• The Westpac share price soared 17% in October, what’s next?

    A female dancer dressed in red soars over the earth after taking a giant leap.A female dancer dressed in red soars over the earth after taking a giant leap.

    The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price had a stellar month in October.

    Westpac shares soared 16.8% from $20.64 at market close on 30 September to $24.11 at the end of October.

    Let’s take a look at what weighed on the Westpac share price in October.

    How did the month play out?

    Westpac was not the only bank to rise in October. National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares leapt 12.5% during the month, while Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares jumped 15.4% and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares lifted 12.1%.

    ASX bank shares including Westpac appeared to perform well amid strong market sentiment in the financial sector. Interest rate rises also may have had an impact on the Westpac share price. The Reserve Bank of Australia lifted the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 2.6% in October. This benefits banks because interest rate rises improve margins on loans.

    In news on 24 October, Westpac advised its net profit and cash earnings in the second half of 2022 will take a $1.3 billion hit. This includes a loss of $1.1 billion on the Westpac Life Insurance Limited sale. However, Westpac is still tipped to report a $5.4 billion profit in 2022.

    Also in October, Westpac revealed it is in “preliminary discussions” with Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR) to acquire 100% of its share capital. However, the bank clarified “there is no certainty that any transaction will result”. Westpac shares pushed 2.35% higher on 18 October, the day of the announcement.

    Looking ahead, Citi analysts have recently shed light on Westpac’s potential takeover of Tyro. Citi is positive on the transaction, but believes it may be hard to pull off. Citi said:

    The potential transaction would strengthen WBC’s small business proposition, and move it ahead of CBA in card-present segment share. Consequently, WBC’s existing scale in merchant acquiring would allow for likely synergies, but we think such a transaction would still prove difficult to execute.

    TYR’s major shareholder is linked to another interested consortium, while its [Tyro’s] exclusive arrangement with current and referred BEN [Bendigo and Adelaide Bank] customers presents another unknown.

    Citi has a buy rating on the Westpac share price with a $30 price target. Citi is also tipping a $1.60 per share fully-franked dividend in the 2023 financial year.

    The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) hiked interest rates by a further 0.25% on Tuesday, taking the official cash rate to 2.85%. The RBA “expects to increase rates further over the period ahead”.

    Westpac is due to report its full-year 2022 results on Monday 7 November.

    Westpac share price snapshot

    The Westpac share price has lost nearly 6% in the past year, while it has soared nearly 15% year to date.

    For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has descended 5% in the last year.

    Westpac has a market capitalisation of about $85.7 billion based on the current share price.

    The post The Westpac share price soared 17% in October, what’s next? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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 positions in and has recommended Tyro Payments. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Tyro Payments 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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  • The Woodside share price doubled the return of the ASX 200 in October

    Man wearing green shirt and pink watch flexes his muscle. representing the strength in ASX shares at the moment

    Man wearing green shirt and pink watch flexes his muscle. representing the strength in ASX shares at the momentThe Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price had another strong month in October, adding to a strong year for the ASX oil share.

    While Woodside can’t control certain factors, like what happens with energy prices or what goes on in Europe, it can do its best to boost its production and sell as much as it can at the high energy price that we’re seeing at the moment.

    It may have been the company’s quarterly update that helped the Woodside share price deliver a return of 13.6% compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which only rose by 6%.

    Let’s take a look at what the business reported for the three months to 30 September 2022.

    Woodside’s quarterly update

    This was the first full quarter that the business had reported that included the earnings of the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) petroleum business. Due to the size of that business, it had a pleasing effect of boosting the performance of Woodside.

    Woodside reported that its sales revenue was up by 70% from the second quarter of 2022 to US$5.9 billion. Sales volume was up 59% from the second quarter to 57.1 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe). Production was up 52% from the second quarter to 51.2 MMboe.

    The business said that it achieved a portfolio average realised price of US$102 per barrel of oil equivalent.

    Based on its strong performance, it decided to increase its 2022 production guidance from 153 MMboe to 157 MMboe. This was an increase from the prior guidance of between 145 MMboe to 153 MMboe. Producing more during these times of high energy prices could be helpful for the Woodside share price.

    It also told investors about the progress that it is making on its major projects.

    It has commenced fabrication of subsea flowlines for the Scarborough and Pluto train 2 projects in Western Australia, which combined are now 21% complete.

    Woodside also said that it has commenced the subsea installation campaign for the Sangomar field development offshore Senegal, which is now 70% complete.

    However, the business did also announce a reduction in capital expenditure. It was previously expecting that in 2022 it would spend between US$4.3 billion to US$4.8 billion on capital expenditure. But now, it’s expecting to spend between US$4 billion to US$4.3 billion.

    It also said that it was increasing its exploration expenditure from a range of US$400 million to US$500 million, to a range of US$500 million to US$600 million.

    CEO comments

    The Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill commented on the green progress that the business is making:

    We announced plans for the Hydrogen Refueller @H2Perth, a self-contained hydrogen production, storage and refuelling station, which would assist in stimulating the hydrogen economy in Western Australia.

    We also awarded a contract in October for electrolysers for the proposed H2OK hydrogen project, a significant milestone towards our targeted final investment decision in 2023. Front-end engineering design activities for H2OK are well advanced.

    Woodside share price snapshot

    While we’re only two days into November, I think it’s worth pointing out that the Woodside share price has risen by another 3.5% since the start of the month.

    The post The Woodside share price doubled the return of the ASX 200 in October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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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 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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  • Woolworths share price on watch following soft Q1 update

    A female Woolworths customer leans on her shopping trolley as she rests her chin in her hand thinking about what to buy for dinner while also wondering why the Woolworths share price isn't doing as well as Coles recently

    A female Woolworths customer leans on her shopping trolley as she rests her chin in her hand thinking about what to buy for dinner while also wondering why the Woolworths share price isn't doing as well as Coles recentlyThe Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price will be on watch today.

    This follows the release of the retail giant’s first quarter update.

    Woolworths share price on watch following soft Q1 update

    For the quarter ended 2 October, Woolworths reported a 1.8% increase in group sales to $16,363 million. This growth was underpinned by its Big W and Australian B2B businesses, which offset softer sales from the Australian Food business and its New Zealand equivalent.

    In respect to the key Australian Food business, its sales were down 0.5% over the prior corresponding period to $12,204 million. This was due to sales weakness in the online channel, which fell 10.8% to $1,239 million. Store-originated sales from Woolworths supermarkets rose a modest 0.5% to $10,608 million and its Metro Food store sales grew 10.8% to $284 million.

    Overall, Australian Food comparable sales dropped 1.1% over the prior corresponding period, well short of Goldman Sachs’ forecast of 3% growth. That’s despite inflation driving average prices 7.3% higher compared to the first quarter of FY 2022.

    Management commentary

    Woolworths CEO, Brad Banducci, commented:

    In our Food businesses, sales were below the prior year as we cycled strong growth driven by COVID-related restrictions in F21 and F22. Australian Food sales decreased by 0.5% and New Zealand Food sales were down 2.5% compared to the prior year. On a three-year compound annual growth basis, sales in Australian Food were up 5.3% and up 4.7% in New Zealand Food.

    In Australian B2B, Q1 sales increased by 26.0% compared to the prior year primarily due to strong growth from PFD. BIG W sales were up 30.1% (3-yr CAGR: +8.9%) cycling lockdown-related temporary store closures in the prior year.

    eCommerce sales in Australian Food (-10.8%) and BIG W (-51.8%) were lower than the prior year as customer mobility increased. However, on a three-year CAGR, sales growth remained strong, increasing by 43.5% and 43.7% respectively. eCommerce penetration in Australian Food was 10.2%, 6.2 pts above Q1 F20 and 9.4% in BIG W, 5.3 pts above F20. New Zealand eCommerce sales grew at 5.9% (3-yr CAGR: +23.3%) with penetration of 14.2%, up 5.5 pts on F20.

    Outlook

    Banducci advised that sales trends have improved in October in the Australian Food business and there are signs of stabilisation in the New Zealand Food trading environment. However, the latter’s earnings are being impacted by the combination of lower sales and materially higher wage inflation.

    Nevertheless, the CEO appears cautiously optimistic on the remainder of the first half. He concludes:

    There are 51 days until Christmas and we are very focused on delivering a much-needed inspirational and affordable festive season for our customers. Ongoing supply chain volatility and the possibility of another wet summer will be key challenges to navigate but we are seeing strong early sell through of seasonal lines and we remain cautiously optimistic for the period ahead.

    The post Woolworths share price on watch following soft Q1 update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Tech Stock That’s Changing Streaming

    Streaming TV Shocker: One stock we think could set to profit as people ditch free-to-air for streaming TV (Hint It’s not Netflix, Disney+, or even Amazon Prime)

    Learn more about our Tripledown report
    *Returns as of November 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 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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  • 2 ASX shares to cash in on ‘a very good Christmas’: expert

    santa looks intently at his mobile phone with gloved finger raised and christmas tree in the background.santa looks intently at his mobile phone with gloved finger raised and christmas tree in the background.

    The Santa rally will once again make an appearance on share markets, according to many experts.

    This is the historical pattern of ASX shares rising heading into December and the end of the calendar year.

    The logic for that to repeat in 2022 seems to be that the market can see brighter days after a tough year. After steep interest rate rises, optimism abounds that inflation will be sufficiently slayed for the central banks to take a chill pill in 2023.

    But it’s not just about buying up ASX shares indiscriminately.

    It helps if the business itself has drivers that will boost its performance. There is no outperformance if a stock is just relying on the overall tide to rise again.

    As such, Tribeca portfolio manager Jun Bei Liu had an idea.

    “I do like to look at things when they get sold off quite a bit,” she told Switzer TV Investing.

    “And one of the interesting sectors is… the supermarkets. They have been sold off a lot.”

    Share prices at ‘attractive levels’

    Indeed, both the Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share prices have sunk about 15% since mid-August.

    For Liu, “a large supermarket to be down this much” opens up a nice buying opportunity.

    “Clearly they are COVID beneficiaries, we know. But the share price is actually coming down to reasonably attractive levels,” she said.

    “For Coles, it’s under 20 times — something like 18 times earnings.”

    Regardless of interest rate rises biting Australian households, Liu feels like grocery spend will be spectacular heading into summer.

    “These supermarkets will have a very good Christmas, because it’s the first Christmas that we can actually celebrate without any form of restrictions.”

    “Supermarkets… look pretty attractive at this point.”

    Moreover, Liu feels like the stock market generally is on the cusp of a bull run.

    “I think we’re getting very very close to that bottom of the market now,” she said.

    “Remember, share markets are always forward-looking. And we’re probably, looking at the economic data, [getting] to the worst by early next year.”

    To add to the attraction, Woolworths hands out a 2.75% dividend yield while Coles pays 3.8%.

    The post 2 ASX shares to cash in on ‘a very good Christmas’: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Tech Stock That’s Changing Streaming

    Discover one tiny “Triple Down” stock that’s 1/45th the size of Google and could stand to profit as more and more people ditch free-to-air for streaming TV. But this isn’t a competitor to Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime Video, as you might expect

    Learn more about our Tripledown report
    *Returns as of November 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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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  • Is Pilbara Minerals the hottest stock on the ASX 200 right now?

    Concept image of a man in a suit with his chest on fire.

    Concept image of a man in a suit with his chest on fire.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) has long been a favourite share amongst certain parts of the investor community. As the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s leading lithium share for years, it draws a lot of attention especially when lithium is hot news.

    We saw a surge in interest back in 2017 when investors first started getting excited about the potential of lithium. But that surge pales in comparison to what has happened over 2021 and 2022.

    It’s rather hard to picture, but believe it or not, it was only a little more than two years ago that Pilbara had a 30-cent share. Yesterday, it closed at $5.10. This is a company that is up more than 1,000% in two years. It’s also up more than 140% since June of this year.

    So clearly, we have a hot stock on our hands here.

    Hot stock Pilbara comes out on top

    But we don’t just have share price gains to prove that Pilbara is one of the hottest shares on the ASX 200. We also have trading volume data.

    Most days, we take a look at the most-traded ASX 200 shares each session. This keeps track of how many individual shares are bought and sold on any given day. Pilbara Minerals is, more often than not, in the top three most-traded ASX 200 shares on any given day. It’s often the most-traded ASX 200 share on the market.

    We have seen this in action just this week. On Monday, Pilbara was the third most traded share of the day when we checked. On Tuesday, it was in first place, and on Wednesday it came in second.

    Many different factors can influence trading volume. But Pilbara’s consistent presence tells us that this company is a hot ASX stock. It’s likely to be held by many investors and bought and sold often within portfolios. We also typically see big moves with Pilbara shares on any given day. It’s not uncommon to see the company move by 3% or more at least once a week.

    So all this points to Pilbara being one of, if not the, hottest stock on the ASX 200 right now.

    The post Is Pilbara Minerals the hottest stock on the ASX 200 right now? 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 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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  • ‘Close to bottom’: Expert names 3 bargain ASX shares to buy right now

    Fund manager Jun Bei LiuFund manager Jun Bei Liu

    Are we there yet?

    Like children on a long road trip, investors have been asking this question constantly throughout an exceptionally turbulent 2022.

    While no one — not even the most knowledgeable professional — has the ability to accurately know what will happen in the near future, many experts are urging investors that now is the time to buy.

    Tribeca portfolio manager Jun Bei Liu said this week that she would be an aggressive buyer even if US inflation numbers disappoint and the market steps down again.

    “I think we’re getting very very close to that bottom of the market now,” Liu told Switzer TV Investing.

    “Remember share markets are always forward-looking. And we’re probably, looking at the economic data, [getting] to the worst by early next year.”

    Liu mentioned three ASX shares that she herself has been buying in the past week:

    A growth leader going for cheap

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) has seen its share price halve this year.

    But Liu reckons it might be nearing the end of its slide.

    “A lot of growth leaders are looking cheap… like Domino’s,” she said.

    “Yes, there’s potentially another downgrade to come, because Europe is doing pretty tough. But it is a structural growth business.”

    The pizza giant also pays out a dividend yield of 2.5%, which also soothes the current valuation uncertainty.

    20% discount? Yes, please

    The Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) share price has tumbled 17% over the past couple of weeks after the insurer suffered a highly publicised data breach.

    But that’s not scaring off Liu.

    “Yes, there potentially will be class actions… but for 20% of the market valuation to be wiped out, this does represent some shorter-term opportunity.”

    Before the security incident, the health insurance giant piqued the interest of many investors, including institutional.

    “Remember, this company was rumoured to be taken out not very long ago,” said Liu.

    “It always had corporate interest and the company’s sitting on a really strong balance sheet.”

    The dividend yield is currently sitting at 4.7%, which makes it that much more attractive.

    “This company’s got a solid balance sheet, a good brand, in a stable business and has stable market share,” Liu said.

    “And for the market cap to be down 2%, definitely worth a look.”

    Far cheaper than US cousins

    Liu also likes the outlook for data centre operator NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT).

    “We actually think they are very close to winning more contracts. And if they do, the share price will run away.”

    Existing shareholders hope she is right, as the stock has lost 31.7% so far this year.

    Liu sees similar businesses in the US going through mergers and acquisitions, valued at a far higher level than what NextDC is.

    “[NextDC] is a standout buy,” she said.

    “There’s a lot of bad news [priced] in the market, and the valuation will only have to head higher.”

    The post ‘Close to bottom’: Expert names 3 bargain ASX shares to buy right now 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 Tony Yoo 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 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 ASX share I’d hold onto for dear life: fund manager

    share price up, share price gain, lift, boy flying lifted by balloonsshare price up, share price gain, lift, boy flying lifted by balloons

    Ask A Fund Manager

    The Motley Fool chats with the best in the industry so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In this edition, Forager Funds Management portfolio manager Alex Shevelev picks the ASX stock that would allow him to put his feet up for years.

    The ASX share for a comfortable night’s sleep

    The Motley Fool: If the market closed tomorrow for four years, which stock would you want to hold?

    Alex Shevelev: Well, no surprise, RPMGlobal Holdings Ltd (ASX: RUL).

    [Here are Shevelev’s comments on RPM Global from earlier in the interview:]

    The company’s given guidance for the current financial year of profits tripling. And that’s quite conservative guidance by a management team who we regard as top notch. And that guidance actually assumes that the new revenue additions, which are an important metric for RPM, will be below last year. But the business looks to be tracking better than that.

    We, in fact, got an AGM update just this morning that confirms that the business is doing a good job continuing to sign on its subscription revenue. And all of that is trading at about 17 times earnings next year. That earnings stream is high quality and will continue to grow over time. 

    Now, it’s been an interesting space, as well, for corporate attention. Two of their larger competitors have recently been taken out. Those two transactions imply for RPM… more than double the current share price. This is a business that can garner a lot of attention from potential bidders over time.

    We’ve talked about very low churn revenue there. You’ve got to focus on operating leverage from here on in. Great management team, plenty of skin in the game and it may well be given all the corporate activity in the space that the business wouldn’t be around in four years in any case.

    MF: Fair enough. There’s been a lot of private equity interest in especially tech companies this year.

    AS: That’s right.

    MF: Are they bargain hunting? Is that what they’re doing?

    AS: Well, I think for a lot of private equity firms, they’re sitting on quite a lot of capital and they’re seeing some attractive bargains in this space from companies that actually have some pretty strong underpinnings, but that have been dramatically sold down by the listed markets. 

    Those companies have been spending a lot on research and development, sales and marketing to try to scale up. But there is a way to run those businesses more efficiently. A lot of those companies are doing that in the listed space already, but the private equity firms see the opportunity to purchase those businesses and do the same in the unlisted space.

    The post The ASX share I’d hold onto for dear life: fund manager 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 Tony Yoo has positions in RPMGlobal Holdings. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended RPMGlobal Holdings. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended RPMGlobal Holdings. 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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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

    A male ASX 200 broker wearing a blue shirt and black tie holds one hand to his chin with the other arm crossed across his body as he watches stock prices on a digital screen while deep in thought

    A male ASX 200 broker wearing a blue shirt and black tie holds one hand to his chin with the other arm crossed across his body as he watches stock prices on a digital screen while deep in thought

    On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) continued its winning streak with a small gain. The benchmark index rose 0.15% to 6,986.7 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to fall

    The Australian share market looks set to fall on Thursday following a poor night on Wall Street after the US Federal Reserve made a 0.75% increase to rates. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 82 points or 1.2% lower this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is down 1.2%, the S&P 500 has fallen 2.1% and the NASDAQ has tumbled 2.8%.

    Oil prices rise

    Energy producers including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good day after oil prices rose on Wednesday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.5% to US$89.73 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1.45% to US$96.01 a barrel. A drop in US crude stockpiles boosted prices.

    Woolworths Q1 update

    The Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price will be on watch today when the retail giant releases its first quarter sales update. According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts are expecting the company to have performed better than rival Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and are forecasting first quarter Australian Supermarket same store sales growth of 3%.

    Domino’s rated neutral

    The Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) share price is fully valued according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. In response to the pizza chain operator’s trading update just before the market close yesterday, Goldman has retained its neutral rating with a $60.00 price target. It commented: “FY23 NPAT excluding ~A$7mn FX headwinds is expected to be above FY22 A$165mn but will be below if including FX impact. This is below Factset Consensus FY23 NPAT forecast of A$179mn and GS forecasts of FY23 A$170mn.”

    Gold price edges lower

    Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a subdued day after the gold price edged lower overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.2% to US$1,646.4 an ounce. The gold price fell after the US Federal Reserve raised rates by 0.75%.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday 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 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 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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  • Here’s why brokers rate these blue chip ASX 200 shares as buys

    A man smiles as he holds bank notes in front of a laptop.

    A man smiles as he holds bank notes in front of a laptop.

    Looking for blue chip shares to buy? If you are, check out the ASX 200 shares listed below that have recently been named as buys and tipped to have meaningful upside potential.

    Here’s what you need to know about these ASX blue chip shares:

    CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

    CSL could be a blue chip ASX 200 share to buy. It is of course one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies, comprising the CSL Behring, CSL Vifor, and Seqirus businesses.

    While trading conditions have been tough over the last couple of years due to plasma collection headwinds, everything is largely back to normal now and CSL’s outlook is becoming increasingly positive. Particularly given the recent blockbuster acquisition of Vifor Pharma, which makes up the CSL Vifor business. This has added to the company’s world class product portfolio and burgeoning research and development pipeline.

    Citi remains very positive on CSL and currently has a buy rating and $340.00 price target on its shares. This compares favourably to the latest CSL share price of $282.71.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    Another blue chip ASX 200 share that could be a buy is Treasury Wine.

    It is the wine giant behind popular brands including 19 Crimes, Wolf Blass, and Penfolds.

    Much like CSL, the last couple of years have been difficult for Treasury Wine, but for very different reasons. After the company was effectively kicked out of the lucrative China market, it was forced to find a new destination for these wines. The good news is that this has been successful and the company is back on track again.

    In fact, the team at Morgans believe the company is not only back on track, but back on course to deliver strong earnings growth in the coming years.

    In light of this, the broker sees plenty of value in its shares at the current level. Morgans has an add rating and $15.71 price target on the company’s shares. This compares to the latest Treasury Wine share price of $12.99.

    The post Here’s why brokers rate these blue chip ASX 200 shares as buys 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 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. 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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  • 2 high quality ETFs for ASX investors in November

    Man looking at an ETF diagram.

    Man looking at an ETF diagram.

    If you’re looking to invest in exchange traded funds (ETFs), then it could be worth considering the two listed below.

    These ETFs are popular with investors and it isn’t hard to see why. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

    The first ASX ETF for investors to consider is the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF.

    As you might have guessed from its name, this ETF gives investors access to the leading players in the global cybersecurity sector.

    The recent Optus and Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL) cyberattacks shows just how important cybersecurity is for businesses and consumers. With sensitive information being accessed by hackers, both companies are facing major reputational damage, as well as potential penalties and compensation.

    This bodes well for cybersecurity companies included in the fund. This includes high quality companies such as Accenture, Cloudflare, Crowdstrike, Okta, and Palo Alto Networks.

    VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF (ASX: ESPO)

    Another ETF that could be a top option for investors is the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. This popular ETF gives investors exposure to the biggest players in video game development, hardware, and esports.

    The video game industry certainly is a great place to be right now. It is currently benefiting from an estimated 2.7 billion+ gamers globally, which is more than active Apple phones and Netflix subscriptions combined.

    This is driving increasing revenue in the industry, much to the delight of the companies included in the fund such as graphics processing unit developer Nvidia and gaming giants Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Roblox, Take-Two, and Tencent.

    The good news is that the industry is expected continue its growth for some time to come. According to Statista, revenue in the video games segment is projected to reach US$208.60 billion in 2022 and then grow almost 8% per annum to US$304.70 billion by 2027.

    The post 2 high quality ETFs for ASX investors in November 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 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 BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BETA CYBER ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors ETF Trust – VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. 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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