STOCK PRICE FORECASTING – AUSTRALIA

Commentators look forward as ASX 200 flirts with 6000

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Original article by John Wasiliev
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 24-Mar-15

Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 Index continued to test the 6,000-point level again on 23 March 2015. Ric Spooner of CMC markets expects it to rise above 6,000 points in the near-term, adding that if the benchmark index finds support above this level it could potentially rise to around 6,180. Meanwhile, ThinkForex’s Matt Simpsons says the Australian dollar is likely to trade within the range of $US0.755 to $US0.7912 in the near-term

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CMC MARKETS PTY LTD, THINKFOREX, IG MARKETS LIMITED, OANDA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, RESMED INCORPORATED – ASX RMD, WESTFIELD CORPORATION – ASX WFD, QUAY EQUITIES PTY LTD, HC SECURITIES

CSL could be the next to reach the dizzy heights of $100 a share

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Original article by Misa Han
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 6-Mar-15

Shares in CSL are trading at $A92.18, and there is speculation that the stock will breach the $A100 level. Goldman Sachs is among the CSL bulls, with a share price target of $A107, although the average 12-month share price target of analysts polled by Bloomberg is just $A90.23. CSL shares rose above $A100 in September 2007, although the group then opted for a stock split. Wilson HTM Investment Group says it could do so again if the stock reaches $A100

CORPORATES
CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, BLOOMBERG LP, WILSON HTM INVESTMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX WIG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, SONIC HEALTHCARE LIMITED – ASX SHL, RESMED INCORPORATED – ASX RMD, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO, ANSELL LIMITED – ASX ANN, NIB HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NHF, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX

Bets mount on second cash rate cut in weeks

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Original article by Mark Mulligan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 22 : 2-Mar-15

Futures traders expect the Australian sharemarket to lose ground when trading resumes on 2 March 2015. With the reporting season over, investors are likely to focus on economic data to be released in the coming week, as well as the Reserve Bank’s monthly board meeting. The recent release of disappointing capital expenditure data has heightened speculation that the central bank could reduce the cash rate again in March, following a 25-basis point cut in February

CORPORATES
RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW

More capital might lead to lower Westpac dividends

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Original article by James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 : 24-Feb-15

Westpac has regularly increased its interim dividend by $A0.02 since the first half of 2012, but this policy might be reviewed if regulators decide to introduce new capital levels. Morgan Stanley analyst Richard Wiles says such a review would also be necessary if economic conditions deteriorate in Australia. Morgan Stanley has a share price target on the stock of $A33.00

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED

ASX has 6000 points in its sight

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Original article by Sally Rose
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 23-Feb-15

The S&P/ASX 200 shed 0.4 per cent on 20 February 2015, closing at 5,881.5 points. However, the Australian sharemarket has gained 8.7 per cent so far in 2015, and the benchmark index reached a year-to-date high of 5,915.7 on 18 February. There is agreement among six equities strategists that the S&P/ASX 200 will soon breach the 6,000-point level, although they do not expect it to reach the record high of 6,828.7 for another 2-3 years

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA, MACQUARIE RESEARCH EQUITIES, MACQUARIE BANK LIMITED – ASX MBL, TOLL HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TOL, JAPAN POST, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, UBS WEALTH MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MLC LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES ACCUMULATION INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX

Challenges ahead may thwart ASX 200 tilt at the 5900 level

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Original article by John Wasiliev
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 30 : 17-Feb-15

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index closed just below the 5,900-point threshold on 16 February 2015. OANDA’s Stuart McPhee notes that 5,800 has been a key resistance level for the index, which he believes will find support at that level. Factors such as the corporate reporting season and the imminent closure of Asian markets for Chinese New Year are likely to influence the S&P/ASX 200 in the near-term, and its ability to rise above 5,900 points

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, OANDA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, CMC MARKETS PTY LTD, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, LEIGHTON HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX LEI, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, IG MARKETS LIMITED

ASX revving as results season hits high gear

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Original article by Bianca Hartge-Hazelman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 16-Feb-15

Futures traders expect Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 to advance 29 points when trading resumes on 16 February 2015. The benchmark index closed at a seven-year high of 5,877.5 on 13 February. A number of blue-chip stocks are slated to release their latest financial results in the coming week, while the prospect of further monetary policy easing should also bolster sentiment toward equities. Meanwhile, the Australian dollar has fallen to $US0.7744 and it is widely tipped to lose more ground

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMCOR LIMITED – ASX AMC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROUP LIMITED – ASX IAG, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL OPEN MARKET COMMITTEE, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS

CBA shares forecast to push $100 within a year

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Original article by Clancy Yeates, James Eyers
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 16 : 13-Feb-15

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA) shares peaked at $A93.96 in early February 2015. While the stock has since retreated slightly, some analysts are bullish about it. Macquarie Group has lifted its 12-month share price target to $A99 in the wake of CBA’s 2014-15 interim profit result, while Credit Suisse has a target price of $A96. However, PM Capital’s Uday Cheruvu says CBA’s earnings growth outlook does not justify its high forward price-earnings multiple

CORPORATES
COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, PM CAPITAL LIMITED, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, GOOGLE INCORPORATED

RBA helps BoQ in its new thrust

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Original article by Shaun Drummond
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 9-Feb-15

The Bank of Queensland (BoQ) will be hoping that its mortgage lending business will be boosted by the 25 basis point reduction in the cash rate on 3 February 2015. The regional bank was quick to announce that it will reduce its fixed and variable home loan rates, as well as its business lending rates. BoQ shares closed at $A13.31 on 6 February, although the consensus share price target of analysts is $A12.71. Most analysts have a "buy" or "hold" recommendation on the stock

CORPORATES
BANK OF QUEENSLAND LIMITED – ASX BOQ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, CLSA AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, INVESTEC BANK (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, EZCORP INCORPORATED, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, MACQUARIE SECURITIES PTY LTD, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Volatility casts shadow over earnings forecasts

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 19 : 2-Feb-15

Stock price analysts and market economists are predicting renewed turmoil during the Australian profit reporting season in February 2015. Major factors are the rapid decline in mining and energy commodities prices after companies last issued their earnings forecasts, and the overall subdued trading conditions. However opinion is divided on how the S&P/ASX 200 Index will perform during calendar 2015, with Tim Rocks of Commonwealth Bank of Australia expecting a drop of 10% to around 5,000 points while Tony Brennan of Citi says the result will be a 9% gain to 5,850

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO