• Santos (ASX:STO) share price slides despite latest clean energy spruik

    downward red arrow with business man sliding down it signifying falling asx share price

    The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is sliding despite claims the company’s potential merger with Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) will help it chase more clean energy projects.

    Santos’ CEO Kevin Gallagher, reportedly spoke of the company’s plans to clean up emissions at a networking event last night.

    Right now, the Santos share price is $6.14, 0.32% lower than its previous close.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s reports of the oil and gas producer.

    Could the Santos-Oil Search merger be an environmental win?

    The Santos share price is slipping today despite its CEO reportedly outlining the company’s emission reduction plans.

    According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review (AFR), Gallagher stated the company’s planned growth will be significantly extended if the merger goes ahead due to an increase in cash flow.

    The extra cash will, supposedly, allow Santos to transition towards carbon capture and storage and hydrogen initiatives sooner.

    Santos is working to create a carbon capture and storage project in South Australia’s Moomba.

    According to the AFR, Gallagher stated that the company’s looking at potentially creating another carbon capture and storage project near Darwin.

    Additionally, Santos is reportedly considering using direct air carbon capture technology to inject carbon underground.

    Gallagher supposedly said Santos will spend “a few billion dollars to say the least” to get its carbon sequestration projects underway.

    He also reportedly stated Santos has the cash flow to support the project until the middle of the decade. However, by merging with Oil Search it could afford to keep sequestering carbon until 2030.

    The merger still needs to receive approval from shareholders and, reportedly, from Papua New Guinea’s government before it can go ahead.

    Santos share price snapshot

    The Santos share price has been performing poorly lately.

    It is currently 4.6% lower than it was at the start of 2021. However, it has gained 14.5% since this time last year.

    The post Santos (ASX:STO) share price slides despite latest clean energy spruik appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Santos , 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 Santos 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 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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  • Bitcoin just crashed 11%. Here’s why…

    A bitcoin trader looks afraid and holds his hands to his mouth among graphics of red arrows pointing down

    Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is deep in the red, down more than 11% in the past 24 hours to US$46,746 (AU$63,170).

    That’s the digital token’s steepest daily fall since it began a remarkable rebound on 20 July. At that time, it was worth US$29,731, having fallen from a record high of US$64,889 in mid-April.

    And, as we often see, where Bitcoin goes, most altcoins follow.

    The top 4 coins by market valuation are all deep in the red today, including number 2 crypto Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH). Ether is down 12% since this time yesterday to US$3,470.

    What’s driving the Bitcoin selloff?

    Most fingers are pointing squarely at El Salvador for driving the current Bitcoin retreat.

    The Central American nation is in the midst of a world first experiment by making Bitcoin its national currency alongside the US dollar.

    El Salvador’s decidedly unconventional president, Nayib Bukele, is the driving force behind the move which follows the nation’s economy contracting last year at a pace not seen in 40 years. The nation’s citizens can now pay for goods and services, alongside their taxes, with the world’s number one crypto.

    Of course, for that to work, El Salvador’s government’s cryptocurrency wallet, Chivo, also needs to function as advertised.

    And therein lies the likely cause for Bitcoin’s plunge.

    As Bloomberg reports:

    Twitter users reported being able to pay for services such as breakfast at McDonald’s with Bitcoin. But the cryptocurrency plunged as much as 17% to its lowest level in a month amid news that the government disconnected its Bitcoin wallet early on Tuesday to fix problems.

    While Chivo came back online later, it may well have shaken confidence in the government’s ability to deliver a reliable exchange platform.

    The government has gifted users who register with their Salvadoran national ID number with US$30 worth of Bitcoin in an effort to increase its use.

    However, far from everyone is a believer.

    Jorge Colorado is a US-based Salvadoran anthropologist. He aired his concerns about Chivo and the El Salvador’s wider Bitcoin rollout to CoinDesk:

    The bitcoin thing was presented by Bukele at a meeting of bitcoiners in Miami several months ago. It was a presentation in English. The following day all the information was in English and was [not] communicated to the people [of El Salvador] until many days later, with very little information, almost superficial…

    The Chivo wallet contracts are secret, there was no bidding, public money has been used as if it were private money.

    It may be more than just Chivo glitches

    The Bitcoin price is notoriously volatile.

    And while the 11% fall is the biggest in several months, there are likely other factors at play.

    Like crypto investors getting set for an end to the era of post-pandemic easy money.

    According to Chris Weston, head of research at Pepperstone Financial Pty, “Could it also be that the liquidity beneficiaries – which could include crypto – may be sensing more normalized future policy setting from major central banks?”

    The post Bitcoin just crashed 11%. Here’s why… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Bitcoin, 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 Bitcoin 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. owns shares of and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. 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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  • 2 fantastic blue chip ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) shares to buy in September

    happy woman throws arms in the air

    If you want to build a balanced portfolio, having a few blue chip S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares would be a smart move.

    But with so many to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy. To narrow things down for you, I have picked out two ASX 200 blue chip shares that are highly rated:

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

    Goodman Group is a leading integrated commercial and industrial property company with operations across the world. Among its portfolio are warehouses, data centres, large scale logistics facilities, and business and office parks.

    The company currently has $57.9 billion of total assets under management globally, 363 properties, and over 1,600 customers. Among the latter are the likes of Amazon, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), DHL, Showpo, and Walmart.

    Goodman has been growing its earnings at a strong rate over the last decade thanks to its highly successful strategy.

    This strategy sees the company choose locations that are close to large urban populations and in and around major gateway cities globally. It notes that this is where demand is strong and transformational changes are driving significant opportunities.

    Citi appears confident this positive form can continue. It has a buy rating and $26.00 price target on Goodman’s shares.

    REA Group Limited (ASX: REA)

    Another blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is REA Group. It is a leading property listings company with operations in Australia and several international markets. It also has a number of complementary businesses bolstering its growth further.

    Once again, REA dominated the property listings market in Australia in FY 2021. For the 12 month ended 30 June, 12.6 million people visited realestate.com.au each month on average. This led to 121.9 million average monthly visits, which was up 35% year on year and was 3.3 times more than its nearest competitor.

    This dominant position leaves REA Group well-placed to continue its fine form in the years ahead. Particularly given the improving housing market, price increases, cost reductions, acquisitions, and new revenue streams.

    Macquarie is very positive on the company. The broker currently has an outperform rating and $185.00 price target on its shares.

    The post 2 fantastic blue chip ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) shares to buy in September appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider REA, 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 REA 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 James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA 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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  • Global Energy (ASX:GEV) share price leaps 18% on green hydrogen grant

    ASX Hydrogen shares represented by floating bubble containing letters H2

    The Global Energy Ventures Ltd (ASX: GEV) share price is on the move today. This comes after the energy solutions company secured a renewable hydrogen grant from the Western Australian government.

    At the time of writing, Global Energy shares are up 22.22% to 8.8 cents apiece.

    Global Energy chosen for feasibility funding

    According to its release, Global Energy advised it has successfully secured funding support of up to $300,000.

    Global Energy will undertake a feasibility study on the export of green hydrogen utilising its compressed hydrogen shipping solution. This will see clean renewable energy transported from the HyEnergy Project, located in the Gascoyne, to Asia-Pacific.

    Early preparation work and site assessment has since been completed with key appointments of technical and environmental advisors next up.

    The scope of the project includes the transport of hydrogen from onshore compression facilities to an offshore ship loading buoy. From there, the hydrogen will be distributed to nominated Asia-Pacific markets using Global Energy’s compressed hydrogen ships.

    It is expected the project will be online within the first-half of the 2022 financial year.

    Global Energy managing director and CEO Martin Carolan commented:

    One of the strategic focus areas for the WA Government’s Hydrogen Strategy is Export. GEV, together with the HyEnergy Project partners, aims to harness WA’s world class renewable energy resources and proud history of exporting energy to international markets, to develop the first green hydrogen export project using our compressed shipping supply chain.

    More on the compressed hydrogen ship and zero-carbon marine transport

    Global Energy noted that compression is a proven, safe and reliable method of storing hydrogen. It is currently used for onshore applications at pressures of up to 700 bar.

    The ship design stores hydrogen in a gas form thus avoiding the energy and capital-intensive processes to convert hydrogen to a liquid or chemical state.

    In future, compressed hydrogen shipping will focus on developing a zero-emission supply chain through the use of electric drive engines powered by onboard fuel cells.

    Global Energy share price summary

    Over the last 12 months, Global Energy shares have accelerated 83% higher but are not quite so impressive year-to-date, up 11%.

    Global Energy presides a market capitalisation of roughly $41 million, with approximately 457 million shares on its registry.

    The post Global Energy (ASX:GEV) share price leaps 18% on green hydrogen grant appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Global 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 Global 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 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 Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) share price is up 5% so far this week

    jumbo share price

    The Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH) share price has been a positive performer on Wednesday.

    In afternoon trade, the gaming company’s shares are up 2% to $5.09.

    This means the Tabcorp share price is up almost 5% since the start of the week.

    Why is the Tabcorp share price pushing higher this week?

    The Tabcorp share price was given a boost this week after S&P Dow Jones Indices announced that the company would be added to the exclusive ASX 50 index at the next rebalance.

    According to the release, Tabcorp and ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) will be joining the index on 20 September. This is at the expense of struggling infant formula company A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M), energy company AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) and fuel retailer Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

    There is an additional removal from the ASX 50 index due to the recent Woolworths Group Limited (ASX: WOW) demerger of Endeavour Group Limited (ASX: EDV). The latter was automatically added to the index following the demerger, giving it 51 constituents.

    The addition of the company to the ASX 50 is good news for the Tabcorp share price for a couple of reasons. As well as index tracking funds having to buy its shares, some fund managers will now be able to invest. This is because fund managers can sometimes have strict investment mandates allowing them to only buy shares from certain indices.

    Is it too late to invest?

    The good news is that the team at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) still see a lot of value in its shares.

    Last month the broker put an outperform rating and $6.45 price target on its shares. Based on the current Tabcorp share price, this implies potential upside of almost 27% over the next 12 months.

    Macquarie believes the market is undervaluing its lotteries and Keno businesses.

    The post Why the Tabcorp (ASX:TAH) share price is up 5% so far this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Tabcorp, 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 Tabcorp 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 recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk and ResMed Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Up 70% in September, why the Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) share price keeps going up

    ASX uranium shares represented by yellow barrels of uranium

    The Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) share price is booming in September, up 72% to an 8-year high of 86 cents.

    The broad-based buying across the uranium sector has been underpinned by an uptick in uranium spot prices, running to a 6-year high of ~US$35/lb last week.

    What’s driving uranium prices?

    The uranium market can be difficult to get exposure to, with a limited number of listed uranium players to choose from and no official spot market for physical uranium.

    The uranium landscape has evolved rapidly in this year, after the Sprott Physical Uranium Trust began trading on Canada’s Toronto exchange on 19 July.

    The Sprott has been aggressively buying physical uranium off the spot market, driving demand and increased transparency in the sector.

    Sprott’s Twitter highlighted the fund adding 3.45 million pounds of physical uranium in September alone. The aggressive buying of the spot market coincides with the recent strength behind the Paladin Energy share price.

    According to Kitco, analysts believe Sprott is a “critical factor behind the recent push in the energy metal’s price. The Trust gives investors direct access to physical metal.”

    Sprott CEO commentary

    In an interview with Kitco News, Sprott CEO Peter Grosskopf said he saw the Uranium Trust as a “game-changer for the Uranium market” and expects “to see growing investment demand for the physical metal as industrial demand picks up”.

    “We think uranium is entering a new bull market as the world looks for a mix of clean energy in the new green energy revolution,” he said. 

    This could place the Paladin Energy share price in the spotlight, as the largest ASX-listed uranium player.

    “If you want a low carbon grid, you can achieve it by spending an enormous amount of money and having a highly inefficient grid, which is inherently unstable, or you include nuclear as a core part of the power base. We think uranium has been underplayed for the last 15 years,” said Grosskopf.

    Paladin Energy share price snapshot

    The broader uranium sector from large cap players like Paladin Energy to small cap explorers like Deep Yellow Limited (ASX: DYL), Peninsula Energy Ltd (ASX: PEN) and Vimy Resources Ltd (ASX: VMY) have all emerged as some of the best performing ASX shares in the past few weeks.

    The Paladin Energy share price has come to life this year after trading mostly sideways between 2015 and 2019.

    Paladin Energy shares are up 230% year-to-date to 86 cents, but well off its 2011 highs of almost $5.

    The post Up 70% in September, why the Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) share price keeps going up appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Paladin 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 Paladin 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 Kerry Sun 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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  • Which ASX shares are making a move on the ASX 300?

    a group of young people dance together with their hands in the air, moving to music.

    The S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) is dragging lower on Wednesday, following three consecutive days of gains.

    During mid-afternoon trade, the ASX 300 is down 0.35% to 7,506.5 points.

    Let’s take a look at which ASX companies are making headlines today.

    Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX)

    The Novonix share price is up 9.74% to $5.41, after racing to a record high of $5.57 during midday trade.

    With no news coming out of the lithium company, it appears investors are buoyant on its prospects.

    Just last week, S&P Dow Jones announced changes in the S&P/ASX Indices. As such, Novonix will be officially included in the ASX 300 Index prior to the market open on September 20.

    Washington H Soul Pattinson & Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)

    The Soul Patts share price is also pushing ahead on Wednesday, up 4.94% to $37.99. This is also a new record high for the company’s shares.

    The Australian investment house released a trading update earlier this week, revealing robust growth across its portfolio. The news is having a positive effect with Soul Patts shares up almost 7% so far this week.

    Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

    Another significant mover today is the Macquarie share price, advancing 4.87% to $179.44.

    The investment bank provided a first-half update to the short-term outlook statement given at its late July Annual General Meeting.

    Macquarie noted several reasons as to why it expects weaker earnings in the H1 FY22 period. This didn’t appear to faze investors, however, as the company’s shares were on a tear in the morning to an all-time high of $182.66.

    Which ASX companies are heading the other way?

    St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM)

    The St Barbara share price is down 6.60% to $1.457. Investors are selling the gold miner’s shares after the spot price of gold fell heavily overnight before rebounding slightly. Its peers, Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), are also down, 2.86% and 5.08%, respectively.

    Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

    Also being weighed down by investors today is the Eagers Automotive share price, down 6.52% to $16.21.

    With no news out of the automotive retailer, its shares appear to be taking a breather after reaching a record high of $17.67 yesterday. Over the past year, the company’s share price is up roughly 80%.

    The post Which ASX shares are making a move on the ASX 300? 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 Aaron Teboneras owns shares of Northern Star Resources 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 Macquarie Group Limited and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company 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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  • CBA (ASX:CBA) share price lifts despite latest superannuation woes

    worried couple looking at their retirement savings

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is gaining despite the Federal Court finding its subsidiary misled superannuation members.

    The Federal Court has declared CBA’s subsidiary Colonial First State Investments misled and deceived its members at least 12,978 times.

    Right now, the CBA share price is $103, 0.84% higher than its previous closing price.

    Let’s take a closer look at the findings against CBA’s wealth management subsidiary.

    Colonial found to have misled members

    The CBA share price is in the green despite Colonial being found to have given its superannuation customers misleading investment advice.

    The Federal Court found that, between 2014 and 2016, Colonial told some members to continue using its FirstChoice Superannuation Trust.

    It did so despite the Superannuation Industry Act requiring all superannuation be paid into a MySuper product since 2012.

    The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) launched the proceedings against Colonial.

    ASIC claimed Colonial told members it needed their direction to keep them in the FirstChoice fund due to legislative changes.

    It also alleged Colonial failed to tell members that, if it didn’t get a direction, it would have been forced to transfer the member’s superannuation contributions into a MySuper product.

    Colonial has apologised to those affected by its communications and is finalising remediations.

    According to Colonial, a penalty hearing will be held in late 2021.

    ASIC’s deputy chair, Sarah Court, commented on the findings:

    Superannuation fund members need to receive clear and accurate information to make informed decisions. ASIC alleged Colonial made misleading representations which may have impacted members’ decisions about where to keep their funds and may have resulted in members’ funds being kept in higher fee-paying super products that included commissions. These actions did not put members’ interests first.

    CBA share price snapshot

    The Commonwealth Bank share price has been performing well on the ASX lately.

    It is currently 25% higher than it was at the start of 2021. Additionally, it has gained 50% since this time last year.

    The post CBA (ASX:CBA) share price lifts despite latest superannuation woes 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 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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  • 2 fantastic ASX 50 shares that analysts rate as buys

    people leaping in celebration against a blue sky

    The ASX 50 index is home to some of the highest quality companies that the region has to offer.

    While not all shares in the index are necessarily in the buy zone, two that could be are listed below.

    Here’s why analysts rate these ASX 50 shares highly:

    Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

    The first ASX 50 share to look at is Cochlear. It is one of the world’s leading hearing solutions companies with a portfolio of industry-leading cochlear implant products such as the Nucleus System and the Baha System.

    In addition, it has a wide global distribution network. Combined with its high level of investment in research and development, this leaves it well-positioned to benefit from the ageing population tailwind.

    Analyst at Macquarie are positive on the company. In response to its full year results last month, the broker put an outperform rating and $256.00 price target on the company’s shares.

    Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

    Another ASX 50 share that is rated as a buy is Xero. It is a provider of a cloud-based business and accounting solution to small and medium sized businesses. It has been growing strongly over the last few years and looks well-positioned to continue the trend in the years to come.

    This is thanks to its international expansion, acquisitions, the transition to the cloud, and its burgeoning app ecosystem. The company recently introduced its App Store in the ANZ and UK markets. Much like Apple’s App Store, this will allow Xero to earn royalties on third party apps that its subscribers use. This has the potential to be a very lucrative revenue stream in the future.

    One broker that is particularly positive on Xero is Goldman Sachs. It currently has a buy rating and $165.00 price target on its shares. Goldman believes Xero has the potential to deliver strong revenue growth over multiple decades.

    The post 2 fantastic ASX 50 shares that analysts rate as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Xero, 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 Xero 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. owns shares of and has recommended Cochlear Ltd. and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear 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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  • Why A2 Milk, Flight Centre, Medibank, & St Barbara shares are dropping

    share price dropping

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has followed the lead of US markets and is dropping. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.4% to 7,502.1 points.

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

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    The A2 Milk share price has continued its slide and is down over 2% to $5.56. Earlier this week the team at Credit Suisse reiterated their underperform rating and $5.50 price target. The broker has concerns over China’s falling birth rates and the impact this may have on its sales. The A2 Milk share price is now down a very disappointing 52% in 2021.

    Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

    The Flight Centre share price is down 2.5% to $18.12. This appears to have been driven by profit taking after some strong gains in recent weeks. For example, prior to today, the travel agent’s shares were up a massive 35% since 20 August.

    Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

    The Medibank share price is down 2.5% to $3.54. This private health insurer’s shares have fallen today after trading ex-dividend this morning for its fully franked 6.9 cents per share final dividend. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this dividend in a little over three weeks on 30 September.

    St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM)

    The St Barbara share price is down 6.5% to $1.46. Investors have been selling St Barbara and other gold miners today following a pullback in the gold price. According to CNBC, the spot gold price fell 2% on Tuesday night to US$1,796.40 an ounce. This was driven by the strengthening US dollar and higher bond yields.

    The post Why A2 Milk, Flight Centre, Medibank, & St Barbara shares are dropping 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. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk and Flight Centre Travel 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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