• These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Monday

    a group of three people carry a large block to line it up in ascending order with two other blocks nearby.

    a group of three people carry a large block to line it up in ascending order with two other blocks nearby.a group of three people carry a large block to line it up in ascending order with two other blocks nearby.

    It seems the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) doesn’t quite know what it wants out of this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is essentially flat at 6,985 points after spending most of the morning in negative territory.

    So rather than trying to figure all of that out, let’s instead dig a little deeper into the markets and check out the ASX 200 shares that are topping the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Telstra is our first ASX 200 share that is experiencing high trading volumes today. So far this Monday, the telco has seen a hefty 12.62 million of its shares bought and sold. There hasn’t been any news or announcements out of Telstra so far today.

    As such, we can probably put this volume down to the movements of the Telstra share price itself. This telco has had an interesting day. It’s currently flat at $3.96 a share, but has swung as high as $3.98 and as low as $3.91 over the trading day thus far. It’s this volatility that is probably behind this high volume.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    ASX 200 lithium producer Pilbara is our next share up this Monday. So far today, a sizeable 17.91 million Pilbara shares have found new homes. Pilbara is another share that has had a rather wild time of it on the markets today.

    The company released a quarterly update this morning which disclosed disappointing production numbers, but higher realised prices for lithium. The markets have reacted positively so far, sending Pilbara 1.4% higher at the time of writing to $3.26 a share. These developments are probably helping to push up Pilbara’s trading volumes today.

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    ASX 200 mining giant BHP is our final and most traded share of the day thus far. The ‘Big Australian’ has seen a whopping 17.97 million of its shares trade hands this Monday.

    As we covered earlier this morning, this is probably the result of BHP completing its unification program. This saw the company wind up its London listing to become a fully listed ASX share once more. As a result, we might be seeing an influx of old London shares to the ASX today, which would explain this high volume we see.

    The post These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in BHP right now?

    Before you consider BHP, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and BHP wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns Telstra Corporation Limited. 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 Telstra Corporation 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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  • Why Ansell, AnteoTech, Dubber, and NIB shares are dropping

    share price plummeting down

    share price plummeting downshare price plummeting down

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a small decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down slightly to 6,987.1 points.

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

    Ansell Limited (ASX: ANN)

    The Ansell share price is down 14% to $26.95. Investors have been selling the health and safety products company’s shares after it downgraded its earnings guidance. Ansell now expects its earnings per share to be between 125 US cents to 145 US cents in FY 2022. This is down materially from its previous guidance of 175 US cents to 195 US cents. Management blamed this on softening demand and COVID-related operational challenges.

    AnteoTech Ltd (ASX: ADO)

    The AnteoTech share price has crashed a further 11% to 20 cents. Investors have been selling off this medical device company’s shares since the release of an update on its EuGeni Reader and COVID-19 Rapid Diagnostic Test (RDT). Instead of receiving approval, that update revealed that AnteoTech has received a request for further information from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).

    Dubber Corp Ltd (ASX: DUB)

    The Dubber share price is down 5% to $1.80. This morning the global unified call recording and voice intelligence cloud service provider released its second quarter update. Although that update revealed an 82% increase in annualised recurring revenue (ARR) to $51.8 million, weak cash receipts appear to be weighing on sentiment. Management advised that its cash receipts were ~$1 million less than expected due to a delayed payment from a large customer.

    NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF)

    The NIB share price has fallen 5.5% to $6.26. Investors have been selling the private health insurer’s shares after JP Morgan downgraded them to an underweight rating with a $6.10 price target. The broker has concerns over margin pressures, among other things.

    The post Why Ansell, AnteoTech, Dubber, and NIB shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 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. owns and has recommended Dubber Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Dubber Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell Ltd. and NIB Holdings 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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  • Straker Translations (ASX:STG) share price surges 24% after company ‘achieves 99% revenue growth’

    indian man making phone call me gesture over words in foreign languages.indian man making phone call me gesture over words in foreign languages.indian man making phone call me gesture over words in foreign languages.

    Key Points

    • Straker shares leap on strong revenue results
    • Management noted the business is on track to hit milestone $100 revenue goal
    • Margins expected to fall slightly in Q4 due to integration of IDEST

    The Straker Translations Ltd (ASX: STG) share price is rebounding sharply today following a trading update from the company.

    At the time of writing, the translations company’s shares are rocketing 23.53% higher to $1.68 apiece.

    Straker on track to meet revenue growth targets

    Investors are snapping up Straker shares after the company revealed its FY22 revenue has ramped up significantly.

    According to its release, Straker reported it has achieved revenues of $15 million for the third-quarter of FY22. This represents an increase of 99% over the prior corresponding period (pcp), and a 26% lift quarter-on-quarter (QoQ).

    Management noted that the $60 million run-rate recorded indicated that Straker is on track to meet its $100 million revenue goal.

    The roughly even split of organic and acquisition growth showed that the company has multiple growth opportunities.

    Margins remained stable at 54%, however, this is expected to slightly decrease going into the fourth quarter of FY22. This is because the business will begin to include IDEST margins, dragging the over group margins lower.

    Straker stated that over the next couple of quarters, margins may lift as it integrates IDEST onto the RAY platform. IBM integration with the vendor pool is also expected to continue.

    At the end of the period, management declared a cash balance of $17.5 million, with no debt.

    Straker CEO, Grant Straker touched on the company’s latest deal, saying:

    We have market leading technology, a global footprint and offer our customers opportunities to automate and consolidate their global translation requirements with a single provider delivering significant productivity benefits and cost savings.

    The upgrade to our guidance for FY2022 largely reflects stronger than expected organic growth but also the continued execution of the Company’s M&A strategy with the acquisition of IDEST positively impacting in the current Quarter. The demonstration of accelerating and profitable growth supported by a robust net cash balance sees Straker head into calendar 2022 in a very strong position.

    Straker share price summary

    Over the past 12 months, the Straker share price is down almost 7%, with these losses coming from in December. The company’s shares hit a 52-week low of $1.30 at the end of 2021.

    Based on valuation grounds, Straker commands a market capitalisation of roughly $109.29 million, with 67.78 million shares outstanding.

    The post Straker Translations (ASX:STG) share price surges 24% after company ‘achieves 99% revenue growth’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Straker right now?

    Before you consider Straker, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Straker wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    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 recommended Straker Translations. 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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  • Why Airtasker, ARB, Bubs, and Sezzle shares are pushing higher

    A graphic image of three upward pointing arrows with smoke coming from their bottoms, indicating the arrows are taking off just like the Althea share price today

    A graphic image of three upward pointing arrows with smoke coming from their bottoms, indicating the arrows are taking off just like the Althea share price todayA graphic image of three upward pointing arrows with smoke coming from their bottoms, indicating the arrows are taking off just like the Althea share price today

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a small gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up slightly to 6,988.6 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are pushing higher:

    Airtasker Ltd (ASX: ART)

    The Airtasker share price is up 15% to 73.5 cents following the release of its second quarter update. That update revealed that its gross marketplace volume (GMV) rose 39% quarter on quarter to $48.6 million. Pleasingly, management appears confident its strong form can continue and has upgraded its second half guidance. It now expects second half GMV of $107 million to $110 million, up from $105 million previously.

    ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

    The ARB share price has jumped 9% to $46.70. This follows the release of a first half trading update from the 4×4 parts manufacturer. ARB advised that it achieved unaudited sales revenue of $359 million for the half, representing growth of 26.5%. On the bottom line, the company expects to report a profit before tax of $90 million to $92 million.

    Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB)

    The Bubs share price is up 6% to 47.2 cents. Investors have been buying this infant formula company’s shares following the release of its second quarter update. That update revealed a strong rebound in daigou sales, which underpinned an 8% quarter on quarter and 56% year on year increase in quarterly sales revenue to $19.9 million.

    Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL)

    The Sezzle share price is up 5% to $2.46. This follows the release of the buy now pay later provider’s fourth quarter update. Sezzle reported underlying merchant sales (UMS) growth of 74.9% to US$561 million (A$772.2 million). This was driven by a 76% increase in active merchants to 47,000 and a 51.5% jump in active customers to 3.4 million.

    The post Why Airtasker, ARB, Bubs, and Sezzle shares are pushing higher 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 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 recommended Airtasker Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation Limited and BUBS AUST FPO. 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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  • How does the Macquarie (ASX:MQG) dividend compare to the big four banks?

    a young boy dressed in a business suit and wearing thick black glasses peers straight ahead while sitting at a heavy wooden desk with an old-fashioned calculator and adding machine while holding a pen over a large ledger book.

    a young boy dressed in a business suit and wearing thick black glasses peers straight ahead while sitting at a heavy wooden desk with an old-fashioned calculator and adding machine while holding a pen over a large ledger book.a young boy dressed in a business suit and wearing thick black glasses peers straight ahead while sitting at a heavy wooden desk with an old-fashioned calculator and adding machine while holding a pen over a large ledger book.

    It seems Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)’s stint as a big four ASX bank was not to last. Much was made of Macquarie’s (in hindsight, brief) ascension to the upper echelons of the ASX banking sector last year.

    Back in November, Macquarie swept past Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ), becoming the ASX’s fourth-largest bank by market capitalisation in the process. Then, just a few weeks ago, it did it again, pipping Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) for the third spot.

    But, alas, Macquarie’s fortunes have turned in the few weeks since then. Year to date, Macquarie shares have lost a painful 10.47% of their value. And since hitting a new record high of $217.32 a share on 5 January, the company is down by 15.4%. That’s going off of today’s pricing at $183.92 at the time of writing.

    At this price, Macquarie is back to a market capitalisation of $70.55 billion. That means it is well and truly back to the ASX’s fifth-largest bank, seeing as Westpac’s market cap is today at $74.7 billion, and ANZ’s at $75.6 billion.

    Ah well, I’m sure it was fun for Macquarie while it lasted.

    But that brings us to a different topic. That of Macquarie’s dividend. Due to the steep share price drop the company has endured over the past month or so, its dividend yield has crept back up again. But is it big enough to rival those of Macquarie’s larger banking rivals?

    How does Macquarie’s dividend measure up against the big four ASX banks?

    Well, let’s take a look.

    So Macquarie paid out two dividends last year. The first was a final dividend of $3.35 a share that was paid out in July. The second was an interim dividend of $2.72 per share that investors received in December. Both payments were partially franked at 40%.

    On today’s pricing, that gives Macquarie shares a trailing dividend yield of 3.31%.

    Unfortunately for income investors, that’s not quite large enough to take out even one of the big four banks. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) currently has the lowest trailing yield out of the big four banks. But it’s still offering investors a trailing, fully franked 3.72% yield right now.

    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is next up with its trailing yield of 4.67%.

    ANZ breaches the 5% mark with its yield of 5.28% on current pricing.

    And Westpac leads the charge with its 5.79% trailing yield today.

    So, unfortunately, Macquarie’s dividends, while substantial, are still not quite in the leagues of the big four.

    But, even so, with Macquarie’s past 5-year performance giving investors a 120% return, it’s probably not bothering investors too much.

    The post How does the Macquarie (ASX:MQG) dividend compare to the big four banks? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Macquarie Group right now?

    Before you consider Macquarie Group, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Macquarie Group wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns National Australia Bank Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited and Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Tyro (ASX:TYR) share price is having such a positive day

    A man with long hair and tattoos holds out an EFTPOS payment machine from behind a shop counter.A man with long hair and tattoos holds out an EFTPOS payment machine from behind a shop counter.A man with long hair and tattoos holds out an EFTPOS payment machine from behind a shop counter.

    Key points

    • The Tyro Payments share price is currently up 3.46%, trading at $2.25
    • The gain follows the release of the company’s latest weekly trading update
    • The broader ASX tech sector is also having a good session today, and payments-focused stocks are among its leaders

    The Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR) share price is in the green on Monday after the release of the company’s latest trading update.

    The financial technology company facilitated around $648 million worth of transactions last week.

    On top of today’s seemingly positive update, Monday is shaping up to be a great day for ASX tech shares.

    At the time of writing, the Tyro share price is $2.25, 3.46% higher than its previous close.

    Let’s take a closer look at what might be boosting the fintech’s stock today.

    What’s driving the Tyro share price higher on Monday?

    The Tyro share price is moving upwards today after the company released positive data on its recent transaction volumes.

    Over the first four weeks of January, the company processed $2.443 billion worth of transactions – 36% more than it did over the same period in 2021.

    In fact, over the course of January so far the company has, on average, processed approximately $610 million of transactions each week.

    Additionally, it’s facilitated around $18.3 billion worth of transactions since the start of financial year 2022.

    At this point of financial year 2021, the company had only put through approximately $13.9 billion of transactions.

    The broader ASX tech sector is probably also buoying the Tyro share price today.

    Right now, the S&P/ASX 200 Info Tech Index (ASX: XIJ) is the best performing sector on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), boasting a 3.93% gain. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is up 3.29%.

    The market is being boosted by Tyro’s fellow payment-focused companies Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P), Block Inc (ASX: SQ2), and EML Payments Limited (ASX: EML). They are currently up 7.14%, 7.01%, and 4.2% respectively.

    The tech sector’s gains are likely, in part, a response to the 3.13% increase achieved by the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) on Friday.

    Unfortunately, despite today’s gains, the Tyro share price is still 22% lower than it was at the end of 2021.

    It has also fallen 10% since this time last year.

    The post Here’s why the Tyro (ASX:TYR) share price is having such a positive day appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Tyro Payments right now?

    Before you consider Tyro Payments, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Tyro Payments wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Block, Inc., EML Payments, Tyro Payments, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended EML Payments. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Tyro Payments. 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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  • Why is the Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price gaining altitude today?

    Teenager holds model plane in the air against the background of a blue sky.Teenager holds model plane in the air against the background of a blue sky.Teenager holds model plane in the air against the background of a blue sky.

    Key points

    • The Qantas share price is up more than 1% today
    • The company’s shares have gained 5.27% since Thursday’s market close
    • Qantas announced a new pilot training centre today

    The Qantas share price is climbing today but it’s not the only ASX travel share in the green.

    The company’s shares are currently swapping hands at $4.79, up 1.27%. In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained just 0.1% at the time of writing.

    Not only is the Qantas share price up today, it has increased 5.27% since market close on Thursday. Its ASX travel share peer Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB) is also 3.59% higher today. Webjet’s share price has risen 6.29% since the January 27 close.

    Meanwhile, Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has lifted 4.51% in today’s session so far. It’s up 7.74% since last Thursday’s close.

    What is happening at Qantas?

    Today, Qantas had news of its own. The company has opened a new pilot training centre at Brisbane Airport to train 900 pilots a year.

    Commenting on the announcement, CEO Alan Joyce said:

    Having simulators based in Brisbane is great news for our Queensland-based pilots and is a clear vote of confidence in the long term future of aviation in this country despite the challenges we’ve faced recently.

    Qantas’ very first flying school was set up in 1927 in a tin shed at Eagle Farm, so we’ve clearly come a long way since then.

    Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley has maintained a $7 price target and overweight rating on the Qantas share price, the Australian Financial Review reported this morning.

    Analyst Andrew Scott said:

    We believe investors may look through short-term disruptions forward to recovered earnings capacity, given the balance sheet strength.

    Speculation international visitors could return to Australia in the next few months could also be helping travel shares.

    On Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison told reporters international borders may fully open “before Easter”.

    However, the boss of Brisbane Airport Gert-Jan de Graaff told The Age newspaper Australia is losing a race to connect with the rest of the world and it could take three to five years to recover. He said:

    Most other countries are already open, so the airlines have already allocated some capacity and aircraft to those other markets. We’re one-nil behind.

    Currently, Australia’s international borders are only open to vaccinated tourists from South Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, and Japan. Exemptions are also available to Australian citizens, permanent residents, and eligible visa holders.

    Qantas share price snap shot

    The Qantas share price has soared 6.44% in the past year. However, it’s fallen almost 4% in the past month, down more than 2% in the past week alone.

    Meanwhile, the broader ASX index has returned roughly 5% over the past 12 months.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $9 billion based on its current share price.

    The post Why is the Qantas (ASX:QAN) share price gaining altitude today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Qantas right now?

    Before you consider Qantas, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Qantas wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 Flight Centre Travel 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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  • Bitcoin price sinks again. Here’s where it could find support: expert

    bitcoin coins fallingbitcoin coins falling

    bitcoin coins fallingThe Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price is in the red again.

    The world’s biggest cryptocurrency by market cap is down 3% over the past 24 hours, currently trading for US$36,967 (AU$52,752).

    While that’s an improvement from last Tuesday’s lows of US$33,317, the Bitcoin price remains down 22% so far in 2022. And it’s down 46% from its 10 November all-time high.

    With investors selling down most risk assets in preparation for likely interest rate hikes from the US Fed and, further down the road, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), the question now is, where will it find support?

    How low could it go?

    There’s nothing written in stone – or binary – that guarantees the Bitcoin price won’t go to zero.

    However, some industry experts believe it’s unlikely to fall below (or much below) the levels it was trading at following China’s crypto ban in May. Namely right around US$30,000. Which would see any crypto investors who bought into the token near its November highs nursing more than 50% losses.

    According to Simon Peters, markets analyst at multi-asset online trading platform eToro (quoted by Bloomberg):

    A 50% fall down is not as significant as what we have seen in previously years gone by, but it’s significant now so it’s more of a concern. The real support level seems to be around the $30,000 level, where we tested back in May after the Bitcoin mining ban in China.

    Explaining the causes of the deflating Bitcoin price alongside the host of altcoins, Avi Felman, a portfolio manager at BlockTower added:

    Crypto market capitalizations across the board became hugely inflated and priced in a tremendous amount of growth due to a dovish Fed, and the tightening path the Fed is pursing is bringing liquidity out of the system and resetting outlandish valuations that weren’t keeping up with true usage.

    How has the Bitcoin price been tracking?

    In an indication of the continuing volatility in the crypto sphere, over the past 12 months the Bitcoin price has traded as low as US$28,894 and as high as US$68,790.

    Investors who bought into the token at this time last year, when the Bitcoin price stood at US$33,500 will be sitting on virtual gains of some 10%.

    The post Bitcoin price sinks again. Here’s where it could find support: expert 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and recommends Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia owns and recommends Bitcoin. 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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  • Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) vs Traditional Owners: $400m battle continues

    Battle between ASX shares represented by 2 investors facing off short sellersBattle between ASX shares represented by 2 investors facing off short sellersBattle between ASX shares represented by 2 investors facing off short sellers

    The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price is under pressure today despite iron ore prices holding firmly at US$135.50 per tonne.

    At the time of writing, shares in the world’s second-largest metals and mining company are fetching $111.24, down 2.22% from its previous close. Accounting for today’s move to the downside, the mining giant’s share price is now 19% off of its 52-week high.

    The sluggish start to the week for the Rio Tinto share price comes amid a renewed focus on the miner’s unresolved royalty dispute with Traditional Owners.

    A $400 million weight hanging over Rio’s head

    In July 2020, Rio Tinto discovered and informed the Gumala Aboriginal Corporation (GAC) of an underpayment in relation to the Yandicoogina mine in Western Australia. According to Rio Tinto, these underpayments pertaining to its Land Use Agreement amounted to $40 million.

    However, upon conducting a forensic audit, GAC believes the underpayment is $400 million. This is an order of magnitude more than Rio’s estimate.

    Fast forward more than 18 months, ASX-listed Rio Tinto is still yet to settle its dispute with GAC. The unresolved matter risks overshadowing Rio Tinto’s 25th anniversary of its royalty agreement with Traditional Owners in March.

    For Rio Tinto, this would only add to its tarnished reputation following the destruction of the culturally significant Juukan Gorge in May 2020.

    In an attempt to resolve the underpayment dispute, Rio Tinto is believed to have offered $150 million. The amount is substantially more than the original $40 million offered by the mining company. Although, it is still less than half of what GAC believes to be the rightful figure.

    The grey area surrounding the Yandicoogina agreement arises from a difference in how the royalty is determined. Unlike modern arrangements, the much older agreement with GAC is based on the amount of ground disturbance. How ‘disturbance’ is defined is at the core of this unresolved matter.

    Due to these issues, ASX-listed Rio Tinto and GAC are also in the process of negotiating new terms for the agreement. This could see GAC paid based on iron ore sales instead of ground disturbance. In addition, GAC is fighting for part of future royalties to be paid in Rio Tinto shares.

    Unearthing Rio Tinto share price performance

    The performance of the Rio Tinto share price is flat over the last 12 months. Shares in the mining giant have tumbled in tandem with iron ore prices.

    For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 4.8% in the past year. This means ASX-listed Rio Tinto has underperformed the market by ~5%. However, it has provided a better return than other iron ore peers. An example is Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), which is down 13% in the last year.

    The post Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) vs Traditional Owners: $400m battle continues appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rio Tinto right now?

    Before you consider Rio Tinto, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Rio Tinto wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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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  • Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining itASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

    Three ASX shares brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

    According to a note out of Morgan Stanley, its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $28.00 price target on this corporate travel specialist company’s shares. The broker appears to have had a bit of push back from investors in respect to its recommendation previously. However, its analysts are holding firm and believe the future is bright for Corporate Travel Management due to industry consolidation and its forecast for higher margins. The Corporate Travel Management share price is trading at $21.27 on Monday afternoon.

    NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

    A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their conviction buy rating and $14.40 price target on this data centre operator’s shares. This follows the announcement of a lift in contracted utilisation to 81MW following new contract wins. While this is in line with the broker’s estimates, it believes it should be a boost to investor sentiment and calm any concerns heading into earnings season. The NEXTDC share price is fetching $10.71 today.

    ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

    Analysts at Citi have upgraded this medical device company’s shares to a buy rating with a $38.00 price target. According to the note, Citi made the move on valuation grounds following recent share price weakness. It notes that ResMed’s shares are trading at a discount to historic multiples. In addition, the broker believes ResMed will still deliver strong growth in FY 2022 despite facing supply chain challenges. The ResMed share price is trading at $31.85 on Monday afternoon.

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

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

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns NEXTDC Limited. 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 Corporate Travel Management Limited and ResMed Inc. 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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