• Succession: What’s happening with the search for the next Westpac (ASX:WBC) boss?

    Male investor holds a microscope to his eye to represent scrutiny of Wesfarmers share price

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) CEO Peter King has steered the ship of the big four bank through rough waters over the past two years. However, succession plans have become a key point of business according to reports.

    A prepared replacement for the top job of Australia’s oldest bank is believed to be well in the works. This follows a significant downfall in the Westpac share price after it published its full-year results at the beginning of the month. Despite a 105% increase to $5,352 million in cash earnings, the Aussie lender missed consensus estimates of $5,420 million.

    Shares in Westpac are down ~18% on the ASX since reporting its latest financial results. Though, King’s succession plans are believed to have been in the works well before the recent share price weakness.

    Let’s have a look at the latest details.

    Who might be in the running for CEO?

    Having been at the helm since the swift departure of previous Westpac CEO, Brian Hartzer, King’s replacement is now an important consideration for the company.

    According to The Australian, there are whispers that Westpac’s institutional bank chief Anthony Miller is a potential candidate for the role. Miller has a career that spans two decades — with senior positions at Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank prior to joining Westpac.

    Although, another word on the grapevine suggests that chair John McFarlane might look outside of the bank for a CEO successor. At this stage, there are no hints as to whom might be of interest outside of the company.

    Another internal potential contender for the top job is rumoured to be the current chief financial officer, Michael Rowland. The former KPMG Australia partner and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) CEO has been responsible for the finances at Westpac for over a year now.

    The question of who might step in if Peter King were to step down could be a topic of discussion at Westpac’s 2021 annual general meeting (AGM). Based on the announcement made to the ASX, Westpac will hold this year’s AGM on 15 December at 10 am Sydney time.

    Westpac’s run on the ASX

    Westpac has been the worst-performing of the big four banks since the beginning of the year. From the first day of 2021, Westpac shares have climbed 7.4% in value. Meanwhile, the other big banks are up by more than 10%.

    The pain for Westpac shareholders is a recent occurrence. Prior to the end of October, Westpac was a high flyer on a year-to-date basis, notching up a return of more than 30% since the beginning of the year.

    However, pessimism towards the ASX-listed lender has reemerged as growth begins to cool off based on its latest results.

    The post Succession: What’s happening with the search for the next Westpac (ASX:WBC) boss? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Westpac , 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 Westpac 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 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 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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  • Here’s why this top broker is tipping 40% upside for the AGL (ASX:AGL) share price

    Pilbara Minerals share price ASX lithium shares A stylised clean energy battery flexes its muscles, indicating a strong lift in share price for ASX energy companies

    The AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) share price could offer a lot of upside, according to one leading broker.

    AGL shares have dropped 9% over the last month and 36% over the past six months.

    The broker certainly isn’t expecting all of that drop to be recovered. But with the share price low, the broker is predicting a strong market performance from AGL over the next year.

    AGL share price target

    A price target is where the broker sees the share price trading in 12 months from the time of the broker note.

    The broker that is currently feeling very optimistic about the AGL share price is Ord Minnett. Its price target on AGL is $7.55. That’s a potential increase of around 45% if the broker is right.

    Ord Minnett thinks that AGL shares have gone low enough that the retail division alone makes the business attractive, even if the market isn’t excited about Accel Energy as an energy generator with coal and gas energy assets.

    The broker also notes the recent deal activity for Meridian Energy Ltd’s (ASX: MEZ) Australian business for a total of $729 million. Shell Energy is going to own the retail business, Powershop Australia.

    Ord Minnett thinks that the retail division of AGL could be worth more than $10 per share based on the Meridian Energy deal.

    Plan to de-merge

    AGL has a plan to create two separately listed energy companies, this could have a growing influence on the AGL share price with a demerger targeted for the middle of 2022.

    AGL Australia will be Australia’s largest multi-product retailer. It will be carbon neutral for scope 1 and 2 emissions, with a clear pathway to full carbon neutrality for electricity supply. It is connected to 30% of Australian households with 4.5 million services. AGL Australia plans to invest in flexible and decentralised energy trading, storage and supply services.

    Meanwhile, Accel Energy would be Australia’s largest electricity generator. It supplies a fifth of the national electricity market with an expected 33.5TWh of electricity generation. It has decarbonisation target with 16,000 hectares of land for energy hubs. It has a 1GW wind farm portfolio and 1600MW wind development portfolio.

    What are the benefits?

    The broker thinks there will be more investor interest in the separated businesses, which could be a boost for the AGL share price.

    AGL itself says that the demerger will enable each business to set and execute its own strategy at a time of great change in the energy industry.

    Accel Energy plans to invest in transition energy assets.

    Management believes that a demerger would also allow investors to have greater transparency in valuing each business and choosing the sort of exposure they wish to have.

    The energy business said:

    The expectations surrounding climate action have increased materially and this is one of the key drivers for AGL’s consideration to pursue a demerger. AGL sees the demerger as a mechanism to allow both leading businesses to focus on their different but important roles within Australia’s energy transition to a low carbon future.

    The post Here’s why this top broker is tipping 40% upside for the AGL (ASX:AGL) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider AGL, 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 AGL 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 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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  • ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Omicron hits Flight Centre, Domino’s jumps

    A woman looks quizzical as she looks at a graph of the share market.

    It has been a very eventful day so far for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). At lunch, the benchmark index is down 0.3% but well off its intraday lows at 7,257.2 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the ASX 200 today:

    Travel share volatility

    The travel sector has been very volatile on Monday. The likes of Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) and Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) sank notably lower in early trade before recovering a good portion of these declines. Concerns over the impact that the Omicron variant could have on travel markets is behind this volatility.

    Healthcare shares outperform

    One area of the market performing positively today is the healthcare sector. Shares including Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS) and Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL) are recording solid gains at the time of writing. These two companies have been generating significant revenue from COVID-19 testing. Investors appear to believe the emergence of the Omicron variant will underpin strong demand for testing for some time to come.

    Oil prices rebound

    Energy shares including Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) are performing relatively positively considering the 13% decline in the WTI crude oil price to US$68.15 on Friday night. This better than expected performance appears to have been driven by a rebound in oil prices this morning. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is now back up to US$70.94 a barrel. Santos and Woodside shares are down around 1% at lunch.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Monday has been the Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) share price with a 4% gain. The prospect of lockdowns in Europe could be boosting this pizza chain operator’s shares. The worst performer has been the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX: URW) share price with a 6% decline. While lockdowns in Europe could boost Domino’s sales, they would have the opposite effect on this shopping centre operator’s performance.

    The post ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Omicron hits Flight Centre, Domino’s jumps 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 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 Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited, 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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  • Is the Nova Minerals (ASX:NVA) share price really shooting 800% higher today?

    Miner standing at quarry looking upset

    It has been a stunning day for the Nova Minerals Limited (ASX: NVA) share price according to some investment websites.

    However, all may not be what it seems if you dig a little deeper.

    What’s going on with the Nova Minerals share price today?

    At the time of writing, the Nova Minerals share price is trading at $1.16. This is up 800% from 13 cents at Friday’s close.

    While the difference in its share price may technically be accurate, something occurred between Friday’s close and Monday’s open that means the gains are not.

    Last week shareholders approved a share consolidation that will see the gold explorer’s share count reduce ten times from 1,802,037,557 shares to approximately 180,203,755 shares.

    This meant that the Nova Minerals share price would be $1.30 post-consolidation (13 cents x 10).

    As a result, rather than gaining 800% today, Nova Minerals’ shares have actually lost approximately 11% of their value instead.

    Why is the company consolidating its shares?

    Management provided a number of reasons for why it is consolidating its shares. These includes greater investor interest, improved trading liquidity, and brand image.

    It commented: “As a gold developer with a rapidly increasing resource base, Nova is expected to appeal to many new investors over the coming year. The primary motive for the equity consolidation is to expand the eligibility of Nova ordinary shares for institutional investors, stock exchanges, indexes and investment funds, including exchange traded funds (ETF’s). With the increasing prevalence of passive trading rather than active fundamental investing, we intend to ensure that Nova is not prohibited due to minimum share price screening.”

    As for improving trading liquidity, it explained: “An increased interest from investors may improve trading liquidity of the ordinary shares.”

    Finally, in respect to its brand image, the company said: “Nova is graduating from an explorer to a developer and growing its intrinsic value through its investments. An analysis of Nova’s new peer group of junior developers indicates that this restructuring of ordinary share capital is appropriate for the company at this time with such a large asset base.”

    The post Is the Nova Minerals (ASX:NVA) share price really shooting 800% higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Nova 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 Nova 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

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  • The CSL (ASX:CSL) share price reached a new 52-week high last week. What’s next?

    Two scientists in a Rhythm Biosciences lab cheer while looking at results on a computer.

    Shares in biotech giant CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) are in the red this morning, trading at $311 apiece. This comes after the CSL share price nudged past its 52-week highs last week.

    After starting last week at $316, CSL shares closed at a high of $318 before reversing course later in the week to finish 1.11% in the red.

    This watermark signals an impressive run for the Aussie biotech’s share price over the past month or so, having bounced off a low of $286 in early October.

    As such, CSL is now trading around its pre-pandemic levels. Let’s take a look at what’s in store for investors moving forward

    What’s next for CSL?

    Analysts have been cautious on CSL’s blood plasma collection volumes for a while. This is important as the company derives a large chunk of its revenue from this route.

    When competitor Haemonetics Corporation (NYSE: HAE) recently came in with lower than expected plasma collection results, it subsequently lowered its own plasma-grown guidance for the upcoming year. Given CSL is one of a handful of plasma collectors worldwide, experts use competitors’ financials to make estimates.

    The team at Morgan Stanley reckon Haemonetics’ guidance downgrade might be a headwind for CSL’s earnings. Not only that, but experts are also worried about the impact that COVID-19 is still having on plasma donors showing up to clinics.

    Even still, Morgan Stanley models a 32% increase for CSL’s blood plasma collection volumes this quarter, and this kind of sentiment is also shared by analysts at Macquarie. The latter is bullish about the CSL share price and values it at $338 per share.

    Aside from this, CSL’s efforts in producing a multi-dose vial (MDV) version of Audenz were recognised by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently. For reference, Audenz is already approved as a single-dose therapy.

    The FDA granted CSL supplemental approval for the MDV that is produced under CSL’s Seqirus business. The MDV is labelled as a cell-based influenza vaccine designed to help protect individuals aged 6 months or older in the event of an influenza pandemic.

    Under the terms of its partnership with the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), Seqirus will be ready to deliver 150 million influenza vaccine doses to the US to combat an influenza pandemic within six months.

    CSL also recently announced that it had secured funding to create an incubator and wet space lab for biotech start-ups, with support from the Victorian government.

    The company will team up with Melbourne University and The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research (WEHI) to adopt early-stage biotech companies wanting to advance their discoveries.

    As CSL puts it, incubators reduce cost barriers to and other roadblocks to entry for start-ups. Incubators offer a ‘one-stop shop’ by minimising expenditure on factors that keep small companies priced out of the market.

    These developments sit on the horizon for CSL, which could bode in well for its share price judging by the expert commentary and market’s reaction.

    CSL share price snapshot

    The CSL share price has had a difficult period these past 12 months, having gained just 3% in that time. It has rallied over 10% this year to date and has gained over 4% in the past month.

    Despite this, it has landed in behind the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 9% in that time.

    The post The CSL (ASX:CSL) share price reached a new 52-week high last week. What’s next? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider CSL, 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 CSL 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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    The author has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended CSL Ltd. 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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  • ‘Unstoppable’: Bitcoin will double in next 12 months, says expert

    A protestor holds a cardboard sign saying, Bitcoin is the answer.

    Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) plunged almost 8% on Saturday morning as news of the new Omicron variant of COVID-19 shocked the world.

    That sent the cryptocurrency down more than 17% since its all-time high earlier this month.

    As it recovers 4% on Monday morning, one expert reckons now is a ripe time to buy.

    “Bitcoin is unstoppable, and I fully expect to see prices double over the next 12 months,” said deVere Group chief executive Nigel Green.

    “This dip in cryptocurrencies – which are, of course, the inevitable future of money – will be used by savvy investors as a major buying opportunity, topping up their portfolios with the current lower entry points.”

    Bitcoin is so mainstream now

    The fact that Bitcoin sank so much in line with share markets on the first news of Omicron tells Green that the cryptocurrency has truly arrived.

    “The discovery of a new COVID variant has rattled global stock markets as it brings in a new wave of uncertainty, which they hate,” he said.

    “The crypto markets have mirrored the reaction of other financial markets. This underscores how mainstream digital assets have now become, as an increasing number of institutional investors have piled into Bitcoin this year.”

    But Bitcoin’s value plummeting because of a new health crisis doesn’t make sense, as traditionally, it has been seen as a store of value – like gold.

    So a revival in fortunes is inevitable.

    “I think this [is] a knee-jerk reaction from the crypto market. It will move on from this relatively quickly as it did with the Delta variant in the summer,” said Green.

    “Why? Partly, because now we have more of a roadmap of how to deal with variants. But importantly because amongst retail investors it is increasingly regarded as a safe haven asset, similar to gold.”

    Inflation fears will return, making Bitcoin more valuable

    As he said with share markets, Green reckons the cryptocurrency investors will soon move on from the Omicron threat and return to worrying about other issues.

    “Investors will once again focus on heightening global inflation fears caused by lingering supply-side issues,” he said.

    “As such, amid some peaks and troughs along the way as markets never move in a straight line with traders taking profit, we can expect to see the price of Bitcoin and other major cryptocurrencies continue their upwards trajectory.”

    Bitcoin has historically done well in times of inflation anxiety because of its finite supply. The currency has been programmed to have no more than 21 million coins in circulation.

    And this would continue to drive demand from large investors, who for so long ignored Bitcoin as a legitimate asset.

    “This ‘inflation shield’ will continue to bring to the crypto market growing investment from major institutional investors, bringing with them capital, expertise and reputational pull – and further driving up prices.”

    The post ‘Unstoppable’: Bitcoin will double in next 12 months, says 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 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 Tony Yoo owns shares of Bitcoin. 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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  • Is the Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) share price really up 500% today?

    woman shrugging

    The Boss Energy (ASX: BOE) share price is capturing a lot of attention this morning.

    This is due to some investment websites showing the uranium exploration company’s shares up a whopping 500% despite the omicron-induced market selloff on Monday.

    Is the Boss Energy share price really up by 500% today?

    Unfortunately, things aren’t anywhere near as positive as it might appear for the Boss Energy share price this morning.

    At the time of writing, the uranium exploration company’s shares are changing hands for $2.21.

    While this is a big lift on the Boss Energy share price of 31 cents at the close of play last week, there is a technical reason for this.

    Share consolidation

    Last week the company held its annual general meeting. At the meeting, the company’s shareholders were invited to vote on the consolidation of its share count from 2,278,276,306 shares to 284,784,538.

    This would mean that for every 8 Boss Energy shares they owned, they would be consolidated into a single share.

    The overall value of these shares would stay the same, ceteris paribus, and the Boss Energy share price would theoretically increase in value by eight times to reflect this.

    In the case of the company’s shares, this would mean a value of $2.48 per share (8 x 31 cents).

    At the annual general meeting, shareholders voted overwhelmingly in favour of the share consolidation. A total of 99.41% of the votes cast were in favour of the resolution, leading to today’s events.

    Boss Energy’s shares are actually falling

    So, with the company’s shares now trading at $2.21, they certainly are not up 500% this morning.

    In fact, given that 8 shares would have been valued at $2.48 based on last week’s share price, this unfortunately means they are actually down by almost 11% at the time of writing.

    The post Is the Boss Energy (ASX:BOE) share price really up 500% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Boss 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 Boss 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 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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  • Vulcan (ASX:VUL) share price falls 6% despite auto giant agreement

    Codan share price A dismayed kid dressed as a scientist stands with his back to a rocket crashed into the ground

    The Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) share price is under pressure on Monday.

    At the time of writing, the short sellers targeted lithium developer’s shares are down 6% to $9.63.

    Why is the Vulcan share price falling?

    Investors have been selling down the Vulcan share price today amid a broad market selloff driven by concerns over the omicron variant of COVID-19.

    This has offset the release of an announcement by Vulcan which on a different day might have sent its shares shooting higher.

    What did Vulcan announce?

    This morning Vulcan announced that it has signed a binding lithium hydroxide offtake agreement with auto giant Stellantis.

    Stellantis is the world’s fourth largest automaker and the name behind brands including Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, and Peugeot.

    According to the release, Vulcan will supply Stellantis with a minimum of 81,000 tonnes and a maximum of 99,000 tonnes of battery grade lithium hydroxide over a five-year period from 2026.

    The release notes that Stellantis’ electrification strategy, which includes ensuring a sustainable supply of lithium, will see it aim to achieve 70% low emission vehicles (LEVs) sales in Europe and 40% in the US by 2030.

    To achieve this, the company plans to open a total of five battery cell manufacturing plants in Europe, including Germany, and the United States, with a total capacity of 260 gigawatt hours (GWh). Vulcan’s battery grade lithium hydroxide will be used to support this production.

    As with previous deals, this remains subject to the successful start of commercial operation and full product qualification. Pricing will be based on market prices on a take-or-pay basis.

    Vulcan’s Managing Director, Dr Francis Wedin, commented: “The definitive offtake agreement with Stellantis aligns with our mission to decarbonise the lithium ion battery and electric vehicle supply chain. The Vulcan Zero Carbon Lithium Project also intends to reduce the transport distance of lithium chemicals into Europe, and our location in Germany, proximal to Stellantis’ European gigafactories, is consistent with this strategy. We look forward to a long and productive relationship between Vulcan and Stellantis, as we work to achieve our shared sustainability and decarbonisation ambitions.”

    The post Vulcan (ASX:VUL) share price falls 6% despite auto giant agreement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Vulcan, 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 Vulcan 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 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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  • Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price crashes 11% amid omicron fears

    A man with a suitcase puts his head in his hands while sitting in front of an airport window.

    As was widely expected, the Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price has started the week deep in the red.

    In morning trade, the travel agent giant’s shares are down a disappointing 11% to $15.21.

    This means the Flight Centre share price has now lost almost 18% of its value over the last two trading sessions.

    Why is the Flight Centre share price being smashed?

    Investors have been selling down the Flight Centre share price today amid concerns over the new Omicron variant of COVID-19.

    This variant of concern, as categorised by the World Health Organization, has led to countries shutting their borders to southern African nations and sparked fears of further lockdowns. This is threatening to derail the travel market recovery at a time when things were just starting to look rosy.

    For example, rival Webjet Ltd (ASX: WEB), which is also tumbling lower today and down 8% at the time of writing, revealed last week that two of its three businesses were now profitable. However, that may not last long if travel markets are impacted by Omicron.

    What happened on Wall Street on Friday?

    It was a similar story for travel shares on Wall Street on Friday night.

    Amid a broad market selloff that led to the Dow having its worst day of the year, the likes of American Airlines, Booking Holdings, Carnival Corp, and Expedia all fell heavily as investors rushed to the exits in a panic.

    Though, as always, it is worth remembering that selloffs of this nature often bring about great opportunities for investors. Just look at what happened 18 months or so ago.

    So, all eyes will be on Flight Centre and Webjet shares when the dust settles on this latest bout of volatility.

    The post Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price crashes 11% amid omicron fears appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?

    Before you consider Flight Centre, 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 Flight Centre 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 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 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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  • These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

    Model bear in front of falling line graph, cheap stocks, cheap ASX shares

    Once a week I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which shares are being targeted by short sellers.

    This is because it can be worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

    With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

    • Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) remains the most shorted ASX share after its short interest jumped to 13.3%. Concerns that the travel market recovery could be derailed by the Omicron variant sent this travel agent’s shares crashing lower last week.
    • Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) has seen its short interest rise week on week again to 12%. An underwhelming update from this ecommerce company last week weighed heavily on its shares, much to the delight of short sellers.
    • Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL) has short interest of 10.6%, which is up slightly week on week. Short sellers continue to increase their positions in this ecommerce company amid concerns it could be underperforming expectations materially.
    • Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) has seen its short interest rise to 9.4%. This appears to have been driven by concerns about reports of rising fraud in the BNPL industry and increasing competition.
    • Electro Optic Systems Hldg Ltd (ASX: EOS) has 9.1% of its shares held short, which is up again week on week. Short sellers have been increasing their positions after the defence and space company downgraded its earnings guidance.
    • Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) has short interest of 9%, which is down week on week. Short sellers will have been pleased to see the Webjet share price sink last week amid omicron concerns.
    • Mesoblast limited (ASX: MSB) has short interest of 8.9%, which is up week on week. This biotech company’s precarious financial position is likely to be weighing on sentiment. Mesoblast is holding its annual general meeting this week and could be worth watching.
    • Cooper Energy Ltd (ASX: COE) has 8.7% of its shares held short, which is up week on week again. Cooper’s underperforming Sole Gas operation appears to be behind this short interest.
    • Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING) has 7.8% of its shares held short, which is down week on week. Short sellers have been targeting this poultry producer due to high grain costs.
    • Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) is back in the top ten with 7.5% of its shares held short. Short sellers don’t appear to believe this ecommerce company is performing in line with the market’s expectations.

    The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 shares of and has recommended Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited, Kogan.com ltd, Temple & Webster Group Ltd, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Electro Optic Systems Holdings Limited and Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited, Temple & Webster Group Ltd, 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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