Author: roymorgansocial

Business confidence weaker in February despite interest rate cut

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 10-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey has found that Australian business confidence fell by eight per cent to 105.7 in February 2015. Business confidence is now well below pre-election levels and 22.5 per cent lower than its peak of 136.3 in October 2013, immediately following the federal election. The decline in business confidence occurred across all components of the index, but it was mainly due to a deterioration in the outlook for the Australian economy over the next five years

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED

L-NP support increases after PM Abbott commits to sending Australian troops to Iraq

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 10-Mar-15

A multi-mode Morgan Poll on Federal voting intention has found that support for the Coalition on a two-party preferred basis has risen by 2.5 per cent to 46.5 per cent. The poll, which was carried out on the weekends of 28 February-1 March and 7-8 March 2015, also shows that support for the Australian Labor Party has fallen by 2.5 per cent to 53.5 per cent. Roy Morgan Research executive chairman Gary Morgan says support for the Coalition rose after Prime Minister Tony Abbott committed to sending 300 Australian troops to Iraq to help train the Iraqi army in its fight against the Islamic State. He adds that the Morgan Poll has consistently shown a short-term boost to prime ministers who commit Australian forces to international battlefields

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

Gordon offers to pump up to $100m into Ten

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Original article by Dominic White
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 & 20 : 11-Mar-15

The Ten Network’s largest shareholder, Bruce Gordon, opposes the broadcaster’s proposed acquisition by Foxtel and Discovery Communications. The 14.9 per cent stakeholder has instead approached Ten about investing an additional $A70m to $A100m in the network. This investment would be converted into equity in Ten if cross-media ownership laws are changed in the future. Gordon has also proposed being given two seats on Ten’s board

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, WIN CORPORATION PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, HANCOCK PROSPECTING PTY LTD, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, LAZARD ASSET MANAGEMENT PACIFIC COMPANY

China iron ore demand to fall

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Original article by Angus Grigg, Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 11-Mar-15

Former Bureau of Resource & Energy Economics CEO Quentin Grafton notes that major iron ore producers have forecast that Australia’s exports to China will peak in the 2020s. However, he believes that Chinese shipments could be reaching their peak now. J Capital Research MD Tim Murray also suggests that Australian iron ore exports may be approaching their peak, and forecasts that a fall in volumes of up to 10 per cent in 2015

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF INDUSTRY AND SCIENCE. BUREAU OF RESOURCES AND ENERGY ECONOMICS, J CAPITAL RESEARCH COMPANY LIMITED, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. CRAWFORD SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AND GOVERNMENT, CHINA. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION OF CUSTOMS, CHINA METALLURGICAL INDUSTRY PLANNING AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, MYSTEEL.COM LIMITED

Eight stocks stalling the ASX

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Original article by Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 11-Mar-15

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 has risen by 83 per cent in the last six years, while the S&P 500 has risen by 205 per cent. Evan Lucas of IG Markets says the local market has been affected by the slowing Chinese economy and the Australian economy’s shift from a focus on mining to services. Analysis shows that BHP Billiton, QBE Insurance Group, Newcrest Mining, OZ Minerals, Rio Tinto, Woodside Petroleum, BlueScope Steel and WorleyParsons have accounted for about 530 of the points shed by the S&P/ASX 200 since late 2007

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, IG MARKETS LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, BLUESCOPE STEEL LIMITED – ASX BSL, WORLEYPARSONS LIMITED – ASX WOR, MINERALS AND METALS GROUP, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL

Murray shoots down Hockey’s super kite

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Original article by Fleur Anderson, Ruth Liew
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 11-Mar-15

Business leaders have expressed reservations about the Australian Government’s proposal for superannuation to be used to finance home ownership. Financial system inquiry chairman David Murray and AMP CEO Craig Meller are among those who oppose the plan due to its potential effects on the nation’s retirement system. Finance Minister Mathias Cormann also spoke out against such a proposal in October 2014

CORPORATES
AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FINANCE, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, MONASH UNIVERSITY, GEM CAPITAL FINANCIAL ADVICE, COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF AUSTRALIA

Cathay Pacific adds more Sydney-Hong Kong seats

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Original article by Jamie Freed
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 11-Mar-15

Cathay Pacific mainly uses the Airbus A330 to service the Sydney-to-Hong Kong route, but it will increase capacity by switching to larger Boeing aircraft for two of the daily flights from October 2015. The Hong Kong-based carrier cannot add additional flights on Australian routes at present. Cathay’s Nelson Chin notes that the recent fall in the value of the Australian dollar has had little impact on the travel intentions of Australian consumers

CORPORATES
CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS LIMITED, AIRBUS SAS, BOEING COMPANY

Chi-X labels ASX fee cuts ‘cynical’

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Original article by Shaun Drummond
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 10-Mar-15

Stock exchange operator ASX Limited proposes to reduce its fees for the clearing of equities from 1 July 2015, subject to a five-year extension of its existing monopoly. However, ASX’s actions have been criticised by Chi-X Australia CEO John Fildes, who has questioned why the offer was not made when the moratorium on competition in the sector commenced in 2013. Matthew Grounds of UBS says the Australian market is not large enough to support more than one equities clearing provider

CORPORATES
ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, CHI-X AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, COUNCIL OF FINANCIAL REGULATORS

Dear dairy… Australians old and young eating custards, mousses and creamy treats

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Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Mar-15

A Roy Morgan Single Source survey has found that almost 3.2 million Australians aged 14+ eat a packaged dairy dessert in an average four weeks. The survey, which was carried out in the year to December 2014, also shows that Dairy Farmers Custard and Fruche are the only dairy desserts that made the top five across all age groups. YoGo and Nestle Milo are most popular products among the under-25 age group, while Nestle Mousse is the top pick among the 25-34 age group. Dairy Farmers Custard is the top pick in both the 35-49 and 50+ age groups

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ROY MORGAN RESEARCH LIMITED, DAIRY FARMERS LIMITED, NESTLE AUSTRALIA LIMITED

NSW the next power retailing battleground

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 : 10-Mar-15

Prices in the New South Wales electricity market are likely to be fully deregulated if the State Government wins the March 2015 election. A number of smaller electricity retailers are likely to increase their push into the New South Wales market as a result. These include Red Energy, Momentum Energy, Meridian Energy and Lumo Energy. Full deregulation is likely to prompt more consumers to switch electricity providers

CORPORATES
RED ENERGY PTY LTD, SNOWY HYDRO LIMITED, MOMENTUM ENERGY PTY LTD, MERIDIAN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX MEZ, LUMO ENERGY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, SIMPLY ENERGY, HYDRO TASMANIA, GDF SUEZ SA, ALINTA ENERGY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, NEW SOUTH WALES. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, ENERGYAUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ENERGY RETAILERS ASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, POWERSHOP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD