Author: roymorgansocial

Ratings groups keep their powder dry

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 5-May-16

Rating agencies Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s will assess the Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget before deciding whether to review the nation’s coveted "AAA" credit rating. National Australia Bank’s Alan Oster says the Budget measures should be sufficient to avoid a ratings downgrade, but adds that Australia’s credit rating outlook could potentially be revised. Meanwhile, Moody’s forecasts 3.7 per cent growth in nominal GDP in 2016-17, while the Treasury expects 4.25 per cent growth.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S CORPORATION, MOODY’S INVESTORS SERVICE INCORPORATED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, TD SECURITIES, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

And Australia’s busiest business travel destination is…

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-May-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 2.1 million Australians aged 14+ reported flying for business purposes on their last domestic flight. The survey also shows that 27.9 per cent of business air-travellers flew to (or within) New South Wales, ahead of Queensland (22.7 per cent) and Victoria (22.3 per cent). The Northern Territory (2.8 per cent) and Tasmania (2.4 per cent) were the least trafficked domestic business destinations.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

Roy Morgan Customer Satisfaction Awards March 2016 Winners

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-May-16

Roy Morgan Research has announced the March 2016 winners of its monthly Customer Satisfaction Awards in Australia. The awards cover the finance, retail, telecommunications, travel and tourism, automotive and utilities sectors, and are based on data from the Roy Morgan Consumer Single Source survey. The March winners include P&N Bank (Bank of the Month), Just Jeans (Clothing Store of the Month), Internode (Home Broadband Service Provider of the Month), Qantas (Domestic Airline of the Month) and Red Energy (Electricity Provider of the Month).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, P&N BANK, JUST JEANS PTY LTD, INTERNODE SYSTEMS PTY LTD, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, RED ENERGY PTY LTD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NEWCASTLE PERMANENT BUILDING SOCIETY LIMITED, RACT INSURANCE PTY LTD, ST LUKE’S HEALTH INSURANCE, ALLIANZ AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERCER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD, MERCER INVESTMENTS PTY LTD, CATHOLIC SUPERANNUATION AND RETIREMENT FUND, SUPER CHEAP AUTO, MUFFIN BREAK PTY LTD, MYER HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX MYR, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, THE REJECT SHOP LIMITED – ASX TRS, THE GOOD GUYS, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, SOUL PATTINSON, SUBWAY SANDWICHES PTY LTD, DAN MURPHY’S, SPENDLESS SHOES PTY LTD, SPORTS POWER, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, SOUTHERN PHONE COMPANY LIMITED, APPLE PTY LTD, AMAYSIM AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX AYS, AIR NEW ZEALAND LIMITED – ASX AIZ, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, LUMO ENERGY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, LEXUS AUSTRALIA

Treasury’s medium-term price forecast paints unsettling picture

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Original article by Geoff Winestock
The Australian Financial Review – Page: B13 : 4-May-16

The Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget forecasts include a 1.35 per cent increase in the nation’s terms of trade in 2016-17. The Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook had forecast a 2.25 per cent decline in the terms of trade. Meanwhile, the Treasury has upgraded its forecast for the iron ore price in 2017 from $US39 per tonne to $US55. The price of metallurgical coal has been upgraded from $US73 per tonne to $US91.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

ANZ dividend cut puts pressure on rivals to follow suit

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 18 : 4-May-16

The ANZ Bank reported a 2015-16 interim cash profit of $A2.8bn on 3 May 2016, which was slightly below market expectations. The banking major reduced its half-year dividend from $A0.86 per share to $A0.80, prompting speculation that National Australia Bank will do so as well when its interim results are released on 5 May. Omkar Joshi of Watermark Funds Management has welcomed ANZ’s decision to reduce its dividend payout ratio, while Katana Asset Management’s Romano Sala Tenna says the other major banks should follow its example.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WATERMARK FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, KATANA ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, BANK FOR INTERNATIONAL SETTLEMENTS. BASEL COMMITTEE ON BANKING SUPERVISION

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence Ticks up 2.2pts to 113.9

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-May-16

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating for Australia rose 2.0 per cent to 113.9 in the week ended 1 May 2016, partly reversing the fall in the previous week and bringing confidence back above its long run average. Consumers’ views towards their current personal finances rose 2.9 per cent, although households’ views towards the financial outlook fell by 0.9 per cent.

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

RBA says rate cut won’t boost house prices

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Original article by Su-Lin Tan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 4-May-16

The Housing Industry Association has urged Australia’s major mortgage lenders to match the Reserve Bank’s 25 basis point reduction in the cash rate. Property industry experts say the new cash rate of 1.75 per cent will encourage first-home buyers to enter the property market, while LJ Hooker CEO Grant Harrod adds that it will bolster the housing markets of capital cities that are underperforming. The central bank does not expect the rate cut to significantly increase house prices.

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, LJ HOOKER (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CORELOGIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RP DATA LIMITED, RATECITY PTY LTD, FINDER.COM.AU, MORTGAGE CHOICE LIMITED – ASX MOC, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, THE REAL ESTATE INSTITUTE OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED

Average Joes saved from bracket creep

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Original article by Fleur Anderson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: B5 : 4-May-16

The 37 per cent personal income tax rate threshold will be raised from $A80,000 to $A87,000. The new measure, announced by the Federal Government in the May 2016 Budget, will take effect on 1 July. Treasurer Scott Morrison said that 500,000 taxpayers will benefit from the "bracket-creep" tax cut.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Morrison carves up super to fund business tax cuts

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: B1-B2 : 4-May-16

The Australian Government forecasts that the Budget deficit will rise from $A37.4bn to $A39.9bn in 2015-16, while it expects the nation’s net debt to peak at 25.8 per cent of GDP in 2017-18. The May 2016 Budget outlines plans to progressively reduce the tax rate for all businesses to 25 per cent by 2026-27. Businesses whose turnover does not exceed $A10m will benefit from 1 July, when their tax rate will be reduced to 27.5 per cent. The Budget also includes changes to the tax regime for superannuation contributions and an increase in the $A80,001 income tax threshold to $A87,001.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

TV licence fees cut while ABC, SBS get extra funds

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Original article by Fleur Anderson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: B15 : 4-May-16

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield says a further reduction in free-to-air TV networks’ licence fees will be considered later in 2016. The annual licence fee was reduced by 25 per cent in the Australian Government’s May 2016 Budget. This will make the networks more competitive against streaming rivals such as Netflix, which are not subject to licence fees. The Budget also includes additional funding for the ABC and SBS.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, SPECIAL BROADCASTING SERVICE (SBS), APPLE INCORPORATED, NBN CO LIMITED