The Week that Was: April 17-21, 2023

By Staff Writers | More Articles by Staff Writers

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 18 April, 2023

EML Payments Rings In the Changes (Again)

The years-long EML Payments soap opera gave ASX investors yet one more plot twist Monday with a very brutal management change and a monumental shift in strategy.

Market Morsels: LAU, FBU

A couple of ASX news bites to start off the week, with transporter Lindsay Australia ticking its forecasts up nicely and Fletcher Building forced to top up provisions for a defective product.

A Haven from Developed Markets Financial Follies

While not immune to the present turmoil, it seems a good number of emerging markets – unlike developed markets’ central banks – have learned the lessons of the past.

Genesis Has Another Crack at Laverton Tidy-Up

Genesis Minerals is having a second go at keeping its Laverton concentration plans alive by recasting its deal with key target St Barbara into a straight buy of SBM’s gold assets.

Navigating the Polycrisis, Part II

Fidelity International Chief Investment Officer Andrew McCaffery lays out the company’s Q2 2023 Outlook and highlights three key themes they expect will dominate this quarter.

Regis Gives Back Recent Gains on WA Weakness

A very different story yesterday from recent bullish talk for Regis with a weak performance in its WA mining operations forcing the company to downgrade its production forecasts.

 

Wednesday 19 April, 2023

Sayona Discusses DFS Upgrade and NAL Expansion (video)

Sayona Mining Finance Manager Dougal Elder discusses the release of the DFS for the North American Lithium Project, the increase in the Moblan resources, funding and timeline.

Gold Responds in March

The performance of gold and gold stocks in the current chaotic environment reaffirmed VanEck’s belief in its role as a safe haven investment and legitimate form of portfolio insurance.

RBA Rate Chatter Leaving Markets Perplexed

The RBA certainly seems to feel no compulsion to put the market’s mind at ease about interest rates, choosing instead to send conflicting messages that only add to the confusion.

Chinese GDP Gets an Unexpected Boost

Thanks to a surge in household spending and exports, China’s GDP grew at an annual rate of 4.5% in the March quarter – much faster than most had forecast and well up on a year prior.

Stock Snippets: JRV, EVN

Updates in Tuesday’s ASX session from up-and-coming cobalt miner Jervois Global, which has had a change of tack, and Evolution Mining, which has got things back on track.

Carbon Down, Harden Up

Andrew Greenup and Sophie Smith from First Sentier report on their recent US trip where they met with over 70 infrastructure management teams as well as attending three conferences.

 

Thursday 20 April, 2023

Perseus Still on Track to Slay Full Year Earnings

While it was a mostly flat performance from Perseus Mining in the three months to March, the African-focused gold miner is still on track to finish the year comfortably ahead of 2021-22.

Star’s Twinkle Continues to Dim

Shares in casino operator Star slid nearly 12% at one stage yesterday after revealing a sharp worsening in its business, a review of the Sydney operation and 500 full time positions being cut.

Is there Upside in Downer?

Simon Mawhinney from Allan Gray looks at Downer EDI and why being out-of-favour is often an important prerequisite for AG to buy companies at prices lower than their intrinsic value.

Netflix Fails to Produce Heroic Sequel

Investors hoping for a repeat of the boost Netflix gave the market in February’s sell down with its December 2022 report will be disappointed by the numbers for the March quarter.

The Game is On

Video games can be lucrative – as Alice Shen reports, so far in 2023 the companies that make up VanEck Video Gaming and Esports ETF (ESPO) have had a winning start.

Good News Not Finnissed Yet for Core Lithium

The numbers for Core Lithium’s Finniss project in the NT keep getting better – so much so that it has doubled the drilling budget this year from 2022’s spend as it looks to expand the site.

 

Friday 21 April, 2023

Is Now the Moment to Get Back into Emerging Markets?

Six months ago, one might have laughed at the suggestion of investing in Emerging Markets. Fidelity’s Tom Stevenson explains why this is no longer the case.

Defensive Strategies for the Downturn

Paul O’Connor, Head of JH’s Multi-Asset Team, considers the arguments for defensive asset allocation as interest rate hikes work through the financial system.

Rio Tinto Off and Running for FY23

Rio Tinto has made a very strong start to its 2023 financial year with a stellar performance in its WA iron ore operations, where it reported a 16% lift in exports in the three months to March.

Airlie Puts QBE under the Microscope

With quality management and a strong cycle leading a business turnaround, Joe Wright from Airlie FM explains why he believes insurance major QBE still looks attractive.

Price Cuts Put the Brakes on Tesla Earnings

Tesla price cut itself into a slide in earnings in the first three months of 2023 as it tried to fight off rising challenges from Chinese, European and fellow American EV makers.

Brambles Serves Up a Tasty Pallet-Cleanser

Brambles has issued another upgrade to its 2022-23 guidance, despite weak economic data from a number of major economies and a downgrade in global growth forecasts.

Commercial Real Estate Concerns – Are they Justified?

Pengana Capital explains how the recent U.S. banking market volatility has led to concerns around the cost and availability of credit for commercial real estate in Australia.

Trading Tidbits: STO, BOQ

Updates Thursday from energy major Santos, whose revenue is headed in the wrong direction, and Bank of Queensland, who confirmed they are in the regulator’s sights.