Getting started with investing can feel a little scary.

There are thousands of shares to choose from, and knowing which companies to buy is not always easy.

That is why I think exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are a great place for beginners to start.

Here are three Vanguard ETFs I would consider for someone looking to build their wealth over the long term.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

I think one of the easiest ways to start investing is by owning a selection of Australia’s leading businesses.

That is what the VAS ETF offers. The fund tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), giving investors exposure to 300 companies listed on the Australian share market.

This includes businesses across banking, mining, healthcare, retail, and other industries.

For a beginner, I like the simplicity of that approach. Rather than trying to work out which Australian bank or mining share will perform best, investors can own a broad collection of businesses through one investment.

The fund also offers the potential for regular dividend income, including franking credits, which could be valuable as an investment portfolio grows.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

Once investors have exposure to Australia, I think the next step worth considering is looking overseas. After all, Australia represents only a small part of the global share market.

The VGS ETF makes international investing straightforward by providing exposure to around 1,300 stocks across developed markets.

That includes businesses operating in the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Europe.

I particularly like the access this provides to industries that are less prominent on the ASX.

For example, many of the world’s leading software, semiconductor, and technology businesses are listed overseas. Through the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF, beginners can participate in long-term growth without having to identify individual winners.

There is also the benefit of spreading investments across multiple economies, although the fund still has significant exposure to the United States.

Overall, I think this Vanguard ETF could be an excellent long-term holding, particularly alongside an Australian shares ETF.

Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG)

My final pick is for beginners who want to keep things simple. The VDHG ETF effectively provides a ready-made investment portfolio.

It combines Australian shares, international shares, emerging markets, smaller companies, and bonds in a single fund.

That means investors can get broad diversification without needing to choose several ETFs and work out how much money to put into each.

Vanguard also handles the rebalancing, helping maintain the fund’s intended investment mix over time. I think that convenience could be valuable for someone who is just starting out.

The VDHG ETF targets approximately 90% in growth assets and 10% in defensive assets. It is therefore designed for investors with a long investment horizon who can tolerate substantial share market movements.

For a beginner who wants to invest regularly and spend less time managing their portfolio, I think this Vanguard ETF is well worth considering.

Foolish takeaway

I think getting started is often the hardest part of investing.

These Vanguard ETFs offer relatively straightforward ways to build a diversified portfolio without needing to become an expert at picking individual shares.

For beginners who are prepared to invest regularly and think long term, I believe any of these could be a great place to start.

The post Why these Vanguard ETFs could be buys for beginners appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. 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 recommended 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has dipped into the red on Tuesday morning as oil prices climb higher and gold falls. 

Find out how three of the biggest ASX 200 shares, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are tracking today. And which one brokers rate as a buy, a hold, and a sell.

BUY CSL shares

CSL shares are up around 0.5% at the time of writing on Tuesday, to $185.21 a piece. The ASX biotech shares have now rebounded 101% from a 10-year low in June. They’re 8% higher year to date.

Last week, the company said it had entered into an exclusive US$1.6 billion deal with Alentis Therapeutics for lixudebart, a treatment targeting rare kidney and liver conditions.

CSL is expected to make an initial upfront payment of US$355 million to Alentis Therapeutics, and it will make additional commercial milestone payments of up to US$1.2 billion depending on the commercial success.

The update follows a rebound in investor confidence and a robust FY26 results announcement in August. The company said that it expects a return to growth in FY27. 

The experts are confident that the company can deliver. Market Index shows the majority have a buy rating on the shares, but after the latest increase, the $159.86 average target price implies a downside of around 14%, at the time of writing.

HOLD BHP shares

BHP shares have slumped lower today, down around 1.5% to $61.57 at the time of writing. Despite the decline, the shares are still up around 35% year to date and 47% higher than this time last year.

It looks like ASX mining shares are facing headwinds from broad market weakness and ongoing operational disruptions.

Last month, BHP was forced to suspend mining activities at its Escondida copper mine in Chile after a fatal accident. Under Chilean mining regulations, operations cannot restart following a fatal accident until safety inspectors have confirmed that conditions are safe. There is no indication when production might resume. 

Higher oil prices today also act as a headwind for BHP because they drive up operational costs. Trading Economics shows that crude oil has surpassed US$93 per barrel this morning, following three consecutive sessions of gains.

Investors are hesitant about BHP shares, and so are the experts. Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a hold rating on the mining shares. The current $61.50 average target price is close to flat on the trading price at the time of writing.

SELL Westpac shares

Westpac shares are slightly higher at the time of writing, up around 0.5% to $34.71 a piece. The increase is good news for investors. The ASX bank shares have tumbled around 11% lower for the year to date, and they’re also 11% lower than a year ago.

The Reserve Bank’s latest interest rate hike continues to put pressure on Westpac shares. The move also comes at a time when there is a broad slowdown in Australia’s property market, lower mortgage applications, and falling confidence in bank shares.

Westpac shares have been pushed into the spotlight this week amid fresh media reports that it plans to cut 102 jobs as part of its restructuring plans. The Financial Services Union (FSU) said Westpac is proposing to restructure its Risk, Institutional Banking, and Finance teams, affecting a total of 174 jobs. Of those roles, 102 positions will be made redundant, while the remaining 72 will be moved to comparable roles.

Market Index data shows that the experts are already bearish about the outlook for Westpac shares. The majority have a sell rating on the shares. The average target price of $34.18 implies a downside of around 1% at the time of writing.

The post CSL, Westpac, BHP shares: Buy, hold, or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Uranium project developer Atomic Eagle Ltd (ASX: AEU) was formed late last year through the reverse takeover of GoviEx Uranium by Tombador Iron.

Since that time, it has been proving up the resources at its Muntanga heap leach uranium project in Zambia, as well as progressing studies at the Madaouela project in Niger, which it owns a 60% stake in.

Broker Morgans has recently initiated coverage of the company with a speculative buy recommendation and a very bullish share price target, which I’ll get to shortly.

First, let’s have a look at the company’s projects.

Zambian project coming together well

Atomic Eagle’s flagship asset is the Muntanga project, where it has to date proved up a resource of 58.8 million pounds of uranium.

The company currently has drilling ongoing at Muntanga, and recently said new drilling at Muntanga North had identified a zone of uranium mineralisation that remains open along strike and down dip.

Atomic Eagle Chief Executive Officer Phil Hoskins said of the program:

The objective of our 30,000m drilling program is to grow the Muntanga resource base while systematically testing a portfolio of exploration targets across the broader Project area. Earlier drilling at Chisebuka delivered encouraging results and is expected to support future resource growth. We are further encouraged by the results at Muntanga North, where wide-spaced drilling has identified a zone of uranium mineralisation that remains open along strike and down dip to the east. We are over half-way through an active exploration program, with the large-scale Muntanga North Targets 6 to 8 still to be tested.

Atomic Eagle also recently said in a statement to the ASX that it had started a technical review of the Madaouela project, designed to “evaluate opportunities to increase project scale, expand the mining inventory and enhance project economics relative to the earlier 2022 Feasibility Study undertaken by GoviEx”.

Madaouela currently has a resource of 116 million pounds of uranium, and US$160 million has been spent on the project to date.

Shares looking cheap, broker says

Morgans, in its new research note on the company, said it was currently being valued on Muntanga alone.

They said that the project was “capital light”, and they had confidence in the board, which had experience bringing uranium projects into production.

Morgans has a price target of 80 cents per share on Atomic Eagle, compared to 35 cents currently.

They added:

Most of the value is currently derived from Muntanga via a discounted cash flow valuation with a 10.5% weighted average cost of capital, supplemented by risked value for undeveloped resources, AEU’s interest in Madaouela and unpaid capital via current options. We believe the market is discounting Madaouela and resource growth potential, creating an attractive entry point for long-term investors.

Atomic Eagle is valued at $134.2 million.

The post Could this ASX uranium developer more than double in value? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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.