Equities
We have written extensively in the past on the benefits of merging Bendigo and Adelaide Bank (ASX:BEN) and Suncorp Bank (ASX:SUN). However, we believe it is also worth considering HSBC Australia as a potential and unconventional suitor for SUN Bank. This is based on the former’s greater acquisition firepower and... Show More
Equities
I recently went to New Zealand to research the Financial sector. I was visiting banks and insurance companies, as well as seeing the regulators and getting insights into the NZ economy more broadly. Many Australian financial companies own material NZ based businesses, so it is important to keep on top... Show More
Equities
Interest rates around the world, including Australia, have been falling recently. Where conventional wisdom one year ago was for rising rates, now expectations have factored in domestic rate cuts and falling yields over the next 3 years. Aussie 10-year government bonds are at all-time lows standing at 1.75%. This change... Show More
We recap some of the profit reporting season highlights from the past week including Macquarie Group, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Suncorp Group and JB Hi-Fi. Full reports are available below via links. Show More
Volatility at the stock level was alive and well today with some big swings in companies that reported results….Breville (ASX:BRG) a cracking set of numbers and the stock reacted accordingly while the woes at AMP continue. Nothing to like about the stock here and a classic example of the old... Show More
Equities
Livewire readers submitted ~2500 stock tips in a survey we ran at the start of the year. We published the ’10 most tipped stocks’ and ’10 more of the most tipped’ off the back of the results. However, in this wire, we put our contrarian heads on and ask: ‘Which... Show More
Equities
The hail storm that hit Sydney late last year made a lot of headlines, but has not changed our fundamental view that insurance is an attractive sector in the current environment. Losses from weather events are part and parcel of running an insurance business. While they introduce profit volatility and... Show More
"Market conditions are not expected to improve in the short term. Listings may be weaker in the lead up to the NSW election in March, while the impact of the Federal election is harder to predict." Show More
In a video filmed with Livewire this time last year, we believed stock prices had been moved more by macro events than by individual outlooks, resulting in fertile ground for stock pickers. One such stock was Macquarie Group (ASX: MQG). Since then, the stock has risen by 35%, and Livewire... Show More
One of my all-time favourite movie scenes is when Woody Allen stands in the queue in Annie Hall (1977) and he ends up having a discussion with the loudmouth academic behind him who professes to know everything there is to know about Marshall McLuhan. Show More