The oil price has taken a hit, but some ASX energy shares are moving higher on Monday.

During early afternoon trade, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are up 1.15% to $28.19. That leaves the Woodside share price up around 20% in 2026.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) is also having a stronger session. Its shares are up 2.25% to $7.26, taking its gain for the year to around 17%.

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) is climbing 1.49% to 85.3 cents, while Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) is moving the other way, down 0.77% to $10.28.

The move comes as investors look past weaker oil prices and focus on a more positive view from brokers.

Let’s take a closer look.

Oil prices have cooled quickly

The oil market has lost a lot of heat over the past month.

Based on Trading Economics, Brent crude is trading at around US$72 a barrel today, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) is sitting near US$69 a barrel.

The pullback follows another move from OPEC+ to lift supply. The group has agreed to raise output by 188,000 barrels per day from August, extending its run of monthly increases.

At the same time, energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz are recovering. That has eased some of the supply worries that were pushing oil higher just a few weeks ago.

The market has gone from worrying about Middle East supply risks to focusing again on extra production and softer prices.

Brokers find value after the selloff

The weaker oil price has not stopped Morgan Stanley from turning more positive on parts of the ASX energy sector.

According to the broker update, analyst Rob Koh has upgraded Santos to ‘overweight’ and lifted the price target to $7.67, up from $7.50.

Woodside and Beach Energy were also upgraded to ‘equal-weight’ from ‘underweight’.

Morgan Stanley pointed to better valuations, free cash flow yields, and a more favourable risk-reward setup across parts of the sector.

It also noted that the ASX 200 energy index has fallen around 15% over the past 2 months, while earnings estimates have been dragged down as much as 28%.

Origin misses out

Origin Energy did not get the same treatment.

Morgan Stanley cut its price target on Origin to $10.35, down from $11.00, and kept it as its least preferred pick in the group.

The broker is concerned that lower east coast domestic gas prices could flow through to weaker electricity prices and put pressure on earnings.

It also flagged the proposed 2027 domestic gas reservation policy as another uncertainty hanging over the sector.

Foolish takeaway

The upgrades should give Woodside, Santos, and Beach Energy some support after a rough stretch for oil.

However, I wouldn’t read too much into it just yet.

This looks more like a valuation call after a tough couple of months for the sector.

Woodside and Santos have already climbed strongly in 2026, so investors are not exactly buying them at a big discount.

From here, the oil price needs to settle down. If crude keeps sliding, broker upgrades alone probably won’t be enough to keep these ASX 200 energy shares moving higher.

 

The post Oil price crash sparks broker upgrades for ASX energy shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up 19%, should I still buy Woodside shares today?
• Woodside shares soared, then stumbled. What’s next for investors?
• Origin Energy sell-off continues, shares hit fresh 52-week low: Buy, sell or hold?
• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, Woodside, PLS Group shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

Betashares has built a large range of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) for ASX investors.

Some are designed for broad market exposure, while others target more specific themes, sectors, or investment styles.

I think the best ones are those that can earn a place in a long-term portfolio.

With that in mind, here are three Betashares ETFs I would consider buying in July.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The first ETF I would look at is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF.

This fund gives investors exposure to 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq. In practice, that means a heavy weighting toward some of the world’s most important technology and growth companies.

I like the NDQ ETF because many of its holdings sit inside long-term changes in the global economy. Cloud computing, artificial intelligence, digital advertising, software, semiconductors, streaming, online shopping, and cybersecurity are all areas where large US technology companies continue to play major roles.

That does not mean this fund is low risk. It can be volatile, particularly when investors become worried about interest rates or technology valuations.

But for long-term investors, I think it offers access to companies that have reshaped how people work, shop, communicate, and consume information. That makes it a top ETF to consider.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT)

The next ETF I would consider is the Betashares Australian Quality ETF.

This fund is designed to provide exposure to Australian companies with quality characteristics, such as strong profitability, balance sheet strength, and earnings stability.

I think that can be useful because not all ASX shares are created equal.

Some businesses can generate strong returns through different parts of the cycle, while others are much more dependent on commodity prices, credit conditions, or short bursts of market enthusiasm.

A quality-focused ETF can help investors tilt their Australian exposure toward companies with stronger financial foundations.

That does not guarantee better returns every year. There will be periods when lower-quality or more cyclical shares perform better. But over the long term, I like the idea of owning businesses that have already shown signs of durability.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

The third ETF I would consider is Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF.

Cybersecurity is one of those areas where demand is unlikely to disappear. Businesses, governments, schools, hospitals, banks, and households keep shifting more activity online. That creates more data, more digital systems, and more potential points of attack.

Cybersecurity spending can therefore become less of a nice-to-have and more of a basic operating requirement.

The HACK ETF gives investors exposure to a group of global companies involved in protecting networks, devices, cloud systems, identities, and digital infrastructure.

The theme can still be volatile, and specialised ETFs can move sharply when sentiment changes. But I think cybersecurity has a long runway because the problem it addresses keeps becoming more important.

Foolish takeaway

I think the NDQ, AQLT, and HACK ETF are three Betashares ETFs worth considering.

What I like about this group is that each fund approaches long-term investing from a different angle. One leans into global growth, one filters the Australian market for quality, and one targets a security problem that keeps becoming more important.

None of them will be right for every investor, and all can have weak periods. But for those looking beyond the next few months, I think these could be some of the best Betashares ETFs to buy and hold.

The post Are these some of the best Betashares ETFs to buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• SpaceX will be included in the Nasdaq index this week. Here’s what that means for ASX investors
• The best ASX ETFs to buy and hold for 10 years
• The currency-hedged ASX ETFs magnifying dividends by up to 10x this season
• Own NDQ, ARMR, HACK or other Betashares ASX ETFs? Dividends just announced
• 3 exciting ASX ETFs for exposure to the future of technology

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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 BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF and BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are marching higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock closed Friday trading for $27.87. During the Monday lunch hour, shares are changing hands for $28.21 each, up 1.2%. 

For some context, the ASX 200 is just about flat at this same time.

Taking a step back, Woodside shares have smashed the benchmark performance so far in 2026.

Year to date, the ASX 200 has gained a modest 1.4%, while the shares in the Aussie oil and gas giant have surged 19.2% this calendar year. That’s despite the stock having retraced by 21.2% from its 7 April multi-year closing high of $35.80 per share.

Atop that market-beating capital gain, Woodside also paid out an 83.5-cent-a-share fully-franked dividend on 27 March. Adding in the interim dividend, the stock trades on a juicy 5.9% fully-franked trailing dividend yield.

As for the sizeable retrace since April, that has come amid fast falling oil prices as the United States and Iran negotiate an end to the war and work to reopen the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping route. Brent crude oil is currently trading for US$71.80 per barrel, down from more than US$118 per barrel on 29 April. 

But with the stock still up more than 18% over 12 months, is it a good buy today? 

Should I buy Woodside shares today?

Catapult Wealth’s Blake Halligan recently analysed the outlook for the outperforming ASX 200 stock (courtesy of The Bull). 

“Woodside Energy is a major Australian LNG producer with a portfolio of global gas projects,” he said.

And Halligan sounded an optimistic note on Woodside shares amid its growth projects. He said:

The company is increasing its stake in the Browse joint venture to 41.27% via a US$225 million deal, reinforcing its strategy to extend the life of the North West Shelf.

This adds long term upside along with the Scarborough project, which is 94% completed.

Woodside announced its increased stake in Browse on 12 June, after exercising its pre-emption right to acquire a 10.67% interest from PetroChina. 

“Woodside’s decision to pre-empt reflects our commitment to continue progressing the proposed Browse to North West Shelf development,” Woodside CEO Liz Westcott said on the day. “We see this as a pathway to maximise long-term shareholder value. “

Wescott added:

This acquisition is a disciplined and capital efficient way to align integrated value in these assets for a development with long-term cash flow potential. We will continue working with the Browse Joint Venture to fully evaluate development opportunities.

Despite the long-term upside potential from the company’s growth project, Halligan issued a hold recommendation on Woodside shares for now.

He concluded:

Regulatory uncertainty, rising costs and policy risks in Australia temper the outlook. While growth options are significant, execution and approvals risk support a balanced hold stance at current valuation levels.

The post Up 19%, should I still buy Woodside shares today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Oil price crash sparks broker upgrades for ASX energy shares
• Woodside shares soared, then stumbled. What’s next for investors?
• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, Woodside, PLS Group shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Woodside shares slide amid big leadership news

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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.