It was a calamitous and brutal day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Thursday. After what had been a relatively pleasant week thus far, investors lost confidence today, and fast.

The ASX 200 opened deep in red territory, and just kept on falling. By the time the markets closed, the index had shed a nasty 1.99% and was left at just 8,614.4 points.

This awful day for the Australian markets came after a more nuanced night up on the US exchanges.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was also hit hard last night, dropping 0.86%.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) went the other way, recording a rise of 0.24%.

But let’s grit our teeth and get back to ASX shares now for a post-mortem of how the various ASX sectors coped with this Thursday’s tough trading conditions.

Winners and losers

No corners of the market were safe from today’s selling.

The best place to be was in tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was relatively unscathed, ‘only’ slipping by 0.62%.

Communications stocks fared decently (at least by comparison) too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) sliding 0.85%.

Utilities shares came next. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) dipped 0.91% today.

Consumer discretionary stocks suffered triple-digit losses, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 1.18% dive.

Industrial shares saw stepped-up selling pressure, though. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) sank a horrid 1.75% this session.

Mining stocks were worse again, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) retreating 1.88%.

Gold shares were no safe haven. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) was sent home 2.09% lighter.

Financial stocks found themselves in a similar boat, as you can tell by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 2.13% slump.

Healthcare shares didn’t exactly live up to their name this Thursday. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) ended up sinking 2.49%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) reversed the goodwill we saw yesterday, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) receiving a 2.51% cut.

Consumer staples stocks did not hold their value. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) crateted a nasty 2.55% by the closing bell.

Finally, energy shares took the brunt of the selling this session, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)’s 3.03% plunge.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Coming out on top of quite an uncompetitive field today was data company Data #3 Ltd (ASX: DTL). Data#3 shares rocketed 13.68% higher this session to close at $12.63 each.

This massive surge was prompted by a well-received trading update this afternoon.

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

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL)	$12.63	13.68%
PDI Gold Ltd (ASX: PDI)	$5.08	4.10%
4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX)	$4.36	2.59%
Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA)	$67.49	2.52%
LendLease Group (ASX: LLC)	$2.72	2.26%
Technology One Ltd (ASX: TNE)	$29.22	0.90%
DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)	$1.72	0.88%
Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)	$19.06	0.69%
Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)	$63.38	0.46%
Steadfast Group Ltd (ASX: SDF)	$5.76	0.17%

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.

More reading

• Why is the ASX down 176 points today?
• Which were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in September?
• Codan vs Xero: Which ASX tech stock is the better buy in October?
• Should I buy DroneShield shares after its big US news?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

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 DroneShield, Hub24, and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Data#3 and Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are heavily in the red on Thursday.

The benchmark index tumbled 2% or 176 points to an intraday low of 8,613.2 points – a four-month low.

Every one of the 11 market sectors are in the red today.

ASX 200 energy shares are the most significant drag on the bourse today, down 3.1%, amid continually falling oil prices this week.

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price is down 3.1% to $30.88.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is down 2.6% to $8.40.

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares are down 2.5% to $43.01.

The Brent Crude oil price has fallen another 1% to US$97.12 per barrel today.

The oil price has fallen 8.9% over the past week as oil shipments out of the Middle East increase to near pre-war levels, according to analysts at Trading Economics.

Saudi Arabia has now restored half the capacity of its East-West pipeline, which had been allowing it to bypass the Strait of Hormuz and ship oil out via the Red Sea until a drone strike last month shut it down.

The analysts said the market “remain cautious about the durability of the recovery without a lasting agreement to end the Iran war…”

Meanwhile, an Iranian official said the US had submitted a new proposal to re-open the Strait of Hormuz.

ASX 200 real estate shares are also deeply in the red today, down 2.9%, amid ongoing concern that another interest rate rise may be on the cards either in 2Q or 3Q FY27.

The Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) share price is down 2.5% to $26.51.

The Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) share price is down 3% to $3.40.

The Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP) share price is down 3.6% to $4.16.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) increased the cash rate by 0.25% to a 15-year high of 4.6% on Tuesday due to persistently high inflation.

Data released yesterday showed annual trimmed mean inflation remained at 3.6% for August.

This made experts adjust their expectations for the next rate hike to come in February or March next year, rather than next month, as initially speculated.

Then today, the RBA called on financial institutions to strengthen their crisis plans.

In its monthly Financial Stability Review, the RBA said:

The Review finds that Australia’s financial system has a good degree of resilience, but global and operational vulnerabilities continue to mount and reinforce the need for financial institutions to strengthen their ability to withstand shocks.

The RBA highlighted elevated geopolitical threats, growing vulnerabilities in financial markets, advances in artificial intelligence, and critical service provider disruptions.

In this environment, it is important that financial institutions continue to build resilience to financial, operational and geopolitical shocks and that crisis preparedness plans are strengthened.

The post Why is the ASX down 176 points today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Which were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in September?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why has the ASX 200 jumped to its highest level in 3 weeks?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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 Goodman Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Regis Resources vs Fortescue shares

Gold and iron ore are at the heart of Australia’s resources sector, and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) represent two of the biggest homegrown names in these fields. If you’re weighing up Regis Resources vs Fortescue shares for your next portfolio move, you’ll want to compare more than just their size or sector – think dividends, valuation, recent momentum, and the unique opportunities and risks behind each miner.

The case for Regis Resources

Regis Resources is an established gold producer and explorer, operating mainly in Western Australia. Its key assets are the wholly owned Duketon Gold Project and a significant stake in the Tropicana Gold Mine, plus the McPhillamys Gold Project in NSW (which currently faces some major hurdles due to heritage protections). The company has shown a willingness to adapt and move on from challenged projects, recently writing down McPhillamys and shifting its focus.

A few stand-out fundamentals for Regis Resources:

• Attractive Valuation: Its P/E ratio sits at 7.92, which is considerably lower than many large miners, signalling the market prices in either risks or perhaps opportunity.
• Consistent, Fully Franked Dividends: Regis offers a 4.03% yield, entirely franked. Its dividends have been stable, with special and ordinary payments in the past year.
• Resilient Profitability: Earnings per share (EPS) is 0.939, suggesting sound profitability for a mid-cap gold miner.

All this, plus a modest market cap of $5.68 billion, positions Regis as an appealing option for those chasing value and income in the gold space.

The case for Fortescue

Fortescue is a giant in the iron ore world, ranked just behind BHP Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) globally. Its operations are sprawling: huge mines in the Pilbara, extensive port and rail infrastructure, and a history of scale-driven efficiencies. Fortescue’s sheer size – a $50.09 billion market cap – means its actions reverberate across the industry.

Fortescue’s notable strengths include:

• Market-Leading Dividend Yield: A 6.64% fully franked dividend yield is not just generous – it’s among the highest on the ASX, and has been supported by consistently large payouts year after year.
• Massive Scale and Infrastructure: Its scale brings resilience and bargaining power with customers, suppliers, and regulators.
• Strong Cash Generation: An EPS of 0.931 supports ongoing dividends and reinvestment.

Despite recent share price weakness – a common challenge in iron ore during rougher patches for commodity prices – Fortescue remains a blue-chip, income-stock favourite for many Australians.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how the key numbers line up:

Metric	Regis Resources	Fortescue
Market Cap	$5.68 billion	$50.09 billion
P/E Ratio	7.92	12.29
Dividend Yield	4.03% (100% franked)	6.64% (100% franked)
Earnings per Share (EPS)	0.939	0.931
Year-to-Date Return	3.18%	-21.22%

Note: Fortescue’s higher P/E ratio compared to Regis Resources may reflect its larger, more diversified operations or investor confidence in sustainable dividends. The strong dividend yields in both cases are fully franked, but Fortescue’s is notably higher. Both show healthy earnings per share, but since their P/E ratios are quite different despite similar EPS, this simply reflects the difference in share price and market valuation.

Recent share price performance

Comparing recent share price action up to 29 September 2026:

• Regis Resources: Closed at $7.48 on 29 Sep 2026, up 0.54% on the day. Over the past month, Regis shares have been broadly flat-to-positive, with a 3.18% year-to-date return.
• Fortescue: Closed at $16.27 on 29 Sep 2026, edging up 0.06% that session. However, the year-to-date return is negative at -21.2%, reflecting a challenging year for the iron ore sector or perhaps company-specific pressures.

Which is the better buy?

Weighing Regis Resources against Fortescue isn’t just a matter of gold versus iron ore; it’s really about value, income, and recent fortunes. Regis offers a much lower P/E, respectable 4.03% fully franked yield, and some share price resilience so far this year. Fortescue’s income stream is massive – a 6.64% fully franked yield – but this comes as the share price has dropped more than 21% year to date.

For me, while Fortescue’s dividend is mouth-watering, I’d lean toward Regis Resources right now. It looks undervalued on a P/E basis relative to its own earnings, has shown price resilience, and still offers a fully franked yield well above the market average. Fortescue remains a titan, but its price momentum is firmly against it for now and iron ore’s cyclical risks are tough to ignore. If I had to make a one-stock call between these two today, my pick would be Regis Resources for its balance of value and stability.

The post Regis Resources vs Fortescue: Which ASX miner is the better buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Commonwealth Bank vs BHP: Which ASX blue chip is the better buy in October?
• If I invest $10,000 in Fortescue shares, how much passive income could I earn in FY27?
• 7 ASX mining shares with 11% to 158% upside ahead: experts
• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Westpac, CSL shares
• Buy, hold, sell: Corporate Travel Management, JB Hi-Fi, BHP shares

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.