The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end its winning streak on Wednesday. In late morning trade the benchmark index is down 0.3% to 5,543.3 points.

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

The AP Eagers Ltd (ASX: APE) share price is down 3% to $5.44. The catalyst for this decline appears to have been a broker note out of Credit Suisse. According to the note, the broker has downgraded AP Eagers’ shares to a neutral rating and cut the price target on them to $6.45. The broker made the move on valuation grounds after a strong recovery in its share price over the last couple of months. It also expects a sharp decline in profits this year.

The Lendlease Group (ASX: LLC) share price has fallen 3.5% to $11.26. This decline also appears to have been driven by a broker note. Although analysts at Ord Minnett have retained their buy rating on the property company’s shares, they have cut their price target down by a third to $14.00. Ord Minnett believes the next 12 months could be difficult, but the longer term looks positive.

The Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH) share price has dropped almost 2.5% to $6.65. This appears to have been driven by profit taking after the donor management platform provider’s shares rocketed to a record high this week. Investors have been buying Pushpay’s shares following the release of a strong full year result earlier this month.

The ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) share price is down 2% to $24.84. This follows a similar pullback in the medical device company’s U.S. listed shares overnight. Investors may be concerned that demand for its ventilators will decline if a COVID-19 vaccine is successfully developed in the coming months.

More reading

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• 3 ASX 200 healthcare shares I’d buy today
• Where to invest $500 in ASX shares right now
• Will these ASX car dealers bounce back after COVID-19?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ResMed Inc. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. 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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Key ASX shares in the wine and dairy sector could be in the firing line as trade tensions look to escalate between Australia and China. A recent article from Bloomberg reports that China is considering targeting more Australian exports, following calls into an independent inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic.

Here are the latest developments on trade tensions and the key stocks that could be impacted.

Escalating trade tensions

According to the article, China is considering enforcing further trade barriers and tariffs on Australian imports, including wine and dairy products. The article states that Chinese officials have listed potential goods from Australia that could be subject to stricter quality checks and tariffs. It is also possible that China could encourage a consumer boycott of Australian products, however a formal stance has not been acknowledged.  

The speculation of further economic retaliation follows China’s action to block meat imports from 4 Australian slaughterhouses and the enforcement of an 80% tariff on Australian barley on Monday. Calls by the Australian Government for an independent inquiry into the coronavirus pandemic are thought to have fuelled economic retaliation from the Chinese government.

Which ASX shares are in the firing line?

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) is one of the few shares on the ASX that has managed to withstand the turmoil caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Despite the company’s resilience thus far, sanctions and trade restrictions on its products to China could cause major damage.

The infant formula company relies heavily on consumer demand from China to fuel revenue growth. Currently, a2 Milk reports it has a 6.4% share in the lucrative infant formula market in China and the company recently spent NZ$200 million of its marketing budget on ads in China.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX:TWE) is another company with heavy exposure to China. Australia is the 5th largest exporter of wine in the world, with China accounting for the majority of the volume. The operations of Treasury Wine reflects the wine industry’s reliance on China, with the company generating more than 40% of its total profits from Asia. The company’s prestigious and luxury brands, such as Penfolds, are highly popular in the Chinese market and offer better profitability margins.

Foolish takeaway

China is Australia’s most important trading partner – Chinese consumers and businesses are a reliable source of demand for many Australian goods and services. As China emerges from the coronavirus pandemic, demand will play an important role in the recovery of Australia’s economy.

More reading

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• Are these China-exposed ASX shares in danger in 2020?
• 3 top ASX shares to buy now and hold for 10 years

Motley Fool contributor Nikhil Gangaram has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. 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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Interest rates are at ultra-low levels and look likely to remain that way for the foreseeable future.

As a result, I continue to believe investors would be better off putting any excess funds into the share market rather than leaving them to gather paltry interest in an account.

But where should you invest these funds? Here are three top shares I would invest $5,000 into right now:

Freedom Foods Group Ltd (ASX: FNP)

I think Freedom Foods could be worth considering for that $5,000 investment. It is a growing diversified food company with a focus on healthy eating trends. The company has been investing heavily in its future growth over the last few years and looks set to reap the rewards in the coming years. Especially given its significant lactoferrin and UHT production capacity and the insatiable demand for these products in Asia. Combined with the rest of its growing business, I believe Freedom Foods is well-positioned to grow its earnings at a strong rate over the next decade.

NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Another share that I would invest $5,000 into is NEXTDC. It is Asia’s most innovative Data Centre-as-a-Service provider and busy building the infrastructure platform for the digital economy. I believe this leaves NEXTDC in a very strong position to benefit from the accelerating adoption of cloud computing. This is because as cloud computing usage increases, demand for its data centre outsourcing solutions and connectivity services is likely to increase along with it. This year the company has seen a big lift in demand. So much so, it recently announced plans to build a new data centre in Sydney.

Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME)

Another option to consider investing $5,000 into is Pro Medicus. It is a leading provider of a full range of radiology IT software and services to hospitals, imaging centres, and healthcare groups globally. The key product in its portfolio is Visage 7. Pro Medicus’ Visage 7 technology delivers fast, multi-dimensional images streamed via an intelligent thin-client viewer. It offers users robust clinical capabilities and scales to the needs of massive organisations. Demand has been very strong over recent years, leading to strong sales and profit growth. For example, during the first half of FY 2020, Pro Medicus reported a 32.7% increase in net profit after tax to $12.1 million. Although the pandemic is likely to stifle its growth in the second half, I remain confident that its long-term potential is enormous.

More reading

• These ASX tech shares could be destined for big things thanks to cloud computing
• These ASX 200 shares are up over 40% in 2020
• Why I would buy these exciting ASX growth shares right now
• Why a buy and hold strategy for ASX shares is best
• Should you invest in super or your ASX share portfolio?

James Mickleboro owns shares of NEXTDC Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. recommends Pro Medicus Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Pro Medicus Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Freedom Foods Group Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. 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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