Christmas has come early for the bank’s shareholders with the decision to slightly increase the 2024 dividend – despite a single-digit decline in the net profit and cash earnings.
Beating the market benchmark is never easy, with 72 per cent of Australian actively managed global equity general funds trailing the S&P World Index in the six months to June 30, 2024. Domestic equity funds performed slightly better, albeit against a significantly lower bar set by the S&P/ASX 200 Index.
Australian sharemarket down on commodities, QBE costs spike, Nanosonic tanks
The S&P/ASX200 commenced the week in the same manner it finishes, falling 0.2 per cent after holding onto a gain of as much as 0.3 per cent during the day. Both the technology and materials sectors were behind the weaker finish, falling 1.5 per cent respectively as the investors await more global economic data. Shares in insurer QBE Insurance (ASX: QBE) fell by 0.6 per cent, after the company warned that higher catastrophe payout costs were likely to mean the full-year forecast was no longer achievable. The net cost in the first half was $430 million but they now expect as much as $1.06 billion for the full year, which will impact on the circa 10 per cent premium growth the company is currently delivering. Disinfecting company Nanosonics (ASX: NAN) fared the worst on the market, falling 12.2 per cent, despite little in the way of major news being released.
Link sells down PEXA, Perpetual manager quits, NIB profits rise
Under pressure administration group Link (ASX: LNK) announced the sale of 10 per cent of its holding in property settlement platform PEXA (ASX: PXA) for $101 million. The company is pressing ahead with the distribution of the remaining investment to shareholders ahead of a takeover deal. Shares in Healius (ASX: HLS) tanked by 4.2 per cent after the company refused to comment on an article suggesting one of its day hospitals would be sold to the Queensland Investment Corporation, while in a similar story, Spirit Super is set to partner with a fund manager to purchase the Geelong Port for $1.1 billion. More intrigue has been added to the Perpetual/Pendal merger, with news that Perpetual‘s head of equities, Paul Skamvougeras had decided to step down from his position with rumours of a high profile switch. Lower cost health insurer NIB Holdings (ASX: NHF) gained 1.7 per cent after management confirmed strong growth in customers, in part due to the switch away from Medibank on cost and recent data concerns.
Chapek returns to Disney, markets weaken, S&P500 lower
All three major US benchmarks finished the red overnight, albeit only slightly, with the Dow Jones dropping 0.1 per cent, the S&P500 0.4 and the Nasdaq 1 per cent. News that COVID-19 lockdowns had returned to China reversed recent positive sentiment, impacting on local and global markets. OPEC+ are reportedly considering an increase in production to offset Russian supply reductions, which sent the oil price and energy sector lower. While on the economic front the threat of a rail strike and supply chain disruption has returned once again after the Biden-led negotiations were reversed. But all the focus was on Disney (NYSE :DIS) with shares gaining more than 6 per cent after former CEO Bob Iger announced his return, taking over from the man who succeeded him, Bob Chapek. Investors are hopeful of a turnaround from the leader who created Disney+ and the massive expansion into Asia. In other news, Imago (NYSE: IMG) doubled after Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) confirmed a US$1.35 billion takeover deal.
