Building a portfolio does not need to be difficult.

With the right mix of ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs), investors can get broad exposure to Australian shares, global markets, and selected quality companies.

Here is one simple way to do it with just three investments.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The first ASX ETF to consider as part of this portfolio is the iShares S&P 500 ETF.

This fund can act as the global growth engine of the portfolio. It gives investors exposure to 500 large companies listed in the United States, which remains the deepest and most influential share market in the world.

That means the fund is connected to many of the businesses setting the pace in technology, healthcare, consumer products, financial services, industrials, and communication services. This includes Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA).

A key attraction of this fund is that it does not require investors to decide which US giant will win next. It spreads capital across a large group of market leaders and allows the portfolio to participate as corporate America keeps adapting, innovating, and expanding.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF could be another good addition to this portfolio.

It brings the portfolio back home. The fund provides exposure to a large basket of Australian shares, including banking giants, mining behemoths, healthcare companies, retailers, property groups, infrastructure businesses, and industrial names.

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF also provides a source of income, as many Australian companies have a long history of paying dividends.

This gives the portfolio a different shape from a purely global strategy. It adds exposure to Australian profits, Australian dividends, and the domestic economy, while still spreading risk across a broad group of local companies.

VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF (ASX: GOAT)

The final component of this portfolio could be the VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF.

This ASX ETF can add a more selective layer to the portfolio. It looks beyond Australia and focuses on international companies that are judged to have strong competitive positions and attractive valuations.

That makes it different from a standard index fund. Instead of simply following the biggest companies by market value, it tries to find businesses with advantages that may help protect profits over time. Those advantages can come from strong brands, valuable intellectual property, cost benefits, customer loyalty, or products that are difficult to replace.

This can give the portfolio exposure to companies that may be able to defend their market positions through changing conditions. It also helps broaden the portfolio beyond the Australian market and the US-heavy exposure investors may already get through IVV.

Foolish takeaway

It might be simple, but combining the IVV, VAS, and GOAT ETFs could give investors a winning three-ETF portfolio with global scale, local exposure, dividend potential, and a selective quality tilt.

The post How to build a winning ASX portfolio with just 3 investments 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 positions in and has recommended iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Last week was a tough week for BHP shares.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) has spent two decades trying to prove it can be more than an iron ore and copper company.

Jansen, its giant potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada, is the clearest test of that ambition.

This week, that test got harder.

BHP shares fell 3.20% on Friday to $62.96 after the company revealed another cost blowout at Jansen. The stock has now fallen approximately 8% from its 52-week and record high.

What actually happened at Jansen

BHP completed a detailed review of the cost and schedule estimates for Jansen Stage 2, and the news was not good.

The company now expects Stage 2 to cost between US$4.9 billion and US$5.4 billion more than previously estimated. This is on top of an original sanctioned budget of US$4.9 billion approved back in October 2023.

BHP will recognise an impairment charge of about US$2.3 billion against Jansen Stage 2 as part of its FY26 results.

First production from Stage 2 is now targeted for FY2031, a delay from the originally planned 2029 start.

Stage 1, separately, remains on track for first production in FY2027, though its cost estimate has also crept higher since being sanctioned.

BHP has confirmed it will provide a further update on Stage 1 timing and spending before 31 December 2026.

Why the market reacted so sharply

An impairment charge of this size is, by definition, a non-cash accounting adjustment rather than an immediate cash outflow.

But it is also a credibility issue.

This is not the first time Jansen’s costs have risen beyond what was originally promised. Each successive upward revision makes the market more sceptical of management’s next set of project projections.

BHP shares had already gained around 35% since the start of 2026. This has left little margin for disappointment once the news landed.

Does this change the long-term investment case for BHP shares?

Jansen represents BHP’s attempt to diversify beyond iron ore and copper into a third major commodity pillar tied to global food security and agricultural productivity.

Management still sees potash as an important long-term growth area despite the cost overrun. The company has explicitly framed this week’s update as a matter of timing and cost rather than an abandonment of the underlying strategy.

That framing matters for how investors should weigh the news. The setback is real, but BHP is not signalling that it is walking away from potash altogether.

Why BHP shares could still be a buy

The case for BHP shares has never rested primarily on Jansen.

BHP’s growing copper exposure, combined with rising global demand for electricity-intensive infrastructure, including data centres, electric vehicles, and renewable energy, remains the stronger near-term driver of the company’s earnings and dividend.

The current pullback to approximately 9% below the record high gives investors a more reasonable entry point into a business whose iron ore cash generation and copper growth trajectory have not been altered by this week’s news.

Jansen still adds a longer-term potash option, even with a delayed timeline, rather than removing a pillar of the investment case entirely.

Foolish takeaway

BHP’s bet beyond iron ore just got more expensive and will take longer to pay off than originally promised.

That is a setback, and the market’s sharp reaction reflects real concern about capital discipline at BHP.

But the core reasons to own BHP shares: scale, a strong iron ore cash engine, and growing copper exposure tied to the AI and electrification megatrend, remain firmly in place.

For investors who can accept that mega-projects rarely run exactly to plan, the post-Jansen pullback may offer a reasonable entry point rather than a reason to walk away.

The post BHP’s bet beyond iron ore just hit a snag. Are BHP shares still 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 recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When it comes to investing in the lithium industry, PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares are the go-to for many investors.

And while it is undoubtedly one of the highest-quality lithium miners in the world, a strong gain over the past 12 months could mean that upside is limited from here.

That certainly isn’t the case for the ASX lithium share in this article according to the team at Bell Potter, with the broker suggesting that it could more than double in value.

Which ASX lithium share?

The share that Bell Potter is bullish on is lithium developer Ioneer Ltd (ASX: INR).

It is the owner of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium-boron project in Nevada, USA.

Bell Potter notes that the project is designed to produce +24ktpa lithium carbonate equivalent and +135ktpa boric acid over the first 25 years.

However, it points out that ore reserves suggest that it could support an 82-year project life at this initial production rate.

Bell Potter was pleased to see that the South Korean government and Hyundai Engineering have taken a shine to the project and has signed non-binding letters of intent this week. It said:

While non-binding, the calibre and commentary from these counterparties provides strong endorsement of INR’s project development pathway. INR is currently running a Strategic Partnering Process to introduce new project-level equity funding in support of a Final Investment Decision at Rhyolite Ridge. It is reasonable to assume that the KIND, MOLIT and Hyundai LOIs are part of this process.

The Rhyolite Ridge project is fully permitted; an October 2025 project economic update outlined potential production of 27.8ktpa lithium hydroxide and 135.5ktpa boric acid at a capital cost of US$1.7b and with a lithium AISC of US$4,628/t LCE (net of boron co-product credits). The project is also backed by a US$996m US Department of Energy concessional loan. With cash of US$62m and no debt (31 March 2026), INR is fully funded to FID.

Should you invest?

According to the note, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating on the ASX lithium share with a slightly improved price target of 40 cents (from 39 cents).

Based on its current share price of 15.5 cents, this implies potential upside of approximately 160% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

Rhyolite Ridge is strategically important as a fully permitted, near-term and US-located source of lithium and boron supply. Both lithium and boron are USGS-designated critical minerals. Rhyolite Ridge received development approval in October 2024 and engineering design is 70% complete. Lithium markets have recently strengthened, and we expect continued growth in underlying demand and limited new sources of supply will support lithium chemicals prices over the medium to long term. Our INR valuation is $0.40/sh.

Key INR value catalysts are the outcomes of the Strategic Partnering Process in the lead-up to a Final Investment Decision and commencement of development, all expected in 2H 2026.

The post Forget PLS shares, this US-focused ASX lithium share could rise 100%+ 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.