Tag: Motley Fool

  • 3 ETFs for ASX investors to check out next week

    ETF spelt out with a rising green arrow.

    ETF spelt out with a rising green arrow.

    Looking for some exchange traded funds (ETFs) to boost your portfolio? If you are, you might want to look at the ones below.

    Here’s why they could be worth researching further:

    BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETF (ASX: CRYP)

    The first ETF to look at is the BetaShares Crypto Innovators ETFBetaShares notes that the ETF is designed to capture the full breadth of the crypto ecosystem. It provides exposure to pure-play crypto companies (including crypto exchanges, mining companies, and mining equipment providers), those whose balance sheets are held at least 75% in crypto-assets, and diversified companies with crypto-focused business lines. Among its holdings you’ll find Coinbase, PayPal, Riot Blockchain, Robinhood, Silvergate, and Afterpay-owner, Block.

    Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI)

    Another ETF for ASX investors to look at is the Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF. This ETF aims to track the performance of an index that includes a portfolio of large global stocks identified as “Climate Leaders.” The fund manager noted that these companies have passed screens to exclude those with direct or significant exposure to fossil fuels or activities deemed inconsistent with responsible investment considerations. Among the shares included in the fund are the likes of Apple, Nvidia, Toyota, and Visa.

    VanEck Australian Resources ETF (ASX: MVR)

    A final ETF to look at is the VanEck Australian Resources ETF. This ETF gives investors exposure to a diversified portfolio of ASX-listed resources shares. This includes many of the largest and most liquid ASX-listed companies that generate at least 50% of their revenues or assets from the Australian resources sector. Among the ETF’s holdings are the likes of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO), and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL).

    The post 3 ETFs for ASX investors to check out next 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 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. owns and has recommended Betashares Crypto Innovators ETF. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • 2 high yield ASX dividend shares brokers rate as buys

    While the outlook for interest rates is becoming increasingly positive, it is still likely to be some time before rates are at a sufficient level for income investors.

    In light of this, ASX dividend shares could remain the best option for them in the near term. But which dividend shares could be top options?

    Two high yield options to consider are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

    Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is this furniture and homewares retailer. Its shares have been hammered this year due to its poor performance during the first half.

    However, it is worth noting that this was driven by COVID lockdowns, which led to Adairs losing almost a third of its trading days during the period. On a like for like basis and adjusted for closures, its sales were up 2.7% year on year.

    Analysts at Morgans believe now is not the time to throw the towel in. The broker thinks the sell down of Adairs shares was overdone and has created a buying opportunity. So much so, it has put an add rating and $3.50 price target on its shares.

    As for dividends, it is forecasting fully franked dividends of 19 cents per share in FY 2022 and 26 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the current Adairs share price of $2.95, this will mean yields of 6.4% and 8.8%, respectively.

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    Another ASX dividend share to look at is this mining giant. It has been tipped to generate strong free cash flow and pay big dividends in the coming years.

    This is being supported by demand for commodities such as aluminium and the recent acquisition of a stake in the Sierra Gorda copper mine in Chile.

    Analysts at Goldman Sachs expect South32 to pay fully franked dividends that equate to yields of 8% in FY 2022 and then 14% in FY 2023 and FY 2024.

    The broker also sees plenty of upside for the South32 share price at current levels. It has a conviction buy rating and $5.90 price target on the miner’s shares. This compares to the current South32 share price of $4.82.

    The post 2 high yield ASX dividend shares brokers rate as buys 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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. owns and has recommended ADAIRS FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended ADAIRS FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • 2 exciting small cap ASX shares for your watchlist

    A man sits bolt upright watching something intently on his television.

    A man sits bolt upright watching something intently on his television.

    The small end of the Australian share market is home to a number of companies with the potential to grow materially in the future.

    Two that investors might want to get better acquainted with are listed below. Here’s why they should be on your watchlist:

    Hipages Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: HPG)

    The first small cap ASX share to look at is Hipages. It is a leading Australian-based online platform and software as a service (SaaS) provider connecting consumers with trusted tradies. While its first half performance was a little on the disappointing side due to the negative impact of lockdowns on tradie subscriptions, management expects a swift rebound now restrictions are easing. In addition, its performance looks set to be boosted by a recent acquisition in New Zealand and partnership with leading property management platform Bricks + Agent.

    Goldman Sachs also remains confident that a post-lockdown rebound is coming. After which, the broker believes Hipages is well-placed for strong long term growth as it grows its ecosystem into a huge addressable market. Goldman has a buy rating and $3.60 price target on its shares.

    Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP)

    Another small cap ASX share to watch is Whispir. It is a global scale SaaS company that provides a communications workflow platform that automates interactions between organisations and people. Its products have been in-demand with businesses across the globe, which has underpinned strong recurring revenue growth in recent years. Pleasingly, this continued in the first half of FY 2022, with Whispir reporting annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of $60 million. This was up from $47.4 million or 26.6% from a year earlier but is still only scratching at the surface of its massive addressable market.

    Shaw and Partners is positive on Whispir and was impressed with its first half performance. Its analysts currently have a buy rating and $4.85 price target on its shares.

    The post 2 exciting small cap ASX shares for your watchlist 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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. owns and has recommended Alcidion Group Ltd, BIGTINCAN FPO, and Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Booktopia Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alcidion Group Ltd, BIGTINCAN FPO, and Whispir Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • These were the best performing ASX 200 share last week

    A graphic image of three upward pointing arrows with smoke coming from their bottoms, indicating the arrows are taking off just like the Althea share price today

    A graphic image of three upward pointing arrows with smoke coming from their bottoms, indicating the arrows are taking off just like the Althea share price today

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was in fine form last week. Over the period, the benchmark index rose a sizeable 3.3% to finish the week at 7,294.4 points.

    While a good number of shares climbed higher with the market, some climbed more than most. Here’s why these were the best performers on the ASX 200 last week:

    ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB)

    The ARB share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 last week with a gain of 13.9%. Last week the team at Morgan Stanley retained its overweight rating and $56.00 price target on the 4×4 parts manufacturer’s shares. Its analysts believe recent share price weakness has created a buying opportunity for investors.

    Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

    The Elders share price wasn’t far behind with a 13.8% gain. Investors were buying the agribusiness company’s shares after it released a trading update which revealed that business has been booming during the first half. As a result, management advised that it is expecting its underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) to increase by 20% to 30% in FY 2022.

    Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV)

    The Polynovo share price was a strong performer and recorded a 13% gain last week. This was despite there being no meaningful news out of the medical device company. Though, given how its shares are still down 60% over the last 12 months even after this gain, bargain hunters could have been buying shares last week on the belief they had been oversold.

    Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

    The Hub24 share price was on form and rose 12.3% over the five days. Investors were buying this investment platform provider’s shares amid a rebound in the tech sector last week. It wasn’t just Hub23 rising over the week, the S&P ASX All Technology index rose 6.7% over the period.

    The post These were the best performing ASX 200 share last 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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. owns and has recommended Hub24 Ltd and POLYNOVO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Hub24 Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation Limited and Elders Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why did the OFX Group (ASX:OFX) share price rocket 17% this week?

    A man wearing glasses and a white t-shirt pumps his fists in the air looking excited and happy about the rising OBX share priceA man wearing glasses and a white t-shirt pumps his fists in the air looking excited and happy about the rising OBX share price

    OFX Group Ltd (ASX: OFX) had a stellar week with its share price advancing 17.4% by Friday’s close to $2.50.

    On Wednesday, the international multicurrency payments provider hosted an Investor Day and released a trading update and investor presentation.

    TradingView Chart

    Why has the OFX share price been surging higher?

    Shares in OFX jumped in early March and were helped along by the company’s investor presentation this week.

    OFX outlined that it expects net operating income (NOI) to grow between 23–25% in FY22 to $145–$147 million.

    The group also said it had secured its first monthly turnover of $3 billion in 2021. This is just 3.5 years after achieving its maiden $2 billion dollar month.

    OBX also projects underlying EBITDA to grow from $30 million in FY21 to a range of $43–$45 million this year.

    Not only that, but the company says it will become more valuable “post Firma acquisition”.

    OFX announced plans in December to acquire Firma, a Canadian corporate foreign exchange business, for C$90 million (A$98 million). This could add another circa $9 million in cash generation and 1.7 cents in earnings per share.

    As a result of the acquisition and on the basis of the last twelve months (LTM) EBITDA, OFX says it will become one of the world’s most profitable cross border payment companies.

    Changes in the payments space

    In its investor presentation, OFX went into greater detail about recent legislative changes in the payments space. In particular, it looked at anti-money laundering (AML) and the integration of technology and software.

    For example, a big industry change since 2015 has been the access to SaaS risk management platforms. Back then, the technology was often bespoke and too expensive.

    Not only that, but traditional banking routes are becoming more accepting of payments companies.

    “[In 2022] Banks seek quality payment firms for commercial partnerships, but requires high risk culture & capabilities to qualify,” the company said.

    OFX share price snapshot

    In the past 12 months, the OFX share price has risen by 133%, as shown in the chart above. It has lifted 9% this year to date.

    ASX investors were hungry on Friday, with the trading volume twice that of OFX’s 4-week daily average of 605,000 shares.

    The post Why did the OFX Group (ASX:OFX) share price rocket 17% this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider OFX Group, 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 OFX Group 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week

    a woman looks distressed as she stares dramatically at her phone whiloe holding her hand to the back of her head with a disbelieving look on her face as though she is experiencing loss or disappointment.

    a woman looks distressed as she stares dramatically at her phone whiloe holding her hand to the back of her head with a disbelieving look on her face as though she is experiencing loss or disappointment.

    Last week, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had its best week in over a year. The benchmark index rose an impressive 3.3% over the five days to finish the period at 7,294.4 points.

    Unfortunately, not all shares were able to climb higher with the market. Here’s why these were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last week:

    Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)

    The Westgold share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 last week with a 21.9% decline. The catalyst for this was the successful completion of the gold miner’s $100 million institutional placement. Westgold raised the funds at a 13.9% discount of $2.44 per new share. These funds will be used to accelerate the company’s Murchison and Bryah growth strategy. This strategy is focused on establishing a systematic pathway towards a +400,000 ounce per annum gold production rate from FY 2024.

    Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)

    The Gold Road share price was out of form and tumbled 7% last week. Last week the team at Macquarie downgraded this gold miner’s shares to an underperform rating with a $1.70 price target. The broker made the move on valuation grounds.

    IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO)

    The IGO share price wasn’t too far behind with a 5.7% decline over the five days. Last week was another wild one for the nickel price, with the battery material crashing to the point that trade was suspended on the LME again. In addition, the company revealed that the proposed acquisition of nickel producer Western Areas Ltd (ASX: WSA) had hit a stumbling block. It said: “Western Areas and the Independent Expert are continuing to consider the implications, if any, on nickel market fundamentals and expectations for medium to long-term nickel prices.”

    Monadelphous Group Limited (ASX: MND)

    The Monadelphous share price was out of form and dropped 4% last week. This was despite there being no news out of the engineering company. However, with its shares up almost 20% in the space of just over a month, some investors may have been taking a bit of profit off the table last week.

    The post These were the worst performers on the ASX 200 last 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • ‘Violent and vicious’: Larry Diamond weighs in on tumbling Zip share price

    A man in a business suit wearing boxing gloves slumps in the corner of a boxing ring representing the beaten-up Zip share price in recent timesA man in a business suit wearing boxing gloves slumps in the corner of a boxing ring representing the beaten-up Zip share price in recent times

    In recent months, the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price has been heavily sold off.

    The co-founder of Zip, Larry Diamond, has revealed some choices that the buy now, pay later (BNPL) business has made to improve the situation. He’s also commented on the market’s punishment of his business.

    The Zip share price has fallen by 81% in the past year. That’s despite the 18% recovery from the new 52-week low of $1.40 reached earlier this week.

    The Zip share price finished Friday’s session at $1.60, up 1.59% for the day.

    Focus on profitability

    Talking to the Australian Financial Review, Diamond said that Zip has started reducing the credit limits for customers already using Zip. The company has also raised “the bar” for first-time customers. These changes were made late last year.

    In the company’s HY2022 results, Zip said that its cash transaction margin declined to 2.1%, down from 3.7% in HY2021. This was because of rising bad debt costs due to credit headwinds. Also playing a role was the increased weighting towards the rest of the world.

    It’s addressing its risk decision-making policies and collections and recoveries processes to “immediately” address credit performance.

    Zip is expecting its cash cost of sales as a percentage of total transaction value (TTV) to be 3.5%–4%. It is optimising risk rules to manage credit losses to management’s target of below 2%. It aims to maintain growth and deliver lower-cost processing through scale efficiencies and alternative repayment options, as well as driving lower-cost funding.

    Diamond said to the AFR:

    We have tempered growth expectations, so we can improve our bad debt figures.

    We did that at the onset of COVID in 2020, adjusting the portfolio to respond to changing conditions in real-time to restrict first-time customer volume. As a result of what we are seeing in the US and Australia, we have adjusted approval levels and limits for existing customers — we have taken the decisive action.

    Reaction to the hammering of the Zip share price

    Zip shares are down 63% in 2022 alone. This has been tough for morale at Zip Co, with lots of staff paid in shares and equity also being used to pay for global growth.

    Diamond said:

    It looks violent and vicious but as leaders of the business we do have to look around us, to what is happening with the stock and change course accordingly.

    We are long-term owners and long-term operators of the business, but certainly, we feel the pain with our shareholders, particularly retail shareholders, and staff who are also shareholders. We are all aligned. We have had to pause, to reflect and change course accordingly.

    What do brokers think of the Zip share price now?

    Opinions are very mixed on the Zip share price.

    UBS recently downgraded Zip shares to a sell with a price target of just $1. That implies a decline of a further 37.5%. Lower profitability and higher interest rates raise more uncertainty. The broker says it expects it to take longer for Zip to stop making losses.

    But then there’s Ord Minnett with its price target of $4. That implies a potential rise of about 150% over the next year. The broker likes Zip’s proposed deal to buy Sezzle Inc (ASX: SZL).

    The post ‘Violent and vicious’: Larry Diamond weighs in on tumbling Zip share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Zip, 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 Zip 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.

    *Returns as of January 13th 2022

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Top strategist says end of correction for tech shares is nigh

    man thinking about whether to invest in bitcoinman thinking about whether to invest in bitcoin

    Investors punished ASX tech shares early in 2022 as a wave of macroeconomic crosscurrents fed into equity markets.

    Prospects of a hike in US base rates, shifting yields on long-dated bonds, hot-running inflation and simmering tension in Europe were all catalysts for tech-baskets to glide into the red.

    Tech hardest hit amid global-macro pressures

    Admittedly, there’s been pain felt across the board, but tech shares were hit hardest in 2022. What’s noteworthy is that many large indexes were heavily weighted towards the sector.

    The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) – the best representation of the ASX tech sector’s performance – is down more than 17% this year to date and is trading well below sectors like financials and mining.

    It is now underperforming the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) by a considerable amount as well.

    That gap has been widening after a crossover point right after restarting trade on January 4 2022.

    TradingView Chart

    What’s markedly different this year is the rise of the once fallen commodities sector, where numerous markets are now thrusting past multi-year highs at pace.

    But whilst there’s been a more risk-off attitude this year and market pundits have shifted towards more defensive positioning, now might be the time to consider the downbeat tech sector.

    Rise and shine once more?

    According to JP Morgan strategist Marko Kolanovic, the landscape is beginning to clear up and visibility has improved on the outlook for markets into the future.

    “While the commodity supercycle will persist, the correction in bubble sectors is now likely finished, and geopolitical risk will likely start abating in a few weeks time (whilst a comprehensive resolution may take a few months),” he said in a recent note.

    “There are great opportunities in high-beta, beaten-down segments that now include innovation, tech, biotech, emerging markets, as well as more broadly in small cap and more volatile stocks,” he added.

    And it seems the market might be on Kolanovic’s side in this regard, with the tech sector punching more than 7% higher in the past week and climbing 4% today as well.

    If the uptrend continues this would see a bounce off the 52-week lows touched in early March, and be a sure vote of confidence for the sector.

    ‘Bubble sectors’ might have bottomed

    And as momentum builds, the JP Morgan strategist becomes more and more wide-eyed by the day, noting the selloff could be tumbling to an end.

    It was the uncertainty around factors like inflation, interest rates and debate on the Russia-Ukrainian situation that predominantly hit the more volatile tech sector. This might have resolved, the expert reckons.

    And to be clear – the strategist isn’t shifting his view on the outlook of commodities either. He’s just as bullish on the sector given current demand-supply mechanics.

    “It is our assessment that these forecasts have now nearly fully materialised,” he said.

    These segments might have already bottomed having flung 60–80% down, he says. This is a point JP Morgan thinks “is the end of the correction in some areas,” the strategist added.

    “In fact, many of these market segments trade at all-time valuation lows (including previous recessions and periods of much higher interest rates)”.

    But whilst there may be plenty of bargains around, a systematic approach is still best Kolanovic says, because “not all assets are cheap.”

    In any sense, the tech sector still has to regain more than its 17% loss in order to breakeven at its former highs, but that doesn’t appear out of reach if prices keep surging.

    The post Top strategist says end of correction for tech shares is nigh 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.

    *Returns as of January 12th 2022

    More reading

    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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • Is the bull market over?

    ASX gold inflation gold bull figurine standing on stock price charts representing rising asx share priceASX gold inflation gold bull figurine standing on stock price charts representing rising asx share price

    The US Federal Reserve raised its cash rate this week, which has major implications for all share markets.

    Interest rate changes in the US cannot be ignored by smaller economies like Australia. This is because if there’s too big a difference then the value of the smaller nation’s currency will plummet or skyrocket.

    AMP Capital chief economist Shane Oliver said the Fed was forced to act this week because of rampant inflation in the US.

    “Reflecting similar but less intense inflation pressures, the RBA is expected to start raising rates in June.”

    So considering we’re likely to see rate rises soon in Australia, what is the outlook for ASX shares?

    There will be a dip, but it’ll be temporary

    According to Oliver, higher rates do impact negatively on share market returns, but that won’t be a prolonged trend yet.

    “It’s not necessarily consistent with an end to the bull market (or at least the start of a deep bear market) as monetary policy is far from tight and unlikely to be enough to drive a US recession,” he said.

    “This is more of a risk for 2024 than for 2023 or 2022.”

    Oliver analysed similar situations over the past 30 years and found that the first few rate hikes do cause a dip and volatility, but it’s a temporary effect.

    “The bull market usually resumes until rates become onerously tight, which weighs on economic activity and profits,” he said.

    “This is because the first rate hike only takes monetary policy to ‘less easy’, and it’s only when monetary policy becomes tight that the economy gets hit.”

    Recessions and bear markets come years later

    He took the examples of rate hikes in February 1994, June 2004, and December 2015. Share markets experienced 9%, 8%, and 13% corrections, but soon recovered to resume their bull run.

    “A bear market did not set in till 2000, 2007, and 2020 after multiple hikes. Of course, the 2020 bear market was ostensibly due to the pandemic,” Oliver said.

    “Recession did not come for seven years after the February 1994 first hike, for three and a half years after the June 2004 first hike, and for four years after the December 2015 first hike.”

    Oliver also expected the magnitude and frequency of Australian interest rate rises to be less than the US.

    “Australian interest rates are likely to rise less than US interest rates reflecting lower inflation in Australia and the start of a downturn in Australian property prices which will dampen the pressure to raise rates much,” he said.

    “We expect the first hike to come in June taking the cash rate to 0.25%, with three hikes in total this year taking it to 0.75% by year-end.”

    There are risks though

    While Oliver thought the bull market would resume according to the current situation, he acknowledged there are risks.

    “The war in Ukraine is a major source of uncertainty both in terms of adding to and extending the supply-side constraints that are boosting inflation and posing a threat of weaker global growth,” he said.

    “Inflation pressures are far more significant than at any time since the early 1980s and this may necessitate an even faster tightening in monetary policy than in the past.”

    The post Is the bull market over? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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 Bruce Jackson.

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  • 40% recovery: 4DMedical share price (ASX:4DX) turns sharply and delivers the goods

    rising medical asx share price represented by excited doctors dancing in wardrising medical asx share price represented by excited doctors dancing in ward

    The 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) share price climbed higher on Friday afternoon to close up 1.18% at 85.5 cents.

    Investors appear to be rallying behind Thursday’s announcement, which revealed the company is launching the world’s first dedicated lung scanner.

    The 4DMedical share price soared almost 20% yesterday. It’s likely that momentum spilled over into today’s session as trading volume surged well past its four-week average at 764,665 shares.

    With big gains also on Tuesday and Wednesday, it means 4DMedical shares have surged 41% since last Friday’s close. This week’s gain is a welcome reprieve for 4D shareholders, who’ve seen their holdings evaporate over the past 12 months.

    TradingView Chart

    What’s been happening at 4DMedical?

    The company advised that it has installed the ‘XV Scanner’ at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney after it was unveiled to the Federal health minister on Thursday.

    4D says the scanner will provide unparalleled access to visually map the lung and provides “highly visual insight into lung function”.

    A successful launch will hopefully see the market adopt its XV Technology, something the company says is integral to successful commercialisation.

    But the benefits extend primarily to the doctor-patient realm, and the scanner itself is considered somewhat a “breakthrough in innovation”, according to Lung Foundation Australia CEO, Mark Brooke.

    It’s reported that seven million Australian currently are living with or are impacted by lung disease in some way, therefore any breakthrough would be a welcome sigh of relief to many.

    Evans and Partners have 4DMedical rated as a speculative buy and value the company at $1.50 per share, suggesting an upside potential of 75% at the time of writing.

    Meanwhile, Bell Potter has the company rated as a speculative hold but sets a price target of $2.07 per share — a mammoth 142% upside potential.

    According to Bloomberg data, the consensus valuation is $1.78 per share, still a considerable amount of upside potential if the bull case plays out to that level.

    4DMedical share price snapshot

    In the last 12 months, the 4DMedical share price has sunk and is now 44% in the red. It is also down 36% this year to date.

    Despite the 40% gain this week, shares have still fallen into the red by 5% over the past month.

    The post 40% recovery: 4DMedical share price (ASX:4DX) turns sharply and delivers the goods appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Bruce Jackson.

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