New ASX boss Dominic Stevens ‘cautious’ on blockchain switch

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 2-Aug-16

Former Challenger CEO Dominic Stevens has been appointed as the new CEO of ASX Limited. He replaces Elmer Funke Kupper, who resigned in March 2016. Stevens says he will concentrate on issues such as the consolidation in stock exchange services and changes in listing rules, whose aim would be to raise the quality of listed companies. Under his leadership, the ASX will proceed cautiously with implementing new technologies, including blockchain technology.

CORPORATES
ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, CHALLENGER LIMITED – ASX CGF, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, SOCIETYONE AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, DIGITAL ASSET HOLDINGS, CONTANGO ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, DEUTSCHE BOERSE, SINGAPORE EXCHANGE LIMITED

Westpac aims for 20pc Asian managers

Original article by Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 29-Jul-16

Westpac CEO Brian Hartzer wants the bank to have greater diversity among its staff. The bank aims to raise the ratio of its executives with an Asian background from 13 per cent to 20 per cent. Hartzer says it is primarily a business issue, although social justice is also important to him. Race discrimination commissioner Tim Soutphommasane suggests that businesses should aim for 10 per cent of their senior executives to have a non-European background.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB

Citi’s Brennan tips resilience in earnings growth

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 34 : 29-Jul-16

The Australian sharemarket currently boasts a forward price-earnings ratio of 16.6 times, but some market watchers expect that the August 2016 reporting season will justify the high earnings multiple. Tony Brennan of Citigroup is upbeat about the reporting season, saying the positive earnings surprises are likely to outweigh the negative surprises. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed at 5556.6 on 27 July, although Brennan expects it to end the year at about 5,500. However, he forecasts that it will rise to 5,750 by mid-2017.

CORPORATES
CITIGROUP PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, APPLE INCORPORATED, FACEBOOK INCORPORATED

ANZ says credit card late fees won’t rise after court win

Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 2 : 28-Jul-16

Andrew Watson of law firm Maurice Blackburn has warned that banks may increase their credit card late payment fees after the High Court dismissed a class action case. Watson says the Federal Government should step in to protect consumers from unfair fee increases, but the ANZ Bank says such intervention is unnecessary as the court has ruled that its fees are fair. The bank has also ruled out increasing its late payment fees, which it had reduced in 2009. The class action commenced in 2010.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, HIGH COURT OF AUSTRALIA, IMF BENTHAM LIMITED – ASX IMF, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence ticks up to 115.5 (up 0.6pts)

Original article by Roy Morgan Research
Market Research Update – Page: Online : 27-Jul-16

ANZ-Roy Morgan Australian Consumer Confidence has risen by 0.5 per cent to 115.5 in the week ending 24 July 2016. Lower financial market volatility and buoyant equity markets are likely the main factors behind the improvement. Consumers’ views of their current finances fell two per cent, but households’ views of the economic outlook in the next 12 months rose by 1.5 per cent.

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

ASX listing rule changes pushed back after flood of feedback

Original article by Yolanda Redrup
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 27-Jul-16

Stock exchange operator ASX Limited has advised that new listing rules that were to have been introduced on 1 September 2016 will now take effect on 19 December. The ASX has opted to delay the starting date for the new rules in response to the significant feedback it has received during the consultation phase. The revised listing rules will make it harder for business start-ups to undertake IPOs.

CORPORATES
ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, WISETECH GLOBAL LIMITED – ASX WTC, CONNEXION MEDIA LIMITED – ASX CXZ, GENERAL MOTORS CORPORATION

Big miners, banks lift bourse

Original article by Daniel Palmer
The Australian – Page: 28 : 27-Jul-16

The Australian sharemarket posted a small gain on 26 July 2016, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 3.9 points to close at 5,537.5. Fortescue Metals Group was 1.7 per cent higher at $A4.12 and Qantas advanced 0.66 per cent to end the session at $A3.03. However, Woolworths shed 3.3 per cent to finish at $A23.50 and Santos was 2.4 per cent lower at $A4.56.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, ALS LIMITED – ASX ALQ, SAI GLOBAL LIMITED – ASX SAI, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, YAHOO! INCORPORATED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX

Buoyant Woolies drives gains

Original article by Daniel Palmer
The Australian – Page: 32 : 26-Jul-16

The Australian sharemarket posted solid gains on 25 July 2016, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.64 per cent to close at 5,533.6. Woolworths advanced 7.8 per cent to end the session at $A24.19 and Telstra was 0.35 per cent higher at $A5.82. However, BHP Billiton shed 0.31 per cent to finish at $A19.24 and Santos was 3.3 per cent lower at $A4.67.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, NORTHERN STAR RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX NST, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, TEN NETWORK HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TEN, WAM CAPITAL LIMITED – ASX WAM, IG MARKETS LIMITED, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX

Investors focus on inflation, central banks

Original article by Jessica Sier
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 25-Jul-16

Futures traders expect the Australian sharemarket to gain about four points when trading resumes on 25 July 2016. The local bourse is likely to benefit from a positive lead from Wall Street, having lost ground in the previous trading session. Investors will be awaiting the upcoming release of inflation data for the June quarter, which could provide guidance on the Reserve Bank’s next move on the interest rate front. The US Federal Open Market Committee’s monetary policy statement will also be closely scrutinised by investors.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED, BANK OF JAPAN

Bourse climbs past 5500 level

Original article by Daniel Palmer
The Australian – Page: 30 : 22-Jul-16

The Australian sharemarket posted solid gains on 21 July 2016, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.43 per cent to close at 5,512.4. Rio Tinto was 1.1 per cent higher at $A48.52 and Oil Search also rose by 1.1 per cent to end the session at $A7.41. However, Regis Resources shed 5.3 per cent and South32 was down 1.1 per cent.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, OIL SEARCH LIMITED – ASX OSH, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, NEWCREST MINING LIMITED – ASX NCM, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, METCASH LIMITED – ASX MTS, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, QUBE HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX QUB, ASCIANO LIMITED – ASX AIO, AURIZON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX AZJ, IG MARKETS LIMITED, HOME TIMBER AND HARDWARE, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AQUILA RESOURCES LIMITED, INTEROIL CORPORATION, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX