The South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) share price closed 1% higher on Tuesday afternoon, at $4.67 a piece. 

The latest uptick means the shares are now up 32% for the year-to-date and have soared an impressive 67% higher over the past 12 months.

ASX 200 mining shares went on a rollercoaster ride over the March quarter. Commodity prices rocketed in January, sending South32 higher. In fact, South32 was one of the best performers on the ASX 200 index in January. 

The miner benefited from a perfect storm of strong central bank buying, falling US interest rates, and dwindling expectations for the US dollar. These all drove investors to safe-haven commodities like gold, silver, and copper. 

But it all changed when the war between the US and Iran escalated in late-February. An injection of fear about rising oil prices, energy costs, and supply quickly cooled the mining sector in March. 

While most ASX mining shares have since recovered some of their losses, South32 is streaking ahead. Compared to its mining peers BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG), South32 shares have outperformed over the past month, year-to-date and past 12 months.

Why is the South32 share price racing ahead?

South32 mines and produces commodities, including bauxite, aluminium, copper, silver, lead, zinc, nickel, manganese, and metallurgical coal, so it has been well-positioned to absorb the uptick in demand across several minerals and metals.

Unlike BHP, Rio Tinto, and Fortescue, it is not heavily tied to iron or and benefits from diversity across other metals and minerals. 

Because of this diversity, the miner has been able to post some strong financial results, solid production figures and shown it has great momentum.

In January, the miner announced that it had exceeded expectations for first-half production. Alumina production was up 3% in the first half. Meanwhile, aluminium production was up 2%, zinc up 13%, and manganese up 58%. Overall, the company’s results were ahead of consensus. 

Later in February the diversified miner reported a 29% jump in profit and 16% increase in underlying earnings.

Can the shares keep climbing?

If this momentum continues, alongside a continued uptick of commodity demand and prices, I think the South32 share price could continue to outpace BHP, Rio Tinto and Fortescue in 2026.

TradingView data shows that the majority of brokers (12 out of 16) have a buy or strong buy rating on South32 shares. Another three have a hold rating and one rates the shares as a sell.

The average target price of $4.93 implies a potential 6% upside at the time of writing. But some brokers are more bullish and are tipping the share price to jump another 18% to $5.51.

The post Up 67% in a year! The red-hot South32 share price is smashing BHP, Rio and Fortescue appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares closed 0.56% lower at $33.96 on Tuesday afternoon.

Despite closing the day in the red, the oil and gas producer’s shares are up 7.4% for the month and 71.08% higher than just one year ago.

Woodside shares have rallied 43.5% higher for the year to date, with the most significant increase seen after the conflict between the US and Iran escalated in late February. 

Rising oil prices have acted as a strong tailwind for the oil and gas giant’s shares over the past six weeks. Conflict in the Middle East has threatened the movement of oil in the region, while shipping disruptions and production cuts caused prices to skyrocket to a multi-year high. While the price of oil has now softened, it’s still significantly higher than in late February. 

So, if I bought $10,000 worth of Woodside shares at the start of 2026, what are they worth now?

Woodside shares were trading at $23.66 a piece on the first day of trading in January. The 43.5% increase in the trading price at the time of writing means that $10,000 worth of shares bought on the 2nd of January is now worth a huge $14,350.

Meanwhile, any investor who bought $10,000 worth of Woodside shares 12 months ago would now be sitting on $17,108!

Can Woodside shares keep climbing higher?

I think there is great potential for another share price rally this year.

Global oil supply concerns arising from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East are acting as a significant tailwind for Woodside shares. Peace talks between the US and Iran ended early Sunday morning in Islamabad, Pakistan, without a deal to end the war, sparking concerns that the two nations could be a long way away from a ceasefire agreement.

Meanwhile, Woodside has robust financials and reported a strong 2025 result in late February, suggesting that the company is well-positioned for continued growth.

The announcement confirmed an all-time high full-year production of 198.8 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe), topping guidance. Its costs fell 4% for the calendar year, and while revenue dropped 1%, its EBITDA was in line with 2024. 

What do analysts think of the stock?

I think Woodside shares are a screaming buy right now, but analysts are a little more reserved. 

TradingView data shows that seven out of 14 brokers have a hold rating on the stock, while another five have a buy or strong buy rating on Woodside shares. Another two brokers have a sell or strong sell rating.

The average target price is $32.93, which implies a potential 3.04% downside at the time of writing. However, others are more bullish and think the shares could jump 26.8% to $43.05 over the next 12 months. 

The post $10,000 invested in Woodside shares at the beginning of 2026 is already worth a whopping…. appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares are sitting near a nine-year high, trading around $5.41 at the time of writing.

It’s been a strong run, with the telco up 11% year to date and 22% over the past 12 months. By comparison the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gained 3% in 2026 and 16% in the past year.

So, is this as good as it gets for Telstra shares or is there still more in the tank?

Go-to share in volatile markets

Let’s start with the strengths of Telstra shares. The business remains Australia’s dominant telecommunications provider, with unmatched scale across mobile networks and infrastructure. That leadership matters. It gives the company real pricing power. And right now, it’s using it.

Recent price hikes on mobile plans are a key catalyst. With customers relatively sticky, higher prices are expected to flow straight through to revenue and margins. In a high-cost environment, that’s a powerful advantage.

It also helps that Telstra operates in a defensive sector. Connectivity is no longer optional. Whether the economy is booming or slowing, people still pay their phone and internet bills. That stability makes Telstra a go-to in volatile markets.

Attractive yield and reliability

Then there’s the income appeal. Telstra shares has long been a favourite for dividend investors, backed by steady cash flow and a mature business model. Its payout ratio sits close to 100% of earnings, underlining its focus on returning capital to shareholders.

The company pays two dividends a year. Just last month, investors received an interim dividend of 10.5 cents per share, 90.48% franked. Management is forecasting a full-year dividend of 20 cents for FY26.

That combination of yield and reliability continues to attract investors searching for income.

Steady gains, fierce competition

But it’s not all smooth sailing for Telstra shares. Growth remains modest. Telstra isn’t a high-flying tech disruptor, it’s a mature business. That means gains tend to be steady rather than explosive.

Competition is another ongoing challenge. Rivals continue to push for market share in both mobile and broadband. While Telstra’s network advantage is real, it’s not untouchable. Any slip in execution could open the door for competitors.

There’s also a limit to pricing power. Push prices too far, and even loyal customers may start to look elsewhere. That’s a delicate balance Telstra will need to manage carefully.

The bottom line?

Telstra shares have already delivered solid gains, but the story may not be finished.

With strong pricing power, dependable income, and defensive appeal, the telco still has room to edge higher. Just don’t expect fireworks.

Analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) have an outperform rating on Telstra shares. They expect recent price increases to support both earnings and dividends. It has set a 12-month price target of $5.64, implying modest upside of around 4.5% from current levels.

This is a steady compounder, not a rocket ship.

The post Have Telstra shares peaked, or is there more upside ahead? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

I’m always on the lookout for S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) shares that I could buy for my portfolio.

I’ve talked a lot about names like Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA), Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW), and Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI) as being a great buying opportunity.

But there are also names in other sectors I’m heavily eyeing off that look like they’re trading at great value. It’s the current conditions and valuations that make these businesses look particularly compelling.

Soon enough, I’ll likely invest in one of the following ASX 300 shares.

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

Of the two names I’m going to talk about in this article, I think I’m more likely to invest in this real estate investment trust (REIT).

It owns a portfolio of industrial property across Australia, which is exposed to strong rental growth tailwinds. At the time of writing, the Centuria Industrial REIT unit price has dropped by 18% from October 2025, making it much better value and close to the lowest point of the past five years.

The ASX 300 share is now trading at a 26% discount to the net tangible assets (NTA) of $3.95 as at 31 December 2025. While higher interest rates do justify a weakening of the unit price, I think the decline has been overdone, considering the tailwinds it has.

There are a number of areas that are driving higher demand for industrial space, including a growing population, online shopping adoption, more data centres, logistics requirements, and refrigerated space needs (for food and medical products).

The business reported in the first half of FY26 that its like-for-like net operating income (NOI) grew by 5.1%. I’m expecting further solid growth as more of its portfolio comes up for lease renewal – it noted that its portfolio is under-rented by roughly 20%, meaning there’s a lot of future operating earnings growth potential there.

Centuria Industrial REIT believes that growing tenant demand and constrained supply are expected to drive the national vacancy to less than 2% by 2030, providing further strong market rental growth.

As a bonus, it has a FY26 distribution yield of 5.7%.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Rural Funds is a farmland REIT that owns a variety of properties, including cattle, almonds, macadamias, vineyards, and cropping.

While farmland demand isn’t growing as strongly as industrial property, there is still growing demand for food as the national and global population grows.

The ASX 300 share benefits from rising rental income, with farms having contracts with annual indexation that’s either at a fixed rate or linked to inflation.

Farmland is an important asset for humanity, and I think that will continue to be the case for many years to come. Rural Funds looks very undervalued to me, as it’s trading at a 35% discount to its adjusted net asset value (NAV) of $3.10 as of 31 December 2025.

As a bonus, its FY26 distribution translates into a distribution yield of 5.8%.

The post 2 ASX 300 shares I’m close to buying next! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Pinnacle Investment Management Group, Rural Funds Group, Temple & Webster Group, and Tuas. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Pinnacle Investment Management Group and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Pinnacle Investment Management Group and Rural Funds Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you have a high tolerance for risk, then it could be worth listening to what Bell Potter is saying about the ASX shares named below.

Here’s what the broker is recommending to clients this week:

Adveritas Ltd (ASX: AV1)

Adveritas is a technology company that develops software solutions for enterprise customers which help maximise the return on digital ad spend.

Bell Potter is expecting the ASX share to deliver another strong update this month. In fact, it is expecting its annual recurring revenue (ARR) to double on the prior corresponding period. It said:

We expect another solid quarter when Adveritas releases its Quarterly Activities Report & Appendix 4C towards the end of this month though we do see some potential headwinds from both contract delays – due to macro uncertainty – and/or unfavourable currency movements. We forecast ARR of c.$16m at 31 March which is up 11% q-o-q and >100% y-o-y.

Bell Potter has retained its buy rating and 20 cents price target on its shares. This is more than double its current share price. Commenting on its buy recommendation, it said:

There are no changes in the key assumptions we apply in the two valuations used to determine our target price (5x multiple in the EV/Revenue and 10.1% WACC in the DCF). With no change in our forecasts there is, therefore, no change in our target price of $0.20 and we retain our BUY recommendation.

We continue to see multiple growth levers for the company including the cross-sell of Meta and Affiliate products to existing customers, the expansion into new verticals (such as eCommerce) and the recent launch of the self-serve platform (which better addresses the SME market). The negative perhaps is the modest cash balance of c.$6m though the company is near or around cash flow breakeven so in our view is not necessarily cum an equity raise.

EMvision Medical Devices Ltd (ASX: EMV)

Another ASX share that could have major upside potential is EMvision.

It is a medical device company focused on the development of a portable, cost-effective, non-ionising and safe brain scanner which is capable of rapidly determining the presence of suspected stroke and stroke type to provide game-changing insights for clinicians.

Bell Potter has been pleased with its operational progress and highlights positive developments with its ongoing trial. It explains:

Eight leading hospitals are now actively recruiting, even on an after-hours basis. To date there have been no device-related adverse events. A full trial progress update is expected later this quarter. In a positive sign, one of the trial participants, Memorial Hermann recently presented EMV’s technology at the NABI-Con. Addressing the unique and compelling way EMV’s technology utilises AI for PoC stroke diagnosis.

Bell Potter has retained its speculative buy rating and $3.15 price target on its shares. This is approximately double its current share price. The broker commented:

CY26 is a pivotal year for EMV with an expected successful completion of the current validation trial, leading to potential FDA De Novo clearance by CY27. This will be a critical value inflection point for EMV and is expected to be supported by the various First Responder feasibility studies, with updates during CY26.

The post 2 ASX shares that could rise 100% according to Bell Potter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 high-quality ASX shares to buy while they are cheap
• Morgans just slapped a buy rating on this small-cap ASX share
• This ASX lithium giant just hit a record high again. Here’s why investors keep chasing it
• Why ASX investors dumped IVV ETF last month
• Why is everyone buying Deep Yellow shares today?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended EMVision Medical Devices. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

While markets continue to swing on headlines and macro uncertainty, experienced investors are often doing something very different behind the scenes. They are focusing on quality.

Not just companies with strong recent performance, but businesses with durable advantages, long growth runways, and the ability to keep compounding over time.

Here are three ASX shares that fit that description and could be worth a closer look following recent share price weakness.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

The first ASX share that stands out is Cochlear. It is a medical device company that operates a highly specialised global ecosystem built around hearing implants.

What makes it a quality business is not just its technology leadership, but the longevity of its customer relationships. Once a patient enters the system, they often remain within it for decades through upgrades, servicing, and support.

This creates a steady and growing revenue base that is less dependent on constant new customer acquisition.

With hearing loss becoming more prevalent globally and access to treatment still expanding, Cochlear has a long runway ahead. For investors focused on quality, that combination of recurring revenue and structural demand is hard to ignore.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Another ASX share that could appeal to quality-focused investors is Life360.

This family safety technology company has been growing at a rapid rate for many years and has around 100 million monthly active users (MAUs) now.

From these users, the company is generating significant subscription revenues and a growing stream of advertising income.

And with management confident that its strong growth can continue in 2026, the future is looking bright for this one. This is especially the case given its plans to expand its offering into pet tracking and other areas.

The company is essentially building a product that integrates into everyday life. And that kind of engagement can be a powerful foundation for long-term value creation.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

A third ASX share that fits firmly in the quality category is Pro Medicus.

Pro Medicus operates in medical imaging software, but what sets it apart is its business model.

The company focuses on winning large, long-term contracts with leading hospitals and healthcare providers. Once embedded, its solutions become critical to operations, creating high switching costs and strong customer retention.

What is particularly compelling is its ability to scale without a corresponding increase in costs. This has led to exceptional margins and strong cash generation.

Despite already delivering significant growth, Pro Medicus continues to win new contracts globally, particularly in the United States.

And with its shares down heavily from their highs, now could be an opportune time to invest for the long term.

The post 3 high-quality ASX shares to buy while they are cheap appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Cochlear, Life360, and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Cochlear and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you have a high tolerance for risk and want to add some small-cap ASX shares to your balanced portfolio, then it could be worth considering the one in this article.

That’s the view of the team at Morgans, which has just put a buy rating on the growing company’s shares.

Which small-cap ASX share?

The small cap that Morgans is tipping as a buy is WRKR Ltd (ASX: WRK).

Wrkr is an Australian financial technology company that provides compliance and payment software solutions to create efficiencies for superfunds, payroll service providers, and both large and small Australian employers.

The small-cap ASX share highlights that it has three core offerings.

The first is Wrkr PLATFORM, which is a modern cloud-based compliance platform for handling messaging with the ATO and orchestrating payment processing for worker pay and super contributions for Fund Administrators.

It also offers Wrkr PAY, which is a superannuation gateway and clearinghouse and payment handling solution for processing of employee pay and super contributions for payrolls and superfunds. This includes Wrkr SMSF Hub, which provides ATO messaging and contributions compliance for SMSFs.

Lastly, it offers Wrkr READY, which is a white-label employee onboarding solution to manage the compliant onboarding of full-time and casual workers.

What did the broker say?

Morgans believes that this small-cap ASX share is on the brink of turning a profit following a critical transition year.

And with a strong balance sheet and tailwinds in its sails, the broker believes it is positioned for sustainable growth. It said:

Wrkr (WRK) is an Australian regtech company that helps employers simplify workforce compliance across the hire to retire lifecycle. FY26 is a critical transition year for WRK, with the onboarding of large client wins setting it up to turn a profit in FY27. With a strong balance sheet (A$16m of cash at 1H26) and playing in markets supported by regulatory tailwinds, we think WRK is well positioned to deliver sustainable growth. We initiate coverage on WRK with a BUY recommendation, with the stock trading at a ~25% discount to our blended valuation of A$0.14 per share.

As mentioned above, Morgans has initiated coverage on the small-cap ASX share with a buy rating and 14 cents price target.

Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of 25% for investors over the next 12 months.

The post Morgans just slapped a buy rating on this small-cap ASX share appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares that could rise 100% according to Bell Potter
• 3 high-quality ASX shares to buy while they are cheap
• This ASX lithium giant just hit a record high again. Here’s why investors keep chasing it
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• Why is everyone buying Deep Yellow shares today?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares climbed to a new all-time high today as investors kept backing the lithium sector’s recovery.

In afternoon trade, the PLS share price is up 1.87% to $5.44, after touching a fresh record of $5.49 earlier in the session.

The move extends an already powerful run in 2026, with the lithium giant now up around 30% since the start of the year.

Over 12 months, the move is even more impressive, with the shares up more than 280%.

That leaves PLS sitting at the very top of its 52-week range and once again among the ASX’s strongest large-cap resources performers.

So, what is pushing the shares to another record?

Lithium prices keep improving

The biggest support remains the commodity backdrop.

Lithium carbonate prices in China have continued rising through April, recently pushing to around CNY 161,500 per tonne. Overall, that marks a strong recovery from last year’s lows and has helped lift sentiment across the lithium sector.

With Pilgangoora already producing at scale, firmer lithium prices can flow through earnings expectations quickly. This is helping keep buying interest strong as the commodity trend continues to improve.

The market is also looking ahead to what this could mean for FY27 profits if current pricing levels hold.

Scale and cost position still stand out

PLS remains one of the ASX’s largest and most established lithium producers.

Its size, existing production base, and relatively low-cost position leave it well placed if spodumene and lithium carbonate prices continue improving.

At the current share price, the company’s market capitalisation sits around $17.5 billion, which keeps it in large-cap territory and among the most influential lithium names on the ASX.

The company’s expansion work and downstream partnerships also continue to support the longer-term outlook.

With fixed infrastructure already in place, any further lift in realised prices should help margins improve.

Foolish Takeaway

Today’s fresh record high reflects how quickly sentiment has turned across the lithium sector as prices continue to rebound.

I still think the commodity price backdrop will be the main driver from here. If the recovery in China pricing continues, PLS looks well placed to keep benefiting, given the strength of Pilgangoora and its established market position.

After a 30% gain already this year, I would not expect the same pace of gains from here. The next move higher may need another leg up in lithium pricing or another strong quarterly update from the company.

The post This ASX lithium giant just hit a record high again. Here’s why investors keep chasing it appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) is up 1.03% to $64.65 per unit on Tuesday.

IVV ETF has been a popular choice among investors seeking exposure to the roaring US stock market over the past three years.

IVV is now the third largest ASX ETF out of more than 400 on the market, with more than $11.67 billion invested in it.

However, last month, IVV ETF recorded the highest investment outflows, indicating an exodus amid the Iran war.

Aussie investors took $461 million out of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) in March, based on ASX data analysed by Betashares.

However, investors have not given up on US shares, with $232 million flowing into IVV ETF’s currency-hedged counterpart in March.

That’s the iShares S&P 500 AUD Hedged ETF (ASX: IHVV), which is up 1.62% to $62.68 per unit today.

This indicates investors still want US exposure but are mindful of the weaker USD against the stronger AUD today.

Stronger Aussie dollar weakens IVV ETF returns

The Australian dollar has risen almost 20% from just over 60 US cents 12 months ago to a three-year high of 70.8 US cents today.

As James Gruber, Equity Market Strategist at CommSec, explains:

When the Australian dollar strengthens, your international ETF returns shrink, and if the Australian dollar weakens, your returns improve.

To put that into perspective: last year, the S&P 500 delivered total returns of 17.88%, but IVV ETF investors received just 10.75%.

The US dollar has weakened due to expectations of interest rate cuts, concerns over the impact of tariffs, and geopolitical uncertainty.

Meanwhile, the AUD has strengthened given Australia has entered a tightening rate cycle, with two rate hikes so far in 2026.

There is also strong demand for our commodities, which foreign buyers purchase with Australian dollars, amid a new mining boom.

Investors prefer IHVV over IVV today because hedged ETFs reduce the impact of currency movements on investments. 

Gruber explained:

For example, you may invest in an ETF that tracks the S&P 500 index. If it is unhedged and if the Australian dollar strengthens after you buy it, your returns in AUD may drop, even if the underlying investments do well in their home currency. 

Conversely, if the Australian dollar declines, the value of an unhedged ETF may rise in AUD terms, assuming the underlying asset holds or increases in value.

Gruber points out that currency-hedged ETFs typically cost more than unhedged ETFs.

Case in point: IHVV has management fee of 0.1% while IVV has a fee of 0.03%.

US shares vs. ASX 200 in 2026

The S&P 500 has substantially outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past three years.

But change is afoot this year.

So far in 2026, the S&P 500 has lifted 0.6% while ASX 200 shares have increased 2.9%.

Gruber points out that a key difference between the two benchmark indices is their exposure to technology companies.

That’s significant because a global tech wreck is underway, as investors fret over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

Illustrating the difference, the IVV ETF is 34% tech stocks, while the ASX 200 has just a 3% exposure to technology.

Gruber said:

… the S&P 500 leans heavily on technology stocks. 

If you add the likes of Amazon and Tesla – classified as consumer discretionary stocks in the S&P – and Meta and Alphabet – included in the communications sector – to the technology sector, then tech accounts for more than 40% of the S&P 500 index. 

The post Why ASX investors dumped IVV ETF last month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in iShares S&p;P 500 Aud Hedged ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, Tesla, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Meta Platforms, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL) share price is jumping higher in afternoon trade on Tuesday. At the time of writing, the shares are 8.47% higher at $1.92 a piece. 

The shares are still down 1.54% for the year to date, however, after the uranium miner lost over 35% of its share price value in March alone. 

Deep Yellow posted weak half-year results in early March, revealing that its consolidated loss for the six months to 31st December had jumped to $7.8 million, up from $2.5 million in the prior year.

It looks like some investors also started selling up their shares after the stock rallied earlier in the year, taking their gains off the table.

Meanwhile, there was broad weakness across in the uranium industry. This was potentially exacerbated after speculation that the company would launch a capital raising. The company has denied this will happen.

Despite the latest volatility, the shares are still 102% higher than 12 months ago.

So why are Deep Yellow shares climbing higher again today?

The uranium miner’s shares are climbing higher again today as investors buy back into the company. There hasn’t been any price-sensitive news out of Deep Yellow recently to explain the increase, but after the latest sell-off, it’s likely that investors are snapping up the shares in the dip.

The increase may also come off the back of some recent stabilisation of uranium prices. Trading Economics data shows that uranium futures in the US are steady around US$85 per pound, trading in a narrow range since dropping to a two-month low in mid-March.  

Are the shares a buy, sell, or hold?

Despite weaker than expected half-year results, Deep Yellow confirmed it is positioning itself as a future uranium producer and is actively pursuing a “dual pillar” growth strategy. 

The company plans to build a uranium production platform capable of producing more than 10 million pounds per year. Its two main assets are the Tumas Project in Namibia and the Mulga Rock Project in Western Australia. They’re both projects located in established uranium regions and are expected to underpin the company’s long-term development plans.

Management also flagged that mergers and acquisitions could form part of its growth strategy if opportunities arise to acquire high-quality uranium assets.

Market Index data shows that brokers are positive on the outlook for Deep Yellow shares. They rate the stock as a buy, and its average $2.44 target price implies a potential 26.25% upside at the time of writing. 

The post Why is everyone buying Deep Yellow shares today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.