• How did the AMP share price perform in October?

    A mature age woman with a groovy short haircut and glasses, sits at her computer, pen in hand thinking about information she is seeing on the screen.A mature age woman with a groovy short haircut and glasses, sits at her computer, pen in hand thinking about information she is seeing on the screen.

    The AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) share price has undergone a steady recovery throughout October.

    Shares of the financial services company opened at $1.09 on 3 October and closed at $1.26 on 31 October for an appreciable 15.6% gain.

    This was a sharp rebound from September’s performance when AMP shares were sold off mid-month. The sell-off bled into October with the AMP share price hitting a low of $1.06 on 3 October, a level unseen since the end of July.

    But the last month has provided some reasons for investors to feel optimistic. Let’s cover the highlights.

    AMP October recap

    AMP shares made a new 52-week high yesterday to end the month at $1.26 apiece as the share price rode on some positive developments built earlier in the month.

    Just last week, there were arguments AMP is being potentially undervalued on a price-to-book (P/B) basis. My Fool colleague Brooke notes the company has a P/B ratio of around 0.8, which may compare favourably to other ASX financial shares.

    Continuing the line that AMP could be trading at a discount to its intrinsic value, a fund manager singled out AMP as being a dividend share “of particular interest”. Bennelong Kardinia Absolute Return Fund portfolio manager Kristiaan Rehder thinks it has “considerable excess capital” and says it may “surprise the market in regards to the extent of its capital returns in the near term”.

    Prior to that, on 17 October, my colleague Tristian noted that AMP’s $350 million on-market share buyback program has coincided with a modest share price gain since it was rolled out in August.

    So, all in all, there’s been some positive speculation around the company which may have fuelled its share price recovery throughout October.

    AMP share price snapshot

    AMP shares are currently trading for $1.26 each, steady on yesterday’s closing price.

    The AMP share price is up an impressive 26% year to date. That’s certainly outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) — it’s down around 8% over the same period.

    The company’s market capitalisation is around $3.95 billion.

    The post How did the AMP share price perform in October? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

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    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Matthew Farley 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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  • ReadyTech becomes latest ASX tech share targeted for a takeover

    a woman drawing image on wall of big fish about to eat a small fish

    a woman drawing image on wall of big fish about to eat a small fish

    The ReadyTech Holdings Ltd (ASX: RDY) share price is rocketing higher on Tuesday morning.

    At the time of writing, the enterprise software company’s shares are up 32% to $4.28.

    Why is the ReadyTech share price rocketing higher?

    Investors have been scrambling to buy ReadyTech’s shares after it became the latest tech company to receive a takeover offer.

    According to an announcement, the company has received a conditional, non-binding indicative proposal from funds managed or advised by Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) to acquire it by way of a scheme of arrangement at an offer price of $4.50 per share.

    This represents a 38.9% premium to the ReadyTech share price at the close of play on Monday.

    The release notes that the Australian private equity firm’s proposal is subject to a number of conditions. These include completion of satisfactory due diligence, negotiation and execution of transaction documentation, obtaining binding commitments from debt financiers, final investment committee approval, certain regulatory and other approvals, and other customary conditions precedent.

    ReadyTech also revealed that its major shareholder, Pemba Capital Partners, will work together with PEP on the proposal. However, it stressed that Pemba, which currently holds 32.01% of the company’s issued share capital, has no prior agreement, arrangement, or understanding in relation to the proposal.

    What’s next?

    The company established an Independent Board Committee and has carefully considered the proposal. And, with the benefit of advice from its financial and legal advisers, it has granted PEP non-exclusive access to non-public due diligence information to allow it to develop a more certain proposal.

    For now, discussions are ongoing and no agreement has been reached between the parties in relation to the value, structure or terms of any transaction. Management also warned that there is no certainty that these discussions will result in a transaction.

    As a result, it has stated that shareholders do not need to take any action in relation to the proposal.

    The post ReadyTech becomes latest ASX tech share targeted for a takeover 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

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    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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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 positions in and has recommended Readytech Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Readytech Holdings Ltd. 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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  • Telstra ASX code roadmap: what it was, what it is, and what it will be

    A man casually dressed looks to the side in a pensive, thoughtful manner with one hand under his chin, holding a mobile phone in his hand while thinking about something.

    A man casually dressed looks to the side in a pensive, thoughtful manner with one hand under his chin, holding a mobile phone in his hand while thinking about something.

    As we covered here on the Fool last month, there is something funny going on with the Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price of late. Or should it be ASX: TLSDA?

    Telstra shares are still trading on the ASX. But until this morning, one might have a hard time finding a pricing quote for TLS shares in recent days, the traditional ticker code that Telstra has always used.

    That’s because Telstra had been trading under a different ticker code for a while now. Investors wanting to look up the telco would have had to use the TLSDA code. So why the change?

    Well, all of these shenanigans stem from the company’s restructuring program, which is now completed as of today.

    As the company outlined earlier this year, part of its T25 cost-cutting and structural strategy involves a corporate and legal restructuring. It will see Telstra Corporation Limited become Telstra Group Limited.

    Nothing much will change for shareholders when the dust has settled. But it will see ‘Telstra Group’ technically become a holding company for Telstra’s four underlying businesses, which will now be legally separated. These are ServeCo, InfraCo Fixed, Amplitel, and Telstra International.

    Telstra and its ASX TLS ticker code get a shake up

    Here’s how management explained this move to shareholders in an ASX announcement:

    The restructure was a key component of our T22 strategy and is also a key component of our new T25 strategy, announced last year. It is an important next step in our drive to increase the transparency of our infrastructure assets and to improve management focus on our infrastructure and customer businesses, and consequently provides us more flexibility to create additional value for you, our shareholders…

    The restructure is an internal legal re-organisation and will not itself result in any immediate change to the underlying assets or business activities of the Telstra Group. It will provide us with more options and potential to realise additional value for Telstra Shareholders from our infrastructure assets.

    So this explains why there have been separate Telstra ticker codes on the ASX. According to the company’s schedule, 20 October was the last day that the TLS shares of the old Telstra Corporation traded on the ASX. After that date, the company moved to the TLSDA code under the name Telstra Group Limited.

    There weren’t two separate tickers for Telstra. Rather, the TLSDA code represented Telstra shares trading on a deferred settlement basis while the restructuring was underway.

    But today marks the first day that Telstra Group Limited shares trade on the ASX on a normal basis. As such, the ticker code has returned to TLS. The TLSDA-coded shares will be settled on 3 November later this week.

    So that’s it for all of the ASX changes. But the company will technically complete this whole restructuring program on 1 January next year.

    So shareholders can breathe a sigh of relief. This whole process is now pretty much finalised, and Telstra is back to its old ticker code from today onwards.

    The post Telstra ASX code roadmap: what it was, what it is, and what it will be 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

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    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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

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  • I’d listen to Warren Buffett’s advice to buy undervalued ASX shares today

    Value spelt out in different colours with magnifying glasses.Value spelt out in different colours with magnifying glasses.

    Billionaire and investing powerhouse Warren Buffett is often heralded as the greatest investor of all time. And much of his wealth has been built by investing in undervalued shares – a tactic ASX investors can take advantage of.

    Particularly, as this year has weighed on ASX share prices broadly, meaning there are likely plenty of bargains in the mix right now.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen 9.5% so far this year while the benchmark All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has dumped 11%.

    It’s a worse situation on Wall Street. Key New York-based indices have tumbled into bear markets in recent months.

    But stock in Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B) has outperformed. It’s fallen around 2% over the first 10 months of 2022.

    It’s likely the company’s shares have been buoyed by positions in other listed entities that it snapped up for less than their intrinsic values.

    So, what advice from the ‘Oracle of Omaha’ might help ASX investors hunt down undervalued shares of their own? Keep reading to find out.

    The Buffett advice I’d use to buy undervalued ASX shares

    Warren Buffett’s approach arguably overlaps with what we call value investing. That is, buying shares for less than their true value.

    ASX shares can be dubbed ‘good value’ if they’ve suffered amid an unrelated market or sector downturn. Or, perhaps, if they’ve lost popularity for reasons unrelated to their business.

    However, Buffett famously doesn’t seek out cheap shares to buy. He is often quoted as saying:

    It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price, than a fair company at a wonderful price.

    That can arguably be broken down into two pieces of advice. First, that it’s important to assess a company’s quality, competitive advantages (or disadvantages), and future prospects. Next, a buyer should consider if a company’s current share price actually reflects fair value.

    Generally, buying shares in a quality ASX-listed business for less than it’s ultimately worth means an investor primes themselves for potentially greater capital returns. Though, future gains are never guaranteed.

    Of course, identifying value where the market has not isn’t always easy. Perhaps that’s why Buffett advises investors to know the businesses and sectors they buy into back-to-front.

    Finally, don’t fret about what the market is doing. Perhaps surprisingly, Buffett doesn’t attempt to time the market.

    Instead, he makes sure he is confident in a mooted investment before jumping in, no matter the broader environment.

    While a downturn might induce dread or anxiety, the guru remains confident the market will return to the green, as it has historically.

    No doubt, there are plenty of undervalued shares trading on the ASX as we speak.

    The post I’d listen to Warren Buffett’s advice to buy undervalued ASX shares 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 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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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  • These were the worst-performing ASX 200 shares in October

    A young male investor wearing a white business shirt screams in frustration with his hands grasping his hair after ASX 200 shares fell rapidly today and appear to be heading into a stock market crash

    A young male investor wearing a white business shirt screams in frustration with his hands grasping his hair after ASX 200 shares fell rapidly today and appear to be heading into a stock market crash

    It was a month to remember for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in October. The benchmark index charged an impressive 6% higher during the month.

    Unfortunately, not all ASX 200 shares managed to climb with the market and some even recorded sizeable declines. Here’s why these were the worst performers on the index last month:

    St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM)

    The St Barbara share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 in October with a 31.1% decline. Investors were selling this gold miner’s shares following the release of the company’s first quarter update. That update revealed weaker than expected production and higher costs, which led to St Barbara downgrading its full year production guidance and increasing its all-in sustaining cost guidance.

    Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

    The Brainchip share price was sold off in October and dropped a sizeable 25.3%. The majority of this decline came after the semiconductor company released a quarterly update which revealed cash receipts in line with what a café would generate. Yet Brainchip had a market capitalisation of $1.5 billion at the time. No wonder short sellers are targeting the company!

    Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

    The Megaport share price wasn’t far behind with a 21.8% decline last month. This was driven by the release of a first quarter update which was slightly below expectations on the top line. However, the real damage was done by the company’s higher capex guidance, which is impacting Megaport’s free cash flow breakeven goals.

    Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

    The Medibank share price was out of form and sank 19% during the month. Investors were selling this private health insurer’s shares after the company was hit by a cyberattack. Medibank estimates that its half year earnings will be impacted by $25 million to $35 million pre-tax. However, this doesn’t include costs relating to potential remediation, regulatory, or litigation-related costs. Nor does it cover the brand damage and potential customer churn.

    The post These were the worst-performing ASX 200 shares in October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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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 positions in and has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. 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 Scott Phillips.

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  • The Bitcoin price leapt 10% in October. Here’s why

    A businessman jumps outdoors in sky between two rocks.A businessman jumps outdoors in sky between two rocks.

    The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price closed out September trading for US$18,694, give or take a few dollars depending on your time zone.

    As we flipped our calendars over into November, BTC was swapping virtual wallets for US$20,548.

    That puts the world’s original crypto up a healthy 9.9% in October.

    For some context, the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ: .IXIC) finished the month up 3.9%, while here in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 6.0%.

    Bitcoin price gains outperform

    Atop the outperformance in October, the Bitcoin price moves were less volatile than most crypto investors may have expected.

    Over the month, the token traded for a low of US$18,320 and a high of US$$20,988, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    Yes, that’s a 14.5% price variance. But remember, Bitcoin gained 9.9% over this time. A rather smooth ride for the virtual asset notorious for its volatility.

    And it wasn’t just Bitcoin. Most altcoins joined the rally in October.

    Despite inflation remaining concerningly high, crypto investor sentiment took a turn for the bullish amid hopes that the US Federal Reserve and other global central banks might not need to raise interest rates as rapidly or as high as the markets have widely priced in.

    Higher rates have thrown up some turbulent headwinds to cryptos, which have suffered sell-downs alongside other risk assets, like high-growth tech shares.

    Now what?

    Where the Bitcoin price heads next will, to a large extent, continue to hinge on interest rates. Particularly the policies adopted by the highly influential Fed.

    Remember, Bitcoin hit all-time highs of US$$68,790 on 10 November last year, as the world approached the end of more than a decade of ever-lower rates.

    But October did throw out some early signs that the Bitcoin price may be decoupling from risk assets, like tech shares.

    Simon Peters, market analyst at eToro, explained that the crypto had held up well despite some disappointing earnings results from the biggest US tech companies.

    That looks to be because the percentage of longer-term holders, generally less likely to sell, reached all-time highs last month.

    “These high ownership levels signal why we may be seeing a decoupling between US equities and Bitcoin,” he said.

    Peters added:

    At the current price, it is unlikely that entities apart from Bitcoin miners would want or need to sell Bitcoin, whereas given stock market conditions and the negative forecasts from companies reporting earnings, there is perhaps a greater inclination to sell stocks.

    The post The Bitcoin price leapt 10% in October. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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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 positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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  • The CBA share price soared 15% in October

    A woman in a bright yellow jumper looks happily at her yellow piggy bank representing bank dividends and in particular the CBA dividend

    A woman in a bright yellow jumper looks happily at her yellow piggy bank representing bank dividends and in particular the CBA dividend

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price performance was impressive compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) in October last month.

    Looking at the returns, the CBA share price climbed by 15.4% compared to the ASX 200 which went up by 6%. That’s an outperformance of close to 10% in just one month.

    CBA is one of the big four ASX bank shares, along with National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

    The bank didn’t announce anything during the month that was deemed to be price sensitive. However, there were a couple of things that happened that investors may want to take note of.

    Annual general meeting (AGM)

    An AGM gives a company’s management the chance to tell shareholders about how the last year went and any commentary they want to provide about the outlook.

    Investors and the market are often forward-looking. In other words, the future is more important than the past with how that affects the CBA share price.

    CBA held its AGM in October.

    CBA’s CEO Matt Comyn said that in this uncertain environment, it’s committed to playing its part in supporting the economy, promoting financial stability and encouraging growth. Comyn also said:

    Overall, we remain fundamentally optimistic about the medium to long term opportunities for Australia, as well as our capacity to provide support in the immediate future for customers who need us.

    Looking ahead, we will continue to invest in the bank’s core retail, business and institutional banking franchises, to reinforce our proposition and extend our digital leadership.

    We believe that strong customer engagement and deeper relationships will continue to underpin our ongoing positive performance.

    RBA taps the brakes

    Before October’s meeting, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) had been increasing the cash target rate by 50 basis points per month.

    With how quickly the interest rate was going up, there were two thoughts.

    First, the higher interest rates are expected to boost banking lending profitability. That’s because they are hiking the loan rate faster than how much more savers are getting from savings accounts. For the banks, this is good for their short-term profitability.

    But, the higher interest rates could also come with a sting in the tail. At the start of the interest rate increases, it could mean that banks make more profit. But, after a while, some households may not be able to keep up with the higher payments. Those loans could go into arrears and then turn into bad debts, which would impact profit for the banks like CBA.

    Getting back to the RBA. When the RBA slowed the increase to just 25 basis points (0.25%), that could suggest that the rate increases could stay slower and that the peak of the interest rate will be lower than people were initially fearing.

    In other words, CBA could get the bonus of strong lending profits, but not be hit as hard with the bad debts in the future.

    Time will tell how the CBA share price reacts when it tells the market in the FY23 half-year result in February 2023 about how much better its lending margins are.

    The post The CBA share price soared 15% in October 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Westpac Banking Corporation. 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 the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF perform strongly in October?

    a man sits at his desk wearing a business shirt and tie and has a hearty laugh at something on his mobile phone.a man sits at his desk wearing a business shirt and tie and has a hearty laugh at something on his mobile phone.

    The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) produced a strong performance for investors in October.

    Not only did the exchange-traded fund (ETF) see the unit price rise by 4.4% over the month, but it also paid out a distribution that was equivalent to a return of approximately 1.8%.

    That means that, in total, it made a return of around 6.2% during October.

    Considering the ETF’s total return per annum over the decade to September 2022 was 8.3%, seeing a total return of 6.2% in one month was pleasing.

    What drove the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF return?

    There are two different elements to the returns I just mentioned.

    ETFs are meant to pass through the dividends they receive from the investments they hold.

    Every quarter, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF pays out the income it has received from the investments that it’s invested in. It is invested in companies that are in the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) – it tracks this index.

    The distribution for the quarter ending 30 September 2022 had an ex-entitlement date of 3 October 2022 and a payable date of 18 October 2022. The ETF paid a distribution of $1.45 per unit.

    But, the larger part of the return came from capital growth. The ETF’s capital growth comes from the capital movements from the underlying holdings.

    The bigger the business holding in the ETF’s portfolio, the more of an effect it has on the overall return.

    For example, names like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) and National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) have the biggest weightings and have the biggest impact. The other big ASX bank shares are also sizeable positions.

    So, let’s look at those share price movements.

    In October, the BHP share price fell 3%.

    The CBA share price went up 15.4%.

    CSL shares declined 1.6%.

    The NAB share price went up 12.5%.

    The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price rose 16.8%.

    The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price grew by 12%.

    Why did banks do so well?

    During the month, ANZ reported its FY22 result, which demonstrated how much more lending profit it could make now that interest rates are higher. This logic of higher lending earnings could also be applied to other banks.

    I also wrote about one of the main things that could have been a boost for banks. I suggested the smaller-than-expected interest rate rise from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) in October could mean bank books may not be hurt as much as previously expected, putting less pressure on borrowers.

    The post Why did the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF perform strongly in October? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Why all ETFs may not be as good as you think…

    When ETFs burst on the investing scene, they used to be a passive, low cost way to diversify your savings.

    Fast forward to today – It’s now a spawning ground of speculation… ultra specific and exotic investing themes where complexity – and fees! – reign.

    In this FREE report, Scott Phillips uncovers the dangers of thinking all ETFs are great. Plus the three point checklist investor could run before committing to any Exchange Traded Fund.

    Yes, Access my FREE copy!
    1st October 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking Corporation. 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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  • These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in October

    A couple are shocked and elated at the good news they've just seen on their devices.

    A couple are shocked and elated at the good news they've just seen on their devices.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was well and truly back on form in October. The benchmark index roared 6% higher during the month.

    As impressive as this was, some ASX 200 shares managed to deliver even stronger gains! Here’s why these were the best performers on the index last month:

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    The Domino’s share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 in October with a 24% gain. This appears to have been driven by a promising update from its US parent which revealed improving sales trends globally. Despite this strong gain, the pizza chain operator’s shares are still down almost 50% in 2022.

    Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

    The Hub24 share price wasn’t far behind with a gain of 21.5% last month. Investors were buying this investment platform provider’s shares following the release of a strong quarterly update. According to the release, Hub24 recorded platform net inflows of $3 billion for the three months. This took its total funds under administration to $52.4 billion. This was driven by continued growth in the number of advisers on its platform.

    Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)

    The Perseus Mining share price was a strong performer and rose 20.1% in October. This followed the release of a strong quarterly update late in the month. That update revealed production that was well ahead of the market’s expectations. In light of this strong start, analysts at Macquarie suspect that the miner could outperform its production guidance.

    Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF)

    The Challenger share price was just a touch behind with a gain of 20% last month. Investors were buying this annuities company’s shares after it released its quarterly update and announced an agreement to divest its banking operations. In respect to its update, Challenger’s Life sales were up an impressive 33% during the first quarter to $2.8 billion. Whereas for the latter, the company has agreed to sell its Australian bank to Heartland Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: HGH) for $36 million.

    The post These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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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 positions in and has recommended Hub24 Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Hub24 Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Challenger Limited and Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited. 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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  • The Core Lithium share price surged 25% in October. Here’s why

    Man pointing at a blue rising share price graph.Man pointing at a blue rising share price graph.

    The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price put in another stellar performance in October, though it was not without its share of volatility.

    On 29 September, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lithium stock closed trading for $1.11.

    Yesterday, shares ended the day, and the month, trading for $1.39. That puts the Core Lithium share price up a whopping 25.2% in October.

    Now, in case you’re wondering, the ASX was open on 30 September. But Core Lithium shares were in a trading halt on the final day of September at the company’s request. This came as the miner announced it was launching a fully underwritten $100 million institutional share placement to “pursue new and aggressive exploration programs”.

    The new shares in the placement are being issued for $1.03 per share. That was almost 7% below the Core Lithium share price on the day of the announcement, and some 26% below October’s closing price.

    What happened with the ASX lithium miner last month?

    As you’d expect, the Core Lithium share price fell on 3 October, losing 4.5% on the first trading day following its capital raise announcement.

    But things turned around quickly from there.

    Core Lithium, and indeed most ASX lithium shares, received some heady tailwinds early in October following the release of the Australian government’s Department of Industry, Science and Resources quarterly Resources and Energy Report.

    Australia, as you may be aware, leads the world in lithium exports. And the report painted a rosy outlook for the year ahead, stating, “Notably, lithium exports are now forecast to rise by over 180% to $13.8 billion in 2022-23.”

    That’s up from $4.9 billion in 2021-2022, and up from $1.1 billion of lithium export earnings in 2020-21.

    You can see how that may have piqued ASX investor interest.

    What else impacted the Core Lithium share price in October?

    Atop continuing high demand and near-record prices for lithium, a metal critical for most EV batteries, the Core Lithium share price got a big boost when it officially transitioned to a lithium producer this month, joining only three other Aussie miners with that distinction.

    On 10 October, Core Lithium announced its Finniss Lithium mine had officially opened. This marks the first lithium mine in the Northern Territory, and the only Aussie mine producing lithium outside of Western Australia.

    The miner suffered what looked to be a setback on 27 October, when it announced its lithium spodumene concentrate offtake agreement with global EV giant Tesla, Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) was off the cards. Shares closed down 4.5% on the day.

    Not that CEO Gareth Manderson sounded overly concerned, stating:

    An increasing lithium price environment indicate[s] that Core Lithium is well positioned to capitalise on the high demand and current shortage of available battery grade lithium spodumene concentrate.

    And the Core Lithium share price rebounded strongly just two trading days later, on 31 October, after the miner released its quarterly activities report.

    During the quarter just gone by, Core Lithium appointed Manderson as CEO. And the miner ended the three months with a strong balance sheet, reporting $95.5 million in cash and equivalents as at 30 September.

    How has the Core Lithium share price performed this year?

    Longer-term shareholders will have little to complain about.

    So far in 2022, the Core Lithium share price is up 120%. That compares to a year-to-date loss of 10% posted by the ASX 200.

    The post The Core Lithium share price surged 25% in October. Here’s why 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. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of September 1 2022

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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 positions in and has recommended Tesla. 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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