Tag: Motley Fool

  • Why is the Woodside Energy share price slumping 6% today?

    sad looking petroleum worker standing next to oil drillsad looking petroleum worker standing next to oil drill

    The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price is heading south on Wednesday despite no announcements from the company.

    At the time of writing, the energy producer’s shares are swapping hands at $30.28, down 6.66%.

    Why are Woodside shares backtracking on Wednesday?

    Investors are offloading the Woodside share price following a broader fall across the S&P/ASX 200 Energy (ASX: XEJ) index today.

    Comprising 11 companies that operate in the oil, gas and coal sector, the index is shedding 5.55% to 9,593.2 points.

    The price of oil slid to around US$100 per barrel as market fears re-emerged regarding a looming recession.

    In particular, the West Texas Intermediate (WTI) has now fallen by almost 10% this week to US$99.99 per barrel.

    Furthermore, the US dollar rose overnight as the Federal Reserve raises interest rates to cool down 40-year high inflation levels.

    The central bank recently handed down a 0.75% interest rate hike that spooked financial markets. A more aggressive monetary tightening policy to combat inflation is sparking concerns about an impending recession in 2023.

    Nonetheless, with oil prices backtracking, this will likely put a squeeze on Woodside’s earnings for the short term.

    Shares in fellow energy giant, Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) are also treading 4.68% lower to $7.13 apiece.

    Woodside share price summary

    Despite tumbling today, it has been a positive 12 months for the Woodside share price, up 25%.

    When looking at year-to-date, its shares have further accelerated by 38% following the Russian war in Ukraine.

    It’s worth noting that the company’s shares reached a 52-week high of $35.77 last month before tracking slightly lower.

    In terms of market capitalisation, Woodside is the largest energy company on the ASX with a valuation of approximately $61.60 billion.

    The post Why is the Woodside Energy share price slumping 6% 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 June 1 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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  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    Red buy button on an apple keyboard with a finger on it representing asx tech shares to buy today

    Red buy button on an apple keyboard with a finger on it representing asx tech shares to buy today

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

    Three ASX shares brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

    According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating but cut their price target on this mining giant’s shares to $50.00. While Macquarie has trimmed its earnings estimates to reflect commodity price and foreign exchange movements, it remains positive. The broker continues to see BHP as the best large cap mining exposure. The BHP share price is trading at $38.14 this afternoon.

    Domino’s Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

    A note out of Ord Minnett reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $99.00 price target on this pizza chain operator’s shares. The broker highlights that Domino’s has introduced a 6% service fee on deliveries to offset cost inflation. Its analysts believe this fee will boost profitability without impacting its position as a value option in the quick service restaurant market. The Domino’s share price is fetching $74.07 on Wednesday.

    Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

    Analysts at Credit Suisse have retained their outperform rating and $13.50 price target on this wine company’s shares. According to the note, the broker believes that Treasury Wine will benefit from a sharp decline in grape prices following a strong 2022 harvest. In addition, Credit Suisse sees opportunities for the company to increase prices in line with inflation to boost its margins. The Treasury Wine share price is trading at $11.30 on Wednesday.

    The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy 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 June 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Dominos Pizza Enterprises Limited 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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  • The Ethereum price collapsed 47% in June. Here’s why

    woman examining ethereum price

    woman examining ethereum price

    The Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH) price almost halved in value in June.

    Depending on your time zone, Ethereum began the month trading for US$1,989. By the evening of 30 June, it was trading for US$1,025, down 47%.

    The world’s number two token by market cap never regained the level it opened June with, hitting as low as US$896 mid-month, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    The Ethereum price has rebounded slightly in July, currently trading for US$1,118. Still, that leaves the crypto down 77% from its 16 November record high.

    Why did the Ethereum price collapse in June?

    To be fair, it was far from just Ethereum that sold off heavily last month.

    Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) fell 41% and most every single top crypto – save the stablecoins – was deep in the red as well.

    There were a few hefty tailwinds at work here, the strongest being fast rising prices and aggressive interest rate increases from lead central banks. This saw risk assets, like cryptos high growth tech shares, all come under pressure last month, with the NASDAQ closing down 9% and the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) losing 10%.

    What else pressured prices?

    While Ethereum’s 8 June proof-of-work switchover to a proof-of-stake protocol test went without a major hitch, this success was overshadowed by wider concerns about the stability in the crypto markets.

    Only one month after markets were roiled by the meltdown of Terra’s USD stable coin and its supporting token Luna, crypto lender Celsius (CRYPTO: CEL), which promised investors yields of up to 17%, halted withdrawals as investors speculated it might not be able to meet those lofty obligations.

    The Ethereum price tumbled on the news.

    Commenting on Celsius’ woes at the time, Vijay Ayyar, vice president of corporate development Luno, said, “The Celsius news added fuel to the fire, adding to the uncertainty in the market. There is a lot of pressure on prices as we go into the week of Fed decision coupled with concerns on the protocols offering high-yield products.”

    The post The Ethereum price collapsed 47% in June. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Ethereum, 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 Ethereum 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 June 1 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 positions in and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in 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.

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  • Why are ASX 200 tech shares sprinting higher today?

    A woman wearing a virtual reality headset jumps high in her living room.A woman wearing a virtual reality headset jumps high in her living room.

    ASX 200 tech shares have lifted and are currently leading the other Australian sectors during Wednesday’s trade.

    The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) has jumped over 3% into the green, extending the past week’s gains to 2.5%.

    Meanwhile, several names have pushed higher and are standouts amongst the pack. Let’s take a look.

    Why are ASX 200 tech shares tracking higher?

    Yields on long-dated bonds have wound back in recent weeks leading to a re-rating of tech shares in the near term.

    This is despite the Reserve Bank (RBA) lifting the target cash rate by another 50 basis points to 1.35% in its monthly meeting yesterday.

    The United States Treasury note 10-year yield came in to 2.8% overnight, down from highs of 3.4% on 14 June. Meanwhile, the Australian 10-year yield is commanding 3.5%, off a high of 4% in mid-June as well.

    Government bond yields are inversely related to the valuation of risk assets like shares. As yields rise, valuations compress, and vice-versa.

    Current yields often reflect the attitude towards risk in financial markets, but also represent the situation in the real economy as well.

    With macroeconomic themes of inflation, surging interest rates, geopolitical tension, and supply shortages, there’s little room to hide for investors.

    However, with yields retracing, it appears investors have regained some near-term confidence in the sector and hence several ASX 200 tech shares are catching a bid today.

    The shift in short-term sentiment has been good for names such as Xero Limited (ASX: XRO), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) and Altium Limited (ASX: ALU).

    Investors have bid for each of these names up by 5.85%, 3.8% and 3.5% respectively since the opening of trade today.

    That puts them ahead of the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s 50 basis point drop today. Three-month returns are seen below.

    TradingView Chart

    The post Why are ASX 200 tech shares sprinting higher 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 June 1 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 positions in and has recommended Altium, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global and 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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  • Up 49% today, Sezzle share price says see you later to all-time low

    Happy woman shopping online.

    Happy woman shopping online.It’s been a fairly bleak day for ASX shares so far this Wednesday. At the time of writing, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has slipped by 0.44% to back under 6,800 points. But it’s a very different story when it comes to the Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL) share price.

    Sezzle shares are presently having a blast. Literally. This ASX buy now, pay later (BNPL) share has rocketed an astonishing 32% so far today to 52 cents a share. That comes after the Sezzle share price closed at 39 cents yesterday and rose as high as 58 cents a share this morning (up almost 49% at the time).

    It was only last week that Sezzle shares hit a new all-time low of just 25 cents a share. That means Sezzle has now climbed by 132% in only the past five trading days. But we still remain a long way from the ~$2.40 levels we saw soon after Sezzle’s initial public offering (IPO) back in 2019.

    The rally of the past week comes after one of the worst months in Sezzle’s history as an ASX share. As my Fool colleague Bronwyn covered on Friday, Sezzle was one of the worst-performing shares on the entire All Ords index over June, losing half of its value in just a month.

    Why was the Sezzle share price at a 52-week low?

    As we covered at the time, it seems that concerns over inflation, rising interest rates and a possible recession were what was causing consternation among investors over Sezzle shares last month. There are also concerns that the BNPL sector is headed for more regulation in the future.

    On the first point, last month saw Sezzle telling investors that it was “focusing on driving its credit losses below the 2% threshold of total transaction volumes”. Sezzle also flagged that it is responding to higher inflation by increasing both merchant and consumer fees.

    On the second, it was revealed late last month that Financial Services Minister Stephen Jones is actively looking to introduce further regulations to the BNPL sector within a year, calling BNPL services “clearly” a form of credit.

    So it was a combination of these factors that probably led to Sezzle’s new 52-week low last week. But it’s unclear why Sezzle is shooting so much higher today (indeed over the past few days). Perhaps some value investors have finally decided Sezzle shares got too cheap to ignore at 25 cents each. Whatever the cause, it’s certainly been a good week for the Sezzle share price.

    The post Up 49% today, Sezzle share price says see you later to all-time low appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Sezzle Inc right now?

    Before you consider Sezzle Inc, 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 Sezzle Inc 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 June 1 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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  • Why did the Dusk share price flame out 16% in June?

    woman sitting glumly in the dark with candleswoman sitting glumly in the dark with candles

    The Dusk Group Ltd (ASX: DSK) share price continued to dim throughout the month of June.

    At market close on 31 May, the specialty retailer’s shares last traded at $1.99 a pop. Fast forward to the end of June, its shares closed at $1.67, representing a decline of 16% for the month.

    After falling into bargain territory, Dusk shares are staging a strong rebound today to zip 6.99% higher, back to $1.99 apiece.

    What blew the wind out of Dusk shares?

    Investors dragged down the Dusk share price amid negative sentiment across the ASX in June.

    After inflation levels spiked to 5.1% during the March quarter, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decided to intervene.

    The central bank tightened up its monetary policy by raising interest rates in a bid to cool down the rampant inflation.

    The official cash rate rose by 0.5% last month and another 0.5% yesterday – which currently puts it at 1.35%.

    Around the country, prices on consumer goods were noted to have surged at the fastest annual pace over the last 20 years.

    What this means is that consumers are less likely to spend on discretionary items while interest rates are picking up. The cost of debt, such as credit cards as well as personal loans, requires extra payments which, in turn, affects consumer spending habits.

    Nonetheless, a gloomy economic outlook is also weighing down the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ) sector. The index fell 7% over the course of June.

    While Dusk hasn’t made any announcements recently, investors will be keeping a close eye on the upcoming monthly household spending report. This provides a clearer indication of household spending as well as the health of the country’s economic growth.

    Dusk share price snapshot

    It has been a disappointing 12 months for the Dusk share price, falling by almost 50% for the period.

    When looking year to date, the company’s shares are down around 38%.

    Based on today’s price, Dusk commands a market capitalisation of roughly $115.82 million.

    The post Why did the Dusk share price flame out 16% in June? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Dusk Group Limited right now?

    Before you consider Dusk Group 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 Dusk Group 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 June 1 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 recommended Dusk 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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  • How is the oil price plunge impacting ASX 200 oil shares today?

    Red arrow going downwards in front of Red arrow and oil pumpjacks

    Red arrow going downwards in front of Red arrow and oil pumpjacksOne area of the market that is a sea of red on Wednesday is the energy sector. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index is down a sizeable 5.5%.

    This follows a significant pullback in oil prices overnight, which is weighing heavily on ASX energy shares.

    According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price fell more than 10% before eventually closing the session 8.2% lower at US$99.50 per barrel. The Brent crude oil price ended the session 9.45% lower at US$102.77 a barrel.

    Traders were selling oil in a panic amid concerns that a global recession could lessen demand for energy products.

    Which ASX oil shares are falling today?

    You will be hard-pressed to find an ASX oil share performing positively on Wednesday.

    Here’s a summary of how some shares are performing in the energy sector:

    • The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price is down 7%
    • The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is down 5%
    • The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price is down 7%

    What’s next for oil prices?

    Where oil prices, and therefore ASX oil shares, go next will depend ultimately on what happens with the global economy.

    For example, a note out of Citi warns that yesterday’s decline could be a sign of things to come if the global economy falls into a recession. Its analysts are forecasting a decline into the US$60s a barrel if a recession occurs.

    Citi said: “In a recession scenario with rising unemployment, household and corporate bankruptcies, commodities would chase a falling cost curve as costs deflate and margins turn negative to drive supply curtailments.”

    The post How is the oil price plunge impacting ASX 200 oil 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 June 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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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  • ASX lithium stocks avoid share price shock amid commodities lashing

    An older man wearing glasses and a pink shirt sits back on his lounge with his hands behind his head and blowing air out of his cheeks.An older man wearing glasses and a pink shirt sits back on his lounge with his hands behind his head and blowing air out of his cheeks.

    ASX lithium stocks such as Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) and Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) are outperforming the major ASX resources shares today following multiple commodity price falls overnight.

    The Core Lithium share price is down 2.11% to 93 cents. The Allkem share price is down 4.3% to $9.57.

    In comparison, the Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price is crumbling 5.83%, Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) shares have dipped 4.97%, and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 4.8%.

    The Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price is falling 6.1%, and South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) shares are down 7.79%.

    Looking more broadly, the S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR) is down 5.02% at the time of writing.

    All of these price movements are likely tied to a price lashing for various commodities overnight.

    Commodities dip but ASX lithium stocks hold up best

    According to Trading Economics commodities data, the iron ore price rose by 0.88% overnight but is down 8.03% over the past week. The iron ore (62% Fe) price slipped 0.73% overnight and is down by 13.26% over the week.

    The steel price finished flat overnight and is down 4.87% over the week. The hot-rolled coil (HRC) steel price is down 0.97% overnight and 18.21% over the past week.

    South32 has significant exposure to alumina and aluminium, which might explain why its share price is falling most among this particular bunch of ASX resource shares. The aluminium price slipped 3.57% overnight and is down 4.62% for the week.

    Commodities that are currently trading include copper, which is down 0.28% at the time of writing. The copper price has fallen 8.75% over the week. The gold price is up slightly by 0.4% but down 2.6% for the week. The silver price is up 0.27% today but down 6.96% over the week.

    Meantime, the lithium carbonate price finished the session flat overnight. And over the past week, it’s down just a little — by 0.42%. (Fun fact: It’s up a whopping 434% year over year.)

    The relative stability of the lithium price is likely supporting ASX lithium stocks today.

    The post ASX lithium stocks avoid share price shock amid commodities lashing 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 June 1 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Allkem Limited, BHP Billiton Limited, and 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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  • ASX 200 midday update: BHP and Fortescue sink, EML and ZIP jump

    At lunch on Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has been fighting hard to stay in positive territory but is falling short. The benchmark index is currently down 0.25% to 6,612.4 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the ASX 200 index on Wednesday:

    Miners weigh on the ASX 200

    Concerns that there could be a global recession put pressure on commodity prices overnight. This has led to mining giants such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), and South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) tumbling notably lower today. So much so, the S&P/ASX 200 Resources index is down 4.4% at the time of writing.

    EML Payments jumps

    The EML Payments Ltd (ASX: EML) share price is racing higher today. This follows news that the payments company has signed an agreement with the Spain’s national post office network, Correos. EML will support the issuing of a government contract known as the Bono Cultural Joven 2022 (Youth Cultural Bonus) tender. This is supporting the cultural sector which was adversely impacted during the pandemic.

    Energy shares tumble

    Energy shares such as Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) have sunk deep into the red today. This follows a sharp pullback in oil prices amid concerns that a recession could lessen demand for energy products. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price fell more than 10% before eventually closing the session 8.2% lower at US$99.50 per barrel. Brent crude oil ended the session 9.45% lower at US$102.77 a barrel.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Wednesday has inexplicably been the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price with a 17% gain on no news. However, it is worth noting that the tech sector is performing very positively today. The worst performer has been the Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) share price with a 7% decline. This follows broad weakness in the gold sector and the release of a bearish broker note out of Citi.

    The post ASX 200 midday update: BHP and Fortescue sink, EML and ZIP jump appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended EML Payments and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended EML Payments. 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 the Bitcoin price crash 41% in June?

    A bitcoin sits on a graph with red arrow going down

    A bitcoin sits on a graph with red arrow going down

    June wasn’t the best of months for the Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price.

    At all.

    Depending on your time zone, the world’s biggest token by market cap kicked off June trading for US$31,693. By the time the calendar rolled over into July, the token was worth $18,880, down 41% for the month.

    US$31,693 also happens to be the high for the Bitcoin price in June, with it trading as low as US$17,700, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

    While Bitcoin has recovered slightly in July, currently fetching US$20,273, it remains down more than 70% from its 10 November all-time highs.

    So, what went wrong in June?

    Inflation and rising interest rates

    The biggest headwind facing the entire cryptocurrency market has been hot running inflation in the developed world and the accompanying interest rate hikes being rolled out to tame that.

    An outsized 0.75% interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve and hawkish guidance on more rate rises ahead saw most risk assets sell-off in June. The tech-heavy NASDAQ, as a handy benchmark, closed the month down 9%.

    Of course, that’s far less than the Bitcoin price tumbled.

    Why did the Bitcoin price crash 41% in June?

    Just as the token has the potential to deliver outsized gains when markets are running strong, it also has proven itself able to deliver painfully outsized losses when the selling fever hits.

    Bitcoin looks to have come under extra selling pressure after falling below some key levels.

    Nothing technical, mind you.

    But as the Bitcoin price slipped below US$30,000, a growing number of holders found themselves in the red. In fact, by mid-June, anyone who’d bought the crypto since early December 2020 was sitting on a loss, with analysts estimating half of all investors were underwater.

    This looks to be pressuring a number of institutional investors to lighten their crypto holdings.

    According to Wilfred Daye, chief executive officer of Securitize Capital:

    There may be capitulation because larger institutional players, guys who got in during the current cycle, they’re at risk of selling their assets and liquidating their assets. This particular cycle that started late 2020, you had a lot of institutional folks getting in at a higher price, so I think it’s more institutional capitulation.

    Then there’s the crypto miners.

    Securitize Capital estimates it costs some crypto miners more than US$20,000 for every Bitcoin they mine. And as the Bitcoin price kept sliding, more miners were selling their tokens to pay their bills, adding to the supply.

    According to JP Morgan:

    Offloading of Bitcoins by miners, in order to meet ongoing costs or to de-lever, could continue into Q3 if their profitability fails to improve… [Selling] has likely already weighed on [Bitcoin] prices in May and June, though there is a risk that this pressure could continue.

    The post Why did the Bitcoin price crash 41% in June? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Bitcoin, you’ll want to hear this.

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

    The online investing service he’s run for 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.

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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 positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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