The S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) managed another strong opening, gaining 0.4% on Monday, ahead of the summer holiday slowdown that typically occurs.
The energy, mining and real estate sectors were the biggest contributors to the rally with Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) gaining 5.6%, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) up 2.7% and Santa Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) jumping 5.7%.
Healthcare and financials were the largest detractors due to their size, falling 0.3%.
Shares in BHP benefitted from a surge in the iron ore price even as the Twiggy Forrest-backed Wyloo Metals trumped their offer for Canadian Noront Resources by 47%.
Charter Hall’s upgrade
Charter Hall continued to surge after the company released independent valuation updates for a vast portion of its property portfolio, which were $3.5 billion higher than the balance sheet showed.
This will see the value of its property assets under management increase to $61.3 billion along with a likely increase in performance fees, with earnings now expected to be no less than $1.05 per share.
Brickworks shows strength
Meanwhile, Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW) delivered a similarly strong update, confirming it expects to report record property earnings in the first half, between $290 and $310 million as its pivot to industrial logistics pays off. Brickworks shares finished the day nearly 3% higher.
Johns Lyng share price soars
Shares in outsourced building services company Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) surged 16.8% after leaving a trading halt and confirming it had completed a $221 million institutional raising to acquire Reconstruction Experts, a specialist US group.
Origin’s Octopus investment keeps rising
Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) gained 1% after it was announced the Canadian Pension Plan Investments Board, known as CPPIB, had acquired a 6% stake in Octopus Energy, the renewable energy-focused company that Origin backed in 2020.
The raising values the company at triple the price Origin paid as the unique technology gains traction across the world. Origin has flagged a potential further investment of up to $185 million in Octopus.
Ramsay buys into mental health
Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) is returning to its roots, having begun as a single mental health facility in Australia, with the $1.4 billion acquisition of Elysium Healthcare, a British mental health provider backed by private equity.
Unfortunately, mental health issues and referrals continue to grow around the world, with reports as many as 75% of Britons with mental illness go untreated.
Management will seek to invest in building more scale for what is a fast-growing and much-needed part of the market is. Ramsay shares fell 0.9%.
Finally, CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) confirmed it is in discussions for the acquisition of Vifor Pharma, a Swiss-based producer of iron and other treatments, after rumours swirled last week.
ASX 200 today
Looking ahead, the ASX 200 is set to fall when the market opens this morning, following a negative lead from US markets overnight. All three US benchmarks finished in the red, with the Nasdaq faring the worst as it dropped 1.4%. To find out more, check out my US stock market report.
