If they want to use shares to buy a company, then if their shares fall it will make it harder for that takeover to proceed. The market's probably getting a bit of indigestion as regards to the size of the predatory move.
Given the bad blood between Chris and Paul, Pacific National has to be restructured or broken up.
Globally, steel shares are up as some people are pricing in potential takeovers. Consolidation will help shift the balance of power against the raw materials suppliers.
The appeal of these investments is a high and steady yield, rather than their growth opportunities. There's a high element of demand for these assets at the moment.
As traditional revenue from newspapers slows and circulation declines, it's all about expanding your revenue streams to provide growth. You have to have a serious presence on the Internet.
Things are getting tougher in New Zealand. While the rest of the world hasn't really priced in the risks associated with higher interest rates and slower growth, New Zealand's market has started to do so.
Babcock & Brown is certainly trying to be as aggressive as Macquarie Bank.
A lot of share prices are looking pretty rich at these levels, so investors are sticking with the old favorites like the miners.
They have a clear mandate to grow their gaming business but they've also shown that they're not trigger-happy.
At face value, Patrick shares should start higher. The question is whether the new Toll entity gets a re-rating in the market after the acquisition on synergy benefits, or whether debt levels will be a bigger concern.
Stocks are running out of steam. Investors want to invest, but they're running out of ideas with prices at these levels.
It was a good result considering the environment of higher costs being faced by miners.
These types of assets don't come up every day.
It's not always a good thing for Australian stocks when commodities prices go up. I look at the U.S. picture first when I make decisions because the market is so huge and has a global spin-off on stocks.
If you remove the regulatory hurdle it paves the way for Toll to financially engineer how they can complete it. A higher cash component would definitely lure them across the line.
You've got a strong asset with monopoly-like characteristics that is not financially burdened with debt so it has a lot of flexibility to grow the business. There's definitely demand for an investment like this. If it's a good price, we'll certainly try and get a stake.
All traditional media is looking into new areas, trying to see whether they should grow through acquisitions. Fairfax is trying to grow the business at top price.
The earnings reports have spin offs for stocks globally. The U.S. economy is the cornerstone of global growth and aspects of it are worrying.
The market has been running hot for a year or two on these higher commodity prices, but it's not all good. There are repercussions from higher commodities prices as well that investors have yet to take full account of.