Author: roymorgansocial

New Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull gives immediate Consumer Confidence boost in all States and a wide range of demographics

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Original article by Michele Levine, Gary Morgan, Julian McCrann, Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 28-Sep-15

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence jumped by a one-week record 9.2 points to 114.5 in the week ended 20 September 2015, after Malcolm Turnbull was sworn in as the 29th Prime Minister. The increase to consumer confidence was broad-based, with consumer confidence increasing strongly for both genders, across all age groups and all States and capital cities. Sentiment regarding the Australian economy over the next 12 months increased the most strongly with 31 per cent (up 10 per cent) of Australians expecting "good times" for the Australian economy over the next 12 months. Over the next few weeks and months several Roy Morgan indicators will provide the clearest measure of whether Turnbull has what it takes to introduce the required reforms to boost the Australian economy and provide the confidence to businesses and consumers to get the economy growing on a sustainable path.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Junior explorers under pressure

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Original article by Amanda Saunders
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 28-Sep-15

BDO estimates that about 20 per cent of the 780 smaller resources companies that are listed on the Australian sharemarket do not have active exploration programs. Smaller explorers spent an average of $A481,000 on exploration programs in the June 2015 quarter, compared with $A980,000 during the same period in 2013. Sherif Andrawes of BDO expects more junior explorers to go private or be subject to a reverse takeover.

CORPORATES
BDO AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Is Metcash worth more dead or alive?

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Original article by Adele Ferguson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 40 : 28-Sep-15

Metcash’s grocery wholesaling business accounts for more than 70 per cent of group earnings, but some experts have questioned whether the business will be viable in the long-term. The downturn in Metcash’s share price has prompted speculation that it may be targeted by private equity groups, with a view to a demerger. The IGA stores supplied by Metcash are also facing growing competition from Aldi, while allegations that some IGA stores have being underpaying their staff have emerged in the wake of the 7-Eleven scandal.

CORPORATES
METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, IGA, ALDI STORES SUPERMARKETS PTY LTD, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, COLES GROUP LIMITED, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, FOODWORKS SUPERMARKET GROUP LIMITED, FOODLAND AUSTRALIA LIMITED, LUCKY 7 HOLDINGS PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MITRE 10 LIMITED, DANKS HOLDINGS LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 100 ACCUMULATION INDEX, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, MAGELLAN FINANCIAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX MFG, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN FOOD AND GROCERY COUNCIL, LION PTY LTD

Atlassian takes first step to $3b US float

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Original article by Tim Binsted
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 18 : 28-Sep-15

Experts say the proposed US sharemarket float of Atlassian Software is likely to boost Australia’s technology sector. Atlassian has filed the prospectus for its IPO, which could potentially be worth more than $A3bn. Media reports in the US have suggested that the IPO will be undertaken before the end of 2015, although co-founder Mike Cannon-Brookes has declined to comment. He recently said Atlassian does not have a deadline for an IPO.

CORPORATES
ATLASSIAN SOFTWARE SYSTEMS PTY LTD, FREELANCER LIMITED – ASX FLN, MYOB GROUP LIMITED – ASX MYO, RIGHT CLICK CAPITAL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, T ROWE PRICE GROUP INCORPORATED, DRAGONEER INVESTMENT GROUP LLC, THE GOLDMAN SACHS GROUP INCORPORATED, MORGAN STANLEY AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, EBAY INCORPORATED, NASDAQ, NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, ORACLE CORPORATION, MICROSOFT CORPORATION, SAP AG, IBM CORPORATION

TPP deal is imminent, says Robb

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Original article by John Kehoe, Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 28-Sep-15

Australia’s Trade Minister Andrew Robb is confident that an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership will be secured shortly. Negotiations on the trade agreement will resume in the US on 30 September 2015, after talks stalled in July. Robb is hopeful that a number of outstanding issues concerning the trade deal can be resolved. Some 12 nations will join the TPP if a final agrement is reached.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE, TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, THE BROOKINGS INSTITUTION, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Cricket Live app in Optus digital rights deal

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 33 : 28-Sep-15

Cricket Australia has declined to comment on speculation that it is set to secure a deal with Optus regarding digital broadcasting rights, saying only that it is in talks with the telco. The deal is expected to cover cricket matches that were played prior to Cricket Australia’s current TV rights deal with Nine Entertainment Company. It is also believed that Optus customers will have free access to the Cricket Live app. Optus flagged a greater push into sports broadcasts earlier in 2015.

CORPORATES
CRICKET AUSTRALIA, SINGTEL OPTUS PTY LTD, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, APPLE INCORPORATED, BT SPORTS

Frydenberg makes fresh pitch for IR reform

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Original article by Primrose Riordan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 28-Sep-15

Australia’s Resources Minister Josh Frydenberg has weighed into the debate on industrial relations reform, arguing that weekend penalty rates cost jobs. He notes that the penalty rates system results in significantly increased costs in the resources sector. Frydenberg has also called for the reinstatement of the Australian Building & Construction Commission.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Stan comedy show wins over Hollywood execs

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 28-Sep-15

Stan CEO Mike Sneesby says 70 per cent of people who took up the subscription video on-demand service’s one-month free trial offer have become paid subscribers. He also says the Fairfax Media-Nine Entertainment joint venture is approaching 400,000 gross customers. Stan is investing in the production of Australian content, and Sneesby says several of its shows have attracted interest in the US.

CORPORATES
STAN ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, TELSYTE PTY LTD, AMAZON.COM INCORPORATED, HULU LLC, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, PRESTO ENTERTAINMENT PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, QUICKFLIX LIMITED – ASX QFX, HBO

Media laws, sports rights shake-up

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 31 : 28-Sep-15

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield says changes to cross-media laws are inevitable, arguing that they are outdated. He has also indicated that reforms may be pursued without the agreement of all media industry players, noting that full consensus may be difficult to achieve. Fifield says he is also open to reassessing the list of sporting events that must first be offered to free-to-air TV networks.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF COMMUNICATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOOGLE INCORPORATED, NETFLIX INCORPORATED, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SOUTHERN CROSS AUSTEREO PTY LTD, SOUTHERN CROSS MEDIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX SXL, IMPARJA TELEVISION PTY LTD

Markets swing further towards buyers

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Original article by Larry Schlesinger
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 28-Sep-15

Preliminary figures from CoreLogic RP Data show that Sydney’s residential property market boasted an auction clearance rate of 74.2 per cent on the weekend of 26-27 September 2015. Louis Christopher of SQM Research says the final figure is likely to be closer to 70 per cent, but he rejects suggestions that the slowing property market means a major downturn is looming. The clearance rate in Melbourne was 73.4 per cent, and the national clearance rate was 71.3 per cent.

CORPORATES
CORELOGIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RP DATA LIMITED, SQM RESEARCH PTY LTD, DOMAIN.COM.AU, LINEAR GROUP PTY LTD, ABACUS PROPERTY GROUP – ASX ABP, BELLE PROPERTY PTY LTD