SMSFs told to hold their nerve and buy

Original article by Jonathan Barrett
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 9 : 26-Aug-15

Self-managed superannuation funds have been advised to remain calm during a period of extreme volatility on the Australian sharemarket. Wayne Leggett, principal at Paramount Wealth Management in Perth, says the Australian economy is in a good shape. Australian stocks are still relatively cheap and there are many attractive buying opportunities.

CORPORATES
PARAMOUNT WEALTH MANAGEMENT, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, SMSF ASSOCIATION, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, HLB MANN JUDD

Goldman sees value as ASX faces worst month since 2012

Original article by
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 21-Aug-15

Goldman Sachs equity strategist Matthew Ross believes Australian stocks are now cheap by historical standards. The banks are particularly attractive as they are now trading on a forward price-earnings (PE) ratio of 12.5 times, compared with the industrial PE of 17.5 times earnings. Technical analysis of the Australian stock market suggests that the S&P/ASX 200 index can rise as much as 28 per cent from its current level.

CORPORATES
GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Wobbles in equity markets make real estate more attractive

Original article by Robert Harley
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 38 : 13-Aug-15

When equities become volatile, investors turn their attention to property which may not now produce attractive returns but at least offers a higher degree of safety. DEXUS Property Group CEO Darren Steinberg stresses "a really consistent performance" of Australian-listed real estate investment trusts (REITs). The REIT sector fell only 0.3 per cent over the last three months, compared with a decline of 5.9 per cent in the S&P/ASX 200 over the same period.

CORPORATES
DEXUS PROPERTY GROUP – ASX DXS, INVESTA PROPERTY GROUP, GIC AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

ASX bounces back as buyers return to banks

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 11-Aug-15

The Australian sharemarket closed higher on 10 August 2015. The S&P/ASX 200 index climbed 0.6 per cent to 5,509.2 points, while the All Ordinaries gained 0.6 per cent to 5,504.9. The big four banks regained some of their recent losses, with shares in the ANZ Bank rising 1.5 per cent to $A30.60 and Commonwealth Bank closing up one per cent at $A82.14.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, CITI AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, IG MARKETS LIMITED, ST GEORGE BANK LIMITED, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, JB HI-FI LIMITED – ASX JBH, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP

Speed urged on investment reform

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 17 : 7-Aug-15

The Opposition has urged the Australian Government not to delay the changes that would enable the creation of "collective investment vehicles". The changes are necessary if Australian funds are to benefit from the liberalisation of funds management in Asia and the introduction of the Asian Region Funds Passport in 2016. Shadow treasurer Chris Bowen says the Australian Labor Party is willing to cooperate with the Government on this issue.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, FINANCIAL SERVICES COUNCIL, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, SCHRODER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Australia may miss out on global M&A frenzy

Original article by Joyce Moullakis
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 24-Jul-15

Some $US2.28trn ($A3.09trn) worth of global mergers and acquisitions were announced during the first half of 2015, according to data from Dealogic. This includes 31 deals worth at least $US10bn. However, M&A activity in Australia has totalled just $US56.9bn so far in 2015, and David Friedlander of law firm King & Wood Mallesons describes the level of local activity as "disappointing". Grant Chamberlain of Bank of America Merrill Lynch says five local deals worth at least $A5bn were announced during the first half.

CORPORATES
KING AND WOOD MALLESONS, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, TOLL HOLDINGS LIMITED, ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, FEDERATION CENTRES – ASX FDC, NOVION PROPERTY GROUP, BROOKFIELD ASSET MANAGEMENT INCORPORATED, GREENHILL AND COMPANY, GRESHAM PARTNERS LIMITED

Large caps shine in under-loved index

Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 24-Jul-15

Analysis by Morningstar shows that the Australian sharemarket is currently trading at a price/earnings ratio of 15.5. The market’s earnings yield is 6.5 per cent, while the yield on 10-year bonds is around three per cent. Morningstar believes that the local sharemarket still offers value, and it favours large-capitalisation stocks such as National Australia Bank, BHP Billiton, Veda Group, Santos and Goodman Group.

CORPORATES
MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, VEDA GROUP LIMITED – ASX VED, PLATINUM ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED – ASX PTM, GOODMAN GROUP – ASX GMG, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, AWE LIMITED – ASX AWE, ALUMINA LIMITED – ASX AWC, ATLAS IRON LIMITED – ASX AGO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

Chinese investment in property tipped to surge

Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 22-Jul-15

The Chinese Government’s decision to make the nation’s sharemarket more accessible to international investors has prompted a rally in Shanghai Composite Index over the last year. However, some economists expect the relaxation of rules governing capital outflows from China to have a bigger impact in the long-term. Stephen Halmarick of Colonial First State Global Asset Management expects this to include a big rise in Chinese investment in Australia’s property market.

CORPORATES
COLONIAL FIRST STATE GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT, ABERDEEN ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF SUPERANNUATION TRUSTEES, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, CHINA. NATIONAL BUREAU OF STATISTICS, MACQUARIE ASSET MANAGEMENT

Upbeat run-in to reporting season puts 6000 target back on radar

Original article by Rose Powell
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 22-Jul-15

Just 16 Australian-listed companies have issued earnings downgrades in the lead-up to the August 2015 profit-reporting season. Nader Naeimi of AMP says there is potential for the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index to reach the 6,000-point level during the reporting season, although he doubts that it will rise much further. Meanwhile, Credit Suisse has scaled back its end-of-year forecast for the S&P/ASX 200 from 6,500 to 6,000 points.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, AFFINITY EDUCATION GROUP LIMITED – ASX AFJ, FLIGHT CENTRE TRAVEL GROUP LIMITED – ASX FLT, SEEK LIMITED – ASX SEK, ARRIUM LIMITED – ASX ARI, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN

Perpetual takes $1.6 billion hit

Original article by Ruth Liew, Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 16-Jul-15

Listed wealth manager Perpetual has advised that its funds under management fell from $A34.7bn to $A30.2bn in the June 2015 quarter. Equities accounted for the bulk of the $A1.6bn worth of net outflows for the quarter. The group had reported net inflows for each of the previous seven quarters. CEO Geoff Lloyd has refuted suggestions that the rise in outflows is linked to the resignation of Matt Williams as head of equities. Perpetual shares closed 6.6 per cent lower at $A45.60 on 15 July.

CORPORATES
PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT