Shares of Austal are shown to fall by nearly 14.4% to A$1.910, reflecting a likelihood of their worst performing day since July 26 if the trend continues.

The international shipbuilder and defense prime contractor recently reported its half-yearly revenue of A$717.7 million ($470.67 million) which is lower compared to the A$775.0 million recorded in the year prior.

Furthermore, Austal stated that no dividend was sanctioned for this timeframe.

The stock seems to be steering towards a second consecutive session of losses, if it continues on its current path.

However, the stock noted an almost 10% increase in value within this year up to the last close.

Austal (ASX:ASB) is a global shipbuilder and defense prime contractor.

Suffering a fall as significant as 7.7% to A$0.120, Global Uranium and Enrichment (ASX:GUE) is facing its worst day since February 13, if the loss persists.

The company, which specializes in uranium exploration, has announced a hefty A$6.15 million placement in order to finance upcoming drill programs.

The issue price of A$0.115 reveals an 8% discount to the stock’s last closing price.

If the trend remains consistent, the stock may face its fourth consecutive weekly loss.

At its last closure, GUE stock was up 32.7% for the year.

Global Uranium and Enrichment is a uranium explorer based in Australia.

Analysts at Citi have increased their earnings estimate and price target for Australian fashion retailer Universal Store Holdings (ASX:UNI) based on better-than-expected sales predictions and robust cost management.

The brokerage has upped its FY24-FY26 NPAT estimates for Universal Store by 2% to 6%.

Additionally, it has revised the price target up to A$5.30 from A$3.93 while maintaining a ‘buy’ rating.

Projections estimate positive like-for-like sales of 3% and 10% for Universal Store and Perfect Stranger respectively in the second half of 2024.

Among the ten analysts covering the stock, eight rate it ‘buy’ or higher, two maintain a ‘hold’ stance, and none suggest ‘sell’ or lower.

Their median price target is A$4.70.

Universal Store has seen an 8.7% upswing year-to-date, as of the last close.

Universal Store Holdings (ASX:UNI) is a leading Australian fashion retailer.

Citi has reaffirmed its ‘buy’ rating for Service Stream (ASX:SSM), increasing the stock’s target price to A$1.20 from its previous target of A$1.15.

Following this adjustment, the company’s shares experienced an elevation of 5.8% on Thursday.

The brokerage firm maintains its expectation that fiscal year 2024 will be a milestone for Service Stream, courtesy of an improved balance sheet, group optimization benefits, and potential penetration into contiguous markets, which affirm the voice of confidence from Service Stream.

Besides, transport is readjusted in the first half and is set for further growth just due to seasonality in terms of O&M agreements as stated by Citi.

Five out of six analysts rate the stock ‘buy’ or higher, and one gave a ‘hold’ rating; their median target price stands at A$1.12 according to LSEG data.

So far, Service Stream’s stock has risen approximately 4% in this year-to-date.

Service Stream (ASX:SSM) is a network services company providing a complete, end-to-end solution for customers in the telecommunications and utilities sectors.

Nvidia’s impressive AI-related results have instigated a wave of record highs in equity markets across the globe, leading to markets in Japan reaching their first new high since 1989.

Additionally, bond yields largely increased as economic data quelled immediate hopes of interest rate cuts.

The benchmark S&P 500 index, along with the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Wall Street and Europe’s pan-regional STOXX 600 index, achieved new record highs, spurred by a surge of 15.4% in Nvidia’s shares, which additionally boosted AI-related chip stocks globally.

Nvidia (NVDA) is an American multinational technology company known for its work in the design of graphics processing units that are used in computers.

Growthpoint Properties Australia (ASX:GOZ) has been awarded a ‘buy’ rating by Citi, who has set a price target of A$2.70.

The shares for Growthpoint Properties Australia ended 0.4% higher on Thursday.

Brokerages have indicated a share price discount to net tangible assets of 40% and FY24E dividend yield of 8.5% provides a value underpin.

The company’s gearing, however, remains higher than its peers at 38.5%.

The firm’s FY24 distribution guidance is at 19.3 cps which aligns with Citi and VA consensus expectations.

Amid global doubts about office fundamentals, investors favor differentiation based on quality and location, which might mean greater discounts to NTA for exposed shares until sentiment becomes more positive, according to Citi.

Out of five analysts, three rate the stock as ‘buy’ or higher, and two have a ‘hold’ status.

Their median price target is A$2.70, as per LSEG data.

The stock is down approximately 2% year-to-date.

Growthpoint Properties Australia is a property investment company specialising in commercial real estate within Australia.

Brokerage firm Morningstar states that shares of Australia’s Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals (ASX:CUV) remain undervalued, despite lower-than-projected revenue growth in the first half of the fiscal year.

Claiming a firm belief in its AUD 18 fair value estimate, they insist that the stock still presents a good value proposition.

Furthermore, Morningstar suggests that the market might be underestimating potential new streams of earnings for Clinuvel.

They have forecasted the company’s combined market share across Europe and the U.S.

to reach 37% by fiscal year 2033, up from an estimated 13% in fiscal year 2023.

According to data from the London Stock Exchange, all five analysts who cover the firm have given it a ‘buy’ rating or higher, with a median price target of A$22.25.

Despite these positive predictors, Clinuvel’s share price has fallen 10.5% year-to-date as of its last close.

Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals is an Australian biopharmaceutical company involved in the research, development and sales of treatments for various severe skin disorders.

Financial service company Morningstar has revised its fair value estimate for Australian construction materials maker CSR (ASX:CSR).

The adjustment, which brings the estimate to A$8.75 per share, follows a non-binding takeover offer for CSR.

This proposal came from France’s Saint Gobain and places a value of A$4.30 billion ($2.82 billion) on the company.

CSR has decided to pursue this offer.

Morningstar attributes this revision primarily to a reassessment of the outlook for CSR’s building products division.

This sector contributes nearly 90% of the group’s operating earnings.

The financial services firm believes there is a 75% chance of the deal’s successful completion.

Moreover, they remain optimistic about the long-term profitability of the business.

The uncertainty rating for the stock is set at ‘medium’.

According to LSEG data, two out of 13 analysts give the stock a ‘buy’ or higher rating, nine recommend a ‘hold’, and two advise ‘sell’ or lower; their median price target stands at A$6.60.

The stock has seen a rise of roughly 26.7% this year up to the most recent closing.

CSR (ASX:CSR) is a leading construction materials company headquartered in Australia.

Higher interest rates are subtly making their way into consideration among company leaders.

Even as the U.S.

Federal Reserve is expected to ease its policy in the near future and provide less expensive capital, growing corporate borrowing expenses are unavoidable.

To make ends meet, firms may be left seeking savings in other area.

Stock buybacks, new initiatives, and cash-funded acquisitions are particularly at risk.

The main and most serious implications of 11 quick successive increases in the U.S.

federal funds rate have primarily been absorbed by the financial system.

The evidence of new highs in the S&P 500 Index this year attests to diminishing worries.

However, this newfound optimism overlooks the subtle impacts likely to last for years.

As companies consistently refinance their debt, inevitably at higher costs, many will face tough decisions.

Business balance sheets are generally healthy.

Many CFOs utilized the chance given during the pandemic, and sometimes even earlier, to secure ultra-low rates and extend the maturity of their debt.

Companies with higher credit ratings accomplished this more effortlessly than their weaker counterparts, but such efforts were widespread.

For example, Comcast (ASX:CMCSA), with nearly $88 billion of net debt making it one of the world’s biggest corporate borrowers, is notable.

The company’s president, Michael Cavanagh, has boasted about the American cable provider’s ability to refinance about 40% of its liabilities since 2018.

He informed investors that lengthening the average maturity by four years to a total of 17 years at a mostly fixed 3.6% cost should set it at a substantial advantage compared to telecommunications industry competitors such as Verizon (ASX:VZ) and AT&T (ASX:T).

BHP (ASX:BHP) is an international Australian mining company.

Decarbonization Partners, led by an investor coalition that includes BlackRock and Temasek, spearheads a series B funding round for thermal battery manufacturer Antora Energy.

The funding round, which amassed a total of $150 million, aims to aid Antora in its pursuit of reducing the industry’s carbon emissions.

Other investors in the round include Emerson Collective and GS Futures.

BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, and Singapore’s state investment company, Temasek, make up the partnership known as Decarbonization Partners.

Antora plans to use the additional capital to expand its battery production, which are blocks of solid carbon heated with renewable energy.

The energy generated from these batteries could prove vital in industries that require heat to convert raw materials, such as the chemical and concrete sectors.

To minimize fossil fuel usage and thereby reduce carbon emissions, Antora or its customers could purchase renewable energy when prices are lowest during the day to heat the batteries to temperatures as high as 2,400 degrees Celsius.

Customers could then distribute that heat throughout the day.

According to Antora’s co-founder and CEO Andrew Ponec, the thermal battery in combination with low-cost renewable energy offers the first viable solution to decarbonize industrial emissions in a manner that can compete with fossil fuels economically.

The heat can also be converted into electricity using thermophotovoltaic technology developed by California-based Antora.

Another California-based startup, Rondo Energy, also uses bricks to retain heat for later use in a similar concept, having raised $85 million in funding.

The pitch book data for 2023 shows that Antora’s fundraise makes it the sixth largest Series B climate technology round.

Since its Series A launch in 2022, the total funding for the company has reached $230 million.

Despite a slight decrease in the median raise for a climate tech Series B to $28 million in 2023, the number and cumulative deal value of venture capital climate tech deals have decreased by about a quarter.

Antora Energy (ASX:BHP) is a California-based thermal battery manufacturer aiming to cut industrial carbon emissions using blocks of solid carbon heated with renewable energy.