The S&P/ASX 200 (Index: ^AXJO) (ASX: XJO) is set for a relatively flat opening today, following a rather mixed night for international equity markets. A gain today would be its ninth-straight session in the black.
Here's a quick recap:
- FTSE 100 (UK): up 0.39%
- DAX (Germany): down 0.04%
- CAC 40 (France): down 0.34%
- Dow Jones (USA): up 0.09%
- NASDAQ (USA): up 0.52%
Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) will be a key focus today after the miner released its second-quarter production results. Pilbara iron ore shipments of 82.2 million tonnes (Mt) were in line with annual guidance of 330Mt and marked a 7% improvement on the quarter immediately prior.
The results may also impact the performance of Rio Tinto's rivals BHP Billiton Limited (ASX: BHP) and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG) during today's session. Investors were disappointed with Fortescue's recent production update, while BHP Billiton will update investors on its own operational results tomorrow.
Later today, high-yield dividend shares such as Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) and Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) could move in either direction based on the meeting minutes from the RBA's July meeting. If there is evidence that suggests the RBA could be swayed to cut interest rates in August, these high-yielding shares could receive a boost.
Meanwhile, AP Eagers Ltd (ASX: APE) said it expects a record profit result for the half-year ended 30 June 2016. It expects net profit before tax (NPBT) to be $67.8 million, an increase of 14% over the prior corresponding period.
In the telco sector, Amaysim Australia Ltd (ASX: AYS) has announced a strategy of entering into the broadband market which will involve the acquisition of Australian Broadband Services Pty Ltd. The company says it is a natural extension of its existing business in the mobile market.
Shareholders of Vmoto Ltd (ASX: VMT) will be pleased to see that group sales were in line with management expectations, with stronger growth forecast in the second-half. The group's shares remain almost 41% lower since the beginning of the year.
Finally, lithium producers General Mining Corp Ltd (ASX: GMM) and Galaxy Resources Limited (ASX: GXY) could also be in focus after the pair upgraded capacity for their Mt Cattlin recommissioning process. They also said they would both have a "substantially increased volume" of both spodumene and tantalum concentrates to sell.
