Author: roymorgansocial

Apartment slowdown to hit economy hard: Triguboff

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Original article by Turi Condon
The Australian – Page: 2 : 11-Sep-17

Apartment prices have fallen by around 10 per cent over the past six months, according to Harry Triguboff. Australia’s biggest builder of apartments says governments may need to take action if prices, along with new apartment starts, continue to fall. He says trends that are seeing young people share or stay with their parents for longer is hurting new apartment construction, as is tepid wages growth.

CORPORATES
MERITON APARTMENTS PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BIS OXFORD ECONOMICS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

CBA eyes bond market return after scandal

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Original article by Jonathan Shapiro
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 11-Sep-17

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia may make a bond issue in the week beginning 11 September 2017. Australia’s large banks use such issues to help cover the gap between the amount of loans they have outstanding and the value of their deposits. If the CBA does proceed with the bond issue, it will be its first since AUSTRAC announced that it is taking legal action against it over alleged breaches of money-laundering regulations. The CBA raised around $A40 billion in fiscal 2017 from wholesale long-term debt.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, MOODY’S ANALYTICS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ALTIUS ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL

Most general insurance policy holders renew without approaching other companies

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Sep-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 77.9% of Australians aged 14+ with general insurance do not approach any other company when renewing their policy. An additional 14.6% approach another company but do not change. Roy Morgan’s "General Insurance Industry Currency Report" also shows that the proportion of general insurance policy holders renewing with the same company after approaching others has increased from 11.4% in the year to July 2013 to 14.6% in the year to July 2017. The most loyal customers, based on the proportion of policy holders that renew without approaching another company, are with RACQ (85.2%), the RACV (84.1%) and RAC (83.8%). The least loyal are Budget Direct (63.3%) and GIO (67.2%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, RACQ INSURANCE LIMITED, RACV INSURANCE, RAC INSURANCE PTY LTD, BUDGET DIRECT INSURANCE AGENCY PTY LTD, GIO AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Small energy retailers ahead of majors on customer satisfaction

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Sep-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that overall satisfaction with electricity retailers has fallen over the last four years by 1.8% points, to 63.4% in July 2017. The current satisfaction leader among the 10 largest electricity retailers is Red Energy with 74.5% (an increase of 6.4% points since 2013), followed by Simply Energy on 71.4% (up 9.1% points). The two largest electricity retailers (based on domestic consumer numbers) have below-average satisfaction, with Origin Energy on 62.3% and AGL on 61.3%; both are currently below their 2013 satisfaction levels. Meanwhile, satisfaction with gas retailers has improved by 1.6% points since 2013 to 65.0%, with the greatest gains from Simply Energy (up 14.6% points to 73.8%), and Lumo Energy (up 9.4% points to 74.6% and now the market leader). Among the four largest gas retailers, Alinta, Origin and Energy Australia have shown some improvement in satisfaction since 2013, but all four currently remain below the industry average.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, RED ENERGY PTY LTD, SIMPLY ENERGY, LUMO ENERGY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, KLEENHEAT GAS PTY LTD, ALINTA ENERGY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL

Fifield close to reform breakthrough

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 24 : 11-Sep-17

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is believed to be close to securing a deal for the Nick Xenophon Team to support cross-media ownership reforms in the Senate. Fifield held negotiations with NXT senators ahead of Senate debate on the media reform bill on 11 September. The Government hopes to end the impasse which followed its rejection of NXT’s original proposal regarding tax breaks for smaller media companies. The media reforms require the support of a majority of cross-benchers.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

Heat on unions’ super cash

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 11-Sep-17

The Federal Government will introduce legislation to increase the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority’s powers to force superannuation funds to disclose their payments to unions. The reforms will also allow fund members to be informed as to how their super contributions are being invested or redirected to unions or employers’ groups. It is estimated that super funds paid more than $A8m to unions in the form of "sponsorship" payments in 2016, with Cbus accounting for more than $A1m of these payments.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, ACTU, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIAN MANUFACTURING WORKERS’ UNION, ELECTRICAL TRADES UNION, PLUMBING TRADES EMPLOYEES UNION, TWUSUPER, TRANSPORT WORKERS’ UNION, AUSTRALIANSUPER PTY LTD, UNITED VOICE, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE

Nationals rally against energy plan

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 7 : 11-Sep-17

The National Party’s federal council has passed a motion opposing a clean energy target. The same motion called for Australia’s renewable energy target to be set at 23 per cent in 2020, and for there to be no subsidisation of any energy source after that date. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg are set to meet AGL Energy CEO Andy Vesey over the future of AGL’s Liddell coal-fired power plant. AGL wants to close it in 2022, but the Federal Government wants AGL to sell the plant.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

CBS set for windfall on Ten’s tax credits

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Original article by Darren Davidson
The Australian – Page: 24 : 11-Sep-17

­KordaMentha’s report on Ten Network shows that the collapsed broadcaster’s unrecorded tax ­losses of $A58.9m could be utilised by CBS Corporation if it gains full ownership. The tax-loss credits could potentially enable CBS to book large profits before it becomes liable to pay any tax on Ten’s earnings. CBS requires approval from the Foreign Investment Review Board to acquire Ten, while businessmen Bruce Gordon and Lachlan Murdoch are seeking a court ruling that KordaMentha’s creditors’ report lacked sufficient detail.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, CBS CORPORATION, KORDA MENTHA AND COLLEAGUES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FOREIGN INVESTMENT REVIEW BOARD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, SUPREME COURT OF NEW SOUTH WALES, 21ST CENTURY FOX INCORPORATED

New Zealanders’ concerns dominated by ‘Poverty and the gap between the rich and poor’, ‘House prices & Housing affordability’ and ‘Housing shortages & Homelessness’ as New Zealanders get set to vote in NZ Election

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 11-Sep-17

A New Zealand Roy Morgan poll, which was conducted in August 2017, shows that 27.9% of New Zealanders believe Economic issues are the most important problems facing New Zealand in the lead-up to the election in September, followed by Housing/Homelessness issues (26%). Single issue analysis of the responses shows that the specific issue of greatest concern for New Zealand is Poverty and the gap between rich and poor, mentioned by just under 17% of New Zealanders (up nearly 3% on the figure in May). Meanwhile, 25.4% of New Zealanders identified War & Terrorism as the most important issues facing the World, followed by Economic issues (23.2%). Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says New Zealand’s Election is a contest between the fresh ideas provided by new Labour Leader Jacinda Ardern and the steady hand of a National Government which has presided over nine years of relatively strong growth.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Nickel miner pins hopes on electric cars

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 18 : 11-Sep-17

Australian-listed Independence Group is well-placed to benefit from rising demand for nickel, cobalt and copper as sales of electric vehicles rise. The company’s Nova mine produces all three metals, and Independence MD Peter Bradford says it has received a number of enquiries regarding supply deals when existing off-take arrangements with BHP Billiton and Glencore expire. Bradford notes that factors other than demand from the electric vehicle industry have prompted the recent rise in the price of nickel and copper.

CORPORATES
INDEPENDENCE GROUP NL – ASX IGO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, GLENCORE PLC, SIRIUS RESOURCES NL, PANORAMIC RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX PAN, MINCOR RESOURCES NL – ASX MCR, FIRST QUANTUM MINERALS LIMITED, TESLA INCORPORATED