The S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) fell 0.7% on Wednesday, the second straight negative session, pushed lower by utilities and energy companies, down 2.2% and 2.0%, respectively.
The Federal Budget, which offers little in the way of future spending or policy direction, was broadly in line with expectations, the deficit lower than first predicted and with the Government reiterating its focus on achieving full employment.
Aged care and infrastructure were the ‘winners’ whilst superannuants gained greater flexibility with the work test, contribution caps and downsizer contribution criteria loosened.
The biggest negative was the announcement that global travel is unlikely to commence until mid-2022, with the news sending shares in Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN) down 3.4%.
CBA delivers
The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) was the latest to release a quarterly update, citing strong ‘operational performance’ was behind the near doubling of its third-quarter profit.
The group reported a 24% increase in net profit, overcoming just a 2% increase in revenue as deferred loans and remediation continues to fall; just 4% of deferred mortgages remain under review.
Management highlighted that business lending was growing at three times the level of the broader banking system, whilst home lending was around 10% higher.
Of most relevance to investors were comments around the bank’s increasing capital level, now at 12.7% with the potential for share buy backs ahead. CBA shares bucked the market trend to finish 1.1% higher.
Economic recovery powers CSR
Building product provider CSR Limited (ASX: CSR), which is seeing strong growth on the back of the stay-at-home renovation boom in Australia and the US, jumped 4.2% after delivering another strong quarter.
The group reported a 17% increase in profit to $146.1 million despite a 4% fall in revenue. Earnings also increased by 10%, suggesting a reduction in inventory and production costs may have brought forward a portion of profits.
The group announced a special dividend of 9.5 cents per share following the sale of the Horsley Park property, with the ordinary dividend also increased to 14.5 cents.
Carsales in major acquisition
Carsales.com Ltd (ASX: CAR) shares entered a trading halt on Wednesday after the company announced a $600 million capital raising to fund an opportunistic acquisition of Trader Interactive, an online vehicle marketplace in the US, for US$624 million.
AusNet profit up despite profit fall
Electricity grid owner AusNet Services Ltd (ASX: AST) fell 7.7% after reporting just a 4% increase in net profit for the year to March to $302 million.
The result came despite a 2.7% fall in revenue, with cash flow jumping 17.2% likely due to a reduction in capital and maintenance expenditure during the pandemic.
AusNet cut its dividend, paying 4.5 cents per share, bringing the financial year total to 9.5 cents compared to 10.2 cents in 2020.
ASX 200 today
According to the latest ASX futures, the ASX 200 is set to take another backwards step at the open on Thursday following a negative lead from US markets overnight. To learn more, check out Rask Media’s US stock market report.
The Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) share price will be on watch today as the Kiwi tech company hands in its full-year FY21 results.
