Tag: Motley Fool

  • Prospect Resources (ASX:PSC) share price leaps 16% as company receives 7 proposals for lithium project

    a female superhero dressed in shiny green with a mask leaps in the sky with leg and arm outstretched in a leaping action.

    The Prospect Resources Ltd (ASX: PSC) share price is rocketing to an all-time high today following an update on the company’s strategic partnership process.

    At the time of writing, the lithium producer’s shares are advancing 16.24% to 68 cents. This is just shy of an almost four-year record high of 69 cents touched during early afternoon trade.

    Prospect reviews non-binding proposals

    Investors are sending Prospect shares higher as they digest the company’s latest announcement.

    According to its release, Prospect advised it has received seven non-binding proposals for the development of the Arcadia Lithium Project.

    Located in Zimbabwe, the Arcadia project is Prospect’s flagship asset, in which it holds an 87% interest. Since acquiring the project in mid-2016, Prospect has progressed Arcadia from discovery to the most advanced lithium project in Africa.

    The company noted that it has engaged with a number of interested parties in the past week following data room access and site visits.

    The non-binding proposals have come from several international parties offering various support structures. This includes development joint ventures, offtake prepayment debt funding, and the acquisition of Prospect’s interest in the Arcadia Lithium Project.

    While there is no guarantee that any of the proposals will materialise, Prospect is in discussions with its financial advisors to determine the best option.

    Prospect share price snapshot

    Over the past 12 months, the Prospect share price has accelerated 452%, with year-to-date up around 305%. The company’s shares have taken off on the back of strong investor hype in the lithium sector.

    Based on today’s price, Prospect presides a market capitalisation of roughly $295 million, with 428.52 million shares on hand.

    The post Prospect Resources (ASX:PSC) share price leaps 16% as company receives 7 proposals for lithium project appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Prospect, 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 Prospect wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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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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  • Here’s why the Oil Search (ASX:OSH) share price is slipping today

    barrel of oil sitting on top of falling red arrow representing asx energy shares downgrade

    Monday is proving to be a challenging day on the ASX for the Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) share price.

    The company’s stock is dipping alongside those of its peers and the price of oil. Additionally, reports have emerged stating that the company is being sued by its former chief financial officer.

    At the time of writing, the Oil Search share price is $4.12, 1.9% lower than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is currently sporting a 0.4% fall.

    Let’s take a look at what might be dragging the company’s share price today.

    Oil Search share price tumbles

    Oil Search’s stock is suffering as the price of oil hits its lowest point in 7 weeks.

    According to data from CNBC, the price of West Texas Intermediate oil is sitting at US$75.94 per barrel right now. At the same time, barrels of Brent crude oil are trading at US$78.85.

    As Reuters has reported, the fall in oil prices comes as COVID-19 cases in the Northern Hemisphere surge, seemingly harbouring a fourth wave.

    At the same time, the globe’s biggest economies are reportedly considering releasing oil stockpiles in an attempt to combat energy prices.

    Oil Search isn’t alone in its falls today. Unsurprisingly, other oil-producing companies are also in the red.

    The share prices of Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) are down 1.8% and 1.9% respectively.

    Meanwhile, that of Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) has slid 4%.

    Finally, while it’s unlikely to be moving the Oil Search share price, reports emerged last week claiming the company’s former CFO is suing the company on allegations of bullying, intimidation, and harassment.

    Ayten Saridas lasted just 3 months in the role in late 2020.

    According to reporting by The Australian, Oil Search has denied the claims and stated it will defend against the accusations.

    Right now, the Oil Search share price is 9.5% higher than it was at the start of 2021.

    The post Here’s why the Oil Search (ASX:OSH) share price is slipping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Oil Search right now?

    Before you consider Oil Search, 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 Oil Search wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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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  • How Afterpay (ASX:APT) is using AI in its push for BNPL domination

    a woman with lots of shopping bags looks upwards towards the sky as if she is pondering something.

    The Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT) share price is in the red on Monday afternoon.

    At the time of writing, shares in the buy now, pay later provider (BNPL) are off by 2.39%. This mirrors the poor performance more broadly across the tech sector to kick off the week. For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.51% this afternoon.

    Although the market is not looking at Afterpay too fondly today, it was a different story on Wednesday last week. Shares in global payments company gained 2.1% on the back of its annual general meeting (AGM). In this meeting, more information was shared about Afterpay’s analytics platform, ‘Afterpay iQ’.

    Let’s take a look at the details.

    Let’s get analytical

    On 19 August 2021, Afterpay announced its merchant analytics platform. At the time, the new tool was described as a way for merchants to access and leverage valuable customer-centric analytics derived from the Afterpay network.

    Furthermore, the internal system is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) — crawling through more than 156 million transactions of the past year. From this, ASX-listed Afterpay can provide merchants with data-rich insights. This can assist retailers in devising data-driven marketing campaigns.

    Additionally, Afterpay chair Elana Rubin discussed the merits of Afterpay iQ at Wednesday’s AGM, stating:

    We’ve leveraged merchant and product level data in order to create personas and it gives insight into customer motivations.

    In regards to privacy, Rubin noted:

    This portal is designed to help merchants understand their performance with Afterpay. But consistent with all the privacy segments, as such the only data [the] merchant can see in the portal is their own, which has been de-identified and is only shown on an aggregated persona basis.

    The technology was created by Afterpay’s engineers after merchants had been asking for ways to leverage Afterpay’s product. From its AGM presentation, some of the available insights include sales, new customers, orders, and order frequency.

    From here, advertisements can be deployed and reviewed directly from Afterpay iQ.

    Source: Afterpay 2021 annual general meeting presentation

    Afterpay on the ASX

    Because of the pending takeover by US-based Square Inc (NYSE: SQ), Afterpay’s days of trading on the ASX are likely numbered. The scheme booklet has been sent out to Afterpay shareholders for voting on the transaction. If approved, the Aussie company will be engulfed by the larger payments giant.

    Despite these events, the Afterpay share price is in the negative on a year-to-date basis — down roughly 4%.

    The post How Afterpay (ASX:APT) is using AI in its push for BNPL domination appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Afterpay, 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 Afterpay wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Square. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T 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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  • These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Monday

    An office worker and his desk covered in yellow post-it notes

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has hardly kicked off the trading week in style this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is currently down by 0.45% at 7,363 points.

    But rather than dwelling on that, let’s instead check out the ASX 200 shares that are currently topping the ASX trading volume charts so far today, according to investing.com.

    3 most active ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

    AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

    ASX 200 wealth manager and banking share AMP is our first cab off the rank today. AMP has, so far this Monday, seen a hefty 11.8 million shares change hands. This could be a consequence of the news this morning that AMP will be retaining control of its Wholesale Office Fund. Perhaps as a result, the AMP share price is currently up a healthy 2.82% to $1.17 a share. It’s this combination that is probably behind so many AMP shares trading today.

    Nickel Mines Ltd (ASX: NIC)

    ASX 200 nickel company Nickel Mines is our next share to take a look at today. A sizeable 11.91 million NIC shares have found new owners so far this Monday. Nickel Mines is actually the best performing ASX 200 share on the share market so far today. Its shares are up 8.82% so far at $1.30 a share.

    Investors appear to have gotten a boost of confidence after this company released a memorandum of understanding this morning, outlining its next phase of growth alongside the Chinese company Shanghai Decent. It’s this news that has likely resulted in the elevated trading volume we see today.

    Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

    And our final and most traded ASX 200 share of today so far goes to ASX lithium producer Pilbara Minerals. A whopping 20.03 million of this company’s shares have been bought and sold so far today. With no news out of Pilbara today, we can probably put this high volume down to the hefty share price gains Pilbara has seen so far. This company is up a pleasing 5.3% to $2.48 a share this Monday.

    The post These 3 ASX 200 shares are topping the volume charts on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Pilbara Minerals right now?

    Before you consider Pilbara Minerals, 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 Pilbara Minerals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    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 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 is the Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price tumbling 6% to a 2-month low?

    qantas pilot putting hands to her face as if distraught

    The Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) share price is in a nosedive today, alongside many of its ASX travel peers.  

    As my Foolish colleague Tristan reported earlier today, the dip coincides with yet another outbreak of COVID-19 in the Northern Hemisphere.

    At the time of writing, the Flight Centre share price is $18.61, 5.77% lower than its previous close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.3%, as is the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    Let’s take a look at what might be weighing on Flight Centre’s stock on Monday.

    Flight Centre share price slumps on Monday

    It’s a tough day to be a Flight Centre shareholder as the company’s share price plunges to its lowest point since September.

    It comes as the United States recorded a 16.1% week-on-week increase in new COVID-19 cases last week.

    Meanwhile, the BBC reports Austria has been plunged back into lockdown as the nation makes it a legal requirement to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by February.

    At the same time, multiple European countries are reportedly experiencing record numbers of daily infections. Belgium has recently tightened its mask restrictions in a bid to quash the rise in cases there.

    The increase comes as the northern half of the globe prepares for winter to take hold.

    Closer to home, at least Flight Centre’s stock isn’t alone in its tumble.

    The share price of its fellow travel agency Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB) slipped 3% to trade at $5.73 today.

    Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) is also in the red, plunging 3.83% to $5.27 at the time of writing.

    Right now, the Flight Centre share price is 17% higher than it was at the start of 2021. However, it is more than 8% lower than it was this time last month.

    The post Why is the Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) share price tumbling 6% to a 2-month low? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Flight Centre right now?

    Before you consider Flight Centre, 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 Flight Centre wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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 recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited and Webjet 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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  • Here’s why the Emyria (ASX:EMD) share price is up 17% to a record high

    Three medical scientists wearing white coats and blue gloves dance together in their lab after making a discovery

    The Emyria Ltd (ASX: EMD) share price jumped to an all-time high today. This comes after the drug development and care delivery company announced a successful share placement by one of Australia’s largest private investment groups.

    During afternoon trade, Emyria shares accelerated to a record high of 39 cents apiece. However, some profit-taking has led its shares slightly lower to 38 cents, up 16.92% at the time of writing.

    Emyria secures strategic investment

    Investors appear excited about the company bringing its newest investor on board, sending the Emyria share price to uncharted territory.

    According to its release, Emyria advised it has received a $5 million strategic investment from Tattarang through a share placement.

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

    Tattarang and its related entities hold a 36% stake in Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG).

    Under the placement, Emyria will issue 20 million shares to Tattarang at a price of 25 cents each. Once completed, this will give Tattarang a 7.3% interest in Emyria.

    In addition to the placement, 10 million options will be issued at an exercise price of 40 cents per option. The expiry date is two years from the expected date of 24 November 2021.

    The funds received will be allocated to Emyria’s synthetic cannabinoid registration programs with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

    Furthermore, the company is also seeking to advance its novel MDMA-analogue development program with the University of Western Australia.

    Emyria managing director, Dr Michael Winlo commented:

    We are delighted to receive Tattarang’s strong support with this placement.

    Emyria is the only ASX-listed company that controls patient-treating clinics and a clinical-trial-grade data system and uses these assets to accelerate the development and registration of new drugs, digital technologies and care models.

    Our current leading programs cover synthetic cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals, MDMA-assisted therapy and novel psychedelic drug development. We are very pleased to welcome Tattarang to be part of this next phase of growth.

    Emyria share price summary

    Over the past 12 months, Emyria shares have registered gains of more than 400%, with year-to-date hovering above 300% in 2021.

    Emyria presides a market capitalisation of roughly $58.52 million and has approximately 153.99 million shares on its registry.

    The post Here’s why the Emyria (ASX:EMD) share price is up 17% to a record high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Emyria, 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 Emyria wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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 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 is the Santos (ASX:STO) share price falling on Monday?

    Red arrow going downwards in front of Red arrow and oil pumpjacks

    The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is off to a rough start this week despite no news having been released by the company.

    At the time of writing, the Santos share price is $6.59, 2.23% lower than it was at Friday’s close.

    For context, the S&P/ASX 200 Index is currently down 0.4%, while the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has slid 0.3%.

    Let’s take a look at all that might be weighing on the company’s stock today.

    The Santos share price is tumbling on Monday

    The Santos share price is slipping today alongside oil prices and its peers’ stock. Thus, tumbling oil prices and a rocky energy sector might have something to do with the oil and gas producer’s suffering.

    According to data from CNBC, West Texas Intermediate oil is trading at US$75.50, a 7-week low. Meanwhile, buyers can get their hands on a barrel of Brent crude oil for US$78.35.

    The Australian Financial Review reports the fall is due to a fourth wave of COVID-19 that has spurred the resumption of lockdowns in parts of Europe.

    At the same time, the United States, Japan, India, and China are reportedly considering releasing some of their oil reserves.

    The international news has seemingly weighed on the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ), which has slumped 1.6% at the time of writing.

    Perhaps unsurprisingly, the sector’s biggest weights are oil-producing stocks.

    Leading the fall is the Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price. It has dipped 4% today.

    Meanwhile those of Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH), Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR), and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) have dropped 2.2%, 2.6%, and 2.2% respectively.

    Right now, the Santos share price is 2.4% higher than it was at the start of 2021. However, it has slipped 6.3% since this time last month.

    The post Why is the Santos (ASX:STO) share price falling on Monday? 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 nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    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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  • BrainChip (ASX: BRN) share price rockets 16% on Megachips deal

    a man looks down at his phone with a look of happy surprise on his face as though he is thrilled with good news.

    Shares for technology company BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN) have rocketed up almost 16% on Monday. 

    The stock was going for 62.5 cents mid-afternoon, which was 15.74% higher than Friday’s closing price of 54 cents.

    The likely trigger for the investor fervour was this morning’s announcement that US$111 billion Japanese firm MegaChips Corporation (TYO: 6875) has partnered with BrainChip.

    “The 4-year agreement provides MegaChips with an intellectual property license for use in designing and manufacturing BrainChip’s Akida technology into external customers’ system-on-chip designs,” BrainChip announced to the ASX.

    “In exchange for the IP and certain engineering services, BrainChip will receive an upfront license fee and additional payments over the term of the agreement.”

    ‘Exciting collaboration’

    BrainChip, a Californian business, develops chips and software that it claims learn autonomously, like the human brain.

    According to BrainChip sales and marketing vice president Rob Telson, adding BrainChip’s Akida technology onto MegaChips’ creations would “deliver a cascading array of benefits to cutting-edge products”.

    “That not only [ensures] power efficiency without compromising outcomes but can run autonomously for incremental learning without the need to go back and forth to the cloud,” he said.

    “This is an exciting collaboration from both a business perspective as well as from an industry-altering aspect.”

    BrainChip shares on a tear recently

    Shares for BrainChip have gone gangbusters the last few weeks.

    The stock closed 6 October at 37 cents but in the month-and-a-half since then, it has risen by almost 69%.

    A series of announcements regarding product development milestones, patents and new orders have spurred on the shares.

    In fact, last month, the ASX sent the machine learning developer a “speeding ticket” enquiry after seeing the stock burst upwards.

    The company posted a reply that “a reasonable person” would not expect its patent announcements to materially impact the share price, even though they did.

    The post BrainChip (ASX: BRN) share price rockets 16% on Megachips deal 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 more than eight 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 August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo owns shares of Brainchip Holdings Ltd. 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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  • Vulcan Energy (ASX:VUL) share price leaps 10% on new lithium deal

    a smiling woman holds an arm in the air as she holds a fully-charged battery symbol with her other hand.

    The Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) share price is soaring higher today on the back of a deal with European car manufacturer, Renault.

    Renault has agreed to purchase between 26,000 and 32,000 metric tonnes of Vulcan’s battery-grade lithium chemicals over 6 years.

    At the time of writing, the Vulcan share price is $11.22, 10.22% higher than its previous close.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news from the potentially soon-to-be lithium producer.

    Vulcan share price surges on EV deal

    The Vulcan share price is surging higher after the company announced it has agreed to supply Renault with battery grade lithium from 2026.

    Renault will be putting the material towards its goal of producing a ‘made in Europe’ electric vehicle line.

    Vulcan’s zero-carbon lithium is expected to cut each of Renault’s 50-kilowatt-hour battery’s carbon emissions output by between 300 kilograms and 700 kilograms.

    The pricing of Vulcan’s materials will be based on the going market rate at the time of sale. It will be on a take-or-pay basis.

    However, as my Foolish colleague James reported earlier, the deal appears to involve less than it was initially promised to.

    The companies previously signed a term sheet stating Renault would buy a maximum of 85,000 metric tonnes over 5 years.

    Vulcan managing director Dr Francis Wedin commented on the agreement moving the company’s share price today, saying:

    The completion of this definitive offtake agreement means Vulcan’s Zero Carbon Lithium business will be directly enabling Renault to meet its commitment of producing carbon-free [electric vehicle] batteries and becoming carbon neutral… the agreement is consistent with our strategy to enter into long term, stable supply agreements with companies that share our ethos on sustainability and decarbonisation ambitions.

    Right now, the Vulcan share price is 307% higher than it was at the start of 2021. However, it’s still 17% lower than it was this time last month.

    The post Vulcan Energy (ASX:VUL) share price leaps 10% on new lithium deal appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Vulcan 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 Vulcan Energy wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly 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 August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper owns shares of Vulcan Energy Resources 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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  • Preparing for inflation? This fund manager believes these shares offer protection

    A business person holds a big balloon in front of their face.

    Concerns about inflation and its potential impact on ASX shares has been a topical matter. Although Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe insists increased prices on goods will normalise, some investors are wary of a future rise in interest rates. A situation that could put pressure on shares, especially those that are more growth orientated.

    Given the economic climate, Sydney-based Perennial Partners has named two ASX shares that might offer a hedge against inflation.

    Perennial’s picks for inflation-busting ASX shares

    In its October monthly report, Perennial Partners reviewed its Value Australian Shares Trust. For investors, it was a month of underperformance when compared to its S&P/ASX 300 Accumulation Index benchmark. Specifically, the trust delivered a net loss of 0.3% for October.

    While the fund manager’s overall view of the economy is positive, it notes 2 of the fund’s holdings as desirable inflation protection. Namely, the fund likes the added certainty these companies tend to provide through times of elevated uncertainty.

    The ASX shares that Perennial Partners refers to are Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST). These 2 companies are the largest and second-largest listed gold mining companies on the Aussie market.

    The fund manager’s selections align with the traditional notion that the value of gold rises when inflation rises. For this reason, it’s expected that gold miners would at least keep up with inflation as the price of gold rises.

    With the Reserve Bank of Australia’s latest inflation rate printing out at 3%, investors might be starting to look at shares to combat this risk. Interestingly, the price of gold has barely increased 1% over the past year.

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

    Patchy track record

    Even though gold is a widely regarded inflationary hedge, the historical data supporting this is a little patchy. In a study of periods of above-average inflation, gold failed to provide a positive return during some high inflationary periods.

    For instance, between 1980 and 1984, when inflation in the United States was around 6.5%, gold fell 10% in value. As a result, gold’s correlation with inflation over the past 100 years is relatively low.

    In an article published by CNBC, portfolio strategist Amy Arnott said:

    There’s no guarantee if there’s a spike in inflation, gold will also generate above-average returns.

    The share prices of ASX gold miners Newcrest and Northern Star Resources have struggled in 2021. At the time of writing, these 2 companies have fallen 5.7% and 20% respectively year to date. This suggests these shares have failed to outpace inflation since the beginning of the year.

    The post Preparing for inflation? This fund manager believes these shares offer protection appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    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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