Once again, a large number of broker notes hit the wires last week. Some of these notes were positive and some were bearish.

Three sell ratings that investors might want to hear about are summarised below. Here’s why top brokers think investors ought to sell these shares next week:

Air New Zealand Limited (ASX: AIZ)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their underperform rating and cut their price target on this airline operator’s shares to NZ$0.75 (69 Australian cents). The broker has looked at Air New Zealand’s recapitalisation package and expects significant dilution to earnings. Overall, Macquarie believes Air New Zealand’s shares are overvalued at the current level and warns that dividends are likely to be off the table until FY 2026. The Air New Zealand share price ended the week at $1.15.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

Another note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their underperform rating and $90.00 price target on this banking giant’s shares. Macquarie has concerns that upcoming updates from the banks could disappoint and weigh on their shares. This is due to margin weakness caused by slowing volume growth and competitive pressures. The CBA share price was fetching $104.53 at Friday’s close.

Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their sell rating and $24.30 price target on this retail conglomerate’s shares. Goldman has been looking over the federal budget and has picked out its winners and losers. Unfortunately, Premier Investments is more likely to be in the latter camp according to the broker. Goldman believes the apparel and accessories category will be most susceptible to downside risk from the weakening of the discretionary goods growth. The Premier Investments share price was trading at $26.88 at Friday’s close.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How big will the CBA dividend be in 2022?
• Why Bank of Queensland, Block, Premier Investments, and REA shares are dropping
• Why Air NZ, Block, Eagers Automotive, and Harvey Norman shares are dropping
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today
• Why has the CBA share price outperformed its big four peers in March?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and Premier Investments Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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Last week saw a number of broker notes hitting the wires once again. Three buy ratings that investors might want to be aware of are summarised below.

Here’s why brokers think investors ought to buy them next week:

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating and $19.30 price target on this supermarket operator’s shares. Citi has been looking over the recently announced federal budget and believes it will be a boost to disposable income. While this bodes well for the retail sector, its analysts expect supermarkets to be among the biggest winners. The Coles share price ended the week at $17.88.

Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO)

A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $140.00 price target on this mining giant’s shares. While Macquarie believes Rio Tinto will have to increase its offer to successfully acquire Turquoise Hill, it remains positive. Particularly with high iron ore prices underpinning strong earnings and dividends. The Rio Tinto share price was fetching $120.34 at the end of the week.

Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB)

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their buy rating and $6.90 price target on this online travel agent’s shares. Goldman believes Webjet is well-placed to benefit from the travel recovery tailwind, especially given its structurally improved profitability and the strong outlook of the Bedbanks business. Goldman expects the latter to resume the strong growth journey that it embarked on prior to the COVID pandemic. The Webjet share price was trading at $5.54 at Friday’s close.

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

More reading

• 2 ASX 200 dividend shares brokers rate as buys
• Federal budget: Goldman Sachs names 4 ASX shares to buy
• Here’s how top brokers think the Rio Tinto share price will perform in April
• Is the Webjet share price set to take off in April?
• The ASX 200 just had its longest winning streak since 2017. What’s doing?

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 owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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Thanks to a strong rebound during the month of March, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) managed to record a 0.7% gain to 7,499.6 points during the first quarter.

A number of shares performed notably better during the three months, delivering very strong gains for their shareholders. Here’s why these were the best performing ASX 200 shares during the quarter:

AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ)

The AVZ Minerals share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 during the first quarter with a gain of 59.4%. This lithium explorer’s shares were a late inclusion into the index, joining at the quarterly rebalance in March. This index addition, positive developments at its Manono Lithium and Tin Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and sky high lithium prices helped drive its shares higher over the three months.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The Whitehaven Coal share price was just a fraction behind with a gain of 59% over the three months. Investors were scrambling to buy the coal miner’s shares after coal prices surged to record highs during the period. This was driven by a material increase in demand for coal after European countries sought alternatives to reduce their exposure to Russian natural gas.

Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL)

The Woodside share price was on form during the quarter and recorded a 46.4% gain. Investors were bidding the energy producer’s shares higher after the Russia-Ukraine crisis sparked fears of supply constraints in an already energy tight market. Oil prices climbed beyond US$120 a barrel to their highest levels since 2008 before settling at approximately US$100 a barrel at the end of the quarter.

Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA)

The Champion Iron share price wasn’t far behind with a gain of 43.6% during the three months. Once again, this was driven largely by a jump in commodity prices. The spot benchmark iron ore price surged higher during the quarter and was trading around US$150 a tonne at the end of it. In addition, the Canadian iron ore miner’s shares were given a boost from the release of its third quarter update. Champion Iron reported EBITDA of C$122.1 million, which was well ahead of Goldman Sachs’ estimate of C$87 million.

The post These were the best performing ASX 200 shares during the first quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares during the first quarter
• These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week
• These were the best performers on the ASX 200 last week
• What boosted the Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC) share price on Friday?
• 5 ASX mining shares rocking all-time highs on Friday

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 Bruce Jackson.

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A strong rebound during the month of March helped the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) recover and record a 0.7% gain to 7,499.6 points during the first quarter.

Unfortunately, not all shares were able to climb with the market. Here’s why these were the worst performing ASX 200 shares during the quarter:

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

The Zip share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 during the quarter by some distance with a 65.6% decline. Investors were selling the buy now pay later (BNPL) provider’s shares amid weakness in the tech sector and particularly the BNPL industry. In addition, a greater than expected loss for the first half of FY 2022 and a capital raising announcement weighed heavily on investor sentiment. This offset any positives from news that it is acquiring Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL).

PointsBet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)

The PointsBet share price was out of form and tumbled 46.4% over the three months. Investors were selling sports betting shares globally amid concerns over valuations and increasing marketing spend in the industry. In respect to the latter, rival DraftKings warned that it was likely to make a loss of US$1 billion in 2022 due largely to marketing costs.

Boral Limited (ASX: BLD)

The Boral share price was a poor performer and sank 43.3% during the period. However, the majority of this decline reflects the building materials company returning a total of $3 billion to shareholders following a series of asset sales. Boral’s total cash return of $2.72 per share comprised a $2.65 per share capital reduction and an unfranked dividend of 7 cents per share.

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

The Appen share price continued its slide during the first quarter with a 38% decline. Investors were selling off this artificial intelligence data services company’s shares following the release of a disappointing full year result. Appen reported a 3% increase in underlying EBITDA to US$77.7 million in FY 2021, which fell short of its revised guidance. Management also revealed that it wouldn’t provide any guidance for FY 2022, which didn’t go down well with the market.

The post These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares during the first quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week
• What boosted the Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC) share price on Friday?
• Zip share price backtracks ahead of share purchase plan closure
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Allkem jumps on lithium pricing update: Domain to acquire Realbase
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in March

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. owns and has recommended Appen Ltd, Pointsbet Holdings Ltd, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is among Australia’s biggest dividend payers.

It is one of the big four domestic ASX banks in Australia, alongside National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

In FY21, Commbank paid an annual dividend of $3.50 per share. That was an increase of 17% compared to FY20.

So, how big will the dividend from CBA be in FY22?

What we already know about the CBA dividend

More than half of the bank’s 2022 financial year has already occurred.

In February 2022, the business announced an interim dividend of $1.75 per share. That represents a 17% increase on the FY21 half-year dividend.

The interim dividend represented a ‘normalised’ cash payout ratio of around 70%, which was in line with the board’s interim target dividend payout ratio, normalised for long run loan loss rates.

In the first half of FY21, the bank saw “strong financial and operational performance delivered in a low rate environment through continued customer focus, disciplined execution and investment.”

CBA’s cash net profit after tax (NPAT) rose by 23% to $4.75 billion, supported by reduced remediation costs and lower loan loss provisions due to an improved economic outlook. However, it was impacted by lower margins.

The net interest margin (NIM) dropped to 1.92%, which was down 17 basis points compared to the second half of FY21. CBA blamed some of the decline on customers switching to lower margin fixed home loans, the impact of rising swap rates due to market expectations of higher interest rates, and continued pressure from home loan competition.

Expectations for FY22

Commsec currently has a dividend forecast of $3.85 per share for FY22. That estimate is from external data providers, the projection hasn’t come from Commonwealth Bank.

If CBA were to pay an annual dividend of $3.85, that would translate into a grossed-up dividend yield of around 5.25%.

But Commsec isn’t the only place that provides dividend estimates.

Morgan Stanley thinks the FY22 dividend that CBA pays will be equivalent to a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.2%.

UBS has one of the lowest dividend projections for CBA in FY22, with an estimated grossed-up dividend yield of 4.8%.

Looking further ahead

CBA is expected to pay dividends beyond FY22, of course. What could dividends beyond the 2022 financial year look like?

The big four ASX bank is expected to keep growing its dividend in FY23 and FY24.

Using Commsec’s projections, CBA is predicted to pay an annual dividend per share of $4.03 in FY23 and $4.25 in FY24. This would see the bank almost return to the level of dividends it paid in FY18 and FY19.

The FY23 and FY24 projected dividends translate into grossed-up dividend yields of 5.5% and 5.8%, respectively.

The post How big will the CBA dividend be in 2022? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How did the Westpac share price perform in March?
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today
• Why has the CBA share price outperformed its big four peers in March?
• How did ASX 200 bank shares perform today?
• The CBA dividend is being paid today. Here’s what you need to know

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 Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) offer investors who may not be comfortable with picking individual shares a chance to invest in wider baskets of companies.

There are a lot of ASX ETFs to choose from, tracking all manner of benchmarks, commodities, and industries.

With lithium prices remaining at record highs and numerous ASX listed and global lithium shares shooting the lights out, today we throw the spotlight on the ETFS Battery Tech & Lithium ETF (ASX: ACDC).

Lithium producers leading the charge this year

Some of the best performers on the ASX this year are involved in the lithium space.

As a very lightweight and conductive metal, lithium demand has boomed amid the rapid growth in global battery production as the world moves to decarbonise and roll out fleets of electric vehicles and home battery systems.

Most of which depend on lithium.

So how have the leading ASX lithium shares been performing?

Well, AVZ Minerals Ltd (ASX: AVZ) is up 68% in 2022 and up 587% over the past 12 months.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) has charged even higher, up 156% year-to-date and a whopping 552% since this time last year.

We’ll finish up with Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE), though there are a number of other ASX lithium shares to spotlight. The Lake Resources share price is up 127% in 2022 and 594% over the past 12 months.

Why this ASX ETF could enjoy rising demand

Jessica Amir is the Australian market strategist at Saxo Markets.

Amir says Saxo believes “that the electric vehicle industry and the critical minerals/ commodities will continue to see rising demand, and policy support, and also benefit from the world striving to be carbon neutral by 2050″.

Amir suggested investors who aren’t into stock-picking but want exposure to the lithium and critical metal boom “could invest or trade in… ACDC that invests in about 30 of the biggest EV and battery technology companies in the world”.

The ASX ETF’s top three holdings are AMG Advanced Metallurgical Group NV (AMS: AMG), Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN), and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

While ACDC has been rebounding in recent weeks, up 12% since 8 March, the ASX ETF’s performance has greatly lagged that of lead lithium stocks to date.

Over the past 12 months, the ACDC share price is down 5%.

The post An exciting ASX ETF to ride along with the global electric vehicle boom appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The ASX 200 just had its longest winning streak since 2017. What’s doing?
• Have you seen these exciting ETFs that are listed on the ASX?
• 2 beaten down ETFs for ASX investors to check out
• 3 exciting ETFs ASX investors need to know now
• Here are 3 top ETFs for ASX investors to watch

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 Bruce Jackson.

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If you’re looking for an easy way to invest your hard-earned money, then exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be worth considering.

This is because rather than deciding on which individual shares to put your money into, ETFs let you invest in a large group of shares through just a single investment.

With that in mind, here are three ETFs that are popular with investors right now:

BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

The first ETF for investors to look at is the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF. This ETF tracks the performance of an index comprising around 50 of the largest technology shares in Asia (excluding Japan). BetaShares notes that the sector is expected to remain a growth sector for some time to come thanks to the region’s younger and more tech savvy population. Among the ETF’s holdings are Alibaba, Baidu, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Tencent. Regulatory concerns have been weighing heavily on these shares and therefore the ETF this year. While this is disappointing, it could have created a very attractive opening for long term investors.

BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP)

Another ETF for investors to look at is the BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF. BetaShares highlights that this ETF provides “picks and shovels” exposure to the crypto market with investments in companies building crypto mining equipment, crypto trading venues, and other key services. At present, the ETF is invested in around 40 crypto focused companies including Coinbase, Riot Blockchain, and Microstrategy. In addition, the ETF owns shares with indirect exposure such as Block/Square, PayPal, and Robinhood.

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

A final ETF for ASX investors to look at is the VanEck Vectors Video Gaming and eSports ETF. The fund manager, VanEck, notes that this ETF gives investors exposure to the biggest players in a global video game market benefitting from an estimated 2.7 billion active gamers globally. Among the companies included in the fund are AMD, Electronic Arts, Nintendo, Nvidia, Roblox, and Take-Two. VanEck believes these companies are well-placed for growth thanks to the increasing popularity of video games and eSports.

The post 3 very exciting ETFs for ASX investors this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Here are 2 top ETFs for ASX investors next week
• 3 top ASX ETFs for growth investors
• Have you seen these exciting ETFs that are listed on the ASX?

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. owns and has recommended Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF and 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 Bruce Jackson.

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If you’re looking for ASX dividend shares to buy, then the ones listed below could be worth considering.

Here’s what you need to know about these dividend shares:

Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO)

The first dividend share to consider is Rio Tinto. This mining giant is being tipped to reward shareholders with huge dividends in the coming years thanks to strong commodity prices and its return to production growth.

Goldman Sachs, for example, is very positive on Rio Tinto and has a buy rating and $131.50 price target on its shares.

The broker likes the miner due to its attractive valuation and strong free cash flow. Goldman also notes that the miner has compelling low emission aluminium exposure through its ELYSIS inert anode technology, which it believes could be worth billions.

As for dividends, Goldman expects fully franked dividends of around US$9.00 per share in FY 2022 and FY 2023. Based on the current Rio Tinto share price of $120.34 and current exchange rates, this will mean yields of approximately 10%.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Another ASX dividend share to consider is one of Australia’s leading conglomerates, Wesfarmers.

It is the company behind brands such as Kmart, Officeworks, Priceline, Catch, Bunnings, and a wide range of industrial businesses.

Combined, the team at Morgans believe the company is well-placed for growth over the long term. In light of this, it recently put an add rating and $58.50 price target on its shares.

In respect to dividends, Morgans is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of $1.62 in FY 2022 and $1.81 in FY 2023. Based on the current Wesfarmers share price of $49.59, this will mean yields of 3.3% and 3.6%, respectively.

Morgans commented: “WES possesses one of the highest quality retail portfolios in Australia with strong brands including Bunnings, Kmart, Target and Officeworks. The company is run by a highly regarded management team and the balance sheet is healthy. While Covid-related staff shortages are proving to be a challenge, the core Bunnings division (>60% of group EBIT) remains a solid performer as consumers continue to invest in their homes. We see the recent pullback in the share price as a good entry point for longer term investors.”

The post 2 ASX 200 dividend shares brokers rate as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What happened to the Wesfarmers share price in March?
• Here’s how top brokers think the Rio Tinto share price will perform in April
• The ASX 200 just had its longest winning streak since 2017. What’s doing?
• Are these ASX 200 mining shares in trouble?
• What’s the outlook for the Wesfarmers share price in April?

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 owns and has recommended Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price struggled through March.

Its suffering came as major floods wreaked havoc in parts of Australia and news of a second business interruption test case hit the market.

At the end of last month, the IAG share price was $4.38. That’s 4.78% lower than where it ended February.

Over the same period, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 6.39%, leaving the IAG underperforming by 11.17% for the month.

So, what weighed on the insurance giant’s stock in March? Let’s take a look.

Why did the IAG share price struggle through March?

March started out rough for many Australians, with major floods hitting parts of southeast Queensland and northern New South Wales.

Understandably, this likely led some market watchers to wonder if the cost to repair damages would dint the insurer’s bottom line.

IAG was quick to mitigate concerns, releasing a statement on 1 March saying it was too early to understand the true cost of the disaster. However, it estimated it could be as high as $95 million.

The insurer followed up on that statement the following week.

Then, it announced that as of 6am on 9 March, it had received 24,000 claims related to the weather event. It was estimated to lead to a $74 million damage bill – less than what was previously predicted.

Though, due to the storms and flooding, IAG increased its financial year 2022 net natural perils claims cost from $1.045 billion to approximately $1.1 billion.

Interestingly, despite falling in intraday trade on 1 March and 9 March, the IAG share price ended both sessions flat with its previous close.

An update on the second business interruption test case also weighed on the insurer’s stock last month.

The company noted that, while it wasn’t adjusting its $1,222 million net provision for business interruption claims, some indications made it believe a release from the provision will occur and will likely be recognised over time.

The IAG share price slumped 1.3% the day the update was released.

What else happened last month?

The company also made headlines last month with reports claiming it’s being taken to Federal Court to face around $300 million of claims.

The legal action was reportedly spurred by the company’s now-sold 50% stake in Bond and Credit Co.

Bond and Credit Co is an insurer. It’s said to have sold credit policies to cover entities related to the now-defunct Greensill Capital.

Previously, IAG stated it had no exposure to the credit policies. Commenting on the matter last month, an IAG spokesperson said the company’s stance hadn’t changed and it was anticipating litigation.

It’s unlikely the reports budged the IAG share price. Though, they might have shaken some market watchers’ confidence in the company.

IAG share price snapshot

The IAG share price underperformed the ASX last month. However, it’s been ultimately trading in line with the index in 2022.

As of the end of March, the IAG share price was 1.79% lower than its previous close. At that same point, the ASX 200 had slipped 1.19% year to date.

Right now, shares in IAG are trading for 8.8% less than they were last year. Meanwhile, the ASX 200 has gained 9.9% over the last 12 months.

The post Why did the IAG share price underperform the ASX 200 by 11% in March? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Owns IAG (ASX:IAG) shares? Here’s your outlook for April
• Have IAG shares been a good investment? Here’s what $10,000 invested 4 years ago looks like now
• What’s driving the IAG (ASX:IAG) share price lower on Wednesday?
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Block and Zip jump, Fisher & Paykel Healthcare sinks
• Why is this broker ‘cautiously bullish’ on IAG (ASX:IAG) shares?

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 owns and has recommended Insurance Australia Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again and recorded its third consecutive weekly gain. Over the period, the benchmark index rose 1.2% to end it at 7,493.8 points.

Unfortunately, not all shares were able to follow the market’s lead. Here’s why these were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week:

Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS)

The Ramelius share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 last week with a 7.5% decline. Investors were selling down gold miners after the price of the precious metal weakened. This has been driven by expectations for quicker than expected rate increases from the US Federal Reserve. The S&P/ASX All Ords Gold index dropped 1.5% over the five days.

Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU)

The Imugene share price was a close second with a decline of 7.4% last week. This was despite there being no news out of the immuno-oncology focused biopharmaceutical company. Though, it is worth noting that Imugene’s shares are on a downward trend right now. So much so, they are now down by 42% since the start of the year. Valuation concerns appear to be weighing on its shares.

James Hardie Industries (ASX: JHX)

The James Hardie share price was out of form and tumbled 7.1% over the five days. Once again, this was despite there being no news out of the building materials company. Though, James Hardie’s shares have come under significant pressure since missing materially with its third quarter earnings in February. The company’s shares hit a 52-week low last week.

Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN)

The Harvey Norman share price was a poor performer and dropped 7% last week. The majority of this decline is attributable to the retailer’s shares trading ex-dividend. In February, Harvey Norman released its half year results and declared a fully franked interim dividend of 20 cents per share. This will now be paid to eligible shareholders next month on 2 May.

The post These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What boosted the Whitehaven Coal (ASX:WHC) share price on Friday?
• Federal budget: Goldman Sachs names 4 ASX shares to buy
• ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Allkem jumps on lithium pricing update: Domain to acquire Realbase
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in March
• These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares in March

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. owns and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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