As we all unwind after this tumultuous year, many of us will turn to music to relax and celebrate. But do we ever stop and consider the growth and change in how we consume that media? Or even, how can...
In this final part of our Australian equity outlook notes, we look at the industrials, healthcare and communications services sectors. All three sectors were hit hard in 2020 and have yet to recover to their pre-COVID highs, something that analysts...
In the second part of our domestic outlook series, we run the ruler over: MaterialsConsumer staplesInformation technologyReal estate All four sectors have drawn attention in the past 12 months – generally for good reason – with the exception of the...
With Christmas rapidly approaching, investors and listed companies alike are probably looking forward to some quiet time over the summer break. With borders reopening in all states in Australia (thank you WA for joining the fray) many of us can...
“Could we have kippers for breakfast,Mummy dear, mummy dear,They got to have ‘em in Texas,‘Cause everyone’s a millionaire”Supertramp, “Breakfast in America” Not chasing hot picks and waiting to ‘buy the dip’ is generally the sage advice that an experienced stock-picker...
In a previous note published on 22 October 2020, we looked into the driving forces behind Australia’s weather, and how the respective dominance of El Nino and or La Nina impacted not only our weather, but also impacted the outlook...
“I’m gonna keep on the runI’m gonna have me some funIf it costs me my very last dimeIf I wind up broke, oh wellI’ll always remember that I had a swingin’ time”Elvis Presley, “Viva Las Vegas” Now more than ever,...
The last few weeks have probably been the best weeks in CEO Andy Penn’s time at Telstra, with the market warmly accepting his strategic plan for the next three years. Since succeeding David Thodey on the 1st of May 2015,...
Tencent has delivered a very robust 3rd quarter report last week, with revenue up 29% year on year (YoY), to RMB125.4bln while its adjusted net profit rose 32% YoY to RMB32.3bln.
Investors globally have increasingly been looking at ESG criteria as a screen for investment opportunities. This is the first note of a 2-part series that looks at Governance and its lack of application in the past and why in future,...
Equity markets and society at large welcomed the news of positive COVID-19 vaccine results from Pfizer and their partnership with BioNTech, with successful results published from their phase 3 trials of vaccine candidate BNT162b2. Understanding the process to develop a...
It is well known that certain companies, such as the mega-tech FAANG stocks, are trading at valuations that are high relative to historical averages. If you’re wondering why – there are two main answers. Investors and traders believe the valuation...
Over the past two weeks we have seen three of the four major banks – NAB, ANZ and Westpac – report their second half results for 2020. The environment in which these results have been released has been unusual, as...
In this COVID-19 world, there has been many behavioural norms that society and individuals have been forced to accept. This manifests in an inability to catch up with friends at a restaurant, heading out to watch your favourite sport or...
“Today’s financial system is the legacy of the Industrial Age – We must set up a new one for the next generation and young people. We must reform the current system.” Jack Ma, Co-Founder of Alibaba on Ant Group In...
The conundrum continues The two schools of thought and the disparity of the relative performance of both investment styles continues to be a point of discussion amongst investors. As equity markets continue to rally in all major regions, are we...
Following on from our morning note on water rights, we take a look at the driving forces behind the weather in Australia and have a look at how weather can impact certain stocks and sectors. The agriculture sector is directly...
In yesterday’s note we highlighted the difficulties faced by the global oil sector over the past eight months. In today’s note we are going to take a closer look at the large cap portion of the Australian oil and gas...
If there was one industry sector that epitomises the negative impacts of the coronavirus, it’s energy, with oil being the hardest hit within the sector. The macroeconomic impact of COVID-19 has been a “once in a century” event according to...
There's a lady who's sure All that glitters is gold And she's buying a stairway to Heaven Led Zeppelin (1970) Yesterday’s announcement on the proposed merger of Northern Star Resources Ltd (NST.ASX) and Saracen Minerals Holdings Ltd (SAR.ASX) has focused...
Over the course of 2020, coal is certainly one of the most unloved sectors on the ASX, with a raft of headwinds impacting the sector including: COVID-19 and the direct impact on global GDP and fall in energy usage Softer...
As a daily commuter, I have noticed how social distancing has changed the overall travel experience. The commuting public that shares the same routes as I have, prioritised health through face mask wearing, and there’s less music, tablet watching and...
The candy store paupers lie to the shareholders They're crossing their fingers they pay the truth makers The balance sheet is breaking up the sky Midnight Oil (1990) Despite the negative rhetoric behind this classic hit from Peter Garrett and...
When the lights go down in the California town People are in for the evening I jump into my car and I throw in my guitar My heartbeat in time with my breathing Driving over Kanan, singing to my soul...
Automobile in America, Chromium steel in America, Wire-spoke wheel in America, Very big deal in America! Westside Story The continued slide of the VIX index in recent days has given US equity markets confidence in recent days after six days...
A great partnership Following on from yesterday's piece on Green Steel, and the use of hydrogen manufactured from renewable sources of electricity, comes an announcement from General Motors that they are taking a 11% stake in Nikola Corporation, an electric...
It is very important to emphasise that options trading is for sophisticated and experienced investors and this report is not a recommendation to use options. This note is to explain what could be happening in derivative markets and the impact...
Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don't stand in the doorway Don't block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled The battle outside ragin' Will soon shake your windows And rattle your...
While the iron ore price continues to hold over US$100 per tonne, the Australian miners of the red metal continue to outperform. Last week the iron ore price surged above US$125 a tonne for the first time since February 2014....
Better than feared with High PE stocks driving the market. In this note, we take a helicopter view of the first 3 weeks of the reporting season here in Australia. Of the 174 ASX 200 stocks due to report, 110...
A recent report from Citi, delved into this critical topic from a very macro perspective. Now, while equities are a smaller asset class than bonds, it does get a disproportionate amount of research and media comment, which highlights the importance...
Blown (blown blown blown) 'Round by the wind Thrown (thrown thrown thrown) Down in a spin Jigsaw (1975) ASX reporting season update In this note, we take a step back and look at how the Australian reporting season is panning...
"Every gambler knows That the secret to survivin' Is knowin' what to throw away And knowin' what to keep." Kenny Rogers (1978) Following on with our dive into sectors that are technology-related, be it music, with Spotify and Apple music,...
I saw her today, I saw her face, it was a face I loved, and I knew I had to run away. The Searchers (1977) In our note titled Doctor, Doctor, Give Me The News, we looked at the process...
Bob the Builder Can we fix it? Bob the Builder Yes, we can! During the lockdown periods of the pandemic, one sector that showed resilience and in fact growth following the March sell-down was the DIY home improvement space. The...