• ASX 200 drops again as investors dump banks and miners

    ASX board.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having another rough session on Thursday.

    At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down 0.47% to 8,766 points.

    That leaves the benchmark on track for another disappointing session. The market is struggling to build on a more positive lead from Wall Street futures.

    At the latest check, 103 ASX 200 shares are rising, while 92 are falling and 5 are unchanged.

    Let’s take a closer look at what’s putting the index in the red.

    Banks and resources weigh on the ASX 200

    The big miners are doing a fair bit of damage today as commodity prices fall across the board.

    At the time of writing, BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) is down 1.93% to $58.35, Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) is down 2.61% to $169.38, and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) is down 1.09% to $19.04.

    Energy shares are also under pressure after oil prices dropped back toward pre-war levels.

    Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are down 3.10% to $27.37 as crude oil trades below US$70 a barrel.

    Oil had rallied earlier this month on Middle East supply fears, but that support has quickly faded as tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz improves.

    And looking at the banks, they aren’t offering much help either.

    National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is down 3.07% to $37.56, Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is down 0.59% to $35.57, and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) is down 0.70% to $35.39.

    Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is only slightly lower, down 0.03% to $164.75.

    Not everything is falling

    But while the heavyweights are in the red, there are still some winners on the ASX 200 today.

    Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) is up 2.25% to $89.23, while Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is up 1.73% to $40.05.

    CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) is also having a positive session, rising 2.91% to $118.34.

    The S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is 0.1% higher, helped by a solid lead from US tech futures after Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MU)’s strong update.

    What investors are watching now

    The jobs data has added another wrinkle to today’s session.

    Australia’s unemployment rate fell to 4.4% in May, with employment rising by 40,300 jobs.

    That’s good news for the economy, but it may also keep the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cautious if the labour market stays firm.

    Despite today’s fall, the ASX 200 remains up about 0.6% since the start of 2026.

    The post ASX 200 drops again as investors dump banks and miners appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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 CSL, Micron Technology, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 3 reasons to buy the rebound in JB Hi-Fi shares today

    Woman checking out new laptops.

    JB Hi Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) shares are charging higher today.

    Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) electronics retailer closed trading yesterday for $78.40. In afternoon trade on Thursday, shares are swapping hands for $81.57 apiece, up 4.1%.

    For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.4% at this same time.

    Today’s rally adds fuel to the stock’s recent rebound. JB Hi-Fi shares plumbed a one-year closing low of $68.89 on 3 June, and the share price is now up 18.4% in three weeks.

    Longer-term, however, shares in the ASX 200 electronics retailer remain down 25.0% since this time last year, underperforming the 2.5% 12-month gains posted by the benchmark index.

    Though we shouldn’t forget the two fully franked dividends, totalling $4.15 a share, that the company paid out to eligible stockholders over this time.

    JB Hi-Fi stock currently trades on a 5.1% fully franked trailing dividend yield.

    And looking ahead, Baker Young’s Toby Grimm believes the stock’s recent rally has further to run (courtesy of The Bull).

    Here’s why.

    Should I buy JB Hi-Fi shares today?

    “The share price of this consumer electronics giant has significantly fallen since August 2025 in response to cost of living and supply chain cost pressures and increasing interest rates,” Grimm noted.

    Citing the first reason he’s bullish on the ASX 200 stock, Grimm said, “Despite these issues, JBH is expected to deliver positive sales and underlying earnings growth during the next two years.”

    As for the second reason, he has a buy recommendation on JB Hi-Fi shares, Grimm said, “The outlook for consumer electronics remains structurally sound. Diminishing rate hike expectations is another positive.”

    And the third reason you may want to buy shares in the Aussie electronics retailer today is the attractive passive income.

    “The stock is trading on more appealing multiples compared to 2025 and was recently offering an attractive dividend yield above 5%,” Grimm concluded.

    What’s the latest from the ASX 200 electronics retailer?

    The last price-sensitive news from JB Hi-Fi was the company’s third quarter (Q3 FY 2026) sales update, released on 6 May.

    The company reported a 4.0% year-on-year increase in sales at JB Hi-Fi Australia and a whopping 23.2% increase in sales at JB Hi-Fi New Zealand.

    As for its other two business segments, third-quarter sales at the Good Guys were up 2.5% year-on-year, while e&s sales went the other way, falling 1.4% from Q3 FY 2025.

    With investor expectations clearly running high, JB Hi-Fi shares closed down 6.3% on the day of the update.

    The post 3 reasons to buy the rebound in JB Hi-Fi shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Jb Hi-Fi right now?

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    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.

  • Crude oil falls below US$70 as ASX energy shares sell-off

    An image showing a red graph with a white arrow pointing downwards above three black barrels of oil.

    The oil price rally has faded quickly, and ASX energy shares are being pulled lower with it.

    At the time of writing, crude oil is down 1.71% to US$69.14 a barrel, while Brent crude is down 1.88% to US$72.35 a barrel.

    That leaves crude oil below US$70 and Brent below US$73, with both benchmarks now moving back toward levels seen before the recent Middle East war.

    It’s a clear shift from earlier in the month, when traders were closely watching the Strait of Hormuz and pricing in the risk of supply disruptions.

    Here’s what has changed.

    Oil prices fall as US-Iran talks continue

    According to reports, tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has improved after recent progress in US-Iran talks.

    One report said 14 oil tankers crossed the maritime chokepoint on Tuesday, carrying about 20 million barrels of oil. That compares with roughly 12 tankers a day the previous week.

    Trading Economics also noted that shipowners are becoming more confident moving through the area after safety guarantees from the International Maritime Organization.

    The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates the United Arab Emirates is exporting oil at nearly 85% of pre-war levels, selling roughly 60 million barrels from the Persian Gulf.

    China demand is also being watched

    The demand side is not helping oil prices either.

    Oilprice.com reported that China’s crude imports have fallen to their lowest level since 2018.

    The report said China imported 7.82 million barrels per day in May. That was down 38% from February’s pre-conflict level.

    China is one of the world’s biggest oil buyers, so that number is getting plenty of attention.

    The same report said China has been relying more on physical cargoes already in storage, while cutting back purchases from major Middle East suppliers.

    ASX energy shares slide

    The latest developments have flowed through to ASX energy shares.

    Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are trading 2.92% lower at $27.41. The ASX’s biggest energy stock has now fallen almost 15% in a month.

    Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares are also tumbling, down 2.69% to $7.04. The Santos share price has dropped 14.5% across the same period.

    What investors are watching now

    There was some supportive inventory data in the background.

    According to the US Energy Information Administration, US crude inventories fell by 6.1 million barrels in the week ending 19 June.

    Commercial crude stockpiles fell to 412.1 million barrels, which is around 7% below the 5-year average.

    However, that wasn’t enough to stop oil prices from falling today.

    At the moment, the market appears more focused on easing Middle East supply concerns than lower US inventories.

    The post Crude oil falls below US$70 as ASX energy shares sell-off appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Woodside Energy Group Ltd right now?

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    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Woodside Energy Group Ltd wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 16 June 2026

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    Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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.

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  • PFE | Pfizer and German partner BioNTech SE said Tuesday they’ve begun delivering doses of their coronavirus vaccine to US candidates with trials in Germany already underway.

  • PFE | Pfizer and German Parker BioNTech SE have begun delivering doses of their coronavirus vaccine for human testing US, trials in Germany already underway.