Author: roymorgansocial

RBS tells investors to ‘sell everything’

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Original article by Ambrose Evans-Pritchard
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 13-Jan-16

Royal Bank of Scotland is extremely bearish about the outlook for global financial markets in 2016, advising investors to offload all holdings except for "quality bonds". The bank has forecast that sharemarkets in the US and Europe could fall by 10-20 per cent, while global bond yields will also decline sharply and the US Federal Reserve may be forced to cut interest rates. Meanwhile, RBS says the price of Brent crude oil could potentially test $US16 per barrel. Originally published in "The Telegraph".

CORPORATES
ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP PLC, FTSE 100 INDEX, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, BANK OF ENGLAND, ORGANISATION OF PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES, MORGAN STANLEY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, UBS AG

All sectors in the red, seven ASX stocks rise

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Original article by Jessica Sier
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 12-Jan-16

Australian resources and financial stocks were heavily sold down in 2015, a trend that has continued in 2016. The financial sector has shed 8.12 per cent in the year to date, while the materials sector is down 9.32 per cent. Defensive stocks such as retailers and telcos have also fallen sharply, although the healthcare sector has shed just 3.84 per cent. JB Hi-Fi, Evolution Mining, Newcrest Mining and Regis Resources are among the few S&P/ASX 200 stocks to be in the black so far in 2016.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, EVOLUTION MARKETS LLC, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, AUSTRALIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED – ASX API, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, RESMED INCORPORATED – ASX RMD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, COLES GROUP LIMITED

Australians with asthma also more vulnerable to other respiratory conditions

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 11-Jan-16

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that 74 per cent of Australians aged 18+ with asthma also suffer from at least one other lung/breathing condition. The survey, which was carried out in the year to September 2015, shows that 51 per cent of adults with asthma reported experiencing hay fever, while 30 per cent of asthmatics reported that they also snored and 13 per cent had come down with bronchitis. The survey also found that 13 per cent of Australian women and nine per cent of men suffer from asthma, while nearly 15 per cent of Australians with a Body Mass Index classified as obese are asthmatic, compared with just under 13 per cent of smokers.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, ASTHMA AUSTRALIA

Australia an also-ran in TPP gains: World Bank

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Original article by Greg Earl
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 12-Jan-16

A study released by the World Bank in early January 2016 suggests that there will be modest benefits for Australia from the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. The TPP is forecast to result in a rise in Australia’s GDP of less than two percentage points by 2030. All other countries-signatories to the TPP, with the exception of the US, are expected to experience larger rises in GDP.

CORPORATES
WORLD BANK, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP

Cut in steel production a new blow for miners

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Original article by Scott Murdoch, Wang Yuanyuan
The Australian – Page: 15 : 12-Jan-16

The Chinese province of Hebei will reduce its iron and steel production by 10 million tonnes and eight million tonnes respectively in 2016. Hebei accounts for about 25 per cent of the nation’s iron and steel production, as well as the bulk of the iron ore exported from Australia to mainland China. The production cutbacks have been attributed to factors such as an oversupply and an attempt to address the issue of pollution in China.

CORPORATES
XINHUA NEWS AGENCY, TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY, CHINA METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY PLANNING AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE

L-NP lead down over ALP – now 56% (down 1.5%) cf. 44% (up 1.5%) although L-NP would still win Federal Election easily

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 11-Jan-16

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for Australia’s ruling Liberal-National Coalition on a two-party preferred basis has fallen by 1.5 per cent to 56 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 2-3 and 9-1 January 2016, also shows that the Coalition’s primary vote has fallen by one per cent to 47 per cent, but the Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating has risen by 1.5 points to 116.5. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says that although the latest Morgan Poll shows that the L-NP Government continues to enjoy widespread support, the sharp falls on the Australian sharemarket last week show that the Australian economy faces a tough year as the Chinese economy slows and the Australian mining industry is heavily impacted by falling commodities prices across the board. Apart from overseas concerns the main issue for the Government as it faces re-election this year is to outline a credible plan to tackle Australia’s high real unemployment rate.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, KATTER’S AUSTRALIAN PARTY, PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Is 2016 the year of media merger frenzy?

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 12-Jan-16

Scrapping the "reach rule" and the "two-out-of three rule" is likely to be on the Australian Government’s agenda in 2016. Cross-media ownership reforms are tipped to prompt consolidation in the sector, which could include several media groups merging to form a multi-platform conglomerate. However, some industry experts believe that the value of media stocks will need to fall further in order to make a compelling case for such mega-mergers. News Corp now has exposure to newspapers, TV, radio and outdoor advertising, and it may pursue further expansion under relaxed media laws. This in turn may force some its rivals to amalgamate in order to remain competitive.

CORPORATES
NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, APN NEWS AND MEDIA LIMITED – ASX APN, NOVA ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, PRIME MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX PRT, MACQUARIE MEDIA LIMITED – ASX MRN, ILLYRIA PTY LTD, MULTI CHANNEL NETWORK PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS AND THE ARTS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, PACIFIC MAGAZINES PTY LTD, SEVEN GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX SVW, BAUER MEDIA KG, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE, ALLAN GRAY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DOMAIN.COM.AU, McDONALD’S CORPORATION

Packer privatisation push to buoy Crown

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Original article by Andrew White
The Australian – Page: 16 : 12-Jan-16

Shares in Crown Resorts closed $A0.11 higher at $A11.87 on 11 January 2016. Sacha Krien and Anthony Longo of CLSA have concluded that the casino operator is currently trading at a discount to fair value, and suggest that there is a "reasonable chance" that Crown will be privatised by 53 per cent shareholder James Packer. CLSA has upgraded its share price target by seven per cent, to $A13.38.

CORPORATES
CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MELCO CROWN ENTERTAINMENT LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Ashes to ashes, stardust to stardust: Bowie dead

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Original article by Iain Shedden
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 12-Jan-16

British Prime Minister David Cameron is among the many people who have paid tribute to David Bowie, who has died from cancer at the age of 69. Bowie’s most popular albums included "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars", which was released in 1972. His final album, "Blackstar", was released on 8 January 2016. Bowie also starred in films such as "The Man Who Fell to Earth". His last performance in Australia was in 2004, but an exhibition of Bowie memorabilia in Melbourne attracted more than 200,000 visitors in 2014.

CORPORATES
GREAT BRITAIN. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR THE MOVING IMAGE

Origin ships first LNG from Gladstone

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 12-Jan-16

Bulk cargo carrier "Methane Spirit" has left Gladstone with the first shipment from Origin Energy’s Australia Pacific LNG project in Queensland. The first shipment had been slated for late December 2015, but the tanker eventually left Curtis Island on 9 January 2016. The majority of gas from the $A24.7bn project has been bought by Sinopec, while other customers include Kansai Electric. APLNG was the last of the three Gladstone LNG projects to commence production.

CORPORATES
ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AUSTRALIA PACIFIC LNG LIMITED, KANSAI ELECTRIC POWER COMPANY INCORPORATED, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, BG GROUP PLC, BECHTEL INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, CONOCOPHILLIPS