Vanguard ETFs remain among the most popular investment choices for Australians looking to build long-term wealth.

ASX ETFs have surged in popularity over the past decade, offering investors a low-cost, diversified way to invest without having to pick individual shares.

Few providers have benefited more from that trend than the Vanguard Group. Its focus on low fees, broad diversification, and a simple buy-and-hold investing philosophy has made its ETFs favourites among first-time investors and retirees alike.

Here’s how two of the fund manager’s biggest ASX-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) – the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) and the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) – are performing so far this year.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF aims to track the performance of the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), giving investors exposure to around 300 of Australia’s largest listed companies.

The ETF is heavily weighted towards Australia’s biggest sectors, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) each accounting for more than 10% of the portfolio. Other major holdings include Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

That concentration in banks and miners can be both a strength and a weakness. Investors benefit from exposure to some of Australia’s highest-quality companies and attractive dividend yields, but the portfolio is less diversified across sectors than many global funds.

VAS charges a low management fee of 0.07% per annum, helping investors keep more of their returns over the long term.

At the time of writing, the ETF has returned around 2% over the past year and is down approximately 1.6% over the past month, trading at $108.92. Over the past five years, it has delivered a total return of around 16%.

Income remains one of VAS’ biggest attractions. Investors recently received a distribution of 48.99 cents per unit, reinforcing its appeal for those seeking regular passive income.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF

For investors wanting to diversify beyond Australia, the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF offers exposure to more than 1,300 large and mid-cap companies across developed markets outside Australia.

Its largest holdings include technology giants Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), both of which have benefited from the rapid growth of artificial intelligence.

Unlike VAS, VGS has relatively little exposure to Australian banks and resources companies. Instead, it provides investors with access to many of the world’s leading technology, healthcare, consumer, and industrial businesses. The ETF also charges a competitive management fee of 0.18% per annum.

Performance has been particularly strong. VGS has gained around 11% over the past year and has significantly outperformed VAS over the past five years, delivering a return of approximately 62%.

Investors also recently received a distribution of 80.11 cents per unit.

For Australians seeking greater global diversification and exposure to many of the world’s highest-quality companies, VGS continues to be a compelling long-term core holding.

The post VAS vs VGS: Which Vanguard ETF is winning so far this year? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Macquarie Group, Microsoft, Nvidia, Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) share price is in focus today after the mining giant delivered FY26 operating results, exceeding several production guidance targets and announcing major progress in pivoting towards base metals.

What did South32 report?

• Announced sale of aluminium value chain (excluding Mozal) to Alcoa for up to US$5.6 billion, plus around US$1.2 billion in rehabilitation provisions
• Sierra Gorda (copper) exceeded FY26 production guidance by 2% and delivered record annual distributions of US$401 million
• Manganese production across Australia and South Africa both surpassed FY26 guidance by 1% and 4% respectively
• Group sales volumes increased by 15% in Q4 FY26, unlocking circa US$200 million in working capital
• Returned US$327 million to shareholders during FY26 through dividends and on-market buy-backs
• Major progress at Hermosa, investing about US$710 million in the zinc-lead-silver project

What else do investors need to know?

South32 completed a CEO transition, with Matt Daley taking the reins from Graham Kerr as of 1 July 2026. The recently announced sale to Alcoa, which excludes Mozal Aluminium, is expected to be finalised in the second half of FY27 pending shareholder approval. This transformational move accelerates South32’s strategic shift towards becoming a leading producer of base and precious metals.

The company highlighted robust production from Cannington, Sierra Gorda, and its manganese operations. Meanwhile, Hermosa’s development continues on schedule with crucial US permitting milestones achieved. South32 also reported effective cost control despite higher raw material and freight costs due to geopolitical impacts.

What’s next for South32?

With the pending sale of its aluminium value chain, South32 expects about 85% of pro-forma earnings to come from base and precious metals. The business is targeting 55% production growth from approved projects, with expanded copper capacity at Sierra Gorda and further construction at the Hermosa project.

South32 plans to continue optimising its core assets and progress open-pit development at Cannington, while closely managing water impacts at its Australian manganese operations. Revised guidance for Australia Manganese FY27 output will be provided with upcoming results.

South32 share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, South32 shares have risen 29%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post South32 reveals FY26 operating results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

The Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL) share price is in focus today after the company secured two major civil and concrete construction contracts for its Tumas Project in Namibia, valued at approximately A$34 million, further de-risking its flagship uranium development.

What did Deep Yellow report?

• Two major civil and concrete construction contracts awarded for the Tumas Project in Namibia.
• Estimated combined contract value of around A$34 million, following a competitive tender process.
• Contracts awarded to 100% Namibian-owned contractors, supporting local content.
• Work packages cover processing plant concrete, precast infrastructure, and Run-of-Mine retaining structures.
• Mobilisation scheduled for August 2026 with sequential handover to reduce execution risk.

What else do investors need to know?

Both contracts were awarded to Namibian Construction Pty Ltd and Nexus Building and Civils Contractors Pty Ltd, reinforcing Deep Yellow’s focus on in-country capability and local workforce participation. The company said the process followed industry-standard terms and competitive tendering.

Civil and concrete works will be delivered sequentially from August 2026. While they do not alter the planned 24-month construction schedule after the Final Investment Decision, the work is expected to create multiple work fronts and greater project flexibility.

What did Deep Yellow management say?

Managing Director and CEO Greg Field said:

These awards represent another important milestone in our disciplined approach to project development. Our objective has always been to systematically remove execution risk, secure high-quality contractors and ensure the Project is positioned for efficient delivery as we advance toward FID towards the end of this year. Civil and concrete works are fundamental to the successful delivery of any major processing facility. Securing these capabilities now creates multiple construction work fronts, increasing execution flexibility and strengthening confidence in execution once FID is reached.

We are equally pleased that both contracts have been awarded to highly capable Namibian companies. Developing Tumas in partnership with local industry is central to our strategy and reflects our commitment to delivering long-term value for Namibia alongside our shareholders.

What’s next for Deep Yellow?

Deep Yellow is progressing towards a Final Investment Decision for the Tumas Project, expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. The company continues to pursue its dual-pillar growth strategy, aiming to become a globally significant uranium producer.

Its development pipeline also includes the Mulga Rock Project in Western Australia, and exploration projects in the Northern Territory and Namibia. With a strong focus on partnership and project execution, Deep Yellow expects to deliver long-term value for communities, shareholders and the uranium supply chain.

Deep Yellow share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Deep Yellow shares have declined 33%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Deep Yellow announces major construction contracts for Tumas Project appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• South32 reveals FY26 operating results
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• Alcoa smashes Q2 revenue record, boosts portfolio with South32 acquisition

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.