Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) is forging ahead with its crypto plans with a novel new transaction.

Back in March, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) listed bank unveiled A$DC, its own stablecoin that’s pegged to the Australian dollar.

More recently, stablecoins have come under some intense scrutiny, following the collapse of Terra USD and Luna. But unlike Terra’s stablecoin, ANZ’s crypto is 100% backed by Australian dollars.

Saying it wasn’t at risk of coming de-pegged from the Aussie dollar, ANZ’s banking services portfolio lead Nigel Dobson labelled A$DC a “tokenised deposit”.

ANZ crypto used to buy Australian carbon credits

The Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCUs) in question were tokenised by BetaCarbon, which created digital security tokens known as BCAUs.

As the Australian Financial Review reports, investment company Victor Smorgon Group used A$DC to purchase ACCUs.

By making the transaction with crypto on the Ethereum blockchain, Victor Smorgon was able to secure its carbon credit purchase without going through traditional intermediaries. These can add complexity and slow down settlement times.

Commenting on A$DC, Dobson said:

ANZ is pursuing the transition of financial market infrastructure. We see this is evolving from being internet-protocol based to one of tokenised protocols. We think the underlying infrastructure – efficient, secure, public blockchains – will facilitate transactions, both ones we understand today and new ones, that will be more efficient.

Dobson also touted the Ethereum blockchain over other, potentially riskier, options:

Standards are absolutely fundamental to interoperability, and they will soon allow organisations to transfer assets off expensive, and arguably unsustainable, blockchains, to ones with lower cost, faster throughput and sustainability credentials.

How has the ASX 200 bank been tracking?

Stablecoin rollouts aside, the ANZ share price has struggled in 2022, down around 18%. That compares to a year-to-date loss of 12% posted by the ASX 200.

The post ASX 200 bank ANZ turns to crypto for carbon credit settlement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• CBA share price leads the big four as banks outperform ASX 200 on Monday
• Why ANZ, Block, Bubs, and PayGroup shares are pushing higher
• Should you ‘buy the dip’ in ASX 200 bank shares?
• ASX 200 midday update: Pilbara Minerals’ lithium price update, BHP tumbles
• ANZ share price rises as MYOB acquisition rumours swirl

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

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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.

It’s very possible 2022 will go down in history — among equity investors, anyway — as The Year of the Stock Split. With share prices pumped by a bull market that was running along briskly until recently, many companies elected to employ this classic piece of financial engineering to bring their stocks down to more modest levels.  

Several more splits are coming, and three of which are coming from the most admired, and closely followed companies on the scene — Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA), Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: GOOGL), and Nintendo (OTC: NTDOY) (OTC: NTDO.F). 

It’s important to note that stock splits do not change the underlying market cap of a company; they merely reapportion it among a higher number of shares. 

1. Tesla

Tesla remains durably popular among a wide swath of investors. Even though it’s taken plenty of hits this year, like nearly every other popular stock, the company’s leading position in the white-hot electric vehicle (EV) space keeps its price high — these days, shares are trading for around $700.

Since a big part of Tesla’s appeal is its attraction to retail investors like you or me, it’s in the company’s interest to keep those shares accessible to investors who may not have a ton of cash on hand. So the company’s move is to propose a 3-for-1 stock split, under which existing shareholders would effectively receive a “stock dividend” of two shares for every one they hold presently. 

This piece of financial engineering is being subject to a shareholder vote, which will be finalized at Tesla’s upcoming annual general meeting (AGM) scheduled for early August.

Does any of this sound familiar, long-term Tesla holders?

It should, because the company pulled the stock split lever at almost exactly the same time back in August 2020. Then, it engineered a 5-for-1 split, surely in the hopes of roping in would-be investors spooked by the high sticker price of roughly $1,300 per share. Following the announcement, the shares rocketed notably higher. Maybe Tesla is hoping for similar magic with the new split.

2. Alphabet

Another member of the lofty-stock-price-club is Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), the parent company of mighty internet search titan Google. Both of the company’s listed stocks — Class A and Class C — trade north of $2,200 apiece these days, even after a queasy slide in price aside other tech titles.

So it made a lot of sense for Alphabet to declare a hefty 20-for-1 split for the two share classes, in addition to the Class B insider shares that aren’t publicly traded.

Alphabet announced this concurrent with the release of its fourth-quarter and full-year 2021 results back in February. This was probably no accident, as the company posted some powerful year-over-year growth in revenue and profitability, trouncing analyst estimates as it did so. Following that, it came as no surprise when shareholders approved the stock split in a vote conducted at the company’s AGM earlier this month.

That vote has made Alphabet’s 20-for-1 stock split settled. It will take effect on July 15, when existing Class A, B, and C stockholders of record as of July 1 will receive 19 shares for each one they presently own.

3. Nintendo

Tesla and Alphabet/Google enjoy a lot of attention from investors; storied Japanese video game company Nintendo’s spotlight is dimmer. That might change soon, as Nintendo has drawn notice for its own stock split. This is a 10-for-1 deal, initially announced in May, that will go down in the opening days of October.

This one is a bit complicated. Like Alphabet, Nintendo has multiple classes of U.S.-traded stock, or more accurately American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). The one tickered NTDOY represents only one-eighth of a share of the “main” Nintendo stock traded in Japan. NTDO.F, meanwhile, equals a full one share of the root Japanese stock.

As my colleague Anders Bylund indicates, the 10-for-1 stock split is very much aimed at domestic investors rather than ADR holders.

At the moment, equities on the Japanese exchange can only be purchased in minimum blocks of 100 shares. Since one share of Nintendo there currently costs 57,450 yen ($422), even the minimal buy would leave an investor the equivalent of more than $42,000 out of pocket. Given that, we can see how a 10-for-1 stock split is irresistibly appealing to an issuer like Nintendo.

Nintendo stockholders of record as of Sept. 30 will receive the new shares, the Japanese company declared in its original announcement. 

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

The post 3 top stock splits to watch in 2022 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Should You Buy Tesla Stock Right Now?
• Here’s what moved Tesla shares today
• Why Tesla shares popped then dropped today
• Why Tesla stock soared today
• Alphabet’s stock split: The real reason it matters

Eric Volkman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), and Tesla. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares) and Alphabet (C shares). 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.

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The AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) share price is edging slightly higher today despite its recent fall this month.

This comes after the financial services company announced a change to its board.

At the time of writing, AMP shares are up 1.02% to 99 cents.

In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is rebounding 1.93% to 6,705.8 points.

AMP bolsters its board

In its statement, AMP advised that it has appointed Andrew Best as an independent, non-executive director of the AMP Board.

Best has more than 30 years experience across banking and financial markets in Australia, London, Hong Kong and Singapore.

In particular, he has a knack for capital markets and mergers and acquisitions.

From 1989 to 2020, Best worked for global investment powerhouse JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM). He held various managing director titles including head of investment banking for Australia and New Zealand from 2017 to 2020.

Prior to that, Best served as head of the financial institutions investment banking business for Australia and New Zealand from 2004.

Best brings a wealth of knowledge as an experienced financial services executive. He will commence his role on 1 July.

AMP chair Debra Hazelton commented:

We’re delighted to have a financial services leader of Andrew’s calibre join the AMP Board, adding to the strong and experienced team of current non-executive directors driving AMP’s transformation.

Andrew will bring strong expertise and valuable insights in capital management, financial markets and mergers and acquisitions, gained from an extensive career both in Australia and internationally.

We look forward to his contribution as we take AMP forward as a simpler and customer-focused organisation.

About the AMP share price

A volatile 2022 has led the AMP share price to register a loss of 2% year to date and 8.5% in a month.

However, when looking at the past 12 months, its shares are down 17%.

The company’s share price reached a 52-week high of $1.22 last month before erasing its gains in the following weeks.

Based on today’s price, AMP commands a market capitalisation of around $3.2 billion.

The post Down 10% in a month, here’s the latest for the AMP share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Will Australia plunge into a recession?
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• This is when the pain will end: expert

JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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.

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ASX copper shares are having a mixed day as the slumping copper price offsets a resurgence in risk appetite.

While the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is rallying 1.9% during early afternoon trade with many of the big miners leading the charge. Although, those exposed to the red metal aren’t necessarily joining the party.

Little wonder as copper prices fell to new 16-month lows this morning. The commodity is fetching US$3.70 a pound.

Recession worries dent ASX copper shares

Sentiment towards the metal was already tarnished last week when it slipped to US$3.78 a pound. That was a one-day loss of 4% and its lowest level since February 2021.    

Worries about a global recession triggered the sell-off in Dr Copper – so named as copper is seen as a bellwether for the metals market.

Central bankers in the developed economies are hiking interest rates to curtail rampant inflation. Indeed, we are seeing this in the US, Europe, and Australia.

Their hawkish stance is increasing the risk that they may hike rates too far and fast. Any miscalculation could cause their respective economies to contract.

ASX copper shares underperforming today

A recession will ultimately mean lower demand and prices for copper. That’s certainly bad news for ASX copper shares.

The OZ Minerals Limited (ASX: OZL) share price is one that’s taking a beating with a 2.14% drop to $18.78, while the Aeris Resources Ltd (ASX: AIS) share price is flat as the broader market is rising.

The OZ Minerals share price is also copping a beating because of its production downgrade released today.

Downgrades hit the OZ Minerals share price

The miner said group copper production for 2022 would range between 120,000 and 135,000 tonnes. This is below its previous guidance of 127,000 to 149,000 tonnes.

Adding insult to injury, costs are also rising. The expected C1 cash costs are up to US$1.05 to US$1.20 a pound. This compares with the original estimate of US85 cents to US95 cents a pound.

Bad weather and employee absenteeism due to COVID-19 are to blame, the company says. OZ Minerals’ Carrapateena mine is also being impacted by equipment failure and ongoing resourcing issues.

A few bright spots

But it isn’t all bad news for ASX copper miners. The Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) share price is surging 3.2% to $4.675.

The company’s shares are still down almost 30% since the start of 2021 but shareholders will be taking the wins wherever they can find them.

Also, the strong rebound in equities today is driven by the belief that too much recession risk has been priced into markets.

If this is true, ASX copper shares could stage a big comeback later this year.

The post 16-month low: How ASX copper shares are faring this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• CBA share price leads the big four as banks outperform ASX 200 on Monday
• ASX 200 midday update: Metcash and Imugene jump, Evolution downgrades guidance again
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 4 reasons to stick with battered small-cap ASX shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today

Motley Fool contributor Brendon Lau has positions in OZ Minerals Limited and Sandfire Resources NL. 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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The Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price has come under pressure this month amid weakness in the iron ore price.

Since the start of June, the mining giant’s shares are down 10%.

Is the Fortescue share price cheap?

Following this decline, the Fortescue share price is now trading at $18.00. Based on this and FY 2021’s earnings per share of $4.43, this means that its shares are changing hands for just 4.1x earnings.

However, it is worth remembering that the market is more interested in what the future holds than in what happened in the past.

FY 2021 was an incredible year for Fortescue. And while FY 2022 will go down as a very good year, it won’t stop the company from posting a big decline in its earnings.

Goldman Sachs is expecting earnings per share of US$2.00, which equates to $2.90 per share in local currency. This means that Fortescue’s shares are trading at 6.2x forward earnings.

Let’s now take a look at how this compares to other ASX 200 mining shares:

• BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares trade at 6.1x FY 2022 estimated earnings
• Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) shares trade at 6.2x FY 2022 estimated earnings
• South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) shares trade at 5.3x FY 2022 estimated earnings

As you can see above, based on price-to-earnings (PE) multiples, the Fortescue share price is no cheaper than the rest of its peers.

What about other multiples?

While PE multiples are a popular tool for investors to use for share market valuations, they’re not used widely with mining shares. Instead, price to net asset value (NAV) and EBITDA/EV multiples are seen as better suited for mining valuations.

This is important, because if you rely on PE multiples to value mining shares, you may end up buying shares that you think are cheap, but the rest of the market thinks are expensive.

The Fortescue share price is actually a prime example of this.

Goldman Sachs recently explained why Fortescue shares are actually expensive compared to the likes of BHP and Rio Tinto. This is despite its outlook being much weaker than the others.

The stock is trading at a significant premium to BHP & RIO; c. 1.7x NAV vs. RIO & BHP at c. 0.9x NAV & 1.1, c. 6.5x EBITDA (vs. BHP & RIO on c. 4x), and c. 4% FCF vs. BHP & RIO on c. 11-13%.

In light of this, the widening of low grade 58% Fe product realisations, execution and ramp-up risks on the Iron Bridge project, and uncertainties around its Fortescue Future Industries (FFI) diversification and Pilbara decarbonisation plans, Goldman has a sell rating and $13.50 price target on Fortescue’s shares.

This implies potential downside of 25% for investors over the next 12 months. Food for thought.

The post Is the Fortescue share price really the cheapest ASX 200 materials share on the market? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Guess which sector is delivering the biggest gain across the ASX 200 today
• Why are ASX 200 mining shares having such a dire week?
• Why is the Fortescue share price sinking 4% on Thursday?
• ASX 200 midday update: Pilbara Minerals’ lithium price update, BHP tumbles
• Can the Fortescue share price hold up if the iron ore price falls?

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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The Imugene Ltd (ASX: IMU) share price is exploding today on the back of phase two trial results.

Imugene shares have soared a mammoth 30.3% to 21.5 cents each at the time of writing after hitting a high of 23.5 cents a share today. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 1.72% so far today.

So what did the immuno-oncology company announce today?

‘Statistically significant’ data

Imugene reported positive survival rates among advanced gastric cancer patients treated with HER-Vaxx. HER-VAxx is a B-cell immunotherapy candidate for treatment of tumours over-expressing the HER-2/neu protein.

Patients treated with HER-Vaxx were found to have a 41.5% less chance of death than if they had just been given chemotherapy.

Overall, the median survival for patients treated with HER-Vaxx was 13.9 months. This compared to 8.3 months for those patients only given chemotherapy.

Imugene highlighted the trial result affirms a “favourable survival outcome with no further toxicity for the use of HER-Vaxx combined with chemotherapy compared to just treatment with chemotherapy”.

Commenting on today’s results, Imugene CEO Leslie Chong said:

I am delighted to report that we have achieved this significant milestone for patients with advanced gastric cancer.

The final analysis favoured the survival outcome for HER-Vaxx and I note the Independent Data Monitoring Committee previously suggested to shorten the study by lowering the number of patients.

In more positive news, the company has received approval to use a 100 microgram dose of the HER-Vaxx in further studies to start soon.

This higher dose could improve antibody generation and, therefore, the clinical response to HER-Vaxx.

Imugene share price snapshot

The Imugene share price has lost 41% in the past 12 months, while it has fallen around 45% year to date.

For perspective, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lost nearly 10% in a year.

Imugene has a market capitalisation of about $1.3 billion based on the current share price.

The post ‘Significant milestone’: Why the Imugene share price is soaring 30% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• ASX 200 midday update: Metcash and Imugene jump, Evolution downgrades guidance again
• Why is the Imugene share price one of the biggest ASX 200 fallers today?
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week

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 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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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.

Crypto is struggling, but one high profile investor thinks there is more to it.

Mark Cuban has become renowned for his successful venture capitalist career in the early 2000s. He invested in some of the first social networks and software to come around and has since seen his net worth climb to nearly $4.7 billion.

Since he’s no stranger to innovative technologies, it comes as no surprise that Cuban has been a vocal advocate for what cryptocurrency and blockchain technology has to offer. He made headlines in 2021 when his National Basketball Association basketball team, the Dallas Mavericks, said it would accept Dogecoin for merchandise and tickets.

Cuban is more than just a fan of Dogecoin. He considers himself an Ethereum maximalist, which means he believes in Ethereum more than other blockchains. He has also made plenty of purchases in the NFT (non-fungible token) market.

While his investments, like many others, are worth considerably less than just a year ago, Cuban remains optimistic about the direction crypto is headed.

Cuban’s thoughts

Despite the recent pullbacks and talk about a crypto winter, Cuban believes this decline in prices is healthy and necessary to weed out weak competitors in the crypto economy. In a recent interview he said that the recent bull market fostered an environment for companies that didn’t actually have “valid business prospects” to stick around longer than they should have. He made reference to a famous Warren Buffett quote that seems fitting, “When the tide goes out, you get to see who is swimming naked.”

Given current macroeconomic factors like inflation, rising interest rates, and the slowing economy, it makes sense that the blockchains and cryptocurrencies that have failed to provide any real-world value would suffer the most.

In addition, events in the crypto market that have recently transpired have only added to the less-than-ideal macroeconomic factors. When the Terra blockchain imploded in early May as the result of its UST stablecoin losing its peg to $1, it caused a widespread market sell-off.

And just last week, one of the most popular crypto lending platforms, Celsius, announced that it would halt withdrawals as the result of the poor economic conditions. This announcement sent all cryptocurrencies down even more.

Yet despite all of this, Cuban still thinks there is hope and value for crypto over the long haul. Specifically, he believes bear markets force companies to innovate. Cuban elaborated, saying, “Disruptive applications and technology released during a bear market, whether stocks or crypto or any business, will always find a market and succeed.”

A final thought

Mark Cuban has seen his fair share of bear markets. It seems that in his opinion bear markets should be a cause for concern but not a cause for hysteria. 

Bear markets create opportunities for blockchains and investors alike. Cryptocurrencies that continue to develop innovations in a bear market position themselves for long-term success. 

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

The post What one tech guru thinks of the current crypto market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin are down today
• The ATO is collecting crypto taxes. Here are 5 handy expert tips come tax time
• These 3 cryptos are feeling the Elon Musk effect today
• Can Ethereum reach $5,000?
• The key driver behind the recovery in Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana today

RJ Fulton has positions in Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Ethereum and Terra. 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.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is back in the green on Monday, gaining 1.93%, and shares in one sector are leading the way.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is outperforming right now, gaining 2.65%. Stocks belonging to the sector currently make up half of the 10 best performing ASX 200 shares.

Among the market’s best performers are lithium shares. Meanwhile, the materials sector’s gold-focused constituents are struggling.

Resource giants BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO), and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) are also outperforming.

Let’s take a closer look at what’s going on with ASX materials giants on Monday.

ASX 200 materials shares lead on Monday

Many ASX 200 materials shares are leading the market on Monday.

It comes as lithium shares continue to rebound from last week’s carnage. Right now, the materials sector is led by the Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price’s 13% gain. Those of Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE) and Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR) are up 8.3% and 8.7% respectively.

Meanwhile, shares in iron ore giants BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue are gaining 2.9%, 4.2%, and 4.5% respectively.

Their gains come despite iron ore futures slumping 0.6% to US$128.53 a tonne on Friday. It closed last week 2.2% lower than the week prior, according to CommSec.

However, it’s not all sunshine in the sector today. Many ASX 200 gold shares are bucking the trend to tumble lower. Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) is leading their downfall, plummeting 20% after the company released disappointing guidance for financial year 2022.

In encouraging news for ASX investors, all 11 of the benchmark index’s sectors are currently in the green.

Hot on the materials sector’s heels is the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ). It has gained 2.48% right now.

The worst performing sector right now is the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE). It’s currently 0.79% higher.

The post Guess which sector is delivering the biggest gain across the ASX 200 today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why is the Core Lithium share price racing 13% higher?
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Why Betmakers, Block, Lake Resources, and Vulcan shares are racing higher
• ‘Nothing has changed’: Why the Lake Resources share price is rocketing 19% today

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

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The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price has been one of the best performers on the ASX 200 index on Monday.

In afternoon trade, the lithium developer’s shares are up an impressive 13% to $1.03.

Why is the Core Lithium share price racing higher?

Investors have been bidding the Core Lithium share price higher despite there being no news out of the lithium developer.

However, there are a couple of potential drivers of its strong performance today.

The first is improving investor sentiment, particularly at the higher risk side of town, which is driving the ASX 200 index meaningfully higher on Monday.

For example, the ASX 200 index is up a solid 1.8% to 6,698.2 points this afternoon.

What else?

Also potentially giving the Core Lithium share price a lift has been last week’s battery material exchange (BMX) update from Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

The lithium miner revealed that it received and accepted a record bid of the equivalent of US$7,000 per tonne ahead of its BMX auction.

In response to the pre-auction bid, Pilbara Minerals’ CEO, Dale Henderson, said:

Contrary to recent suggestions that the market has peaked, the evidence we are seeing at the coal-face with our customers, including this pricing outcome, suggests that demand remains incredibly strong, with a continued healthy outlook for the foreseeable future.

This bodes well for Core Lithium, which is aiming to commence production from its Northern Territory-based Finniss project by the end of the year.

The post Why is the Core Lithium share price racing 13% higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Why is the Core Lithium share price down 14%?
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares 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 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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The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is on the move on Monday while the broader market also recovers.

At the time of writing, shares in the world’s largest miner are up 4.17% to $41.69.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 1.91% higher to 6,704.5 points at the time of writing.

Let’s take a look at what’s causing the miner’s shares to race past the benchmark ASX 200 index.

What’s up with BHP shares?

There are a couple of reasons as to why the BHP share price is heading north today.

First and foremost, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is surging 2.55% to 16,039.8 points during early afternoon trade.

This represents a turnaround of more than 4% after the index hit a year-to-date low of 15,403 points last Friday.

Bearish sentiment impacted global markets from 8 June following investor concerns about a looming recession in the United States.

However, those worries have since been alleviated as the Federal Reserve indicated it will narrowly avoid an economic slump.

The turnaround in investor sentiment across the ASX has led other mining shares to also accelerate.

The Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) and Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) share prices are up 2.85% and 4.34%, respectively.

Furthermore, the price for iron ore is fetching at US$116.50 per tonne. While down 10% in a month, there’s hope China will provide additional stimulus packages to spruce up its economy. This comes after the Asian powerhouse experienced a fall in GDP growth following harsh COVID-19 lockdowns in its most populous cities.

In essence, the financial support from the Xi government appears to have created a floor price for iron ore.

BHP share price snapshot

Since the start of 2022, the BHP share price has continued to move in circles after choppy economic conditions.

The mining giant’s shares are up 12.63% year-to-date, but down almost 3% in the past 12 months.

Listed as the biggest company on the ASX in terms of market capitalisation, BHP is approximately valued at $210 billion.

The post BHP share price bounces as materials outpace the ASX 200 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Broker sees 23% upside and a huge yield for BHP shares
• Why are ASX 200 mining shares having such a dire week?
• Own BHP shares? ‘Almost unbelievable’ breakthrough could be key to miner’s climate strategy
• Here’s the BHP dividend forecast through to 2024
• Here’s why the BHP share price is in the red today

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.

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