Tag: Motley Fool

  • Fenix Resources (ASX:FEX) share price dips despite production ramp-up

    iron ore price

    The Fenix Resources Ltd (ASX: FEX) share price is sinking today, despite the company announcing a ramp-up in production. At the time of writing, Fenix shares are down 2.19% for the day.

    The company is hoping to emerge as Western Australia’s next significant iron ore producer and has advanced quickly from project construction back in August 2020 to its maiden shipment on 15 February 2021. 

    Fenix share price sinks on production ramp-up

    Fenix has been focused on ramping up the production of its 100% owned flagship Iron Ridge iron ore project. Today, the company announced that road haulage rates from the Iron Ridge mine to the port storage facility have reached nameplate levels of 1.25 million tones per annum (Mtpa).

    The update notes that Fenix is now able to schedule two bulk shipments of approximately 60,000 wet metric tonnes (wmt) per month for the foreseeable future. This milestone was achieved approximately one month ahead of the company’s schedule. 

    Managing director Rob Brierley congratulated the Fenix team on its successful journey from explorer to producer.  

    I’m proud of the achievements of the Fenix team, in collaboration with our keys service providers Fenix-Newhaul, MACA Mining, Alpha and Champion Bay Electrical. We have built a sustainable iron ore export business in a short space of time and have done so with due respect for the heritage value of the area around Iron Ridge, the environment and the health and well-being of our people.

    How does Fenix’s production stack up in the iron ore space?

    Fenix and its Iron Ridge project are in its early days, but the company’s nameplate capacity is significant when compared to existing ASX-listed iron ore producers. 

    Mount Gibson Iron Ltd (ASX: MGX) for example, boasts a market capitalisation of $1 billion with 2.35 million wet metric tonnes (Mwmt) mined in FY20. Mount Gibson is also ramping up production with its half-year results highlighting 1.4 Mwmt mined for the half year ended 31 December. 

    This towers over Fenix which currently has a market capitalisation of just $113 million with its 1.25 Mpta nameplate capacity and capacity to schedule two bulk shipments of ~60,000 wmt per month for the foreseeable future. If things go to plan, Fenix could be shipping an annualised 1.44 Mwmt per annum despite fetching just one-tenth of Mount Gibson’s valuation.

    That said, Fenix is in its early days without a history of production excellence. It is positive to see that in the company’s quarterly activities report on 20 January 2021, it highlights sales agreements in place for 100% of projected iron production from Iron Ridge.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Motley Fool contributor Kerry Sun 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 Beam (ASX:BCC) share price is trekking upwards

    asx share price represented by high tech computing space satellite pictured floating above earth in space

    The Beam Communications Holdings Ltd (ASX: BCC) share price is on the move today following news of another ZOLEO contract order. During mid-afternoon trade, the satellite telecommunications company’s shares are up 3.7% to 28 cents.

    Established in 2002, Beam Communications designs, manufactures and sells satellite communication equipment. The company’s products include satellite terminals, modems, accessories and related services. Some of the world’s largest satellite and telecommunications companies such as Iridium, Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS), KDDI, Inmarsat, and Thuraya currently use Beam’s products.

    ZOLEO is the world’s first true global messaging satellite communicator. The handheld device connects with a smartphone and enables the user to access an array of features when out of mobile coverage range. The device contains personal safety features such as check-in and SOS alerts, sharing GPS location, and messaging services.

    What did Beam announce?

    The Beam share price is climbing higher as investors process the company’s latest contract.

    According to its release, Beam has received a sixth order for 12,500 ZOLEO units from its joint venture entity, ZOLEO Inc. This comes as retail channel partners in North America have begun preparing for the anticipated demand in the upcoming holiday season.

    Beam noted that sales in outdoor equipment traditionally rise during the Spring/Summer break. ZOLEO is stocked by all major outdoor and camping retailers across the United States and Canada. This includes Bass Pro Shop/Cabela’s, Mountain Equipment Co-op, Recreational Equipment, Inc. and London Drugs.

    In Australia, demand has also rocketed, with leading outdoor retailer, Anaconda Group, placing repeat orders since December 2020. Beam revealed that it is currently in negotiations with another major Australian retailer to sell ZOLEO.

    The current shipment scheduled for North America is expected to be delivered to retailers by the end of June 2021. Beam said this will bring the total amount of ZOLEO products shipped to 47,000 units, reflecting growing demand.

    About the Beam share price

    Over the last 12 months, the Beam share price has gained around 27%, but fallen by around 18% year to date, providing mixed returns.

    Based on the company’s current share price, Beam has a market capitalisation of around $21 million.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras owns shares of Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra 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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  • Auroch Minerals (ASX:AOU) share price plummets 15%

    A white arrow point down into the ground against a blue backdrop, indicating an ASX market crash or share price fall

    The Auroch Minerals Ltd (ASX: AOU) share price is plummeting today, despite what seems to be good news.

    The mining company announced the assay results from the maiden drill project at its Nepean Nickel Project this morning. The results are from 4 holes of shallow near-mine drilling.

    At the time of writing, the Auroch share price is 19 cents, down 15% on yesterday’s close.

    What were the assay results?

    Auroch announced today that Nepean has significant shallow high-grade nickel sulphide intersections.

    The assay results are respectable, particularly as they are in addition to other profitable intersections at Nepean. The results include 2 metres at 2% nickel and 0.3% copper from 66 metres, which includes 1 metre at 2.9% nickel and 0.36% copper; and 4 metres at 0.77% nickel and 0.05% copper from 25 metres, which includes 1 metre at 0.94% nickel and 0.05% copper.

    Auroch will also test all exploration drill-holes with down-hole electromagnetic surveys to identify if there are any areas of massive nickel sulphide mineralisation nearby.

    Management commentary

    Auroch Managing Director Aidan Platel said the company is pleased with the results.

    The recent results have continued to build upon our understanding and geological model of the shallow high-grade nickel sulphide mineralisation that now extends for over 500m of strike, and with that our team has recognised the need to drill several more holes into critical areas of this mineralisation. These holes will be drilled immediately, and the samples will be prioritised for assaying.

    We also look forward to commencing a high-powered ground moving loop electromagnetic (MLEM) survey this month over priority target areas of the 10km of strike that we have at Nepean, which we believe will generate significant high potential targets for the next phase of drilling.

    More about the Nepean Nickel Project

    Auroch Minerals acquired the Nepean Nickel Project in December 2020. The company holds an 80% share in the project, with the other 20% owned by Goldfellas Pty Ltd. 

    The Nepean Nickel Project contains the historic high-grade Nepean nickel sulphide mine, which was the second mine to produce nickel in Australia. It operated between 1970 and 1987. 

    Nepean is located near Coolgardie, Western Australia. 

    Auroch Minerals share price snapshot

    The Auroch share price has dropped 15% today. It’s currently 19 cents, having opened at 20 cents this morning.

    Despite today’s loss, Auroch’s share price is having a great year. Right now, it’s up 65% year to date and 285% over the last 12 months.

    Auroch has a market capitalisation of approximately $59 million with around 272 million shares outstanding.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    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 the Funtastic (ASX:FUN) share price opened 10% higher today

    tiny asx share price growth represented by little girl looking surprised

    Funtastic Limited (ASX: FUN) shares opened nearly 10% higher this morning after the company updated investors on its future growth prospects. In early trade, the Funtastic share price jumped to 11.5 cents before retreating to 10.5 cents, flat for the day so far.

    By comparison, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index is currently trading 0.17% lower.  

    Let’s take a look at what the toy and lifestyle products producer reported today.

    What caused the Funtastic share price to jump?

    The Funtastic share price responded positively this morning after the company announced it would be relaunching its Babies R Us brand and expanding its warehouse capacity.

    The Australian Babies R Us e-commerce website, along with that of Toys R Us, was purchased by Funtastic in October last year for $29 million. The company relaunched the Toys R Us website soon after. Funtastic expects the Babies R Us website relaunch to begin during the first half of 2021 and further expanded during the second half of the year. Funtastic claims the baby retail market is an “under-represented retail category.”

    In further news boosting the Funtastic share price this morning, the company advised that, in relation to the Toys R Us website, organic and direct visitor sessions grew by 200% in January and February compared to the first two months of 2020.

    To support the forecast growth, Funtastic is investing in its warehouse capacity. In its statement, the company stated it has secured access to 5,500 square metres of warehouse space in suburban Melbourne. The manufacturer, distributor and e-tailer will commence using the facility from April 2021 and commence processing orders from there by the end of June.

    Funtastic managing director and CEO Louis Mittoni said of today’s report:

    The relaunch of Babies R Us is a significant milestone and important phase in the development of the Group. Advancements in Toys R Us’ performance and the expansion in our logistics capabilities are also vital accelerators for our innovative e-comm platforms, for which we are well funded to implement in coming months.

    Business streamlining

    Also included in today’s market announcement was news Funtastic would be “streamlining” its business going forward. Having already sold its confectionery business, Funtastic announced its 18-year wholesale distribution contract with Razor USA would be coming to an end.

    Razor is a “scooter and ride-on” vendor for children. 15% of Funtastic’s revenue in the first half of FY21 resulted from Razor products. Funtastic further advised it is continuing discussions with Razor regarding the continued supply of the brand for Funtastic’s retail channels. 

    Additionally, Funtastic reported that its overseas storage and services will be ended in favour of fully onshore operations.

    Funtastic share price snapshot

    Almost 52 weeks ago, the Funtastic share price was trading at less than 1 cent. Since then, its value has increased by a gigantic 1400%. However, Funtastic shares have fallen by around 46% from their one-year high of 19.5 cents.

    Funtastic has a market capitalisation of $88.8 million.

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    Motley Fool contributor Marc Sidarous 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 the Macquarie (ASX:MQG) share price just hit a record high

    jump in asx share price represented by man jumping in the air in celebration

    The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price was pushing higher in early trade on Wednesday before giving back its gains as the day went on.

    In fact, the investment bank’s shares climbed enough in early trade to hit a record high of $153.50.

    When the Macquarie share price hit that level, it extended its six-month gain to a sizeable 20%.

    Why is the Macquarie share price at a record high?

    The Macquarie share price has been storming higher over the last few weeks thanks largely to an update in late February.

    That update revealed a surprise upgrade to its earnings guidance for FY 2021 less than two weeks after issuing it.

    On 9 February, Macquarie advised that it was expecting its profit result in FY 2021 to be down slightly year on year.

    However, due to the recent extreme winter weather conditions in North America, Macquarie now expects its profits to increase ~5% to ~10% year on year.

    The company explained that the extreme winter weather conditions significantly increased short-term client demand for its capabilities in maintaining critical physical supply across the commodity complex and particularly in relation to gas and power.

    Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets (CGM) business physically ships gas through the majority of major pipelines across the United States. Over time it has built capacity to support clients by delivering power and physical commodities to help them meet the unexpected needs of their customers, such as in February.

    What else drove its shares higher?

    Also giving the Macquarie share price a boost was the response to this update by brokers.

    Morgans and Morgan Stanley are particularly positive on the company. The former put an add rating and $162.30 price target on its shares, whereas the latter put an outperform rating and $160.00 price target on them.

    In light of this, although the Macquarie share price hit a record high this morning, there’s still a chance it could climb beyond this in the coming months.

    Especially given the improving conditions in the banking sector and its attractive yield. Morgans is forecasting an FY 2021 dividend of ~$5.36 per share. This represents a 3.6% yield.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group 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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  • Why the Neuren (ASX:NEU) share price is moving higher today

    medical asx share price represented by doctor giving thumbs up

    Neuren Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NEU) shares are trending higher in early afternoon trade. This comes after the biotech company announced it has successfully completed manufacturing a drug substance for its Phase 2 trials.

    At the time of writing, the Neuren share price has jumped to an intraday high of $1.28, up 1.99% for the day so far.

    What did Neuren announce?

    The Neuren share price is edging higher as investors appear pleased with the company’s progress.

    According to its release, Neuren’s second drug candidate, NNZ-2591, has been manufactured ahead of Phase 2 trials. The company is currently preparing to submit Investigational New Drug (IND) applications to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If approved, this will enable Neuren to run clinical trials in children who suffer from Phelan-McDermid syndrome, Angelman syndrome and Pitt Hopkins syndrome.

    Neuren’s latest announcement ticks off four of the milestones the company set out for 2021 in a recent corporate presentation. At current, five remaining checkpoints are still to be completed. These include:

    • Submission of the NNZ-2591 IND to the FDA.
    • Completing patient enrolment in the trofinetide Rett syndrome Phase 3 study.
    • Commencing NNZ-2591 Phase 2 trials.
    • Achieving orphan designation status in the United States and Europe for Prader-Willi syndrome.
    • Compiling results from the Trofinetide Rett syndrome Phase 3 trial (result highlights to be released in Q4 2021).

    Commentary from the CEO

    Neuren CEO Jon Pilcher hailed the company’s developments, saying:

    We have successfully developed a proprietary process for large scale manufacturing with exceptional purity and high yield. This is a key part of the strong foundations we have built for NNZ-2591, which can now be leveraged across multiple valuable indications.

    As well as supplying the upcoming trials in Phelan-McDermid, Angelman and Pitt Hopkins, the campaign has produced enough drug substance at no extra cost to supply a Phase 2 trial in Prader-Willi syndrome.

    Neuren share price performance overview

    The Neuren share price has been a weak performer over the past 12 months, falling by nearly 28%. Neuren shares took a wild ride last year, hitting a low of 96.5 cents in March before accelerating to $1.845 in June.

    Based on the current share price, Neuren has a market capitalisation of around $144 million.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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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  • Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    Many of Australia’s top brokers have been busy adjusting their financial models again, leading to the release of a large number of broker notes this week.

    Three broker buy ratings that have caught my eye are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

    BWX Ltd (ASX: BWX)

    According to a note out of Citi, its analysts have retained their buy rating and $5.35 price target on this personal care products company’s shares. The broker notes that Chinese authorities have now removed the animal testing requirement for imported cosmetics. Citi sees this as a big positive for BWX and its Sukin brand as it was previously unable to sell its products in retail stores on mainland China. In addition to this, it is positive on the company due to its sizeable opportunities in existing markets. The BWX share price is fetching $4.76 this afternoon.

    Carsales.Com Ltd (ASX: CAR)

    A note out of Morgan Stanley reveals that its analysts have retained their overweight rating and $23.00 price target on this auto listings company’s shares. According to the note, industry data shows that new car sales volumes have now turned positive. Morgan Stanley feels this bodes well for the company’s online display advertising business and expects it to boost its revenue in the second half and beyond. The Carsales share price is trading at $18.39 on Wednesday.

    CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

    Another note out of Citi reveals that its analysts have upgraded this biotherapeutics company’s shares to a buy rating with a $310.00 price target. The broker made the move largely on valuation grounds after a significant pullback in the CSL share price over the last few months. In addition to this, Citi is optimistic that plasma collection headwinds will now ease following the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the United States. The CSL share price is trading at $254.89 this afternoon.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    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 CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended BWX Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended carsales.com 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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  • Why the Rio Tinto (ASX:RIO) share price is among the worst performers today

    Falling asx share price represented by young male investor sitting sadly in front of laptop

    As the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) creeps back into the realm of negatives this afternoon, it’s worth taking a look at which shares are pulling it down the most. Upon inspection, we can see that both the Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price and the Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price are in the bottom three of the top 200. Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF) is currently sitting squarely in the middle to complete the red trifecta.

    Given there’s no news out from Nufarm, potentially shareholders are taking some profits after the recent run-up. In contrast, there’s plenty to talk about from Rio and Fortescue.

    So, why are these shares hit the hardest today?

    Iron ore raining on the parade

    For the Rio Tinto and Fortescue share price, last night’s sudden iron ore price drop would be the culprit. The steel-producing commodity’s price began to dwindle early yesterday morning. However, around 5 pm AEDT futures sank like a dead weight, tumbling by nearly 8% in less than an hour.

    Iron ore futures have recovered somewhat, but the commodity price remains roughly 8% below its price 2 days ago.

    Fate loves irony, as Elon Musk would say

    Ironically, this jolt came just hours after Fortescue CEO, Elizabeth Gaines, discussed the industry landscape at the AFR’s Business Summit. When Gaines was pressed on whether iron ore was resistant to China’s tactics, she responded, “We’ve never been complacent. We actually work very hard to maintain strong relationships, but it isn’t as simple as saying Australian companies should just diversify.”

    Gaines noted that there is more room for political diplomacy in order to foster working relationships between Australia and China.

    At the time of writing, the Rio Tinto share price is down 3.6% to $116.81. Meanwhile, Fortescue has sunk 6.3% to $20.79.

    Recent events for the Rio Tinto share price

    The pullback in the Rio Tinto share price comes 6 days after the mining giant went ex-dividend. Some shareholders wanting to grab their last dividends may still be making a dash for the exit today.

    Rio will pay a final dividend of $5.171 to eligible shareholders.

    Another ironic factor, Macquarie recently upgraded its price target on Rio Tinto. The broker expects improved copper prices should assist Rio to hit its new price target of $142 per share.

    Where to invest $1,000 right now

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    Scott just revealed what he believes are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Macquarie Group 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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  • Why the Legacy Iron Ore (ASX:LCY) share price jumped 29% this morning

    man jumps up a chart, indicating share price going up on the ASX bank dividend

    The Legacy Iron Ore Ltd (ASX: LCY) share price is up 7% in early afternoon trade, having posted gains of 29% earlier in the day.

    While its name may imply the Western Australian-based company solely explores for and mines iron, Legacy Iron is also focused on gold, tungsten and other mineral discoveries.

    Below, we take a look at the ASX mineral explorer’s latest gold results.

    What gold results did Legacy Iron report?

    Legacy Iron’s share price is gaining today after the company reported promising results following the completion of a metallurgical testing program at its Mt. Celia Gold Project.

    Those results include high gravity gold recovery averaging 47.5% across all the tests, with Legacy Iron adding there is “potential for increased gold recovery at finer grind size”.

    The newly completed testwork follows on from the initial results the company reported to market on 8 December. According to Legacy Iron the testing of the 3 new composite samples includes “diagnostic leach testing, ore sorting sighter testing and tailings geochemistry assessment.”

    The company will use the final results to move the Mt. Celia Gold Project to a prefeasibility level of study.

    Commenting on the results, Legacy Iron’s CEO Rakesh Gupta said:

    Our results in December 2020 showed high recoveries of gold. These follow up metallurgical testwork results continue to confirm gold recoveries are high, with plenty of gravity recoverable gold and overall gold recovery in the mid-nineties.

    The outcome of the results shows that this material could be processed at any conventional gold processing facility in the area or through a toll treatment agreement with local operators. These results also support the further development of our project and a pathway to production with all processing options being investigated.

    Legacy Iron Ore share price snapshot

    Legacy Iron first listed on the ASX in 2008.

    Over the past 6 months, Legacy Iron shares are up 50%. That compares to a 15% gain on the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    Things haven’t gone as well for shareholders in 2021. Year-to-date the Legacy Iron Ore share price is down 70%.

    Where to 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 are the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they are great buys right now.

    *Returns as of February 15th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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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  • Lower for longer? RBA dismisses rising bond yields

    A hand moves a building block from green arrow to red, indicating negative interest rates

    Rising bond yields have been the talk of the ASX town over the past few weeks. Government bond yields have spent most of 2021 rising from the historical lows that we saw last year. That has triggered some incredible share market volatility, particularly in the ASX tech space. Yesterday, we discussed how ASX tech shares were on the brink of a bear market, given the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) was approaching a 20% difference between its most recent high and its current level.

    Well, today, those fears have been somewhat allayed. The All Technology Index is today up an impressive 3.65% at the time of writing.

    ASX tech investors probably have the RBA to thank.

    According to reporting in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) this morning, RBA governor Dr Philip Lowehas come out and told investors that wages growth would need to be “materially higher” for the Bank even to consider raising interest rates. The RBA has previously indicated that the record low cash rate of 0.1% would remain until 2024.

    However, the bond market had other ideas.

    Inflation first, rate hikes second for RBA

    The AFR tells us that Dr Lowe noted that the bond market has been pricing in an interest rate hike as early as next year and another in 2023. He went on to say that “this was not an expectation that we share”. For this to come to pass, Dr Lowe stated that inflation would need to be sustainable above 2-3%, and wages growth would need to be “sustainably” above 3%. It doesn’t;t sound like he thinks this will happen soon:

    The evidence strongly suggests that this will not occur quickly and that it will require a tight labour market to be sustained for some time. Predicting how long it will take is inherently difficult, so there is room for different views. But our judgment is that we are unlikely to see wages growth consistent with the inflation target before 2024.

    According to Dr Lowe, wages growth is currently running at around 1.4% (the lowest on record) and was low even before the coronavirus pandemic’s onset.

    The 10-year Australian government bond yield has been falling a little this week but has yet to show that it has taken Dr Lowe’s comments to heart. On Sunday, it was sitting at roughly 1.83% but is currently (at the time of writing) at 1.78%.

    For the RBA governor to provide such specific commentary of market bond pricing and yields is rather rare. It could indicate that the RBA is starting to consider rising bond yields a risk to the Australian economy by pushing up our exchange rate.

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    Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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.

    The post Lower for longer? RBA dismisses rising bond yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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