Consumer Staples

Digital payments & banks; tough calls for insurers; foreigners & Oz housing; miner equity raising & exploration activity; and grocery prices.

Wesfarmers takes provisions in FY14 results while brokers home in on potential capital returns.

Metcash is forging ahead with its transformation strategy but brokers observe it is hard going.

Michael Gable of Fairmont Equities sees a positive technical pattern emerging fpr Woolworths shares.

Oz retailer risks; Coles and liquor; Morgan Stanley turns defensive; media winners; commercial property credit.

Major supermarket chains Woolworths and Coles are aggressively rolling out stores. Brokers ask whether this is a good strategy.

Tax loss selling; asset managers and banks; M&A and asset divestment; Optus’ mobile plans; and the outlook for retailers.

AUD strength; Wesfarmers versus Woolworths; pharmaceutical stocks evaluated; Genworth plans Oz IPO.

The Chartist reports Woolworths has broken up on the chart but has left a gap, which suggests caution before any further bullishness.

Following the sale of the last of Wesfarmers’ insurance business, brokers speculate as to whether the proceeds will be used to fund acquisitions, or shareholder returns, or possibly both.