• 2 buy-rated ASX shares with big growth plans

    Graphic showing yellow arrow above vertical columns indicating a rising share price

    The two ASX shares in this article could be leading ideas to think about as long-term ideas because of their plans that involve international growth.

    Not every business is planning to expand geographically, but companies that do can materially increase their addressable market.

    With that in mind, here are two ASX growth shares with major plans:

    Baby Bunting Group Ltd (ASX: BBN)

    Baby Bunting is an ASX retailer that sells a wide variety of baby and toddler products including prams, toys, clothes, furniture and so on.

    The company has various plans to deliver profit growth and market share growth.

    It’s investing in digital to deliver the best possible customer experience across channels. Baby Bunting is planning to invest to grow its market share from its core business. Baby Bunting wants to achieve growth from ‘new markets’ and aim for profit margin improvement.

    New Zealand is an important part of Baby Bunting’s longer-term growth plans. It is aiming to open its first two stores in the country before the end of the financial year. Over time, Baby Bunting sees a network there of at least ten stores. In FY22 it’s also planning to open between six to eight new Australian stores.

    Another area of growth for the ASX share is the amount of private label and exclusive products sold. In FY22 to its AGM date, 44.3% sales were from this source. The long-term goal is for these products to make up 50% of sales. This is helping the gross profit margin continue to rise.

    In FY21, total sales increased 15.6% and pro forma net profit jumped 34.8% to $26 million. FY22 sales had increased by another 1.5% despite more than half of its stores being subject to lockdowns. Online sales were up 37.7% in the year to date.

    The ASX growth share is rated as a buy by the broker Morgan Stanley with a price target of $6.90.

    Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL)

    Redbubble describes itself as the operator of two leading global online marketplaces – Redbubble.com and TeePublic.com. It enables artists to sell “uncommon designs on high-quality, everyday products such as apparel, stationery, housewares, bags, wall art and so on. It is steadily adding more product categories.

    The ASX growth share generates its marketplace revenue from all over the world, though North America represented 69% of its FY22 first quarter sales. The EU (13%), the UK (9%) and ANZ (8%) represented the other major markets.

    Excluding masks, Redbubble is expecting marketplace revenue in FY22 to be slightly above underlying FY21 marketplace revenue of $497 million.

    In the next few years, it’s aiming to reach $1.25 billion of marketplace revenue.

    Redbubble is planning to invest in multiple areas to grow the business in the medium-term, which likely means the earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) margin will be in the mid-single digits.

    However, the ASX share said in its recent trading update:

    The business remains confident and excited about the medium-to-longer-term opportunity to grow strongly its online marketplaces for consumers and extend Redbubble’s global market leadership as the largest platform for independent artists.

    Morgan Stanley currently rates Redbubble as a buy, with a price target of $6.50.

    The post 2 buy-rated ASX shares with big growth plans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Baby Bunting right now?

    Before you consider Baby Bunting, 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 Baby Bunting wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Baby Bunting. 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 Biome Australia (ASX: BIO) share price just flopped on IPO

    Shot of a female scientist looking stressed out while working in a lab.

    Today was a pretty decent day for most ASX investors. The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended up finishing this Tuesday’s trading at 7,256 points, up 0.22% for the day. But this positive energy didn’t flow through to one ASX company that made its debut on the ASX boards today. That would be the Biome Australia (ASX: BIO) share price.

    Yes, Biome shares undertook an initial public offering (IPO) this morning, floating on the ASX boards for the first time. Biome is a healthcare company that’s in the business of providing probiotics, nutritional supplements and complementary medicines.

    This morning, its pre-float announcement told the markets that its IPO had been successfully completed (oversubscribed in fact), and that it had raised $8 million through pricing its shares at 20 cents each. That gave Biome Australia a total market capitalisation of $40 million.

    But unfortunately for these investors, Biome’s ASX IPO didn’t exactly go as well as the company might have hoped for. Upon its first few minutes of public life, BIO shares opened at around 13 cents each (down 35% from its IPO price). When the markets closed today, Biome shares finished up at just 12 cents each, a nasty fall of 40% from the 20 cents a share price that investors oversubscribed the company’s IPO at.

    It could have been worse. At one point during the trading day, Biome shares hit 11 cents each, which represented a fall of 45% from the IPO price.

    Investors will no doubt be hoping for a better trading day tomorrow.

    At this closing price, Biome Australia has an estimated market capitalisation of approximately $24 million.

    The post The Biome Australia (ASX: BIO) share price just flopped on IPO appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Biome Australia right now?

    Before you consider Biome Australia, 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 Biome Australia wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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

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  • Here’s why the Hannans (ASX:HNR) share price shot 14% higher today

    a small boy dressed in a superhero outfit soars into the sky with a graphic backdrop of a cityscape.

    The Hannans Ltd (ASX: HNR) share price roared to life on Tuesday. This comes after the exploration company announced an update on the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Critical Metals Ltd.

    During afternoon trade, Hannans shares soared as high as 4.7 cents apiece — a 27% gain on their previous closing price. However, by the close, they had retreated to 4.2 cents, still a gain of 13.51%.

    What did Hannans announce?

    Investors were pushing up the Hannans share price following the company’s entry into the lithium battery recycling sector.

    Hannans advised it has satisfied all the conditions precedent from the binding MoU agreement signed in September. This gives the company rights to recover high-purity metals from scrap and spent lithium batteries.

    Hannans will seek to commercialise its battery recycling technology in Nordic countries Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland.

    The Nordics are known for having one of the highest electric vehicle adoption rates in the world. To fuel this growth, the region has four massive giga factories that are either in the planning stages or being built.

    Hannans envisions the volume of scrap and end-of-life lithium batteries will drive the lithium battery recycling sector. It’s worth noting this waste contains significant nickel, cobalt, lithium, and manganese which are the company’s bread and butter.

    The recycling technology is considered safe, sustainable, and uses low energy and emits low carbon emissions compared to other technologies. Hannans noted that it will begin to earn an interest in the recycling projects by funding and managing certain activities.

    Hannans share price summary

    Having reached a multi-year high of 5.5 cents earlier this month, the Hannans share price retraced back. Its shares are hovering above a 500% gain for the last 12 months, and are up 750% for the current year.

    Hannans commands a market capitalisation of roughly $117.28 billion, and has approximately 2.06 billion shares on issue.

    The post Here’s why the Hannans (ASX:HNR) share price shot 14% higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Hannans, 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 Hannans wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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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 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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  • Why is the Creso Pharma (ASX:CPH) share price frozen today?

    A dollar sign embedded in ice, indicating a share price freeze or trading halt

    The All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) enjoyed a very pleasing day of gains on Tuesday. The All Ords finished the day up 0.33% at 7,587.4 points. But one ASX share wasn’t even trading today. That would be the Creso Pharma Ltd (ASX: CPH) share price.

    Creso Pharma shares closed at a share price of 9.6 cents yesterday afternoon. And that’s where they will be staying, at least for a while.

    That’s because Creso Pharma announced that it has requested a trading halt, effective this morning. The company has said that this precedes it “releasing an announcement”, with the shares to remain halted until this announcement is made public, or until 2 December (Thursday this week).

    And that’s all we know for now.

    Creso shares notch third ASX trading halt for November

    But this isn’t Creso’s first rodeo, as it were. This ASX cannabis share was also placed in a trading halt just last week on 23 November. Before that, there was another halt, that one on 16 November.

    The latter was sparked by an ASX ‘speeding ticket’ after the company fell more than 9% that day. My Fool colleague Mitchell dived deeper into this at the time.

    The former halt was initiated in order for the company to inform investors that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) had requested Creso to “produce certain documents to ASIC in connection with an ASIC investigation”.

    This notice also informed the market that “ASIC’s investigation includes suspected contraventions by the Company [Creso], its officers, agents, employees and representatives in relation to trading in its securities”. Creso stressed that “it should not be construed as an indication by ASIC that a contravention of the law has occurred, nor should it be considered a reflection upon any person or entity”.

    So today’s announcement means that it is the third such trading halt Creso has experienced over just the month of November.

    Given that the last two halts didn’t contain much in the way of good news, shareholders will likely be nervously awaiting what the company has to say next.

    Until then, it doesn’t look like the Creso share price will be available for public trading.

    The post Why is the Creso Pharma (ASX:CPH) share price frozen today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Creso Pharma right now?

    Before you consider Creso Pharma, 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 Creso Pharma wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

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

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  • Here are the top 10 ASX shares today

    Top 10 - asx shares today

    Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) partially bounced back from yesterday’s Omicron-induced panic. At the end of the session, the benchmark index finished 0.22% higher to 7,256 points.

    The gains were far-reaching across the Aussie market today. Out of all of the sectors, only one finished in the negative. For reference, the one sector failing to gain momentum was utilities. Meanwhile, the strongest performers could be found in communication services and tech.

    The question is: which shares delivered the biggest returns to investors on the ASX today? Here are the top ten stocks that came through for investors:

    Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

    Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the battery technology company rallied 10.95% today. The positive session followed Novonix’s annual general meeting (AGM). Find out more about Novonix here.

    The next biggest gaining ASX share today was Orocobre Ltd (ASX: ORE). The lithium miner’s shares jumped 8.34% to $10.26 following the company’s AGM, where a bullish outlook on lithium prices was conveyed. Uncover the latest Orocobre details here.

    Today’s top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX shares:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) $12.16 10.95%
    Orocobre Ltd (ASX: ORE) $10.26 8.34%
    Imugene Ltd (ASX: IMU) $0.54 5.88%
    Uniti Group Ltd (ASX: UWL) $4.35 5.84%
    Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB) $5.48 5.39%
    Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) $22.22 5.26%
    Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) $17.82 4.89%
    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) $1.0525 4.73%
    Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) $8.89 4.59%
    Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) $3.20 4.58%
    Data as at 4:00pm AEDT

    Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check-in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX shares 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Lynas 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 has recommended Corporate Travel Management Limited, Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, Uniti 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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  • Is something big about to go down with Origin Energy (ASX:ORG) shares?

    Man in yellow hard hat looks through binoculars as man in white hard hat stands behind him and points.

    The Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) share price weakened in afternoon trade, finishing the day down 2.44% to $4.80.

    It comes amid reports the energy giant has decided to cancel its investor day, which was scheduled for next month.

    While a formal announcement has not been made by Origin, the news might be sparking some questions.

    Sparking speculation

    Investors put downwards pressure on the Origin Energy share price today. This is despite there being no announcements posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy company.

    However, The Australian has suggested Origin Energy has cancelled its upcoming investor day. As a result, onlookers could be wondering what would prompt such action. One query, in particular, is whether there could be a major shift in strategy planned.

    For example, some market participants are asking if Origin could be on the table for another big oil and gas deal. This comes at a time when megadeals are being executed left, right, and centre.

    Examples of these include the $23 billion merger of Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO). Another is Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) and the oil assets of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

    Specifically, some investors are wondering whether the company could be mulling the sale of its energy retail business. Any sale would be eyebrow-raising considering it was only last month the company executed an agreement to sell a 10% interest in Australia Pacific LNG worth $2.12 billion.

    Origin Energy share price snapshot

    While the Origin Energy share price has diverted a negative return in 2021 so far, it is still less than spectacular. Having gained 0.5% since the year commenced, Origin shares are underperforming the benchmark index by around 8%.

    Unlike many other ASX-listed shares, the Origin Energy share price is still a long way off its pre-COVID levels. Prior to the market crash in March 2020, the energy retailer was fetching a price of around $8.74.

    Finally, the company currently holds a market capitalisation of $8.56 billion.

    The post Is something big about to go down with Origin Energy (ASX:ORG) shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Origin Energy right now?

    Before you consider Origin Energy, 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 Origin Energy wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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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  • How did the Aussie crypto miners ETF fare during its first month?

    a mysterious person wearing a black hoodie points a finger to a vast illuminated graph tracking bitcoin value with bitcoin symbols floating above the chart.

    It’s been just over a month since investors woke up to a brand new, crypto-themed exchange-traded fund (ETF) trading on the Australian markets.

    The Cosmos Global Digital Miners Access ETF (DIGA) commenced trading on the ASIC-regulated Aussie exchange Chi-X on 28 October. (You can find our coverage following its first day of trading here.)

    Now DIGA doesn’t invest directly into Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC), Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), or any of the other range of altcoins with growth potential. No Australian-listed ETFs have been given the green light by regulators to do so yet.

    Instead, DIGA gives investors exposure to the crypto world via a basket of cryptocurrency mining and infrastructure companies.

    With DIGA now entering its second month of trading, the Motley Fool reached out to Dan Annan, CEO of Cosmos Asset Management, for his insights into this rapidly evolving market.

    Below you’ll find part 1 of that interview.

    Motley Fool: What was the market’s reaction to DIGA in its first week of trading?

    Dan Annan: The feedback from DIGA’s debut was very positive. The market was impressed with the product design, in that the fund focused on the ETF benefits of liquidity, diversification, and access to the crypto asset class without diluting the cryptocurrency asset class exposure.

    Cosmos designed a robust product to give investors the closest exposure to the digital currency asset class without sacrificing liquidity. And it was exciting for the team to see the market reception and intrigue in DIGA.

    The objective of DIGA is to track the Global Digital Miners Index.  The index is designed to provide access to the picks and shovels of companies listed globally on national stock exchanges, with the primary business focused on crypto mining and infrastructure.

    MF: What do you see driving the increased demand and broader institutional adoption of cryptos like Bitcoin?

    DA: One of the great mysteries of modern life is the time it still takes for international money transfers to clear and settle. Every other aspect of our lives is increasingly digital, reduced to a tap of your phone or the press of a key. But money transfers take days to rumble from the payee to the original bank. That’s days of lost opportunity and plenty of fees for the intermediaries passing them around behind the scenes.

    Bitcoin and crypto more broadly has been the breakthrough. And it has only started getting institutional support globally since last year. Bitcoin allows for a true digital store of value and transfer. Transactions can be done natively digital in a way that is fast, limitless, secure, and transparent.

    MF: How has DIGA performed since launching on 28 October?

    DA: From a timing perspective, Bitcoin rallied right around the launch of DIGA on 28 October, which by its design brings a 0.75 correlation to Bitcoin. So we saw DIGA break records for its first 5-day performance debut over all ETFs to list in the Australian market over the past 5 years, delivering 25% returns.

    That 25% return is measured by the fund’s NAV [net asset value], with the opening NAV at 4.9977 on 28 October and a closing NAV of 6.2454 on 5 of November. This performance broke the record for all ETFs to debut in the Australian market over the past 5 years.

    MF: What kind of volatility can investors expect in a crypto ETF like DIGA?

    DA: The objective of DIGA is to deliver access to the outsized returns we are seeing in the crypto asset class.  That said, investors should have a long-term view to withstand the daily volatility this asset class presents.

    Month-to-date, as at 25 November, DIGA is among the top-performing ETFs in the Australian market. It’s delivered more than a 20% return since inception [as at 25 November] as measured by NAV, with an opening NAV of 4.9977 on 28 October and a closing NAV of 6.1561 on 25 November.

    MF: Why did you opt for a Chi-X listing?

    DA: What many investors aren’t aware of is that both exchanges, the ASX and Chi-X, are top tier 1 licensed stocked exchanges. Chi-X is owned by Chicago Options Board Exchange, which is the largest ETF listing venue in the US.

    Chi-X, for example, makes up about 20% of equity trading and more than 35% of fund trading in Australia. The fact is, if you’ve bought a BHP share or units in STW in the last 10 years, you’ve probably already traded on Chi-X and didn’t realise it.

    With that said, we liked the innovation Chi-X brings to the table to work with start-ups like Cosmos, and we took the opportunity to work with them on DIGA. We liked the prospect of working with a platform that was open to our innovative ideas in the crypto asset class.

    MF: What criteria do you look for in crypto mining and infrastructure companies before adding them, removing them, or adjusting their weighting within the ETF?

    DA: The index methodology for the Global Digital Miners Index (GDMI) is clean and clear with transparent rules to consider.

    These include:

    • Companies listed on global national exchanges;
    • Companies with a minimum market cap of US$100 million;
    • Companies that generate at least 80% of their revenue from crypto mining and infrastructure; and
    • Companies with median daily trading volume exceeding than US$1 million.

    The index follows a free-float adjusted market capitalisation weighted methodology, and it’s rebalanced on a monthly basis. For diversification purposes, no single stock may have a weight greater than 15% as of the rebalance date.

    DIGA’s objective is to replicate the Global Digital Miners Index, and we are very proud of how the team has been tracking the index thus far.

    **

    (Tune in tomorrow for part 2 of our interview with Dan Annan. You can find out more about DIGA here.)

    The post How did the Aussie crypto miners ETF fare during its first month? 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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  • Here’s why the Talga share price plunged 18% on Tuesday

    a man in a hard hat and checkered shirt holds paperwork in one hand as he holds his hands upwards in an enquiring manner as though asking a question or exasperated by uncertainty.

    Shares in battery anode and advanced materials company Talga Group Ltd (ASX: TLG) were very much out of favour with investors today.

    By the market’s close, the Talga share price had tumbled 17.78% to $1.48. Investors responded negatively to an update provided by the company on the ASX this morning.

    What was weighing on the Talga share price?

    Talga shares are copping a caning after the company revealed its formal letter of intent with Mitsui & Co. Europe and Swedish mining company Luossavaara-Kiirunavaraa Aktiebolag (LKAB) has now lapsed.

    Talga was hoping to partner with LKAB and Mitsui on the development of its green anode project for use in producing lithium-ion batteries.

    This would include construction of a scalable, 19,000-tonnes-per-annum anode production facility and integrated graphite mining operation in northern Sweden.

    The project would be situated close to the Nunasvaara deposit, said to be the highest-grade graphite deposit in the world.

    Is there still hope for the venture?

    Whilst no further details about the venture’s prospects have yet been provided, Talga did reveal it will continue advancing project development discussions with Mitsui under the existing Memorandum of Understanding.

    Talga is using its 100%-owned mineral and technology assets in northern Sweden to establish a European supply of sustainable, low-CO2-emission anode materials.

    The company said it will continue to pursue current and new financing and partnership opportunities emerging from the strong global demand outlook for green-battery anode.

    Foolish takeaway

    The Talga share price has had a rocky twelve months, having fallen by around 23% over the past year. The company’s shares reached a 52-week low of $1.13 on 5 March this year.

    Talga shares have been volatile in November, climbing by over 45% from $1.50 at the end of October to $2.20 by 9 November. Unfortunately, from then on, it has been largely downhill for Talga shares, which have since fallen by more than 30% to back below October’s closing price.

    The post Here’s why the Talga share price plunged 18% on Tuesday 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

    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 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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  • Here’s why ASX retail shares are in the spotlight on Tuesday

    Woman shopping at a retail store.

    Market watchers might want to keep an eye on ASX retail shares as Black Friday proves to be a hit and talk of mergers and acquisitions heat up.

    Here’s what you need to know about the record-breaking retail event and the potential outlook for the sector.

    Black Friday proves fruitful

    ASX retail shares rejoice, between the start of Black Friday and the end of Cyber Monday, Australians spent an estimated $8 billion on retail purchases, according to National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB).

    That’s up to 8% more than 2019’s pre-pandemic record Black Friday weekend spend.

    The bank analysed merchant transactions to come up with the estimate, which it released today. NAB noted the findings are a “clear boost for Australian business”.

    The strongest bricks-and-mortar performers? Technology and shoes.

    Tech sales were up 168% compared to the Black Friday weekend of 2019, while shoe stores saw sales increase 92%.

    Meanwhile, consumers flocked online to purchase jewellery. Online stores for shiny things and wearable timepieces saw 312% more sales than they did over 2019’s Black Friday weekend.

    NAB Business and Private Bank group executive, Andrew Irvine commented on the retail event’s popularity, saying:

    It may be a trend adopted from our American friends, but it’s clear that Black Friday and Cyber Monday are now a strong part of the sales calendar here in Australia.

    Sadly, boosted sales didn’t automatically equate to share price increases.

    The share price of shoe retailer Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) ended Cyber Monday 1.9% lower than it was at Thursday’s close. Meanwhile, that of jewellery merchant Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) slipped 5.1%.

    Though, technology retailer JB Hi-Hi Limited (ASX: JBH) has seen its share price gain 0.3% over same time frame.

    Is the ASX retail sector set for an M&A flood?                         

    And the skies ahead might be even more blue (or green) for ASX retail shares.

    According to reporting by The Australian, experts believe the sector is rife for mergers and acquisitions.

    They reportedly stated happenings like Adairs Ltd‘s (ASX: ADH) recent $80 million purchase of Focus on Furniture might be the new norm, as retailers scramble to make acquisitions to boost future growth.

    Additionally, the publication claims some experts point to the recently accepted takeover offer for Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API) – posed by Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) – as the start of a new trend.

    Such a trend could see retailers branching into complimentary spaces to generate more consumer spending.

    The publication also claims Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI) and Accent Group recently looked to get in on the acquisition action. They were reported on board to purchase General Pants.

    Finally, according to The Australian‘s experts, acquisition-hungry investors might want to keep an eye on JB Hi-Fi and Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL). The latter’s brands, Super Cheap Auto, Rebel, and Macpac, are said to be on the hunt for acquisitions or mergers.

    The Motley Fool Australia reached out to Universal Store and Accent Group for comment but didn’t receive an immediate response.

    The post Here’s why ASX retail shares are in the spotlight on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in JB Hi-Fi right now?

    Before you consider JB Hi-Fi, 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 JB Hi-Fi wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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 shares of and has recommended ADAIRS FPO and Super Retail Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended ADAIRS FPO, Super Retail Group Limited, and Wesfarmers Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group. 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 are the 3 heaviest traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday so far

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

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has shaken off yesterday’s nasty fall and is currently enjoying some gains so far this Tuesday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is up by a healthy 0.99% at 7,312 points.

    But let’s dive a little deeper and check out the ASX 200 shares that are currently topping the ASX trading volume charts so far today, according to investing.com.

    3 most active ASX 200 shares by volume this Tuesday

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Blue chip telco Telstra is our first ASX 200 share with high trading volumes today. Thus far, Telstra has seen a hefty 17.6 million of its shares swap hands.

    With no news out of this telco today, this volume can probably be put down to the nice share price bump Telstra has experienced today. Telstra shares are currently up a robust 1.5% at $4.06 each. Together with Telstra’s ongoing on-market share buybacks, this is the likely cause behind this elevated trading volume.

    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

    AMP is our next ASX 200 share up this Tuesday. This embattled wealth manager and bank has had 22.65 million shares find new owners on the markets so far today. This could be put down to the market update AMP gave its investors this morning.

    In this, AMP told investors that it is making strong progress with its Private Markets demerger. Amid this update, AMP shares are currently up a very pleasing 5.97% at $1.06 a share. This has probably sparked the high trading volumes we are seeing with this ASX 200 company today.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    Yet again, Pilbara Minerals tops the ASX 200 most traded shares list, at least so far today. The lithium producer has seen a whopping 26.16 million of its shares bought and sold so far this Tuesday.

    With no news out of this company as well, we can probably put this elevated volume down to the chunky share price gains Pilbara is enjoying so far today. Pilbara is currently up 4% at $2.60 a share. It’s this big jump in valuation that is likely ensuring Pilbara’s gold medal for trading volumes this Tuesday.

    The post Here are the 3 heaviest traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday so far appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Pilbara Minerals right now?

    Before you consider Pilbara Minerals, 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 Pilbara Minerals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of 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 shares of 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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3o33jsz