• Here’s why the Cobalt Blue (ASX:COB) share price is surging 11% today

    a woman wearing full miner's uniform, including a hard hat with lamp, high visibility overalls and vest, smiles in front of mining equipment.

    The Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX: COB) share price is rocketing in morning trade, up 11% after earlier posting gains of more than 13%.

    This comes as the broader All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is struggling, currently down 0.8%.

    Below we take a look at the ASX energy company’s latest announcement that looks to be driving investor interest.

    What did Cobalt announce?

    Cobalt Blue’s share price is surging after the company reported a 35% increase in its Broken Hill tenement area in New South Wales, following the grant of Exploration Licence 9254.

    With Cobalt Blue securing 2 new exploration licences in 2021, its tenement portfolio now extends across some 220 square kilometres.

    The company released a mineral resource estimate for its total Broken Hill tenement on 16 September. That comprised of 118 Mt at 859 ppm cobalt-equivalent (687 ppm cobalt, 7.6% sulphur and 133 ppm nickel) for 81,100 tonnes of contained cobalt.

    Commenting on the company’s expanding footprint in the region, Cobalt’s CEO Joe Kaderavek said:

    The growth in the company’s tenement portfolio reflects a considered step toward securing long-term exploration potential to complement development of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project. Having now established a strong resource base we look forward to applying this blueprint in our future targeting.

    Cobalt demand has been growing as the world works to transition away from fossil fuels and towards renewables. Cobalt is found in many new batteries, including lithium-ion batteries, used in electric vehicles (EVs) and for grid storage for renewable sources, like wind and solar.

    Cobalt Blue share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Cobalt Blue share price is up a stellar 255%. By comparison the All Ords has gained 19% over the full past year.

    Cobalt Blue’s shares are down 1.5% over the past month despite today’s lift.

    The post Here’s why the Cobalt Blue (ASX:COB) share price is surging 11% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Cobalt Blue right now?

    Before you consider Cobalt Blue, 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 Cobalt Blue 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 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: Star shares crash, tech shares tumble

    Man looks shocked as he works on laptop on top a skyscraper with stockmarket figures in graphic behind him.

    At lunch on Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week on a disappointing note. The benchmark index is currently down 0.65% to 7,273.6 points.

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

    Star shares crash

    The Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) share price is crashing on Monday. This follows media reports alleging money laundering, organised crime, large-scale fraud, and foreign interference that has been enabled by Star. The company has responded stating that it “is concerned by a number of assertions within the media reports that it considers misleading.”

    IAG court update

    It has been a good day for the Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG) share price. The insurance giant’s shares are charging higher after the Federal Court found in favour of insurers on a significant number of policy wording questions in the second business interruption test case. And while it found in favour of policyholders on other questions, the market appears pleased with the results of this test case. IAG also revealed that it is reviewing the judgment to determine whether to appeal any aspect of it.

    Tech shares tumble

    A number of tech shares including Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) are trading notably lower on Monday. This has led to the S&P ASX All Technology index dropping 1.9% at the time of writing. A disappointing finish to the week on Wall Street’s tech-focused Nasdaq index appears to be behind these declines.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Monday has been Perenti Global Ltd (ASX: PRN) share price with a 5.5% gain. This morning Macquarie retained its outperform rating and lifted its price target on its shares to $1.10. The worst performer on the ASX 200 has been the Star share price with an 18% decline following the aforementioned media report.

    The post ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: Star shares crash, tech shares tumble 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. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Insurance Australia Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Douugh (ASX:DOU) share price is rocketing 18% today

    Three happy men with moustaches cooking on a BBQ with flames leaping up.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has opened trading this week on the wrong side of the bed it seems. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down 0.66% to 7,271 points. But one ASX share is comprehensively defying the mood of the broader market today. That would be the Douugh Ltd (ASX: DOU) share price.

    Douugh shares are trading at 7.5 cents each, up an extraordinary 18.46% so far this Monday. It was an even better story shortly after open too, with the ASX fintech company rocketing as high as 7.9 cents per share. That was up roughly 21% on Friday’s closing share price.

    So what’s going on with Douugh shares here? Why is this embattled company exciting investors so much today?

    Well, it’s almost certainly the result of an ASX announcement the company made this morning before market open.

    Making dough: ASX fintech announces strong US market growth

    Kicking the week off in style, Douugh released an update on customer takeup this morning, and it certainly makes for some interesting reading.

    Douugh reported that it doubled its US customer base over the first quarter of the 2022 financial year (1Q22). Its total customer number now stands at 55,321. That’s up 53% from the end of the previous quarter (4Q21).

    Douugh also reported that its customer deposits rose to $11.6 million, up 76% from the previous quarter, with collective debit card spending rising by 94%. The company also revealed that its funds under management have grown to over $5.5 million, up 11% from the previous quarter.

    Here’s some of what Douugh founder and CEO Andy Taylor had to say on these numbers:

    We are seeing strong month-on-month momentum building now, which has accelerated following the launch of the integrated robo-advisory service and with the dialling up of growth marketing initiatives. As expected, we are demonstrating exponential growth on all key metrics, suggesting strong product market fit…

    We see a window of opportunity to become the responsible financial super app for a large sector of underserved customers in the emerging gen-z segment, which we are well positioned to capture.

    About the Douugh share price

    Douugh shares have only been on the ASX for a little over a year, having IPOed back on 9 October 2020.

    It’s been a difficult journey for the company since then. The Douugh share price is now down around 85% from its 52-week high of 49 cents a share that it hit a few weeks after IPO back in November. Douugh is also down by close to 58% year to date in 2021 so far.

    At the current Douugh share price, this company has a market capitalisation of $30.6 million.

    The post Here’s why the Douugh (ASX:DOU) share price is rocketing 18% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Douugh, 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 Douugh 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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  • Z Energy (ASX:ZEL) share price leaps 6% on Ampol takeover news

    businesswoman holds hand out to shake

    The Z Energy Ltd (ASX: ZEL) share price is gaining ground to start the week’s trading and is now changing hands at $3.415 apiece.

    That’s a 6.06% gain from the New Zealand fuel company’s previous closing price of $3.22 per share on Friday.

    Z Energy’s shares are on the move after it announced it had entered into an acquisition agreement with Aussie fuel giant Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

    Read on for more details.

    What did Z Energy announce?

    Z Energy advised that it has entered into a binding scheme implementation agreement with Ampol. It is proposed that Ampol acquires Z Energy on a cash consideration of NZ$3.78 per share.

    Z Energy’s board has unanimously recommended shareholders vote in favour of the scheme.

    It appears Ampol considers Z Energy a nice tuck in to its portfolio, given it has made several revisions to its original offer.

    The agreement follows an announcement Z Energy made in August that it had received an offer from Ampol to acquire all of its shares after previous failed negotiations at NZ$3.35, $3.50 and $3.60 per share.

    As The Motley Fool reported earlier today, in its reasoning for the latest offer, Ampol believes the acquisition could be “double-digit earnings per share accretive, and +20% free cash flow accretive in 2023”.

    As such, Z Energy has appointed an independent advisor to assess whether the updated deal is in the best interests of its shareholders and hasn’t ruled out accepting higher offers from rival bidders.

    The deal also stipulates that Z Energy will still be entitled to pay dividends on the company’s FY22 performance “during the period up to the implementation of the scheme”.

    If the interim distribution of NZ$0.05 per share is made by Z Energy, the deal then represents a value of NZ$3.83/share, according to the company’s announcement.

    In AUD, this represents an approximate 23 cents or 7% premium to the current Z Energy price and a 13% premium to its closing price on Friday.

    The deal is expected to finalise in the first half of 2022, if and when all regulatory approvals have been obtained, according to the company.

    Z Energy share price snapshot

    The Z Energy share price has wobbled this year to date but has managed to climb 14% into the green since January 1.

    This extends its gains in the past year to more than 35%. That’s ahead of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of about 25% in the last 12 months.

    The post Z Energy (ASX:ZEL) share price leaps 6% on Ampol takeover news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Z 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 Z 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

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    The author Zach Bristow has no positions 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 Downer (ASX:DOW) share price struggling today?

    woman concerned about falling share price

    The Downer EDI Limited (ASX: DOW) share price is out of form on Monday morning. This comes after the company announced the sales of its Open Cut Mining East business.

    At the time of writing, Downer shares are edging 1.26% lower to $6.675.

    Downer divestment 

    In its release, Downer advised it has entered into a sales agreement with the Australian subsidiary of PT Bukit Makmur Mandiri Utama (BUMA).

    Established in 1998, BUMA is currently the second largest independent coal mining contractor in Indonesia. The company holds around 20% market share in the country, providing coal mining services to large Indonesian firms.

    BUMA’s operations are supported by roughly 12,000 employees as well as being equipped with over 2,500 units of heavy equipment.

    Downer will receive about $150 million in cash proceeds for its Open Cut Mining East business. So far, BUMA has paid a deposit of $16 million with the remaining amount to be paid at the sale completion.

    The transaction includes the transfer of the assets, liabilities, employees and all existing contracts.

    Downer noted that this is the final step of its divestment. Together with the previously announced sale of its Mining and Laundries business, Downer has received a total of $778 million.

    Undoubtedly, the additional cash injection has failed to have a positive effect on the Downer share price.

    Commenting on the sale, Downer CEO, Grant Fenn said:

    An important part of our Urban Services strategy was the exit from our capital-intensive Mining businesses.

    The sale of Open Cut Mining East is the last step of this process and follows the divestments of Open Cut Mining West, Downer Blasting Services, Underground mining, Otraco, the Snowden consulting business and our share in the RTL Mining and Earthworks joint venture.

    Completion of the sale is expected to occur sometime before the end of 2021 calendar year.

    About the Downer share price

    Over the past 12 months, the Downer share price has pushed 35% higher, with year-to-date up 25%. It is worth noting that its shares are close to reaching the 52-week high of $6.87 achieved earlier this month.

    Based on today’s price, Downer commands a market capitalisation of around $4.66 billion and has approximately 696.1 million shares outstanding.

    The post Why is the Downer (ASX:DOW) share price struggling today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Downer, 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 Downer 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 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 the Predictive Discovery (ASX:PDI) share price is in a trading halt

    A person holds a stop sign in front of their head

    The Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI) share price won’t be going anywhere on Monday.

    This morning the gold exploration company requested a trading halt.

    Why is the Predictive Discovery share price halted?

    The Predictive Discovery share price was placed in a trading halt this morning at the company’s request.

    According to the release, the request relates to its Bankan project in Guinea’s Siguiri Basin.

    It commented: “The Company has received information that a media report is pending relating to the Company’s operations at the Bankan project in Guinea and requests a trading halt of its securities to allow it time to prepare an announcement so that the market is fully informed in relation to this issue.”

    The company has requested that the Predictive Discovery share price be halted until the earlier of the release of its announcement or the commencement of trading on 13 October.

    What is the report?

    As of yet, the media report alluded to has not surfaced and therefore the “issue” in question has not been revealed.

    However, it is worth noting that last month Guinea’s President Alpha Condé was ousted following a military coup.

    And while the leader of the coup, Col Mamady Doumbouya, made miners exempt from a nationwide curfew, things can change rapidly in these circumstances.

    Predictive Discovery shareholders are likely to have to wait patiently until Wednesday to get an answer.

    They will no doubt be hoping that the news doesn’t have a negative impact on the Predictive Discovery share price. It has been smashing the market this year and was up almost 300% in 2021 prior to today’s trading halt.

    This has been driven by some very promising drilling results from the Bankan project in recent months.

    The post Why the Predictive Discovery (ASX:PDI) share price is in a trading halt appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Predictive Discovery right now?

    Before you consider Predictive Discovery, 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 Predictive Discovery 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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  • Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price gains amid Twiggy’s planned $1bn hydrogen investment

    The Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price is in the green this morning after Fortescue Future Industries announced its plan to build a hydrogen-equipment manufacturing facility.

    Fortescue Future Industries and the Queensland government released news of the planned facility on Sunday.

    Chair of Fortescue Metals and Fortescue Future Industries, Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, commented on the plan:

    This initiative is a critical step in Fortescue’s transition from a highly successful pure play iron ore producer, to an even more successful green renewables and resources powerhouse.

    At the time of writing, the Fortescue Metals share price is $14.29, 0.28% higher than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.7% this morning. Meanwhile the S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR) is up 0.32%.

    Additionally, Fortescue Metals’ stock is gaining alongside iron ore prices. According to data from Business Insider, the price of iron ore soared 4% higher on Friday. It finished the day trading at US$122.86 a tonne.

    Let’s take a closer look at Fortescue Future Industries’ newest ambitions.

    Fortescue share price gains amid hydrogen news

    The Fortescue Metals share price is lifting after Forrest and Queensland’s Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, announced Fortescue Future Industries’ plan to build one of the largest hydrogen-equipment manufacturing facilities on earth.

    The Global Green Energy Manufacturing Centre will be located in Gladstone. It will produce up to 2 gigawatts of electrolysers each year – more than doubling global production.

    Electrolysers split hydrogen from water and, if run on renewable electricity, are entirely carbon neutral. Production of the technology should begin in early 2023.

    Fortescue Future Industries will initially invest around $114 million to produce the first electrolysers. Though its total investment could be more than $1 billion if demand allows.

    The body will begin construction on the first stage of the 6-stage project in February 2022, subject to approvals.  

    According to Fortescue Future Industries CEO Julie Shuttleworth, the facility will be “an epicentre for Queensland’s green hydrogen ambitions”. Shuttleworth added:

    [Fortescue Future Industries’] goal is to become the world’s leading, integrated, fully renewable energy and green products company, powering the Australian economy and creating jobs for Australia as we transition away from fossil fuels. Our manufacturing arm, starting with electrolysers and expanding to all other required green industry products, will herald great potential for green manufacturing and employment in regional Australia.

    According to Queensland’s Deputy Premier, Steven Miles, the facility will be built on land developed by the state’s government.

    The Global Green Energy Manufacturing Centre will create more than 300 jobs over its life and produce a new export industry for the state.

    The post Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price gains amid Twiggy’s planned $1bn hydrogen investment appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Fortescue Metals right now?

    Before you consider Fortescue Metals, 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 Fortescue Metals 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. 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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  • CBA (ASX:CBA) share price slips as bank spruiks carbon credit opportunity

    Close-up photo of man's hands holding silver platter with coins and young plant growing out of pile of money

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is trading lower on Monday. The move comes as Australia’s biggest bank highlights the potential market opportunity in the supply of carbon credits.

    At the time of writing, shares in the bank are commanding a price of $104.01, down 0.42%. This puts the CBA share price at a gain of 24.7% since the beginning of 2021. For comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 9.5% year-to-date.

    CBA share price stumbles on Australia’s green future

    Carbon offsetting is a booming business globally as government initiatives are put in place to secure a low emission future. According to German bank Berenberg, the offset market has more than tripled over the past three years.

    Although estimates indicate the current market is still relatively small, forecasts have the addressable market size sitting at $200 billion by 2050.

    As such, CBA is taking notice of the potential market opportunity ahead. Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s head of institutional banking and markets Andrew Hinchliff believes Australia holds vast prospects for becoming a significant supplier of carbon credits.

    In explaining, Hinchliff outlined that environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues were positioned as the second-highest priority for institutional bank customers. This is behind the impacts of COVID-19 and its burdensome supply chain effects.

    The building pressure from shareholders and governments to operate in a more sustainable manner has meant many companies have implemented some form of emission reduction targets. Consequently, the demand for carbon credits is rising as these companies look for ways to offset their emissions.

    As a result, Hinchliff considers Australia to be well placed for this growing trend, stating:

    We think Australia‘s got a unique opportunity – just based on our natural resources being land, soil, sea, wind and solar – to be a significant supplier of carbon credits not only to Australia but also into the world which is a big opportunity for our clients.

    A slice of the pie

    Today, Australia’s biggest bank by market capitalisation is putting its money where its mouth is. In a release, CBA revealed a partnership with Xpansiv to develop Australia’s voluntary carbon market. Xpansiv is a global marketplace for ESG commodities, enabling increased liquidity and efficiency where it has traditionally lacked. Despite this, the CBA share price is being sold off at the start of the week.

    According to the release, the bank has invested $15 million in Xpansiv through the agreement. The platform plans to launch trading of Australian Carbon Credit Units (ACCU) next year. These will be issued by the Clean Energy Regulator, representing one tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent stored or avoided, which can be used to offset emissions.

    Furthermore, Xpansiv chief commercial officer Ben Stuart stated:

    We anticipate Australia’s voluntary carbon market will grow quickly in both size and trading volumes given the country’s position as one of the world’s largest producers of natural resources.

    Our partnership with CBA signals the bank’s intention to play a leading role in supporting the development of carbon market infrastructure and will significantly accelerate the development of our client offering.

    Additionally, the banking giant unveiled its latest feature for customers on Tuesday last week. CBA customers will be able to track their carbon footprint directly in the CommBank app. This is made possible through a partnership with fintech startup CoGo.

    These two recent partnerships clearly highlight CBA’s endeavour to capitalise on the green transition. However, the company still hasn’t won over climate activists at Market Forces. Despite its partnerships, Market Forces claims the bank’s current plan aligns closer to reaching net-zero by 2070, rather than 2050.

    Finally, the CBA share price is up 51.7% over the past 12-months.

    The post CBA (ASX:CBA) share price slips as bank spruiks carbon credit opportunity appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Commonwealth Bank of Australia right now?

    Before you consider Commonwealth Bank of 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 Commonwealth Bank of 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

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Commonwealth Bank of Australia. 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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  • API (ASX:API) share price lifts following guidance upgrade

    red arrow representing a rise of the share price with a man wearing a cape holding it at the top

    The Australian Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ASX: API) share price is up after the company announced a profit update for its upcoming result.

    This business is behind a few different high street names including Priceline Pharmacy and Soul Pattinson Chemists.

    API profit update

    The company told investors that it will exceed the profit guidance it provided to the market a few months ago, despite the broad COVID-19 lockdown restrictions in both New South Wales and Victoria.

    API is now expecting that its underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) will be approximately $70 million and reported EBIT is going to be approximately $28 million for the year ending 31 August 2021.

    The API CEO and managing director, Richard Vincent, said:

    API recorded a strong trading performance through our suburban and regional Priceline Pharmacies as well as online. We also experienced elevated volumes through our pharmacy distribution business that we were not anticipating.

    The company also said that the sale of its New Zealand pharmaceutical plant is expected to occur in the first quarter of FY22. That’s why its reported EBIT remains in line with previous guidance.

    API has moved the date it’s expecting to report its result to 28 October 2021.

    Legal action

    API acknowledged and confirmed that a class action has been filed against it in Victoria’s Supreme Court. The company didn’t flag this announcement as market sensitive, meaning that management didn’t believe it would move the API share price.

    According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, this is a class action by current and former Priceline franchisees. The claim is that the company had “excessive” control over their pharmacies and made them pay fees that are in breach of state regulations.  

    The franchisees are reportedly looking to “recover the benefits lost due to Priceline withholding rebates for not complying with mandated in-store product displays.”

    In response, API has said that it remains focused on supporting Priceline Pharmacy franchisees through COVID-19, so that they can fully play their role in the distribution of vital medicines and that the COVID-19 vaccine and serve their communities during and beyond the pandemic.

    Takeover battle

    Over the past month the API share price is up more than 13%. It is currently subject to a takeover battle between Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG).

    Wesfarmers has offered a cash proposal of $1.55 per share. The conglomerate believes its offer would deliver an attractive premium and certain cash return for API shareholders.

    Meanwhile, Sigma is offering API shareholders 2.05 Sigma shares plus $0.35 cash for each API share. Sigma said at the time that this offer represented an implied value of $1.57 per API share (before ‘synergies’). API shareholders would own 48.8% of the combined business under the proposal.

    The post API (ASX:API) share price lifts following guidance upgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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  • Up 191% in 1-year, why the Metalstech (ASX:MTC) share price is on a rollercoaster today

    two people sit side by side on a rollercoaster ride with their hands raised in the air and happy smiles on their faces

    The Metalstech Ltd (ASX: MTC) share price is on a wild ride this morning. Metalstech’s share price posted opening gains of more than 6% before quickly falling to a loss of 1%. At time of writing, the comany’s shares are up 3.09% to 50 cents.

    Below, we take a look at the ASX resource explorers latest gold and silver update.

    What gold and silver update was announced?

    The Metalstech share price is seeking direction after the company updated the market on the metallurgical testing program at its 100% owned Sturec Gold Mine, located in Slovakia.

    According to the release, metallurgical recovery results for mineralisation intersected by a drill hole returned “excellent gold and silver” results. The testing program used gravity separation and flotation.

    Metalstech said the flotation test work produced a final concentrate of 31 grams of gold per tonne and 80 grams of silver per tonne. It reported gold recovery at 91.0% and silver recovery at 88.4%.

    The company also reported “good results” from its initial gravity recovery test work, with gold recovery of 37.4%.

    Commenting on the results, Metalstech chairman Russell Moran said:

    The sulphide ore at Sturec is the primary target ore type and it has demonstrated excellent gold recoveries from simple gravity separation and flotation. This opens up potential for a wide range of simple and low CAPEX [capital expenditure] processing opportunities for Sturec. The current test work will help support our scoping study, which is already underway.

    Metalstech share price snapshot

    The Metalstech share price has had a strong year, buoyed by a lift off in late August. Year-to-date, shares are up 141% compared to a gain of 9% posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) so far in 2021.

    Over the past month, Metalstech’s share price has surged more than 70%.

    With Metalstech involved in a range of other precious metals, the company’s shares have performed far better than the gold price this year. Gold topped out at US$1,950 per ounce on 5 January and is currently trading at US$1,893 per ounce.

    Silver’s been sliding too, currently at US$22.62 per ounce after hitting US$29.05 per ounce on 1 February.

    The post Up 191% in 1-year, why the Metalstech (ASX:MTC) share price is on a rollercoaster today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Metalstech, 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 Metalstech 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

    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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3mKfd8T