Wesfarmers – Buy

Wesfarmers is under Algo Engine buy conditions and is a current holding in our model portfolio.

Wesfarmers now holds 19.3% of Australian Pharmaceutical Industries. The acquisition has less than two weeks left in confirmatory due diligence. The battle between Sigma and Wesfarmers for the API business and final offers will be worth watching.

Accumulate.

U.S. Home Building Stumbles

U.S. home building unexpectedly fell in September and permits dropped to a one-year low amid acute shortages of raw materials and labor, supporting expectations that economic growth slowed sharply in the third quarter.

A separate report from the Mortgage Bankers Association on Tuesday showed mortgage applications for new home purchases decreased 16.2% in September from a year ago.

Permits for future home building plunged 7.7% to a rate of 1.589 million units last month.

Despite the recent weak data the SPDR home builder ETF remains well supported.