We at ShareCafe understand you are busy and may not have been left with enough time to keep up with the quality content we’ve been bringing you throughout the week. To make it easier to do so, here it is in one handy location. Just click on the headline and you’ll be taken straight to the story.
Tuesday 1 March, 2022
Dead Cat Bounce for Retail Sales
Retail sales bounced in January, rising 1.8% in seasonally adjusted terms, but that still left them well adrift of December’s huge 4.4% slump.
One Head Proving Better than Two for Allkem
Allkem released a bullish first set of results since being formed by the merger of Galaxy Resources and Orocobre last August, and it’s clear the lithium price boom is starting to pay off for producers.
Custody Battle Drags on for Virtus Health
The battle for IVF operator Virtus continues, with Australian private equity group BGH upping its offer price to $7.65 per share as it goes head-to-head with London based rival CapVest.
Further Rationalisation Afoot in BNPL Space
ZipCo is seeking to buy rival Sezzle in a $491 million all share deal that Zip claims will accelerate its path to profitability, even in the face of tougher conditions in the once buoyant sector.
A Change in Name Only for Noumi
A weak interim result Monday from Noumi Ltd (the old Freedom Foods) on the final day of the reporting season that was dominated by a mass of negatives, including a slumping share price.
Novartis, US Political Risks and Investing in Cancer Research (video)
Magellan’s John Wylie reviews Novartis, looks at US political risks to the healthcare sector, and addresses how cancer research innovation may translate to investment profits.
Carbon Capture: Early Days of a $1 Trillion Industry?
As Dimitry Dayen from ClearBridge reports, even the most ambitious emission-reduction scenarios maintain a share of fossil fuels usage, suggesting carbon capture solutions are needed.
Wednesday 2 March, 2022
With Eyes on Europe, RBA Leaves Rates Unchanged
The RBA kept monetary policy unchanged at its March meeting on Tuesday, with the cash rate remaining fixed at 0.1%, but is keeping a close eye on the Ukraine crisis for potential economic fallout.
Banking Sector Bites: ANZ, CBA
ANZ and CBA were both in the news on Tuesday as the former made some key personnel moves and the latter offloaded an asset, raising expectations for further capital management programs.
AUSTRAC Comes Calling for Crown
Financial regulator AUSTRAC has launched court action against Crown Resorts, claiming the casino giant breached anti-money laundering law “innumerable” times over the past six years.
No Alarms and No Surprises from Orica
Explosives and chemicals group Orica is sticking with the upbeat (though non-specific) outlook for its 2021-22 financial year ahead of the ending of its first half on March 31.
Finding Income in 2022 (video)
Schroders Portfolio Manager Mik Kase shares his views on recent volatility, impacts to income-producing assets and how he’s positioning the Absolute Return Income Fund in this market.
Analyst Survey 2022: Sector by sector
Fidelity International’s investment experts have recently completed their annual analyst survey for another year. Here is a sector-by-sector breakdown of what those in the know feel are the key points to watch.
Thursday 3 March, 2022
Lynas Looking at Significant Mt. Weld Upgrade
A week after revealing a big rise in earnings, Lynas Rare Earths has surprised with what looks a significant upgrade to the company’s key Mount Weld deposit in WA.
Spending Spree Pushes Oz Annual GDP Above 4%
Australian consumers spent heavily coming out of the Covid Delta lockdowns in the last quarter of 2021 and dragged the economy to a very solid 4.2% rise in annual GDP for 2021.
Sigma Ups Guidance on Rapid Antigen Test Demand
Pharmaceutical wholesaler Sigma Healthcare told the ASX on Wednesday that demand for Rapid Antigen Tests would push underlying earnings up 10% to 15% compared with last year.
Julimar Bonanza Continues for Chalice
Chalice Mining says it has identified a major new area of interest at its globally significant Julimar exploration area in WA that could be similar to its first big discovery at Gonneville.
Tech Sector Outlook and What Matters to ‘Meta’ (video)
Magellan’s Ryan Joyce talks about the current valuation of the tech sector and why 2020 and 2021 created the ‘perfect storm’, with a deeper look into Meta and some news from Alibaba.
Global Technology: Taking volatility in stride
Janus Henderson’s Denny Fish believes that recent tech sector volatility is a response to higher interest rates rather than a judgment on these companies’ ability to reshape the global economy.
It’s (Not) the End of the World as We Know it (and We Feel Fine)
Despite the AREIT sector having fallen by 10.27% so far this year, Erik Borean from APN believes REM’s Michael Stipe was wrong in thinking it’s the end of the world as we know it.
Friday 4 March, 2022
Bureaucratic Bottleneck Slows Building Approvals
Building approvals fell sharply in January as semi-lockdowns and restrictions allied with the normal summer holiday slowed the approvals process at local and metro governments.
Oz Trade Surplus Surprises Heavily on the Upside
Market forecasts of around $A9b for Australia’s trade surplus in January missed the mark completely – in fact they were not even in the same ballpark as the almost $13b reported figure.
Recovery Remains Slow but Moody’s Backs Qantas
Credit rating group Moody’s has once again given strong support to Qantas’s efforts to remain in business, despite the company’s continuing high levels of debt and delays to full flying.
Amazon Makes Hasty Retreat into Cyberspace
It’s official, Amazon can’t compete with the very bricks and mortar retailers it has been forcing to either close, change or move in different directions to escape the jaws of the online giant.
Cybersecurity and Computer Chip Shortages (video)
With cybersecurity and computer chip shortages still global concerns, Magellan’s Adrian Lu looks at the future of Enterprise Software companies and how they are addressing these key issues.
Inflation and Ukraine Crisis Support Gold
Having been challenged by surging stock markets, higher rates and even crypto over the past couple of years, Kanish Chugh from ETF Securities suggests things could be looking up for gold.
Newcrest Playing Wait and See with Havieron
Newcrest Mining was playing all coy on Friday in the wake of Greatland Gold’s sharp upgrade to reserves at their Havieron gold copper prospect in the eastern Pilbara of WA.
