Author: roymorgansocial

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence edges higher

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 4-Aug-15

The ANZ-Roy Morgan Consumer Confidence rating for Australia rose by 0.4 per cent to 112.9 in the week ended 2 August 2015. Consumer confidence has recovered from the lows experienced three weeks ago (up 5.5 per cent from the recent low). However, confidence remains subdued and is down 1.8 per cent compared with a year ago. While an improvement in consumers’ views about the economic outlook has helped the lift in overall confidence more recently, views towards current financial conditions remain the highlight. Consumers’ view of their personal finances compared with a year ago reached the highest levels in the history of the weekly confidence survey.

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

Airline rivals team up for walking tour firm

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Original article by Patricia Hatch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 25 : 4-Aug-15

Geoff Dixon, the former CEO of Qantas, and Brett Godfrey, the former CEO of Virgin Australia, have launched a new company. The Australian Walking Company will offer coastal walks in Victoria. It will be operated by the Tasmania Walking Company, which has been organising walks for tourists since the early 1990s.

CORPORATES
QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, VIRGIN AUSTRALIA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX VAH, TASMANIAN WALKING COMPANY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN WALKING COMPANY

Bet365 bets on future after losses hit $117m

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Original article by John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 19 : 4-Aug-15

Bet365 has reported a loss of $A31 million for its Australian operations in the first quarter of 2015. The company lost $A40.8 million in the previous corresponding period. The accumulated losses of the UK-based wagering group’s Australian business are now $A117 million for its three full years of operation in Australia. The company is confident that its Australian business will become profitable in the long-term.

CORPORATES
BET365 GROUP LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, SPORTSBET AUSTRALIA, WILLIAM HILL AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FORBES INCORPORATED, CROWNBET PTY LTD, LADBROKES GROUP PLC

Gandels donate $A1m to Museum Victoria for new children’s gallery

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Original article by Patrick Durkin
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Aug-15

Gandel Philanthropy, a charity run by billionaires John and Pauline Gandel, has donated $A1 million to Museum Victoria. They have also made other significant donations in recent years. Recipients included the National Gallery of Australia, the National Gallery of Victoria and the Royal Women’s Hospital in Melbourne. The Gandels made their fortune by investing in shopping centres.

CORPORATES
GANDEL PHILANTHROPY, MUSEUM VICTORIA, NATIONAL GALLERY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL GALLERY OF VICTORIA, ROYAL WOMEN’S HOSPITAL

Ten deal could give News Corp huge sports power

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Original article by Max Mason, John Stensholt
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 4-Aug-15

There are concerns that Ten Network’s proposed equity alliance with Foxtel could give the free-to-air network an advantage over rivals in negotiations for sports broadcasting rights. There are also fears that News Corporation could gain significant control over sports broadcasts, as it owns a 50 per cent stake in Foxtel and completely owns Fox Sports. Foxtel proposes to acquire a 15 per cent stake in Ten.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, AUSTRALIAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SEVEN NETWORK LIMITED, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

New house sales may have peaked

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Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 4-Aug-15

Sales of new detached homes across Australia topped 73,507 in 2014-15, compared with 72,706 in the previous financial year. Harley Dale of the Housing Industry Association says that while demand for detached homes will remain strong in 2015-16, sales are likely to be lower due to a dearth of land being released for development.

CORPORATES
HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

$2.5m super cap gains support

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 4-Aug-15

There is growing support among superannuation funds for the introduction of a cap on super balances of at least $A2.5 million. The Actuaries Institute expressed support for the cap in its submission to the Australian Government’s tax inquiry, which closed on 31 July 2015. The institute also believes that the transfer of super from the accumulation to retirement phase should trigger capital gains tax liability.

CORPORATES
THE INSTITUTE OF ACTUARIES OF AUSTRALIA, GRATTAN INSTITUTE, BT FINANCIAL GROUP PTY LTD, THE ASSOCIATION OF SUPERANNUATION FUNDS OF AUSTRALIA LIMITED, TOWERS WATSON, INDUSTRY SUPER AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SUPERANNUATION TRUSTEES, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE

CSL urges lower manufacturing tax

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Original article by Jennifer Hewett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 4-Aug-15

CSL is one of Australia’s most successful companies. It is a global player in the field of biotechnology. CFO Gordon Naylor complains about high tax rates in Australia which, he believes, hinder the development of the country’s advanced manufacturing sector. CSL advocates the introduction of a new tax rate of 10 per cent for advanced manufacturing. Under the current tax regime, Australian companies pay 30 per cent in corporate tax.

CORPORATES
CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, BLOOMBERG LP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE

Australian July real unemployment 8.7% – down for fifth consecutive month

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 3-Aug-15

A Roy Morgan Research survey on Australia’s labour market has found that the real unemployment rate was 8.7 per cent in July 2015. The number of people in the workforce now totals 12,673,000 (306,000 since July 2014), while the number of people who are underemployed has fallen by 102,000 in the last 12 months to 977,000 (7.7 per cent of the workforce). The official unemployment rate was 6.0 per cent in July 2015. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says the Federal Government must look at the abolition of Sunday and public holiday penalty rates for the tourism and retail industries, as these measures have a detrimental impact on small businesses, which are forced to close on Sundays and public holidays.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

‘We won’t have a captain’s pick’

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 4-Aug-15

Tony Smith and Andrew Southcott are regarded as the leading contenders to succeed Bronwyn Bishop as the Speaker in the House of Representatives. A ballot will be held by Liberal Party MPs to choose her successor when Parliament resumes in mid-August 2015. Liberal MPs have insisted that Bishop’s replacement be chosen by the party room rather than Prime Minister Tony Abbott. Meanwhile, Abbott has announced a review of the parliamentary entitlements system in the wake of the expense scandal.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. REMUNERATION TRIBUNAL, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY