On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was back on form and pushed higher. The benchmark index rose 0.3% to 9,083.8 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to fall

The Australian share market looks set for a subdued session on Friday following a poor night of trade in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 25 points or 0.3% lower this morning. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones was down 1.3%, the S&P 500 fell 0.9%, and the Nasdaq dropped 1%.

Oil prices jump

ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good finish to the week after oil prices jumped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 2.7% to US$88.15 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 2% to US$93.45 a barrel. This was driven by renewed concerns around Middle East tensions.

Telix shares downgraded

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares will be on watch on Friday after being downgraded by analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has cut its rating on the radiopharmaceutical company’s shares to hold (from buy) with a $19.00 price target. It said: “The pivotal moment is in a few days time for Pixclara with this event alone to dominate short term share price performance. We expect approval but without great conviction. FY26 earnings adjustments are modest. We retain our PT $19.00 and downgrade to Hold following the recent share price increase.”

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) could have a decent finish to the week after the gold price rose overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.65% to US$4,574.8 an ounce. This appears to have been driven by easing interest rate hike expectations.

Temple & Webster downgraded

Bell Potter has downgraded Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW) shares despite their heavy decline over the past 12 months. This morning, the broker has cut its rating on the online retailer’s shares to hold with a reduced price target of $4.50. It said: “While the share trades towards 3-year lows, we see multiple risks related to the revenue recovery from current levels over the next few months in this current macroeconomic context, competitive landscape and following TPW’s 4Q26 profit optimisation initiatives.”

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Bega Cheese, Temple & Webster and Whitehaven Coal shares after results
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Buy, hold, sell: Premier Investments, Hansen Technologies, Santos shares
• 7 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings this week
• 10 ASX 200 shares downgraded by analysts this week

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Temple & Webster Group and Woodside Energy Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX ETFs have become the default starting point for new Australian investors, and for good reason.

They give you dozens or hundreds of companies in a single trade.

You do not need to pick winners, and you do not need a large starting balance.

Not all ASX ETFs are built the same, though.

Here are three I would happily build a first portfolio around in 2026.

Why ASX ETFs suit first-time investors

The biggest mistake new investors make is buying one or two speculative stocks and hoping for the best.

Exchange-traded funds remove that single-company risk almost entirely, because a poor result from one holding is diluted across the rest of the portfolio.

They also cost very little to own.

Fees on the three funds below range from 0.07% to 0.38% a year, which works out to somewhere between $7 and $38 annually on a $10,000 investment.

You buy and sell them through a broker exactly as you would an ordinary share.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS)

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) is the most widely held fund on the ASX.

The ETF tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index and holds 321 securities.

The fee is just 0.07% per annum, and the ETF now manages $26.2 billion.

Returns have been solid without being spectacular.

The fund delivered 5.79% over the year to 31 July 2026, and 8.92% annually across the past decade.

My colleagues looked at exactly how VAS performed across FY26.

The fund also carries an equity yield of 3.1%, and because distributions have been close to 80% franked this year, that income serves to boost the headline return figure.

Vanguard MSCI International Shares ETF (VGS)

Vanguard MSCI International Shares Index ETF (ASX: VGS) addresses the lack of geographic diversification in VAS.

Australia represents less than 2% of global sharemarket value, and VGS holds 1,247 companies across developed markets, with the United States making up 73.2% of the portfolio and roughly $17.2 billion invested in the ETF.

Its largest holdings are Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft and Amazon, with annual management fees of 0.18% a year.

Returns have been strong, at 13.79% annually over the past ten years.

The yield is much lower at 1.4%, because global companies tend to reinvest their earnings rather than pay them out to shareholders.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (NDQ)

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) is the most aggressive option of the three.

The ETF holds the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq, and technology accounts for 58.2% of the portfolio.

The returns have been remarkable, averaging 20.87% a year over the past decade.

Management costs are 0.38% per annum and distributions are paid twice a year.

In many ways, this ETF is the best way to capture the artificial intelligence boom from Australia.

The trade-off is concentration risk. Nvidia, Apple and Microsoft alone account for more than 21% of the fund.

How to combine these ASX ETFs

A simple approach is to weight VAS and VGS as the core of the portfolio.

That gives you Australian franking credits alongside global diversification, which is the combination most local investors are missing when they start out.

NDQ then becomes a smaller satellite position for growth.

Rebalancing once a year is usually enough: the point of ASX ETFs is that they do not need constant attention.

Foolish takeaway

There is no single perfect fund.

VAS gives you income and franking, VGS gives you the world, and NDQ gives you growth with a good deal of volatility attached.

Between them, these three ASX ETFs cover most of what a first portfolio needs.

Start with regular contributions, keep the fees low, and let compounding handle the rest.

The post Top 3 ASX ETFs for a first-time investor in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How to turn $10,000 into $100,000 with ASX shares
• 20% a year: Is this the ASX’s best index fund?
• Is $2 million really the new superannuation target?
• How to invest $10,000 the Warren Buffett way: Buy businesses, not stocks
• A200 vs NDQ: one Betashares ETF is the clear winner

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 positions in and has recommended Amazon, Apple, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Yesterday, cancer diagnostics company Pacific Edge Ltd (ASX: PEB) reported a net loss after tax of $35.8 million, up 19.5% on FY25, and operating revenue down 47.4% to $11.5 million for the year ended 31 March 2026.

What did Pacific Edge report?

• Operating revenue: $11.5 million, down 47.4% from FY25
• Net loss after tax: $35.8 million, up 19.5% year on year
• Commercial test volumes: 18,783, down 23.8% on FY25
• Cash burn (2H FY26): $2.4 million per month, down 27.7% on 1H FY26
• APAC operations contributed $2.0 million in FY26 and moved closer to profitability on a direct cost basis
• Post-balance date $36.1 million capital raising completed

What else do investors need to know?

Pacific Edge’s FY26 was a year of strategic delivery, with the company advancing key regulatory and commercial milestones despite the impact of Medicare non-coverage in the US market. Notably, in May 2026, Medicare contractor Novitas published a draft Local Coverage Determination proposing coverage for Cxbladder Triage and Triage Plus—marking a “company-defining milestone”.

In the US, commercial payers covering 10.5 million lives have already adopted medical policy for Pacific Edge’s tests, and operating efficiency improved via reduced cash burn. In the Asia Pacific, the company continues to grow, achieving a 25% lift in average revenue per test after repricing, and APAC operations are now edging toward profitability.

What did Pacific Edge management say?

Chairman Simon Flood said:

Our work is incomplete in this regard, but the draft LCD is a huge step forward and a hard-won recognition for the years of work put in by our Team led by Pete Meintjes. The LCD remains draft, and disciplined execution remains essential as we await confirmation of a final LCD which we hope to receive before the end of this year. The difference that the draft LCD makes is that it gives Pacific Edge a clearer reimbursement pathway and a legitimacy that confirms Cxbladder as the leader in its field, and that’s a great place for us to start rebuilding sales momentum.

What’s next for Pacific Edge?

Management expects the final Medicare coverage decision for Cxbladder Triage and Triage Plus by the end of 2026, which is anticipated to drive higher test volumes and improved unit economics. The company will focus on shifting its US customer base to higher-margin Triage Plus orders, strengthening commercial payer policy, and expanding in APAC and other international markets as regulatory pathways are secured.

Pacific Edge’s ongoing clinical trials and product pipeline are expected to further build clinical evidence and unlock new opportunities. Looking ahead, emphasis remains on disciplined cost control, commercial execution, and innovation to convert its strong position into sustainable profitability and growth.

Pacific Edge share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Pacific Edge shares have risen 91%, significantly outperforming the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

View Original Announcement

The post Pacific Edge FY26: Loss widens but Medicare draft boost lifts outlook appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• I think this is one of the best ASX dividend shares to own for the next 10 years
• ClearView Wealth provides update on Zurich acquisition and ASX delisting
• What is Morgan’s view on these ASX 300 shares following earnings results?
• Genesis Minerals FY26 earnings: profit, growth, maiden dividend
• Buy, hold, sell: Bega Cheese, Temple & Webster and Whitehaven Coal shares after results

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 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. 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.