STOCK PRICE INDEXES – AUSTRALIA

Forget the index, it’ll be a picker’s game

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires, Stephen Cauchi
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 4-Jan-16

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index ended 2015 at 5,295.9 points. Goldman Sachs forecasts that it will rise to 5,600 in 2016, and Citi expects it to reach 5,900. Meanwhile, David Bryant of Australian Unity says factors such as low interest rates and sustained weakness in commodity prices will weigh on sharemarket returns in 2016. Bryant is particularly bearish about returns from resources and banking stocks.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA GROUP HOLDINGS PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG, AUSTRALIAN UNITY LIMITED, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, PRIME VALUE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, COMMONWEALTH SECURITIES LIMITED

Easy money era coming to an end

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Original article by Vesna Poljak
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 10 : 18-Dec-15

The Australian sharemarket rose on 17 December 2015, in response to the US Federal Reserve’s decision to increase interest rates from historic lows. However, the Australian dollar lost ground in local trading, while the US dollar gained 0.95 per cent. Meanwhile, the Federal Reserve has given indications that there could potentially be four interest rate increases in 2016, although Mark Bayley of AquAsia has questioned whether there will be scope for such aggressive monetary policy tightening. Many analysts believe that two rate rises are more likely.

CORPORATES
UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, AQUASIA PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, SCHRODER INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, WELLS FARGO BANK

ASX soars above 5000 in pre-Fed rally

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 17-Dec-15

The Australian sharemarket posted strong gains on 16 December 2015, with the S&P/ASX 200 adding 118.8 points to close at 5,028.4. The Commonwealth Bank was 2.9 per cent higher at $A79.09 and BHP Billiton rose 5.6 per cent to end the session at $A17.18. However, Primary Healthcare shed 9.7 per cent to finish at $A2.33 and Sonic Healthcare was 5.6 per cent lower at $A17.46.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, PRIMARY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX PRY, SONIC HEALTHCARE LIMITED – ASX SHL, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, ORIGIN ENERGY LIMITED – ASX ORG, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, PRIME VALUE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, IG MARKETS LIMITED, CONSOLIDATED PRESS HOLDINGS LIMITED, JOEY’S PIZZA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX

ASX dives below 5000 amid Fed rate jitters

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 15-Dec-15

The Australian sharemarket lost ground on 14 December 2015, with the S&P/ASX 200 shedding 100.9 points to close at 4,928.6. The Commonwealth Bank eased 1.9 per cent to end the session at $A77.44, BHP Billiton was down 3.5 per cent at $A16.60 and Woolworths fell 1.8 per cent to finish at $A22.59. However, Regis Resources advanced 8.6 per cent to close at $A2.28.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, REGIS RESOURCES LIMITED – ASX RRL, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS LIMITED – ASX LNG, MORGANS FINANCIAL LIMITED, CONTANGO ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, THIRD AVENUE FOCUSED CREDIT FUND, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX ALL ORDINARIES INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX

Credit Suisse picks 2016 stocks, predicts ASX at 6000 end next year

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Original article by Stephen Cauchi
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 29 : 3-Dec-15

Credit Suisse is upbeat about the Australian sharemarket in 2016, forecasting that the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index will rise to the 6,000-point level by the end of the calendar year. The firm expects more companies to pursue strategies such as mergers/acquisitions and cost reductions. It has identified Macquarie Group, Nine Entertainment Company, AGL Energy, Carsales.com, Aristocrat Leisure and Lend Lease as stocks that should perform well in 2016.

CORPORATES
CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, AGL ENERGY LIMITED – ASX AGL, CARSALES.COM LIMITED – ASX CAR, ARISTOCRAT LEISURE LIMITED – ASX ALL, LEND LEASE GROUP LIMITED – ASX LLC, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, BRAMBLES LIMITED – ASX BXB, CROWN RESORTS LIMITED – ASX CWN, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, HEALTHSCOPE LIMITED – ASX HSO

Do the numbers add up for a Santa rally?

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Original article by Philip Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 32 : 2-Dec-15

Despite a strong performance by the S&P/ASX 200 on 1 December 2015, the prospects for the Australian sharemarket experiencing a "Santa rally" remain uncertain. The local market has risen on 10 consecutive trading days just twice since the inception of the current benchmark index, and it has not recorded a nine-day winning run since 2004. Historical analysis shows that the local market gains an average of 2.03 per cent in the month of December.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, BLOOMBERG LP

AGM downgrades but growth likely

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 27 : 24-Nov-15

Analysis by Citigroup shows that 36 Australian-listed companies have upgraded their earnings guidance during the 2015 AGM season, and 42 have issued downgrades. Citigroup’s Tony Brennan notes that earnings-per-share forecasts have been reduced by about one per cent overall. Citigroup now expects the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 to be trading at 5,900 points at the end of 2016, compared with its previous forecast of 6,200.

CORPORATES
CITIGROUP PTY LTD, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, HARVEY NORMAN HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX HVN

Raw goods stocks make two-speed sharemarket

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Original article by Philip Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 24-Nov-15

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index has shed 2.57 per cent so far in 2015, but the energy and materials indices have shed 26 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. The selldown of commodity stocks has resulted in a two-speed sharemarket, with sectors such as utilities, industrials and health outperforming the broader market. Meanwhile, the end of the resources boom means the eastern states’ economies are now outperforming Western Australia.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG

Stocks set to tumble after French terror

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Original article by Mark Mulligan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 16-Nov-15

Global sharemarkets are expected to be heavily sold down on 16 November 2015, as investors opt for lower-risk assets in the wake of the terrorist attacks in Paris. Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 closed at 5,051.25 on 13 November, and futures markets had already anticipated a fall below the 5,000-point level prior to the terrorist attacks. AMP Capital’s Shane Oliver does expect any downturn in the Australian market to be sustained, although he says resources stocks are likely to fall further.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, BLOOMBERG COMMODITY INDEX, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, PEAK ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, HASSIUM ASSET MANAGEMENT, CAC 40 INDEX, EURO STOXX 50 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, BLOOMBERG LP

Uncertainty clouds fate of blue-chip dividends

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Original article by Vanessa Desloires
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 26 : 13-Nov-15

Data from Morningstar shows that the average gross dividend yield for S&P/ASX 20 stocks has risen to a seven year-high of seven per cent. Meanwhile, three of the top-20 stocks have a 12-month gross yield in excess of 10 per cent, according to Bloomberg. ST Wong of Prime Value Asset Management says the top-20 stocks should be able to maintain their dividend payouts during the next year. However, some analysts believe that banks and resources groups may need to reduce their dividends.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 20 INDEX, MORNINGSTAR PTY LTD, BLOOMBERG LP, PRIME VALUE ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, WATERMARK FUNDS MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, GOLDMAN SACHS AND PARTNERS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD