Insights

The strategic agreement with Beckman Coulter is a good step forward in commercialising its molecular diagnostic tests and becoming profitable.

We review our recommendations for the three companies following their half-year results.

The world-class diesel engine manufacturer is statistically cheap, based on historical and forecast valuation metrics.

This week we look at Macquarie Group, Regis Resources, Ardent Leisure, Myer and Acrux.

The iconic recently re-listed electronic retailer is a bargain at current prices.

Whether it's about forex movements versus earnings expectations, Japanese and European QE versus US Fed hikes, the net impact of lower oil prices between producers and consumers, temporary or structural deflation, whether to rein in government deficits slowly or quickly and whether the Apple new watch's 18 hour battery life is enough in a 24 hour time system, investor uncertainty is on the rise.

Two Friday the 13th's in a row, and the "ides" of March thrown in for good measure, not a good few weeks for the superstitious perhaps, and equities generally have certainly seen a pickup in volatility, while US equities have sold off. According to the 'noise markets' this is all about concerns over when the Fed will tighten. More likely it is a combination of market mechanics, as it usually is.

Contrary to claims that a strong US dollar is tightening liquidity conditions, six-month growth of global* real narrow money appears to have risen further in February, suggesting solid second-half economic prospects.

The weak lead from US markets together with Friday's sharp drop in oil prices will see a soft tone set for the opening of this week's trading on the local stock market.

For investors focused on geopolitical risk, few equities markets in the world appear as unattractive as Russia's. For starters, the oil exporter has been one of the hardest hit nations on the planet by the sharp drop in crude prices. But when no one else is buying, there is often opportunity.

The currency market can often feel like a brewing storm. For Australian investors with overseas holdings, currency fluctuations are a significant source of concern, and potentially, rewards. In this article, Scott Fletcher outlines why and how investors can manage currency risks in their investment portfolios.

India requires a series of major structural reforms to realise its economic potential. If these are achieved then India could follow in China's footsteps as the most dynamic emerging market economy.

The stock market looks likely to open on a firm footing this morning after a big rally in US markets. The early response of the Australian market to the big US move may be restrained by the fact that Asian markets had a significant rally yesterday, meaning the US was to some extent playing catch up.

I allocate up to 20-25% of my portfolio to cyclical stocks when markets are extremely risk averse. When investors expect tough times ahead and cyclical stocks tend to get beaten down, those stocks usually trade at very cheap multiples. I prefer to look at price-to-book valuations, as estimating book values for cyclical stocks is easier than estimating earnings.

On the surface, everything in the equity world appears lustrous. So far this year, global equities are up by around 4% in aggregate and the best-performing regions, notably Europe and Japan, have risen by at least twice as much. But scratch beneath this gleaming facade, and the picture becomes a bit less alluring.

The stock market looks set for a steady open this morning while investors wait on the Asian markets and local employment data to provide direction.