Building Material & Const

Orica offshoot DuluxGroup offers value according to both UBS and Macquarie, both brokers initiating coverage this week with Buy ratings.

A glance through the latest expert views and predictions about commodities with Barclays still bullish on tin, steel’s outlook improving and who may deliver a quarterly production report surprise among Oz resource plays.

A snapshot of economist responses to today’s as expected Australian retail sales and weaker than expected building approvals data for May.

A glance through the latest expert views and predictions about commodities, with Macquarie positive on coal, BA Merrill Lynch seeing upside on coal service stocks and JP Morgan updating post a tour of Oz steel assets in the US.

According to CommSec the latest Australian jobs growth data showed the mining, construction and transport sectors have returned as the primary drivers of the Australian economy.

The minutes from the June RBA meeting, released today, show what we all knew already: the RBA is now firmly on hold.

A snapshot of economist responses to today’s Australian housing finance data for April.

UBS has made minor changes to its model portfolio to reflect May market action, while RBS has identified potential ASX100 earnings surprises in August’s reporting season.

The RBA was never going to change last month’s rate, but a surge in April retail sales and a plunge in building approvals did surprise economists.

Investors are currently nervous and FY11 earnings estimates may be too high but Citi still sees value in equities at current levels, while GSJB Were outlines its current preferences.