Author: roymorgansocial

Millennials driving growth in private health insurance with over one million increase since 2008

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Aug-17

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that since 2008, there has been an increase of 1.1 million millennials with private health insurance, which accounts for 49.6% of the overall market growth. Millennials now account for 24.5% of the private health insurance market, compared with only 16.3% in 2008. Millennials’ share of the market was well below that of pre-boomers, baby boomers and generation X in 2008, but as a result of their rapid growth, they are now close to being the most significant generation in this market. Although 43.6% of millennials overall now have private health insurance, this varies considerably by income. In terms of personal income, 32.4% of millennials with an income of less than $50,000pa have private health insurance, but this increases to 71.1% among those with incomes of $100,000pa or more.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Lagging on robotics risks $2.2trn boost

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman, Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 9-Aug-17

A report produced by economic consultancy AlphaBeta has concluded that around nine per cent of Australian-listed companies are investing in automation, compared with 20 per cent of US companies. The report notes that an increased commitment to automation could boost the nation’s economic output by about $A1trn by 2030, while productivity would also increase significantly. The report was produced on behalf of Google.

CORPORATES
ALPHABETA, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO

$1m poll could do job of $122m plebiscite

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Original article by Andrew Tillett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 9-Aug-17

Pollster John Scales of JWS Research has questioned the cost of the Federal Government’s proposed postal plebiscite on same-sex marriage. Scales argues that the estimated cost of $A122m is excessive, and his firm could poll 1,000 people in each federal electorate with a margin of error of 3.1 per cent, and at a cost of less than $A1.1m. Scales notes that postal votes have similar limitations to public opinion polls, adding that there was a response rate of just 47 per cent for Australia’s last postal vote in 1997.

CORPORATES
JWS RESEARCH PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS, AUSTRALIAN ELECTORAL COMMISSION

Morrison warns all options open

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Original article by Andrew Tillett, James Eyers, Sally Patten, James Frost
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 9-Aug-17

Proxy advisers and institutional investors have welcomed the Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s decision to reduce executives’ short-term bonuses in the wake of the money-laundering scandal. However, they argue that CBA must take further action, while federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has told CBA chair Catherine Livingstone that the Government will look at a range of sanctions. The CBA scandal has resulted in increased pressure for the Government to hold a royal commission into banks, but Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has warned that doing so could jeopardise AUSTRAC’s case against CBA.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, CGI GLASS LEWIS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF SUPERANNUATION INVESTORS INCORPORATED, UNISUPER LIMITED, OWNERSHIP MATTERS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SHAREHOLDERS’ ASSOCIATION

Federal watch on assisted dying plan

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Original article by Greg Brown
The Australian – Page: 7 : 9-Aug-17

Members of both major political parties in Victoria will be given a conscience vote on the State Government’s voluntary euthanasia bill, which is slated to be put to Parliament by the end of August. Meanwhile, the issue of euthanasia is not currently on the Federal Opposition’s policy agenda, according to shadow health minister Catherine King. However, King has indicated that she is in favour of doctor assisted-suicide under certain circumstances.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED

SCA profit jumps as shoppers spend up

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Original article by Elizabeth Redman
The Australian – Page: 23 : 9-Aug-17

The listed Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group has posted a 2016-17 profit of $A319.6m, which is 73 per cent higher than previously. The total value of its portfolio of shopping centres rose from $A1.89bn to $A2.36bn. The real estate investment trust has advised that it has rebalanced its mix of tenants to include non-discretionary retailers that are less likely to lose customers to online giant Amazon than outlets such as clothing stores.

CORPORATES
SHOPPING CENTRES AUSTRALASIA PROPERTY GROUP – ASX SCP, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, CHARTER HALL RETAIL REIT – ASX CQR

FMG in iron price talks amid volatility

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Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 20 : 9-Aug-17

Fortescue Metals Group CEO Nev Power says the pure-play iron ore miner has held talks with steel mills and industry associations about addressing recent volatility in the price of the steel input. However, he says there is unlikely to be any support for a return to the fixed pricing system. Power adds that speculative futures trading has been a major contributor to the iron ore price volatility.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, DIGGERS AND DEALERS FORUM, EASTERN GOLDFIELDS LIMITED – ASX EGS, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, GALAXY RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GXY, GENERAL MINING CORPORATION LIMITED

Gold mining M&A too expensive: CEOs

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Original article by Tess Ingram
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 24 : 9-Aug-17

Gold Fields CEO Nick Holland says the South Africa-based company has ramped up spending on exploration to almost $A100m a year, citing factors such as a dearth of acquisition opportunities in the gold sector and the high cost of gold assets. He adds that exploration budgets had been slashed globally in recent years, while a number of gold assets in Australia are likely to reach the end of their mine life in coming years. Evolution Mining and Saracen Mineral Holdings are among the Australian-listed companies that are increasing their exploration programs.

CORPORATES
GOLD FIELDS LIMITED, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, SARACEN MINERAL HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SAR, ST BARBARA LIMITED – ASX SBM, DIGGERS AND DEALERS FORUM, GOLD ROAD RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GOR, RIVERSGOLD LIMITED

Hanson’s media bill demands rejected

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Original article by Rosie Lewis
The Australian – Page: 4 : 9-Aug-17

The Australian Government has signalled that it may be open to supporting some of the Senate crossbenchers’ proposed amendments to it cross-media ownership reform bill. These include the Nick Xenophon Team’s push for an inquiry into the growing market power of Google and Facebook and a 40 per cent tax break for smaller news publishers. However, Communications Minister Mitch Fifield is unlikely to support One Nation’s push for the costs of the ABC and SBS to be reviewed.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NICK XENOPHON TEAM, ONE NATION PARTY, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), AUSTRALIAN GREENS, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence drops to 113.7

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Aug-17

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence fell a sharp 4.0% to 113.7 in the week ended 6 August 2017, partially unwinding the gains over the previous two weeks. Although four out of five sub-indices posted declines, the fall in confidence was driven primarily by a sharp reversal of sentiment around economic conditions. Consumers’ views towards both current and future economic conditions eased considerably last week, largely unwinding the previous week’s gains. Sentiment around current and future conditions fell 10.7% and 7.3% respectively. In contrast, households’ views towards current financial conditions improved 2.8%, more than reversing the 1.2% fall in the previous week. Meanwhile, views towards future financial conditions fell 2.3%, its third consecutive fall.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ