Australian Stock Market Watch

2007 Subprime mortgage financial crisisThe subprime mortgage financial crisis refers to the sharp rise in foreclosures in the subprime mortgage market that began in the United States in 2006 and became a global financial crisis in July 2007. Rising interest rates increased newly-popular adjustable rate mortgages and property values suffered declines from the demise of the housing bubble, leaving home owners unable to meet financial commitments and lenders without a means to recoup their losses.The sharp rise in foreclosures after the housing bubble caused several major subprime mortgage lenders, such as New Century Financial Corporation, to shut down or file for bankruptcy, with some accused of actively encouraging fraudulent income inflation on loan applications, leading to the collapse of stock prices for many in the subprime mortgage industry, and drops in stock prices of some large lenders like Countrywide Financial.[1]Subprime lending is a general term that refers to the practice…

On July 24, Westinghouse Electric signed a deal to build four nuclear reactors in eastern China. The price tag on the deal is $8 billion. This is just one tiny piece of the puzzle. China plans to spend approximately $50 billion to build 30 nuclear reactors by 2020. This will increase its nuclear energy production by 40 gigawatts. That's basically enough power to supply all of Spain with electricity. The growth in the nuclear market has resulted in a very large increase in the demand for yellowcake. I'm not talking about the cake your grandmother brings to your birthday party, either. I am talking about refined uranium (U3O8). The price of uranium has seen a kind of growth second to no other commodity, equity index, or virtually any other investment vehicle available. From 2003 to the present, the spot price of uranium went from $7 to $130 per pound without declining once. That's a 1,700%-plus increase over a five-year span. The Yellowcake is going DownI'm here to tel…

INVESTORS wiped more than $290 million off the value of major gaming companies Tabcorp and Tattersall's today, after the pair warned earnings could be affected by a horse-racing industry shutdown.Smaller rival, online betting firm Centrebet International Ltd also lost value after weekend thoroughbred and harness race meetings were cancelled in a bid to contain an outbreak of highly infectious equine influenza that has rattled the industry. Tabcorp lost $105 million off its market value, Tattersall's shed $177.2 million and Centrebet $7.9 million, as shares in all three tumbled.But the companies signalled that any losses weren't likely to be huge, allowing the stocks to end the day off their lows. Tabcorp's wagering division turnover was cut by $65 million after the weekend races were called off. The company said if the shut down was prolonged to next weekend, the turnover loss would be around $150 million. "This will translate to an adverse impact on Tabcorp…

FIRST-home buyers would receive almost $25,000 in tax breaks over five years – on top of the existing $7000 grant – under a plan to stem the housing affordability crisis if we follow trh e plan of Aussie johns. India  has a policy  for home loans whereby all interest on home loans  is tax deductinle and therefore tax free  which i personally think is a  quite a good policyAussie Home Loans boss John Symond said yesterday he had presented Prime Minister John Howard with a solution to the problem because years of political buck passing had led to inaction at all levels of government. Mr Symond's plan would give first-home buyers a tax deduction of up to $4725 a year for five years on annual home loan interest repayments of $15,000. That equates to a $400 monthly saving, reducing loan repayments from $1900 to $1500 on a $300,000 loan. The maximum benefit would be available for new homes or units worth $200,000 to $500,000. After getting on top of their mortgage repayments, borrowe…

India, Russia may face fight for Aust uranium: industryThe Federal Government has agreed to sell uranium to India once certain conditions are met. (File photo) (ABC TV) Map: Darwin 0800The Australian uranium industry says India and Russia may have to fight hard for Australian uranium exports. The Federal Government has agreed to sell uranium to India once certain conditions are met with a deal also likely with Russia. Australian Uranium Association spokesman Michael Angwin welcomes the expansion of export markets. He says four sets of safeguard agreements will have to be signed before uranium is exported to India. He says given world demand for uranium is going to exceed supply in the next decade, there will be tough competition among importers. "My understanding is that India wouldn't be requiring our uranium at least for half a decade or so," he said. The operator of the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory, Energy Resources of Australia, says there is …

Wednesday, 22 Aug 2007To go straight through to the ONLINE PORTAL version of Marketpulse - CLICK HEREWelcome to another addition of Marketpulse, your FREE weekly investing and trading newsletter dedicated to the Australian share market.This week, we'll discuss the incredible events on global financial markets in our usual Market Wrap. There's certainly plenty to talk about.Of course, investors are probably wondering which stocks are now cheap after the market's correction. We've honed in on one in particular which we feel is trading near bargain prices in our Feature Stock Pick  section.It's times like this that investors must polish up their research skills. This week's Learning Centre  helps you to do just that by analysing key data tables in stock market research reports.The brokers have certainly been busy upgrading and downgrading various stocks. In our Broker Consensus  section, we cover a stock which has been put under the broker spotlight.All the best,A…

Stock market tips for Dummies

How to trade shares to make profit
Investing in the stock market isnt as hard as some make it out to be. But, by the same token, it.s not exactly childs play, either. However, by learning some key concepts, terms and strategies used in marketplace, people can learn the lingo, acquire the skills and develop the instinct needed to effectively buy and sell stocks on the stock market.. There is also a popular book on Amazon - Investing for dummies for people interested in reading a book.
What is the stock market ?

The Stock Market The stock market is an organized system of buying and
selling stocks and shares, and a place in which these transactions take place is called the stock market. The stock market deals with stocks of listed companies. In short, the stock market aims at the overall stocks sold and bought at stock markets. Before investing in the stock market, you need to know how it works. Some people choose to do their buying and selling through a middleman, k…

India  Stock markets , shares , funds on A rapid growth cycleThe world's most populous democracy has jumbo growth prospects. Here's how to invest now. EIGHT YEARS AGO, WHEN BHIM Asdhir started a fund focused on investing in India, he says he had a hard time getting people to listen to his pitch. Today he gives two seminars to investors each week and fields up to 1,000 calls a month from folks interested in putting money in South Asia. "As an investment, it has turned a corner," says Asdhir, CEO of Ontario-based Excel Funds. "Thank you, India." Asdhir isn't the only one singing the praises of the subcontinent. For the 12 months ending March 31, 2005, foreign investment in India was an estimated $13.5 billion. That's on top of $16 billion invested in the same period a year earlier. Private-investment giant Blackstone Group has announced plans to open an office in Mumbai and invest up to $1 billion in India. And the Sensex, the index of the Mumbai st…