If you’ve got $5,000 to invest right now, ASX 200 shares could be a great place to put it. Interest rates are at all-time lows, which means a bank account won’t give you much return right now. 

It’s a similar story with bonds, which are trading at or near zero yields as central banks scramble to stabilise the economy.

Property is expensive and $5,000 probably won’t buy you anything in the current market. That leaves us with ASX 200 shares – but which ones are in the buy zone today?

Where to invest $5,000 in ASX 200 shares immediately

If you’ve sorted out your personal finances and have $5,000 to invest, there are a lot of good value ASX 200 shares to buy right now.

I like the look of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) at the moment. Given the current uncertainty, I think large-cap shares could outperform in 2020 and beyond.

BHP is about as large as it gets with a current market capitalisation of $163 billion. Despite tensions with China, I think iron ore exports could pick up again in the coming months. China is looking to kickstart its economy and infrastructure is a great way to do that.

BHP shares climbed 8.37% higher last week but remain down 11.82% in 2020 at the time of writing.

Another ASX 200 share that could be undervalued is Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC). Westpac shares are down 38.05% this year (at the time of writing), which is lower than its big four banking peers. Westpac has had its fair share of issues, but I think it could be a good relative value play. 

ASX bank shares are far from a safe bet right now. However, if the economy picks up quicker than expected, that could be good news for bank earnings and asset quality.

If you’re looking for an undervalued income share, Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) could be worth a look. The Australian real estate investment trust is down 41.51% this year and slashed its dividend, but could be a long-term buy and hold option.

More reading

• 5 ASX 200 winners and 4 losers of last week
• 3 high yield ASX dividend shares to buy right now
• How $1,000 can be enough to change your money mindset
• How to make a $50,000 passive income with ASX shares
• Have $500 to invest? Then buy these 5 ASX 200 shares immediately

Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Scentre Group. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Where to invest $5,000 in ASX 200 shares immediately appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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ASX dividend shares could be in the buy zone right now. The coronavirus pandemic has cast big question marks over corporate earnings in 2020.

That’s bad news in the short-term. However, I believe it presents a great chance to buy shares for a bargain price. Here are a few of my favourite companies that could be in the buy zone today.

3 ASX dividend shares to buy today

I think Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) could be in the buy zone. The Aussie telco is still an industry leader and its earnings may be steadier than most.

The nature of the pandemic has forced many workers home and increased demand for network infrastructure. Telstra shares are trading down 13.56% this year but that could be a bargain price. 

The company continues to invest in the future through its 5G network capabilities and could be a more nimble technology company in the future.

I like the look of another ASX dividend share at the moment, Altium Ltd (ASX: ALU). Altium shares have climbed 3.40% this year but are still yielding 1.06%. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a temporary dividend cut, but the software group could be a long-term buy for both income and growth.

Finally, I think Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) is an ASX dividend share that’s worth keeping an eye on. Wesfarmers is looking to refine its current business model by restructuring its retail arm and is sitting on a lot of cash right now.

That could be used for further acquisitions or distributed to shareholders in the coming years. Either way, I think Wesfarmers could be a stable ASX dividend share to buy and one that is currently yielding 3.94% per annum.

Foolish takeaway

If you’ve got $5,000 to invest, I think these are just some of the ASX dividend shares that are worth a look.

More reading

• 3 high yield ASX dividend shares to buy right now
• How I would build a $130,000 ASX dividend portfolio right now
• How to make a $50,000 passive income with ASX shares
• Have $500 to invest? Then buy these 5 ASX 200 shares immediately
• 3 ASX dividend shares I would buy to beat low rates

Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of Altium and Wesfarmers Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 3 ASX dividend shares to buy today appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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It’s fair to say the National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price hasn’t had a great run in 2020. In fact, the Aussie bank’s shares have fallen 37.72% while the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 17.76% this year.

So, is the Aussie bank’s share price in the buy zone or should you steer clear in 2020?

What’s been happening to the NAB share price?

The ASX bank shares are under pressure this year amid the coronavirus pandemic. The public health response has forced Aussies to stay home and many businesses have shut down.

That’s put pressure on the economy, Aussie households and corporate earnings. The big banks underpin the economy and could feel the blow of a recession harder than most. That has spooked investors in 2020 and sent the NAB share price falling lower.

NAB reported a $1,313 million half-year net profit and cash earnings of $1,436 million. That means the ASX bank’s cash earnings slumped 51.4% on the prior period or 24.6% excluding notable items.

NAB also announced plans to raise up to $3.5 billion via a fully underwritten institutional share placement of $3 billion and a non-underwritten Share Purchase Plan (SPP) to raise approximately $500 million.

The bank raised the funds at $14.15 per share, which represented an 8.5% discount to its last close price. However, the NAB share price is now trading at $15.34 per share, so is it back in the buy zone?

Is the ASX bank back in the buy zone?

I think there’s more uncertainty ahead for the ASX banks in 2020. While the government stimulus measures are helping to prop up the economy, there are question marks over what happens in September and beyond.

If restrictions continue to ease, we could see the NAB share price bounce back quickly. With the economy up and running, the economic burden on businesses and households could be eased quicker than expected.

I think NAB is a speculative buy in the current climate but could be a long-term success if you’re willing to buy and hold.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares to watch this week
• 2 quality ASX shares to buy for long-term growth
• 5 ASX 200 winners and 4 losers of last week
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Why these ASX stocks will be under the spotlight on Monday

Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Is the NAB share price a buy today? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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