• 3 blue chip ASX dividend shares to buy right now

    Blue chips shares

    With the cash rate at the record low of 0.25% and tipped to remain at this level until at least the end of 2023, I think the share market remains the best place to earn a passive income.

    Three top blue chip ASX dividend shares that I would buy for income are listed below. Here’s why I think they are great options right now:

    Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

    I think this supermarket operator’s shares could be a good option for income investors because of its solid growth prospects and favourable dividend policy. In respect to its growth prospects, Coles look well-placed thanks to its cost reductions program, expansion opportunities, defensive qualities, and the return of rational competition. And with the company aiming to pay out between 80% and 90% of its earnings to shareholders, I estimate that its shares currently provide a fully franked forward 3.8% dividend.

    Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

    Another option to consider buying for income is Telstra. I think Telstra is a great option due to its defensive qualities and improving outlook. In respect to its defensive qualities, these have been on display this year, with Telstra one of only a handful of companies that has been able to reaffirm its guidance. Looking further ahead, I believe Telstra’s outlook is greatly improved and a return to growth could be on the horizon. This is because the NBN headwind is easing and peak pain is expected to be reached within the next 18 months. In the meantime, I expect a dividend of 16 cents per share in FY 2020, which equates to a fully franked 5.2% dividend yield.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

    A final dividend share I would buy is Wesfarmers. I like the conglomerate due to its high quality portfolio, solid growth potential, and sizeable cash balance. The latter is likely to be used by the Bunnings and Kmart owner to add to its portfolio in the coming years and underpin further growth. For now, I estimate that Wesfarmers’ shares will provide a dividend yield of approximately 4% in FY 2021.

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of COLESGROUP DEF SET and Wesfarmers Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Fed Chair Powell speaks, Cisco earnings: What to know in markets Wednesday

    Fed Chair Powell speaks, Cisco earnings: What to know in markets WednesdayFederal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will be in focus when he speaks via live webcast Wednesday.

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  • Stock market news live updates: Stock futures extend declines as pandemic concerns continue

    Stock market news live updates: Stock futures extend declines as pandemic concerns continueStock futures kicked off the overnight session lower Tuesday evening, extending declines from the regular trading day.

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  • How Westpac could be about to send house prices tumbling

    House Prices

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) could be about to send Australian house prices tumbling with changes to lending requirements.

    As one of the biggest lenders in Australia, Westpac is a key cog in keeping the economy moving, particularly when it comes to Australian house prices.

    I’m sure you remember the financial services royal commission? I think tougher lending requirements were a big factor in why Australian house prices fell by more than 10% in Sydney and Melbourne.

    According to reporting by the AFR, Westpac is about to make it tougher for self-employed people to get a mortgage. The hard coronavirus conditions are causing Westpac to be stricter.

    From this Sunday, Westpac is going to increase the deposit needed for a loan to 20% of the property’s lender-assessed value. That means that sole traders who want to buy a home will need to have a large amount of their own cash saved up.

    These new rules also cover applications who receive income from a business wholly or partially owned by their spouse. Lenders’ mortgage insurance will also not be available for self employed people.

    What does this mean for Australian house prices?

    It’s suddenly going to be harder for a significant portion of the public to buy a house. What if it encourages other major lenders like the other big ASX banks to do the same thing?

    Is Westpac thinking about doing the same thing for borrowers for employees? Probably not at this stage, but it adds even more uncertainty to the situation for people thinking about buying a house.

    I’ve seen that analysts are already predicting that Australian house prices will fall by double digits. Time will tell whether it’s closer to 10% or 20%. I’m definitely not looking at investment properties right now. The only residential property I want to buy is the one I’ll live in. Otherwise I’d just get my exposure through an investment like REA Group Limited (ASX: REA).

    Instead of buying a property, I’d much rather invest in top ASX shares like these ones.

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    Returns as of 7/4/2020

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA Group Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Trump’s Go-Slow Path on New Aid Runs Into Rising Pressure to Act

    Trump’s Go-Slow Path on New Aid Runs Into Rising Pressure to Act(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump and allies are holding off on more coronavirus-related stimulus as his team tracks the impact of some $5 trillion already poured into the economy — and banks on an economic rebound as shutdown measures are eased.But they may find themselves under more pressure to act again, sooner than they expected, if efforts to reopen the economy don’t rapidly bear fruit.Republicans and Democrats joined together in March to fast-track three stimulus measures totaling about $3 trillion as the economy collapsed from social-distancing practices Americans adopted to protect themselves from infection. The U.S. Federal Reserve played its part with two emergency rate cuts, and worked with Treasury to offer $2.3 trillion in loans.Now, conventional partisan divisions are beginning to emerge as Washington’s policy makers grapple with whether the money was enough.Democrats and a handful of Republicans are seeking a fourth round of stimulus, particularly to help states faced with massive budget deficits. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, working with Senate Democrats, has been advocating a massive aid package to get the economy restarted. The House may vote on that legislation as soon as Friday.Trump has expressed skepticism over helping states with large pension obligations, while pushing for a payroll tax cut that’s opposed by most Democrats and some Republicans.“We’re transitioning to greatness, and the greatness is going to be in the fourth quarter — but it’s really going to be next year, and it’s going to be a year like we’ve never had before,” Trump said at a White House news conference on Monday.His economic advisers Larry Kudlow and Kevin Hassett spoke with Republican senators Monday afternoon as both parties chart a path forward.‘Step Back’The measures the government has already taken are still working their way into the economy. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has so far used less than half of $454 billion Congress authorized as backstops for Fed lending programs. He’s said he’s waiting for four more lending programs the Fed has yet to launch before deciding which ones should be expanded.For each dollar Mnuchin pledges to the central bank through the Treasury’s Exchange Stabilization Fund, the Fed can leverage $10 in lending to corporations, small and medium sized businesses, and state and local governments.“What the president has said is, let’s step back for a few weeks, let’s be very considerate in what we do in the next round before we go consider spending another trillion,” Mnuchin said in an interview on CNBC on Monday. “But the president is determined we’ll do whatever we need to do.”Republicans aren’t unified on the path forward. Some have begun to express unease with the exploding U.S. deficit and the ballooning role of the government.The Republican Study Committee, a group of House conservatives, is lobbying for the next stimulus package to offset any new borrowing with longer-term savings.But a Republican senator, Josh Hawley of Missouri, has called for a fourth stimulus that would provide 80% of payroll for all U.S. workers for the duration of the crisis. Another Senate Republican, Susan Collins of Maine, aligned herself with Democrats on the issue last week, calling for swift action to aid states.Fed ConcernsThe unemployment rate tripled in April to 14.7%, and Fed officials have also urged more government spending.“If this is going to go on for a long period of time –- I think it’s going to go on in some phases for a year or two –- I think Congress is going to need to continue to give assistance to workers who’ve lost their jobs,” Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari said Sunday.Fed Chairman Jerome Powell, while not commenting directly on fiscal policy, weighed in earlier this month saying now is not the time to worry about the federal deficit. “This is the time to use the great fiscal power of the United States,” Powell said, “and get through this with as little damage to the longer-run productive capacity of the economy as possible.”There’s pressure in conservative circles, however, to rein in or even stop the spending. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, a former North Carolina congressman and co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus, and Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budgett, have expressed unease with spending levels, two people familiar with the situation say. Other conservative figures have publicly called for a halt.“We have to stop this phase-four spending bill,” said Stephen Moore, a member of Trump’s wide-ranging task force on reopening the economy, and a longtime informal adviser to the president. He’s leading a “Save Our Country” conservative coalition aimed at heading off new spending.“No more, not a dime more,” he said. “Our message to Trump is: Do what you did that actually rebuilt the economy back in 2017. Cut taxes, reduce regulation, provide a liability shield for businesses so they can hire their workers back, and let’s grow the private sector, not the government.”Payroll Tax CutMoore’s coalition favors one Trump idea: suspending payroll taxes. Moore said the taxes, which help finance unemployment insurance, Social Security and Medicare, the health program for the elderly and disabled, should be eliminated through the end of the year.“I’ve talked to him twice about this. He keeps saying, Steve, can you get Nancy Pelosi to go along with that?” Moore said. Trump has even floated the notion of a permanent cut, which would deliver another blow to government revenue.Moore believes the cut would encourage hiring, but Democrats oppose the idea, saying it would do nothing for the more than 30 million Americans out of jobs.The president has also proposed massive spending on infrastructure, taking advantage of low interest rates for government debt. Moore called that misguided. “We’ve already spent so much money,” he said.But other conservatives think the White House won’t be able to hold off as the economic damage from the outbreak continues to mount. At the same time, congressional Democrats preparing new spending plans.“I don’t think that’s going to be a constructive start,” Yuval Levin, director of social, cultural, and constitutional studies at the right-leaning American Enterprise Institute, said of the Democratic proposals. “But I also think the Republican view, that you can sit it out and wait and see how it goes, that’s not going to survive very long, either,” he said in an interview.White House aides have not ruled out more relief altogether, and say they simply want to see how the existing stimulus changes the economic landscape.“Many people would like to just pause for a moment and take a look at the economic impact of this massive assistance program, which is the greatest in United States history,” Kudlow told ABC on Sunday. “After all this assistance, let’s have a look at what the impact is in at least the next couple of weeks for the economy.”Hassett described narrower measures under development at the White House — aid for children going hungry without school meals, or who lack internet access to study online. That would “be part of whatever happens in the phase-four deal to fill in the gaps,” he said Sunday on CBS News.“And then the question really becomes, is phase four really going to be extending the bridge, because we’re not there yet, or is it going to be focused on growth and making sure that, now that we’re on the other side, that we have a healthy economy again?” Hassett said.For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • Grubhub surges on report it will combine with Uber Eats

    Grubhub surges on report it will combine with Uber EatsYahoo Finance’s Myles Udland, Jen Rogers, Dan Roberts, and Melody Hahm discuss the possible merger between two big players in the food delivery space.

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  • Nightmare at Sea Ends in Death for Some Cruise-Ship Workers

    Nightmare at Sea Ends in Death for Some Cruise-Ship Workers(Bloomberg) — Lauren Carrick and fiance Joe Harrison haven’t had a good night’s sleep in weeks. The two dancers on Celebrity Cruises’ Infinity say being held aboard ships for almost two months has left them emotionally drained.“I cried all day,” said Carrick, 29. “We need to have alcohol to sleep — that’s how bad it is. We’re worried, tense, stressed out. We just want to get home.”Carrick and Harrison are among the more than 90,000 cruise workers in U.S. waters stranded on ships two months after the coronavirus pandemic began forcing cruise lines to halt operations and repatriate crew. While companies work through a thicket of shifting rules on returning workers to their home countries, recent deaths of crew have shook the industry and underscored concern about mental health.“It’s a very stressful situation,” said Fabrizio Barcellona, assistant secretary for seafarers at the International Transport Workers’ Federation, which represents local unions. “The prolonged periods they have to stay on board can create a situation of unrest. People can become distressed and that can create flash points.”Carnival Corp.’s Princess Cruises said Sunday a 39-year-old crew member from Ukraine was killed after leaping off its Regal Princess in the port of Rotterdam. The ship’s crew was in the process of being repatriated, the company said in an emailed statement.Another worker was found dead in his cabin on the Carnival Breeze, unrelated to Covid-19, the company said. Carnival, the world’s largest operator, said it was not providing details of the death out of respect for the worker’s family.Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the No. 2 line and owner of Celebrity Cruises, said a crew member went overboard from its Jewel of the Seas about two weeks ago.‘Suicidal’ MessagesCrew members have said the reported deaths have rattled them and dampened morale, said Krista Thomas, a former Norwegian Cruise Line guest manager who’s operating two Facebook pages for stranded crew and their families. In recent days, several workers have told her in direct messages that they are suicidal, she said.“Many of these people have been isolated in their small cabins for 21 hours a day and they’re breaking down from the loneliness and stress,” said Thomas, who operates the pages from Vancouver. “Many have been told to pack quickly to leave, and then their charter flights get canceled. Those highs and lows are taking their toll.”The cruise-line operators say government policy changes and travel restrictions have complicated efforts to get crew home. More than 124 cruise ships — with 94,600 workers aboard — are underway or at anchor in U.S. waters, the Coast Guard said Monday.“That one simple question — how do we get you home? — turns out to be incredibly complex to answer,” Michael Bayley, chief executive officer of Royal Caribbean International, wrote in a letter to crew members this month. “Each country has rules and regulations for who can travel home, and how, and when. But in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, those rules have gone in all different directions — and they frequently change without notice.”About 15 countries won’t allow their citizens to return home at all amid the pandemic, said Bayley.About 7,100 Filipino crew on 20 ships were anchored in Manila bay as of last week, awaiting government testing and clearance to return home, the Philippine Coast Guard said. Many have been confined to their cabins for at least two weeks, according to crew and some operators. They will be quarantined 14 more days before leaving the vessel, the Coast Guard said in an email.Royal Caribbean International has said all 25,000 crew members on its ships have completed 14 days of in-room quarantine and are now practicing social distancing. While the company has repatriated about 9,100 seafarers, plans are still being made for the others, who come from 60 different countries, Bayley said in the letter.Carnival has also cited port closures and travel restrictions as roadblocks to getting crew back on land. The operator repatriated 20,000 workers last month, and another 49,600 are waiting to go home as of Monday, according to Roger Frizzell, a spokesman for Carnival, which employs about 90,000 crew on 105 cruise ships.CDC RequirementsThe business shutdown for many cruise operators began in earnest March 14, when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued its first-ever no sail order for all cruise ships in U.S. waters.The order banned passengers from boarding and required lines to come up with plans to contain Covid-19 infections. Since February, more than 30 cruise voyages have been linked to coronavirus outbreaks, according to the CDC website.Last month, the CDC updated requirements that called for cruise company executives to guarantee that seafarers would be flown home on charter flights and other private transport. Under the rules, crew should not use public airport terminals or transportation to avoid the risk of spreading infections.Travel restrictions have also meant that in some cases, workers are shuffled from one ship to another before they can set foot on land again.Carrick and Harrison, both from the U.K., were moved to another Celebrity ship, the Reflection, a few days ago. They were told to pack to transfer to yet another ship Monday, but were given a last-minute option to remain on their current ship and then get on a charter flight to the U.K. next week.They chose the flight and have also made another important decision. After dancing on ships for more than 6 years, this will be their last voyage.“This whole experience has been a nightmare,” said Carrick. “I can’t even think of coming back to a ship.”(Updates Carnival crew numbers in 15th paragraph.)For more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.comSubscribe now to stay ahead with the most trusted business news source.©2020 Bloomberg L.P.

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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    Investment stock market Entrepreneur Business Man discussing and analysis graph stock market trading,stock chart concept

    On Tuesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gave back all of Monday’s strong gains. The benchmark index tumbled a disappointing 1.1% to 5,403 points.

    Will the market be bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to fall again.

    The Australian share market looks set to extend its decline on Wednesday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to fall 70 points or 1.3% at the open. This follows a very poor night of trade on Wall Street which saw the Dow Jones fall 1.9%, the S&P 500 drop 2.05%, and the Nasdaq index tumble 2.05%. Investors were selling equities due to reopening jitters, with U.S. banks particularly poor performers.

    Commonwealth Bank third quarter update.

    The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price will be on watch today when it releases its third quarter update. Some analysts have tipped the Australia’s largest bank to reveal its expectations for provisions in FY 2020. There is speculation that Commonwealth Bank’s bad debt provisions could be as high as $3 billion because of the coronavirus pandemic.

    Oil prices jump.

    Energy producers such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could be on the rise today after oil prices jumped higher. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price rose 5.6% to US$25.50 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price climbed 0.2% to US$29.69 a barrel. Traders were buying oil after Saudi Arabia pledged to deepen its production cut.

    Gold price pushes higher.

    It could be a good day of trade for gold miners including Newcrest Mining Limited (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) after the gold price pushed higher. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.45% to US$1,705.60 an ounce. Investors are betting on more stimulus from central banks to support the economic recovery from the pandemic.

    REA Group tipped as a buy.

    The REA Group Limited (ASX: REA) share price could have a lot more room to run according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. The broker has retained its buy rating and lifted the price target on the property listings company’s shares to $107.00. This represents potential upside of approximately 14% over the next 12 months.

    5 cheap stocks that could be the biggest winners of the stock market crash

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    Returns as of 7/4/2020

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended REA Group Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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  • Could Musk’s recent comments hurt Tesla sales?

    Could Musk's recent comments hurt Tesla sales? Yahoo Finance’s Myles Udland, Jennifer Rogers, Dan Roberts, and Melody Hahm discuss Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s latest comments and tweets about the reopening of California, and whether that could hurt Tesla in the long run.

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  • Coronavirus latest: Tuesday, May 12

    Coronavirus latest: Tuesday, May 12Dr. Fauci testified at Congress on Tuesday to offer his opinions and reservations about the coronavirus vaccines and reopening the United States. Yahoo Finance’s Anjalee Khemlani joins The Final Round panel to break down the latest news about the coronavirus.

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