Tag: Motley Fool

  • Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price within arms’ reach of all-time highs

    happy mining worker fortescue share price

    The Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price was up 3% to $26.18 by lunchtime before its gains began to fade.

    At the time of writing, shares in the iron ore major are up 2.22% to $25.98.

    Despite a slightly weaker performance, the Fortescue share price is not far off its 8 January record high of $26.40.

    What should investors consider as the Fortescue share price lingers around record territory?

    Reporting season is right around the corner

    According to Fortescue’s website, the company will deliver its FY21 full-year financial results on 30 August.

    As covered by The Motley Fool, here’s what investors should look out for when the results are released.

    To summarise, this includes the expectation of a record shipping performance, an update about the blowout costs from the Iron Bridge project and dividends.

    What’s next for the Fortescue share price?

    It can be difficult to get a read on Fortescue shares.

    One moment, iron ore prices are tumbling but the Fortescue share price is standing tall.

    The next, Fortescue shares tumble despite iron ore prices holding well above US$200/tonne.

    Last week, Mining.com reported that the most active September futures contract on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange fell 10%, down 17% from all-time highs in May.

    The significant pullback in Chinese futures was the biggest weekly drop since the initial COVID-19 selloff in February 2020.

    Mining.com said that the decline was driven by “efforts to reduce output of the construction and manufacturing material in line with its [China’s] carbon emission reduction goal”.

    Despite the weaker pricing, the Fortescue share price tipped just 0.86% lower last week, with a close of $25.26 on Friday.

    This week, the Fortescue share price has tipped higher following a recovery in Chinese iron ore prices.

    The rebound in iron ore has also witnessed a strong rally from ASX iron ore heavyweights, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO).

    The post Fortescue (ASX:FMG) share price within arms’ reach of all-time highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Fortescue, 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 Fortescue 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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 Andromeda Metals (ASX:ADN) share price is jumping 13%

    two women jumping into the air

    The Andromeda Metals Ltd (ASX: ADN) share price is flying today on the back of the second component of its capital raise.

    During afternoon trade, the mineral exploration company’s shares are up 12.9% to an intraday high of 17.5 cents.

    Oversubscribed SPP

    Investors are driving up the Andromeda Metals share price following the company’s strongly supported Share Purchase Plan (SPP).

    According to its release, Andromeda has successfully completed its SPP, raising $15 million. The offer received almost 1,600 applications from existing shareholders, who applied for more than $26.2 million under the SPP.

    The retail component will see 100 million new shares created at a price of 15 cents each. This follows the recently completed $30 million placement.

    Most of the $45 million raised will go towards the development of the company’s Great White Kaolin Project. It will be used for pre-construction activities and long lead items such as plant equipment purchases.

    Furthermore, the funds will be also be allocated to ongoing research and development, exploration programs and working capital requirements.

    The SPP shares are expected to be issued today, and be available for trading from tomorrow.

    Andromeda managing director James Marsh commented:

    With the combined funds received from the Placement and SPP, the company now has the financial capacity to meet its share of final feasibility study costs and commitment to early lead time items under the joint venture with Minotaur and allow construction and mining to commence at the project in 2022 once a final decision to proceed is made by the joint venture partners.

    Andromeda Metals share price snapshot

    Investors would have mixed feelings depending on when Andromeda shares were picked up. Year-to-date, the company’s share price is down 36%. However over the past 12 months, its shares are up 250%.

    Based on today’s prices, Andromeda has a market capitalisation of roughly $401 million, with approximately 2.3 billion shares on issue.

    The post Here’s why the Andromeda Metals (ASX:ADN) share price is jumping 13% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Andromeda Metals right now?

    Before you consider Andromeda Metals, 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 Andromeda Metals 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 May 24th 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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  • Here’s why the Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) share price is frozen

    businessman in trading halt frozen in ice cube floating on a sea of money

    The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price has been frozen after the company made an administrative error.

    Pilbara Minerals failed to release a cleansing notice within 5 days of issuing shares on 25 June 2021.

    It means the Pilbara share price will be sitting pretty at its previous closing price of $1.77 until the ASX opens on Thursday unless the company releases an announcement on the matter before then.

    Let’s take a closer look at the lithium and tantalum producer’s trading halt, as well as what the company’s been up to lately.

    Pilbara freezes over

    The Pilbara share price has been frozen all day today.

    According to the company, the trading halt was requested “pending an application to the Supreme Court of Western Australia by the company seeking orders in relation to the company’s inadvertent failure to lodge a cleansing notice”.

    As such, the trading halt is far from a transformative announcement.

    It’s also a letdown for anyone who was looking at buying or selling off Pilbara shares before the company releases its quarterly activity report on Thursday.

    The last time Pilbara released news that drove its share price was on 25 June. Then, Pilbara announced it plans to restart its Ngungaju lithium plant.

    The news saw the Pilbara Minerals share price fall 3.87%.

    The restart is estimated to cost the company around $39 million, which it plans to fund using existing cash.

    Pilbara Minerals share price snapshot

    Pilbara Minerals is having a great year on the ASX.

    The company was among one of the best performing ASX 200 mining and resources shares of the 2021 financial year.

    Its share price has increased by 103% since the start of 2021. It is also 442% higher than it was this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $5.1 billion, with approximately 2.9 billion shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) share price is frozen 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 May 24th 2021

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    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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  • Why a2 Milk, Aurelia Metals, Dubber, & Freelancer shares are sinking

    share price plummeting down

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on form on Tuesday and charging higher. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.6% to 7,436.6 points.

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

    A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

    The A2 Milk share price has fallen 5% to $6.08. Investors have been selling this embattled infant formula company’s shares this week amid concerns over potential regulatory changes in China. This follows sweeping changes to a range of other sectors recently. There are fears that the government may look to favour domestic producers over brands like a2 Milk.

    Aurelia Metals Ltd (ASX: AMI)

    The Aurelia Metals share price has crashed 16% to 40.5 cents. This is despite the gold miner delivering on its production guidance and beating its cost guidance in FY 2021. Investors may be disappointed with its outlook, which is guiding to a large increase in costs in FY 2022. Its all-in sustaining cost (ASIC) is expected to be $1,500 to $1,700 per ounce of gold, compared to $1,337 per ounce in FY 2021.

    Dubber Corp Ltd (ASX: DUB)

    The Dubber share price has fallen 5.5% to $3.02 after returning from its trading halt. This morning the call recording technology company announced the successful completion of its $110 million capital raising. Dubber raised the funds through an institutional placement at $2.95 per share. This represents a discount of 7.8% to its last close price. The proceeds will be used to accelerate its growth objectives and advance M&A opportunities.

    Freelancer Ltd (ASX: FLN)

    The Freelancer share price has sunk 16% to 95 cents following the release of its first half results. The freelance and outsourcing marketplace provider reported a 5.7% decline in half year revenue to $27.8 million. This ultimately led to a $1.6 million operating loss after tax and weaker cash flows.

    The post Why a2 Milk, Aurelia Metals, Dubber, & Freelancer shares are sinking 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 May 24th 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 Dubber Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Dubber Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended A2 Milk and Freelancer 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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  • Is it a good time to buy Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA) shares?

    ASX miners crash opportunity broker buy asx shares represented by investor throwing hands up towards icons of buy and sell broker upgrade buy

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have been on a handy run of late. Shares in Australia’s biggest bank are up 18.8% year-to-date and 37.3% in the last year.

    Investment decision-making is a very individual process and whether or not to buy will vary greatly depending on financial position, investment horizon and investment strategy.

    However, the bank’s shares are trading just shy of $100 per share and aren’t far off an all-time high. So, is it a good time to buy CBA shares?

    When is a good time to buy CBA shares?

    Some investors may be wary of purchasing CBA shares so close to an all-time high. However, an all-time high isn’t a bad thing in and of itself.

    For instance, in order for a share price to continue climbing over time, you’d expect it to be at an all-time high at several points. That means that record highs, or even 52-week highs, aren’t something to be afraid of.

    What might help in assessing CBA shares right now is the relative value that they offer versus peers. A comparable peer group for CBA could be its fellow Big Four banks.

    CBA shares currently trade at a price to earnings (P/E) ratio of 22.1 times earnings with a 2.5% dividend yield. Let’s see how that stacks up against Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd (ASX: ANZ), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

    Based solely on the P/E ratio, ANZ is the best value at 16.8x earnings compared to NAB (19.9x) and Westpac (21.1x). For those hunting for income, ANZ also leads the pack with a 3.8% dividend yield. CBA (2.5%) is notably the lowest with NAB (3.5%) and Westpac (3.6%) both trading higher.

    Based purely on these metrics alone, it does look like CBA shares are trading at a slight premium to their peers. CBA’s 22.1x P/E ratio is above the group average of 20.0x with a lower dividend yield. However, investing isn’t as easy as buying whatever is cheapest based on a couple of easy numbers.

    There are many reasons why a share may trade at a premium to its peers. For instance, a large price drop would be bad for total returns but if the earnings and dividends estimates remained unchanged, the relative value would look more attractive.

    P/E ratios and dividend yields could also be reflecting demand for greater governance, a stronger capital position, a better balance sheet or even a preferred strategy.

    Foolish takeaway

    Whether now is a good time to buy CBA shares will depend on the individual.

    There’s no doubt they’ve performed well in the last year or so and aren’t far away from an all-time high. If I were considering buying, I’d keep a close eye on CBA’s full-year results on 11 August.

    The post Is it a good time to buy Commonwealth Bank (ASX: CBA) shares? 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    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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  • Ioneer (ASX:INR) share price jumps following quarterly results

    Three happy miners standing with arms crossed at quarry

    The Ioneer Ltd (ASX: INR) share price has jumped into the green in afternoon trading.

    Today’s gain comes as the company released its quarterly results this morning.

    Ioneer shares are now exchanging hands at 41.5 cents apiece, a 2.47% walk into the money on the day.

    Here we comb over Ioneer’s results in a bit finer detail.

    A bit more on Ioneer

    Ioneer is in the minerals exploration business. Its flagship project is the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project, located in Nevada, USA.

    As such, it has a meaningful footprint across Australia and North America. Ioneer has a market capitalisation of around $790 million at the time of writing.

    Ioneer’s quarterly results

    Ioneer outlined several progress points it had achieved this quarter.

    Firstly, it announced the signing of its first “binding offtake supply agreement” with Korean company EcoPro Innovation Co. Ltd.

    It explained that EcoPro is the world’s “second-largest NCA cathode materials manufacturer” and that the agreement is valid for 3-years.

    Under the agreement, Ioneer will supply EcoPro with up to 7,000 tonnes per annum (TPA) of lithium carbonate.

    The stipulated TPA represents ~33% of Rhyolite Ridge’s annual output for “the first three years of production”.

    Ioneer also announced it had received regulatory approval at Rhyolite Ridge by means of a “State Class II air quality permit and water pollution control permit”. Both permits are required to commence project construction at the site.

    Additional takeouts

    Ioneer also started “formal evaluation procedures” in the pursuit of a secondary listing of its shares “on a major US stock exchange to increase exposure to US capital markets”.

    The secondary listing is “likely” to take place in 2H 2021, according to the company.

    Finally, it detailed that engineering work progressed with US$122 – $148 million in “major work packages under negotiation”.

    This includes the “cumulative completion” of ~870 execution variables and a suite of vendor engineering packages.

    Speaking on the progress, Ioneer managing director Bernard Rowe said:

    As the most advanced lithium development project in the US, Ioneer is in a strong position to capitalise on the increased demand for lithium products in line with the US Government’s efforts to secure critical minerals supply chains for end uses like EVs and renewable energy infrastructure in the US.

    Ioneer share price snapshot

    The Ioneer share price has posted a year to date return of 50% on the nose, extending the previous 12 months’ return of 223%.

    These returns have outrun the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO)’s return of ~23% over the past year.

    The post Ioneer (ASX:INR) share price jumps following quarterly results 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 May 24th 2021

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    The author Zach Bristow has no positions 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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  • Stock split watch: Is Amazon next?

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

    woman ripping a notice paper

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

    The chatter calling for Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) to execute a stock split is diminishing, but that’s surprising. The stock continues to rise, making the arguments for a lower share price via a split all the more tantalizing.

    There are also a couple of good reasons why Amazon should announce a stock split as soon as later this week. You might think these bookkeeping moves are silly zero-sum games, and that’s fair. However, a lot of other market watchers see an Amazon split as the key to attracting even more retail investors while also making life easier for options traders. Let’s see why Amazon could be the next major stock to declare a stock split.

    Amazon is rocking

    It’s good to be Amazon. The e-tail king was doing just fine before the pandemic shifted e-commerce into an even higher gear. The 38% increase in net sales that Amazon posted last year was its heartiest top-line gain in nine years.

    Things aren’t slowing down in 2021. Revenue soared 44% during the first three months of this year.

    Investors are paying attention. Amazon held up better than most growth stocks during the correction earlier this year. It enters this trading week within 3% of the all-time high it hit two weeks ago.

    There are only three U.S.-exchange-listed stocks trading at higher price points than the roughly $3,700 that Amazon is fetching as of Monday morning. Amazon’s market cap is more than double those of the three higher-priced stocks combined. It’s time for a stock split.

    The clock is rolling

    Amazon reports its second-quarter results after market close on Thursday. Stock splits are often announced during an earnings release, whether the report itself is positive or negative.

    Adding to the likelihood of a stock split is that CEO Jeff Bezos officially stepped down as CEO earlier this month. If new CEO Andy Jassy wants to break the mold, there is no easier move than declaring the stock split that Bezos never cared to execute.

    A stock split is a zero-sum game. A single share of Amazon at $3,700 would be the same thing as 50 shares at $74. However, it’s not easy to trade options on a $3,700 stock. We’re not just talking about throwing speculators a bone, as there are plenty of conservative risk-management tools available for long-term Amazon investors through the options market.

    Stock splits may not seem to matter as much as they did just a few years ago. Investors can buy fractional shares through a growing number of brokers. Zero-commission trading makes it easier than ever to buy a couple of shares at a time. However, there is still a natural attraction to low stock prices.

    A lower stock price would also make Amazon a no-brainer addition to the Dow Jones Industrial Average the next time the archaic but still relevant index shakes up its 30 members. In short, you don’t have to be a fan of stock splits to see how an increase in retail and possibly institutional ownership can make Amazon even more valuable.

    Your legacy begins now, Jassy. A stock split makes more sense than you probably think.

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

    The post Stock split watch: Is Amazon next? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

    Before you consider Amazon, 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 Amazon 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    Rick Munarriz owns shares of Amazon. John Mackey, CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2022 $1,920 calls on Amazon and short January 2022 $1,940 calls on Amazon. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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

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  • Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price rises despite aluminium production cuts

    Record copper price ASX shares A happy minner does the thumbs up in front of an open pit copper mine, indicating a surging share price in ASX mining shares

    The Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) share price is on track to finish the day higher. It appears the latest reports of production cuts in Canada isn’t slowing down the mining giant on Tuesday.

    At the time of writing, shares in the multinational mining company are 1.99% higher at $132.70. Elevated iron ore and copper prices have helped Rio shares to achieve a gain of 27.6% over the past year.

    Let’s take a closer look at what has instigated the company’s production cuts.

    Union troubles lead to production cuts

    Investors are buying up Rio Tinto shares today despite the latest news of production cuts at the company’s Canadian aluminium smelter.

    According to a release, production at BC Works smelter in Kitimat, Canada will suffer a significant cut after the company failed to reach an agreement on a new collective labour agreement with a local union.

    Production will be reduced to 35% of the smelter’s 432,000 tonne annual capacity. This is so it can operate safely under an essential services order granted by the BC Labour Relations Board.

    Rio Tinto aluminium managing director of atlantic operations Samir Cairae stated:

    Reducing production will have a significant impact on the business and community, but we are committed to taking the necessary steps to operate safely with a reduced workforce.

    We have made every effort to reach a mutually beneficial agreement through negotiating in good faith over the past seven weeks, including proposing an independent mediator which was rejected by Unifor Local 2301. We will continue to look for longer-term solutions with the union and work closely with customers and suppliers to minimise disruptions.

    Similarly, a reduced workforce is also in place at the Kemano hydro-power facility to ensure safe operations.

    The Unifor Local 2301 union represents approximately 900 of the 1,050 employees at the smelter.

    Rio Tinto share price on upcoming results

    ASX-listed Rio’s half-year results are slated for release tomorrow. Investors might be squeezing in last minute in expectation of solid results.

    However, the company recently noted iron ore shipments will be at the lower end of its guidance range. Despite this, the continued strength in iron ore prices appears to have maintained optimism towards the Rio Tinto share price.

    The post Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price rises despite aluminium production cuts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Rio Tinto right now?

    Before you consider Rio Tinto, 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 Rio Tinto 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 May 24th 2021

    More reading

    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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  • World’s largest fund manager says ASX volatility a great buying opportunity

    ASX shares Business man marking buy on board and underlining it

    With the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) hitting a new all-time high today, there is understandably a lot of excitement on the markets this Tuesday.

    It’s not just the ASX 200 either. Markets around the world are thriving. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX: .DJI) crossed 35,000 points for the first time ever last week. Ditto with the S&P 500 Index (INDEXSP: .INX) crossing 4,400 points.

    Whilst it’s always fun and fuzzy to see markets at all-time highs, it might also be provoking the question of ‘where to from here’ for some investors out there.

    After all, it was only a few months ago that investors were getting nervous. Both US and Australian government bond yields were rising and this was sparking concerns about future inflation — and the higher interest rates that normally come with it. But these concerns are well and truly off the boil.

    Back in April, investors were getting nervous after the US 10-year government bond yield hit a post-COVID high of roughly 1.75% (it was around 0.55% in August 2020). But according to CNBC today, that yield stands far lower at 1.29%.

    Lower rates fuel higher shares?

    Could these lower rates be calming investors? Well, the strange thing is that although the ASX blue chips are pushing the ASX 200 to the all-time highs we see today, the rising tide has not lifted all boats.

    Some ASX shares, such as Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)Xero Limited (ASX :XRO) and Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) are nowhere near their all-time highs today.

    Afterpay was $160 a share back in February. Today, it’s going for under $103 a share. Xero hit $157.99 back in January, but is trading at just over $141 a share today. And Zip Co is down more than 50% from its own February all-time high at today’s pricing.

    We see something similar happening over in the US. Sure, companies like Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL)Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) are at, or near, all-time highs.

    But other, ‘growthier’, companies like Zoom Video Communications Inc (NASDAQ: ZM)Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA), Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE: PLTR) and Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ: COIN) are far from it.

    So what do we make of this market disparity and volatility?

    BlackRock says take advantage of volatility

    BlackRock is the largest fund manager in the world. And according to a report in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) today, it sees some buying opportunities out there.

    According to BlackRock analysis, the fund manager reckons any volatility that we may see as a result of inflation concerns or new COVID variants is hands down a buying opportunity going forward.

    BlackRock predicts that the central banks around the world, including our own Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA), will be very slow to respond to any rise in overall prices. This, in turn, will keep “nominal bond yields lower and real rates negative – a positive for risk assets [read shares]”.

    Here’s some more of what it said:

    Market volatility is on the rise, as worries about new virus strains have been exacerbated by stretched positioning and light summer trading. Recent swings in market sentiment reflect the unusually wide range of potential outcomes beyond the current economic restart, in our view.

    Market overreactions may create opportunities to readjust portfolios to a pro-risk stance as we maintain high conviction in our new nominal investment theme that implies low real yields.

    So long story short, BlackRock believes that rates will stay low for some time and this will inevitably support rising share markets as a result. By extension, it also implies that any short-term volatility is a buying opportunity through this lens.

    Something to keep in mind if you’re getting nervous about the ASX 200 at an all-time high!

    The post World’s largest fund manager says ASX volatility a great buying opportunity appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Teresa Kersten, an employee of LinkedIn, a Microsoft subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen owns shares of Alphabet (A shares), Coinbase Global, Inc., Tesla, and Zoom Video Communications. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO, Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Apple, Microsoft, Palantir Technologies Inc., Tesla, Xero, ZIPCOLTD FPO, and Zoom Video Communications. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended AFTERPAY T FPO and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet (A shares), Alphabet (C shares), Apple, and Zoom Video Communications. 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 Service Stream (ASX:SSM) share price is gaining today

    The Service Stream Limited (ASX: SSM) share price is gaining today following the opening of the company’s retail entitlement offer.

    Service Stream released its retail offer booklet before the ASX opened this morning.

    As part of the retail offer, eligible Service Stream shareholders will be able to purchase 1 share for every 3 shares they already own, paying 90 cents per share for the extra holding.

    Right now, the Service Stream share price is 94 cents – 1.08% higher than its previous close.

    Service Stream is a provider of telecommunication and network services.

    Let’s take a closer look at today’s news from Service Stream.

    Retail entitlement offer

    The Service Stream share price is gaining today following the company announcing its retail entitlement offer was open as of 10am this morning. 

    The retail entitlement offer is the final piece of the company’s capital raising puzzle. It follows a $130 million institutional entitlement offer and placement that successfully closed on 22 July.

    The retail entitlement offer is expected to raise another $55 million. It’s set to close at 7pm on 9 August.

    To be eligible for the retail entitlement offer, Service Stream shareholders must have been a registered shareholder as of 23 July and live in Australia or New Zealand.

    The company is raising the cash to purchase Lendlease Group‘s (ASX: LLC)  non-core services business for $310 million.

    The Lendlease Services business provides services across the telecommunication, utilities, and transport sectors.

    Service Stream’s acquisition of Lendlease Services was announced on 21 July.

    Service Stream share price snapshot

    The Service Stream share price is badly in need of today’s gains.

    Right now, it is 47% lower than it was at the start of 2021. It has also fallen 48% since this time last year.

    The company has a market capitalisation of around $381 million, with approximately 416 million shares outstanding.

    The post Here’s why the Service Stream (ASX:SSM) share price is gaining today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Service Stream right now?

    Before you consider Service Stream, 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 Service Stream 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.

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    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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