It was another positive day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Tuesday, despite the news of another interest rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

The markets weren’t really sure what to do for much of the session, with the ASX 200 spending time in both positive and negative territory. The bulls ended up winning the day, though, with the index closing up 0.34% to 8,709.3 points.

This turbulent-but-positive Tuesday on the ASX came after a decidedly more negative start to the American trading week overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a Garfield-esque start to the trading week, dropping 0.67%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was hit even harder, falling 0.92%.

But let’s get back to ASX shares now, though, and take stock of what the various ASX sectors were up to today.

Winners and losers

Despite the ASX’s optimism, we still saw some sectors that couldn’t hold water.

The most conspicuous of those were utilities shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) was hit hard, plunging 0.82%.

Energy stocks were also on the nose, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) slumping 0.72%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) weren’t popular either. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) retreated 0.21% today.

Financial stocks couldn’t break even, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 0.13% dip.

Communications shares were next. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) sank by 0.13% this Tuesday.

Our last losers were consumer staples stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) sliding 0.06%.

Turning to the winners now, these were led by tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) enjoyed a resurgence this session, roaring 4.61% higher.

Mining stocks also ran hot, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)’s 1.02% spike.

Consumer discretionary shares proved popular too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) shot up 0.72% this session.

Gold stocks were in demand, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) adding 0.63% to its total.

We could say something similar about industrial shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) advanced 0.36% today.

Finally, healthcare stocks got in under the wire, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)’s 0.22% improvement.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Coming in hottest on the index this Tuesday was Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA). Codan shares rocketed a massive 23.93% this session to close at $64.43 each.

This came after the company reported its first-half profits, which clearly delighted the market.

Here’s how the other winners pulled up at the kerb:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA)	$64.43	23.93%
Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)	$20.63	9.44%
Sunrise Energy Metals Ltd (ASX: SRL)	$23.06	9.19%
Perenti Ltd (ASX: PRN)	$2.34	8.84%
Pinnacle Investment Management Group Ltd (ASX: PNI)	$13.96	8.05%
Elsight Ltd (ASX: ELS)	$5.05	7.68%
Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6)	$0.90	7.14%
Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)	$11.18	5.67%
Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)	$0.95	4.97%
IRESS Ltd (ASX: IRE)	$5.37	4.68%

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 Electro Optic Systems, Megaport, and Pinnacle Investment Management Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Pinnacle Investment Management Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Qantas Airways vs Flight Centre shares: Which ASX travel stock comes out on top?

When Aussies weigh up travel shares, two names stand out: Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN) and Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT). Both are iconic in the tourism sector but offer very different business models and investment profiles. With both now back paying fully franked dividends and facing unique headwinds post-COVID, which travel stock is the better buy today? Here’s what I found digging into the fundamentals, latest prices, and dividend records.

The case for Qantas Airways

Qantas is the national flag carrier, founded in 1920 and today best known for its strong safety record and premium service on regional, domestic, and international flights. Its core operation is flying people and cargo, balanced between its full-service Qantas brand and the value-focused Jetstar arm. Qantas has survived decades of industry shocks, most recently navigating the COVID-19 pandemic’s massive hit to global travel demand.

Three key standouts for Qantas right now:

• Dividend comeback: After pausing dividends during COVID, Qantas resumed payouts in 2025 and is now offering a fully franked yield of 4.43% — slightly higher than Flight Centre’s, with consistent recent interim and final payments.
• Lower P/E ratio: Qantas trades on a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.57, notably undercutting Flight Centre in the current market snapshot, which could appeal to value-minded investors.
• Market strength: With a market cap of $13.51 billion, Qantas is by far the bigger business, giving it deeper pockets and what I see as stronger resilience if conditions worsen.

Qantas is recognised for safety and reliability and is considered one of the best long-distance carriers globally. Its 100% franked dividends may also appeal to income-seeking shareholders.

The case for Flight Centre Travel Group

Flight Centre, launched in 1982, has grown from a single travel shop to a sprawling, multi-brand operation with stores across Australia and overseas. It’s not an airline — it’s a travel retailer and agency, connecting consumers to flights, cruises (with its recent Iglu acquisition in the UK), tours, and corporate travel services. Its business is highly sensitive to discretionary travel demand but looks arguably less asset-heavy than Qantas.

Here’s what jumped out for Flight Centre:

• Dividend stability: FLT resumed and then lifted dividends since travel bounced back, with $0.42 per share fully franked paid out over the last year, close to Qantas’s $0.40, and a yield of 4.13% at current prices.
• Recent M&A activity: Its acquisition of Iglu, a UK cruise specialist in 2026, hints at an active global strategy even as the broader sector remains tricky.
• Smaller size, higher P/E: FLT’s market cap is $2.07 billion — much smaller than Qantas — and its P/E ratio stands at 14.65, higher than Qantas’s but not unreasonable for a company emerging from major disruption.

Flight Centre’s extensive network and global reach are highlighted, but the business remains primarily a travel agent rather than an operator of transport assets.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how the two travel giants line up on the numbers that matter:

Metric	Qantas Airways	Flight Centre
Market Cap	$13.51 billion	$2.07 billion
P/E Ratio	10.57	14.65
Dividend Yield	4.43% (100% franked)	4.13% (100% franked)
Dividend per Share	$0.40	$0.42
EPS	0.845	0.695
Year to Date Return	-10.15%	-29.38%

Recent share price performance

Both Qantas and Flight Centre have had a tough run recently, likely reflecting cost pressures and patchy confidence in the travel sector.

Comparing recent share price action up to 25 September:

• Qantas closed at $8.93, down 1.0% for the day and showing a year-to-date decline of 10.2%.
• Flight Centre closed at $10.18, down 1.3% for the day, but its YTD performance is much worse, with a steep 29.4% fall since the start of the year.

Which is the better buy?

For me, Qantas Airways stands out as the stronger buy right now. It’s delivering a slightly higher, fully franked dividend, trades on a lower price-to-earnings multiple, and has seen less share price carnage this year than Flight Centre. While both companies are exposed to the health of the travel sector, Qantas appears more resilient thanks to its scale, operating profits, and core transport assets.

Flight Centre does have merit with its recent move into cruises and persistent dividends, but its combination of a higher P/E and much weaker share price momentum makes me cautious. If you’re seeking relatively defensive exposure to the travel rebound, my pick would be Qantas, given its more attractive valuation and better recent performance. I’d be watching Flight Centre for a clearer turnaround and further evidence that earnings can recover.

The post Qantas Airways vs Flight Centre: Which ASX travel stock is the better buy today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Qantas shares are climbing higher again! Time to buy?
• Why I’d buy and hold these ASX passive income shares
• $10,000 invested in Air New Zealand and Qantas shares 3 years ago is now worth…
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• 3 ASX 200 shares forecast to fly 30% to 40% higher

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 Flight Centre Travel 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.

After a lot of volatility for the stock market, there are a large number of opportunities out there that look like very cheap ASX shares, in my opinion.

We can’t control share prices, but we can control when we invest. When valuations are hitting, or close to, 52-week lows, I think there’s good chance to pick up a bargain.   

I think the two stocks below are excellent opportunities today.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

The first business I want to highlight is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that’s invested across a range of commercial properties in different sectors.

It provides exposure to industrial and logistics, data centres, social infrastructure, offices, hotels, service stations and retail.

The prospect of even higher interest rates is acting as a headwind on the unit prices of REITs like Charter Hall Long WALE REIT. Over the past year, the Charter Hall Long WALE REIT unit price has dropped 27%, making it a lot cheaper.

The business is generating almost as much rental income as possible from its portfolio. Its occupancy rate was 99.9% at the end of FY26, with 99% leased to reliable blue-chip tenants. Pleasingly, it has a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of around nine years, which means a lot of rental income has already been locked in for the years ahead.  

It’s a lot cheaper and it now looks very good value compared to its underlying balance sheet. It reported net tangible assets (NTA) of $4.71 as at June 2026, so it’s trading at an appealing 31% discount to that NTA.

One of the main reasons why I think it’s an obvious cheap ASX share pick is because it’s projected to pay an annual distribution of 25.5 cents per security in FY27. That means it could pay a distribution yield of 7.9%! I think that’s close to the best forward distribution yield investors could get from the REIT over the past decade.

Collins Foods Ltd (ASX: CKF)

Another ASX share that looks to me like it’s trading far too cheaply is Collins Foods, a KFC franchisee operator with operations in Australia and Europe.

As a consumer-facing business, the company may be viewed by some investors as being exposed to a potential downturn. The Collins Foods share price has fallen 27% over the past year, making it seem a lot cheaper.

But, the company’s financials don’t seem to show any sign of a downturn.

At the start of September, the company announced a trading update for the first 17 weeks, total company sales were up 6.6%, with 6.4% growth for Australian sales, 44% growth for Germany and a 2.5% decline in the Netherlands.

Management are optimistic that initiatives in Australia and Germany can continue to deliver solid performance in those two important markets. For example, it is trialling breakfast in Gold Coast restaurants.  

With plans to continue to expand its global restaurant network over time, I think the prospects look promising for both revenue and earnings growth for Collins Foods, so the sell-off makes this look like a very cheap ASX share to me.

Based on the projection on CMC Invest, the Collins Foods share price is now trading at under 15x FY27’s estimated earnings.

These aren’t the only two cheap ASX shares out there that look really good value to me, so I’d add other stocks to my watchlist, too.

The post 2 very cheap ASX shares near 52-week lows I’d buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Collins Foods. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.