Nasty, nasty, nasty. That’s pretty much all you can say about what’s happening to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and ASX shares so far this Wednesday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has plunged by a depressing 1.57%, leaving the index at just under 6,700 points.

But rather than dwelling too long on all that, let’s instead check out the ASX 200 shares that are currently atop the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Wednesday

Vicinity Centres (ASX: VCX)

First up today is ASX 200 real estate investment trust (REIT) Vicinity Centres. So far today, a hefty 11.92 million Vicinity units have changed hands on the markets. There’s been no news of note out of this company today.

However, we have seen a pretty dramatic movement when it comes to the Vicinity unit price. This REIT is presently down a horrible 4.86% at $1.76 per unit. It’s likely that it is the size of this fall that has prompted so many units to fly around.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

Next up is ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara Minerals. This Wednesday has had a notable 26.67 million Pilbara shares find a new home. Again, it seems we have a share price movement to thank for this volume. Pilbara is defying the broader markets to hit yet another new record high today.

As my Fool colleague James discussed this morning, investors piled into the company after it revealed some positive results from its last BMX auction. The company initially rose as high as $5.08 this morning, but has cooled since, and is now going for $4.92 a share, up 0.6% for the day thus far.

Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

Sayona has only been on the ASX 200 index for three days now. But it continues to be a baptism by fire. This ASX 200 lithium share has copped another painful 6.8% slide today, putting it at 25 cents a share.

Sayona has now lost close to 14% just this week. It’s this big slide today that has likely prompted the whopping 72.9 million shares that we have watched find a new home this Wednesday.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Pilbara Minerals share price hits record high following lithium auction
• Pilbara Minerals share price on watch following BMX lithium auction
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• Is this prediction great news for ASX lithium shares?

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 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/m4bWcKC

The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) share price reached a new 52-week low today of $8.35.

Shares of the regional bank currently trade for $8.37 each, 1.88% lower than yesterday’s closing price.

It takes the bank’s losses for the past year to 9.36%, well below the 5.6% drop in the S&P/ASX 200 Banks Index (ASX: XBK) over the same period.

BendigoBank is also underperforming three of the big four ASX banking shares over the last 12 months, with:

• Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) down 5.03%
• National Australia Bank Ltd. (ASX: NAB) up 10.15%
• Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) down 1.01%

Only the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited (ASX: ANZ) has performed worse with a 12.4% loss in the past year.

But there have been some important developments for Bendigo in the recent past. Let’s recap the highlights.

What’s going on with the Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price?

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank received a buy rating from Citi analysts just last week. The consensus price target for the bank is $9.40 per share, according to Refinitiv Eikon data. That’s a considerable 12% upside at the time of writing.

Meantime, Macquarie is bullish on the ASX banking sector in the short term amid rising interest rates. My Fool colleague Zach notes that banks’ net interest income increases as the Reserve Bank of Australia lifts rates in a bid to dampen inflation.

Macquarie analysts said:

In the short term, banks continue to benefit from highly lucrative retail deposit pricing, which will likely provide margin upside in the next six months.

However, the analysts likened the recent run of interest rate increases to “a sugar hit”, warning:

If we are heading into an environment where credit growth is going to be slow for a long period of time, it does have a substantial impact on the earnings outlook and the valuation of banks.

Last month, Bendigo Bank reported its full-year earnings for FY22. Statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) dipped 6.9% to $488.1 million during the period.

Bendigo share price snapshot

Although the Bendigo Bank share price is down almost 10% year to date, it’s still outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). It’s down 11.7% over the same period.

The bank’s current market capitalisation is $4.73 billion.

The post The Bendigo Bank share price just hit a new 52-week low. What’s going on? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Down 20% since mid August, are Bendigo Bank shares in the buy zone right now?
• What could rising interest rates mean for the Bendigo Bank share price?
• Why rising rates are a ‘sugar hit’ for ASX 200 bank shares: Macquarie
• Why is the Bendigo Bank share price dipping on Monday?
• These ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend on Monday

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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 positions in and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. 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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/aNoLYzl

If you mention ASX dividend shares to any ASX investor, chances are the first name that comes up is not the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ).

This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is well-known for its exposure to US-listed NASDAQ shares, which are heavily dominated by the tech titans of the US markets.

As such, this ETF is rather popular on the ASX. But it is not well-known for dividend income. For an ETF to pay out dividend distributions, it usually must first receive dividends from the companies that it holds.

An ETF can also fund dividend distributions from rebalancing its portfolio, but that’s a conversation for another day.

So in the BetaShares NASDAQ ETF’s case, this fund holds around 100 of the largest shares on the NASDAQ 100 Index. Although this index is dominated by US tech shares, it still contains more than a few dividend payers.

Let’s now go through this ETF’s top holdings. According to the provider, the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF’s current top five holdings are as follows:

1. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL)
2. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT)
3. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)
4. Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL)
5. Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA)

Does the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF pay dividends?

So yes, Amazon, Alphabet and Tesla have never paid a dividend to their shareholders. But Apple and Microsoft have been established dividend payers for years now. Additionally, the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF also holds other dividend payers like PepsiCo, Texas Instruments and Intel.

Thus, we can confirm that the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF is a dividend-paying fund. But what sort of yield can investors expect from this US-focused ETF?

So over the past 12 months, The BetaShares NASDAQ ETF has doled out just one dividend distribution after skipping its usual January payment. This distribution came to 84.158 cents per share. On the current unit price, that gives this ETF a trailing dividend distribution yield of 3.06%.

Sure, that might not be as high as what some of the ASX-based ETFs have recently paid out. But it’s certainly a strong effort from an ETF not known for its dividend prowess.

The post You might be surprised by how much the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF pays in dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Here’s why I think these ASX tech shares are buys in September
• 2 outstanding ETFs for ASX investors to buy next week
• Here’s why the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF has tanked 4% today
• 3 excellent ETFs for beginner investors to buy
• 3 wonderful ETFs for ASX investors to buy today

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet (A shares), Amazon, Apple, Intel, Microsoft, PepsiCo Inc., Tesla, and Texas Instruments. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, Apple, BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS, Intel, Microsoft, Tesla, and Texas Instruments. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2023 $57.50 calls on Intel, long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple, short January 2023 $57.50 puts on Intel, and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Amazon, and Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/0Er7TQn

The Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price is shrugging off the broader market weakness to soar another 5% today.

This comes as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is tumbling by 1.5% following losses on Wall Street overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) receded 1.01% along with the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQ: .IXIC) down 0.85%, and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) losing 1.13%.

At the time of writing, Whitehaven shares are up 5.21% to $9.08 after reaching an all-time high of $9.165 earlier on.

Let’s take a look at why the coal producer’s shares are outperforming the ASX today.

Whitehaven seeks extended buyback program

Investors are bidding up the Whitehaven share price after the company made an announcement regarding its share buyback program.

According to its release, Whitehaven advised it is seeking shareholder approval to extend its $550 million share buyback.

The on-market buyback commenced on 8 March this year, through which Whitehaven set out to acquire up to 10% of shares over 12 months.

The company has bought a total of 93.5 million shares or roughly 9% at an average price of $5.40 per share as of 20 September 2022.

In total, Whitehaven has spent $504.3 million on the buyback and expects to complete it before its annual general meeting. The AGM is scheduled for 26 October.

The company is hoping to get 50% shareholder approval for an on-market buyback, or 75% for an off-market tender buyback.

If the resolutions are passed, this will allow the board to acquire up to 240 million shares (25% of issued shares) under any on-market or off-market tender buyback for a 12-month period to 26 October 2023.

Whitehaven CEO and managing director Paul Flynn said:

The share buyback programme is proving to be an efficient way of returning capital to our shareholders. It supports Whitehaven’s ambition to deliver sustainable benefits for shareholders who continue to hold shares in the Company. With fewer shares on issue, the buyback is improving return on equity, earnings per share and dividends per share at the same time that underlying earnings have grown substantially.

Whitehaven share price summary

Since the start of 2022, Whitehaven shares have rocketed nearly 250% on the back of favourable coal prices.

In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) is up 35% over the same time period.

Based on today’s price, Whitehaven presides a market capitalisation of approximately $8.25 billion and has around 956.27 million shares outstanding.

The post Why is the Whitehaven share price soaring another 5% on Wednesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Why is the Whitehaven Coal share price having such a top run on Tuesday?
• Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy this month
• 3 ASX energy stocks up more than 100% so far this year
• 5 ASX energy shares powering portfolios with the highest dividend yields
• Own Whitehaven shares? Here’s some good news on your dividends

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 Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/bRCLTf8

Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

Three ASX shares brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

According to a note out of Morgan Stanley, its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $323 price target on this biotherapeutics company’s shares. This follows reports that Mexicans will be able to continue crossing the US border to donate plasma. Morgan Stanley estimates that approximately 10% of CSL’s collections come from centres close to the US-Mexico border, so this is positive news. The CSL share price is trading at $282.55 today.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

Another note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $35.00 price target on this language testing and student placement company’s shares. This follows the announcement of a deal to acquire Intake Education for $83 million. Morgan Stanley expects the deal to be earnings per share accretive and notes that it should boost IDP’s presence in the high-growth African market. The IDP Education share price is fetching $27.64 on Wednesday.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

Analysts at Macquarie have retained their outperform rating and $5.60 price target on this lithium miner’s shares. According to the note, the broker was pleased with the results of Pilbara Minerals’ latest battery material exchange auction. It notes that the company commanded a price that was up 10% month on month. It feels this reflects the current tightness in the lithium market. The Pilbara Minerals share price is trading at $4.95 today.

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

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Could the CSL share price be set for a boost before the year’s end?
• Looking to buy ASX shares? Expert reveals ‘one metric to assess the quality of a business’
• Pilbara Minerals share price hits record high following lithium auction
• Pilbara Minerals share price on watch following BMX lithium auction
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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 CSL Ltd. and Idp Education Pty 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 Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/VipbSdc

The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price is trading lower with the market on Wednesday afternoon.

At the time of writing, the investment bank’s shares are down over 1% to $170.90.

This means the Macquarie share price is now down almost 20% since the start of the year.

Is the Macquarie share price in the buy zone now?

One leading broker that sees plenty of value in the Macquarie share price is Morgans.

According to a recent note, the broker has an add rating and $215.00 price target on the company’s shares.

This implies potential upside of almost 26% for investors over the next 12 months. And that’s before dividends!

Morgans is expecting a partially franked $7.07 per share dividend in FY 2023. This equates to a 4.1% dividend yield, which stretches the total potential return to a very attractive 30%.

Why is it bullish?

The note reveals that Morgans is bullish on the investment bank due to its exposure to a number of long term structural growth areas and its ongoing market share gains in Australian mortgages.

Its analysts explained:

We continue to like MQG’s exposure to long-term structural growth areas such as infrastructure and renewables. The company also stands to benefit from recent market volatility through its trading businesses, while it continues to gain market share in Australian mortgages.

And while the broker acknowledges that it will be hard for Macquarie to cycle FY 2022’s impressive performance, it thinks investors should look beyond this and focus on the future.

In our view, it was hard to fault MQG’s FY22 result, which benefitted from strong performances in CGM and Macquarie Capital. The only real negative, in our view, is it will be difficult for MQG to cycle such a standout performance in FY23. We anticipate some near-term earnings volatility over FY23 but we like MQG’s favourable longer-term growth profile and consistent history of delivering strong returns (~15% average ROE over time).

The post This expert tips 25% upside for the Macquarie share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#43B02A”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Analysts name 2 excellent blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy now
• Macquarie shares bear the brunt of bank sell-off amid inflation bomb
• Top ASX dividend shares to buy in September 2022
• I shouldn’t have sold this ASX share two years ago: fund
• Is the Macquarie dividend going to beat a bank savings account?

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

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/5kNYHmJ

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is down 1.31% in afternoon trading.

Shares of the big bank closed yesterday trading for $96.53 and are currently fetching $95.27 apiece.

But it’s not just the CBA share price in the red today.

All of the big four banks are down roughly 1%, slightly outperforming the 1.4% loss posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) at this same time.

Why is the CBA share price sliding today?

The CBA share price, alongside the broader market, is under pressure following another day of selling in US markets yesterday (overnight Aussie time).

Investors have been repositioning their portfolios ahead of tonight’s interest rate announcement from the US Federal Reserve. Economists are broadly predicting a 0.75% rate hike from the world’s most influential central bank. But with inflation running hotter than expected in the US, a growing number of analysts think the Fed might go with a full 1.00%.

Banks can weather higher rates better than growth stocks. And gradual rate increases can even help push the CBA share price higher, as it enables the bank to increase its net interest margins.

But if central banks lift rates aggressively, those benefits can be overshadowed by negative impacts on new mortgage loans and an increase in bad debts.

That’s today’s price action.

More branch closures

In other news that’s seeing CBA in the headlines today, the Finance Sector Union (FSU) has lashed management for closing 14 of its Bankwest branches across New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, and Victoria. CBA has also reduced trading hours at 29 regional outlets in Western Australia.

Commenting on the closures, FSU national secretary Julia Angrisano said:

The FSU believes banking is an essential service and that all Australians, no matter where they live, have the right to access banking services in the manner they choose, in particular by being able to walk into a local branch…

Banks like the CBA and BankWest promote the lie that large numbers of customers are migrating to digital banking, when the truth is that the banks are actively pushing customers into digital banking.

As reported by The Australian, Bankwest executive general manager Jason Chan said the bank is investing in areas like online and mortgage broker services where customers prefer to engage. Foot traffic in the branches being shuttered was said to be too low to justify keeping the doors open.

CBA share price snapshot

With today’s intraday losses factored in, the CBA share price is down 7.1% in 2022. That compares to an 11.6% year-to-date loss posted by the ASX 200.

The post What’s with the CBA share price on Wednesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Here’s why I decided to buy each of the big 4 ASX 200 bank shares
• Looking to buy CBA shares? Here’s how the bank’s balance sheet stacks up
• Which ASX 200 bank share will win the great tech battle?
• CBA share price edges higher amid acquisition rumours
• ASX 200 shares dump $60 billion in horror session. Here’s how Wednesday unfolded

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/liVIdb1

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is lagging behind the ASX 200 on Wednesday.

This comes despite the company not releasing any new announcements to the ASX.

At the time of writing, the mining giant’s shares are down 2.63% to $38.15.

In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 1.45% to 6,707.4 points.

What’s dragging BHP shares lower?

There are a couple of reasons as to why the BHP share price is trading in negative territory today.

First and foremost, investors are heading for the hills following a strong sell-off on Wall Street yesterday.

The S&P/ASX 300 Metals and Mining Index (ASX: XMM) is currently the worst performing sector across the ASX, down 2.56%.

The market appears to be keeping a close eye on the crucial US Federal Reserve meeting tomorrow.

Economists are predicting the central bank to lift interest rates by up to 100 basis points to combat inflation.

Previously, US Fed chair Jerome Powell made hawkish comments about keeping a tight leash on inflation. He reiterated the goal to bring down annual inflation levels to 2% compared to the 8.3% recorded last month.

In addition, iron ore futures are falling 0.19% to US$98.80 per tonne.

After trading above the psychological $100 barrier for the past two weeks, the steel-making ingredient is struggling amid concerns about Chinese demand.

The country’s strict zero-COVID policy and weakened property sector is keeping demand subdued despite news about easing border restrictions.

BHP share price summary

Since the beginning of the year, the BHP share price has moved in circles to register a gain of 3%.

Over the past 12 months, the company’s shares are up 13%.

Based on the current price, BHP presides a market capitalisation of approximately $193 billion.

The post Why is the BHP share price lagging the ASX 200 today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• This is how I found a 15-bagger ASX share: fund manager
• $18 billion of ASX dividends are being paid out this week. Here’s the lowdown
• Here’s what this top broker is saying about the BHP share price
• Why China’s slowdown isn’t as bad as it looks for ASX 200 mining shares
• BHP share price gains amid improved Oz Minerals takeover rumours

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 Scott Phillips.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/MV2iLmT

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The stock market suffered a setback on Tuesday, giving back gains from Monday’s session amid renewed fears about what the Federal Reserve might do when it concludes its two-day monetary policy meeting on Wednesday. Losses for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI), S&P 500 (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC), and Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) amounted to roughly 1%, with small-cap stocks taking relatively larger hits than their large-cap counterparts.

Index	Daily Percentage Change	Daily Point Change
Dow	(1.01%)	(313)
S&P 500	(1.13%)	(44)
Nasdaq	(0.95%)	(110)

Data source: Yahoo! Finance.

As the stock market becomes more volatile, investors are increasingly appreciating companies that reward them with predictable and growing streams of dividend income. Today, Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced that it would boost its quarterly payout to shareholders. The tech giant pays a relatively modest yield, but some other dividend-stock stalwarts are also in line to pay more to their investors in the near future. Read on to learn more about Microsoft as well as three other companies that could give similar rewards to shareholders soon.

A higher payout for Microsoft

Microsoft stock didn’t do all that well on Tuesday, losing almost 1% in the regular trading session. However, long-term investors will get a little bit more from  the software giant in the form of higher dividend checks.

Microsoft’s board of directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.68 per share. Shareholders of record as of Nov. 17 will receive the higher payout, which will show up in investors’ accounts on Dec. 8. The payout is $0.06 higher than the previous $0.62 per-share quarterly dividend.

With a dividend yield of only about 1%, most investors don’t think much about Microsoft as a dividend stock. Yet the company has developed a solid track record of boosting dividend payouts over time, with the latest move making 2022 the 20th straight year in which Microsoft has paid more in annual dividends than in the previous year.

These companies could be next

Many companies have even longer track records than Microsoft in paying higher dividends. For instance, the following three companies typically announce their dividend increases around this time of year:

• Emerson Electric (NYSE: EMR) has an impressive 65-year track record of paying higher dividends to its shareholders. The company’s most recent increase came last November when it announced a 2% boost to $0.515 per share on a quarterly basis.
• Fast-food giant McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) made a larger payout boost late last year, increasing quarterly dividends by $0.09 to $1.38 per share. The Golden Arches chain has a 47-year streak of paying higher dividends for long-term shareholders.
• ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) has a 40-year dividend-increase streak on the line as it enters the final months of the year. Last year’s most recent payout boost added just a single penny to the quarterly payout, with shareholders receiving $0.88 per share each quarter.

There’s no guarantee that these companies will follow through with dividend increases. Every year, there are often at least a few long-paying dividend stocks that have to make payout cuts or even suspend their payouts temporarily.

However, all three of these blue chip stocks have strong businesses underlying them, and they’ve had the ability to weather difficult economic times in the past and still give their shareholders higher payouts over time. At a time when many investors are feeling increasingly uncomfortable with how much the prices of their stocks have fallen, the extra confidence of knowing that they can receive a quarterly check from these companies is especially valuable.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Microsoft just hiked its dividend. Who’s next? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() { function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) { if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) { var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0]; button.style[property] = defaultValue; } } setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’); setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’); setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’); })()

More reading

• Is Tesla stock recession-proof?
• Could Canva spoil the party of these giant tech stocks?
• Amazon, Microsoft, and Alphabet have partnered with this US cloud stock. Is it a buy?
• 2 unstoppable Warren Buffett stocks that can turn sitting cash into growing wealth
• Is Alphabet stock a buy after Q2 earnings?

Dan Caplinger has positions in Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Microsoft. 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.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/Bc2D1wl

For Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) shareholders, surely the two most important dates on the calendar are the days that investors receive their cherished dividend payments.

As the dominant telco in Australia, Telstra shares have been famous for their dividends ever since the company was first listed on the ASX back in the 1990s.

The company’s dividend payments have had a lot of ups and downs over the company’s long history. But the telco undoubtedly remains one of the favourite ASX blue chip shares when it comes to dividend income.

So it goes without saying that today would be a very happy day for Telstra shareholders. That’s because it’s dividend payday.

When Telstra revealed its FY22 full-year earnings last month, it contained a bit of a surprise. For several years now, Telstra has doled out two fully franked dividend payments worth eight cents per share every year.

Telstra shares pay out with a dividend raise

But this year, Telstra revealed that its investors would be treated with a dividend pay raise. It’s the first investors have enjoyed since 2016. Yes, Telstra’s final payout for FY22 will come in at a fully franked 8.5 cents per share instead of the usual eight cents.

And this dividend is coming shareholders’ way today. That’s after Telstra shares traded ex-dividend on 24 August last month.

The dividend was originally scheduled to be paid out tomorrow. But in light of the public holiday commemorating the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, this has been changed. Telstra announced last week that the payment would be brought forward by one day so as not to fall on the public holiday.

Investors will either be receiving a cash payment today. Or else receiving additional Telstra shares if investors opt for the optional dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).

At the current Telstra share price of $3.80 (at the time of writing), this dividend payment brings the company’s dividend yield to 4.34%. That’s 6.2% grossed up with the full franking credits.

The post The Telstra dividend is being paid today. Here’s the latest appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

(function() {
function setButtonColorDefaults(param, property, defaultValue) {
if( !param || !param.includes(‘#’)) {
var button = document.getElementsByClassName(“pitch-snippet”)[0].getElementsByClassName(“pitch-button”)[0];
button.style[property] = defaultValue;
}
}

setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘background’, ‘#5FA85D’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#0095C8”, ‘border-color’, ‘#43A24A’);
setButtonColorDefaults(“#fff”, ‘color’, ‘#fff’);
})()

More reading

• Looking to buy ASX shares? Expert reveals ‘one metric to assess the quality of a business’
• $18 billion of ASX dividends are being paid out this week. Here’s the lowdown
• Could this prove to be a new cash cow for Telstra shares?
• Experts name 2 ASX dividend shares for your retirement portfolio
• Why the Telstra share price could actually be a growth opportunity: fundie

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.

from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/o7qR3xL