• 2 top blue chip ASX 200 shares rated as buys

    Four people gather around laptop and cheer

    If you want to boost your portfolio with some blue chips, then you might want to take a look at the ASX 200 shares named below.

    Here’s why these two blue chip ASX 200 shares are highly rated:

    Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

    The first blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is Goodman Group. It is a leading integrated commercial and industrial property company.

    Goodman has a world class portfolio of in-demand warehouses, large scale logistics facilities, and business and office parks. In fact, demand is so strong that it currently boasts an occupancy rate of 98%. This helped underpin a 15% increase in operating earnings to $1.22 billion in FY 2021.

    Looking ahead, the company appears well-placed to benefit from like for like rental growth and its significant development pipeline.

    Citi is a big fan of Goodman. It currently has a buy rating and $26.00 price target on the company’s shares.

    SEEK Limited (ASX: SEK)

    Another blue chip ASX 200 share to look at is SEEK. It is the leading job listings company in the ANZ region and has a number of growing businesses around the globe.

    It was on form in FY 2021 thanks to its domination of the ANZ market. For example, the SEEK ANZ business reported record ad volumes in the second half of the year amid easing COVID-19 restrictions. This led to SEEK reporting an average of 40 million monthly site visits, which represents 10% growth on pre-COVID-19 levels.

    This ultimately led to SEEK reporting a 1% increase in revenue to $1,591 million and a 58% jump in net profit after tax excluding significant items to $141 million for the year.

    The good news is that the future looks bright for SEEK thanks to its strong market position and Australia’s recovery from the pandemic. With unemployment levels tipped to fall materially, job ad volumes look set to increase significantly once the economy opens up again.

    A recent note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have an outperform rating and $37.00 price target on the company’s shares.

    The post 2 top blue chip ASX 200 shares rated as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

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

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3BPW8YR

  • ASX 200 edges higher, Soul Patts (ASX:SOL) falls, Hansen (ASX:HSN) declines

    bull market encapsulated by bull running up a rising stock market price

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) went up 0.1% to 7,529 points.

    Here are some of the highlights from the ASX:

    Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

    ASX 200 investment conglomerate Soul Patts gave a profit update to the market today.

    It reminded investors that key drivers of success for the business are growth of the capital value of the portfolio and a growing yield.

    Soul Patts said it doesn’t consider its earnings to be a key indicator of the company’s performance. But there were a few factors today that will influence the FY21 regular profit after tax.

    Soul Patts pointed out that New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) disclosed in its quarterly report ending 31 July 2021 that it projects earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) will be $372 million 8n FY21. This is primarily due to thermal coal prices being at a 10-year high, according to Soul Patts.

    Next, the investment conglomerate pointed out that Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) gave a trading update that revealed it expects record earnings from its property division, driven by the continued increase in the value of the property trust.

    The last point that Soul Patts referred to was Round Oak, a mining company that the ASX 200 share wholly owns. Round Oak expects to generate a regular FY21 net profit after tax in the range of $64 million to $68 million. Management said this was a “significant improvement” compared to the FY20 loss of $43 million as commodity prices, predominately zinc and copper, improved and the company moved from development to production at a number of its mines.

    However, these higher profit contributions will be offset by a lower contribution from TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG). Following the merger of TPG and Vodafone in July 2020, Soul Patts is no longer equity accounting it share of TPG’s net profit after tax. Soul Patts only received one dividend from TPG amounting to $18 million in FY21, compared to the equity accounted profit of $72 million in FY20.

    Soul Patts also said that the statutory profit in FY21 will be materially lower because FY20 included a one-off accounting gain of $1.05 billion after the derecognition of TPG as an equity accounted associate. This one-off gain will not be repeated in FY21.

    Brickworks also said that Soul Patts’ profit announcement would contribute to its statutory after tax by a range of $64 million to $72 million for FY21.

    Hansen Technologies Limited (ASX: HSN)

    The Hansen Technologies share price fell 9.2% after the business announced that BGH Capital was not going to proceed with its takeover. Discussions have ceased.

    BGH Capital’s offer was $6.50 per share.

    Hansen attempted to reassure investors by saying that after having conducted extensive due diligence inquiries in relation to the company, BGH Capital has not notified Hansen of any issue which Hansen considers material in the context of Hansen’s current operations and strategy. BGH Capital has advised the company that it continues to see Hansen as a highly effective organisation with an outstanding management team and strong prospects.

    David Trude, the Chair of Hansen, said:

    Hansen reported a record result for the group across all key metrics in FY21.

    The Hansen business continues to go from strength to strength. We were particularly pleased with the strategic customer wins during the year including Telefonica, DISH, Western Power and Nautilus Solar. Significant new business wins, coupled with a continued focus on our aggregation strategy, reinforce our commitment to, and confidence in, our long-term revenue target of $500 million in FY25.

    The post ASX 200 edges higher, Soul Patts (ASX:SOL) falls, Hansen (ASX:HSN) declines appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison owns shares of Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Hansen Technologies. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended TPG Telecom Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2WUIS5O

  • Here are the 3 most traded ASX 200 shares this Monday

    a man sits at a computer amid piles of papers to each side and behind him

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended this Monday’s trading session with a modest gain. The ASX 200 finished up 0.07% at 7,528 points. But rather than dwelling on that somewhat vanilla figure, let’s instead check out the ASX 200 shares that topped the trading volume charts today

    The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares this Monday

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    Diversified ASX 200 miner South32 is our first share up today. This ASX resources share has seen a hefty 20.8 million of its shares find new owners on the markets today.

    There are no major news or announcements out of the company so far. However, the South32 share price defied the ASX 200 today and posted a healthy gain of 2.13% to $3.35 a share. This company is now up an impressive 13% over the past month. It’s likely that this latest move upwards is what’s behind so many South32 shares trading this Monday.

    Alumina Limited (ASX: AWC)

    ASX 200 aluminium producer Alumina is next up here, with a sizeable 47.27 million of its shares bought and sold so far today. Like with South32, there are no major announcements out that could be affecting this company’s share price. However, as my Fool colleague Kerry covered earlier today, the Alumina share price enjoyed a starting day of gains this Monday.

    Alumina shares rocketed almost 9% after market open this morning, before cooling off somewhat over the day. Even so, Alumina finished up a very robust 3.26% at $2.06 a share at the time of writing. It’s this stellar share price performance that is likely behind so many Alumina shares on the markets today.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    And last, but certainly not least, we have ASX 200 lithium producer Pilbara Minerals. Pilbara shares are going the opposite way to the above two companies today. This company lost a nasty 5.31% today, and closed the day at $2.14 a share.

    This steep loss has resulted in a truly massive 205,456 million Pilbara shares swap hands this Monday. Perhaps this unusually large volume indicates a major institutional investor has been moving some money around. Whatever the cause, this has left Pilbara topping the volume charts this Monday afternoon.

    The post Here are the 3 most traded ASX 200 shares this Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3tkhx9C

  • ASX 200 energy shares fell today – here’s why

    barrel of oil in a shopping trolley sliding down red arrow representing OPEC+ split ASX energy stocks

    ASX 200 energy shares finished broadly in the red today.

    This comes as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) snuck into the green, finishing up 0.07% after spending most of the day in the red.

    The Index wasn’t helped by ASX 200 energy shares. Santos Ltd (ASX: STO), for example, finished down 1.76% to $6.14 per share.

    Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX: WPL), meanwhile, ended the day 1.66% lower and the Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) share price closed down 2.35%.

    So what put the big energy stocks under pressure today?

    The answer sits with the world’s biggest oil producer, Saudi Arabia.

    How is Saudi Arabia moving the oil price?

    ASX 200 energy shares held up reasonably well last week when OPEC+ moved forward with its stated plans to increase the group’s oil output. OPEC+ lifted its production target by 400,000 barrels per day (bpd).

    In the latest move to impact crude prices, Saudi Arabia has reduced the official selling price (OSP) of Arab Light crude for its Asian customers far more than traders had been expecting.

    The result has seen Brent crude fall by more than 1% overnight, currently trading for US$71.84 (AU$97.08) per barrel. And it appears investors in ASX 200 energy shares were taking note.

    Warren Patterson, the head of commodities strategy at ING Groep in Singapore said (quoted by Bloomberg), “The level of cuts in Saudi OSPs for Asia was a surprise, and it does not send a great signal to the market regarding current demand dynamics.”

    The move may be driven by the resurgent Delta strain which has seen an increasing number of nations reinstate travel restrictions, cutting demand for oil. This saw some of state-owned producer Saudi Aramco’s Asian customers scale back their crude orders in August.

    As Bloomberg notes, Saudi Arabia “sells all of its oil on long-term contracts to refiners”. So setting the monthly price too high could see these customers shop for their energy needs elsewhere.

    According to Giovanni Staunovo, a commodities analyst at UBS Group:

    Because of the high Saudi OSPs in previous months, traders have diverted to the spot market instead of using long term contracts. With domestic demand likely leveling off in autumn, they have more barrels to be exported, so that’s another reason to offer more attractive OSPs.

    Aramco cut the price for Arab Light crude by US$1.30 a barrel, while the consensus forecast had been for a cut of 60 US cents.

    How have these ASX 200 energy shares been performing?

    The 3 ASX 200 energy shares listed above were all down today, yet they have had significantly different results this year.

    The Oil Search share price is down 1.3% in 2021. Meantime, the Santos share price is down 5.3% year-to-date.

    But it is the Woodside Petroleum share price that has struggled the most, down 15.4% so far this calendar year.

    By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 12% over that same time.

    The post ASX 200 energy shares fell today – here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

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

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3jMOdp5

  • Another day, another Dominos (ASX:DMP) share price all-time high

    two women and a man eating pizza at a party

    The Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd. (ASX: DMP) has stepped into the green during Monday’s session.

    Domino’s shares have been on an extended run into the green over the last month, and at market close are up 0.79%, at $157.95.

    As such the Domino’s Pizza share price reached another all-time high today, hitting an intraday of $158.43.

    What tailwinds are behind the Domino’s Pizza share price?

    The Domino’s Pizza share price has been on the move ever since the company reported its FY21 earnings back in August.

    In its report, the company achieved record results, growing sales around 15% year on year (YoY) to $3.7 billion. The bolus of this growth was underscored by a 21.5% YoY increase in online sales.

    This matched the wider trend in online food retail, which saw a massive uptick secondary to the Covid-19 induced lockdowns in Australia.

    As a result, the company recognised net profit after tax (NPAT) of $188.2 million, a 29% increase from the year prior.

    Due to these strengths, management increased the dividend payout ratio from 70% to 80% over the year.

    The company increased its final dividend to 85.1 cents per share, meaning shareholders enjoyed a total FY21 dividend of $1.74 cents per share. This is a 45% increase from FY20.

    Domino’s also achieved a great deal of fundamental momentum across the year. It opened 285 new stores for example, with 126 new stores opened in Japan alone.

    Management also managed to pay down $118.7 million of the existing debt load, which free’s up additional capital and future cash flows for the company.

    With respect to guidance, management estimates a “record year” for store expansion, and has already achieved network sales growth of almost 8% in FY22.

    The Domino’s Pizza share price has gained 24% since its FY21 earnings, and there has been no other market sensitive information for the company over this time.

    Therefore, it stands to reason that investors are buying Domino’s shares on the back of this fundamental momentum, and the company’s expected FY22 earnings.

    Domino’s Pizza share price snapshot

    The Domino’s Pizza share price has gained 81% this year to date, extending the gain over the last 12 months to 91%.

    These results have far outpaced the S&P/ASX 200 index (ASX: XJO)’s return of around 25% over the past year.

    The post Another day, another Dominos (ASX:DMP) share price all-time high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Domino’s Pizza Enterprises right now?

    Before you consider Domino’s Pizza Enterprises, 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 Domino’s Pizza Enterprises 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 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 recommended Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3E0wEdh

  • The Kuniko (ASX:KNI) share price is on a wild ride, sliding 14% today

    A young girls clings in fright to a big red slide.

    The Kuniko Limited (ASX: KNI) share price has sunk well into the red on Monday’s session.

    At the market close, Kuniko shares were changing hands at $2.29 apiece, a 14.55% drop from the open this morning.

    Let’s investigate further.

    Quick recap on Kuniko

    Kuniko is a mineral exploration company that has interests in the development of non-lithium battery metals.

    The company was formed by a spinoff from Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) at the end of July, in a heavily oversubscribed initial public offering (IPO).

    Located in Norway, Kuniko targets cobalt, nickel and copper prospects — three battery metals used particularly in electric vehicles.

    At the time of writing, the company has a market capitalisation of $142.5 million.

    What’s up with the Kuniko share price lately?

    There is no market-sensitive information that relates to the company today. However, Kuniko shares have been on a wild ride since floating on the ASX back in July.

    Arguably, the most interesting observation in the company’s journey since listing has been the volatility in its share price. Let’s dive into this a bit deeper to fully understand.

    Firstly, the Kuniko share price zoomed from 76 cents on 25 August to close at $2.17 the day after. That’s a 186% increase on the day.

    However, at one point during the day, Kuniko shares were exchanging hands at a high of $3.60, and a low of 80 cents. Taking the spread between these two prices, we see it is a 375% difference!

    What’s more is that this exchange occurred on a tremendous volume of almost 36 million shares, which is about 90% of Kuniko’s fully diluted number of shares outstanding.

    In the week following, the Kuniko share price continued its ascent northwards, with a similar display of volatility across each day.

    After the company announced its new CEO on 1 September, the Kuniko share price soared 19% higher on the day to close at $3.23.

    It closed at $2.94 the day after, a 9% decrease. However, before it dropped to that level, it traded in an intraday range of $2.76 to $3.38 – a 22.5% spread in prices during that session.

    Now almost a week later, the Kuniko share price is back down by approximately 18%.

    Foolish takeaway

    Kuniko shares are displaying a great deal of volatility since listing back in July.

    This volatility has caused a wide range in which the Kuniko share price has traded. Volatility is not necessarily a driver of share price changes, but is certainly a result of underlying market forces that do cause these short-term fluctuations.

    The post The Kuniko (ASX:KNI) share price is on a wild ride, sliding 14% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    These 5 Cheap Shares Could Be Set For Huge Gains (FREE REPORT)

    We hear it over and over from investors, “I wish I had bought Altium or Afterpay when they were first recommended by The Motley Fool. I’d be sitting on a gold mine!” And it’s true.

    And while Altium and Afterpay have had a good run, we think these 5 other stocks are screaming buys. And you can find out the names of these stocks in the FREE stock report.

    *Extreme Opportunities returns as of February 15th 2021

    More reading

    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.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2WY1O3y

  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares on Monday

    Top 10 - asx 200

    Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) inched out a small gain. The benchmark index closed 0.07% higher to 7,528.5 points. It was a mixed day on the market to start the week. For the most part, tech shares and consumer discretionary performed well. However, the Aussie index was heavily impacted by a poor showing by miners and energy shares.

    However, the question is: which shares from the top 200 delivered the most green on the ASX today? Here are the ten stocks that delivered the biggest gains while the market fell:

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown today

    Looking at the top 200 listed companies, IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the education services company rallied 4.54% despite no news out. Find out more about IDP Education here.

    The next best performing ASX share out of the top 200 today was Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN). The mining company’s shares managed to buck the broader trend, climbing 3.97% to $4.055. Uncover the latest Evolution Mining information here.

    Today’s top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX 200 shares:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) $32.93 4.54%
    Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) $4.055 3.97%
    Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC) $2.055 3.01%
    ZIP Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) $6.97 2.80%
    Crown Resorts Ltd (ASX: CWN) $9.63 2.34%
    Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CAR) $25.97 2.33%
    Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) $25.14 2.28%
    TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) $6.59 2.17%
    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) $3.35 2.13%
    Ansell Ltd (ASX: ANN) $37.495 2.03%
    Data as at 4:00pm AEST

    Our top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check-in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

    The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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. owns shares of and has recommended Idp Education Pty Ltd and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ansell Ltd., TPG Telecom Limited, and carsales.com Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/3n3Vsuz

  • Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price stumbles on geopolitical instability

    a close up image of a soldier holding an automatic weapon in his hands against the background of army fatigues.

    The Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price finished a glowing a shade of red on Monday.

    At market close, shares in the multinational mining company ended the day 0.84% down to $110.44.

    Military coup weighs on West African mining potential

    Investors in mining companies such as Rio Tinto were treading carefully today as reports flow in of a military coup in Guinea. Reportedly, a unit of the West African country’s military has overthrown the government.

    Guinea is already one of Australia’s largest suppliers of bauxite, which is an unrefined form of aluminium. Consequently, this latest political instability could impact mining companies that operate in the area. Additionally, the development has cast a shadow on earlier optimism of Guinea becoming a major iron ore producer.

    Following the boom in commodity markets, some investors have had high hopes for the Simandou mine in Guinea. The uncertainty was reflected in the weaker Rio Tinto share price before market close.

    The site is believed to be the largest iron ore deposit of its kind, containing an estimated 10 billion tonnes of steelmaking ore.

    In August, S&P Global reported that the deposit had been won by a Chinese-Singaporean-Guinean consortium. This consortium had been eyeing 2025 as the year to commission different blocks of the site, with Rio Tinto being involved through 2 mining leases.  

    KPMG Geopolitics director Merriden Varral commented on the instability in the West African region, stating:

    The issues driving terrorist activity in that region of the world are not set to be resolved in the immediate future, particularly as COVID-19 exacerbates existing inequalities and undermines poverty reduction.

    An urgent meeting has been called by the African Union’s Peace and Security Council following the takeover.

    Commodity pressures on the Rio Tinto share price

    A steep and sudden fall in iron ore prices has weighed on many ASX-listed miners in the past month. The Rio Tinto share price is no exception, falling approximately 15% over that period.

    Furthermore, this is not the only geopolitical uprising that the company has had to deal with in recent months. Rio Tinto has only recently resumed operations at Richards Bay Minerals in South Africa after widespread unrest across the region. This stemmed from the imprisonment of former President Jacob Zuma for contempt of court.

    Lastly, the weakness in ASX-listed mining companies extends beyond the Rio Tinto share price on Monday. Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG), BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) finished the day down 11.08% and 0.52% respectively.

    The post Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price stumbles on geopolitical instability appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

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

    from The Motley Fool Australia https://ift.tt/2WWwQsV

  • 3 top ASX growth shares for investors in September

    chart showing an increasing share price

    Are you on the lookout for growth shares to buy? Then you may want to look at the ones listed below.

    Here’s why analysts rate these three ASX growth shares highly:

    Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Breville. This leading appliance manufacturer has been tipped to continue its strong sales and profit growth over the coming years. This is thanks to strong demand, favourable industry tailwinds, international expansion, and its ongoing R&D investment. The latter is ensuring that the company has a portfolio of products meeting the needs of consumers across the world.

    UBS is very positive on the company. It is forecasting double-digit sales growth through to at least FY 2023. In light of this, the broker has a buy rating and $35.70 price target on its shares.

    IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

    Another ASX growth share to look at is IDP Education. It is a provider of international student placement services and English language testing services. It has been tipped to bounce back strongly following the pandemic. Particularly given its increasingly popular software offering, strengthening market position, and a key acquisition in India.

    Goldman Sachs remains very positive on the company’s prospects. It recently put a buy rating and $34.00 price target on its shares. The broker is forecasting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of a 69% for its earnings over the next three years.

    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

    A final ASX growth share for investors to look at is Life360. It is the growing technology company behind the popular Life360 mobile app. This market leading app for families offers features such as communications, driver safety, and location sharing. At the last count there were over 32 million users globally, up 28% year on year.

    Life360 has also recently expanded into the wearables market via the acquisition of Jiobit. This increases its total addressable market and opens up cross selling opportunities.

    Bell Potter believes the company is well-placed for growth. It currently has a buy rating and $10.75  price target on Life360’s shares.

    The post 3 top ASX growth shares for investors in September appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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 Idp Education Pty Ltd and Life360, Inc. 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/3jOo3lS

  • Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price edges higher amid increasingly crowded BNPL space

    three happy shoppers pose together with their shopping bags thanks on a street.

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price is in the green today despite news another ASX-listed bank is launching its own buy now, pay later service.

    Afterpay is facing yet another competitor after Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) announced it is breaking into the BNPL sphere.

    Right now, the Afterpay share price is $131.97, 0.96% higher than its previous close.

    Let’s take a look at the news of Afterpay’s latest rival.  

    Afterpay share price up despite new competition

    The Afterpay share price is performing well today despite the news Suncorp will be launching a BNPL service.

    Suncorp announced its interest-free BNPL offering, PayLater, today.

    PayLater will be accepted anywhere shoppers can use Visa, giving consumers the option to use the BNPL service on purchases from more than 70 million merchants.

    PayLater will follow Afterpay’s tried and tested formula of splitting a purchase into 4 instalments.

    Additionally, Suncorp will be providing PayLater users with a yellow Suncorp bank card. By using the yellow card they can access the BNPL service in store and online.

    Perhaps protecting the Afterpay share price today is the fact that to use PayLater one must be a customer of Suncorp Bank.

    Further, unlike Afterpay, PayLater requires customers to pass a credit check.

    Suncorp Group CEO Clive van Horen commented that PayLater removes the need to download separate apps. He also seemingly noted it will charge merchants less – or no – fees.

    PayLater will charge users a $10 fee if they miss a payment by more than 2 days. The service is capped at $1,000 worth of purchases and has a $50 minimum spend.

    For comparison, Afterpay charges users a $10 fee for missed payments and a $7 fee if the missed payment isn’t made after 7 days. However, it has no minimum spend. Additionally, the amount a user can purchase through Afterpay increases if they use the BNPL service often and responsibly.

    All eyes might be on the Afterpay share price when Suncorp launches PayLater in November.

    The post Afterpay (ASX:APT) share price edges higher amid increasingly crowded BNPL space appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO. 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/2YmsJqy