It was another red day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this hump day. After yesterday’s decisive plunge, investors came back this morning with a spring in their steps, allowing the market to open in positive territory. But that didn’t last long, with investors quickly getting cold feet and pulling the ASX 200 into the red soon after.

By the time trading closed, the index had dropped 0.11% to close at 8,911.4 points.

This miserly session for the local markets came after a horrid return to trading for the US markets following the American long weekend.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) clearly didn’t get a proper holiday, dropping 1.18% last night.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) did better, but still lost 0.32%.

But let’s get back to ASX shares now and examine how today’s tough trading conditions affected the various ASX sectors.

Winners and losers

Most of the ASX’s sectors were dragged lower this Wednesday. But there were a few exceptions.

First though, it was, somewhat ironically, healthcare shares that had the unhealthiest day. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) had tanked 1.5% by the close of trading.

Consumer discretionary stocks also had a shocker, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) plunging 1.14%.

Gold shares were no safe haven either. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) cratered 1.06% today.

Communications stocks suffered a steep drop too, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 1.04% dive.

Financial shares were right in front of communications. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) sank 1.02%.

Next came consumer staples stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) retreating 0.9%.

Tech shares had a day to forget as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) saw its value cut by 0.71%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) weren’t granted an exception either, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)’s 0.57% dip.

But that’s it for the red sectors, so let’s get to the winners.

Leading said winners were energy stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) roared higher today, surging 1.73%.

Mining shares also ran hot, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) soaring 1.51%.

Utilities stocks were in demand as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) lifted 1.01% today.

Finally, industrial shares got out unscathed, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)’s 0.06% bounce.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Gold stock Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6) was our chart-topper this hump day. Minerals 260 shares exploded 10.37% higher this session to finish at 90.5 cents apiece.

This big move came despite no fresh news or announcements from the company.

Here’s how the other top stocks landed their planes today:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6)	$0.905	10.37%
Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)	$4.66	7.13%
Capstone Copper Corp (ASX: CSC)	$16.00	5.47%
FireFly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM)	$1.90	4.12%
PDI Gold Ltd (ASX: PDI)	$4.88	4.05%
SRG Global Ltd (ASX: SRG)	$3.95	3.40%
4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX)	$3.46	3.28%
BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)	$64.58	3.25%
Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV)	$8.00	3.23%
Dyno Nobel Ltd (ASX: DNL)	$4.01	3.08%

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 no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and Srg Global. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

A big dividend yield can be hard to ignore.

When an ASX share is offering 7%, 8%, or even more, the potential income can look much more attractive than a company yielding 3% or 4%.

But if I were building a passive income portfolio for the long term, the starting yield would only be part of the decision.

I want the income to grow

A lower yield can become much more valuable if the dividend keeps increasing.

Imagine buying a company yielding 4% today. If its earnings continue growing and management steadily lifts the dividend, the cash received from that original investment could be considerably higher several years from now.

That is particularly important for investors who do not need the income immediately.

Inflation means a fixed dividend becomes less valuable over time. An income stream that can rise with earnings has a much better chance of maintaining its purchasing power.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is the type of business I would consider from that perspective.

Supermarket spending is relatively resilient, and Woolworths has opportunities to grow earnings through population growth, online retail, and continued improvements across its operations.

Its yield may not grab as much attention as some higher-yielding ASX shares, but I would be interested in what the dividend could look like years from now.

A huge yield can sometimes be a warning

Dividend yields rise when share prices fall.

That means an unusually high yield can sometimes appear because investors believe the company’s earnings or dividend are under pressure.

If a share offers a 9% yield and subsequently cuts its dividend in half, the original headline number becomes fairly meaningless.

This is why I would spend more time understanding the business than comparing dividend percentages.

Can earnings comfortably support the payment? Does the company need substantial capital to keep operating? Is debt manageable? Does management have room to increase the dividend if profits grow?

Those questions tell me much more about the quality of the income.

Infrastructure can provide another route

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL) is another business I think can make sense for long-term income investors.

Its toll-road network benefits as traffic grows over time, while toll increases can provide another source of revenue growth.

That creates the potential for distributions to increase as the underlying business expands.

Infrastructure also brings something different to a portfolio dominated by banks and traditional dividend shares.

I would still pay close attention to debt and valuation, particularly because infrastructure businesses can be sensitive to interest rates.

But the ability to generate growing cash flows over a long period is what would interest me most.

Income and growth can work together

I do not think passive income investing needs to mean sacrificing capital growth.

A strong business that reinvests part of its profits effectively can grow earnings, increase its dividend, and become more valuable at the same time.

That combination is what I would ideally want.

It may produce less cash in the first year than simply buying the highest-yielding shares available, but I think the long-term result can be far more attractive.

Foolish takeaway

If I were building an ASX passive income portfolio, I would not rank shares by dividend yield and start buying from the top.

I would look for businesses that can support their payments and have a reasonable chance of increasing them over time.

For me, a 4% yield that keeps growing could prove far more valuable than an 8% yield that eventually disappears.

The post Why I’d rather buy growing dividends than chase the highest ASX yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It has been a horrible year for WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shareholders.

The logistics software stock is down another 1.39% to $34.76 on Wednesday, taking its 12-month decline to around 63%.

WiseTech shares are also down almost 50% in 2026 and miles below their 52-week high of $99.53.

But at $34.76, I think the sell-off has gone way too far.

Yes, WiseTech still has plenty to prove, but the business is growing, generating cash, and remains a global logistics leader.

If management delivers on its FY27 targets, I think WiseTech shares could have plenty of room to recover from here.

Here’s why.

The business is still growing

You wouldn’t know it from the share price, but WiseTech is still putting up some very strong numbers.

FY26 revenue jumped 79% to US$1.4 billion following the e2open acquisition, while underlying net profit increased 29% to US$313.5 million.

What really catches my attention is the cash flow.

Underlying free cash flow climbed 67% to US$489.6 million, giving WiseTech plenty of firepower to invest in growth, reduce debt, and keep improving the business.

The e2open deal is also starting to show some early benefits.

Management delivered around US$115 million of annualised cost savings during FY26, including US$64 million from e2open.

To me, that’s a pretty encouraging start.

If WiseTech can keep pulling costs out while growing the combined business, I think earnings and cash flow could move much higher over the next few years.

Margins could be heading higher

WiseTech is expecting FY27 revenue of US$1.48 billion to US$1.54 billion, which would represent growth of 6% to 10%.

But I think the earnings outlook is where things get much more interesting.

Underlying EBITDA is forecast to rise between 12% and 21% to US$725 million to US$780 million, with margins expected to improve to between 49% and 51%.

There’s also plenty happening underneath those numbers.

WiseTech currently has 12 large global freight forwarder rollouts underway, while more than 95% of customers have moved onto CargoWise Value Packs.

SME signings have also increased around 55% since the new pricing model was introduced.

That gives me plenty of confidence heading into FY27.

Brokers see huge upside

I am not the only one who is bullish on WiseTech at these levels.

According to TipRanks, there are 9 buy ratings and just 1 hold among 10 ranked analysts, with an average price target of $58.12.

That’s around 67% above the current share price.

Morgans has a $62.50 target, Bell Potter is at $65, while Morgan Stanley is even more bullish with a $70 target.

If Morgan Stanley is right, WiseTech shares could more than double from here.

At $34.76, I think the market has already priced in plenty of bad news, while the upside could be significant if earnings keep growing.

The post Down 63%, I think WiseTech shares could be heading for a huge comeback appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• WiseTech shares are down 62%. Why are brokers still bullish?
• Down 62%, are WiseTech shares now a buy, hold or sell?

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 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.