Gold Ends Strongly, Oil Mixed
A slightly calmer ending to the week for commodities with oil showing signs of steadying, gold and sliver were stronger overall, copper gained and other metals were supported by investors.
Read MoreA slightly calmer ending to the week for commodities with oil showing signs of steadying, gold and sliver were stronger overall, copper gained and other metals were supported by investors.
Read MoreThe next few weeks will see an outbreak of ‘earnings honesty’ as companies large and small try to soften the blow to investor confidence from lower revenue growth, weak or lower earnings and lower or stalled dividends, as well as big asset impairments in the energy and mining sectors, and in other sectors, such as the broadcast and print media and perhaps retailing.
Read MoreAs our banks head into 2015, they have a new cost investors might not be aware of – more than $400 million a year for what’s effectively an insurance premium charged by the Reserve Bank as part of a unique liquidity backstop for the banks and the financial system in the event of a repeat of funding freeze seen in the GFC in the last quarter of 2008.
Read MoreThe Janet Yellen-inspired Santa Rally on world stockmarkets continues. Remember how markets, led by Wall Street swooned and fretted at every mention of the US Federal Reserve slowing its huge easing program – Taper Tantrums was the description given by nervy investors, frightened the central bank would be taking the punch bowl away.
Read MoreDulux (DLX) has again told shareholders they can expect a lift in earnings for the current financial year.
Read MoreThe most important indicators from the sluggish Chinese economy, so far as the Reserve Bank is concerned, are the monthly reports on house price movements and house sales.
Read MoreBorn again agribusiness, Elders (ELD), is confident the years of struggle, losses and almost continual restructuring are behind it.
Read MoreFlight Centre (FLT) shares took flight yesterday and sank nearly 9% after the company formalised what many investors had been waiting for – a profit downgrade.
Read MoreWatch for a big pop in the ASX 200 this morning after the US Fed meeting changed its outlook on interest rates to bring forward a rise into mid-2015.
Read MoreTrading in Leighton Holdings (LEI) shares will resume today after the company finalised the joint venture sale of half of its services business.
Read MoreThe mooted merger between Amcom Telecommunications (AMM) and Vocus Communications (VOC) was revealed yesterday after more than a month of talk and speculation.
Read MoreEmbattled drilling group Boart Longyear (BLY) has bought itself another couple of years’ survival after shareholders yesterday approved the final step of $US342 million recapitalisation plan from a big US financial group.
Read MoreMarkets are becoming more febrile as the oil price plunge rattles confidence around the world – and Russia is emerging as a major concern.
Read MoreThe strong opposition from the board of Recall Holdings (REC) has upset Iron Mountain chief executive William Meaney who says he may take its ‘indicative, non-binding’ $7 a share bid for Recall and go home.
Read MoreTwo deals involving more than $US10 billion in oil and gas assets were revealed yesterday as the restructuring of the embattled sector gets underway.
Read MoreIn what looks like a replay of the failed private equity bid for Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), document management business Recall Holdings (REC) has rejected a $2.2 billion, $7-a-share bid from long-time suitor Iron Mountain of the US, saying it undervalues the company.
Read MoreThe Takeovers Panel has intervened to block Yancoal Australia’s (YAL) controversial recapitalisation which could see the minority 22% shareholders severely diluted if they don’t participate in a $2.3 billion share offer.
Read MoreThe second major deal in the current slide in oil prices surfaced at the weekend , it’s a biggie – Repsol, the Spanish oil giant is planning to offer up $US8 billion for the Canadian independent, Talisman. With debt, any bid for Talisman, one of Canada’s biggest oil and gas independents, could be worth in excess of $US11 billion.
Read MoreSome would call it brave, especially given the past year or so, for Newcrest Mining (NCM) to be talking about a new multi-billion dollar gold mine in Papua New Guinea.
Read MoreThere’ll be renewed confirmation this week that the Chinese economy continues to slow.
Read MoreIn any week, the final meeting of the year of the US Fed’s key policymaking committee would normally dominate events, but this week global markets will be more concerned with the slide in oil prices and the way they are sending shares and bond prices lower.
Read MoreAmid all the angst about falling oil, coal and especially iron ore prices, not to mention continuing pressure on big mining companies to cut costs and spending, BHP Billiton (BHP) and Rio Tinto (RIO) are drifting towards a decision on the huge Resolution underground copper project in the US that will worry the life out of investors and analysts.
Read MoreAnother miserable Friday has set up Asian markets for a nasty sell-off today, which will be complicated in Australia by the release of the mid-year economic statement from the embattled Abbott Government just after midday.
Read MoreIt was the fastest pace of jobs growth since March 2012, but also the highest unemployment rate for 12 years – two readings from the November jobs data which confounded some of those looking for rate cuts and sent the Aussie dollar higher, as well as helping halt a worrying sell off on the ASX yesterday morning.
Read MoreEmbattled energy company Santos (STO) has moved to meet market demands for some radical action in the face of the collapse in its share price and the rapid fall in world oil prices by revealing big cost cuts for 2015.
Read MoreCaltex Australia (CTX) yesterday joined Qantas (QAN) in confirming that it has been one of the big winners in the current slump in global oil prices which fell to new five year lows yesterday.
Read MoreAnother rough day on financial markets can be expected today after US oil prices fell under $US60 a barrel for the first time this morning, US time.
Read MoreOur market is heading for a nasty 50 point fall at the open Thursday after commodities, led by oil, sold off and markets in Europe and especially the US fell sharply.
Read MoreThe New Zealand Reserve Bank has again left its key interest rate on hold as the economy continues to burble along in a comforting burst of low inflation growth.
Read MoreAPA Group (APA) is asking shareholders and the market for a massive $A1.839 billion via a discounted renounceable rights issue to help fund the $US5 billion ($A6 billion) purchase of the recently built pipeline in BG Group’s liquefied natural gas project in Queensland.
Read MoreInflationary pressures in China are intensifying as economic activity slows.
Read MoreDon’t listen to the stuff being talked about more interest rate cuts to boost a flagging economy next year – just look at the home loan figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics yesterday.
Read MoreAPRA, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority and the key banking regulator, has waggled its fingers at home lenders and warned them they will be picked off individually where they engage in what the regulator believes is imprudent home lending activities, especially with investors.
Read MoreSkilled Group (SKE) shares bounced 10% at one stage yesterday after Monday’s nasty and out of the blue sell-off prompted the labour-hire group to issue a market update.
Read MoreAnother big fall in its share price yesterday has confirmed Santos (STO) as the first significant local victim of the plunge in oil prices.
Read MoreTransPacific Industries (TPI) shares fell more than 3% yesterday (in a very weak market) after the waste operator revealed what was in effct an earnings downgrade.
Read MoreMonday’s solid bank-driven gain will be reversed on the ASX today with the futures market pointing to a 30 point – plus drop in the wake of another night of losses for oil prices.
Read MoreMore worrying news from China in the details of the country’s November trade report.
Read MoreJapan heads into its snap election this Sunday with the economy in a deeper recession than previously thought – but don’t tell voters who will overwhelmingly re-elect Prime Minister Abe; or the stockmarket, which regained the 18,000 point mark yesterday for the first time since the middle of 2007.
Read MoreQantas (QAN) shares went for another big run yesterday – for the second time in a month – when the airline confirmed previous comments from senior management that it would return to an operating profit in the current half year.
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