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The Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) share price is pushing higher on Thursday morning.

At the time of writing, the infant formula company’s shares are up over 2% to 45.5 cents.

Why is the Bubs share price pushing higher?

The rise in the Bubs share price today has been driven by the release of an interesting announcement relating to the company’s daigou activities.

According to the release, the company has entered into an agreement with leading Hong Kong-based daigou distributor, Willis Trading Limited. It has been Bubs’ single largest customer throughout FY 2021 and the first half of FY 2022.

The agreement will see Willis Trading rewarded with up to 29.5 million Bubs shares (4.8% of Bubs’ issued capital) based on product purchases over the next couple of years.

Bubs will issue these shares to Willis Trading as consideration if it meets certain product purchase milestones of at least A$50 million in FY 2022 and at least A$120 million in FY 2023.

Based on the current Bubs share price, the total potential consideration equates to $13.4 million. Given the relatively lukewarm response from the market today, some shareholders appear unsure if this deal will be value accretive or dilutive.

Management commentary

Bubs Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Kristy Carr, said: “Bubs has a proven track record of establishing strategic partnerships with prominent channel partners. We have worked closely with Willis Trading over several years as our lead distribution partner for the Corporate Daigou Channel. Together we have successfully returned Bubs Daigou sales to high growth, delivering record revenues in the first half of FY22, increasing 276% on the prior year, now exceeding pre-COVID levels.”

“The next phase of our partnership is an exceptional and innovative opportunity to deepen our engagement with the Daigou Channel and get closer to our end consumers in China. This strategic alliance between Bubs brand power and the Channel’s deep understanding of Chinese consumers provides more direct identification of our target consumers and their product needs in real time. Word of mouth and peer endorsement is critical in our category, and we view the Daigou Channel as expert community builders. Through one person, we can reach hundreds of consumers.”

“Developed in response to the pandemic, the new supply chain model delivers seamless delivery to our end consumers with heightened traceability and visibility of inventory throughout the Channel, whilst operating within the Chinese government tax system. Building on the momentum already established under Bubs’ Daigou 2.0 strategy, we are confident the deeper collaboration embodied in this transaction will rapidly accelerate our China business and provide a platform for future innovation that will widen our points of engagement with our target consumers,” Mrs Carr concludes.

The post Bubs (ASX:BUB) share price higher on daigou deal appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top ASX shares to buy in March 2022
• Buy these 2 impressive ASX shares in March 2022: experts
• Bubs (ASX:BUB) share price jumps 10% amid 73% revenue growth
• Potential buys: 2 compelling ASX shares

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 BUBS AUST 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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In morning trade, the Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) share price is pushing higher.

At the time of writing, the corporate travel specialist’s shares are up 2% to $22.35.

Why is the Corporate Travel Management share price rising?

Investors have been bidding the Corporate Travel Management share price higher today after its proposed $175 million acquisition of the ANZ-based corporate and entertainment travel businesses of Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) was given a major boost.

According to the release, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has stated that it will not oppose the acquisition.

ACCC Chair, Rod Sims, said: “The ACCC reviewed the proposed acquisition as it combined two of the largest corporate travel management companies in Australia. However, we found that it was unlikely to result in a substantial lessening of competition.”

“Large travel management customers told us that there are a range of competitors that would be capable of servicing their needs, including Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) and Amex GBT,” Mr Sims added.

The ACCC believes that these providers will continue to compete strongly with Corporate Travel Management after the acquisition. Furthermore, it also feels that other large overseas-based travel management companies, such as BCD Travel and CWT (Carlson Wagonlit Travel), and newer companies such as TripActions, could expand in Australia.

What now?

Gaining ACCC approval is a major positive for the deal and brings completion a big step closer.

Corporate Travel Management notes that completion of the acquisition is subject to the satisfaction of the remaining conditions precedent set out in the agreement. Both parties are continuing to work effectively together to satisfy these remaining conditions.

If all goes to plan, completion of the acquisition is expected to occur on 31 March 2022.

The post Corporate Travel Management (ASX:CTD) share price higher on ACCC Helloworld update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 great ASX shares to buy in March 2022: experts
• Why is the Webjet (ASX:WEB) share price having such a lousy start to the week?
• ‘Losses minimised’ but Helloworld (ASX:HLO) shares can’t hide from the havoc
• Why are ASX travel shares taking flight today?
• Corporate Travel (ASX:CTD) more than doubles its revenue amid easing COVID-19 travel restrictions

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 Helloworld Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Helloworld Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Corporate Travel Management 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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This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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

What happened

Tritium DCFC Limited (NASDAQ: DCFC) saw its shares jump 15.7% on Wednesday. It was a volatile day, though, as the stock made big gains only to end the day on the negative side. The company, which produces direct current fast chargers for electric vehicles, saw its stock close at $7.92 on Tuesday then open Wednesday at $8.12 before jumping all the way up to $9.16 in the first hour of trading. As the selling began, the stock dropped all the way to a low of $7.65 in the afternoon. The stock is still closer to its 52-week low of $6.42 than its high of $19.75. 

So what

Thanks partly to the current conflict between Russia and the Ukraine, the price of Brent Crude Oil has shot up above $114 a barrel. While that may be good for oil companies, it is also good for electric vehicle makers and any business connected with electric vehicles. The prospect of increased gas prices has convinced more consumers to look into electric vehicles and more governments to make decisions to boost EV production. On Tuesday, President Joe Biden specifically mentioned his administration plans to build more charging stations.

Even before President Biden’s remarks, Tritium was operating with plenty of tailwinds. It recently said it had sales of $141 million in 2021, up 136% over 2020 sales. In the last six months of 2021, the company said it had sales of $98 million, up 416%, year over year.

There are several reasons why investors remain wary, though. The company isn’t profitable, hasn’t filed a true quarterly report yet, is relatively unknown, and is dealing with supply issues. The company said its contracted backlog as of Dec. 31 equals 48% of its 2022 revenue target, adding it expects $170 million in revenue in 2022.

Now what

The stock is still down more than 22% for the year. The big reason for Wednesday’s wild swing is that a lot of investors, frustrated with the stock’s decline, jumped at the opportunity to sell when the shares rose. The stock has only been trading as a public company on the NASDAQ since Jan. 14 of this year, not long before the company mentioned it plans to build a fast-charging plant in Lebanon, Tennessee.

There’s a lot of hype around many EV stocks, so today’s wild swing reflects both the excitement and the skepticism around a relatively new industry. 

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

The post Why Tritium shares just popped then flopped appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Tritium shares keep falling
• Why Tritium shares dropped 15% today
• Zap! Tritium (NASDAQ:DCFC) share price rockets another 65%. What’s next?
• Tritium (NASDAQ:DCFC) share price rockets 39% on what Biden describes as ‘great news for the planet’

Jim Halley 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.

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

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Dominating world affairs is Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, which has sparked oil prices and other commodities to soar.

This has led the S&P/ASX 200 Energy (ASX: XEJ) sector to gain more than 20% since the beginning of 2022. When compared to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), the ASX benchmark has fallen 4.4% over the same time frame.

Despite Western reluctance to target and sanction Russia’s energy sector, gas and oil prices have reached 8-year highs. The Biden administration stated it was not in the United States’ strategic interest to ban Russian oil exports. This is because of the disruption it would cause to the global oil supply and the impact it would have on fuel prices.

So, what does the future hold for investors who hold ASX shares with exposure to the energy markets?

Let’s take a look at first how Russia stacks up as a global energy producer.

European dependence on Russian energy

To say that Russia is an important energy supplier is an understatement.

The world’s biggest country provides crucial gas and oil throughout Europe, especially to the bloc’s largest economy, Germany.

To put this into perspective, Russia accounts for 49% of natural gas to Germany, 46% to Italy, and 24% to France. Other smaller countries such as North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Moldova receive 100% of their gas supply from Russia.

A Eurostat report published in 2019 stated that Europe consumes 27% of Russian crude oil and 47% of solid fossil fuel imports.

As a whole, Russia exports roughly 10% of oil, 20% of gas, and 20% of thermal coal around the world.

What does this mean for ASX energy shares?

All of the major ASX energy shares have rallied in recent times on the back of multi-year highs for crude oil and natural gas.

While Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has signalled its refusal to increase production growth, energy prices could storm higher.

Last month, the International Energy Agency released its oil market report noting that demand is outstripping supply.

With increased prices, this means additional revenue for Australia’s energy companies, which in turn leads to a higher share price.

Already, top industry players like Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) have climbed almost 10% in the past week.

It’s more than likely that volatility will put upward pressure on energy prices in the near future.

The post Why is it so hard to keep oil prices grounded and what could it mean for ASX shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this top broker rates these ASX shares as buys in March
• Here’s how this top broker values the CBA (ASX:CBA) share price
• Brokers rate these 2 top ASX shares as buys in March 2022
• Why the Bitcoin price should surge to US$50,000 in March: expert
• 2 cheap ASX dividend shares analysts rate as buys

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 Bruce Jackson.

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If you have room to add a few ASX shares to your portfolio in March, then you may want to check out the ones listed below.

These ASX shares are currently rated as buys by the team at Bell Potter and have been named as top picks for 2022. They are as follows:

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

Bell Potter is one of a very small number of brokers that remain bullish on this struggling infant formula company. This is due largely to its belief that A2 Milk’s earnings will rebound strongly once trading conditions normalise. The broker has a buy rating and $7.70 price target on its shares.

It commented: “We see the scope for EPS to double by FY26e, if A2M can execute on the China offline expansion strategy, while recovering 50% of the lost sales (from FY20-21) in English label IMF. The catalyst to regaining lost English label sales is likely to be boarder reopening and the return of international students. Exiting the loss making US assets or navigating a turnaround at the MVM asset would likely accelerate this turnaround. We do not see the current share price as reflecting this potential.”

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

Another ASX share that the broker rates highly is TechnologyOne. Its analysts currently have a buy rating and $15.00 price target on the enterprise software company. Bell Potter likes TechnologyOne due to its shift to a SaaS-focused business, which it expects to underpin greater recurring revenues and stronger margins.

The broker explained: “The key competitive advantage of the company is it has developed a fully integrated SaaS solution of its software and is now switching customers to this solution. The migration is now >50% complete and Technology One is starting to reap the benefits of greater recurring revenue and a higher margin. This combination will in our view drive double digit earnings growth for years to come and, as the migration of customers approaches 100%, we expect the multiple to re-rate to that of a pure SaaS company.”

The post Why this top broker rates these ASX shares as buys in March appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What’s next for the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price?
• Why the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price can climb 40%: broker
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell today
• ‘The sleeper has awakened’: Top broker gives its verdict on the A2 Milk (ASX:A2M) share price

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 A2 Milk. 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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As you might have seen here earlier this week, the team at Bell Potter believe the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is in the buy zone.

Its analysts currently have a buy rating and $108.00 price target on the banking giant’s shares.

This implies potential upside of 14% for investors over the next 12 months.

How does Bell Potter value the CBA share price?

On this occasion, let’s dig a little deeper and see why Bell Potter thinks the CBA share price is worth $108.00.

According to the note, the broker’s price target is based on a composite valuation of discounted cash flow, dividend yield, return on equity (ROE), and sum-of-the-parts (SOTP) weighted equally.

In respect to its SOTP valuation, the broker values the banks segments as follows:

• Retail Banking at 18x FY23 earnings = $83.45bn or $48.90 per share
• B&PB / IB&M at 18.5x FY23 earnings = $79.24bn or $46.44 per share
• New Zealand at 17.5x FY23 earnings = $25.02bn or $14.66 per share
• Total SOTP = $187.7bn or $110.00 per share

On a discounted cash flow basis, the broker values CBA at $87.17 per share.

Whereas on a sustainable dividend yield basis it values the bank at $108.53 per share and on a ROE basis it values the company at $114.27 per share.

As mentioned above, Bell Potter weights each of these valuation methods equally. This means it divides each of them by four and then adds them together. This results in $27.50, $21.79, $27.13, and then $28.57 per share, which comes to $104.99 per share.

But there’s one final thing we need to add in before the valuation is complete. That is the bank’s surplus capital, which at the time of the note was estimated to be $5,534 million or $3.24 per share.

If we add this on and round up, this brings CBA’s valuation to $108.24 per share. And given how this is meaningfully higher than the current CBA share price of $94.70, Bell Potter understandably believes this justifies its buy rating.

The post Here’s how this top broker values the CBA (ASX:CBA) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday
• CBA (ASX:CBA) doubles down on ‘core business’ with $1.8 billion sale
• Which ASX 200 shares have delivered the biggest dividend payout increases this earnings season?
• Top broker says CBA (ASX:CBA) is ‘on its way back’
• Analysts name 2 ASX dividend giants to buy

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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Brokers have identified some leading ASX share opportunities to buy in March 2022.

There has been plenty of volatility in recent weeks as investors react to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as concerns that fast inflation could spark rapid interest rate increases.

If multiple brokers all rate a business as a buy then it could indicate to investors that there is an opportunity to buy. Of course, it’s possible that all of those analysts are wrong at the same time as well.

With that in mind, these two ASX shares are rated as a buy:

Wagners Holding Company Ltd (ASX: WGN)

Over the last 10 months, the Wagners share price has fallen more than 40%. But brokers now think that it is an opportunity. It’s rated as a buy by at least three brokers including Credit Suisse.

The broker’s price target is $1.90. That’s almost 40% higher than where it is today.

If you haven’t heard of Wagners before, it’s a major producer of construction materials and services for Australian and international markets.

The recent FY22 half-year result saw revenue rise by approximately 10%, thanks to growth from cement, concrete, steel and composite fibre technologies (CFT).

Operating earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) increased from $11.6 million to $12.6 million. The company continues to experience costs as it seeks to expand in the USA. Concrete margins are also seeing pressure, leading to a “disappointing” contribution from fixed concrete plans.

In the second half of FY22, it plans to start manufacturing CFT at its Texas facility and begin manufacturing ‘earth friendly concrete’ in outer London, which is currently under construction.

Credit Suisse thinks that the second half could see stronger performance. It’s keeping an eye on the margins though.

BWX Limited (ASX: BWX)

BWX is a natural beauty business with plenty of brands including Sukin and Go-To Skincare. The ASX share also owns e-commerce platforms like Nourished Life and Flora & Fauna.

The BWX share price has fallen 45% since the start of the year.

Brokers see this sell-off as a buying opportunity, with at least three buy ratings. UBS has a buy rating on the business with a price target of $5.50. That implies a possible upside of more than 130% over the next 12 months. It was trading close to that level at the end of June 2021.

The broker noted that both revenue and spending were lower than expected in the first half of FY22, leading to the business generating a bit more profit than expected. But the lower-than-expected sales were a disappointment, with like for like growth of 5%.

BWX said that its underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) rose 26.2% to $14.3 million and underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) grew by 22.1% to $4.7 million. But it made a statutory net loss of $2.3 million with a $3.5 million expense related to the cost of an equity-linked strategic partnership with Chemist Warehouse. There were also $3 million of one-off acquisition costs.

The ASX share said that it’s expecting “strong” underlying revenue and EBITDA growth in the second half of FY22. Sales momentum seen in the FY22 second quarter is continuing into the third quarter.

UBS thinks it’s trading at 13x FY23’s estimated earnings.

The post Brokers rate these 2 top ASX shares as buys in March 2022 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Blackmores, BWX, Kogan, and Magellan shares are dropping
• BWX (ASX:BWX) share price plunges 26% after posting after-tax loss in 1H FY22
• 2 ASX shares this expert rates as a buy
• 2 ASX shares that this top fund manager rates as a buy

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 recommended BWX 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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The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price has rebounded strongly over the past seven days.

As of last night, the world’s biggest token by market cap was up more than 17% for the week. Bitcoin is currently trading at US$44,411, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

And Nigel Green, CEO of global independent financial advisory deVere Group, sees significantly more gains for the Bitcoin price in March.

Why the Bitcoin price could top US$50,000 this month

Green notes that the Bitcoin price “surged by more than US$6,000” in Monday’s strong rally.

That’s the token’s biggest daily gain in 12 months.

And further surges may be ahead.

“As it currently stands, I can see no reason why this price momentum should falter. I think we can expect to see Bitcoin hit $50,000 by the end of this month,” he says.

Green points to rising geopolitical tensions as one of the main drivers behind the Bitcoin price rise:

The Ukraine-Russia situation has caused significant financial upheaval and individuals, businesses and indeed government agencies – not just in the region but globally – are looking for alternatives to traditional systems.

As banks close, ATMs run out of money, threats of personal savings being taken to pay for war, and the major international payments system SWIFT is weaponised, amongst other factors, the case for a viable, decentralised, borderless, tamper-proof, unconfiscatable monetary system has been laid bare.

As this trend unfolds longer-term, Green says this could jeopardise the US dollar’s global reserve status. Which in turn could offer fresh tailwinds for the Bitcoin price.

“Savvy investors know this and will be further increasing their exposure to cryptocurrencies before prices rise further,” he says.

What else is supporting further crypto price gains?

Atop the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Green says that increased institutional adoption of cryptos will help to send the Bitcoin price higher:

The appeal of global, digital currencies in our increasingly tech-driven world is, of course, not going unnoticed by institutional investors who include credit unions, banks, large funds such as a mutual or hedge fund, venture capital funds, insurance companies, and pension funds. In fact, some reports say that institutions – who bring with them enormous capital, expertise and reputational influence – are now the dominant traders of cryptocurrencies.

Green explains the result when more institutional investors buy into cryptos. “Credibility increases, trading volumes go up and volatility goes down – this is all good news for everyday investors.”

Noting that with the Bitcoin price rise, the token is now the 14th most valuable currency in the world. Green adds, “I expect it to jump further still up the rankings in coming months.”

The post Why the Bitcoin price should surge to US$50,000 in March: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Considering adding crypto to your super? Read this
• More valuable than the rouble: How the Ukraine crisis is now boosting the Bitcoin price
• Is Bitcoin or gold a better buy for these uncertain times?
• How might the Ukraine crisis impact the Ethereum price?
• Why these 2 cryptos are booming in 2022 as the Bitcoin price wallows

The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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Are you looking for dividend shares to buy? If you are, then you might want to look at the shares listed below.

Here’s why these ASX dividend shares could be worth considering right now:

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

The Accent share price has come under significant pressure this year and dropped to a new 52-week low on Wednesday. Investors have been selling down this dividend share after COVID headwinds weighed heavily on its performance of its Glue, HYPEDC, Pivot, Platypus, Sneaker Lab, and Stylerunner stores during the first half of FY 2022.

While this is disappointing and will inevitably lead to lower earnings and dividends this year from the footwear retailer, analysts expect a swift rebound in FY 2023. This could make the recent share price weakness a buying opportunity for patient investors.

For example, Bell Potter has pencilled in a fully franked dividend of 6 cents per share in FY 2022 and then 11 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the current Accent share price of $1.85, this will mean yields of 3.2% and 5.9%, respectively.

Bell Potter has a buy rating and $2.75 price target on its shares.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

Another ASX dividend share to consider is banking giant, Westpac. The shares of Australia’s oldest bank have also come under pressure in recent months, which leaves them trading far closer to their 52-week lows than their 52-week highs.

This share price weakness has been driven by concerns over the bank’s margin outlook and doubts over its cutting plans. However, Morgans believes these concerns are unwarranted and that Westpac can overcome its margin issues and deliver on its cost cutting aspirations. In light of this, it believes its shares have been oversold and are great value now.

It also expects generous dividend yields in the near term. The broker has pencilled in fully franked dividends per share of $1.19 in FY 2022 and then $1.60 in FY 2023. Based on the current Westpac share price of $22.58, this will mean yields of 5.3% and 7.1%, respectively.

Morgans has an add rating and $29.50 price target on the bank’s shares.

The post 2 cheap ASX dividend shares analysts rate as buys appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why did the Westpac (ASX:WBC) share price smash the other banks in February?
• What’s keeping this top broker neutral on Westpac (ASX:WBC) shares?
• Analysts name 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy
• Analysts name 3 ASX 200 shares with potential upside of 20%+
• Own Westpac (ASX:WBC) shares? Here’s the latest on the bank’s cost-cutting crusade

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns Westpac Banking Corporation. 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 Accent Group and Westpac Banking Corporation. 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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On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a decent day and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.3% to 7,116.7 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 to open higher

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Thursday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 56 points or 0.8% higher this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 1.9%, the S&P 500 is up 1.9%, and the Nasdaq has risen 1.55%.

Coles and Woolworths go ex-dividend

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) shares are likely to trade lower today when they go ex-dividend for their latest interim dividends. Coles will then be paying its fully franked 33 cents per share dividend on 31 March, whereas Woolworths will be paying its fully franked 39 cents per share dividend on 13 April.

Oil prices continue to shoot higher

It could be another good day for energy shares including Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) after oil prices charged higher. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 6.8% to US$110.46 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 7.1% to US$112.39 a barrel. Oil hit its highest level since 2011 after OPEC decided to hold its output steady despite the Russia-Ukraine war.

GrainCorp shares rated as a sell

The GrainCorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) share price is overvalued according to the team at Bell Potter. This morning the broker reiterated its sell rating and $6.70 price target on the grain exporter’s shares. It explained: “Ultimately, the tailwinds that the market is currently capitalising for GNC will dissipate, at which point management will face the daunting prospect of cycling record volumes and trading margins in FY23-24e. We do not see this view reflected in the current GNC share price.”

Gold price falls

It could be a difficult day for gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) after the gold price dropped. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.9% to US$1,926.3 an ounce. The precious metal came under pressure after bond yields and stock rebounded.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• The price of oil is soaring to new highs and these ASX oil shares are cashing in
• Black gold! 3 ASX energy shares pumping new 52-week highs today
• These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Wednesday
• Woodside (ASX:WPL) shares are up 6% today. Here’s the lowdown
• Will Mike Cannon-Brookes bring an extra $1 billion to the table in his AGL takeover bid?

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 owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. 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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