It was a wild, but ultimately positive session for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Wednesday. After yesterday’s drop, investors seemed much more optimistic this morning, sending the markets into green territory at open.

However, the ASX 200 spent most of the day in red territory, only recovering late this afternoon to post a 0.16% gain for the day. That leaves the index at 8,831.3 points.

This volatile hump day for the ASX came after a nuanced morning up on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in fine form, rising a happy 1.02%.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn’t so lucky, dropping 0.023%.

But let’s return to the local markets now and dive a little deeper into what was happening amongst the various ASX sectors today.

Winners and losers

Despite the broader market’s rise, a few sectors weren’t lifted by the tide.

Leading those unlucky corners of the market were tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was slammed, crashing 3.32% lower.

Mining stocks also had a day to forget. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was hit relatively hard, slumping 1.04%.

Gold shares were no safe haven either, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) tanking 0.72%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) landed on the wrong side of the ledger too. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) retreated 0.5% today.

It was all smiles everywhere else, though.

Leading the charge higher this Wednesday were communications stocks, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 2.23% surge.

Industrial shares also ran hot. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) soared 0.99% this session.

Financial stocks found themselves in high demand as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) galloping up 0.96%.

Energy shares staged a late recovery to finish higher. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) ended up bouncing 0.49%.

Consumer discretionary stocks joined the winners’ party, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 0.34% jump.

We can say the same for its consumer staples counterpart. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) advanced 0.25% this hump day.

Utilities stocks came next, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) increasing by 0.18%.

Finally, healthcare shares got over the line, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)’s 0.05% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Biotech stock Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) was our top performer this Wednesday. Mesoblast shares roared 5.68% higher this session to close at $1.86 each.

This move was despite no fresh news from the company.

Here’s how the other top stocks tied up at the dock:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)	$1.86	5.68%
Service Stream Ltd (ASX: SSM)	$2.25	5.63%
Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT)	$0.96	5.49%
Xero Ltd (ASX: ORA)	$64.42	5.02%
Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)	$16.18	5.00%
Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)	$21.06	4.83%
Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)	$3.30	4.76%
Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)	$13.37	4.37%
Car Group Ltd (ASX: CAR)	$24.90	3.45%
Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)	$4.13	3.25%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Aussie Broadband, CAR Group Ltd, and Generation Development Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There are plenty of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) available to Australian investors, but some offer particularly interesting opportunities for the years ahead.

I’ve been looking at three Betashares ETFs that provide exposure to different parts of the share market.

Could they be worth buying today?

Here’s what I think.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

One of the reasons I like the NDQ ETF is that it gives investors exposure to businesses that are changing how people live and work.

Think about how much time we spend using digital services, shopping online, watching streaming platforms, and relying on increasingly sophisticated technology.

Many of the companies behind these activities are included in the Nasdaq 100 Index, which this Betashares ETF tracks.

And I think there are plenty of reasons to expect these businesses to keep growing.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is creating new opportunities for companies involved in cloud computing, semiconductors, and software. Meanwhile, digital advertising, e-commerce, and other online services continue to play important roles in the global economy.

Of course, valuations can be demanding in this area of the market, and the fund’s concentration in large US technology-related companies creates additional risk. Nevertheless, I would be happy buying the NDQ ETF for the long term.

Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200)

The next Betashares ETF I would buy takes us much closer to home.

The A200 ETF tracks an index of 200 of Australia’s largest listed companies, providing investors with broad exposure to the local share market.

What I like about this fund is that Australian businesses can offer something quite different from the technology-heavy US market.

Banks, mining companies, supermarkets, and healthcare providers all play important roles in the Australian economy. And many have established businesses capable of generating profits and paying dividends through different economic conditions.

I think the income potential is also attractive for investors who want regular cash returns alongside long-term capital growth.

There is considerable exposure to banks and resources, so I would still want international investments alongside it. But I think the A200 ETF is an excellent option for building Australian share market exposure.

Betashares India Quality ETF (ASX: IIND)

The third Betashares ETF I would consider buying is the IIND ETF.

India is one of the markets I’m especially interested in over the next decade. Its expanding middle class, growing financial services industry, and continued investment in infrastructure could create significant opportunities for businesses operating there.

For example, as more people enter the formal banking system and businesses adopt digital services, companies providing those products could enjoy growing demand.

The IIND ETF provides exposure to Indian companies selected using financial quality measures.

I like that approach because strong profitability and financial health could be important when investing in a rapidly developing economy.

Overall, I think the country’s long-term economic prospects make the Betashares India Quality ETF a compelling investment to consider.

Foolish takeaway

I would rate all three Betashares ETFs as buys for Australian investors with a long investment horizon.

I like how they provide access to established US businesses, the Australian share market, and India’s growing economy.

There will no doubt be periods when one market performs better than the others. But I think owning businesses across these regions could be a sensible way to participate in several long-term growth opportunities.

The post Are NDQ and these Betashares ETFs buys for Australian investors? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Own US ETFs like IVV or NDQ? Here’s why your dividends are so low
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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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 BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares are climbing higher into the green in Wednesday lunchtime trade.

At the time of writing, the technology shares are up around 2% and changing hands for $39.34 a piece.

Today’s increase means WiseTech shares have now climbed just over 12% higher over the past week, and rebounded 24% over the month.

Although they’re still down roughly 43% for the year-to-date.

Last week the company announced that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has closed two investigations involving the company and its personnel.

These include share-trading investigations into founder Richard White and two current employees. ASIC has issued no-action letters confirming it will not pursue enforcement action against those individuals.

ASIC also concluded a separate governance investigation that began in late 2024, confirming that no enforcement action will be taken against WiseTech.

An investigation involving another individual who is not a company employee remains ongoing.

It looks like the update has cleared governance overhang and concerns that have been weighing heavily on the company’s underlying business for the past two years.

The shares are now pointing in the right direction, and dissolving these headwinds could give the stock room to jump even higher.

Now the question is, could WiseTech shares return to 2025-levels and surpass the $100 mark over the next 12 months?

Here’s what the experts think.

What’s ahead for WiseTech shares?

But it looks like the experts are confident that WiseTech shares can bounce back over the next year, but they’re undecided by how much. 

Market Index data shows all brokers have a strong buy rating on the shares. The average target price is well below the $100 level, at $58.07, although that still implies an upside of around 48% at the time of writing.  

TradingView data also shows the majority (10 out of 17) have a strong buy rating on WiseTech shares. Another two rate the stock as a buy and five rate it a hold.

The average target price is around the same level, at $58.40, which implies around a 48% upside at the time of writing.

But some of the more bullish experts tip WiseTech shares to rocket to $100.07 over the next 12 months. That implies a 154% upside at the time of writing and puts the shares just slightly over the $100 barrier.

What could help drive the shares past $100 this year?

WiseTech’s CargoWise platform is a dominant player and deeply embedded in the global logistics industry. 

The platform is difficult to replace, which gives WiseTech both security and a strong competitive advantage among its peers. 

If global trade volumes keep expanding and supply chains become more digital, WiseTech could expand its position in the market even further.

The company has already proven that the business is well-placed to drive more growth, too.

In August, the company reported an impressive 46% increase in its EBITDA for FY26, which came in line with its previous guidance. 

Looking ahead, WiseTech is guiding total revenue growth between 6% and 10% for FY27, and underlying EBITDA growth between 12% and 21%, with a margin uplift to 49% to 51%. 

This level of growth, combined with the fact most overhanging governance concerns now in the past, I think the shares could quickly jump higher.

The post Could WiseTech shares smash past $100 in the next 12 months? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• WiseTech Global vs Netwealth: Which ASX tech stock could double from here?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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 positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.