STOCK PRICE INDEXES – AUSTRALIA

Bumps in the road: no straightforward path to 6000

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 31 : 5-May-17

The S&P/ASX 200 Index retreated below the 5,900-point level on 4 May 2017, after closing within sight of 6,000 points earlier in the week. The consensus of market analysts is that it will rise to around 6,000 in the next year, while Bloomberg’s consensus target has been increased to 6,026.8 points. However, the local sharemarket faces a number of headwinds, including the prospect of interest rate rises in both Australia and the US at some point, while Tim Baker of Deutsche Bank anticipates an eventual correction of five per cent of more.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BLOOMBERG LP, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, GENWORTH MORTGAGE INSURANCE AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX GMA, CHICAGO BOARD OPTIONS EXCHANGE VOLATILITY INDEX, PACT GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX PGH, COCA-COLA AMATIL LIMITED – ASX CCL, VOCUS GROUP LIMITED – ASX VOC, THE STAR ENTERTAINMENT GROUP LIMITED – ASX SGR, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, APA GROUP – ASX APA, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, ECLIPX GROUP LIMITED – ASX ECX, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, GRAINCORP LIMITED – ASX GNC

External factors align for a ‘buying opportunity’

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 25 : 19-Apr-17

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index remained above the technically important 5,830- point level on 18 April 2017, despite a further downturn in the iron ore price. However, the local sharemarket has fallen by just 2.2 per cent since its recent peak of 5,950.1, and it could still test the 6,000-point level for the first time since 2008. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley remains bearish about the outlook for the local market, and the firm still expects the S&P/ASX 200 to fall to 5,450 by the end of the year.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

Wall Street could stop ASX bull run

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Original article by Philip Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 31 : 11-Apr-17

The S&P/ASX 200’s rise above the 5,900-point level has prompted renewed speculation that it could test 6,000 points. However, the near-term outlook for the benchmark index will depend on the US earnings season, and data from Bloomberg shows that the number of companies that have provided earnings guidance in the last month has fallen to the lowest level since 1999. Meanwhile, borrowings costs may rise as offshore investors bail out of US treasuries and the Federal Reserve prepares to divest $US2.46trn worth of treasuries.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BLOOMBERG LP, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, DOW JONES INDUSTRIAL AVERAGE INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, THOMSON REUTERS PLC, PERPETUAL LIMITED – ASX PPT

Earnings season shows bourse’s pillars are solid

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 31 : 16-Feb-17

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed above 5,800 points on 15 February 2017, bolstered by strong earnings results by a number of blue-chip stocks. The local bourse is now underperforming the US market by less than two per cent, recovering from a disappointing performance in January. The S&P/ASX 200 could test the 6,000-point level if the reporting season continues to deliver good results, and Richard Copple­son of Bell Potter still expects it to reach 6,300 points by the end of 2017.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, COMPUTERSHARE LIMITED – ASX CPU, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, AMP LIMITED – ASX AMP, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, SUNCORP GROUP LIMITED – ASX SUN, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, CIMIC GROUP LIMITED – ASX CIM, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, BRAMBLES LIMITED – ASX BXB, COLES SUPERMARKETS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD, BANK OF AMERICA AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MERRILL LYNCH (AUSTRALIA) PTY LTD

US concerns spark global retreat

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Original article by Chris Kohler
The Australian – Page: 28 : 1-Feb-17

The Australian sharemarket retreated on 31 January 2017, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 0.7 per cent to close at 5,620. BHP Billiton was 2.63 per cent lower at $A26.64, Westpac eased 0.94 per cent to finish at $A31.71 and Virtus Health was down 17.7 per cent at $A5.11. However, Fortescue Metals Group advanced 2.8 per cent to end the session at $A6.66.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, VIRTUS HEALTH LIMITED – ASX VRT, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NAVITAS LIMITED – ASX NVT, BEACH ENERGY LIMITED – ASX BPT, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, ILUKA RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX ILU, CMC MARKETS PTY LTD, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

ASX hits 19-month high on China news

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Original article by Jens Meyer, Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 4-Jan-17

The S&P/ASX 200 index closed 1.2 per cent higher at 5,733.2 points on 3 January 2017. Investors were encouraged by a one point rise in China’s Caixin manufacturing PMI, to 51.9 points in December 2016. All sectors benefited from positive investor sentiment. Trading volumes were low as many professional traders are still on holiday.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, SHANGHAI RURAL COMMERCIAL BANK, EVOLUTION MINING LIMITED – ASX EVN, BUBS AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, THE A2 MILK COMPANY LIMITED – ASX A2M, BELLAMY’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX BAL, HUNTER HALL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED – ASX HHL, WASHINGTON H SOUL PATTINSON AND COMPANY LIMITED – ASX SOL, GALAXY RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX GXY, ORGANISATION OF PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES

Blue sky for miners, banks tipped in year ahead

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Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 18 : 23-Dec-16

The S&P/ASX 200 share index rose 0.5 per cent to 5,643.9 points on 22 December 2016. T Rowe Price head of Australian equities Randal Jenneke is optimistic about the stockmarket’s future performance. He expects the S&P/ASX 200 to rise as much as eight per cent by mid-2016. Mining and finance stocks are likely to perform strongly while "defensive yield" stocks will underperform.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, T ROWE PRICE GROUP INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIAN PRUDENTIAL REGULATION AUTHORITY

Bulls prevail in new yearly high

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Original article by Daniel Palmer
The Australian – Page: 18 : 22-Dec-16

The Australian sharemarket posted solid gains on 21 December 2016, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 22.4 points to close at 5,613.5. BHP Billiton was one per cent higher at $A25.17 and Woodside Petroleum advanced 0.3 per cent to end the session at $A31.04. However, the Commonwealth Bank was 0.2 per cent lower at $A82.09 and Slater & Gordon shed 7.5 per cent to finish at $A0.24.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, SLATER AND GORDON LIMITED – ASX SGH, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, QANTAS AIRWAYS LIMITED – ASX QAN, THE A2 MILK COMPANY LIMITED – ASX A2M, BELLAMY’S AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX BAL, IG MARKETS LIMITED, CMC MARKETS PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX

Buoyant stocks at high for the year

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Original article by David Rogers, Chris Kohler
The Australian – Page: 13 & 18 : 21-Dec-16

The Australian sharemarket posted solid gains on 20 December 2016, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 0.5 per cent to close at 5,591.1. The benchmark index has risen by 5.6 per cent so far in 2016, and it may be poised for its best performance in a calendar year since 2013. Credit Suisse expects the S&P/ASX 200 to top 6,000 points by the end of 2017. The firm also forecasts that Australian bond yields will rise further.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, ESTIA HEALTH LIMITED – ASX EHE, SIRTEX MEDICAL LIMITED – ASX SRX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BLOOMBERG LP, TRANSURBAN GROUP LIMITED – ASX TCL, SYDNEY AIRPORT – ASX SYD

ASX, dollar shrug off budget update

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Original article by Zac Crellin, Jens Meyer, Patrick Commins
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 28 : 20-Dec-16

Figures in the Federal Government’s Mid-year Economic and Fiscal Outlook on 19 December 2016 made a positive impression on investors. The S&P/ASX 200 Index closed 29 points higher at 5,562 points on the same day while the All Ordinaries index rose 23 points to 5,612. The Australian dollar traded at $US0.729 in late trade. Shares in Seven West Media fell eight per cent, after revelations that CEO Tim Worner and a former executive assistant had a sexual relationship.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, SYRAH RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX SYR, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY