• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

    Man working on a laptop from home.

    On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week in a positive fashion. The benchmark index rose 0.45% to 8,845.7 points.

    Will the market be able to build on this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 expected to sink

    The Australian share market looks set for a tough session on Tuesday following a mixed start to the week in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 77 points or 0.85% lower. On Wall Street, the Dow Jones fell 0.1%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.4% and the Nasdaq jumped 1.1%.

    Sell New Hope shares

    Bell Potter thinks New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares are overvalued. This morning, the broker has retained its sell rating on the coal miner’s shares with an improved price target of $5.30. It said: “We maintain a Sell recommendation. Our $5.30/sh TP already incorporates a 15% premium to our sum-of-the-parts valuation, reflecting NHC’s leverage to global energy security themes amplified by recent geopolitical tensions. We expect energy markets will normalise over the near-term. While the Malabar acquisition will materially strengthen NHC’s long-term production outlook, Maxwell’s longwall ramp-up to 5Mtpa saleable production brings elevated operational complexity over the medium-term.”

    Oil prices mixed

    ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) will be on watch following a mixed night for oil prices. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 2.25% to US$103.69 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.45% to US$109.39 a barrel. Overnight there were more reports of Houthi attacks on Saudi infrastructure.

    Sigma Healthcare shares downgraded

    Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) shares will be on watch on Tuesday after being hit with a broker downgrade. According to a note out of Bell Potter, it has downgraded the Chemist Warehouse owner’s shares to a hold rating (from buy) with a steady price target of $3.00. It said: “The recent flight to safety away from tech is probably responsible for the rally in the SIG market price over recent weeks, nevertheless the stock remains expensive relative to growth outlook. In the absence of a significant upgrade, our recommendation is adjusted to Hold from Buy. PT is unchanged at $3.00.”

    Gold price falls

    ASX 200 gold shares including Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) and Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) could have a subdued session on Tuesday after the gold price dropped overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 0.5% to US$4,159.8 an ounce. Higher US Treasury yields weighed on the precious metal.

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

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    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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.

  • 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade

    A white and black clock face is shown with Time to Buy written.

    I think long-term investing in ASX shares is the best chance of achieving positive returns and financial objectives.

    Compounding is a very powerful financial force that can help grow our wealth over time, particularly if we don’t interrupt it unnecessarily by trading in and out of stocks and triggering capital gains tax.

    We don’t need to own the absolute hottest ideas to achieve good results. I think the two ideas below are very strong options for long-term returns.

    Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

    Soul Patts is an investment house that has operated for over 120 years. It already has a great track record of surviving (and thriving) through recessions, the world wars, pandemics and so on.

    It’s able to look across a wide array of asset classes, sectors and geographic markets for opportunities. I think that’s compelling considering the main local and global share market indices are increasingly focused on just the 10 or so largest businesses.

    Soul Patts is invested in areas like energy, resources, telecommunications, financial services, agriculture, swimming schools, electrification, retirement living, building products, industrial property, land and plenty more.

    I like how the portfolio has evolved over time and now includes newer ideas that can unlock the next 10 years (or more) of returns. Soul Patts is not stuck being a bank or retailer, it can buy or sell assets wherever it sees opportunities.

    For example, it recently decided to include a ‘fixed income’ segment in its portfolio because of how high bond yields have risen.

    I also like that the company is considering expanding its portfolio to international opportunities. This could produce stronger returns and deliver more diversification of risk.

    Not only is the value of Soul Patts’ investments rising over time, but it’s also retaining some of its cash flow each year to make new investments. Funded by the majority of its cash flow, the ASX share pays a steadily growing dividend that has increased every year since 1998.

    Global X S&P World Ex Australia GARP ETF (ASX: GARP)

    This exchange-traded fund (ETF) is about investing in great businesses at a good price.

    ‘GARP’ stands for growth at a reasonable price. This strategy can lead to investing in compelling companies that are compounding their earnings at a good pace.

    It owns a portfolio of 250 companies spread across multiple countries and sectors. I’m calling this an ASX share because it’s about investing in shares, and we can buy it on the ASX.

    All of those stocks need to tick three boxes.

    First, the shares must have solid sales and earnings growth.

    Second, the value must look appealing on a price/earnings (P/E) ratio basis.

    Third, to measure quality, the GARP ETF looks for healthy financial leverage (debt levels) and a high return on equity (ROE).

    I think that combination of factors can lead to strong long-term performance. Since its inception in September 2024, the fund has returned an average of 16.4% per year.

    I don’t know whether future returns will be as good as past returns, but I think it’s a compelling investment for the next decade. 

    The post 2 top ASX shares to buy and hold for the next decade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where to invest $1,000 right now?

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    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • 3 ASX shares UBS has tipped to increase 44% to 76%

    A woman in a red dress holding up a red graph.

    Broker UBS has released a bunch of new research reports this week, profiling companies across a wide spectrum of sectors.

    I’ve selected three reports on companies which the broker believes will perform particularly well over the next 12 months.

    Let’s see who they like.

    DigiCo Infrastructure REIT (ASX: DGT)

    This company is a data centre builder and operator, which has experienced a year of substantial share price swings.

    The shares have traded as high as $3.07 and as low as $1.59 over the past 12 months, and are currently changing hands for $2.05.

    UBS said recent highlights included DigiCo executing a 15 year contract for 71 megawatts of capacity at its SYD1 data centre with a global technology firm.

    That data centre is now fully contracted, UBS said.

    The broker said DigiCo’s expansion plans are fully funded, with no need to raise capital from equity.

    UBS said it was also pleasing to see no change to the company’s forecast for underlying earnings this year.

    UBS has a price target of $3.60 on DigiCo shares. If achieved, this would be a 76.5% upside.

    Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA)

    UBS reduced its price target on Champion Iron shares after a weaker than expected September quarter preliminary result, but it still remains well above the current share price.

    The broker said that the company’s volume recovery was good, however the net realised price for their iron ore was disappointing.

    They said that the capture of premium pricing was tracking softer than expected, “driven by a combination of marketing execution, which the company controls to an extent, and elevated freight, which it largely does not, together compressing the net price realised”.

    UBS added:

    While management had guided premiums to build materially into Q3 to Q4 FY27, the weaker Q2 realisation has prompted us to adopt more conservative short to medium term freight assumptions, which flow through net realisation to drive our FY28/29 earnings cuts.

    The broker has a price target of $3.60 on Champion Iron shares compared to $2.35 currently.

    This would be a 44.7% increase if achieved.

    Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

    UBS said custodial net flows were soft for Netwealth, “reflecting ongoing budget related impacts on adviser activity combined with headwinds from higher interest rates”.

    The broker said Netwealth offered compelling value at the current share price and was trading at a 43% discount to its five-year average.

    UBS has a price target of $22 on Netwealth shares compared to $15.31 currently.

    If achieved this would be a return of 43.6%.

    The post 3 ASX shares UBS has tipped to increase 44% to 76% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where to invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for over ten years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the ‘five best ASX stocks’ for investors to buy right now. We believe these stocks are trading at attractive prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 6 March 2025

    More reading

    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 positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Netwealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.