Clarence has been tearing his hair out today as his Surface Pro died…not good…attempts to fix it failed and Microsoft is sending yet another one..and then I dropped it..and guess what it worked again…Yes really!!!Tried everything else but dropping it..and that was the thing that worked..love technology..anyway here is the round up…enjoy..I am off for a drink!

Today’s Headlines

• ASX 200 follows US markets higher rising 34 to 5772.
• High 5778 Low 5743. Tight range and light volume.
• Another banking inquiry kicks off in Canberra with ANZ and WBC first to front.
• Financials pushed ahead on APRA win for banks. Wealth managers in focus.
• REITs do well.
• Miners mixed with energy stocks better.
• Retail becalmed. Healthcare in the pink.
• AUD steady at 77.80c
• US futures up 16.
• Asian markets modestly higher with Japan up 0.22% China up 0.28%

STOCK STUFF

Movers and Shakers

• LOV +1.90% continues to feel the love.
• LYC -4.44% profit taking.
• MSB -1.44% eases back despite US broker upgrade.
• ORE -2.63% profit taking.
• MIN -1.78% profit taking.
• BBN +7.22%$ on a business update at Morgans conference.
• XRO +1.07% strong run continues on thin volume.
• BGA +4.11% playing catch up to A2M +%.
• BSL -0.26% under pressure on AGM comments.
• SM1 +6.11% dairy in demand.
• PTM +4.95% sentiment improving ion latest FUM numbers.
• ORA +1.90% after broker upgrade.
• FLT +4.05% after presentation at Morgans conference.
• Speculative stocks of the day: Castle Minerals (CDT) +209.09% after acquiring a 80% interest in an exploration licence at Coolyia 40kms south west of Marble Bar.
• Biggest risers – PPH, BAL, PSI, ASL, PTM and FLT.
• Biggest fallers – BLY, LYC, CLQ, RCR, SGM and AHG.

TODAY

• Ten Network (TEN) – An independent expert’s report from KPMG assessing the value of TEN’s equity says it’s worth between minus $529.2 million and minus $543.7 million.
• Bellamy’s Australia (BAL) +12.03% has agreed to a $66k settlement with ASIC on its continuous disclosure requirements and admitted no liability.
• Pushpay (PPH) +10.66% following news from the company that it had brought forward its US$100m annualised committed monthly revenue (ACMR) to the end of this year. It is now serving 12 of the top 20 and 50 of the top 100 largest churches in the US. It processes over US$2.2bn of annualised monthly payments transaction volume.
• Macquarie has revised its forecast commodity price assumptions. Aluminium has been upgraded 4-8% due to capacity closures in China; copper upgraded 10% on widening deficits for FY18 and FY19. Alumina and manganese have been upgraded 10%, and 5% for iron ore. Biggest upgrades came for battery ion components – lithium, nickel and cobalt. Up 20-50%. The revisions see upgrades to the likes of WSA, SGM, SAR, RRL and IGO; and downgrades for NHC, ORE AND PRU.
• Baby Bunting (BBN) -7.22% a disappointing trading update with a forecast for EBITDA of $25.3m to $27m representing growth of 10% to 17%. 7 new stores to be opened.
• ANZ +0.44% chief Shayne Elliott said it has been “prudent to tighten home loan standards and encourage customers to pay down debt at a faster rate”.
• Westpac (WBC) +0.71% chief Brian Hartzer said at the inquiry Westpac is actively reviewing all its products, processes and policies under its “Get it right, put it right” program.

ECONOMIC NEWS

• A survey of 1,200 people by the Melbourne Institute and Westpac Bank found consumer sentiment climbed 3.6% in October, on top of a 2.5% rise the month before.
• The outlook on the economy improved markedly with the index for the next 12 months up 7.1%, and that for the next five years rising 1.4%.
• Foreign buyers are acquiring about a quarter of new housing supply in New South Wales, and China accounts for about 90% of that demand, according to Credit Suisse Group AG analysis of tax office data. Foreigners are buying 17% of new housing in Victoria, and 8% in Queensland, Credit Suisse said.

• Global growth is projected to rise to 3.6% in 2017 and 3.7% in 2018, marking an improvement of 0.1% on the April forecast from the IMF. The outlook for emerging markets was also very positive, with expectations for a 4.6% acceleration in growth in 2017, and 4.9% in 2018, largely driven by China’s economy.

BOND MARKETS

ASIAN MARKETS 

• The Kobe Steel disclosures that have rocked industrial Japan deepened on Wednesday as the steelmaker said its falsification of product data extended beyond copper and aluminum with incorrect information found on iron powder.One estimate from JPMorgan Securities put the potential cost of replacing the copper and aluminum parts at about 15 billion yen (US$133 million). Kobe was down 17% at one stage.
• In the Philippines, President Duterte has a solution for retail malaise. Tax reform. He is giving consumers back US17bn in tax cuts in the next five years. Philippine retailers have beaten the index by 23% this year. Maybe that is the answer here.
• Great Wall shares had a string day in Hong Kong on rumours of a JV with BMW. Up 14% at one stage.

EUROPE AND US MORNING HEADLINES

• FOMC Minutes released 2pm in NY.
• Worldwide PC shipments fell for the 12th consecutive quarter amid weakness in the US market.
• Two senior US Navy officers have been relieved of their duties after investigators found the deadly collision between a US warship and an oil tanker near Singapore in August was “preventable”.
• More to come on Spain and UK leadership in coming days no doubt. Not that anyone seems concerned.

And finally………….

An embarrassed husband eventually went to his doctor and told him that he had trouble getting an erection, which was causing problems of dissatisfaction with his wife.

The doctor checked his blood pressure and other vitals, all seemed fine.

After a thorough examination he said he would like to check with the wife, so her husband popped home and came back with her.

When she arrived, the doctor took her to another cubicle and asked her to undress. Then he told her to turn all the way around slowly. She did as instructed.  He then told her to raise her arms above her head and turn around again.  He than asked her to bend right over, try to touch her toes and cough. Finally he said, “OK, good – thanks. You can get dressed now please”.

The doctor went back to the other cubicle and said to the husband, “Well, you can relax, there is absolutely nothing at all wrong with you. I couldn’t get an erection either.”

Clarence