

    At one stage today, the ASX All Ords stock was down as much as 36% to 54 cents.

    The copper miner’s shares have recovered a touch since then but remain down 25% to 40.5 cents in afternoon trade.

    This latest decline means that 29Metals shares are now down 65% over the last 12 months.

    Why is this ASX All Ords stock crashing?

    Investors have been heading to the exits on Tuesday after the company revealed that it has suspended operations at Capricorn Copper.

    This is a big blow given that the company has been working very hard to restart production at Capricorn Copper following extreme weather a year ago.

    According to the release, the ASX All Ords stock made the move following an extended period of rainfall between late January and mid-March. This rainfall resulted in a steady accumulation of water in regulated structures on site to levels now similar to those following the March 2023 extreme weather event.

    Management advised that with water at these levels, the dewatering of Esperanza South underground mine (ESS) cannot continue which, in turn, delays the restart of mining as part of the Capricorn Copper Recovery Plan.

    The ASX All Ords stock’s managing director and CEO, Peter Albert, said:

    The decision to suspend operations has not been taken lightly, particularly because of the impact it will have on our team at Capricorn Copper who have worked tirelessly following the extreme weather event in March 2023, as well as the local community, our contractors, and the businesses across the region and the state of Queensland that support the site.

    Unfortunately, the combination of elevated water levels at the beginning of the wet season (as a result of the event a year ago) and the sustained rainfall since late January this year has more than offset our successes reducing water levels through mechanical evaporation and authorised releases of treated water within prescribed limits.

    As things stand, the duration of the suspension is unknown. It will be dependent on a number of factors, including reducing the water levels held on site and securing the regulatory approvals required to set Capricorn Copper on a sustainable footing.

    The post Why did this ASX All Ords stock just crash 36%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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  • Shares vs. property: How to generate $500 passive income per month

    An ASX dividend investor lies back in a deck chair with his hands behind his head on a quiet and beautiful beach with blue sky and water in the background.An ASX dividend investor lies back in a deck chair with his hands behind his head on a quiet and beautiful beach with blue sky and water in the background.

    Passive income comes in from your investments while you sleep, and it’s arguably easier to generate if you buy ASX shares vs. property.

    This is because investors can start small with ASX shares and buy a portfolio over time using savings rather than debt. The other advantage is there are no holding costs for shares investments whatsoever.

    If you want to buy a real estate investment, odds are you’ll need a loan, and on top of that, there are thousands of dollars in holding costs, such as insurance, strata levies and council rates.

    Let’s take a look at how it works.

    Our aim will be to generate $500 passive income per month from investing in ASX shares vs. property.

    Shares vs. property: $500 per month passive income

    For property investors, achieving positive cash flow (rental income less costs) is really hard.

    This is because property investment typically involves taking out a loan because home values are so high.

    And with investment loan rates at about 7% these days, it’s very hard for an investor on a typical 80:20 loan-to-value ratio (LVR) loan to generate positive passive income at all.

    The loan repayments alone typically exceed the rental income. This is why most of Australia’s 2.25 million landlords are negatively geared, according to the latest Australian Tax Office data.

    A near-40% increase in weekly rents since August 2020 has certainly helped. But interest rates have gone up 13 times since May 2022 and this has had a greater impact for most investors.

    Let’s look at a case study to see how we can achieve $500 per month in positive passive income (i.e., after costs) from real estate investment.

    Case study: The cheap property

    Buying property in a cheaper market is one strategy you could employ to generate positive passive income sooner.

    The cheapest market in terms of median house prices is regional South Australia at $407,655, according to CoreLogic figures.

    Regional South Australia has a gross rental yield of 5%. That’s $20,383 per year in rental income (check out the yields in other regional and metro markets here).

    We’ll assume about $7,000 in ongoing holding costs per year covering council and water rates, insurance, repairs, property management fees, and a multitude of small costs like annual pest inspections.

    In terms of home loan repayments, the lowest standard variable investment mortgage interest rate advertised on RateCity at the time of writing is 6.96% (on interest-only terms).

    On an 80:20 loan (hence finance of $326,124), RateCity calculates the monthly loan repayments to be $1,892, or $22,704 per year. So, the loan repayments alone exceed your rental income.

    Let’s halve that loan amount (hence finance of $163,062). The repayment is $946 per month or $11,352 per year. Now we have a chance at some positive passive income.

    $20,383 per year in rent less $11,352 interest less $7,000 holding costs = $2,031 positive cash flow. But that’s only $169 per month in positive passive income, so well off our target of $500.

    How about we halve that loan amount again (hence finance of $81,531). The repayment is $540 per month or $6,480 per year. Does that bring us close?

    $20,383 per year in rent less $6,480 interest less $7,000 holding costs = $6,903 positive cash flow. So now we’re getting $575 per month of positive passive income.

    But in order to achieve this, you’d need $326,124 in savings (and $81,531 in debt) to buy the asset in the first place.

    It’s worth noting that interest payments and holding costs are generally tax deductible. Shares also deliver a tax benefit via franking. We’re excluding these tax benefits to keep our calculations simple.

    The bottom line from this case study: To achieve $500 per month positive passive income, you’ll likely either need to buy a cheap investment property, or buy with less finance, or both.

    Passive income via dividends

    The average dividend yield for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares is 4% per annum. But you can do better than that if you invest in some of the best income shares on the ASX.

    Let’s take a look at a few examples.

    ASX 200 share Dividend yield
    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) 5.42%
    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) 4.86%
    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) 5.47%
    ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) 5.55%
    Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) 8.19%
    Yield calculated ex-franking using CommSec consensus analyst estimates for 2024 dividend payments for each company and the share price of each ASX 200 stock at the time of writing.

    If you were to buy Fortescue shares with the aim of generating $500 per month passive income (on average spread over two dividend payments per year), you’d need to have $73,260 in savings to buy the asset in the first place.

    Shares vs. property

    So, when it comes to shares vs. property and generating $500 per month in passive income, our case studies show that shares appear to be an easier investment strategy for achieving this particular goal.

    The post Shares vs. property: How to generate $500 passive income per month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Anz Group and BHP Group. 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 Scott Phillips.

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