Tag: Motley Fool

Those invested in Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares were no doubt overjoyed earlier this year when the lithium favourite finally provided shareholders with passive income.

The company was officially added to the long list of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) materials stocks raking in the sort of cash flow that allows them to hand out dividends.

It’s still early days for the newly crowned passive income stock. Hence, shareholders and would-be investors are likely wondering what the future might hold for the lithium producer’s dividends.

With that in mind, let’s dive into how much passive income Pilbara Minerals shares are expected to provide in near future.

How much passive income could Pilbara Minerals shares provide?

Say you’re sitting on a stack of cash piled $10,000 high with plans to invest the lot in Pilbara Minerals shares.

You’re likely on track to walk away with 2,004 stocks, based on its current share price – $4.99.

If you held such a parcel prior to Pilbara Minerals’ maiden ex-dividend date – 2 March – you would have already realised $222.44 of passive income from your shares. The company paid a fully franked, 11-cent per share dividend for the first half.

But its next dividend might not be so fruitful, according to brokers.

Morgans tips the company to pay 15 cents over the course of financial year 2023, as my Fool colleague James reports.

That implies a 4-cent final dividend – or a total of $80.16 for our figurative investor.

Goldman Sachs is more optimistic, however.

It forecasts Pilbara Minerals will provide 22.1 cents per share for financial year 2023.

That means another 11-cent dividend could be on the cards for later this year.

Based on its current share price, that could see the lithium stock trading with a 4.43% dividend yield.

But both brokers are sceptical on whether Pilbara Minerals shares can continue providing such passive income.

Morgans expects the company to offer 9 cents per share next financial year, while Goldman Sachs tips its offerings to be cut to 12.8 cents.

At that rate, our $10,000 investment could generate between $180.36 and $256.51 of dividend income next fiscal year.

What about capital gains?

Looking beyond passive income, however, the respective brokers offer varied forecasts for the Pilbara Minerals share price.

Morgans tips it to grow to $5, which would leave our 2,004-share parcel worth $10,020.

Goldman Sachs, on the other hand, expects the ASX 200 stock to tumble to $4.10. At such a point, our $10,000 investment would have sunk to be worth $8,216.40.

The post If I invest $10,000 in Pilbara Minerals shares, how much passive income will I receive? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Why are young ASX investors so in love with Pilbara Minerals shares?
• Brokers say these 3 stellar ASX 200 growth shares are top buys
• 3 ASX 200 lithium shares that smashed the market today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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 positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group. 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 Scott Phillips.

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Look, you’re going to have to forgive me this afternoon…

I’m – to use the cricket metaphor – coming in off a long run.

You didn’t listen to them, I hope?

Yes, I’ve got something of a head of steam up.

See, I saw two things on Twitter this morning. Apparently, the US indices – the S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: .INX) and the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX) – are both now up 20% from their recent lows.

The NASDAQ, in particular, is apparently up 33% since late last year.

Why has that got me worked up?

Because knuckleheads (and I use that term deliberately) were telling us, before, during and since those lows, that the market was ‘about to crash’.

There are the ‘permabears’ – those who always think there’s a crash coming – who whip up fear and panic, driving nervous investors out of the market.

(I can never tell if they’re just congenital worriers and genuinely believe this rubbish or if they’re cynically playing on human fear. Either way, it’s bad.)

And there are the traders. The people who, when the market is up on Monday, want to tell you it’s going to crash Tuesday.

They’re trying to play silly buggers with the hope of making a few per cent trading the market’s volatile movements.

Meanwhile?

Meanwhile, if both groups had just invested… and waited… the returns would have fallen in their laps.

Talk about stealing defeat from the jaws of victory!

No, I didn’t forecast it.

I don’t do forecasts.

I just invest.

For the long term.

In quality companies.

Please, for the love of god (and the sake of your portfolios), stop listening to market forecasters. And that goes doubly for fear-mongering permabears.

Yes, markets will be volatile.

Sometimes, they’ll fall, and our portfolios will shrink.

Yes, it’d be nice to avoid that.

But… we can’t. At least not without also missing out on the huge compound gains that have come from just staying invested.

Remember, according to Vanguard, $10,000 turned into $131,000 over 30 years to June 30 last year.

And remember, some people said the market was going to crash last October.

Choose – very, very carefully – who you listen to.

(And next time the market crashes, remember things have always improved.)

Time for a mature conversation

Speaking of fear-mongering, is there anything more fraught than a national conversation about immigration?

Among the goodwill and genuine policy conversations, the topic gives cover for bigots and xenophobes to peddle their bile.

And yet it is a conversation we need to have. It seems pretty likely that the growth in our population is, and for a while at least, will continue to run at a level above our ability to provide increased housing.

And, as Year 8 economics will tell you, when the growth in demand exceeds the growth in supply, prices will continue to rise.

Which… adds to inflationary pressures while also risking other adverse consequences.

Now, I am strongly pro-immigration. We should use it to fill skills gaps, and we have a moral responsibility to help refugees.

But we should also manage our population growth (note: not just immigration) deliberately, in keeping with our ability to provide housing, supply infrastructure, and within our environmental limits.

For the absolute avoidance of doubt: I do not care from which country, culture or faith our immigrants come. If they have the right skills and they want to be here, they’re very welcome as far as I’m concerned. There is no dog whistle here, and I’ll condemn anyone who tries to use one.

It’s the overall population growth I’m talking about here.

Yes, in the short term, population growth boosts gross domestic product (GDP). That gets the cheerleaders out. But we should approach population policy the same way we approach investing – with a long-term perspective.

There’s no point growing the pie if the number of people eating that pie grows more quickly. That’s the challenge for our policy-makers (and if they abandon the field, as is happening thus far, they leave space for the racists and troublemakers – and that gets ugly very quickly).

And in the meantime, it risks higher rents, higher house prices and higher inflation. Those are pretty ugly economic outcomes.

Quick takes

Overblown: This US debt ceiling thing? Look, predictions – as I mentioned above – are silly. But the odds of this thing ending well are very, very good. Oh sure, the American pollies will engage in some brinkmanship, but it’s unlikely that the end result is a permanent loss.

Underappreciated: Apple’s move into banking is another rattling of an increasingly brittle cage. Our banks are strong. And dominant. But strong and dominant enough to see off the global tech giants? It’s an open question. Our regulator might stop them. Or their efforts might come to naught of their own accord. But don’t assume it’s inevitable.

Fascinating: Did you know that the NASDAQ is now 33% higher than its late 2022 high? Of course you did, assuming you read the top of this article! And yet, there’s no market excitement yet. When it returns? Well, those who waited for the good news will have missed out on at least a one-third gain. It’s ever been thus.

Where I’ve been looking: Speaking of technology companies, Xero is back over $100 per share. Others are on the march, too. But I don’t think it’s too late to find some beaten-down quality in this sector.

Quote: “The idea that a bell rings to signal when to get into or out of the stock market is simply not credible. After nearly fifty years in this business, I don’t know anybody who has done it successfully and consistently. I don’t even know anybody who knows anybody who has.” – Jack Bogle

Fool on!

The post Investors 1: ‘Permabear’ forecasters 0 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Analysts are tipping big returns from these small cap ASX shares
• Here’s what the latest jobs data could mean for interest rates and the Aussie stock market
• $10k invested in Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS) 5 years ago is worth how much?
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now

Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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 Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended the week in the green, gaining 0.59% on Friday to close at 7,279.5 points. That leaves it 0.31% higher than it was this time last week.

Leading the way was the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ). It soared 2.2% in today’s session.

It was also a good day for the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ), which rose 1.5%, helped by shares in AUB Group Ltd (ASX: AUB). The stock rose 5.9% on the back of a successful $150 million placement.

In fact, the only sector to record a notable loss was the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ), which fell 0.46% with the AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) share price its biggest weight, falling 1.78%.

So, with all that considered, let’s dive into the 10 ASX 200 shares that outperformed all others in today’s session.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Taking out the top spot on the ASX 200 on Friday was the BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN) share price. That’s despite there having been no news from the company in nearly six weeks.

These shares made today’s biggest gains:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)	$0.468	8.7%
AUB Group Ltd (ASX: AUB)	$27.40	5.96%
Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)	$108.00	5.38%
Syrah Resources Ltd (ASX: SYR)	$0.98	4.81%
Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)	$5.19	4.64%
Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV)	$1.405	4.46%
Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU)	$0.12	4.35%
Virgin Money UK CDI (ASX: VUK)	$2.91	3.56%
Block Inc (ASX: SQ2)	$89.20	3.25%
Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)	$7.00	3.25%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now
• Why AUB, Austal, Core Lithium, and Xero shares are pushing higher
• This ASX All Ords share is surging 5% after securing $150 million
• 4 ASX 200 shares trading ex-dividend next week
• Xero share price can still rise almost 30% from here: Goldman Sachs

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 positions in and has recommended Block, PolyNovo, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aub Group and Elders. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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If you’re wanting to gain exposure to the small side of the market, the shares listed below could be worth considering.

Both of these small cap ASX shares have been tipped as buys by analysts. Here’s why:

Maas Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: MGH)

Goldman Sachs believes that Mass Group could be a small cap ASX share to buy.

Maas Group is a leading provider of property, construction, and infrastructure solutions, predominantly in regional Australia.

Goldman Sachs is positive on the company largely due to its belief that the company’s ongoing transition will underpin higher quality earnings in the future. It explains:

We believe MGH is in a transition phase and will see higher quality real estate income become the largest source of earnings in the next 3-5 years. We believe the market is mispricing how MGH’s civil and construction capabilities support the property development business to deliver best-in-class margins and asset turnover. In our view the value created through the development of quality annuity revenue from Build-to-Rent (BTR), Land Lease (potentially generating a 4.5x ROIC annuity income stream) and commercial real estate projects could re-rate the stock.

Goldman has a buy rating and $4.00 price target on its shares. This implies 20% upside from current levels.

PeopleIn Ltd (ASX: PPE)

Over at Morgans, its analysts believe the PeopleIn would be a great small cap ASX share to buy right now.

PeopleIn is a talent solutions company in Australia and New Zealand, servicing over 4,200 businesses across three verticals – Healthcare and Community, Professional Services, and Industrial and Specialist Services. Through its nationwide footprint and 26 brands, it employs over 33,500 workers every year.

Morgans believes its shares are very cheap at current levels, particularly given its defensive earnings and positive growth outlook. It commented:

The post Analysts are tipping big returns from these small cap ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Fundie reveals the ASX All Ords stock trading at a 35% discount
• ‘We’ve learnt the hard way’: 3 ASX shares that can grow in tough times

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 positions in and has recommended Peoplein. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Peoplein. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Australian community was treated to an interesting piece of economic data yesterday. As revealed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Australia’s national unemployment rate rose from 3.6% to 3.7% in April.

One could be forgiven for thinking that this was bad news. After all, more people not working doesn’t seem like a good thing. Yet the ASX stock market seemed to get a bit of a boost when this news was revealed yesterday.

Why was this the case? Well, the latest jobs data wasn’t the only piece of economic news we were treated with this week. As my Fool colleague Bernd covered on Wednesday, we also saw the latest wages data revealed that day as well. This revealed that wages for the March quarter rose by 0.8%. That was slightly below the forecast of 0.9%.

So we have higher unemployment and slower wage growth than what was expected. Again, not entirely good news, it would appear.

What does unemployment have to do with the stock market?

Well, not so fast. The number one concern for investors right now is arguably inflation. For the past 12 months or so, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has been battling to bring rampant inflation under control. That’s why the RBA has raised interest rates 11 times over 2022 and 2023 thus far.

The RBA keeps a watchful eye over economic data such as wage growth and unemployment numbers. And what lower-than-expected growth and higher-than-expected unemployment indicates is a slowing economy. This is exactly what the RBA wants to see, as it indicates that inflation is slowing as well.

As such, there is now a lower chance that interest rates will continue to rise over the rest of the year. Yesterday, Abhijit Surya from Capital Economics said as much when speaking to the Australian Financial Review (AFR). Here’s some of what he said:

…we expect labour market conditions to continue to slacken going forward, as economic activity slows sharply. Indeed, falling job vacancies point to the unemployment rate continuing to climb higher in the coming months.

Because of this, Capital Economics is predicting that the ” jobs report combined with yesterday’s wages data should keep the Reserve Bank from raising rates any further”.

If that is indeed the case, it would be good news for the stock market and ASX shares. When rates rise, it lowers the attractiveness of non-cash assets like shares. Thus, if rates are no longer expected to keep going up, it is theoretically good news for the Aussie stock market. That’s probably why ASX shares have had such a strong showing over both yesterday’s and today’s sessions.

If rates have indeed hit their peak, it would be unquestionably good news for ASX shares and the share market. That is not yet a foregone conclusion — next month’s data could show wages picking up and unemployment falling.

But the more data that comes out that points to falling inflation, the better the odds that the stock market keeps going up.

The post Here’s what the latest jobs data could mean for interest rates and the Aussie stock market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Why is the Newcrest share price sitting at 6-week lows?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday

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 Scott Phillips.

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Over the last decade, exchange traded funds (ETFs) have exploded in popularity with investors.

One of the most popular ETFs out there with $5.8 billion in assets under management is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS).

Vanguard highlights that the ETF provides exposure to many of the world’s largest companies listed in major developed countries. This provides low-cost access to a broadly diversified range of securities that allow investors to participate in the long-term growth potential of international economies outside Australia.

Clearly this is something that investors want based on the amount of investor funds that are under management.

But is the popularity justified? Let’s take a look and see what a $10,000 investment in the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF five years ago would be worth today.

Has the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF been a good investment?

The good news is that the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF has been a market-beater over the last five years.

During this time, its units have provided investors with an average gross return of 11.4% per annum. This compares to the benchmark return of 11.1% over the same period.

In light of this, if you had invested $10,000 into this ETF five years ago, you would have seen the value of your investment grow to approximately $17,160 today. That’s a very nice 71.6% return on investment!

And while there’s no guarantee that it will do the same over the next five years, if it were to do so, your investment would start to mushroom thanks to the power of compounding.

Five more years of 11.4% per annum returns would see your investment grow to just under $30,000. That’s would mean the approximate tripling of your investment in just 10 years. Not bad!

The post $10k invested in Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS) 5 years ago is worth how much? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Could buying the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS) at under $90 help me retire early?
• I’m a dividend investor. Should I buy the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS)?
• Was the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (VGS) worth owning in April?
• 2 of the best ASX ETFs for global investing
• 3 top ASX ETFs hitting new 52-week highs on Friday

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 positions in and has recommended Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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It has been another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a large number of broker notes.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

According to a note out of Morgans, its analysts have retained their add rating on this gaming technology company’s shares with a slightly trimmed price target of $45.00. Morgans was pleased with the result, noting that its profits came in ahead of expectations despite a soft performance from its digital business. And while it suspects the latter could continue its soft performance for the next 12 months, Morgans remains bullish due to the positive outlook of Aristocrat’s land-based operations. The Aristocrat share price is trading at $38.62 today.

Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this agricultural chemicals company’s shares with an improved price target of $7.35. This follows the release of a half-year result that was ahead of expectations. Looking ahead, the broker believes Nufarm is well-placed to deliver on its medium term revenue goals. This is thanks partly to its opportunity in omega3. The Nufarm share price is fetching $5.80 on Friday.

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

Analysts at Goldman Sachs have retained their buy rating on this cloud accounting platform provider’s shares with an improved price target of $130.00. Goldman Sachs was impressed with Xero’s full-year results and expects more of the same in FY 2024. The broker also believes that Xero’s expense ratio target of 75% is achievable based on its second half performance. The Xero share price is trading at $107.24 this afternoon.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Dusk, Impedimed, Nufarm, and Weebit Nano shares are falling
• Why AUB, Austal, Core Lithium, and Xero shares are pushing higher
• Xero share price can still rise almost 30% from here: Goldman Sachs
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) looks like it is on track to end the week on a high note after several red days this week.

After partially reversing Tuesday and Wednesday’s losses yesterday, the ASX 200 has taken back all of the lost ground and then some today. At the time of writing, the index is currently up by a happy 0.58% at just under 7,280 points.

What a way to start the weekend! But time now to take a deeper dive into these gains by taking a look at the shares presently at the top of the ASX 200’s share trading volume charts, according to investing.com. We seem to have a bit of a theme today.

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Friday

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

First up this Friday is the ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara Minerals. So far this session, a hefty 24.04 million Pilbara shares have been swapped on the ASX. We still haven’t had any fresh news out of Piblara at all this month. So it looks like this volume could be a result of the company’s share price movements themselves.

Pilbara has had a pretty decent trading day so far. The shares are currently up by a pleasing 1.22% at $4.98 each but rose as high as $5.03 earlier this afternoon. This gain probably explains why Pilbara is making an appearance on this list today.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

Next, we have another ASX 200 lithium share to check out in Core Lithium. Today’s trading has seen a sizeable 25.6 million Core Lithium shares find a new ASX home thus far. We have some news here that could explain this high volume. This morning, Core Lithium announced that its board has approved $45 to $50 million for a new mine at the company’s Finniss lithium project.

Investors seem to approve, with the Core Lithium share price up a notable 5.43% so far today to $1.16 a share. This news, plus this rather large gain, is the most likely reason we are seeing the trading volume figures that we are.

Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA).

Our third, final and most traded ASX 200 share this Friday is yet another lithium stock in Sayona Mining. We’ve seen a whopping 29 million Sayona shares bought and sold on the stock exchange at this point of today’s session.

All has been quiet on the Sayona news front. But that hasn’t stopped this lithium share from having a rather bouncy day. Sayona shares opened at 23 cents each, but have fluctuated between 23.5 cents and 22.5 cents a share all day. Right now, the company is back to where it started, at a flat 23 cents. All of this bouncing around is probably why Sayona is topping our most traded shares list this Friday.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why AUB, Austal, Core Lithium, and Xero shares are pushing higher
• Why is the Newcrest share price sitting at 6-week lows?
• Why are Core Lithium shares charging higher today?
• Why are young ASX investors so in love with Pilbara Minerals shares?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

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 Scott Phillips.

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In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to end the week on a positive note. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.6% to 7,278.9 points.

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

Dusk Group Ltd (ASX: DSK)

The Dusk share price is down 16% to $1.27. Investors have been hitting the sell button after this specialist retailer released a disappointing trading update. Dusk revealed that it expects FY 2023 sales of $135 million to $137 million and EBIT of $16 million to $17 million. This compares to FY 2022’s figures of $138.4 million and $26.5 million.

Impedimed Limited (ASX: IPD)

The Impedimed share price is down almost 12% to 13.7 cents. This has been driven by the announcement of a $20 million institutional placement. Impedimed intends to raise the funds at a 16.1% discount of 13 cents per share. Proceeds will be used to accelerate its Private Payor opportunity.

Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF)

The Nufarm share price is down 4.5% to $5.78. This may have been driven by profit taking after a strong gain yesterday following the release of its half-year results. In addition, Morgans gave its results a lukewarm reaction. It retained its hold rating with a lowered price target of $6.64.

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT)

The Weebit Nano share price is down a further 2.5% to $5.59. Investors have been selling this meme stock this month amid rising short interest and its sky-high valuation on zero revenue. The Weebit Nano share price is now down by over a quarter since this time last week.

The post Why Dusk, Impedimed, Nufarm, and Weebit Nano shares are falling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Dusk share price sinks 16% today as cost of living weighs
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 ASX All Ords shares surging over 10% on Thursday
• Why Nufarm, Serko, Temple & Webster, and Xero shares are charging higher
• Guess which ASX 200 share is surging 15% on ‘excellent’ half-year results

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 Dusk Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) looks set to end the week in style. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.7% to 7,286.1 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are pushing higher:

AUB Group Ltd (ASX: AUB)

The AUB share price is up 7% to $27.77. Investors have been buying the insurance broker’s shares after it completed an institutional placement. While a capital raising usually sends a share crashing lower, this one has had the opposite effect. Investors appear pleased with an earnings guidance upgrade which accompanied the announcement and the reason behind the capital raising.

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

The Austal share price is up 25% to $1.99. This has been driven by news that the shipbuilder has been awarded a major contract by the US government. The cumulative value of the contract would come to US$3.2 billion (AU$4.8 billion) if all options are exercised. This is a major confidence boost given the recent indictment of three former Austal USA employees by the United States Department of Justice.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is up 6% to $1.17. This morning, the lithium miner announced that its board has approved the capital expenditure for the early works of the BP33 underground project. Core Lithium expects to spend a total of $45 million to $50 million on the early development of the next proposed mine at the Finniss project.

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

The Xero share price is up a further 4% to $106.97. This cloud accounting platform provider’s shares have been on fire since the release of its full-year results. They have also been given a boost today from a few bullish broker notes. One of those came from Goldman Sachs, which has retained its buy rating with an improved price target of $130.00.

The post Why AUB, Austal, Core Lithium, and Xero shares are pushing higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• This ASX All Ords share is surging 5% after securing $150 million
• Why the Austal share price is sailing 25% higher today
• Why are Core Lithium shares charging higher today?
• Xero share price can still rise almost 30% from here: Goldman Sachs
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Austal and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aub Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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