Tag: Motley Fool

  • Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy now

    A man holding cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    A man holding cup of coffee puts his thumb up and smiles while at laptop.

    Are you interested in adding some ASX shares to your portfolio this month?

    Three ASX 200 shares that could be worth considering are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

    The first ASX 200 share to look at is data centre operator NextDC. With more and more services shifting to the cloud, demand for data centre space has been growing at a rapid rate in recent years. The good news is that the shift to the cloud is still a work in progress, which bodes well for demand over the next decade. And with NextDC owning some of the highest quality data centres in the world, it appears well-placed to capture this demand. In addition, the company is constructing new centres in regional markets and looking at the Asian market.

    Goldman Sachs is positive on the company and has a buy rating and $14.20 price target on its shares.

    Seek Limited (ASX: SEK)

    Another ASX 200 share that could be in the buy zone is this leading job listings company. Seek has been tipped to continue its solid growth over the long term thanks to its leadership position in the ANZ market and its international operations.

    Credit Suisse is a fan of Seek. Last month, its analysts put an outperform rating and $36.90 price target on its shares. It expects Seek to outperform its guidance in FY 2022.

    TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

    A final ASX 200 share to look at is enterprise software provider TechnologyOne. It has been tipped to deliver strong earnings growth over the coming years thanks to its transition to a software-as-a-service (SaaS) focused business. As of its last update, management believes it is on track to almost double its annual recurring revenue (ARR) to $500 million by FY 2026.

    The team at Goldman Sachs is also very positive on Technology One. The broker currently has a buy rating and $13.30 price target on its shares.

    The post Experts name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy now 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in NEXTDC Limited and 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 and TechnologyOne 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 ups and downs for ASX uranium shares in the 2022 financial year

    ASX uranium shares represented by yellow barrels of uranium

    ASX uranium shares represented by yellow barrels of uranium

    ASX uranium shares broadly benefited in the first part of the 2022 financial year (FY22) amid fast rising prices for the metal.

    What happened with uranium prices in FY22?

    Uranium prices tracked higher over the first nine months, reaching more than US$64 per pound in mid-April, according to data from Trading Economics. Since then, prices have fallen back to US$48 per pound, though that’s still well above the US$30 per pound on 30 June 2021.

    Global interest in the metal, used in nuclear reactors to generate electricity, was rekindled in 2021 amid increased focus on slashing carbon emissions. Whilst nuclear energy entails having to deal with the radioactive waste post electricity production, it essentially produces no greenhouse gases.

    Soaring energy prices in 2022, spurred higher by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has also seen more political interest in using uranium to provide baseload power.

    So, how did all this impact ASX uranium shares?

    ASX uranium shares broadly beat the benchmark

    All up, it was a mixed bag for investors of ASX uranium shares in FY22, though most beat the benchmark index.

    Here’s how some of the top producers and explorers stacked up against the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) over the 12 month period.

    • All Ordinaries Index(ASX: XAO) lost 11.1%
    • Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN) closed FY21 trading for 52 cents and finished FY22 at 58 cents, a gain of 11.5%
    • Deep Yellow Limited (ASX: DYL) kicked off FY221 at 72 cents and finished at 60 cents, a loss of 16.7%
    • Bannerman Energy Ltd (ASX: BMN) opened and closed the 2022 financial year at 17 cents per share, for a change of 0.0%
    • Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) finished FY21 at 18 cents and closed FY22 at $1.77, a gain of 22%

    Looking over that list you’ll see that three of the four ASX uranium shares handily outperformed the All Ordinaries in FY22.

    You may also be questioning our maths.

    If the Boss Energy share price went from 18 cents to $1.77, surely that’s a gain of 833%, not 22%?

    The discrepancy there is in the share consolidation that Boss Energy carried out back in November. That saw every eight Boss Energy shares consolidated into one ‘new’ share. With that in mind, the FY22 closing price for this ASX uranium share in relatable terms to its FY21 closing price needs to be divided by eight.

    So instead of $1.77, we get 22 cents.

    Still, an impressive 22% year-on-year gain for Boss Energy.

    The post The ups and downs for ASX uranium shares in the 2022 financial year 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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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  • What are experts predicting will be the best-performing ASX sectors in FY23?

    A smiling woman with a satisfied look on her face lies on a rug in her home with her laptop open and a large cup on the floor nearby, gazing at the screen. researching new ETFsA smiling woman with a satisfied look on her face lies on a rug in her home with her laptop open and a large cup on the floor nearby, gazing at the screen. researching new ETFs

    With the new financial year underway, it’s time for investors to think about positioning their portfolios for the new macroeconomic regime.

    The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has recently bounced from a low on 20 June. It closed the day on Tuesday at 6,606.3, 0.06% higher.

    Themes of inflation, central bank tightening, surging interest rates, and – even after two long years – COVID-19 continue to dominate the narrative for ASX shares.

    In FY22, energy and mining shares were the dominant players and, by all accounts, look set to perform into the new financial year.

    The chart below shows the returns for each of the ASX’s major sector indices this year to date. Energy and utilities have outperformed whilst all other sectors are in the red.

    TradingView Chart

    What sectors will perform in FY23?

    According to a blend of its global macro models and analyst expectations, Trading Economics expects the S&P/ASX 200 Index to trade around 6,500 points by the end of this quarter.

    “Looking forward, we estimate it to trade at 6079.65 in 12 months time,” it added.

    It’s a bold prediction that points to further downside, but it may have some merit, according to some experts.

    Analyst Chris Savage at Bell Potter is cautious on the technology sector in FY23 due to the shifting interest rates cycle. He wrote in a recent note:

    We remain cautious on the outlook for the tech sector in the second half of 2022 given the likelihood that interest rate rises will continue both domestically and offshore due to inflation remaining stubbornly high.

    With this in mind we are more attracted to stocks in the tech sector with reasonable cash flows/earnings.

    Meanwhile, energy shares look set to continue flourishing in FY23, with a number of tailwinds still behind the sector.

    Analysts at JP Morgan note there’s still plenty of uptake of fossil fuels forecast into the next decade. It’s a view shared by Lazard Asset Management.

    It says that the energy sector, being so crucial to the economy’s functioning, could continue to rate higher in FY23.

    Healthcare shares could also be set to catch a bid in FY23, with the sector already showing signs of recovery in July.

    Recent Deloitte analysis found that the “health care sector [had] a powerful opportunity to accelerate innovation and reinvent itself” after battling through COVID-19.

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs reckon the average earnings per share (EPS) could grow by around 30% in H2 FY22, suggesting health care could offer some upside this year.

    Bringing all the opinions and information together, it appears that cash-rich, fundamentally sound ASX sectors trading at respectable valuations will be the net performers in FY23.

    This aligns with the stage in the current macroeconomic cycle whereby investors are increasingly pricing in a number of macro-risks, namely inflation, recession fears, and surging interest rates.

    The post What are experts predicting will be the best-performing ASX sectors in FY23? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in S&p/asx 200 right now?

    Before you consider S&p/asx 200, 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 S&p/asx 200 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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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  • Should investors buy Fortescue shares for dividends?

    A male investor wearing a white shirt and blue suit jacket sits at his desk looking at his laptop with his hands to his chin monitoring the CBA share price today

    A male investor wearing a white shirt and blue suit jacket sits at his desk looking at his laptop with his hands to his chin monitoring the CBA share price today

    At the current Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price, the company is expected to pay a huge dividend yield. But is this enough to make it attractive?

    Firstly, let’s look at how much income Fortescue is actually expected to pay.

    Considering FY22 has finished, we’ll look at the projected dividend yield for FY23 and FY24.

    Using the numbers on CMC Markets, Fortescue could pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 16% in FY23 and 9.8% in FY24.

    Compared to most other ASX dividend shares, those projected yields are much larger than what many other businesses are expected to pay over the next couple of financial years. Fortescue has a dividend policy to pay out between 50% to 80% of full-year net profit after tax (NPAT).

    So, on the income side of things, it looks like Fortescue is going to be a ‘gold mine’ for dividends.

    There’s more to returns than dividends

    Getting cash dividends can be very rewarding. Fortescue dividends are very generous – I’m a shareholder myself, so I am getting the benefit of those dividends.

    But, I’ll acknowledge that dividends are only part of the picture. The share price returns are important too. It could be pointless to get a 10% dividend yield but suffer a 10% fall of the share price.

    The Fortescue share price has, indeed, fallen by 14% over the past month and 22% since 8 June 2022.

    I think it’s important to remember that Fortescue’s current NPAT and investment sentiment is tied to the iron ore price because that’s where nearly all of its profit currently comes from.

    The iron ore price has been falling. It’s down around US$25 per tonne since the start of June 2022.

    Fortescue’s profit potential can change quickly, which is why the Fortescue share price can move so quickly as well. The iron ore price and Fortescue profit are expected to settle at a lower level over the next couple of financial years.

    The price of iron ore is highly dependent on China buying vast quantities of the commodity. For people reliant on dividend income, it may not be helpful that Fortescue relies on China for its profit generation. That demand can change.

    The dividends are definitely an attractive feature of Fortescue shares. But, for me, there is another reason to be interested in the business, particularly at this lower Fortescue share price.

    Fortescue Future Industries (FFI)

    FFI is a green energy and green technology company. It is being allocated 10% of Fortescue’s NPAT each year to help develop a global portfolio of renewable energy and green industry opportunities.

    Fortescue Future Industries has a goal of making green hydrogen the most globally traded seaborne commodity in the world. FFI wants to produce 15mt of green hydrogen per annum by 2030. E.ON has agreed to purchase up to a third of that production – five million tonnes.

    Another exciting area is Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), which is described as a leading provider of high-performance battery and electrification technology. FFI says that WAE has already demonstrated a track record of success in advanced engineering in premium automotive and motorsports sectors.

    WAE has an important part to play in Fortescue’s decarbonisation. For example, it’s helping Fortescue create an ‘infinity train’. This promises zero emissions by using a regenerating battery, utilising gravitational energy to fully recharge its battery electric systems without any additional charging requirements for the return trip to reload. It will also reportedly lower operating costs and create maintenance efficiencies

    Foolish takeaway

    Fortescue’s dividends are attractive but are expected to reduce in the coming years. I’m cautious about the outlook for the iron price. However, the green FFI division has a very promising outlook in my opinion, which is why I like the business.

    The post Should investors buy Fortescue shares for dividends? 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Fortescue Metals Group 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 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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  • Investors were seeking out ASX shares in June. Here’s why

    A group of young ASX investors sitting around a laptop with an older lady standing behind them explaining how the ASX 200 works

    A group of young ASX investors sitting around a laptop with an older lady standing behind them explaining how the ASX 200 works

    For ASX investors, June wasn’t exactly a great month to have money tied up in the share market. Over the month just gone, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended up losing a painful 8.9%. That looks more like a one-year loss than a one-month loss, but that’s just life on the ASX.

    With a one-month loss like that, you might be forgiven for thinking that investors were staying well away from ASX shares in June. But new data shows that was not the case.

    According to a new report from global managed fund network Calastone, it was a tough quarter for Australian managed funds, with net outflows of $2.05 billion across all asset classes. That represents the largest quarterly outflow since Calastone began collecting records in 2019.

    However, despite these outflows, inflows into ASX shares were positive, the only sector to stay in the green. Here’s some of what the report said:

    Investors were negative on every category of equity fund in June, except Australian equities. Funds focused on all different regions of the world, sectorfocused funds, even ESG, all saw outflows in June. Global funds bore the brunt of the selling, with outflows of A$120m, while specialist sector funds, which mainly focus on infrastructure assets were also hard hit…

    By contrast, Australian equities were a beacon of relative stability. Net inflows in June totalled
    A$36m, though this was around one tenth of the average monthly inflow over the last two years.

    So why were investors selling everything from ethical investments and infrastructure to bonds and international shares, but not ASX shares?

    Why were investors chasing ASX shares in June?

    Here’s how Calastone managing director Teresa Walker explained it:

    The relative resilience of Australian equities reflects the commodity and banking bias on the
    market. The Australian stock market is one of the highest yielding in the world and that has proven a big draw in times of rising inflation and interest rates
    .

    So it’s dividends that have kept investors coming back to ASX shares, it seems. This isn’t hard to understand. There’s arguably no time that investors appreciate the certainty of yield in the form of direct cash payments more than when volatility is spiking and share prices are jittery.

    That certainly describes the ASX investing environment rather accurately over the past few months.

    There are also the unique benefits of franking that our ASX dividend shares offer too that might have further enticed investors.

    The past 12 months have also seen many ASX dividend shares up their game when it comes to their payouts. We’ve seen big dividend increases from ASX banks like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) for one. In CBA’s case, this ASX bank paid out a total of $2.75 in dividends per share over FY2022. That was a pleasing increase over the $2.48 it doled out in FY2021.

    Not only have the banks been upping their dividends, but so have the ASX’s biggest miners. Both BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) forked out the largest annual dividends in their history over FY2022. Even today, Fortescue shares have a trialling dividend yield of 17.58% on current pricing.

    So considering all of that, it’s perhaps no surprise that investors were looking to ASX shares above other asset classes last month.

    The post Investors were seeking out ASX shares in June. 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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

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  • Zelira shares rocket 28% before being placed on ice. Here’s the latest.

    a medical person in white coat, gloves and protective eyewear uses tools and a test tube to put cannabis buds into the tube for research purposes.a medical person in white coat, gloves and protective eyewear uses tools and a test tube to put cannabis buds into the tube for research purposes.

    The Zelira Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: ZLD) share price was put on ice in mid-afternoon trading on Tuesday after it rocketed 28.57%.

    It followed the company’s request that its shares be placed in an immediate trading halt.

    Shares in the medicinal cannabis company were frozen at $1.98 apiece.

    Why is the Zelira share price halted?

    In a statement to the ASX, Zelira advised it is preparing to make an important announcement to investors.

    This is in relation to the receipt of results from Germany’s health regulator, BfArM.

    Zelira requested the trading halt remain in place until Thursday 14 July or when the announcement is made, whichever comes first.

    A brief rundown on Zelira

    Founded in 2003, Zelira is a biopharmaceutical company focused on researching, developing, and commercialising clinically-validated cannabinoid medicines.

    The company has a pipeline of cannabinoid-based medicines undergoing clinical development that are waiting for access to the German market.

    This includes two products that Zelira launched in 2020, both of which are available in Australia.

    The first is its HOPE product which aims to improve the health of people with autism spectrum disorder.

    And the other product is Zenivol which helps people with chronic sleep disorder (insomnia).

    Zelira share price snapshot

    Despite today’s euphoric gains, Zelira shares have lost almost 80% since this time last year.

    When looking at year-to-date, the company’s shares are down around 65%.

    Notably, Zelira shares hit a multi-year low of 90 cents apiece last month before storming higher.

    Based on valuation grounds, the company presides a market capitalisation of roughly $18.9 million.

    The post Zelira shares rocket 28% before being placed on ice. Here’s the latest. 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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

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  • Why did ASX coal shares leap today?

    Two miners stand in front of a large black wall of coal.Two miners stand in front of a large black wall of coal.

    ASX coal shares jumped today amid supply concerns in global markets.

    New Hope Corporation (ASX: NHC) shares lifted 3.45%, while the Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price closed 1.78% higher. Yancoal Australia (ASX: YAL) shares also jumped 1.96%.

    In earlier trade, New Hope shares surged more than 6%, while Whitehaven shares rose nearly 5%. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) closed up 0.17% today.

    So what happened to ASX coal shares today?

    Coal prices rise

    Coal prices jumped 1.7% in a day to US$419 per tonne, Trading Economics data shows. The coal price has gained more than 7% in a month and 194.55% in a year.

    The coal price surged to record highs amid high demand from Europe, the Washington Examiner reported. A ban on coal imports from Russia to Europe will take effect by the second week of August. This is driving up demand from other countries, including Australia.

    Whitehaven, New Hope, and Yancoal are all coal exporters

    In India, thermal coal imports hit a record in June, Reuters reported today. The nation brought in more than 25 million tonnes of thermal and coking coal last month. This was a third more than the same time last year.

    Shipments from Australia to India were higher than in May, but lower than the same time last year, it’s reported.

    European nations including Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria have recently lifted coal production restrictions amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

    Share price snapshot

    Yancoal shares have gained 144% in the past year, while the New Hope share price has leapt nearly 110%. Meanwhile, the Whitehaven share price has surged 152% in the past 12 months.

    For comparison, the ASX 200 Energy Index has leapt 18% in the past year, and nearly 24% in the year to date.

    The post Why did ASX coal shares leap today? 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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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  • Here’s the outlook for the Rio Tinto share price in FY23

    a man wearing a hard hat and high visibility vest looks out over a vast plain where heavy mining equipment can be seen in the background as the Nickel Mines share price rises todaya man wearing a hard hat and high visibility vest looks out over a vast plain where heavy mining equipment can be seen in the background as the Nickel Mines share price rises today

    The Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price was rangebound on Tuesday, closing 0.05% in the green at $95.41.

    Rio shares have traced a series of falling peaks since dropping from their high of $127.85 apiece on 3 March.

    This has been in almost direct unison with the S&P/ASX 300 Metals and Mining Index (ASX: XMM) over the past six months, as illustrated below.

    TradingView Chart

    What’s in store for the Rio share price in FY23?

    Pushing the Rio Tinto share price lower is pressure from the iron ore and copper markets these past few months.

    Copper, in particular, has fallen drastically from its former highs, after a spectacular run in 2020.

    Last week, copper futures fell to their lowest level in 20 months as fears of a global recession continue to grow.

    According to commodity strategists at Saxo Bank in Copenhagen, the recent moves in copper came from “[US] dollar strength…that came on top of the recent recession fears, pulling the rug from under the market”.

    Meanwhile, iron ore prices continue to plummet, having topped highs of US$159 per tonne in March – around the same time as the Rio share price peaked.

    Iron ore now trades at US$112 per tonne. Head of commodity strategy at ING Warren Patterson said this comes as both China and “ex-China steel output has also struggled this year”.

    Below is a graph charting the Rio Tinto share price against the prices for both iron ore (brown) and copper (teal):

    TradingView Chart

    Other challenges for the Rio share price

    Adding further pressure is a recent wave of COVID-19 lockdowns in China, amid a fresh spike in global cases.

    Analysts say this has impacted the iron ore price substantially as China enforces strict lockdowns, affecting demand.

    “Relentlessly negative COVID headlines out of Gansu, Guangdong, Henan, Macau, Shanghai and Zhejiang over the weekend will pour ice-cold water over sentiment from Monday onwards,” Navigate Commodities said in a note.

    The downside in these base metals has also been a net negative for the Rio share price.

    Meanwhile, analysts at UBS are neutral on Rio, valuing the miner at $98 per share. Goldman Sachs, on the other hand, is baking in some hefty forward dividends for the company, as my Fool colleague James has reported.

    The broker forecasts a $12.55 per share dividend in FY22 from Rio, dropping marginally to $12.25 per share in FY23.

    The broker also rates Rio a buy and values the share at a $131 price target. At the current Rio share price, that represents roughly 38% return potential.

    The post Here’s the outlook for the Rio Tinto share price in FY23 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Rio Tinto Limited, 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 Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over 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.

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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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  • Here are the top 10 ASX shares today

    Top ten gold trophy.Top ten gold trophy.

    Tuesday turned out to be a mixed bag for S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares, with the consumer staples and healthcare sectors outperforming while the materials sector struggled. The index closed today’s session 0.06% higher at 6,606.30 points.

    Its rise came despite Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) finding that consumer confidence fell 3% in July on the back of rate hikes and inflation. Meanwhile, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) found that business confidence fell to below average levels in June.

    Despite such sentiment, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) and S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) rose more than 1% today.

    The former gained amid the release of the ABS’ latest household spending data, which showed spending in May was 7.9% greater than it was at the same point of last year.

    Meanwhile, the healthcare sector was driven higher by shares in CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) and ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD).

    The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) suffered a 1.1% downturn on Tuesday, with lithium shares among its biggest weights. Commodity prices also likely dragged the sector lower.

    The price of copper and aluminium fell overnight amid new COVID-19 restrictions in China, which could impact demand. Iron ore futures also slipped 1.9% to US$111.65 a tonne in similar fears.

    At the end of Tuesday’s session, five of the ASX 200’s 11 sectors were trading higher.

    So, which ASX shares bested the rest to record the biggest gains today? Read on to find out.

    Top 10 ASX shares countdown

    Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) came out on top of all its peers in ASX’s top 200 biggest companies by market capitalisation on Tuesday.

    Shares in the renewable energy company lifted around 4%. Read all about Infratil and what it does here.

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

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) $7.34 3.97%
    New Hope Corporation Limited (ASX: NHC) $3.905 3.58%
    Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) $10.91 3.31%
    NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF) $7.68 3.09%
    Amcor Plc (ASX: AMC) $18.55 2.66%
    Zimplats Holdings Ltd (ASX: ZIM) $22.88 2.42%
    Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN) $1.55 2.31%
    APA Group (ASX: APA) $11.685 2.23%
    Skycity Entertainment Group Limited (ASX: SKC) $2.33 2.19%
    Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) $37.17 2.06%

    Data as at 4:09pm AEST.

    Our top 10 ASX 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 shares today 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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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 positions in and has recommended CSL Ltd. and ResMed Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended APA Group, Amcor Limited, and ResMed Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended NIB Holdings Limited and 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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  • Own Telstra shares? Here are details on the telco’s 2000 new Australian call centre workers

    Five happy friends on their phones.Five happy friends on their phones.

    The Telstra Corp Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price is slightly in the red today.

    Telstra shares are down 0.77% and are currently trading at $3.86 apiece. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) is also 0.77% lower at the time of writing.

    Let’s take a look at what is happening at Telstra.

    New Australian call centre workers

    Telstra CEO Andy Penn has revealed the company has hired a large number of new call centre workers.

    In a blog post today, Penn said 2,000 new team members have been taken on to answer calls within Australia.

    Penn said the staff are located all over the country, including regional hubs from Bunbury to Bathurst to Maryborough.

    He said Telstra heard “loud and clear” that consumers want a change in the way calls are answered, adding “so we did it”. He said:

    This change is all part of our T22 strategy, designed to make life better for our customers.

    Now that we have completed T22, our new T25 strategy will build on the work we’ve already done, and continue to improve the way we serve you. 

    Penn will step down as CEO of the company in September. He will be replaced by Vicki Brady.

    In other news, the Australian Communications and Media Authority has launched new rules to protect Australians from scammers.

    Under the changes, telecommunications providers need to trace, identify, and block SMS scams. Fines of up to $250,000 can be handed out for telcos that breach these directions.

    Telstra share price snapshot

    The Telstra share price has jumped nearly 4% in the past year although it has shed nearly 7% year to date.

    For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has lost nearly 10% in a year.

    Telstra has a market capitalisation of nearly $45 billion based on the current share price.

    The post Own Telstra shares? Here are details on the telco’s 2000 new Australian call centre workers 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 over ten 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

    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of July 7 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Corporation 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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