Tag: Motley Fool

  • It’s been a great week so far for the Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price

    ASX lithium shares A stylised clean energy battery flexes its muscles, indicating a strong lift in share price for ASX energy companies

    It’s been a good week for the Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price. Shares in the Aussie energy producer have climbed 7.1% higher despite a wobble in Wednesday’s trade.

    So, what’s pushing the oil and gas producer’s valuation higher to end the month?

    Why it’s been a great week for the Woodside share price

    One of the biggest factors has been a resurgence in crude oil prices. The past couple of weeks has seen the key commodity rise above US$80 per barrel for the first time in 3 years.

    Brent crude, the international benchmark, jumped as high as US$80.69 per barrel yesterday to hit its highest level since October 2018. In fact, the price for Brent crude has been rising for seven consecutive days as an energy crisis rages in Europe.

    Natural gas prices are also soaring as demand intensifies and an energy shortage looms. The soaring Woodside share price has reflected the widening demand-supply energy dynamics in recent days.

    Wednesday’s wobble was also driven by a slight pull back following a 3-year high. Brent oil dipped lower on Tuesday after topping the $80 mark and investors sold down Woodside as a result.

    ASX energy shares were down across the board but are still having a great week on the markets. The Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) share price is up 10% in the last 5 days while Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares have gained 8% in the same period.

    Foolish takeaway

    The unfolding energy crisis in Europe, and looming Australian summer, makes the Woodside share price worth watching in the coming months.

    Shares in the energy group have been soaring in the last week and have now managed to climb 1.9% higher this calendar year.

    The post It’s been a great week so far for the Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Woodside Petroleum right now?

    Before you consider Woodside Petroleum , 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 Woodside Petroleum 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 Ken Hall 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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  • 3 top ASX growth shares to buy next month

    a graphic image of three upward pointing arrows with smoke coming from their bottoms, indicating the arrows are taking off.

    If you’re looking for some growth shares to add to your portfolio next month, then the three listed below might be worth considering.

    Here’s why these ASX growth shares have been rated as buys recently:

    Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP)

    The first ASX growth share to look at is Bapcor. It is the Asia Pacific region’s leading provider of vehicle parts, accessories, equipment, service and solutions. Last month the company revealed strong sales and profit growth in FY 2021 thanks to positive performances across its business. For the 12 months ended 30 June, the company reported a 20.4% increase in revenue to $1,761.7 million and a 46.5% jump in pro forma net profit after tax to $130.1 million.

    Citi is positive on the company’s long term outlook and has a buy rating and $8.25 price target on its shares.

    Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA)

    Another ASX growth share to look at is Nearmap. It is an aerial imagery technology and location data company with operations in Australia and North America. From these markets, Nearmap is aiming to deliver annualised contract value (ACV) growth of 20% to 40% per annum over the long term.

    One leading broker that appears confident it will achieve this is Morgan Stanley. It currently has an overweight rating and $3.20 price target on its shares.

    Nitro Software Ltd (ASX: NTO)

    A final growth share to look at is Nitro Software. It is driving digital transformation in organisations around the world with its Nitro Productivity Suite. This software platform provides integrated PDF productivity and electronic signature tools to customers. During the first half of FY 2021, the company reported a 56% increase in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to $33.8 million.

    Bell Potter is a big fan of Nitro Software. So much so, it currently has a buy rating and $4.00 price target on its shares.

    The post 3 top ASX growth shares to buy next month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Nearmap, 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 Nearmap 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 James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Bapcor and Nearmap Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nitro Software 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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  • Top broker sees 19% upside for the Westpac (ASX:WBC) share price

    Confident male Westpac executive dressed in a dark blue suit leans against a doorway with his arms crossed in the corporate office

    If you’re looking to invest in the banking sector, then the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price could be worth considering.

    This is because one leading broker is tipping the shares of Australia’s oldest bank to shoot higher.

    Is the Westpac share price a buy?

    According to a recent note out of Citi, its analysts have a buy rating and $30.00 price target on the bank’s shares.

    Based on the current Westpac share price of $25.17, this implies potential upside of 19% over the next 12 months.

    And that’s before dividends. Citi is forecasting a $1.30 per share fully franked dividend in FY 2022. Adding this into the equation, the potential total return stretches to just over 24%.

    That’s a very attractive return. Especially when you consider that the Westpac share price is already up 28% since the start of the year.

    Why does Citi like Westpac?

    Citi is positive on the Westpac share price due to the bank’s bold cost cutting plans.

    The company currently has a cost base of approximately $12.7 billion, but is aiming to reduce this down to $8 billion in the coming years.

    Citi expects the bank’s cost cutting to help offset a number of revenue headwinds it is facing. This is particularly the case in its Markets and Treasury segments, which remain under pressure.

    Does anyone else like Westpac?

    Citi isn’t the only broker that likes Westpac. The team at Morgans are also positive on the bank and have an add rating and $29.50 price target on its shares.

    This is due partly to its valuation, balance sheet strength, and the prospect of significant share buybacks.

    In the respect to the latter, Morgans is forecasting $8 billion of off-market share buybacks over FY 2022 and FY 2023. It expects the commencement of these buybacks to be announced alongside its result release in November.

    The post Top broker sees 19% upside for the Westpac (ASX:WBC) share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Westpac, 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 Westpac 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 James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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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  • These 2 ASX shares have been rated as buys by leading brokers

    IAG share price broker upgrade buy

    Brokers are constantly on the lookout for ASX share opportunities that may be good value.

    Share prices and profit expectations are regularly changing as the months go by. So, sometimes a business can quickly change from being bad value to good value, or vice versa.

    A company’s share price can rise and that business could be called cheap. Or, it could fall and actually be expensive.

    When multiple brokers believe that a business is good value then that may suggest the ASX share is an opportunity. However, all of those brokers could be wrong at the same time.

    With that in mind, here are two ideas that are well liked at the moment:

    South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

    South32 is a diversified resources business that’s involved in a number of resources included alumina, aluminium, bauxite, metallurgical coal, lead, nickel, manganese, silver and zinc.

    This ASX miner is currently rated as a buy by at least six brokers including Morgan Stanley. The broker has a price target of $4.20 on the business, which suggests that South32’s share price could rise by more than 20% over the next 12 months if the broker is right.

    Using the broker’s profit projections, South32 shares are valued at just 6x FY22’s estimated earnings with a forward grossed-up dividend yield of 11%.

    South32 is benefiting from high prices and high demand for many of its commodities.

    In FY21, the ASX share saw underlying earnings rise by 153% to US$489 million, with underlying earnings per share (EPS) rising by 164% to US 10.3 cents.

    This high level of profit growth allowed South32 to increase its ordinary dividend by 133% to US 4.9 cents per share and the board also declared a special dividend of 2 cents per share.

    However, Morgan Stanley is expecting the dividend to be reduced in FY23 as profit reduces back down. The FY23 grossed-up dividend yield is expected to be around 8%.

    Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL)

    Woodside is a large oil and gas ASX share.

    It’s currently rated as a buy by at least four brokers, including UBS. The rising oil price and stronger expectations are feeding into a rosier shorter-term outlook for the business.

    For FY22, the broker is expecting Woodside to pay a grossed-up dividend yield of 12.5%. UBS puts the current Woodside share price at 14x FY22’s estimated earnings.

    One of the main developments out of Woodside is that it’s seeking to merge with the oil business of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP).

    Management said that the combination of Woodside and BHP’s oil and gas business is expected to deliver substantial value creation for both sets of shareholders from across a range of areas.

    One of the main benefits is the greater scale and diversity of geographies, products and end markets through an “attractive” and long-life conventional portfolio.

    Another attraction is the estimated synergies of more than US$400 million per year, from optimising corporate processes and systems, leveraging combined capabilities and improving capital efficiency on future growth projects and exploration.

    In the first half of FY21, the ASX share saw underlying net profit after tax rise 17% to $354 million, whilst free cashflow grew 18% to $311 million. Reported net profit after tax jumped 108% to $317 million.

    The post These 2 ASX shares have been rated as buys by leading brokers appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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  • The CSL (ASX:CSL) share price is down 8% this week. Is it a bargain?

    a doctor in a white coat with a stethoscope around her neck holds her hands upwards as if to ask 'why' as she sits at her desk and looks at her computer.

    It hasn’t been a good week for the CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price.

    Over the last three trading sessions, the biotherapeutics giant’s shares have lost 8% of their value.

    Why is the CSL share price down 8% this week?

    The weakness in the CSL share price has been driven by the broad market selloff, which has been felt particularly hard in the healthcare sector.

    For example, while the ASX 200 has fallen 1.95% this week, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care index has fallen over 7%.

    Investors will no doubt now be wondering whether this is a buying opportunity.

    Is it time to buy CSL shares?

    One leading broker that sees a lot of value in the CSL share price at the current level is Morgans.

    According to a recent note, the broker has an add rating and $324.40 price target on the company’s shares.

    Based on the latest CSL share price of $286.86, this implies potential upside of 13% over the next 12 months.

    Why is Morgans bullish?

    Morgans was pleased with CSL’s performance in FY 2021 and particularly the performance of the Seqirus business.

    It commented: “FY21 results were solid, with better than expected top/bottom line growth and improving OCF, but GM contracted on higher plasma costs. Seqirus was the standout, on strong demand for influenza vaccines, while Behring was more modest, as Albumin gains on transition to a direct China distribution and cost-outs were offset by Ig/Specialty/Haemophilia growth flattish to down.”

    And while the broker acknowledges that plasma collection headwinds are likely to weigh on margins in the near term, it remains positive on its future.

    Morgans said: “We view CSL as a core holding and best positioned among its peers to meet growing patient demand, but the near term remains challenged, with timing uncertainty around a full recovery in plasma collections and increasing costs.”

    All in all, this could make the recent weakness in the CSL share price a buying opportunity for investors.

    The post The CSL (ASX:CSL) share price is down 8% this week. Is it a bargain? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider CSL, 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 CSL 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 James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended CSL Ltd. 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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  • Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy

    Three excited business people cheer around a laptop in the office

    With savings accounts and term deposits still providing very low interest rates, the share market arguably remains the best place to earn a passive income.

    But which ASX dividend shares should you consider buying? Two to look at are listed below:

    Centuria Industrial Reit (ASX: CIP)

    Income investors might want to take a look at Centuria Industrial. This industrial focused property company has built a portfolio of quality assets aiming to deliver income and capital growth for investors.

    It has also just added to this portfolio with the acquisition of eight freehold urban infill industrial assets for $351.3 million. This acquisition expands Centuria Industrial’s exposure across attractive industrial sub-sectors including distribution centres, cold storage, and transport logistics.

    One broker that was pleased with the acquisition was Macquarie. In response to the deal, the broker retained its outperform rating and lifted its price target to $4.22.

    As for dividends, Macquarie is forecasting a 17.3 cents per share distribution in FY 2022 and an 18.4 cents per share distribution in FY 2023. Based on the current Centuria Industrial share price of $3.65, this will mean yields of 4.7% and 5%.

    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

    Another ASX dividend share for income investors to consider is NAB.

    This banking giant could be a good option due to its improving outlook, strong balance sheet, and proposed acquisition of Citibank’s Australian consumer business. This acquisition gives NAB exposure to an area that it was significantly underweight and could bode well for future growth.

    Goldman Sachs is very positive on the bank. It likes NAB due to its cost management initiatives, its position as the largest business bank, and its strong capital position.

    The broker has a conviction buy rating and $30.62 price target on the bank’s shares. In addition, it is forecasting fully franked dividends per share of 125 cents in FY 2021, 140 cents in FY 2022, and 145 cents in FY 2023.

    Based on the current NAB share price of $27.24, this will mean yields of 4.5%, 5.1%, and 5.3%, respectively.

    The post Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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

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  • Why this top broker thinks the ANZ (ASX:ANZ) share price is overcooked

    A woman dressed in red and standing in front of a red background peers thoughtfully at a piggy bank in her hand.

    The Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX: ANZ) share price has been a very positive performer in 2021.

    Since the start of the year, the banking giant’s shares have risen a sizeable 19.3%.

    This is more than double the return of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the same period.

    Where next for the ANZ share price?

    Unfortunately, one leading broker believes the ANZ share price may now have peaked.

    According to a note out of Citi this week, its analysts have retained their sell rating and $28.00 price target on the bank’s shares.

    While this still implies potential upside of almost 2% from the current ANZ share price of $27.49, it pales in comparison to the returns on offer elsewhere.

    For example, Citi currently has a buy rating and $30.00 price target on the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price. That price target implies potential upside of 19% over the next 12 months for the shares of Australia’s oldest bank.

    What did the broker say about ANZ?

    According to its latest note, Citi has warned investors not to get excited by the prospect of rising rates in New Zealand.

    Although the broker acknowledges that ANZ has the largest exposure to the New Zealand market, it doesn’t expect it to benefit as greatly from rising interest rates as the market may think.

    In addition to this, the broker has recently voiced its concerns over APRA data which showed a sharp contraction in ANZ’s mortgage book. This was particularly disappointing given strong market conditions.

    Citi suspects that a number of internal issues, such as manual systems, could be weighing on its performance.

    As a result of these factors, the broker believes ANZ could fall short of core profit expectations in the second half. In light of this, it doesn’t appear to be in a rush to change its rating on the ANZ share price.

    The post Why this top broker thinks the ANZ (ASX:ANZ) share price is overcooked appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider ANZ, 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 ANZ 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 James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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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  • 2 top ETFs that might be buys in October 2021

    close up of buy, sell and etf keys on a computer keyboard

    Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) might be a good idea to look at for potential investment ideas in October 2021.

    ETFs have the potential to offer a good level of diversification within a single investment, if investors choose an appropriate one.

    Some ETFs give exposure to an index, such as iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV). Whereas there are others that might focus on a particular theme or industry like cybersecurity or e-gaming.

    Here are two to consider:

    VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

    This is an ETF that can provide quality international diversification for Aussies. The portfolio is focused on US shares.

    The portfolio is based on an investment process used by Morningstar analysts that look for businesses with a wide economic moat. That simply means that the businesses have a very strong competitive position compared to the rest of the market.

    In-particular, the analysts are looking for companies that are likely to have a wide economic moat for many years into the future.

    After finding those businesses, the analysts will only put a business into the portfolio if it’s trading at an attractive price compared to the Morningstar estimate of fair value.

    At the moment, some of the ETF’s largest positions include: Wells Fargo, Salesforce.com, Cheniere Energy, Alphabet, Microsoft, Compass Minerals, Guidewire Software, Tyler Technologies, Berkshire Hathaway, Boeing and Facebook.

    In terms of sector diversification, there are five industries with weightings of more than 10% and only one that’s just over 20%: healthcare (20.3%), IT (16.6%), industrials (15.4%), financials (13.3%) and consumer staples (11.1%).

    Past performance is not a guarantee of future results, as VanEck says, but it has performed well over the last three years with a return of an average of 19.6% per annum. That was better than the S&P 500’s average return of 17% per annum over the same time period. The ETF’s return is after the annual management fee of 0.49%.

    Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

    This is an ETF that gives investors exposure to the biggest non-financial companies on the NASDAQ, which is a stock exchange in the US.

    We are talking about the biggest names in the world like Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Tesla, Alphabet and Facebook.

    There is quite a heavy technology focus with this ETF, with around half the portfolio invested in IT. There is another 19.9% invested in communication services and 16.8% invested in the consumer discretionary sector. Those two sectors are also quite technology-based with Amazon and Tesla counting as consumer discretionary, whilst Alphabet (Google) and Facebook are counted as communication services businesses.

    However, whilst the biggest global tech names get the largest allocations. This ETF gives diversification and exposure to a number of different business models, products and services.

    Plenty of other companies in the portfolio are market leaders in the US, or even the world, at what they do. Some of the other decently-sized positions in the portfolio include PayPal, Adobe, Netflix, Costco, Honeywell, Intuit, Moderna, Advanced Micro Devices, Intuitive Surgical, MercadoLibre, Autodesk, ASML and so on.

    The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF comes with an annual management fee of 0.48%. Including the fees, it has produced an average return per annum of 23.7% since the ETF’s inception in May 2015. However, past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance.

    The post 2 top ETFs that might be buys in October 2021 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF right now?

    Before you consider Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF, 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 Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF 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 Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BETANASDAQ ETF UNITS. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Vectors Morningstar Wide Moat ETF and iShares Trust – iShares Core S&P 500 ETF. 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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  • 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

    Business man watching stocks while thinking

    On Wednesday the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was well and truly out of form and sank notably lower. The benchmark index fell 1.1% to 7,196.7 points.

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

    ASX 200 expected to rise

    The Australian share market looks set to rise on Thursday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 14 points or 0.2% higher this morning. This follows a mixed night of trade on Wall Street, which saw the Dow Jones rise 0.25%, the S&P 500 climb 0.15%, and the Nasdaq fall 0.25%.

    Oil prices fall

    It could be a softer day for energy producers such as Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH) and Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) after oil prices pulled back. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.85% to US$74.64 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has fallen 0.9% to US$78.37 a barrel. Traders appear to have been taking profit after some strong gains in recent sessions.

    Dividends being paid

    Today is payday for shareholders of a number of ASX 200 shares. Among the companies paying their latest dividends are Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN), CSL Limited (ASX: CSL), Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), and Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC).

    Gold price falls

    Gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a difficult day after the gold price dropped again. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.7% to US$1,725.20 an ounce. The precious metal continues to struggle on growing confidence that the U.S. Federal Reserve will soon wind down its economic support measures.

    Iron ore price rises

    BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue shares could have a better day today after the benchmark iron ore price continued to recover. According to Metal Bulletin, the spot 62% fines iron ore price rose 1.8% to US$114.13 a tonne during overnight trade.

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday 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 James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care 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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  • Westpac (ASX:WBC) and this ASX dividend share could be buys in October

    a happy child dressed in full business suit gives the thumbs up sign while sitting at a desk featuring a piggy bank and a sack of money with a dollar sign on it.

    If you’re an income investor on the lookout for new additions to your portfolio, then you may want to check out the shares listed below.

    These dividend shares have recently been rated as buys and are tipped to provide above average yields in the coming years.

    Here’s what you need to know about these dividend shares:

    Aventus Group (ASX: AVN)

    The first ASX dividend share to look at is Aventus. It is a fully integrated owner, manager, and developer of large format retail centres with a portfolio of 20 centres valued at $2.3 billion. At the end of FY 2021, the company had 593 tenancies and a sky high occupancy rate of 98.8%.

    This went down well with analysts at Goldman Sachs. They currently have a buy rating and $3.40 price target on its shares. This compares to the current Aventus share price of $3.21.

    Goldman is also forecasting dividends of 17.8 cents per share in FY 2022 and then 19.4 cents per share in FY 2023. Based on the its current share price, this will mean generous yields of 5.5% and 6%, respectively, over the next two years.

    Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

    Another ASX dividend share to look at is this banking giant. It could be a good option for income investors that don’t already have meaningful exposure to the sector. This is due to its improving performance, cost cutting plans, and strong balance sheet.

    The team at Citi are very positive on the bank. The broker currently has a buy rating and $30.00 price target on Westpac’s shares. This compares very favourably to the latest Westpac share price of $25.17.

    In addition, Citi is forecasting fully franked dividends of $1.16 per share in FY 2021 and then $1.30 per share in FY 2022. This represents yields of 4.6% and 5.1%, respectively.

    The post Westpac (ASX:WBC) and this ASX dividend share could be buys in October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended AVENTUS RE UNIT. 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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