$30bn shares wipeout prompts fears bull run at an end

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 1 : 6-Feb-18

Richard Coppleson of Bell Potter says the global equities market sell-off will create excellent buying opportunities when it has run its course. Futures pricing suggests that Wall Street will shed a further 0.6 per cent when trading resumes, after the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.5 per cent on 2 February. The Australian bourse is likely to follow its lead, after shedding 1.6 per cent on 5 February.

CORPORATES
BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX, CSI 300 INDEX, BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION, MERRILL LYNCH AND COMPANY INCORPORATED, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, TARGET AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, PENGANA CAPITAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX PCG, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Citi upbeat on stocks amid rising resources

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 28 : 30-Jan-18

The general consensus of analysts is for the S&P/ASX 200 to be trading at around 6,250 points at the end of 2018. However, Citigroup has upgraded its year-end forecast from 6,400 points to 6,600. Tony Brennan of Citigroup notes that there is the potential for further upside if the recent rise in commodity prices is sustained. The S&P/ASX 200 has gained 0.2 per cent so far in 2018, compared with a gain of 7.5 per cent for the S&P 500.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, MSCI ALL COUNTRY WORLD INDEX, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC

Miners ride high into new profit season

Original article by Vesna Poljak
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 29-Jan-18

Data from Deutsche Bank shows that Australian-listed companies are forecast to achieve earnings-per-share growth of seven per cent in 2017-18. Kogan, Noni B and Lovisa are among the companies that have upgraded their earnings forecasts ahead of the February 2018 reporting season. The outlook for resources stock in particular is good, with Macquarie Group recently upgrading its share price targets for BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and South32 on the strength of its bullish price forecasts for commodities such as iron ore and coking coal in 2018.

CORPORATES
DEUTSCHE BANK AG, KOGAN.COM LIMITED – ASX KGN, NONI B LIMITED – ASX NBL, LOVISA HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LOV, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, PINNACLE INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX PNI, RETAIL FOOD GROUP LIMITED – ASX RFG, AUSTRALIAN PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRIES LIMITED – ASX API, McGRATH LIMITED – ASX MEA, QBE INSURANCE GROUP LIMITED – ASX QBE, PRICELINE PHARMACY, ORIGIN ASSET MANAGEMENT, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

Still more riches to be unearthed by miners

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 18 : 9-Jan-18

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index has outperformed the broader Australian sharemarket over the last two years, and Macquarie Equities is bullish about the outlook for mining stocks in 2018. The firm believes that major resources groups will have the scope to increase their capital returns to shareholders if the spot prices of key commodities remain at around current levels. Macquarie has maintained its "outperform" rating for both BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto, while Fortescue Metals Group is its preferred stock among pure-play miners.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 MATERIALS INDEX, MACQUARIE EQUITIES LIMITED, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, OZ MINERALS LIMITED – ASX OZL, METALS X LIMITED – ASX MLX, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, ST BARBARA LIMITED – ASX SBM, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU, NEOMETALS LIMITED – ASX NMT, OROCOBRE LIMITED – ASX ORE, WESTERN AREAS LIMITED – ASX WSA, ALUMINA LIMITED – ASX AWC

Bulls edge ahead in the battle for coming year

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 26 : 8-Dec-17

Investment banks are generally upbeat about the outlook for Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 in 2018. Credit Suisse and Macquarie Group both expect it to end the year at 6,500 points, while Citigroup has a year-end target of 6,400 point. In contrast, Morgan Stanley expects the index to end 2018 at just 5,800 points. Meanwhile, Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse believes that factors such as the potential for fiscal stimulus, a sharp rise in bond yields and rising capital investment to influence the direction of the sharemarket in 2018.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, BLOOMBERG LP, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK

Macquarie tips Australian shares to beat Wall St in 2018

Original article by Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 7-Dec-17

Jason Todd of Macquarie Group is upbeat about the outlook for the Australian sharemarket in 2018, forecasting that it will end the calendar year at 6,500 points. Todd expects the Australian bourse to outperform the US market in total return and local currency terms in 2018, following a stronger performance by Wall Street in 2017. However, he expects the S&P/ASX 200 to finish 2017 at 5,875 points, compared with around the 5,950-point level at present.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, ADELAIDE BRIGHTON LIMITED – ASX ABC, DOWNER EDI LIMITED – ASX DOW, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, JAMES HARDIE INDUSTRIES PLC – ASX JHX, INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, SEEK LEARNING PTY LTD

ASX may rise on GDP, iron ore and Trump tax

Original article by Timothy Moore
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 4-Dec-17

Futures pricing suggests that the Australian sharemarket may lose ground when trading resumes on 4 December. However, a number of factors bode well for the domestic bourse in coming days, including a rebound in the prices of key commodities such as iron ore and expectations that official data will show an improvement in the nation’s economic growth. Investor confidence may also be bolstered by the US Senate’s passing of tax cuts, while investors will also be awaiting the Reserve Bank of Australia’s last board meeting for 2017.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, BANK OF MONTREAL, CAPITAL ECONOMICS LIMITED

ASX seven years behind the world

Original article by Sally Patten
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 9-Nov-17

Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s MD Matthew Koch has downplayed the significance of the S&P/ASX 200’s first close above 6,000 points in almost a decade. He argues that key overseas indices passed their pre-global financial crisis highs between 3-4 years ago. Morgan Stanley’s Christopher Bell adds that the Australian sharemarket’s limited earnings growth means the benchmark index is unlikely to reach its record high of 6,828.7 points for some time. Koch and his colleagues manage some $A1.5bn on behalf of 55 clients.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MORGAN STANLEY WEALTH MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, FTSE 100 INDEX, EURO STOXX 50 INDEX, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD

Surge to 6000 puts GFC to rest

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 19 & 27 : 8-Nov-17

A number of factors contributed to the S&P/ASX 200’s rise above the 6,000-point level on 7 November 2017, including the Reserve Bank’s decision to leave the cash rate on hold, a rise in the iron ore price and a new record high for the S&P 500. The S&P/ASX 200 has taken nearly 10 years to reach 6,000 points again. Tony Brennan of Citigroup still expects it to reach 6,250 by mid-2018, while Hasan Tevfik of Credit Suisse forecasts that it will rise to 6,500 in 2018.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, LEHMAN BROTHERS INCORPORATED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA

Fortescue faces 70pc value hit from iron ore discount

Original article by Paul Garvey
The Australian – Page: 30 : 3-Nov-17

Fortescue Metals Group’s lower-grade iron ore is trading at a discount of about 30 per cent to the benchmark price. Sam Webb of Credit Suisse estimates that Fortescue’s net present value could fall to $A1.40 per share if the this discount persists. Webb adds that Fortescue’s future capital expenditure and exploration plans may be affected if the price discount is sustained until mid-2018. Credit Suisse has a share price target of $A6.10 on Fortescue. The stock rose 4.06 per cent to $A4.87 on 2 November.

CORPORATES
FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED