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Month: August 2014

Now 6 years on from the GFC & Italy’s top banks need another ~30Bn Euro – how will this affect local banks?

The ASX 200 closed 2 points higher today at 5,626, down only 7 points for the month.

QANTAS reports today while Air NZ is now the most “profitable airline in the world”

The ASX 200 closed down 27 points at 5,624 with the resource sector being the weakest link.

4 Major stocks go ex-div today, should we take the $$$ and run?

The ASX 200 had a choppy session, closing up 14 points at 5,651.

With interest rates remaining low, will people finally start spending?

Today, we acquired a stock for Hickman’s Portfolio as per live alerts to subscribers – this was overall very much in line with our thoughts in today’s morning report.

I am currently negative the Iron Ore space and particularly concerned where China demand will lead the commodity longer term. Investors should stand back and remember not just that Iron Ore was over US$180/t in 2011, but also that it was trading below US$20/t in 2004 and for 20 years beforehand – see chart 1. When we look at the price of Natural Gas in chart 2, it has also clearly been on a “roller coaster ride” with a downward bias as world supply grows. Another demonstration of the concerns that I have with investing in price takers, they cannot control their profitability.However after the above negativity, the domestic gas stocks are showing excellent signs of long term profitability. Recent reports from Santos, Origin and Woodside have all been welcomed by the markets.

The ASX 200 closed 11 points lower at 5,635, the weakest link against its Asian peers.

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