Markets

ASX dividend shares are an essential part of all income portfolios. Especially when the official cash rate is just 0.10%. After accounting for inflation, money kept in a bank account is earning a negative return. Here are three ASX dividend shares I’d add to any income portfolio. 1. Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) Despite rising competition from neobanks…

With interest rates forecast to rise as early as next month, January provided a rude awakening for equity market investors, after markets fell as investors headed for the door. Chief investment officer of Montgomery Investment Management, Roger Montgomery, says, “It’s good news for investors.” Rising inflation combined with weakening economic growth was enough to cause…

The Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price has suffered a lot. There is both a bull and bear case for what happens next. Magellan is one of the larger fund managers on the ASX, though its size is quickly diminishing. Others in the sector include Australian Ethical Investment Limited (ASX: AEF), GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG) and Platinum Asset Management…

When Russia’s military poured over the Ukrainian border last week, the market sell-off was as predictable as the almost unanimous global condemnation of this naked aggression against a sovereign state. Stocks were sold off – the bellwether S&P500 is down nearly 10% in 2022 although this has also been prompted by fears of higher interest…

We’re more than halfway through corporate interim reporting season, with the remainder of companies due to post results over the next few weeks. While the reoccurring thematic seems to be inflation, according to Martin Currie Australia, “the big surprise is not the inflation itself, but the varying ability for companies to pass on these costs.”…

Expert investment consultant Angela Ashton of Evergreen Consultants has flagged a return to traditional asset classes amid the first major armed conflict in many years. Commenting on Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine, she looks at history as a guide, highlighting that “markets often sell-off in the lead up to an armed conflict but tend to…

ASX shares have been reporting some impressive growth numbers today. Here are five ASX shares that caught my eye and I’ll be watching going forward. 1. Whispir Ltd (ASX: WSP) Communication platform Whispir – which assists governments and companies communicate with stakeholders – recorded a 70.4% uplift in revenue for the first half of FY22. The business is…

This most simple of quotes is likely to be tested in the coming months after what can only be described as a bumper year for commodities. Seen as one of the few true inflation hedges, professional and amateur investors have been pouring into everything from energy to iron ore, lithium and rare earths in the…

The last 12 months has been a very difficult time for the Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P) share price after falling by 76%. What is the outlook for Zip in 2022? For anyone that doesn’t know, Zip is one of the biggest buy now, pay later businesses in Australia. It operates in a similar way to Afterpay….

Australia’s premier iron ore miner, Fortescue Metals Group (ASX:FMG) has posted its interim result, for the December 2021 half, with an underlying net profit of US$2.78 billion, which was a touch above an expected $2.70 billion. Here are the highlights: Total revenue of US$8.1 billion, down 13% (H1 FY22 US$9.3 billion) Underlying earnings before interest,…

CSL – Shares in Australia’s largest pharma company are up 6 per cent at the time of writing, following a $US1.76 billion ($2.46 billion) interim profit which was down 5 per cent, but in line with expectations given the tough environment brought about by the Covid pandemic. One of the biggest challenges the company faced…

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is rising after the ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) resources giant reported a giant half-year dividend in its result. BHP’s strong HY22 result BHP revealed that its profit soared in the first six months of FY22 to 31 December 2021. It said that continuing operations profit from operations rose 50% to US$14.8 billion, with underlying EBITDA rising by…