Qantas Airways (ASX: QAN) shares have been in focus again as Project Sunrise edges closer to reality.

The airline recently unveiled its first purpose-built Airbus A350-1000ULR in Toulouse, France.

Non-stop flights from Sydney to London are now locked in for October 2027, with tickets going on sale from February 2027.

A Sydney to New York route will follow, though a launch date has not yet been confirmed.

What is the new aircraft?

The new aircraft will carry just 238 passengers, well down on the 410 seats found on a standard A350. This will make room for extra fuel tanks and a dedicated wellbeing zone.

Qantas has ordered 12 of the ultra-long-range jets in total.

Management says the intent to book a Project Sunrise flight has climbed sharply among premium leisure travellers since February 2026.

This is a promising signal for a product built around high-margin cabins.

So where does that leave Qantas shares?

Qantas shares are trading on a price to earnings ratio of around 10 times, below the global airline industry average of roughly 9 to 12 times depending on the peer set used.

The stock carries a dividend yield near 3.5%, with the payout covered by earnings.

Analyst sentiment remains firmly positive.

Multiple brokers rate Qantas a buy or outperform, with average 12-month price targets clustering between roughly $11 and $12.

That implies modest to solid upside from current levels, though estimates vary depending on each analyst’s fuel and demand assumptions.

The bull and bear case for Qantas shares

The bull case rests on Qantas converting its domestic duopoly position, its loyalty program, and Project Sunrise into durable earnings growth over the next several years.

The bear case is the one that has dogged all airlines recently.

Fuel costs have risen sharply on the back of the conflict involving Iran, and Qantas has flagged higher near-term jet fuel bills as a result.

Airlines are also inherently cyclical, and a downturn in travel demand can hit margins quickly.

Project Sunrise itself has already been delayed roughly six months from its original schedule, a reminder that execution risk on a genuinely novel aircraft program is real.

For investors comfortable with cyclical risk, Qantas offers a rare combination of a reasonable valuation, a growing loyalty and freight business, and a marquee growth catalyst in Project Sunrise that could open a new premium revenue stream from 2027.

For more conservative investors, the fuel cost backdrop and the airline’s history of guidance resets are worth weighing carefully before buying.

Foolish Takeaway

Project Sunrise gives Qantas a new growth catalyst heading into 2027.

The shares still trade at an undemanding multiple relative to the broader airline sector.

But investors should size any position with the industry’s fuel and demand cyclicality firmly in mind.

The post Project Sunrise incoming: Are Qantas shares a buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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.

A 10-year investment period gives investors time to think beyond the next market wobble.

With $20,000, ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) can provide exposure to global quality companies, robotics and artificial intelligence, and China’s consumer and technology economy.

Here are three ASX ETFs that could be top long-term picks.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY)

The Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF could be worth considering.

This ASX ETF is designed to provide exposure to global companies with quality characteristics. That can include strong profitability, solid balance sheets, and earnings that have shown a degree of resilience over time.

The idea is not to chase the most exciting theme in the market. It is to own companies that have already proven they can make money at a high level and keep doing so through different conditions.

That can be important over a 10-year period because markets never move in a straight line. There will be recessions, inflation scares, rate changes, earnings downgrades, and plenty of volatility along the way.

A quality-focused fund can help anchor the portfolio with businesses that have the financial strength to keep investing, defend margins, and compound over time. It was recently recommended by the team at Betashares.

Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ)

Another ASX ETF to look at is the Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF.

This fund gives investors exposure to companies involved in robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, drones, unmanned vehicles, and related technologies. That makes it a more targeted growth holding.

The long-term case is tied to how work is changing. Factories, warehouses, hospitals, farms, logistics networks, and transport systems are all looking for ways to become more efficient, precise, and automated.

Robotics is not just about humanoid machines. It can include industrial equipment, sensors, robotic surgery tools, autonomous systems, and the software that helps machines make better decisions.

Artificial intelligence could increase the opportunity by making machines more capable in real-world settings.

This ASX ETF is likely to be volatile, but as a 10-year holding, it gives the portfolio exposure to a powerful structural theme. It was also recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

VanEck China New Economy ETF (ASX: CNEW)

The final ASX ETF to look at is the VanEck China New Economy ETF.

This is arguably the higher-risk idea in the group.

The fund gives investors exposure to Chinese companies linked to areas such as consumer spending, healthcare, technology, industrial innovation, and other parts of the country’s changing economy.

Over a 10-year period, China’s middle class, domestic consumption, healthcare needs, digital services, and advanced manufacturing ambitions could still create strong investment opportunities.

This fund gives investors a way to access that potential without trying to pick individual Chinese shares. It was recently recommended by analysts at VanEck.

The post Where to invest $20,000 in ASX ETFs for 10 years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) experienced a wild, and ultimately negative day of trading this Thursday, in stark contrast to yesterday’s more optimistic showing.

After some initial volatility at market open this morning, the ASX 200 spent most of the session deep in red territory. A late-afternoon rally couldn’t quite save the markets, and the index ended up closing 0.0045% lower at 8,840.7 points.

This sulky session for the ASX comes despite a more confident day over on the American markets last night.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) did well, rising 0.29%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) did even better, gaining 0.62%.

But let’s return to the local markets now and check out how the different ASX sectors navigated today’s lethargic trading conditions.

Winners and losers

Fitting with the market’s small drop, we saw a fairly even split between winners and losers this Thursday.

Leading the latter were mining shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was hit hard today, cratering 1.58%.

Energy stocks had another rough one as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) plunging 1.53%.

Continuing the commodities theme, gold shares came next. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) saw its value dive 0.82%.

Consumer staples stocks were on the nose too, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)’s 0.31% dip.

Utilities shares joined the losing team, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) slid down 0.21% this session.

That’s it for the losers, though, so let’s get to the green sectors. Leading the winners were communications stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) enjoying a 1.1% surge.

Consumer discretionary shares also ran hot. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) added 1.09% to its total this Thursday.

Financial shares proved popular as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) roared 0.88% higher.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) fared half as well, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)’s 0.44% bounce.

Healthcare stocks were right behind REITs. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) lifted 0.39% today.

Tech shares were in that ballpark as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) advancing 0.38%.

Finally, industrial stocks had a lucky finish, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)’s 0.08% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

This Thursday’s index winner was financial stock AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP). AMP shares soared 9.83% higher today to close at $1.90 each.

This big jump followed a well-received earnings update from the company.

Here’s how the other winners landed their planes: 

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)	$1.90	9.83%
Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)	$2.77	6.95%
REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)	$158.71	6.61%
Tabcorp Holdings Ltd (ASX: TAH)	$0.91	5.20%
Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)	$26.52	5.03%
Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)	$23.63	4.93%
IRESS Ltd (ASX: IRE)	$6.61	3.93%
Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU)	$3.13	3.64%
Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)	$45.49	3.32%
PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA)	$7.85	3.15%

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 positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360, Lovisa, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360 and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.