Original article by Luke Housego
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 13 & 26 : 7-Jan-20

Market strategists are generally upbeat about the outlook for Australian equities in 2020, with the majority forecasting that the S&P/ASX 200 will reach 7,000 points. However, Chris Nicol of Morgan Stanley expects the benchmark to end the year at just 6,700 points, while Hasan Tevfik of MST Marquee has a year-end target of 7,100. Meanwhile, Damien Boey of Credit Suisse has forecast earnings-per-share growth of seven per cent.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MST MARQUEE, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 25 : 4-Dec-19

The Australian sharemarket recorded its third-biggest one-day fall in the year to date on 3 December; it was driven by factors such as the interest rate outlook and the latest tariff moves in the US. However, Kyle Rodda of IG Markets says the local bourse was overdue for a pullback after the recent strong gains. Wall Street and European stocks also fell sharply, although Asian markets recorded more modest declines, while the Australian dollar reached a three-week high. Richard Coppleson of Bell Potter still expects the local market to reach a new record high by the end of 2019.

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STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, IG MARKETS LIMITED, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 28 : 26-Nov-19

The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index has gained 19 per cent so in 2019, and it is just two per cent shy of the record high of 6,875.5 points in late July. A number of factors could see the local bourse reach a new peak, including a resolution to the US-China trade war and the potential for policy stimulus in December’s mid-year fiscal and economic outlook. However, the federal government is unlikely to pursue stimulus measures before the May 2020 Budget, as it continues to focus on a surplus.

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STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 18-Oct-19

The Australian sharemarket’s pullback on 17 October was to be expected, after the S&P/ASX 200 had gained 3.8 per cent in two weeks. The market may be vulnerable to a further pullback, given that it now looks to be the most expensive since October 2007 on a price-earnings basis. Meanwhile, financial markets have downgraded the chances of an official interest rate cut in both November and December following the release of the latest unemployment data.

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STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 25 : 7-Aug-19

The Australian sharemarket has shed 5.4 per cent since reaching a record high in late July, as fears of a currency war add to tensions over the ongoing US-China trade war. However, Richard Coppleson of Bell Potter has downplayed concerns about the outlook for equities, saying a bear market is unlikely. He says there is not yet an all-out trade war, while interest rates are set to remain low. Shane Oliver of AMP Capital also does not expect a bear market, although he says shares are likely to fall further in the short-term.

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STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, PEOPLE’S BANK OF CHINA, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, HANG SENG INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, TAIEX INDEX, FTSE STRAITS TIMES INDEX, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF COMMERCE, UNITED STATES. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 1-Aug-19

The Australian sharemarket gained 21 per cent in the first seven months of 2019, its best start to a calendar year since 1991. However, Jason Steed of JP Morgan still expects the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 to be trading at around 6,300 points at the end of 2019. He notes that although forward earning-per-share estimates have been revised upwards, this is primarily due to the mining sector. Meanwhile, Tony Brennan of Citigroup says the prospect of further official interest rate cuts could see the ASX 200 reach his firm’s mid-2020 target of 7,000 points.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 25 : 31-Jul-19

The S&P/ASX 200 has more than doubled since reaching a low of 3,120.8 points during the global financial crisis. The Australian market’s year-to-date gain of 21 per cent is its strongest since 1991, potentially putting it on track for the best year since 2009. Meanwhile, Shane Oliver of AMP Capital warns that the 2019 rally means there is the risk of a short term correction, and Hasan Tevfik of MST Marquee says the market’s high forward price-to-earnings ratio means investors need to be "quite selective" about the stocks they buy.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, MST MARQUEE, PENGANA CAPITAL GROUP LIMITED – ASX PCG, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD