Tag: Motley Fool

  • The oil price just hit a 13-year high, and these ASX 200 shares are surging

    Oil spelt out on block cubes with an up and down arrow.Oil spelt out on block cubes with an up and down arrow.Oil spelt out on block cubes with an up and down arrow.

    A message from our CIO, Scott Phillips:

    “G’day Fools. If you’re like us, you’re dismayed by the events taking place in Ukraine. It is an unnecessary humanitarian tragedy. Times like these remind us that money is important, but other things are far more valuable. And yet the financial markets remain open, shares are trading, and our readers and members are looking to us for guidance. So we’ll do our best to continue to serve you, while also hoping for a swift and peaceful end to the war in Ukraine.”


    A few S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are soaring as the oil price just hit a 13-year high.

    The brent crude oil price went to almost US$140 as the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, with impacts flowing onto various markets such as oil.

    These are some of the ASX 200 shares that are seeing big rises today:

    The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is up 8%.

    The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is up 5.1%.

    A slightly smaller reaction is from the Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price, which has gone up more than 3%.

    What’s going on with the brent crude oil price?

    Oil prices have surged in recent weeks amid geopolitical events, as the West seeks to punish Russia for its invasion.

    According to reporting by various media, including the Australian Financial Review, the US and others are now considering putting an embargo on Russian oil supplies. The global oil market is an example of the law of supply and demand.

    The West wants to isolate Russia and do what it can to halt the attacks and bombardment of Ukraine’s cities.

    Russia is one of the world’s largest suppliers of oil to the world, so an embargo could have a material impact.

    Other countries are also adding to the pressure pushing up oil prices. For example, according to reporting by the AFR and Bloomberg, Saudi Arabia has increased the price of its main crude blends, whilst Libya’s production is dropping because of a “political crisis”. Saudi Arabia has increased the price of the Arab Light crude oil to US$4.95 more than the benchmark it uses.

    The International Monetary Fund has said that the situation could have a very serious impact on the global economy.

    Why does a higher oil price matter for these ASX 200 shares?

    Woodside, Santos and Beach are all oil producers.

    If the price of a commodity goes up then it can lead to higher profits for them. The cost of extracting a resource doesn’t really change when the resource price changes, so a higher oil price can largely add to bigger profits – apart from paying more tax to the government.

    Investors often like to value businesses based on the expected profit potential.

    However, the Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) share price is down close to 7%.

    The post The oil price just hit a 13-year high, and these ASX 200 shares are surging appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Santos, 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 Santos 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

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    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. 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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  • Ask yourself these 3 questions before buying your next stock

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

    3 asx shares to buy depicted by man holding up hand with 3 fingers up

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

    When it comes to building an investment portfolio, you have choices. You could load up on index funds, or you could buy individual stocks.

    The benefits of choosing index funds is getting to own a whole bunch of different companies with a single investment. If you buy shares of an S&P 500 index fund, for example, you’ll effectively own 500 different companies.

    Index funds are great because they take a lot of guesswork out of investing, and they don’t require the same intense research individual stocks do. But if there’s one clear drawback to index funds, it’s that they won’t let you beat the broad market. That’s because their goal is to match the market’s performance, not exceed it.

    If you have loftier goals, hand-picking stocks may be your best bet. But before you add your next stock to your portfolio, you should make a point to run through these key questions.

    1. Do I see myself owning this company for 10 years or longer?

    It can take a fair amount of time for a company’s stock to gain significant value, or for a stock to recover from a bad earnings report or bout of unfavorable news. That’s why, as a general rule, you should really only buy a given stock if you intend to hold onto it for many years. If you’re not sure you want to commit to that time frame, then it may be that the stock in question isn’t right for you.

    2. Does this company have an edge over its competitors?

    There are plenty of businesses that do a good job of generating revenue, maximizing cash flow, and limiting debt. But that alone doesn’t necessarily make a given company a good buy.

    Before adding a stock to your personal investment mix, consider whether the company at hand brings something to the table that its competition doesn’t. It may be that the company has a savvy management team or an unmatched ability to innovate. Those are good reasons to choose one company over another.

    3. Does this company lend to diversity in my portfolio?

    Maintaining a solid level of diversity in your portfolio could help you grow a lot of wealth over time. It could also provide some degree of protection during periods of market turbulence.

    Index funds do a great job of helping investors diversify. But if you’re more focused on individual stocks, the next time you’re tempted to buy one, figure out whether it will help you create or maintain a nice mix of assets. If you already own seven or eight healthcare stocks, for example, you may not want to buy another healthcare company if your plan is to limit your portfolio to 20 stocks in total.

    Ask the right questions

    Buying stocks isn’t something you should do on a whim. Rather, you should put a lot of thought into the process. By running through these important questions, you may be less likely to regret your stock-buying decisions — and end up wealthier in the long run.

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

    The post Ask yourself these 3 questions before buying your next stock 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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    The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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



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  • Strike Energy (ASX:STX) share price slips 7% despite ‘significant upside’ find

    gas and oil worker on pipeline equipmentgas and oil worker on pipeline equipmentgas and oil worker on pipeline equipment

    The Strike Energy Ltd (ASX: STX) share price is sliding today amid the company releasing details of a gas discovery.

    The oil and gas explorer’s shares are swapping hands at 28 cents today, a 6.67% fall. In comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.68% today.

    Let’s take a look at what the company reported to the market.

    Gas discovery

    Strike announced it has made a “high quality conventional gas discovery” at the Kingia Sandstone in its South Erregulla-1 well.

    The gas project is located in the North Perth Basin in Western Australia. Strike has 100% ownership of the well.

    Logging and petrophysical interpretation of Kingia Sandstone found net pay of 14 metres in a gross 52-metre gas column. Porosity is up to 20.2%, while the reservoir pressure is about 6800 psia.

    Commenting on the results, managing director and CEO Stuart Nicholls said:

    The completion of South Erregulla marks the end of a very successful exploration campaign for the company. The results of this campaign, will, via Walyering, bring the company’s first cashflows forward. And, with South Erregulla, release significant upside through the integration of value-added, domestically focussed and low carbon downstream activities.

    Strike entered a trading halt on 3 March, pending the release of this announcement. The company emerged from its trading pause this morning.

    Strike noted it has been pursuing many milestones at Project Haber in the past 18 months. Nicholls said:

    With this new resource confidence, Strike will now look to execute several pending workstreams that will see the development of the project accelerate substantially.

    Strike Energy share price review

    The Strike Energy share price has slipped around 12% over the past year although it has surged 36% this year to date.

    In the past month, Strike Energy shares are up 12%, gaining almost 10% in the past week alone.

    For perspective, the benchmark ASX 200 has returned 5% over the past year.

    Strike Energy has a market capitalisation of about $567 million based on its current share price.

    The post Strike Energy (ASX:STX) share price slips 7% despite ‘significant upside’ find appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Strike Energy right now?

    Before you consider Strike Energy , 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 Strike Energy 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

    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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  • Here’s why the Bendigo Bank (ASX:BEN) share price is sliding 5% today

    A young girls clings in fright to a big red slide.A young girls clings in fright to a big red slide.A young girls clings in fright to a big red slide.

    The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) share price is heading south during trade on Monday.

    This comes despite the regional bank not releasing any market-sensitive news today.

    At the time of writing, Bendigo Bank shares are down 5.26% to $9.09 apiece.

    Why are Bendigo shares falling today? 

    Following the company’s half-year results released on 14 February, investors are eyeing Bendigo Bank shares as they go ex-dividend today.

    This means that investors who bought the company’s shares on Friday will be eligible for the latest dividend. Anyone who purchases the shares today will miss out as the seller has secured the dividend.

    Historically, when a company reaches its ex-dividend day, its shares tend to fall in proportion to the dividend paid out.

    When can Bendigo Bank shareholders expect payment?

    For those eligible for Bendigo Bank’s interim dividend, shareholders will receive a payment of 26.5 cents per share on 31 March. The dividend is fully franked which means that investors will receive tax credits from this.

    The latest dividend is a 12.8% increase when compared against the prior corresponding period (23.5 cents per share in H1 FY21).

    The above payout figure represents an annualised dividend yield of 5.98%.

    Management expects the dividend payout ratio target of 60% to 80% of cash earnings to be at the low end in FY22.

    Are Bendigo Bank shares a buy now?

    Following the company’s H1 FY22 results, a number of brokers weighed in on the Bendigo Bank share price.

    The team at Morgan Stanley upgraded its outlook on the bank’s shares to equal-weight from underweight. In addition, it raised its 12-month price target by 1.1% to $9.60. Based on the current share price, this implies an upside of roughly 5%.

    Jarden analysts have a similar view for Bendigo Bank shares, lifting its take by 4.3% to $9.80.

    However, the most bullish brokers came from Goldman Sachs and JPMorgan. They improved their price targets by 5.1% to $10.53, and 5.2% to $10.10, respectively. This represents an upside of between 11% and 15% from were Bendigo Bank shares are trading today.

    About the Bendigo Bank share price

    Due to today’s significant drop, the Bendigo Bank share price is now down by 11% over the last 12 months.

    On valuation grounds, Bendigo Bank commands a market capitalisation of around $5.1 billion, with approximately 560.82 million shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the Bendigo Bank (ASX:BEN) share price is sliding 5% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Bendigo Bank right now?

    Before you consider Bendigo Bank, 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 Bendigo Bank 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 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 owns and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank 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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  • Up 22% in 1-month, why the Evolution (ASX:EVN) share price is surging again today

    Miner with thumbs up at mineMiner with thumbs up at mine

    Miner with thumbs up at mineThe Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is enjoying another strong day today.

    Evolution shares closed on Friday at $4.20 and are currently trading for $4.42. That sees the Evolution share price up 5.1% in intraday trading even as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.7%.

    So, what’s driving today’s gains for the ASX 200 gold share?

    Why is the ASX 200 gold share up today?

    To be fair, it’s not just the Evolution share price bucking the wider selling trend gripping the market today.

    Most of the major ASX gold shares are well into the green, as witnessed by the 4.7% intraday gain posted by the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD), in stark contrast to the 3.3% fall posted by the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) at this same time.

    And you need look no further than the fast-rising price of gold to understand why.

    Fuelled by the soaring global geopolitical tensions unleashed by Russia’s invasion of neighbouring Ukraine, bullion prices gained another 1% overnight. That brings the price of gold to US$1,990 per troy ounce, according to data from Bloomberg.

    Gold, as you’re likely aware, is viewed by many investors as a haven asset in times of uncertainty. And its this haven status that’s seen bullion rocket from US$1,820 per ounce just one month ago.

    And that 9.3% gain the price of gold has helped deliver a 22% boost for Evolution shareholders since this time last month.

    Evolution share price snapshot

    The Evolution share price has gained 8.1% so far in 2022.

    By comparison, the ASX 200 is down 6.8% year-to-date.

    Evolution Mining pays a 1.9% trailing dividend yield, fully franked.

    The post Up 22% in 1-month, why the Evolution (ASX:EVN) share price is surging again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Evolution, 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 Evolution 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

    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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  • ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: AGL rejects new takeover offer, Appen makes strategic investment

    At lunch on Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the week with a heavy decline. The benchmark index is currently down 0.7% to 7,059.6 points.

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

    AGL rejects second takeover offer

    The AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price is trading lower today. This follows news that the energy giant has rejected an improved takeover approach from the Brookfield Consortium. According to the release, the consortium has increased its offer by 10% from $7.50 per share to $8.25 per share. However, the AGL Board continues to believe that this undervalues the company and has rejected the approach.

    Appen makes strategic investment

    The Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) share price is falling again on Monday despite the AI data services company announcing a strategic investment. Appen revealed that it has made a ~$3.6 million investment in Mindtech Global. Mindtech is the creator of Chameleon, which specialises in developing training data for AI computer vision models. The two parties have formed a commercial partnership agreement following the investment.

    Zip co-founder buy shares

    The co-founders of Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) appear to believe the sharp pullback by its shares this year could be a buying opportunity. According to a release, the company’s co-founders Larry Diamond and Peter Gray have purchased approximately $1.5 million of Zip shares. A number of non-executive Directors, including chair Diane Smith-Gander, also purchased Zip shares at the end of last week.

    Best and worst ASX 200 performers

    The best performer on the ASX 200 on Monday has been the Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price with an 8% gain. This follows another strong rise in oil prices. The worst performer has been the Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield (ASX: URW) share price with a 7% decline. The shopping centre operator’s shares have come under pressure amid news that they will be dumped from the ASX 200 later this month.

    The post ASX 200 (ASX:XJO) midday update: AGL rejects new takeover offer, Appen makes strategic investment 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 Appen Ltd and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Appen 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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  • Little-known ASX share explodes 60% on ‘breakthrough’ US certification

    an aircraft maintenance technician stands atop a platform inspecting the jets of an aircraft within a hangar.an aircraft maintenance technician stands atop a platform inspecting the jets of an aircraft within a hangar.an aircraft maintenance technician stands atop a platform inspecting the jets of an aircraft within a hangar.

    The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) continues its downward run on Monday after starting the session poorly. It is now tracking 76 basis points lower at 7,057 points, down almost 5% for the year.

    Amid the downward pressure, one ASX share is shining above the rest today and is now trading 60% higher in the morning session.

    Shares in Structural Monitoring Systems PLC (ASX: SMN) have exploded out of the gates today after being in a trading halt since 21 January. They’re now fetching $1.09 apiece.

    Investors are responding positively to a company announcement this morning regarding usage approval for its CVM [comparative vacuum monitoring] Sensor technology.

    Why’s this ASX share charging so hard today?

    Market pundits are piling into the company today after it advised the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted authority to issue Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval for its CVM Sensor technology.

    Structural Monitoring says the technology is now approved on the B737-800 Intelsat (Gogo) Wi-Fi antenna support structure inspection.

    According to the company, the approval marks an incredible milestone in the world of aviation and is poised to make flying potentially safer for us all. This approval marks an extraordinary milestone in aviation history, the first-ever world regulatory agency approved sensor technology validated and certified for detecting critical structural cracks on aircraft.

    “The certification of CVM sensors to detect cracks on aircraft is expected to meaningfully impact the
    industry maintenance inspection methods,” the announcement said.

    “Inspections can be performed more routinely, plus the sensor eliminates the need to remove ceiling panels and pneumatic ducting to gain access for various safety checks.”

    In fact, Structural Monitoring says that inspections using the technology can be performed “at the gate during a turn-around in approximately 30 minutes, as opposed to taking the aircraft to the hangar to perform the inspections”.

    The company says it will now be putting its efforts into getting the technology ready and able for as many airline fleets as possible.

    “Now that SMS has an FAA certified product available on the market, our team will be assessing all factors related to the current airline operating environment,” it said.

    “This includes current aircraft fleet compositions, aircraft utilisation information and other factors which airlines rely upon to assess their cost benefit analysis for use of CVM technology.”

    As a result, investors are seeing green today, sending shares north of 60% higher on a volume of more than 1,000% higher than the company’s 4-week trading average.

    Management commentary

    Speaking on the announcement, the company’s head of business development and marketing executive vice president Rich Poutier said:

    This industry-first approval of SMS’s structural health monitoring technology granted by the FAA is validation of the tremendous efforts put forth by the entire team. We are excited to pave the way and expand the commercial market with our highly innovative CVM sensor technology.

    How has this ASX share performed?

    In the last 12 months, the Structural Management Systems share price has soared more than 166% and it is also up 79% this year to date.

    As a result of the gain seen on the back of today’s announcement today, the company is now trading at its 52-week high as well.

    During the past month of trading alone, shares have surged more than 86% and, it’s safe to say, SMS is now comfortably outperforming the benchmark index so far in 2022.

    The post Little-known ASX share explodes 60% on ‘breakthrough’ US certification appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Structural Monitoring Systems right now?

    Before you consider Structural Monitoring Systems, 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 Structural Monitoring Systems 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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  • Here’s why the Graincorp (ASX: GNC) share price has rocketed 24% in a month

    Agricultural ASX share price on watch represented by farmer in field looking at tablet computerAgricultural ASX share price on watch represented by farmer in field looking at tablet computerAgricultural ASX share price on watch represented by farmer in field looking at tablet computer

    A message from our CIO, Scott Phillips:

    “G’day Fools. If you’re like us, you’re dismayed by the events taking place in Ukraine. It is an unnecessary humanitarian tragedy. Times like these remind us that money is important, but other things are far more valuable. And yet the financial markets remain open, shares are trading, and our readers and members are looking to us for guidance. So we’ll do our best to continue to serve you, while also hoping for a swift and peaceful end to war in Ukraine.”


    It’s been a bumper month for the Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) share price, despite only a single price-sensitive announcement having been released by the company.

    Since this time last month, Graincorp has gained 24.34%, growing from $7.21 to $8.97.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has fallen 0.8% in that time.

    Let’s take a look at what’s been helping to boost the integrated grain and edible oils business’ stock lately.

    What’s been driving the Graincorp share price lately?

    This time last month, the Graincorp share price was surging on the back of a guidance upgrade.

    The company announced it had managed to dodge most supply chain issues as Australia experienced yet another bumper crop.

    On top of that, supply shortages and drought conditions in the northern hemisphere sent demand for Australian grain and oil seeds soaring.

    As a result, Graincorp expects to report between $480 million and $540 million of underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) for financial year 2022.

    For comparison, it reported $331 million of underlying EBITDA last financial year.

    Additionally, the company’s underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) is predicted to be in the range of $235 million to $280 million – up from $139 million.

    The Graincorp share price gained 12.34% the day the company upgraded its guidance. And the market might be expecting even more from the company into the future.

    As The Motley Fool Australia’s Mitchell Lawler recently reported, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine could send wheat prices soaring.

    Russia and Ukraine are responsible for a significant portion of the world’s wheat exports. However, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and resulting sanctions could hamper both production and supply of the commodity.

    Thus, one expert predicted that supply and demand could see the price of wheat grow by more than 50% if the conflict continues into July. It could also see demand for Australian wheat take off.

    If the commodity’s price were to increase, it could help boost Graincorp’s bottom line and, in turn, its shares.

    The post Here’s why the Graincorp (ASX: GNC) share price has rocketed 24% in a month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Graincorp, 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 Graincorp 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 Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why Crypto Fantom is crashing lower

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

    Graph showing a fall in share price.

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

    What happened

    Cryptocurrency Fantom (CRYPTO: FTM) is down 16% as of 1:25 p.m. ET Sunday following a tweet from Anton Nell that he and Andre Cronje are leaving the decentralized finance (crypto) industry. Cronje is a prolific coder who has done extensive work on Fantom, and Nell is — or was — the senior solutions architect for the Fantom Foundation. Several of the apps the pair of developers helped operate will also be shutting down. 

    So what

    There’s no ill-will or internal conflict driving the decision, for the record. Nell’s tweet explains “this is not a knee jerk reaction to the hate received from releasing a project, but a decision that has been coming for a while now.” Nevertheless, the crypto’s response to the news underscores just how critical an individual can be to a cryptocurrency’s value. That’s especially true for a less liquid and less utilized crypto such as Fantom.

    The Fantom Foundation itself is confident its platform will be able to continue on without Nell’s and Cronje’s involvement. In its own response tweet, the foundation points out “Fantom isn’t and never was a one man team. There are 40+ people working at Fantom.” The Fantom Foundation’s Twitter account goes on to add, “Therefore, the development of Fantom won’t be impacted by Andre’s decision.”

    The cryptocurrency market, however, isn’t so sure Fantom has a bright future without Cronje and Nell in it. 

    Now what

    The Fantom Foundation is right, by the way. While Nell and Cronje may have been instrumental in getting Fantom and the foundation up and running, that groundwork has already been fully laid. Their presence is no longer necessary. Their greatest value to the organization going forward was as spokespeople and advocates.

    Still, a sharp sell-off stemming from the exit of two developers after the development work has been done indicates the sort of vulnerability that most investors would be wise to avoid… if at all possible. This unpredictable volatility may eventually pass, but in a crypto arena that’s getting crowded, Fantom may not be worth that wait. Would-be buyers would be better served by looking for other opportunities available right now. 

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

    The post Why Crypto Fantom is crashing lower 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.

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    James Brumley has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Twitter. 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.

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

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  • Goldrush! Why are Newcrest Mining (ASX:NCM) shares up 4% today?

    a man wearing a gold shirt smiles widely as he is engulfed in a shower of gold confetti falling from the sky.

    a man wearing a gold shirt smiles widely as he is engulfed in a shower of gold confetti falling from the sky.a man wearing a gold shirt smiles widely as he is engulfed in a shower of gold confetti falling from the sky.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a fairly disappointing start to the trading week so far this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down by 0.76% at under 7,100 points. But bucking that trend so far this morning is the Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price.

    Newcrest shares are currently up by a pleasing 3.6%  at $26.96 a share, after rising more than 4% at one point. That’s after this ASX 200 gold miner closed at $26.02 last week and opened at $26.82 a share this morning. It puts Newcrest’s 2022 year to date gains at 10.1%, and its gains over the past month at an impressive 19.9%. 

    So why are Newcrest shares defying the broader market and shooting higher today? 

    Why are Newcrest Mining shares glittering today? 

    Well, it appears that the price of gold itself might be playing a large role here. As a gold miner, there are few things that affect the valuation of Newcrest more than the gold price itself. And the precious metal has indeed been making some big moves of late. Gold is currently being priced at close to US$1,990 an ounce. That is its highest level in almost 2 years. It also represents a sharp appreciation, considering gold was under US$1,800 an ounce just over a month ago. 

    Gold is a traditional safe-haven asset. It seems to have a particular appeal during times of economic or geopolitical stress. So it’s perhaps no surprise then that gold has shot up in value in light of the current war in Ukraine.

    That’s perhaps why we are also seeing other ASX gold mining shares see similar moves today. Although it is worth noting that Newcrest is among the more tamer moves that we see. For example, the Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is currently up a far more dramatic 6.5% at the time of writing. Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU) shares are up 5%, while Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares have gained more than 5.5% so far today. 

    At the current Newcrest Mining share price, this ASX 200 gold miner has a market capitalisation of $21.28 billion, with a dividend yield of 2.52%. 

    The post Goldrush! Why are Newcrest Mining (ASX:NCM) shares up 4% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Newcrest Mining, 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 Newcrest Mining wasn’t one of them.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns Newcrest Mining 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 Bruce Jackson.

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