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The Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC) share price took flight on Monday. Investors bidded up the grain exporter’s shares today despite there being no announcements from the company.

At the close, the Graincorp share price finished at $8.40, up 5% from its previous close. However, shares in the company had been as high as $8.62 throughout the day.

Let’s take a look at what could be behind the momentum.

Wheat shortage presents opportunity for Graincorp share price

As the devastating Russian invasion of Ukraine continues, analysts are looking at how the conflict could impact markets. According to several experts, one expected side effect of this catastrophe is a considerable jump in wheat prices.

Already, global prices of the staple food have surged 20% since the beginning of the year. However, experts such as James Maxwell, senior insights manager at Rural Bank, are anticipating sky-high wheat prices if the turmoil continues in Ukraine.

Between Russia and Ukraine, 30% of global wheat exports could be disrupted. Due to the dangerous environment and sanctions imposed, Middle Eastern and North African markets could turn to Australia.

According to sources Russia and Ukraine together produce nearly a quarter of the world’s wheat, and supply disruptions in near future could fuel higher food prices and social unrest. 1/6 pic.twitter.com/wRzrzjDMI5

— Aamer Hayat Bhandara (@AamerBhandara) February 25, 2022

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

Maxwell stated:

We’d expect 50% increases or even more [if the conflict continued to July], which is saying something because we’re already pretty close to record prices.

Earlier this month, the Graincorp share price rallied after the company upgraded its full-year guidance for FY22. At that point in time, the company was already pointing at the high global demand for Australian grain.

Prior to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the last time access to wheat exports via the Black Sea was lost was during World War I. To drive home the significance of these circumstances, Rabobank agriculture analyst Dennis Voznesenski said:

Chicago wholesale wheat prices rose 45% from October 1914 to February 1915.

The Graincorp share price is now trading on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of ~13 times.

The post Here’s why the Graincorp (ASX:GNC) share price jumped 5% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Cettire, GrainCorp, James Hardie, and Nitro shares are pushing higher
• ‘Bumper crop’: Graincorp (ASX:GNC) share price rockets 13% on guidance update

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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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The Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) share price has been on a continuing decline over the last few weeks.

This follows the company’s dual listing on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE), which occurred on 15 February, European time.

At market close, the clean lithium developer’s shares finished the day trading at $8.59, down 0.46% for the day.

Why did Vulcan Energy proceed to be dual listed on the FSE?

In case you weren’t aware, Vulcan is developing its Zero Carbon Lithium Project in Germany, which is recognised as the fastest growing lithium battery market worldwide.

The company aims to play a crucial role in decarbonising the region’s power and heating requirements through the delivery of baseload geothermal energy.

With its projects and 90% of the team based in Germany, the dual listing was considered an important step. This not only increases the international profile of Vulcan Energy to European investors but also provides an investment opportunity.

The company aims to become the world’s first lithium and energy renewables producer with net zero greenhouse gas emissions. The Zero Carbon Lithium Project’s plan is to produce a lithium-hydroxide chemical product for the European electric vehicle battery market.

How did Vulcan Energy shares travel since the dual listing?

The company has been relatively quiet on the news front since announcing its shares were to be dual listed.

During the time when the FSE Listing was becoming effective, Vulcan Energy shares were trading at $9.30 a pop. However, the shares had some shocker days, falling 6.24% on 22 February and 9.51% on February 24.

Although it’s worth noting that Vulcan Energy shares did climb 9.31% between the two days of heavy losses (23 February).

Overall, the fall represents a loss of around 8% in value for the company’s shares.

A major catalyst for the wild volatility appears to be attributed to the geopolitical tensions between Ukraine and Russia. The All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO) slumped close to 4% since February 16 when Vulcan Energy shares were dual listed.

Vulcan Energy share price snapshot

Over the last 12 months, Vulcan Energy shares have powered ahead, posting a gain of 33%. When looking at year to date, its shares have fallen by 17% despite investor sentiment heating up in the industry.

Based on today’s price, Vulcan commands a market capitalisation of $1.13 billion with approximately 131.65 million shares on issue.

The post How have Vulcan Energy (ASX:VUL) shares been faring since their dual listing? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why is the Vulcan (ASX:VUL) share price charging higher today?
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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) is down 2.0% over the past 24 hours, currently trading for US$37,813 (AU$52,682).

Gold has gone the other way.

Bullion prices have climbed another 1.2% since this time yesterday, to US$1,911 per troy ounce.

That’s up from US$1,801 per ounce on 1 February, for a monthly gain of 6%.

Bitcoin, on the other hand, has slid from US$38,144 on 1 February, down 1% for the month.

Why is Bitcoin down while gold is up?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has roiled global markets and sent jittery investors seeking haven assets.

When it comes to haven assets, gold has long held the throne for many investors. In more recent years, crypto enthusiasts have touted Bitcoin as a potential digital equivalent to gold.

But Bitcoin is proving it can’t, as yet, live up to that title.

On the subject of gold’s surge, senior resource analyst at MineLife Gavin Wendt said (as quoted by Bloomberg):

Gold has only one trajectory at present, and that’s upward. Already well-supported on the back of inflation and interest-rate uncertainty, the political contagion with Russia has supercharged gold and it looks set to maintain its positive momentum.

Rush Gold CEO Jodi Stanton added (courtesy of Australian Fintech), “This crisis is unfolding with analysts unable to predict what tomorrow will hold, let alone next month. What we do know is that the gold price has rallied again in the wake of a geo-political crisis.”

As for Bitcoin supplanting gold in its haven role, Stanton doesn’t see that happening:

The other thing that is becoming clearer is whether Bitcoin is a hedge in the way that gold is. We’ve always been of the view that gold and Bitcoin serve entirely different functions, and this is being borne out in markets, with Bitcoin correlating to riskier assets like shares and gold showing clear hedging and capital preservation traits in times of turmoil.

With gold prices rising so are ASX 200 gold shares

With gold prices rising again, so too are S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold shares.

While the ASX 200 is up 0.7% in late afternoon trading, the Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price is up 3.5%; the Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is up 2.4%. And the Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price has gained 2.9% today.

The post Is Bitcoin or gold a better buy for these uncertain times? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 5 ASX 200 shares trading ex-dividend today
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The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Bitcoin. 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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The NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) share price had a subdued start to the week.

The data centre operator’s shares ended the day down 0.5% to $10.63.

This means the NextDC share price is down 17% since the start of the year.

Is the NextDC share price in the buy zone?

The weakness in NextDC’s shares in 2022 could be a buying opportunity according to the team at Morgans.

According to a note, in response to the company’s half year results, the broker has retained its add rating and $14.64 price target on its shares.

Based on the current NextDC share price, this implies potential upside of 38% over the next 12 months.

What did the broker say?

Morgans was pleased with NextDC’s performance during the first half, highlighting that its result was ahead of estimates. And while management has increased its capital expenditure (capex) guidance, the broker isn’t concerned.

Its analysts commented: “NXT’s 1H22 result was ahead of our forecasts and came with a small upgrade to FY22 guidance. Noteworthy was the ~8% upgrade to capex guidance which bodes well for future growth. NXT typically builds only what they have line of sight to leasing; including recently announced gen 4/5 regional/edge sites in smaller cities.”

All in all, Morgans remains positive on the NextDC share price and notes that the company has exposure to structural tailwinds in an industry with high barriers to entry.

It explained: “We retain our Add recommendation and highlight that NXT remains our preferred pick given substantial structural growth, quality management, significant barrier to entry and, in our view, improving competitive advantage with regional/edge sites. We see a clear pathway for long-term growth, substantially higher EBITDA and material free cash flow, over the medium term.”

The post Broker says NextDC (ASX:NXT) share price has 38% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns NEXTDC 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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We’ve all but wrapped up the S&P/ASX 200 Index‘s (ASX: XJO) earnings season for the first half of 2022. While there has been the usual slew of delights and disappointments, attention is now turning to the bevvy of dividends that ASX 200 investors are set to receive over the next few weeks as a result of these earnings. One of those ASX 200 shares that is set to trade ex-dividend for its upcoming interim payment is the supermarket and grocery giant Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

So today, let’s take a look at what is in store for Coles shareholders.

It was only last Tuesday that Coles revealed its half-year earnings, and in the process, the interim dividend it is set to treat shareholders with. The company’s earnings themselves were a bit of a mixed bad. Coles reported higher revenues, but also a hit to earnings and profits as costs rose over the half. 

Coles to keep interim dividend steady

But we’re here for the dividend, so let’s get that out of the way. Coles announced that it will be paying an interim dividend worth 33 cents per share, fully franked. If an investor is desperate to see this payment hit their bank account, they will need to own Coels shares before the ex-dividend date of 3 March (Thursday this week). The dividend will then be paid out on 31 March.

This 33 cents per share payout is flat with last year’s interim dividend. However, it is a slight increase from the company’s last final dividend of 28 cents per share that investors received last September. It’s also still up from Coles’ 2020 interim dividend of 30 cents per share. 

If there are any Coles investors disappointed that the company did not give investors a dividend pay rise this year (it’s first steady dividend since it was spun out of Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) back in 2018), then consider this. Rival Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) just announced an interim dividend that was 26.4% lower than its previous one. In saying that, Woolies did spin out Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) last year, which has resulted in a smaller pool of earnings from which to fund dividend payments. 

At the current Coels share price, this ASX 200 share has a market capitalisation of $23.17 billion, with a dividend yield of 3.52%. 

The post Coles (ASX:COL) shares will trade ex-dividend this week. Here’s what you need to know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET and Wesfarmers 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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In late trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a decent gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.5% to 7,034.1 points.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market’s lead today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET)

The Betmakers share price is down 3.5% to 55.7 cents. Investors have been selling down this betting technology company’s shares following the release of its half year results. According to the release, the company recorded a loss after tax of $27.8 million for the half. This compares to a loss after tax of $4.4 million a year earlier.

Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)

The Fortescue share price is down 2.5% to $18.14. This decline has been driven by the mining giant’s shares trading ex-dividend this morning. In fact, if you take Fortescue’s 86 cents per share interim dividend out of the equation, its shares would be rising on Monday. Eligible shareholders can look forward to being paid this dividend on 30 March.

Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN)

The Suncorp share price is down 3.5% to $10.73. This morning the insurance giant revealed that thousands of its customers have been impacted by heavy rainfall and flooding in south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. According to the release, Suncorp has received more than 5,000 claims across both states as of 28 February. This is likely to rise further in the coming days.

Tyro Payments Ltd (ASX: TYR)

The Tyro share price is down 4.5% to $1.55. Investors have been selling this payments company’s shares following the release of its weekly trading update. This is despite Tyro’s update revealing a 44% increase transaction value month to date to $2,515 billion.

The post Why Betmakers, Fortescue, Suncorp, and Tyro shares are falling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Betmakers Technology Group Ltd and Tyro Payments. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group Ltd and Tyro Payments. 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 Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is enjoying a strong start to the trading week.

Shares of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy giant are currently up 2%, having earlier posted gains of 3%. That compares to the curtain gain of 0.6% posted by the ASX 200.

So, why is the Woodside share price off to a good start this week?

Crude oil surges on Russian hostilities

Numerous factors impact Woodside’s performance including the company’s management and the quality of its energy assets.

But energy prices certainly count amongst the big influencers on the Woodside share price.

And crude oil prices are rocketing following a wave of Western sanctions against Russia over its invasion of neighbouring Ukraine.

Brent crude jumped 4.9% over the past 24 hours to trade at US$102.76 per barrel.

West Texas Intermediate (WTI) leapt 5.8% to US$96.81 per barrel.

Don’t forget, Russia is the world’s third largest producer of crude oil.

Among the sanctions sending crude prices skywards is the West’s agreement to deny some Russian banks access to the SWIFT bank messaging system.

If you’re unfamiliar, SWIFT stands for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunication. And it’s used by banks and companies the world over to deliver secure finance messaging.

So, why is removing some of Russia’s banks from SWIFT sending crude oil prices, and the Woodside share price, higher?

According to Andy Lipow, president of Lipow Oil Associates (quoted by Bloomberg), “Removing some Russian banks from SWIFT could result in a disruption of oil supplies as buyers and sellers try to figure out how to navigate the new rules.”

And these disruptions don’t look to be over yet.

“The surge that we’re seeing today was guaranteed, given the considerable deterioration of the Ukraine situation over the weekend. Markets should brace for plenty of aftershocks,” said Vandana Hari, founder of Vanda Insights.

In bad news for motorists and energy intensive industries – but good news for the Woodside share price – Goldman Sachs had lifted its 1-month forecast for Brent to US$115 per barrel. That’s up from the prior forecast of US$95 per barrel and 12% higher than the current Brent crude price.

Woodside share price snapshot

With today’s intraday moves factored in, the Woodside share price is up 25.6% year-to-date. That compares to the 7.3% loss posted by the ASX 200 over that same time.

And, including its outsized final dividend payment (sorry, shares went ex-dividend last Thursday), Woodside pays a trailing dividend yield of 6.7%.

The post Why is the Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price having such a stellar start to the week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Analysts name 2 top ASX dividend shares to buy
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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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Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) is edging higher on news the company is planning a new hydrogen hub in the Hunter Valley region of New South Wales.

The Origin share price is $5.725 at the time of writing, a 0.26% gain. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is 0.53% in the green today.

Let’s take a look at what the energy giant announced.

What did Origin announce?

Origin will partner with Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI) in a new hydrogen hub. The hub would deliver green hydrogen from water and renewable electricity using a grid connected to a 55-megawatt electrolyser.

Origin said the hub would produce a “safe, reliable and commercial scale” green hydrogen supply chain in Newcastle.

The hydrogen could provide fuel for trucks and buses in the Hunter, Central Coast, and Sydney, according to the company.

Origin stated the plan supports the NSW government’s goal for 10,000 fuel cell electric vehicles by the end of the decade.

Recently, Origin revealed it would be exiting coal-fired power generation early. Origin plans to retire the Eraring power station in NSW by August 2025.

On February 18, the Origin share price fell 8% amid the company completing the sale of a 10% interest in Australia Pacific LNG.

Management comment

Commenting on the news, Origin CEO Frank Calabria said:

By collaborating with Orica and other partners, we have an invaluable opportunity to further explore how green hydrogen could help to power a cleaner future for manufacturing, transport and industrial customers in Australia.

Both Origin and Orica are well established in the Hunter region and bring considerable expertise in different aspects of the hydrogen value chain, which will help contribute to the continued development of this emerging industry.

Origin share price snapshot

The Origin share price has surged 6% in the past month.

In the last year, it has gained around 27% and is up more than 9% year to date.

In contrast, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has climbed around 5% over the past 12 months.

Origin has a market capitalisation of about $10 billion.

The post Origin (ASX:ORG) share price lifts amid green hydrogen news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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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With so many shares to choose from on the ASX, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

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

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating but cut their price target on this AI data services company’s shares by 38% to $9.15. Citi appears concerned by the lack of earnings visibility after Appen decided against providing short term guidance. However, it feels the share price decline has been an overreaction. And while the broker isn’t convinced the company will achieve its FY 2026 targets, it still sees enough value to maintain its buy rating. The Appen share price is trading at $7.02 this afternoon.

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG)

A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this fund manager’s shares with a price target of $2.33. Goldman highlights that GQG delivered a full year profit result ahead of prospectus forecasts thanks to a much better than expected performance on costs. Overall, it believes GQG shares are a buy due to strong operating momentum, low fees, and management having significant skin in the game. The GQG share price is fetching $1.46 today.

Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL)

Analysts at Morgans have upgraded this private health insurer’s shares to an add rating with a $3.43 price target. This follows the release of the company’s half year results, which came in ahead of consensus estimates. In addition, Morgans believes the benign claims environment is favourable and sees positives from its productivity program. The Medibank share price is trading at $3.18 on Monday afternoon.

The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Appen Ltd. 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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The Xref Limited (ASX: XF1) share price is in the red today after the company released its interim report and financial results for the half-year ended 31 December 2021.

At the time of writing, the Xref share price is trading 5% in the red at 57 cents.

Xref share price tanks amid earnings growth

Key takeouts from the reference check company’s earnings results today include:

• Gross Sales – a record first half period of upfront sales of $10 million, up 95% from $5.1 million in H1 FY21
• Cash receipts from sales of $10.3 million, up 65% from $6.2 million the same time last year
• Record first-half revenue result of $8.9 million, up 73% from $5.1 million year on year
• Net loss for the half year of $0.03 million – significant 98% reduction from $1.98 million in H1 FY21
• Operating cash surplus of $2.3 million compared to an operating cash deficit of $500,000 last year
• Cash balance of $10.4 million at 31 December 2021, compared to $8.1 million at 30 June 2021.

What happened this period for Xref?

Xref notes that its growth pattern continued throughout the half. It says, traditionally, this period has the lowest sales due to “seasonal fluctuations in the Australian recruitment industry following the financial year-end, and the summer holiday season in the Northern Hemisphere”.

Nevertheless, the company achieved record first-half revenue of $8.9 million, an impressive jump of 73% compared to the same period last year.

Throughout the pandemic, Xref says it has also been successful in gradually reducing reliance on its traditional sales team by increasing the digital acquisition of new clients.

“Xref has improved all marketing metrics relating to effectiveness and lead generation with the continual optimisation of channels and marketing investment,” the company said.

“Invoice value, client size, initial adoption and sales cycle periods have all improved as we continue to execute our digital marketing strategy and 3,200 leads were captured during H1 FY22 resulting in a 124% increase in lead flow over the same period in the previous year.”

As such, the group almost broke even at the bottom line, backed by an operating cash surplus of $2.3 million that was well ahead of a deficit of $500,000 this time last year.

Management commentary

Speaking on the announcement, Xref’s CEO and co-founder Lee-Martin Seymour said:

As a marketing led, data-driven organisation, Xref continues to execute a data-driven multi-channel marketing strategy generating an increased number of inbound leads. B2B buyers are becoming increasingly reliant on reviews as a source of truth when considering a sofware purchase. Xref’s online brand presence continues to be strong and successful on platforms such as G2, Capterra and Google My Business.

On G2’s review platform, Xref repeatedly ranks among the best SaaS [software as a service] in the reference check category, including Top 10 in ANZ. The most recent winter report saw Xref win seven badges for leadership, usability and relationships, ranking number one in usability.

What’s on the horizon for Xref?

The company says the staged release of its enhanced platform, including its Xref Pulse Surveys and Xref Marketplace, will continue throughout FY22.

These new services are set to “dramatically increase Xref’s global addressable market”, according to the company.

“In particular, this strategy is expected to grow Xref’s share of the North America market via channel partners, wholesale and self-serve subscription sales.”

Xref reckons that geographic expansion will also reduce seasonality in overall usage moving forward. Along with the “growing demand for additional pre-employment survey and checking services via the Xref Platform and connected Marketplace, Xref expects it will be able maintain its achievement of a net profit after tax [NPAT] for FY22 along with cash flow profitability”, it concluded.

Xref share price snapshot

In the last 12 months, the Xref share price has surged around 98% but it is down more than 15% this year to date.

During the past month of trading, shares have collapsed 19% and Xref is thus trailing the broad index’s return this year.

The post Xref (ASX:XF1) share price slides 5% despite surge in gross sales 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. owns and has recommended Xref Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Xref 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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