Tag: Motley Fool

  • This small-cap ASX share is soaring 33% on strategic partnership news

    A girl runs along with her kite flying high in the sky.A girl runs along with her kite flying high in the sky.

    The LiveHire Ltd (ASX: LVH) share price is on the move during early afternoon trading on Friday.

    This comes after the talent and direct sourcing solutions company announced it has teamed up with ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions.

    At the time of writing, LiveHire shares are soaring 33.33% to 36 cents.

    LiveHire seals milestone deal

    Investors are pushing up the LiveHire share price on news the company’s strategic partnership will see it penetrate new markets.

    In its release, LiveHire advised it has signed a strategic master services agreement with ManpowerGroup Talent Solutions on behalf of its TAPFIN division (TAPFIN).

    The latter makes up part of the US$4.8 billion United States-listed ManpowerGroup Inc (NYSE: MAN).

    TAPFIN is recognised as one of the four largest managed service providers (MSPs) in the world, per the release. The business manages more than US$20 billion in contingent spend through 103 countries.

    Under the deal, LiveHire will serve as primary partner in offering direct sourcing solutions to TAPFIN’s North American clients. This will be on a non-exclusive basis.

    LiveHire noted that there is further scope for the agreement to extend beyond North America. This includes access into other countries across Europe, the UK, and the Asia Pacific region.

    The contract is based on LiveHire’s standard commercial terms. However, management is not able to put a value on the agreement because TAPFIN has not yet signed the first client to use the platform.

    Nonetheless, LiveHire believes that due to the size of TAPFIN and its client base, the deal will be significant.

    Commenting on the news driving the LiveHire share price today, CEO Christy Forest said:

    We’re thrilled to have completed a competitive process conducted by TAPFIN, and to work with the TAPFIN team to bring our joint direct sourcing solution to TAPFIN’s clients.

    About the LiveHire share price

    Despite today’s astronomical gains, the LiveHire share price is trading relatively flat when looking over the last 12 months.

    The company’s shares reached a 52-week low of 23.5 cents earlier this month before bouncing back to April 2022 levels.

    LiveHire has a market capitalisation of roughly $80.28 million.

    The post This small-cap ASX share is soaring 33% on strategic partnership news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Livehire Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Livehire Ltd, 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 Livehire Ltd 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 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 you sell biotech stocks if there’s a recession?

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

    Scientists in a laboratory look at a computer screen with anticipation on their faces representing positive results released by ASX biotech Recce Pharmaceuticals which have boosted its share price today

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

    Commentators everywhere are professing that a recession is nigh, and there’s reason to believe they’re right. The market is down, inflation is up, and inventories are starting to bulge with unsold goods. If you’re feeling a mounting sense of doom, you’re definitely not alone. 

    But none of the above are good reasons to sell your biotech stocks. In fact, there’s a compelling argument that recessions are exactly when you should be buying them. Let’s go through a few of the paradigms that explain why.

    Here’s why selling might be ill-advised

    The first reason to refrain from selling your biotech stocks during a recession is that the drug-development cycle is typically much longer than the duration of most recessions, and it can often take upwards of 12 years to move a candidate from early research through the entire clinical trials process. On average, recessions last 17.5 months, but the latest recession in early 2020 only lasted two months. Remember, most biotech companies can’t generate much in the way of revenue until they have a medicine that’s approved for sale. So if they don’t have any drugs on the market and a recession occurs, nothing changes about their sales. 

    Nor does much of anything change about their chance of earning future sales as a result of successfully commercializing a medicine. Only around 20.9% of drug candidates manage to make it through the entire clinical trials process and reach the market, and failures along the way are almost always due to an unacceptable safety profile or weak efficacy. Economic factors can’t detract from or make up for a drug’s clinical performance, though they could negatively impact sales — but it’s not a given that sales will fall. 

    Even for companies that already have products on the market, recessions aren’t a deal breaker because revenue can still grow when the economy is shrinking. Take Seagen‘s (NASDAQ: SGEN) performance during the Great Recession as an example. Its quarterly revenue grew by 62.9% from the middle of June in 2007 through the same time in 2009.

    While its shares did still lose value during that period, their decline of around 6.5% was far less than the market’s collapse of more than 39.7%. And if you held your shares from right before the recession officially started until a year later, you’d be sitting on significant gains compared to the market’s performance — and that was true for more than just Seagen, as shown below:

    ^SPX Chart

    ^SPX data by YCharts.

    That’s right: The industry-tracking SPDR S&P Biotech ETF beat the market both during and immediately after the recession. Especially for biotech investors who love to diversify within the industry, that’s a strong confirmation that selling your shares in the face of economic turmoil could be a big mistake.

    It might even make sense to buy

    For risk-tolerant investors, recessions are actually a great time to load up on shares of attractive biotechs when they’re cheaper than normal. The trick is to understand which companies have declining share prices because of events beyond their control and which are likely to struggle in a recessionary environment.  

    Consider CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP) as an example; it has more than $2.2 billion in the bank but trailing 12-month operating expenses of only around $592 million. Its pipeline has a handful of mid-stage gene-editing therapies, and its share price bounced back promptly to smash the market’s return after the coronavirus crash and recession. Take a look:

    ^SPX Chart

    ^SPX data by YCharts.

    As you can see, if you find biotechs that fit the bill, recessions can be an appealing time to invest. Biotechs with plenty of cash, minimal expenses, and pipelines packed with late-stage programs are positioned to withstand recessions better than others. Falling share prices make issuing new stock an unattractive way to raise funds, and having a lot of cash relative to research and development (R&D) expenses and operating expenses means that management can afford to wait for better conditions before doing an offering.

    At the same time, companies with a lot of late-stage programs are closer to realizing revenue than others, which means they’ll also have an easier time getting debt financing if it’s necessary. If you already hold shares of the sturdier contenders, know that selling might well help you avoid some short-term losses — but there’s also a good chance it’ll preclude you from realizing long-term gains once the economy recovers.

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

    The post Should you sell biotech stocks if there’s a recession? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in right now?

    Before you consider , 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 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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    Alex Carchidi 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 CRISPR Therapeutics and Seagen Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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



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  • 2 fantastic international ETFs for ASX investors to buy

    businessman holding world globe in one hand, representing asx etfs

    businessman holding world globe in one hand, representing asx etfsExchange traded funds (ETFs) are very popular with investors and it isn’t hard to see why. Never has it been so easy for investors to gain access to groups of shares from all corners of the world.

    But given how many ETFs there are to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones to add to a portfolio. To narrow things down for readers, I have picked out two highly rated and popular ETFs to get better acquainted with today. They are as follows:

    iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

    The first ASX ETF for investors to look at is the iShares S&P 500 ETF. This ETF aims to provide investors with the performance of Wall Street’s famous S&P 500 Index, before fees and expenses.

    BlackRock, the operator of iShares, highlights that the ETF gives investors exposure to the top 500 U.S. stocks through a single investment. This allows Australian investors to use the fund to diversify internationally and seek long-term growth opportunities for a portfolio.

    Among its largest holdings are Alphabet (Google), Amazon, Apple, JP Morgan, Johnson & Johnson, Meta (Facebook), Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla.

    VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    Another ETF for investors to look at is the VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF. This ETF gives investors access to a diversified portfolio of ~50 fairly priced US companies with sustainable competitive advantages or moats (hence the ETF’s name).

    Companies with moats have historically generated strong returns for investors. As a result, it is for this reason that Warren Buffett looks for companies with this quality when picking investments. And given the strong returns the legendary investor has generated over the long term, it is hard to argue against this strategy.

    If you buy this ETF you’ll be owning a slice of companies such as Alphabet, Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, Salesforce, and Walt Disney.

    The post 2 fantastic international ETFs for ASX investors to buy 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 VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and iShares Trust – iShares Core S&P 500 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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  • Down 9% in a week, what’s going on with the Chalice Mining share price?

    Rede arrow on a stock market chart going down.Rede arrow on a stock market chart going down.

    The Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN) share price has had a week to forget. But at least it’s not alone in its tumble. It’s been joined by many of its S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) resource peers.

    At the time of writing, the Chalice Mining share price is picking up to trade at $3.75, 7.45% higher than its previous close. Though, that’s still 8.53% lower than it was at the end of last week.

    For context, the ASX 200 is also up 0.28% today while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has gained 0.5%.

    Let’s take a closer look at what might have gone wrong for the ASX 200 mineral explorer and developer’s stock this week.

    What’s weighing on the Chalice Mining share price?

    The Chalice Mining share price is regaining some of its previous tumble today. It’s suffered lately amid a sell-off among resource shares and sliding commodity prices.

    Many of the company’s projects house on copper, nickel, gold, and platinum group elements.

    Unfortunately, the prices of both copper and nickel have slipped more than 5% over the last week on the London Metal Exchange. The fall has left the price of nickel at its lowest point since February while copper is trading at 16-month lows.

    Meanwhile, gold futures have slipped 1% over the course of this week, according to CommSec.

    The commodities’ downturn might have weighed on the Chalice Mining share price this week despite Goldman Sachs increasing its voting power in the company by around 1% to reach 9.2% on Monday after selling a similar amount earlier this month.

    It’s likely also dragging on the S&P/ASX 200 Resources Index (ASX: XJR). The sector has fallen 5.3% since last Friday’s close.

    The last time the market heard news from Chalice Mining was nearly a month ago. Then, the company announced it had successfully completed a $100 million institutional placement.

    The placement saw the company offering news shares for $6 apiece. That marked a 10% discount to the Chalice Mining share price.

    Since then, the stock has plunged 39%. It has also fallen 58% since the start of 2022 and 47% since this time last year.

    The post Down 9% in a week, what’s going on with the Chalice Mining share price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Chalice Mining Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Chalice Mining Ltd, 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 Chalice Mining Ltd 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 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 Goldman Sachs. 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 are ASX 200 mining shares having such a dire week?

    Young boy wearing a red hard hat frowning with his hands on his head.

    Young boy wearing a red hard hat frowning with his hands on his head.

    S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining shares have broadly underperformed the benchmark index this week.

    The ASX 200 is up 1% since the opening bell on Monday.

    The S&P/ASX 300 Metals & Mining Index (ASX: XMM), which includes some companies outside of ASX 200 mining shares, is down 4%.

    And the pain has been felt across the sector, regardless of the metals the miners are most focused on.

    Here’s how some of the biggest ASX 200 mining shares by market cap have performed so far this week:

    • Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price is down 2.9%
    • BHP Group Limited (ASX: BHP) share price is down 4.7%
    • Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) share price is down 4.9%
    • Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN) share price is down 6.6%
    • Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price is down 5.0%

    ASX 200 mining shares pressured by economic growth outlooks

    Whether they’re predominantly after iron ore, gold, copper, lithium or a range of other metals, ASX 200 mining shares have seen the price of those metals drop this week.

    There are a number of factors at work here.

    First, despite promises of more economic stimulus from the Chinese government, investors are concerned the Middle Kingdom won’t achieve its growth targets this year. As the world’s top importer of iron ore, and chief market for Aussie exports, this has seen the price of the industrial metal slide this week, despite an overnight bump.

    Recession fears

    Increasing jitters about the likelihood of a recession in the United States is also putting pressure on base metal prices and by extension ASX 200 mining shares. Should the world’s largest economy slip into a recession, the effects will likely be felt across much of the globe.

    Copper prices this week were indicative of those recessionary fears.

    You may have heard of copper referred to as ‘doctor copper’. That’s because copper is widely used in a range of construction and manufacturing activities. When the global economy is growing, demand for copper follows suit and prices rise. The same works in reverse.

    And the copper price has slipped 7% since Monday, trading at its lowest level since February 2021.

    The post Why are ASX 200 mining shares having such a dire week? 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 January 12th 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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  • Why is the Kogan share price jumping 12%?

    Businessman in suit and holding a briefcase jumps into the sky celebrating the rising Enero share price

    Businessman in suit and holding a briefcase jumps into the sky celebrating the rising Enero share price

    The Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price is having a long-awaited positive day.

    After reaching another multi-year low this week, the ecommerce company’s shares are rebounding strongly on Friday.

    At the time of writing, the Kogan share price is up almost 12% to $3.15.

    Why is the Kogan share price storming higher?

    The driver of today’s gain has been a bit of a mystery. However, it is worth noting that Kogan is not alone in recording strong gains.

    In fact, most beaten down ecommerce and tech shares are rising equally strongly at the time of writing. Here’s a quick summary of some of the highlights:

    • The Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price is up 15%.
    • The Redbubble Ltd (ASX: RBL) share price has jumped 8%.
    • The Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) share price is up 9%.
    • The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price has stormed 13% higher.

    This has led to the S&P ASX All Technology index rising 4.5% this afternoon, which is significantly better than the ASX 200 index and its 0.4% gain.

    It appears as though investors believe that the tech sector has been oversold and has created a buying opportunity.

    Time will tell if the sector has bottomed or if this is a dead cat bounce.

    The post Why is the Kogan share price jumping 12%? 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 January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Kogan.com ltd, Life360, Inc., REDBUBBLE FPO, Temple & Webster Group Ltd, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group 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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  • Why ASX 200 tech shares are outperforming the market on Friday

    a man and a woman sitting in a technology related work environment high five each other while the man wears headphones around his heck and the woman sits in front of a laptop.a man and a woman sitting in a technology related work environment high five each other while the man wears headphones around his heck and the woman sits in front of a laptop.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has had a rather topsy-turvy start to the final trading day of the week. The ASX 200 plunged soon after open but has since rebounded. It currently remains up by around 0.26% at just over 6,540 points. But it’s a different story when it comes to ASX tech shares today.

    ASX tech shares are among some of the ASX’s best performers today. Not only is tech currently the best-performing ASX sector on the markets, but some individual tech shares are topping the best-performing shares so far today.

    Take Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) shares. They are currently up a healthy 9.63% at $97.34 each. Or Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP), up 13.64% at 50 cents a share. Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) is leading the sector with its gain of 14.11% to $2.75 a share. Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) is up 5.69%, while WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) has risen 4.68%.

    So what’s behind this breakaway performance from ASX tech shares today?

    Well, a significant factor could be the performance of the US markets last night (our time).

    Overall, US shares had a day of mild gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) rising by 0.64%. But US tech shares led the gains. Even though the Dow only rose by 0.64%, the tech-heavy NASDAQ-100 (NASDAQ: NDX) was up a far healthier 1.47%.

    Are US tech shares leading ASX tech shares higher?

    Many US tech shares rocketed in last night’s session. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) rose by 2.16%. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) was up 2.26%, while Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) was up by 3.2%. Block’s US listing – Block Inc (NYSE: SQ) – was up almost 11%.

    These moves followed some new comments from US Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell. Powell was speaking in front of the US Senate’s Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. Here’s some of what he said:

    Making appropriate monetary policy in this uncertain environment requires a recognition that the economy often evolves in unexpected ways. Inflation has obviously surprised to the upside over the past year, and further surprises could be in store.

    We therefore will need to be nimble in responding to incoming data and the evolving outlook. And we will strive to avoid adding uncertainty in what is already an extraordinarily challenging and uncertain time.

    We are highly attentive to inflation risks and determined to take the measures necessary to restore price stability. The American economy is very strong and well positioned to handle tighter monetary policy.

    This statement may have spurred the rises we saw in US tech shares last night. It certainly did nothing to harm investors’ mood anyway.

    So ASX tech shares seem to be following the leads of their US counterparts on the markets today. This is not unusual – we often see a tight correlation between the two markets’ tech sectors.

    No doubt these moves in ASX tech shares today will be met with some relief from investors, given the painful week or two we have just witnessed.

    The post Why ASX 200 tech shares are outperforming the market on Friday 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 January 12th 2022

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    John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Apple, Block, Inc., and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Appen Ltd, Apple, Block, Inc., Life360, Inc., Microsoft, WiseTech Global, and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block, Inc. and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon and Apple. 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’s going on with the Woodside Energy share price today?

    Workers inspecting a gas pipeline.Workers inspecting a gas pipeline.

    The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price has started the day 2% lower and is now trading at $30.43.

    Investors have pushed the Woodside share price lower today on no news.

    In broad market moves, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) has also slipped around 1.5% into the red in early trade.

    What’s up with the Woodside share price?

    The price of oil has been volatile in recent weeks after surging back up to multi-year highs on 8 June.

    It has since consolidated back to a key support level. Multiple forces have been acting on oil dating back to the start of the European conflict.

    This has resulted in volatility in the second quarter, with traders now paying a premium for the black gold – the highest in years.

    Brent crude oil now trades at US$110 per barrel, down from a high of US$124 per barrel.

    But the upside certainly hasn’t been a bad thing for the Woodside share price.

    Alongside the oil price, Woodside has snaked its way higher since December 2021 as well.

    Shareholders have enjoyed a tidy return in 2022 from the company, with Woodside clipping a 39% gain since trading resumed in January.

    Meanwhile, broad equity markets continue to struggle, as the commodity trade continues to wind on.

    The returns of the benchmark against the Woodside share price and oil are plotted on the chart below.

    TradingView Chart

    In the last 12 months, Woodside has booked a 35% gain, after spiking another 5% this past month of trade.

    The post What’s going on with the Woodside Energy share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Woodside Energy Group Ltd right now?

    Before you consider Woodside Energy Group Ltd, 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 Woodside Energy Group Ltd wasn’t one of them.

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    *Returns as of January 13th 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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  • ASX 200 midday update: Qantas’ market update, lithium shares rebound

    Man looks shocked as he works on laptop on top a skyscraper with stockmarket figures in graphic behind him.

    Man looks shocked as he works on laptop on top a skyscraper with stockmarket figures in graphic behind him.At lunch on Friday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week on a positive note. The benchmark index is currently up 0.25% to 6,544.6 points.

    Here’s what is happening on the ASX 200 today:

    Qantas market update

    The Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price is trading higher today after the airline operator released a market update. That update reveals that Qantas is on track to achieve second half underlying EBITDA of between $450 million to $550 million. Management also advised that it is cutting domestic capacity to help offset rising fuel costs.

    Lithium miners rally

    The lithium industry is rebounding on Friday with strong gains being recorded from the likes of Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE) and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS). This follows news that lithium developer Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) has received an investment from a major automaker at a massive 32% premium to its last close price.

    Tech shares rebound

    Also performing strongly today has been the tech sector. A number of beaten down tech shares are rebounding such as Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) and even the unloved Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP). This has led to the S&P ASX All Technology index rise 4.4% at the time of writing.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Friday has been the Lake Resources share price with a 20% gain. This follows a rebound in the lithium industry after some very big falls this week. Going the other way, the worst performer has been the Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price with a 3.5% decline on no news.

    The post ASX 200 midday update: Qantas’ market update, lithium shares rebound appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    See The 5 Stocks
    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360, Inc. and ZIPCOLTD FPO. 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 is the BWX share price halted on Friday?

    a woman wearing a dark business suit holds her hand up in a stop gesture while sitting at a desk. She has a sombre look on her face.a woman wearing a dark business suit holds her hand up in a stop gesture while sitting at a desk. She has a sombre look on her face.

    The BWX Ltd (ASX: BWX) share price won’t be going anywhere today.

    This comes after the company requested its shares be placed in a trading halt before market open.

    For now, shares in the personal care products company are frozen at $1.17 apiece.

    It’s worth noting that BWX shares hit an all-time low of $1.08 last week despite posting a small rebound recently.

    Why is the BWX share price halted?

    Prior to the opening bell, the company requested the BWX share price be halted while it prepares an announcement.

    According to the release, the company is planning to make a statement relating to a trading update.

    BWX has requested that the trading halt remains in place until Tuesday 28 June or when the announcement is made, whichever comes first.

    More on the trading halt

    While no further details have been given by BWX, The Australian shed more light on what could be ahead for the company.

    According to the publication, BWX is preparing to notify the ASX of a profit downgrade along with a potential capital raise.

    The news comes a week after Tattarang Ventures made a strategic investment in BWX and now holds a 17% stake.

    Owned by the Forrest family, namely Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest, Tattarang holds an extensive investment portfolio. This includes sectors across agri-food, energy, resources, property, lifestyle, and health tech.

    BWX share price snapshot

    Since this time last year, BWX shares have continued to come under severe selling pressure from investors, down 78%.

    In 2022, the company’s shares have fallen 73%.

    Based on valuation grounds, BWX presides a market capitalisation of approximately $191.25 million.

    The post Why is the BWX share price halted on Friday? 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 January 12th 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 BWX 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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