Tag: Motley Fool

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

With Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) rallying these days, maybe it’s a good time to revisit the “flippening.” The term (and it’s as fun to say out loud as it is to read or write) is the moment that Ethereum bulls are waiting for. The flippening will take place the moment that the world’s second-most-valuable cryptocurrency overtakes market leader Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) in terms of market capitalization.  

There are no guarantees that the event will even happen, of course. Bitcoin continues to be the brand that every investor knows. The gap between the two digital currencies is also pretty substantial. Bitcoin, with its $434 billion price tag, is more than double Ethereum’s market cap of $182 billion.

But with Ethereum now possibly weeks away from a historic milestone as it continues to be the blockchain platform of choice, it wouldn’t surprise crypto traders if Bitcoin surrendered market leadership to its closest peer. Don’t sleep on the flippening.

Trading places 

Momentum has been on Ethereum’s side lately. It’s up 37% over the past week as of Thursday morning, compared to a more modest but still potent 15% recovery for Bitcoin. Ethereum has also tripled Bitcoin’s return over the past month. Stretch the timeline back a year (merrier times, for sure) and even Ethereum’s 23% slide is marginally kinder than Bitcoin’s 28% plunge.

It’s naturally going to take a lot for Ethereum to flip the script. It would have to soar 139% from here. And Bitcoin would have to stand still. It’s difficult to fathom because the market needs a reason to disconnect the two leading crypto denominations. When one rallies, the other is inching higher. When investor appetite cools, it tends to chill for both currencies. Bitcoin and Ethereum are both roughly 70% off the all-time highs they hit last year. 

If the flippening chatter isn’t getting the same kind of traction it did a year or two ago, it’s because both cryptos would need to triple from here to return to their peaks. The bullish case was that Ethereum would pass Bitcoin on the way up instead of being passing ships in a less inspiring market climate. 

Why is this baton-passing event even possible at this point? Ethereum bulls will point to the merge as the catalyst that could catapult their crypto of choice to the top. Bitcoin and Ethereum currently rely on proof-of-work models to generate new tokens. Mining for new Bitcoin or Ethereum relies on computation power, a validation process that is battle-tested and secure but a drain on energy resources. Proof of work is a red flag for critics with environmental concerns. 

Ethereum has spent the past two years working to shift to a proof-of-stake protocol. It’s a consensus-based mechanism for validating new coins that is popular with many of the faster and more energy-efficient cryptocurrencies. Ethereum was initially hoping to complete the merge to proof of stake last year, but it has proved to be a herculean task. The can has been kicked through the first half of this year, and Ethereum programmers (for now) have Sept. 19 tentatively circled as the day for the migration to proof of stake to take place. 

Traders credit the new date for the surge in Ethereum over the past week, but we’ve seen deadlines come and go in the past. There are still concerns that this could be a “trade on the news” moment, especially if Ethereum keeps climbing ahead of the merge.

However, this could be the moment when Bitcoin and Ethereum truly separate from each other in terms of market sentiment and momentum. Bitcoin wears the market-cap crown right now because it planted the flag when it comes to crypto. It’s the industry standard. Ethereum rose to second place by raising the bar with blockchain technology that powers smart contracts that fuel functionality beyond just a store of value or the means to settle up a transaction.

There are naturally many other types of cryptocurrencies out there, and they have their own particular strengths. A third digital currency could be the one that ultimately overtakes both Bitcoin and Ethereum to rise to the top.

Ethereum is the one we’re watching now, though. It accounts for nearly two-thirds of the total value locked — or deposited in decentralized finance protocol chains — and many smaller digital currencies are there simply to make Ethereum more useful.

Time may be running out for the flippening to take place this year, but if the merge goes smoothly and Ethereum continues to distance itself from Bitcoin’s current limitations, a shift in market sentiment could make it the top dog by 2023.  

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Will Ethereum and Bitcoin see the ‘flippening’ in 2022? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin are falling today
• Tesla sells 75% of Bitcoin holdings. Here’s why Elon Musk is unloading
• Here’s why the Bitcoin and Dogecoin prices are rocketing
• Ethereum surges, but Ethereum classic up much more on merge anticipation
• These are the stocks making hay from the Bitcoin price upturn

Rick Munarriz has positions in Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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The Boral Limited (ASX: BLD) share price was on a roll this week, gaining 7.78% to close on Friday at $2.77.

It followed a 58% tumble experienced by the stock over the first half of 2022, driven by a February capital return.

In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifted 3% this week. It’s also slipped around 10% since the start of this year.

But with one broker focusing on blue skies ahead, could the market be seeing the start of an about-face from the Boral share price?

Let’s take a closer look at what the expert predicts for the future of the building products and construction materials company’s shares.

46% upside tipped for Boral share price

The Boral share price has struggled in recent times, with inflation and energy prices taking their toll on the company.

Boral is a large energy user, and much of its business relies on the housing market, which can be hit hard by rising inflation and resulting interest rate hikes, as my Fool colleague Brendon Lau reported last month.

Further, the company announced its earnings were hampered by “extraordinary” rain earlier this year.

It expects the rain left a dint to the size of around $30 million in its financial year 2022 earnings while inflation and energy costs could have had a $15 million impact.

On top of that, the company noted it expected its transformation project to deliver a benefit of between $45 million and $50 million. That’s lower than its targeted range of between $60 million and $75 million.

But analysts at Macquarie believe the worst could be over for the ASX 200 stock.

The broker has slapped Boral shares with a $4.05 price target and an ‘outperform’ rating. That indicates a 46.2% upside on the company’s current share price.

The post Up 8% this week, is the Boral share price on the comeback trail? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Down 10% in a month, could Boral shares be a buy?

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 recommended Macquarie Group Limited. 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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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a rather rocky end to the week’s trading session on Friday. The ASX 200 ended up losing an anaemic 0.04%, falling to just over 6,790 points. But perhaps surprisingly, most of the ASX 200-dominating bank shares performed rather better.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price inched ahead, gaining 0.18% today to $97.80 a share. But Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) shares had a very healthy day indeed. Westpac rose 1.1% at $21.07 a share.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) performed similarly. It finished up a robust 0.74% at $29.88 a share.

But it was the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ) share price that really lit up the tyres. ANZ shares rose a pleasing 3.01% to $22.59 each. That comes after this ASX 200 bank share closed at $21.93 a share yesterday.

Why did the ANZ share price outshine the other ASX banks?

Well, we can’t know for sure, seeing as there was nothing out today from ANZ itself that might easily explain this disparity.

However, we can consider that ANZ has been in the news this week in a big way. On Monday, the bank announced that it intends to acquire the banking arm of Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN) for $4.9 billion. This would be one of the largest ASX bank deals in more than a decade.

ANZ’s shares have been halted from trading for most of the week so that the bank could undertake capital raising to fund the acquisition. ANZ shares returned from this halt yesterday, but perhaps investors decided that the bank is looking good with its brand new bag today.

There is certainly no news or announcements out of the other ASX banks this week that come close to the significance of ANZ’s plans. So this could be why we saw such enthusiasm for the ANZ share price today as we head into the weekend.

Whatever the reason, it was certainly a pleasing day for ANZ shareholders.

At the last ANZ share price, this ASX 200 bank share has a market capitalisation of $63.82 billion, with a dividend yield of 6.37%.

The post Why did the ANZ share price smash the other ASX 200 banks today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Own CBA shares? Union labels bank ‘irresponsible’ following major COVID change
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• IAG share price drops despite ‘strong momentum’ for FY23
• ASX 200 midday update: Brickworks higher, IAG drops on prelim results, Zip rockets

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in National Australia Bank 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 Westpac Banking Corporation. 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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Despite a few bumps and bruises, it’s been a pretty good week for ASX shares this week.

As it stands on Friday afternoon, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has put on a pleasing 3.15% since last Friday’s close. But that’s nothing compared to the Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price.

Kogan shares have had a ripper of a week, no way around it. For starters, this online-based retailer added a pleasing 4.47% during today’s trading session alone, leaving it at $3.27 a share going into the weekend.

This time last week, Kogan shares were trading at just $2.72, only a whisker off the company’s 52-week low of $2.66.

This means that the Kogan share price has climbed from $2.72 to $3.27 in a week – a whopping gain of 20.22%.

But even so, this company is still deep in the red over 2022 thus far. Year-to-date, the Kogan share price remains down a nasty 62% or so, despite this week’s gains.

So what has put such a rocket behind the Kogan share price this week?

Why has the Kogan share price shot the moon this week?

Well, unfortunately, it is entirely unclear. This week’s spectacular gains have not resulted from anything the company has released itself. Indeed, we haven’t had any official news or announcements from Kogan since 8 July.

However, we have seen a definite trend emerging on the ASX boards this week that could shed some light on Kogan’s gains.

Many smaller ASX retailers like Kogan have been suffering a similar fate this year. But this week has seen several of them jump on a similar rocket to Kogan.

Take Dusk Group Ltd (ASX: DSK). Its shares are up 8.6% over the past week. Or Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV). Lovisa shares have surged more than 8% over the same period. Not quite at Kogan’s level, but pleasing enough.

So perhaps Kogan’s impressive gains are just part of this trend that we are seeing. Whatever the reason, it has undoubtedly been a great week for Kogan shareholders.

At the last Kogan share price, this ASX retailer has a market capitalisation of $350.72 million.

The post Why did the Kogan share price rocket 20% this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Do these 2 All Ords ASX shares offer a hefty upside?
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• RBA in the spotlight; and Westpac hikes fixed rates. Scott Phillips on Nine’s Late News
• 2 All Ords ASX shares this fund manager thinks are compelling
• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares leaping 10% or more today

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Dusk Group Limited and Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Dusk Group Limited and Lovisa Holdings Ltd. 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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The Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price was a positive performer on Friday.

The cloud accounting platform provider’s shares rose almost 1% to end the week at $91.22.

This latest gain means the Xero share price is now up almost 20% since this time last month.

Though, it is worth noting that its shares are still down materially from their 52-week high of $156.65.

Can the Xero share price climb back beyond $100?

It has been three months since the Xero share price traded above $100.00 but it may not be long until it is beyond this level again.

That’s the view of analysts at Goldman Sachs, who recently reaffirmed their buy rating with a $113.00 price target.

Even after its strong gains over the last 30 days, this still implies potential upside of 24% for investors over the next 12 months.

Why is the broker bullish?

Goldman is bullish on Xero due to its belief that the company can grow its gross profit by an average of 22% per annum between FY 2023 and FY 2025. This is thanks to the stickiness and importance of its software and the low churn levels it is commanding compared to peers. The broker commented:

While noting that the near term remains robust, we do acknowledge the risk of higher churn from SME business challenges and recent price increases. Nevertheless, we see Xero as well-placed to navigate this uncertainty given the stickiness & importance of its software, and lower levels of churn vs. AU overall. We revise FY23-25 GP to reflect FX and higher churn/ARPU growth (price increases).

It is also worth noting that analysts at Citi also see scope for the Xero share price to climb beyond the $100 mark again. Its analysts have a buy rating and $108.00 price target on the company’s shares. Citi commented:

We see Xero’s decision to increase prices in ANZ and UK as an indication of the company’s confidence in its position in its core markets. While the changes would not have a full impact in FY23e, we estimate the changes represent a 8% uplift to group ARPU and represents upside to our ARPU forecasts. An increase in churn is a factor to consider especially given the slowing economic outlook.

The post Is the Xero share price heading back over $100? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 3 fantastic ASX tech shares experts say are buys
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• ASX 200 midday update: Megaport rockets, Allkem’s update, tech shares rally
• Xero share price rises 8%: Can it keep climbing?
• Why did the Xero share price have such a lousy session today?

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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. 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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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started and ended in the red on Friday despite trading higher for much of the afternoon. As of the market’s close, the index was 0.04% lower at 6,791.50 points.

Its downfall was driven by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ), which was weighed down by the APA Group (ASX: APA) share price. The stock tumbled on news of the company’s expected final dividend.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also slumped 1% amid lower oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price fell 2.9% to US$103.86 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price dumped 3.5% to US$96.35 a barrel.

It wasn’t all dire, however. Real estate, financials, and information technology ended the day in the green, with the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price recording its third consecutive major gain.  

At the end of Friday’s trade, three of the ASX 200’s 11 constituents were in the green. But which companies reported the biggest gains of the day? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today’s top performing ASX 200 share was none other than Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH). Find out what’s been going on with the bookmaker’s stock here.

Today’s biggest gains were made by these ASX 200 shares:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH)	$3.29	16.25%
Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)	$0.88	13.55%
EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML)	$1.195	7.17%
Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)	$7.09	5.51%
Pendal Group Ltd (ASX: PDL)	$4.75	4.4%
Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)	$9.61	4.34%
Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)	$8.59	4.25%
City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX)	$2.58	3.2%
Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)	$214	3.18%
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ)	$22.59	3.01%

Our top 10 ASX 200 shares today 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 today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Why Brickworks, Ioneer, Telix, and Zip shares are charging higher
• IAG share price drops despite ‘strong momentum’ for FY23
• Up 59% this week: Why is the Zip share price surging another 17% today?

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 positions in and has recommended Cochlear Ltd., EML Payments, MEGAPORT FPO, PINNACLE FPO, Pointsbet Holdings Ltd, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended APA Group, EML Payments, and PINNACLE FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear Ltd., MEGAPORT FPO, and Pointsbet Holdings Ltd. 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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If you’re searching for growth shares to buy, then it could be worth considering the two listed below.

Here’s why analysts are saying that these ASX growth shares are in the buy zone now:

Readytech Holdings Ltd (ASX: RDY)

The first ASX growth share to look at is enterprise software provider Readytech.

Analysts at Goldman Sachs are very positive on Readytech. This is due to its strong position in defensive market verticals such as higher education and local government. It notes that these are under-served by both large and small enterprise software competitors.

Goldman expects this to allow the company to continue growing organically at a solid rate in the coming years. It also sees opportunities for Readytech to boost its growth with bolt on acquisitions.

The broker commented:

In our view, RDY will continue to grow mid-teens organically while making accretive acquisitions (such as IT Vision), with profitability underpinned by solid software metrics including low churn at ~3% and high LTV/CAC.

RDY serves defensive end markets (e.g. higher education, local government) and has high recurring revenue (>85%) which should protect the company’s earnings profile in an economic downturn.

Goldman Sachs has a buy rating and $4.60 price target on ReadyTech’s shares.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

Another ASX growth share that could be in the buy zone is wine giant Treasury Wine.

Analysts at Morgans are very positive on the company. This is due to its strong brands, attractive valuation, and highly regarded management team.

Morgans explained:

TWE owns much loved iconic wine brands, the jewel in the crown being Penfolds. We rate its management team highly. The foundations are now in place for TWE to deliver strong earnings growth from the 2H22 over the next few years. Trading at a material discount to our valuation and other luxury brand owners, TWE is a key pick for us.

Its analysts currently have an add rating and $13.93 price target on the company’s shares.

The post Analysts name 2 stellar ASX growth shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Got $1,000? You can buy 85 Treasury Wine shares… or one bottle of Penfolds Grange!
• Analysts have named these top growth shares as buys
• Experts name 2 ASX growth shares for investors to buy now
• Has the Treasury Wines dividend been worthwhile since 2017?
• Broker names 2 blue chip ASX 200 shares to buy this month

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 positions in and has recommended Readytech Holdings Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Readytech Holdings Ltd and Treasury Wine Estates Limited. 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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If you’re looking for exchange traded funds (ETFs) to buy, then you might want to look at the three listed below.

Here’s what you need to know about these popular ETFs:

BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

If you’re interested in gaining exposure to the Asian tech sector, then the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF could be worth considering. This ETF tracks the performance of the largest technology companies in Asia (excluding Japan). This means you’ll be buying a slice of tigers such as Alibaba, JD.com, Pinduoduo, Samsung, Taiwan Semiconductor, and Tencent Holdings. And with the ETF falling almost 25% in 2022, now could be an opportune time to make a long term investment.

VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

Investors that are fans of legendary investor Warren Buffett, may want to consider the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. When Buffett invests, he looks for fairly valued companies with sustainable competitive advantages or moats. VanEck has taken that into account and pulled together around 50 attractively priced companies with moats. These include high quality companies such as Alphabet (Google), Boeing, Campbell Soup, Kellogg Co, Microsoft, Philip Morris, and Walt Disney.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

If you’re looking for a way to diversify your portfolio, then the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF could be the one to do this with. This popular ETF provides investors with easy access to somewhere in the region of 1,500 of the world’s largest listed companies. This provides significant diversity and also allows investors to take part in the long term growth potential of international economies. Among the companies that you’ll be owning a slice of are giants such as Amazon, Apple, Nestle, Nvidia, Procter & Gamble, Tesla, and Visa.

The post 3 popular ASX ETFs for investors to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Is VGS the best international shares ETF on the ASX?
• I think the 16% drop in 2022 makes this Vanguard ETF a buy
• Here are 3 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors to buy now
• Here are 2 top ETFs to boost your portfolio
• 2 top ETFs for ASX growth investors to buy in July

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 positions in and has recommended Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF, VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF, and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. 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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The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price has been on the up-and-up this week.

That’s despite the Finance Sector Union (FSU) having slammed the bank for denying staff paid COVID-19 leave.

According to the union, the bank’s paid pandemic leave was revoked this month despite Australia’s current Omicron wave.

At the time of writing, the CBA share price is $97.97. That’s 0.35% higher than its previous close and 5% higher than it was at the end of last week.

For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lifted 0.24% today and 3% this week.

Let’s take a closer look at criticisms hurled at the banking giant this week.

Union slams CBA for scrapping paid pandemic leave

The CBA share price has outperformed this week despite the FSU labelling the bank’s decision to scrap paid pandemic leave “irresponsible”.

According to the union, CBA staff were told the bank would no longer provide ten days of paid leave to those impacted by COVID-19, saying it was an additional benefit provided during the 2021 and 2022 financial years.

They were told if time off was needed because they or a family member contracted COVID-19 they could use personal or carers leave.

Finance Sector Union national secretary Julia Angrisano said it was “outrageous” that CBA would scrap the initiative before the end of the pandemic, continuing:

Even worse that the CBA pulls the pin on its staff at the same time the Federal and State governments have extended Pandemic Leave Disaster payments for workers without sick leave.

What does the CBA expect to happen here? Have taxpayers pick up the cost? … This is the bank that posted a $2.4 billion dollar third quarter cash profit in May.

The union has called upon the bank and its CEO Matt Comyn to reinstate the leave entitlement.

A spokesperson for CBA said the bank instated paid pandemic leave in 2020 to support staff facing 14-day isolation periods, lengthy lockdowns, and homeschooling. They continued:

Should our people be unwell, or required to care for immediate family or a household member, they have access to a range of different leave options to support them. In the event all these leave options have been exhausted, employees are encouraged to have the conversation with their manager to understand other options that may be available.

CBA share price snapshot

The CBA share price is currently 4.5% lower than it was at the start of 2022. It has also fallen 2% since this time last year.

The post Own CBA shares? Union labels bank ‘irresponsible’ following major COVID change appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Scott Phillips.

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It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a large number of broker notes.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their add rating and lifted their price target on this lithium miner’s shares to $16.72. The broker was pleased with Allkem’s fourth quarter update and believes more of the same is coming in FY 2023 thanks to strong lithium prices and production from Naraha and Stage 2 of Olaroz. The Allkem share price is trading at $10.27 on Friday afternoon.

Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR)

A note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating and $1.85 price target on this lithium developer’s shares. This follows the appointment of Lycopodium Limited (ASX: LYL) to complete the engineering, procurement, construction management (EPCM) and commissioning services for the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project. Macquarie notes that this is an important step to ensuring that things remain on schedule. It expects production to commence in 2024. The Liontown share price is fetching $1.21 this afternoon.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this elasticity connectivity provider’s shares to $9.60. This follows a quarterly update which revealed stronger than expected growth and a maiden EBITDA profit. Goldman believes the latter de-risks funding concerns, which should be supportive of its valuation. Looking ahead, the broker now expects 30%+ revenue each year through to and including FY 2025. The Megaport share price is trading at $8.73 on Friday.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Do these 2 All Ords ASX shares offer a hefty upside?
• Is the Allkem share price dirt cheap? Broker tips 70% upside for investors
• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• Why Kelsian, Link, Liontown, and Zip shares are racing higher
• Liontown share price jumps 7% on ‘significant milestone’

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO. 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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