Author: roymorgansocial

Keep home-building level high, association says

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Michael Bleby
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 9-Apr-18

The Housing Industry Association notes that 2016 was a record year for new house construction, with 230,000 being built, and that this rate of construction needs to be maintained for the next two decades. The HIA states this level of construction is needed to meet demand levels and to help maintain housing affordability. The HIA also wants immigration levels to be maintained, in order to offset the impact of Australia’s ageing population and falling birth rates.

CORPORATES
HOUSING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LIMITED

NEG to help extend life of coal power

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Mark Ludlow
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 9-Apr-18

Energy Minister Josh Frydenberg believes that the federal government’s proposed National Energy Guarantee will encourage investment in existing coal-fired power stations, thus enabling them to remain operating longer than under alternative energy policies. He has tasked the Australian Energy Market Operator with conducting an audit of Australia’s newer coal-fired power stations, while pro-coal businessman Trevor St Baker is of the view that energy companies must obtain permission from the federal government before closing down any coal-fired power stations.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY, AUSTRALIAN ENERGY MARKET OPERATOR LIMITED, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, DELTA ELECTRICITY AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, ALINTA ENERGY (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, CHOW TAI FOOK ENTERPRISES LIMITED, AUSGRID PTY LTD

Reputation tops Comyn’s CBA to-do list

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by James Thomson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 16 : 9-Apr-18

Matt Comyn will formally succeed Ian Narev as CEO of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia on 9 April. His immediate priority is expected to be taking action to address the damage that a series of scandals have caused to CBA’s reputation. However, Yarra Capital Management’s MD Dion Hershan says CBA remains a strong business with a sound strategy, and any damage to its reputation is likely to be temporary. Meanwhile, Hamish Chalmers of Watermark Funds Management says reducing costs should be CBA’s priority over the next five years.

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, YARRA CAPITAL MANAGEMENT, WATERMARK FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. ATTORNEY-GENERAL’S DEPT. AUSTRALIAN TRANSACTION REPORTS AND ANALYSIS CENTRE, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO MISCONDUCT IN THE BANKING, SUPERANNUATION AND FINANCIAL SERVICES INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, ABN AMRO BANK NV, ING BANK NV

Cost of living, unemployment & poverty big issues before Federal Budget

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Apr-18

Research by Roy Morgan has found that 32% of Australians believe the economy or some kind of economic issue to be the most important problem facing Australia in early 2018. This is 3% higher than in October 2017, although it is 3% lower than in March 2017. Economic issues were mentioned by more Australians than any other two themes combined; 14% mentioned Religion, Immigration and Human Rights issues and a further 14% mentioned Government, Politics and Leadership issues, while 13% mentioned Social issues and 11% mentioned Environmental issues. Within the group of Economic & Financial issues the most important issues are: Financial problems, economy and the cost of living (mentioned by nearly 10% of respondents); Unemployment (mentioned by over 7% of respondents); and Poverty and the gap between rich and poor (mentioned by 5% of respondents).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Nine and Ten offer $900m for cricket

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 9-Apr-18

The Ten Network would broadcast one-day internationals and all Twenty20 matches if its joint bid with Nine Entertainment Company is accepted by Cricket Australia. Nine would only broadcast Test matches under a revised bid by the two networks. Their offer is worth around $A150m a year, or $A900m over the six-year life of the new broadcasting rights deal. Cricket Australia has previously rejected a joint bid from Nine and Ten that was worth about $A130m a year. Meanwhile, Fox Sports has cited the lack of progress regarding a rights deal for its decision to withdraw from negotiations with Cricket Australia.

CORPORATES
TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED, NINE NETWORK AUSTRALIA LIMITED, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, CRICKET AUSTRALIA, FOX SPORTS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, FOXTEL MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, NEWS CORP AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NEWS CORPORATION – ASX NWS, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, TENNIS AUSTRALIA

Employment at record high but over 2.5m looking for more work

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Apr-18

A Roy Morgan survey shows that 1.21 million Australians were unemployed (8.9% of the workforce) in March 2018, a decrease of 26,000 (down 0.4%) on a year ago. In addition, 1.36 million Australians (10.0% of the workforce) are now under-employed, working part-time and looking for more work, a rise of 258,000 in a year (up 1.6%). The figures also show that a record 12,374,000 Australians were employed in March – an increase of 399,000 over the last year. Roy Morgan’s real unemployment figure of 8.9% for March is substantially higher than the current ABS estimate for February 2018 of 5.6%. Roy Morgan CEO Michele Levine says that given the large number of Australians directly, or even indirectly impacted, by unemployment and under-employment it is no surprise that issues relating to unemployment, job security and the search for jobs is one of the key issues Australians mention unprompted when asked about the biggest problem facing Australia in early in 2018.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN BUREAU OF STATISTICS

Industry funds satisfying more at the top end

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Apr-18

A Roy Morgan Single Source shows that in February 2018, superannuation fund members with $250,000 or more had higher satisfaction with the financial performance of their industry funds compared to those belonging to either retail funds or those with a self-managed super fund. The highest satisfaction for industry funds was for those members with balances of $700,000 or more where they scored 87.8%, well ahead of SMSFs (82.5%) and retail funds (80.2%). Meanwhile, satisfaction with the financial performance of retail funds (61.4%) was higher than industry funds (49.7%) in accounts with balances of less than $5,000. For all other balances industry funds had higher satisfaction than retail funds. Of the 15 largest funds, QSuper with a satisfaction rating of 73.3% was well ahead of second-placed Cbus (68.2%) and UniSuper (67.8%).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED, QSUPER LIMITED, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, UNISUPER LIMITED

Business Confidence down in March to 115.4

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 9-Apr-18

In Australia, Business Confidence fell 4.6pts (-3.8%) to 115.4 in March 2018, according to the latest Roy Morgan Business Single Source survey. However, Business Confidence remains 1.6pts higher than a year ago and continues its best start to a year since 2014, averaging 119.3 in the first three months of 2018. Some 52.3% of businesses (down 1ppt) now expect "good times" for the Australian economy over the next 12 months, while 40.1% (up 1ppt) expect "bad times". Meanwhile, 51.2% (up 7.7ppts) say their own business will be "better off" financially this time next year, while 17.8% (up 0.7ppt) expect the business to be "worse off" this time next year.

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED

Federal Election still too close to call: ALP 51% cf. L-NP 49%

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Morgan Poll Update – Page: Online : 9-Apr-18

The latest Morgan Poll shows Federal support for the ALP unchanged at 51%, narrowly ahead of the L-NP on 49% on a two-party preferred basis. The Morgan Poll was conducted over the weekends of March 24/25 and March 31/April 1, 2018 with 1,477 electors. Primary support for the L-NP is at 38.5%, down 1.5% from the previous fortnight and just ahead of the ALP on 37.5%, up 2%. Support for the Greens dropped 1% to 11% while support for One Nation dropped 0.5% to 3%. Support for Independents/ Others was up 1% to 10% with 6% of electors undecided. The Roy Morgan Government Confidence Rating is down 2.5pts to 103. Roy Morgan’s executive chairman Gary Morgan says that if an election were called today it would be too close to call, with the performance of the respective parties in the campaign the key to determining who would win.

CORPORATES
MORGAN POLL, ROY MORGAN LIMITED, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN GREENS, ONE NATION PARTY

ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence unchanged in March at 128.0

roymorgansocial Leave a comment

Original article by Roy Morgan
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 6-Apr-18

The ANZ-Roy Morgan New Zealand Consumer Confidence Index rose marginally in March 2018, from 127.7 to 128.0. The index lifted from 125.3 to 126.8 on a seasonally-adjusted basis. The Current Conditions Index has lifted less than half a point, to 127.7, while the Future Conditions Index is all but unchanged at 128.2. Both are considerably higher than where they finished 2017. A net 16% of consumers feel financially better off than a year ago, and the proportion of those who reported being worse off remains historically quite low. Meanwhile, a net 35% of consumers expect to be better off financially this time next year (up 1 point).

CORPORATES
ROY MORGAN LIMITED