• Zip and these shares have been kicked out of the ASX 200 index

    A man walks dejectedly with his belongings in a cardboard box against a background of office-style venetian blinds as though he has been giving his marching orders from his place of employment.

    A man walks dejectedly with his belongings in a cardboard box against a background of office-style venetian blinds as though he has been giving his marching orders from his place of employment.

    The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price just can’t catch a break these days.

    After the market close on Friday, the buy now pay later (BNPL) provider’s shares were dealt another blow.

    What’s happening?

    According to an announcement out of S&P Dow Jones Indices, it will be kicking out Zip’s shares from the ASX 200 index at the next rebalance.

    The index provider appears to have made the move after Zip’s market capitalisation dropped to such an extent that it was no longer among the 200 largest companies on the Australian share market.

    Based on the current Zip share price of 87 cents and the 687,983,539 shares on issue, the BNPL provider’s market capitalisation is a touch under $600 million.

    Other tech exits

    But Zip won’t be the only removal from the index. It will have a few tech shares to keep it company on the long walk to the exit later this month.

    Embattled payment company EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML), location technology company Life360 Inc (ASX: 360), and sports betting company Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) will also be removed from the ASX 200 before the market open on 19 September.

    Unsurprisingly, given the state of the tech sector right now, none of their peers will be replacing them. Among the new additions are gold producer Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM), energy producer Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR), and lithium developer Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA).

    Another removal of note is AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ). Remember it? This lithium share exits the ASX 200 index after just six months in it. Though, the embattled lithium developer has spent a good portion of this time suspended from trade due to an ownership dispute.

    Interestingly, AVZ also has the ignominy of being kicked out of the ASX 300 index as well. Ouch!

    What does this mean?

    As fund managers often have strict mandates allowing them to only invest in shares in particular indices, such as the ASX 200 index, they could be forced to sell Zip and the others between now and the rebalance.

    This has the potential to put extra pressure on the sell side at a time when the buy side is already very weak.

    The post Zip and these shares have been kicked out of the ASX 200 index 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 August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended EML Payments, Life360, Inc., Pointsbet Holdings Ltd, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended EML Payments. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet 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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  • Boost your income with these ASX dividend shares: analysts

    Four investors stand in a line holding cash fanned in their hands with thoughtful looks on their faces.

    Four investors stand in a line holding cash fanned in their hands with thoughtful looks on their faces.

    If you’re looking to boost your income with some dividend shares, then the two listed below could be worth considering.

    Both have been named as buys by analysts and tipped to provide attractive and growing yields. Here’s what they are saying about these dividend shares:

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    The first ASX dividend share that analysts rate as a buy is Coles.

    This supermarket operator has been a strong performer over the last few years thanks to its strong market position and defensive qualities. These have allowed Coles to continue to grow its sales and profits whatever the economy has thrown at it.

    Pleasingly, this continued in FY 2022, with Coles recently reporting a 2% increase in sales revenue to $39,369 million and a 4.3% lift in net profit after tax to $1,048 million.

    Analysts at Citi don’t expect the company to stop there. Its analysts are expecting further earnings and dividend growth in the coming years. For example, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 75 cents in FY 2023 and then 79 cents in FY 2024.

    Based on the current Coles share price of $17.56, this will mean yields of 4.3% and 4.5%, respectively, for investors.

    Another positive is that Citi sees meaningful upside for its shares over the next 12 months. It currently has a buy rating and $20.10 price target on them.

    HomeCo Daily Needs REIT (ASX: HDN)

    Another ASX dividend share that analysts have named as a buy is HomeCo Daily Needs. It is a real estate investment trust (REIT) with a focus on convenience-based assets such as neighbourhood retail and retail parks.

    Analysts at Morgans are positive on the company. They were pleased with its performance in FY 2022 and believe the company is well-placed for more of the same in the coming years thanks to solid demand for its properties and its development pipeline.

    As for dividends, the broker is forecasting dividends of 8.3 cents per share in FY 2023 and 8.7 cents per share in FY 2024. Based on the current HomeCo Daily Needs REIT unit price of $1.28, this will mean yields of 6.5% and 6.8%, respectively.

    Morgans also sees decent upside ahead for its shares. Its analysts currently have an add rating and $1.56 price target on them.

    The post Boost your income with these ASX dividend shares: analysts 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 August 4 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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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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  • Qantas shares end week higher despite latest blow to Alliance bid

    A little boy in flying goggles and wings rides high on his mum's back with blue skies above.A little boy in flying goggles and wings rides high on his mum's back with blue skies above.

    The Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) share price ended the week on a high.

    Qantas shares gained 1.44% on Friday to finish at $5.275. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell 0.27% on the last day of the week.

    Let’s take a look at what is going on at Qantas.

    What’s going on?

    Qantas shares have lifted 16% since market close on 24 August. Qantas released FY22 results revealing a statutory loss before tax of $1.19 billion on 25 August. However, the company also announced a $400 million share buy-back.

    In today’s news, Qantas’ proposed acquisition of Alliance Aviation is facing more opposition.

    Katter’s Australian Party leader Robbie Katter has written to the ACCC, voicing his concerns about the takeover bid.

    Qantas advised of its plan to take over Alliance in May. Alliance has 70 aircraft with up to 100 seats, suitable for charter services. Qantas believes the acquisition would mean QantasLink can compete in the “highly competitive charter segment”. However, this acquisition is subject to approval from the ACCC.

    In a release today, Katter said the merger “could only have a detrimental effect on rural and remote customers. He added:

    I personally believe the total acquisition of Alliance by Qantas will do little but intensify the vast problems already being experienced on the Mount Isa and similar routes.

    On 18 August, the ACCC expressed it has preliminary competition concerns with the proposed acquisition. ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb said at the time:

    We are concerned that this proposed acquisition is likely to substantially lessen competition for air transport services to and from regional and remote areas in Queensland and Western Australia for corporate customers.

    Meanwhile, the national cabinet has recently agreed masks will no longer be required on domestic flights in Australia from 9 September.

    A Qantas spokeswoman welcomed the decision, telling the Financial Review it “brings Australia into line” with the United States, the United Kingdom and European countries who have “not required masks onboard for several months”.

    Qantas share price snapshot

    Qantas shares are up 1% in the past 12 months and are tracking 5% higher year to date.

    In the past month, the Qantas share price has surged nearly 14%.

    Qantas has a market capitalisation of more than $9.9 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Qantas shares end week higher despite latest blow to Alliance bid 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 August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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 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

    A beautiful woman holds up one finger with one hand and has her hand on her waist with the other as she smiles widely as though she is very pleased about something.A beautiful woman holds up one finger with one hand and has her hand on her waist with the other as she smiles widely as though she is very pleased about something.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slipped again today, weighed down by materials shares. The index closed Friday’s session 0.25% lower at 6,828.7 points.

    That leaves it 275.4 points – or 3.88% – lower than it ended last week following disastrous sessions on Monday and Thursday.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) fell 1.9% today after concerns of a major lockdown and lower factory activity in China dragged on commodities overnight.

    Iron ore futures tumbled 8% overnight to US$96.39 a tonne. Meanwhile, base metals fell as much as 7.6%.

    In more positive news, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) lifted 0.7% despite a notable announcement from AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP).

    All in all, five of the ASX 200’s 11 sectors gained on Friday. But which share outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Today’s top performing ASX 200 share was tech giant Life360 Inc (ASX: 360). Its share price surged 5.56% despite the company’s silence.

    Find out more about Life360 and what it’s been up to lately here.

    Today’s biggest gains were made by these ASX shares:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) $5.13 5.56%
    GPT Group (ASX: GPT) $4.23 2.67%
    Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: CUV) $19.25 2.34%
    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) $5.83 2.28%
    Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) $101.01 2.19%
    New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) $5.10 2%
    Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) $6.99 1.9%
    Charter Hall Retailer REIT (ASX: CQR) $4.12 1.73%
    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) $117.20 1.58%
    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) $5.28 1.54%

    Our top 10 ASX 200 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.

    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 August 4 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 positions in and has recommended Block, Inc. and Life360, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk and Macquarie Group 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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  • Is this why the Macquarie share price was ‘steaming ahead’ on Friday?

    A runner high-fives as he crosses the finish line in pole positionA runner high-fives as he crosses the finish line in pole position

    The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price performed well compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) today.

    Macquarie shares went up 1.6% while the ASX 200 lost 0.2%.

    It wasn’t the only large financial business that did well.

    Let’s look at the performance of the big four ASX bank shares:

    • The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price went up 0.9%
    • The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price rose 0.8%
    • The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price climbed 0.6%
    • The Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price went up 0.5%.

    As you can see, the Macquarie share price went up materially more than the other major banks’ shares.

    What happened?

    The ASX share market sees changing prices every day, depending on market sentiment and which buyers and sellers are transacting.

    Macquarie shares are steadily regaining some of the lost ground from prior market volatility when there was a lot of fear surrounding higher interest rates.

    The global investment bank has seen some positive analysis from UBS analyst John Storey, who looked at July APRA data, according to reporting by The Australian.

    He said that Macquarie’s mortgage growth is “steaming ahead” even though there could soon be a slowdown in lending. The Macquarie share price could be helped by the growth of Macquarie Bank.

    Macquarie was reportedly the leader when it came to net new mortgage lending for the second consecutive month, but overall mortgage growth “slowed sharply” to 0.3%. The total mortgage rise across the system was $6 billion, which was the lowest since the pandemic.

    It was noted that “overall real loan growth remained positive but there were signs of an imminent slowdown, with other personal and credit card lending down 2.1% and 1.2%”. Total gross loans and advances increased by 0.5%, while business lending grew by 0.6%.

    How is Macquarie performing in this economic environment?

    The latest update that investors had was in late July when Macquarie described how the first quarter of FY23 went at its annual general meeting.

    Macquarie revealed “favourable trading conditions” with the first quarter operating profit up year over year, although trading conditions did “soften” during the quarter. Profit can be a key influencer on the Macquarie share price.

    The investment bank’s annuity-style businesses – Macquarie Asset Management (MAM) and banking and financial services – saw their net profit rise “significantly” year over year, primarily due to income from the green-focused investment bank Green Investment Group (GIG) asset sales in MAM. The contribution from the banking and financial services division was “broadly in line” year over year.

    Macquarie’s market-facing businesses, Commodities and Global Markets (CGM) and Macquarie Capital saw a combined net profit that was “up slightly”, primarily due to “strong results” across the commodities platform and higher investment-related income in Macquarie Capital.

    Macquarie share price snapshot

    Over the past two months, Macquarie shares have gone up by around 8%.

    The post Is this why the Macquarie share price was ‘steaming ahead’ on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 August 4 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 Macquarie Group Limited and 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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  • Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    A white and black clock with the words Time to Buy in blue lettering representing the views of two experts who say it's time to buy these ASX shares

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

    Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

    Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)

    According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating and $4.70 price target on this retail giant’s shares. This follows the release of a full year result that came in slightly ahead of expectations. Citi was also pleased to see that household spending appears to be holding up. In light of this and the big discount its shares are trading at compared to the market, the broker thinks now could be time to buy. The Harvey Norman share price is trading at $4.17 today.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

    A note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their overweight rating and lifted their price target on this investment bank’s shares to $231.00. Morgan Stanley has upgraded its earnings estimates for FY 2023 to reflect favourable trading conditions. It is expecting some upbeat commentary at the company’s next quarterly update. The Macquarie share price is currently fetching $176.51.

    Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB)

    Analysts at Morgans have retained their add rating but trimmed their price target on this online travel agent’s shares slightly to $6.40. Morgans was pleased with Webjet’s trading update and highlights the strong recovery by the WebBeds business. It feels this means the company is on course to deliver earnings ahead of pre-COVID levels in FY 2024. Particularly given its materially lower cost base, consolidated systems, and large business in the US. The Webjet share price is trading at $5.38 on Friday.

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

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 August 4 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 Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and Webjet 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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  • The Bitcoin price tanked 15% in August. Here’s why

    A man sits at his computer with his head in his hands while his laptop screen displays a Bitcoin symbol and his desktop computer screen displays a steeply falling graph.

    A man sits at his computer with his head in his hands while his laptop screen displays a Bitcoin symbol and his desktop computer screen displays a steeply falling graph.

    The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price has broken back through the psychologically important US$20,000 mark, currently trading for US$20,226 (AU$29,801).

    That’s a healthy rebound from the lows of US$19,654 the world’s top crypto was trading for just a few hours ago. Though Bitcoin remains down 58% year-to-date.

    It’s also a fair bit lower than where it kicked off August after the Bitcoin price gained 22% in July.

    Here’s what happened in the month just past.

    Bitcoin price hit by renewed risk-off sentiment

    Depending somewhat on your time zone, as crypto valuations can move quickly, the Bitcoin price kicked off August trading for US$23,715.

    By the end of the month, the token was worth US$20,209, down 14.8%.

    Though less volatile than many months, August still saw some big price swings, with Bitcoin trading as high as US$25,135 and as low as US$19,600, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    The biggest headwind facing the token was increased hawkishness from the US Federal Reserve and other leading global central banks.

    With inflation in most developed nations running at multi-decade highs and not looking to fall back within guideline ranges soon, investors sold off most risk assets in August as they braced for further interest rate hikes.

    The tech-heavy NASDAQ, a solid proxy for risk appetite, fell 4.6% last month.

    And the Bitcoin price, as we’ve seen through most of 2022, not only mirrored that fall but amplified it. The same way the token tends to amplify gains made by the NASDAQ.

    Explaining the strengthening connection between the Bitcoin price and stocks this year, eToro’s market analyst and crypto expert Simon Peters said, “Institutions have treated crypto holdings in much the same way as these equities, which is why there’s greater correlation now than in the past.”

    At the current price, Bitcoin has a market cap of US$387 billion.

    The post The Bitcoin price tanked 15% in August. 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 August 4 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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  • Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday

    Two bidders raise their hands in the air to bid up the price of an ASX 200 shareTwo bidders raise their hands in the air to bid up the price of an ASX 200 share

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is motoring towards a slight downtick to end the trading week so far this Friday. After what has been a rather tough week for investors, the ASX 200 has lost 0.2% so far today to trade around 6,832 points at the time of writing.

    So let’s dive deeper into these end-of-week moves and check out the ASX 200 shares currently topping the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Friday

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    First up this Friday is ASX 200 diversified mining share South32. So far today, a hefty 14.6 million South32 shares have been dug up and sold. There’s been no news out of the company today, save for a share buyback notice (which could in itself be influencing trading volumes).

    So the more likely explanation for this volume is the nasty share price fall we have seen with the company today. At present, South32 shares are down by 2.1% at $3.98 each.

    As my Fool colleague Brooke looked into earlier today, the latest COVID news out of China appears to be putting a dent in the entire ASX 200 resources sector today.

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

    ASX 200 lithium share Core Lithium is next up this Friday. So far during today’s session, a sizeable 17.9 million Core Lithium shares have been swapped by investors. There’s been no news out of Core Lithium this Friday either. So again, let’s look to the company’s share price itself.

    Core Lithium shares have been shunned by investors today. The company is presently down a nasty 5.6% at the time of writing to $1.28 a share. It seems Core Lithium is under the same pressure that South32 and other ASX mining shares are facing today.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Our third, final and most traded ASX 200 share this Friday is none other than fellow lithium share Pilbara Minerals. This session has seen a whopping 22.8 million Pilbara shares bought and sold on the market.

    Once more, it looks as though a depressing share price movement is responsible for those volumes we are seeing. Pilbara shares are faring far better than Core Lithium shares, though. The company has lost 1.38% so far at $3.58 a share. This is the probable cause of the elevated volumes we are witnessing.

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

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 August 4 2022

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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 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 Core Lithium, Mineral Resources, PointsBet, and Strike Energy are dropping

    A man sits in despair at his computer with his hands either side of his head, staring into the screen with a pained and anguished look on his face, in a home office setting.

    A man sits in despair at his computer with his hands either side of his head, staring into the screen with a pained and anguished look on his face, in a home office setting.

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) looks set to end the day in the red. The benchmark index is currently down 0.1% to 6,838.7 points.

    Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping:

    Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

    The Core Lithium share price is down 5.5% to $1.28. This is despite there being no news out of the lithium developer. However, it is worth noting that a large number of lithium shares are trading lower today. This follows a poor night on Wall Street for lithium miners such as Albermarle, Livent, and SQM.

    Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN)

    The Mineral Resources share price is down almost 6% to $59.19. As well as getting caught up in the lithium share selling today, this mining company has seen its shares trade ex-dividend this morning. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving its 100 cents per share dividend later this month on 23 September.

    Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

    The PointsBet share price has continued its slide and dropped 3% to $2.36. This sports betting company’s shares have been hammered since the release of its full year results. Investors appear concerned that it may run out of cash before reaching profit. However, one broker doesn’t expect that to be the case, as covered here. Though, it admits it will be a close call.

    Strike Energy Ltd (ASX: STX)

    The Strike Energy share price is down 11% to 24.5 cents. This morning this energy company revealed that it has received binding commitments to raise $30 million through a placement to local and international institutional, professional, and sophisticated investors. Strike is raising the funds at an issue price of 23.5 cents per new share.

    The post Why Core Lithium, Mineral Resources, PointsBet, and Strike Energy are dropping 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 August 4 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 Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pointsbet 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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  • Why is the CSL share price outperforming the ASX 200 on Friday?

    Two scientists in a Rhythm Biosciences lab cheer while looking at results on a computer.Two scientists in a Rhythm Biosciences lab cheer while looking at results on a computer.

    The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price is in investors’ good books on Friday. At this rate, Australia’s third largest listed company looks set to finish the week higher than where it started.

    During an eventful week for equities, the ASX biotech giant has reminded the market of its blue-chip appeal. For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on pace to descend 3.6% this week. Meanwhile, the pharmaceutical behemoth is marching upwards.

    Bringing the focus to today, CSL shares are currently 0.8% elevated at $296 apiece. Whereas, the broader Aussie index is currently down 0.05%.

    Today, the only new information injected into the public domain is the company’s FY22 annual report. Let’s see if there is anything meaningful for the CSL share price within this.

    Holding onto a winning formula

    For the most part, CSL’s annual report rehashed the same information shared in the company’s full-year results around two weeks ago. This included the underwhelming US$2.255 billion in after-tax profits from the 12-month period, reflecting a decline of 6% from the prior year.

    However, long-term shareholders can forgive a single difficult year for the bottom line. What is important is the future, and how the company will bounce back. Some investors might already have a partial answer to this question, with Goldman Sachs pointing toward the subsiding high plasma collection prices.

    Though, leadership retention is often one key risk that hangs over companies that have experienced a long stretch of great success. For CSL CEO and managing director, Paul Perreault, it’s been more than nine long years of commitment to take the CSL share price from around $60 a pop to the near $300 heights of today.

    As such, losing Perreault now might send shivers down the spines of some long-standing shareholders. For that reason, the market might be responding positively to the CSL board’s motion to further incentivise the current CEO.

    According to the report, the board has determined that Perreault will get a 3.5% increase in his fixed reward. Meanwhile, the CEO’s long-term incentive will be jacked up from 400% to 450% of Perreault’s base salary of US$1.9 million.

    CSL share price compared to the index

    There’s no doubt Perreault has led the biotech to riches, both for the business and shareholders. During his tenure thus far, the CSL share price has scaled approximately 380%. This translates to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.2%.

    A less fortunate investor, backing the Aussie index, has witnessed a more mild return of 43% over the same period. For an apples-to-apples comparison, this works out to be around 4% CAGR.

    The post Why is the CSL share price outperforming the ASX 200 on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for 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 August 4 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 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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