August 2024

Credit data shows China has slipped into a form of credit trap, with new loans in July hitting their lowest level in nearly 15 years, at a time when interest rates are at record lows. The slump in new loans comes despite two interest rate cuts and reductions in reserve ratios for banks this year. […]

Barrick Gold Corporation, the world’s second-largest gold miner after Newmont (ASX:NEM), joined its larger rival in benefiting from the surge in gold and copper prices during the three months to June. Newmont received an added boost from the Newcrest takeover, which propelled its earnings to more than triple those of the previous year, reaching $US838

Shares in Home Depot, America’s biggest DIY company, held up well on Tuesday, considering how it shocked investors with a downgrade. The shares closed up 1.23% as investors ignored the downgrade, which saw Home Depot warn of a decline in annual profit and a bigger drop in its annual comparable sales. Normally, such a warning

US stocks rallied significantly overnight, inching closer to their record highs set last month. This upward trend was fueled by the latest inflation report, which showed signs of cooling price pressures. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 1.04 per cent higher at 39,765.64. The Nasdaq Composite experienced a more substantial jump of 2.43 per cent,

The National Australia Bank (ASX:NAB) says its monthly survey of business has picked up the first improvement in conditions in five months in July, while confidence eased from June’s uptick. The NAB said the improvement in conditions stemmed from gains in employment, while confidence eased and remained low, despite a small increase in forward orders.

Online homewares retailer Temple & Webster (ASX:TPW) has bucked the trend of a subdued retail sector, delivering record annual sales and sending its share price skyrocketing. The company’s shares surged by 23.8 per cent by mid afternoon on Tuesday, reaching their highest level since early May. Temple & Webster’s 2023-24 sales climbed nearly 26 per

Investors didn’t like the annual results and outlook from Australia’s home-grown “Big Pharma”, CSL (ASX:CSL).  The shares fell more than 4.5% after the company said Tuesday that it had lifted annual profit 20% thanks to strong growth in its main blood-plasma business and that it was forecasting another solid rise in earnings in the current

Seek (ASX:SEK) was always likely to report a weak result for 2023-24, with the company getting in early and flagging write-downs and losses from investments in Asia. So the 10 per cent drop on Tuesday after the lower figures emerged seems to have been an overreaction. But it was the grim outlook for the current

Australian shares continued their upward trend for a sixth consecutive day, buoyed by generally positive earnings results. However, significant declines in CSL and Seek, following disappointing corporate updates, tempered overall gains. While earnings appear stable, market sentiment is optimistic about future growth prospects, particularly once interest rates begin to decrease. At the closing bell, the

Sydney-based investment manager, Challenger (ASX:CGF) produced a mixed earnings result for 2023-24, as assets under management (AUM) grew 21% but statutory net profit fell from the previous year. Challenger said it lifted assets under management to $127.1 billion, from $105 billion a year earlier, while its ‘normalised’ net profit before tax (NPBT) rose 17% to