On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended the day with the smallest of gains. The benchmark index rose a fraction to 8,783.9 points
Will the market be able to build on this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:
ASX 200 to fall
The Australian share market is expected to fall on Wednesday following a poor session on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 30 points or 0.35% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.35%, the S&P 500 dropped slightly, and the Nasdaq was down 0.15%.
Oil prices mixed
ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) will be on watch on Wednesday after a mixed night for oil prices. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1% to US$94.69 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.45% to US$106.16 a barrel. Traders are assessing the impacts of the Russian diesel supply deal and the Saudi-Houthi conflict.
Buy PLS shares
The team at Bell Potter has upgraded PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares this morning following a period of weakness. Although the broker has reduced its lithium price forecasts, it remains positive and has upgraded PLS shares to a buy rating with a trimmed price target of $4.40 (from $5.20). It said: “We upgrade to a Buy recommendation on recent share price weakness. At current lithium market prices, PLS will generate substantial earnings and cash flow with the restart of the 200ktpa Ngungaju processing plant.”
Gold price softens
ASX 200 gold shares Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a subdued session on Wednesday after the gold price eased overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 0.1% to US$4,187.2 an ounce. Traders were selling gold ahead of the release of US inflation data.
Rio Tinto update
Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares will be on watch on Wednesday when the mining giant releases its quarterly update. Investors will no doubt be looking to see if Rio Tinto remains on course to achieve its guidance in 2026. It is targeting copper production of 800kt to 870kt and iron ore sales of 343Mt to 366Mt. Costs are expected to be US$23.5 to US$25 per tonne for iron ore and 30 US cents to 50 US cents per pound for copper. Elsewhere, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is holding its annual general meeting today and will be worth watching.
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.
Owning AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL) shares over the years has delivered plenty of passive income in the form of dividends. Investors may be wondering what the future holds for potential payments.
As one of Australia’s largest energy businesses, AGL has an important role to play in terms of both the energy it generates and its role as one of the largest energy retailers.
In terms of its energy retailing, in FY26, it reported that it had total AGL customer services of 4.6 million (up 92,000 year-over-year).
Its energy generation portfolio is currently very diversified across coal-fired power, gas, hydro, wind, solar and batteries.
The company is currently working on transitioning its energy portfolio. It has ambitions to add 12GW of new renewable and firming capacity by the end of 2035, and is looking at options to accelerate that timeline where possible.
Given the required capital expenditure for its new energy investments, let’s look at what the upcoming dividends could be.
FY27
In the 2026 financial year, the company generated underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) of $631 million (down 2%) and declared an annual dividend per share of 50 cents.
AGL said that it’s targeting a dividend payout ratio range of between 55% to 60% of underlying net profit for the FY27 dividend and it’s expected to be fully franked.
According to the projection on Commsec, AGL is forecast to see a slightly lower annual dividend of 49 cents per share, which would represent a decline of 2% compared to FY26. That would be a dividend yield of 5.8% excluding franking credits and 8.3%, including franking credits.
FY28
The company’s financials could see a decline of earnings in the 2028 financial year, which could then see a flow-on effect to the dividend. Earnings per share (EPS) could decline by 20% in FY28, which is a sizeable drop.
According to the projection on Commsec, AGL’s dividend will fall by another 26% to 36.4 cents per share. At the time of writing, that translates into a dividend yield of 4.3% excluding franking credits and 6.2% including franking credits.
FY29
In the final year of this series of projections, AGL’s earnings dividend could start climbing again, according to the forecast.
AGL’s EPS could climb by 22.8% in the 2029 financial year, which could help the dividend rise by 15% to 41.9 cents per share.
That estimate says that the AGL dividend yield could be 5% excluding franking credits and 7.1% including franking credits.
If these projections happen, it shows that the AGL dividend yield could remain solid, even if the payout does reduce in FY28.
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 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.
Zip vs WiseTech shares: which is the stronger growth prospect?
If you’re considering ASX growth shares for your portfolio, two very different technology names you might be weighing up are Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) and WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC). Both operate in tech-driven industries and have ambitious aims, but their fundamentals, business models, and recent share price action make for an intriguing comparison. Let’s look at Zip vs WiseTech shares to see which could be better positioned for strong growth from here.
The case for Zip
Zip is an Australian fintech focused on point-of-sale credit, best known for its buy-now, pay-later (BNPL) products like Zip Money and Zip Pay. Founded in 2013 with ambitions to disrupt the credit card sector, Zip has quickly broadened its reach and according to its most recent public description, now operates in 12 countries spanning Australia, New Zealand, and the US.
The BNPL sector is famously competitive, and after a hot run a few years back, many of the major players have struggled with profitability and regulation risks. For Zip, several fundamentals stand out:
Market cap of $2.69 billion places it firmly in the mid-cap camp.
Its P/E ratio is 23.84, which is relatively moderate for a tech businessâif earnings can keep growing.
Zip pays no dividend (Dividend Yield 0.00%), consistent with its growth focus.
Year-to-date (YTD) Return is deeply negative at -34.4%, suggesting a tough period for the stock price.
Zip’s business now spans several countries and it continues to target both consumers and merchants with its fee-based and interest-free payment services. With net positive EPS reported ($0.091 per share), there are signs that Zip is moving toward profitability, but ongoing sector pressure and regulatory scrutiny may weigh on near-term growth.
The case for WiseTech
WiseTech Global is a heavyweight in Australian technology, specialising in logistics and supply chain software. Its main product, CargoWise One, helps some of the world’s largest freight companiesâincluding Toll and DHLâmanage logistics operations efficiently. Founded in 1994, WiseTech has spent decades building its global presence, now supporting customers across all continents according to its most recent profile.
Key numbers for WiseTech:
It boasts a much larger market cap of $11.31 billion, showing its global scale and sector influence.
The P/E ratio is higher at 44.0, reflecting considerable market optimism and perhaps the premium placed on scalable software.
Dividend Yield is modest at 0.65%, but importantly, all dividends are fully franked (Franking 100%), which is attractive to many Australian investors.
Earnings per share come in at $0.485, with a dividend per share of $0.22.
Like Zip, the stock has underperformed in 2026 so far: the YTD Return is a challenging -50.6%.
While its business is less consumer-facing and more focused on enterprise software than Zip, WiseTech operates in a logistics sector where efficiency and global reach are increasingly prized. Regular fully franked dividends show WiseTech’s ability to return capital to shareholders, even as it continues to chase global growth.
Valuation comparison
With both companies squarely in the tech sector but operating different models, their fundamental ratios tell an interesting story:
Metric
Zip
WiseTech
Market Cap
$2.69 billion
$11.31 billion
P/E Ratio
23.84
44.00
Dividend Yield
0.00%
0.65% (fully franked)
Earnings per Share
$0.091
$0.485
Dividend per Share
N/A
$0.22
It’s worth noting that WiseTech’s higher P/E ratio suggests much loftier market expectations for growth, even as its recent share price has stumbled. Only WiseTech offers a (small, franked) dividend at present. Zip’s more modest P/E may indicate more downbeat expectations, but it also signals less pricing in of future growth (or potentially more risk).
Recent share price momentum
Comparing price movements as of 9 October 2026:
Zip closed at $2.16, up 3.85% for the day, but down sharply YTD (-34.4%). Recent volatility was high, with a double-digit one-day fall in late September.
WiseTech closed at $33.63, up 4.25% for the day, but carries a steeper YTD decline of -50.6%. In the late September to early October period, it also displayed big swings but managed some strong daily rebounds.
Which is the better buy?
Looking at Zip vs WiseTech shares, I’d lean toward WiseTech as the stronger growth prospect from hereâdespite its recent underperformance and high valuation. WiseTech operates in a global market that’s only becoming more vital with the rise of e-commerce, supply chain digitalisation, and global trade complexity. While the P/E multiple (44x) is steep, WiseTech combines positive earnings, a consistent (if modest) dividend, full franking, and a broad, defensive customer base. That’s a solid foundation for recovery and future growth if the company executes.
Zip, while interesting as a potential turnaround, remains heavily exposed to the fortunes of the BNPL sectorâa space facing consumer fatigue, intensifying competition, and ongoing regulatory risk. Its lack of dividend and sharply negative share price momentum make it a more speculative play in my view.
Neither stock has delivered great returns YTD. But for long-term growth, my pick would be WiseTech. I think its sticky enterprise relationships and recurring revenue could underpin a stronger rebound and compounding power over time, whereas Zip feels like a riskier bet whose story will need a major catalyst to reignite.
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 positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. 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.
