Daily FNArena News - Australia

Despite the obvious dampening of takeover enthusiasm these days, Southern Cross Equities suggests Cochlear should be quite attractive to a multinational medical company.

Coles managed to post what more than one broker described as an “alarming” food & liquor result, despite already weak expectations. Does it still matter?

Austock Securities expects further consolidation among companies in the agricultural sector and has run through its views on the major players.

We may have seen the best in terms of economic growth in Australia, the latest Leading Index by Westpac-MI suggests.

In response to an ASX query, Sims group has cut first quarter profit guidance.

Guilt by association saw Macquarie’s share price fall by as much as 40% as the credit crunch hit, but a bemused investment conglomerate has countered with guidance of a 40% increase in first half profits.

ABN Amro’s warrants team expects Zinifex to continue its history of performing well around dividend time and sees the upcoming 70c payout as a prime dividend stripping opportunity.

Following a better than expected profit result Just Group has guided to 10% earnings growth through to FY10, the earnings certainty likely to prompt a re-rating for the stock according to ABN Amro.

The near 30% price fall in Allco Finance Group shares since Mid-March is overdone according to Intersuisse, the broker rating the stock as a strong Buy at current levels.

The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment rose to 115.7 in September from 111.1 in August.