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Australian shares are expected to open flat following a slightly negative lead from Wall Street, while the local currency tumbled as the greenback firmed on US GDP data.

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Multinational hospital operator Ramsay Health Care says it is on track to meet full-year guidance after lifting first-half profit 9.6pc to $270.4m.

Low European interest rates and French public transport strikes in 2018 drove 5 per cent year-on-year earnings growth for global toll roads operator Atlas Arteria.

Building firm Adelaide Brighton has reported a slight increase in full-year profit and predicts demand for construction materials will remain stable despite a residential sector decline.

Harvey Norman has barely lifted first-half profit on weak sales at home, but the company's overseas ventures, which now account for a quarter of its business, have shone. 

First-half profit for Kiwi classified website Trade Me has fallen 5 per cent because of a costly writedown linked to a multi-billion dollar buyout offer from a British private equity firm. 

A shift away from coal mining by the majors was a key feature of fiscal 2018 and is reflected in Rio Tinto's 2pc jump in full-year earnings.

There were big moves in the share prices of several entertainment companies during the interim reporting season. 

Australia's biggest miner Rio Tinto has reported its highest annual underlying earnings since 2014, beating market expectations on robust commodity prices.

Construction work done across Australia fell further than expected during the December quarter, adding further pessimism to the nation's economic outlook.

Australian shares are expected to open slightly higher despite a negative lead from Wall Street overnight.

Ainsworth Game Technology has suffered a 45pc fall in first-half profit, a result largely expected, as fierce competition in the domestic market bites.

Dual-listed Kiwi electricity generator and retailer Genesis Energy has posted a softer first half, with revenue down 1.5pc, as planned outages crimped an improved retail performance.

Vocus Group will back away from growing its share of the consumer NBN market, describing the service as 'challenging' and 'economically unattractive'.

The vitamin maker has given no reason for the sudden departure of its chief executive, Richard Henfrey, who has resigned after 18 months in the job.

BlueScope Steel may have posted a record first-half result, but it will be hard to sustain the momentum, warns Morningstar analyst Mathew Hodge.

Australian shares are expected to open higher following the previous day's broad falls.

Caltex has reported $558 million in NPAT for fiscal 2018, slightly ahead of guidance but down 10 per cent on the prior year, as regional refiner margins and fuel prices bite.

Spark Infrastructure has met its earnings expectations, sending shares up 2 per cent in early trade, but the utility investor warns shareholders it faces a growing tax burden. 

Waste manager Bingo Industries has confirmed a half-year earnings hit as the nation's property downturn sends ripples through the building industry.

Global construction and property powerhouse Lendlease has posted a 96pc fall in first-half earnings following a $1bn impairment bill including losses on three key motorway projects. 

Former Blackmores chairman Marcus Blackmore says it was mutually agreed that CEO Richard Henfrey should resign because the vitamin maker needed a transformation.

Vietnam's economy is growing and Asian fund managers are bullish on the country's prospects. We assess the opportunities.

As the federal election looms, our look at franking credits dominated coverage last week, followed by the market reaction to Telstra's profit fall and the impact of the Hayne final report on SMSFs.

Australian shares are expected to open lower despite a positive lead from Wall Street overnight.

Packaging manufacturer Pact Group reported a $320 million loss last week, which saw the share price plummet almost 10 per cent as investors baulked at the company's promise of cost savings. 

Weakening residential construction activity dampened Boral's profits for the half-year ending 31 December 2018, but infrastructure projects will provide some relief says Morningstar.

A plunge in catastrophe claims and restructuring advances have helped QBE return to profit and boosted its share price by almost 4 per cent.

A boost in occupancy rates is a sign that G8 Education may have seen the worst of a glut of childcare centres, says Morningstar.

The number of Australian company IPOs is tipped to fall in the first-half of calendar 2019, for reasons that include ongoing US-China uncertainty, Brexit and the banking royal commission.

US and Chinese negotiators have met for a fifth straight day as the two sides race against a March 1 deadline to reach agreement and prevent a further escalation in their trade war.

Australian shares are expected to open slightly higher after positive leads from overseas at the end of last week.

Nine shares have surged after the entertainment giant posted a $140 million first-half post-merger profit and said streaming service Stan would soon be making money.

Automotive Holdings Group has skidded to a first-half loss, scrapping its dividend and cutting its guidance.

Platinum Asset Management has booked a 27 per cent fall in first-half profit, dragged down by the global equity rout of late-2018 and a plunge in performance fees.

Australia's largest funeral provider InvoCare is trading more than 8 per cent higher despite a dip in revenue linked to a milder winter and effective flu vaccinations.

Morningstar's Regional Director of Equity Research Australia & New Zealand, Adam Fleck, discusses the companies that make up the monthly Best Ideas list.

Customs at China's northern Dalian port has reportedly banned imports of Australian coal and will cap overall coal imports for 2019 through its harbours at 12 million tonnes.

Australian shares are expected to open higher after Wall Street rose on the Fed's minutes while local investors await another day of earnings results.

Continued growth in passenger numbers, albeit at a slower rate, underpinned a predictably solid fiscal 2018 result for Sydney Airport, says Morningstar's Adam Fleck.

Property developer Stockland booked a 6.7 per cent drop in funds from operations for the half due to flagging house prices and a sub-par retail performance but bright spots remain, says Morningstar.

A 10pc hike in Qantas's fuel bill has hit the national carrier's bottom line, but overall revenue has risen 5.8pc to $9.2bn.

The federal government has rejected calls to rethink its defence of coal after Australia's biggest producer capped output to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, in a victory for the anti-coal lobby.

The Star Entertainment Group's first-half profit dipped 2.4 per cent to $123.8 million after more of its high-stakes gamblers cashed out early.

Coca-Cola Amatil has posted a 6.5 per cent decline in full-year net profit, dragged down by new state recycling schemes and challenges abroad.

IOOF Holdings may have posted a 6pc rise in first-half profit but the result is overshadowed by uncertainty around its acquisition of OnePath, says Morningstar. 

Morningstar has cut its full-year profit expectations and copper production outlook for BHP, in response to a weaker-than-expected 1H 2019 earnings result.

Australian shares are expected to open higher after Wall Street rose on the Fed's minutes while local investors await another day of earnings results.

Dual-listed Fletcher Building posted NZ$89m in net earnings for 1H fiscal 2019, up from a loss of NZ$273m a year earlier, even amid weakening Aussie house prices. 

As margin pressures keep profits flat for supermarket giants Woolworths and Coles, the market is gradually realising their share prices are too high, says Morningstar’s Johannes Faul.

The share sell-off following Woolworth's disappointing half-year result today is a realisation that lower food retail margins are here to stay, says Morningstar.

Australian tech darling WiseTech Global delivered a 48 per cent jump in net profit for the first half and a slight upgrade to revenue forecasts, but Morningstar remains bearish on the stock.

Casino operator Crown Resorts has had a strong number of punters through its doors but they're spending less on average, which has resulted in a soft rise in first-half profit.

Flight Centre will hand $211 million back to shareholders through a special dividend despite reporting a 17 per cent dip in first-half profit.

Higher wages and marketing costs have taken a slice out of Domino's first-half balance sheet, with a poor performance by local stores contributing to a 9.2pc slide in net profit.

Higher commodity prices delivered welcome profit boosts to iron ore producer Fortescue and coal miners South32 and Whitehaven as they delivered half-yearly results this week, dampened slightly by rising costs.

Dual-lister A2 Milk has reported a more than 50 per cent jump in half-year net profit, as the company expanded market share in China despite slowing demand there.

Australian shares are expected to open higher after a positive lead from Wall Street overnight.

BHP Group says its first-half profit fell 8 per cent because of production disruptions and a decline in commodity prices during the period.

Shares in vitamins maker Blackmores have plunged following an 11 per cent fall in sales to key market China and warnings of further falls. 

Hearing implant company Cochlear says its profits have risen 16 per cent to $128.6 million, but its shares have plunged after it said its growth in US and Europe has slowed.

Unconstrained bond strategies can outperform traditional fixed income in rising rate environments but the full story is more nuanced, says Morningstar’s Tim Wong. 

Ageing supermarkets and a sluggish response to modern shopping habits have led to slow sales growth at Australia's second-largest food retailer.

Stringent cost-cutting failed to offset Seven West Media's fall in ad revenue as the free-to-air broadcaster booked a 13.8pc in half-year net profit and reduced its earnings forecast. 

The early negative market reaction to Cochlear's half-yearly result is overdone and ignores solid growth in hearing implant upgrades, says Morningstar.

Oil Search has posted a 13pc rise in annual profit, boosted by higher prices for its LNG and oil, which offset a loss of output after an earthquake in Papua New Guinea early in 2018.

Australian shares are expected to open flat after finishing slightly higher on the previous day.

Renewing fee arrangements, disclosures on lack of independence and a crackdown on hawking are among some of the recommendations that affect self-managed super funds. 

Describing China's A share market as 'a stock pickers' paradise,' T Rowe Price's Eric Moffett is among a cohort of professional investors rushing to identify the best opportunities.

Global logistics giant Brambles is on track for increased margins in the longer term despite posting a 3 per cent dip in underlying profit, says Morningstar.

Health insurer nib has posted a 5 per cent jump in first-half profit to $74.5 million, though it expects seasonal second-half headwinds.

Global industrial and medical glove maker Ansell is trading higher after raising its earnings guidance and posting a slight rise in first-half profit.

Medical centre operator Healius says a "benign" winter flu season and paybacks from a long-running pay dispute have sapped its first-half result, but Morningstar expects conditions to improve. 

Netwealth's 7 per cent share price jump following its first-half result is a sign the market is underestimating the threat of rising competition, says Morningstar. 

Does poor stewardship mean a company is worth avoiding? Not necessarily, reveals Glenn Freeman in this week's top ten stories, which also include an overview of franking credits, and a look at what Telstra's result means.

A positive open is tipped for the Australian share market on the back of encouraging trade talks between the US and China.

Political and regulatory risk mean investors should brace for a tougher second-half to fiscal 2019, even as results for first half earnings season so far have been largely positive and met expectations. 

Investors may have a small window of opportunity to reduce holdings in Healthscope ahead of the finalised acquisition by Canadian asset manager Brookfield, says Morningstar.

Gold miner Newcrest reported $237m net profit and quashed rumours it is on the buyout and acquisition trail during its results briefing for first half 2019.

A drop in listings in Sydney and Melbourne has weighed on Domain's first-half profit but Morningstar says a boost in premium product sales helped the property classifieds business deliver a slightly better than expected result. 

Medibank Private hopes to snap up smaller rivals if they struggle to cope with premium increase limits planned by Labor if it wins this year's federal election.

Beleaguered wealth manager AMP faces a world of Hayne-related pain for years to come, says Morningstar, as customers desert its superannuation funds and the threat of court action mounts.

Statistics reveal that some active managers are simply following an index and charging fees for services they don't deliver, writes Van Eck's Arian Neiron.

Woodside's 32 per cent profit lift for the first half 2019 included a surprise dividend hike, ahead of potential franking changes after the looming federal election. 

Global fund manager Magellan's retail product mix and strong brand have helped it weather the Hayne inquiry storm better than some finance sector peers, says Morningstar.

Australian shares are expected to open flat after a mixed lead from overseas.

A $60 million cost blowout in the wake of the Hayne inquiry and a $200 million reinsurance bill led Suncorp to the year-on-year interim profit slump.

Franking credits are back in the news - but what are they and how do they impact your investment returns?

Critics of Telstra's 1H19 earnings result ignore the positive signs on its crucial NBN-proofing and other measures to help secure long-term earnings, says Morningstar's Brian Han.

The market reaction to Telstra's reported 28 per cent dip in profit and lower dividend for the first-half of 2019 is overdone and ignores the impressive growth in mobile customers, says Morningstar.

Treasury Wine Estates has raised a glass to shareholders, upping its interim dividend following a 15.1 per cent lift in first-half profit to $201.1m.

Contrasting interim profit results from these two financial companies highlight the severe damage Hayne's royal commission findings inflicted on AMP.

The market reaction to Telstra's reported 28 per cent dip in profits and lower dividend for the first-half of 2019 ignores the impressive growth in mobile customers, says Morningstar.

Australian shares are expected to open flat despite a positive lead from Wall Street overnight.

Carsales.com has booked an 82pc fall in net profit after tax for first-half 2019, chiefly because of an anticipated $48m impairment of its stake in Stratton Finance.

Diversification is your best bet to minimise losses during a downturn rather than expecting an active equity fund to turn defensive, says Morningstar's Russ Kinnel.

Pharmaceutical giant CSL has lifted first-half profit 6.8 per cent to $US1.16bn ($1.63bn), helped by increased drug sales in the US.

Suncorp's first-half profit has almost halved to $250 million, with the financial services provider citing the impact of natural hazards, volatile investment markets and regulatory costs.

British American Tobacco and German food-processing equipment maker GEA Group are among some of Morningstar's best European picks, and offer discounts of up to 40 per cent.

National Australia Bank economists have conceded the possibility of a cut in official interest rates before the end of 2019, reversing their earlier stance of a rate rise in late 2020.

Australian shares are expected to open higher after stocks on Wall Street rallied overnight.

Australia's largest provider of annuities, Challenger Financial, has blamed political uncertainty and market volatility for its 97 per cent plunge in profit for the first-half of fiscal 2019.

Transurban's first-half profit has fallen 61.8 per cent to $129 million after its costly acquisition of Sydney's WestConnex motorway scheme.

The US Federal Reserve’s pause on interest rate rises last week was a relief for equity markets and riskier types of credit, but investors should prepare for increases later in 2019, says Mellon’s head of multi-sector strategies.

An unprecedented rate of jackpots helped Tabcorp to a $210.6 million profit result for the first half of fiscal 2019.

Morningstar has warned of tough times ahead for Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, after a 2.4pc profit decline for 1H19 linked to regulatory tightening and persistent competitive pressures.

Australian shares are expected to open slightly higher, with mining stocks likely to gain from increased iron ore prices.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says it would be reckless to make federal parliament sit for an extra two weeks in March to fast-track its response to the banking royal commission.

Heavy rail operator Aurizon Holdings has reported a 19 per cent drop in net profits after tax for the half-year ending December 2018.

An understanding of correlation can help investors identify imbalances, assist building diversification and ultimately offset losses.

Narrow-moat-rated REA Group continues to defy the worst Australian real estate downturn in decades, delivering a healthy first-half result. 

The banking inquiry’s crackdown on payment structures seeks to strike a balance between maintaining competition and ensuring customers get what they pay for. 

Australian shares are expected to open flat after a mixed session on Wall Street on Friday.

JB Hi-Fi has posted healthy gains after announcing a 5.5 per cent boost in first-half profit, defying volatile holiday trading and fears about a weaker dollar hurting retailers.

Cash is streaming into News Corp's coffers after the consolidation of Foxtel and Fox Sports and the launch of sports streaming service Kayo in Australia.

Mirvac's major office segment has posted a surprise $290 million profit result for the first half of fiscal 2019, up 27 per cent on the same period in 2018.

Australian shares are expected to fall today after a negative lead from Wall Street overnight and fears the stuttering US-China trade talks will hurt global growth.

Commonwealth Bank delivered a "messy" and slightly disappointing result for 1H18 amid slowing loan growth and weaker house prices, but the long-term earnings outlook remain positive, says Morningstar’s David Ellis.

NAB's CEO Andrew Thorburn and chairman Ken Henry are stepping down as the bank deals with the reputational fallout from the banking royal commission final report. 

Mirvac has lifted first-half profit 39 per cent and says demand for its residential developments is holding up amid the housing market decline.

Major listed property players Dexus and Shopping Centres Australasia have posted positive first-half earnings results, despite challenges for their office and retail rental segments.

Downer EDI has swung to a $134.2 million first-half profit, helped by continued revenue from construction of the NBN.

Energy giant AGL has announced a $25 million upgrade to Victoria's Loy Yang coal-fired power station and again called for more certainty from Canberra on future energy policy.

Former NSW premier Mike Baird has declined to say whether he's in line for the top job at NAB, but many consider him a "logical" successor to Andrew Thorburn.

Australian shares are expected to edge higher at the open despite a slightly negative lead from Wall Street overnight.

Carsales.com and Crown Resorts are the latest Australian stocks to forge a place in Morningstar's global equity best ideas list.

Major banks have surged as investors breathe a sigh of relief that the Hayne report into misconduct, while damning, has stopped short of enforcing harsher measures.

Commonwealth Bank and Insurance Australia Group have reported profit declines in the first half of fiscal 2018, down 2 per cent and 9.3 per cent.

Australian shares are expected to edge higher at the open after a positive lead from Wall Street overnight.

Westpac emerges as Morningstar's top pick among the big four, after its peers were referred for potential criminal prosecution by the banking royal commission's final report.

UK equities look undervalued in all but the most extreme Brexit scenarios, says Morningstar Investment Management's Mark Preskett.

The past few years may have blemished Bill Gross's record but the PIMCO co-founder was a trailblazer when it came to managing bonds, and the industry eventually followed his lead.

AGL and Spark Infrastructure have had a strong run recently, and while some expect this to continue, their performance may be tempered by political and regulatory pressures.

It may sound counterintuitive, but bad managerial practices don't necessarily mean a company is worth avoiding. 

Australian shares are expected to edge higher at the open, when all eyes will be watching how banking stocks react to the release of the financial services royal commission report.

Kenneth Hayne's final report recommends Australia's corporate watchdogs get more funding - and more oversight. 

The coalition government has vowed to implement all but one of the 76 recommendations in a scathing royal commission inquiry into bank misconduct and is bent on compensating victims, restoring trust in the sector and maintaining competition.

New homebuilding permits have bucked predictions and fallen for the second month to a new five-and-a-half year low, as credit tightens and Australian house prices continue to slide.

We retrace some of the key milestones from Kenneth Hayne's banking royal commission, ahead of the final report's public release after 4pm today.

Articles discussing proposed changes to the dividend franking regime, and the effect of falling property prices in Australia's biggest cities were among the most read on Morningstar.com.au last week.

Australian shares are expected to edge higher at the start of trade following a mixed session on Wall Street on Friday.

After 69 days of hearings and more than 10,000 submissions, the final report of the banking royal commission has been handed to the government and will be revealed on Monday.