Marks for marques: new car intention at AFL clubs

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 18-Sep-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that almost 7.7 million Australians aged 14+ support an AFL team, and supporters are around 10 per cent more likely than the average to intend to buy a new car in the next four years. The survey, which was carried out in the year to June 2015, also shows that 12.6 per cent of all AFL team supporters intend to buy a new car some time before 2019, compared with 11.5 per cent of all Australians. Meanwhile, 16.1 per cent of North Melbourne Kangaroos supporters intend to buy a new car in the next four years, which is 40 per cent above the norm.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NORTH MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED, KANGAROOS FOOTBALL CLUB, MAZDA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HAWTHORN FOOTBALL CLUB, AUDI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SYDNEY SWANS FOOTBALL CLUB, VOLKSWAGEN AUSTRALIA, TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ADELAIDE CROWS FOOTBALL CLUB, FREMANTLE FOUNDATION LIMITED, DVG HYUNDAI, WEST COAST EAGLES FOOTBALL CLUB, GOLD COAST FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED, RICHMOND FOOTBALL CLUB, PORT ADELAIDE FOOTBALL CLUB, FIAT AUTO SPA, JEEP AUSTRALIA, RENAULT HOLDINGS PTY LTD, ST KILDA FOOTBALL CLUB, MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB, AUTOMOTIVE HOLDINGS GROUP LIMITED – ASX AHG

Sims’ threat to $100bn gas merger

Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 12 : 18-Sep-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is concerned about the impact of the proposed Royal Dutch Shell-BG Group merger on the Australian gas market. ACCC chairman Rod Sims said on 17 September 2015 that the $US70 billion ($A98 billion) deal could lead to price rises and gas shortages. The ACCC believes that the merger "may" substantially lessen competition.

CORPORATES
ROYAL DUTCH SHELL PLC, BG GROUP PLC, ARROW ENERGY LIMITED, MANUFACTURING AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

Hockey reveals $3b budget swansong

Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 18-Sep-15

The Australian Government will release the final Budget figures for 2014-15 on 21 September 2015, but Treasury Joe Hockey has revealed that government spending for the fiscal year was around $A3bn lower than expected. Hockey has also told Parliament that net government debt for 2014-15 was $11.5 billion below expectations at $A238bn. The Government is set to post a Budget deficit for 2014-15 of about $A38bn. Hockey is expected to be replaced as Treasurer following the leadership change.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF SOCIAL SERVICES

Turnbull delivers instant Libs lift

Original article by Peter Jean
The Advertiser – Page: 8 : 18-Sep-15

A Galaxy Poll has found that support for the Liberal-National coalition has risen to 51 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. The national poll was carried out on 15-16 September, in the wake of the leadership spill that ousted Tony Abbott. New Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull was rated the preferred prime minister by more than 50 per cent of respondents, while 20 per cent preferred Opposition Leader Bill Shorten.

CORPORATES
GALAXY RESEARCH PTY LTD, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

The cost of a capital-city holiday

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Sep-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that almost 12 million Australians aged 14+ took at least one domestic holiday in the year to June 2015, with the average cost per head/per night of their last domestic trip being $A150. This figure was higher for people whose last holiday was spent in a capital city, with Sydney and Melbourne being the most expensive at $A197 per person per night on average. Canberra was the most affordable, at $A151 per night. Popular regional areas that were below the national average include the north coast of New South Wales ($A117) and Victoria’s Great Ocean Road ($A121).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

BHP’s Mackenzie bullish on China

Original article by John Kehoe
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 18-Sep-15

The iron ore price fell by 3.2 per cent to $US62 per tonne on China’s Dalian Commodity Exchange on 17 September 2015. BHP Billiton CEO Andrew Mackenzie concedes that rising iron ore output could put further downward pressure on the price of the steel input. However, Mackenzie says he is much more upbeat about the economic outlook for China – the key market for Australian commodities – than he was earlier in 2015.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, DALIAN COMMODITY EXCHANGE, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, UNITED STATES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, WORLD BANK, APPLE INCORPORATED, DEMOCRATIC PARTY (UNITED STATES)

Get used to lower growth, returns

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 18-Sep-15

UBS Global Asset Management’s Tracey McNaughton believes that the US Federal Reserve should raise the cash rate in September 2015, but warns that financial markets may experience further volatility in the near-term regardless of its decision. McNaughton also says Australian investors can expect to receive lower returns in the future and should no longer rely on the traditional "set and forget" investment strategy.

CORPORATES
UBS GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, NIKKO ASSET MANAGEMENT GROUP

Ambush: The faceless men who stalked Abbott and made Turnbull king

Original article by Phillip Coorey, Laura Tingle
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1/ & 36 : 18-Sep-15

A group of Coalition MPs and senators met on the evening of 13 September 2014 to plot the downfall of Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Those present included Mitch Fifield, James McGrath, Mal Brough and Wyatt Roy. They had been planning to move against Abbott for some time, and decided to act immediately rather than wait until after the Canning by-election in Western Australia. Abbott was defeated by Malcolm Turnbull in a leadership spill the following day. Rumours of a plot against Abbott had been circulating for some time, but they were dismissed by both Abbott himself and his chief of staff, Peta Credlin.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL-NATIONAL PARTY OF QUEENSLAND, GM HOLDEN LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Big four banks increase personal customers by over a million since 2011

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 17-Sep-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that Australia’s four major banks gained an additional 1,042,000 personal customers aged +14 between July 2011 and July 2015. This is an increase of 5.5% and is above the population growth over the same period (5.2%), indicating that they are retaining their dominant market position despite strong competition. National Australia Bank had the highest growth in personal customers over the period, at 15.7 per cent, ahead of the Commonwealth Bank (including BankWest) with 5.2 per cent growth.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, BANK OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED

ACCC nods at a Macquarie-Esanda tilt

Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 18-Sep-15

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission has ruled that there would be little impact on competition if Macquarie Group acquires the Esanda dealer finance business from ANZ Bank. Macquarie is regarded as the frontrunner to buy the Esanda business, which is tipped to change hands for up to $A1.5bn. Analysts say Macquarie could opt for a capital raising to help finance the deal if its bid succeeds.

CORPORATES
MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, ESANDA FINANCE CORPORATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, SHAW AND PARTNERS LIMITED, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, TOYOTA FINANCE AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NISSAN FINANCE