Author: openjargon

When Warren Buffett stepped down as CEO of diversified holding company Berkshire Hathaway on 31 December, he was a remarkable 95 years old.

After spearheading Berkshire Hathaway for some 60 years, he handed the reins over to Greg Abel, who’s been with the company since 1999.

But Buffett, being the man that he is, still keeps his finger on the market’s pulse, working from the company office and advising Abel.

What you may not know is that Warren Buffett started his career with very little money. But by the 1980s he’d notched up his first billion dollars. And, as of January this year, he was reported to be worth almost US$149 billion.

With that astonishing success in mind, here are three golden investing rules immortalised by the Oracle of Omaha that we would all do well to keep in mind.

Why Warren Buffett advises patience

While it’s tempting to believe we can out think our fellow investors, the reality is that timing the market correctly is very difficult, and requires more than a bit of luck.

Indeed, I’m not aware of a single investor who has managed to consistently time their entry and exits into the market correctly over the long-term.

And when it comes to the billions of dollars Warren Buffett amassed over the years, day trading certainly wasn’t part of his strategy.

“The stock market is designed to transfer money from the active to the patient,” he famously opined.

Which ties into this Buffett investing nugget, “I don’t invest to make a quick profit. I buy stocks with the mindset that the market might shut down tomorrow and stay closed for five years.”

So, the next time you’re tempted to buy or sell an ASX share simply because it’s getting a lot of media attention or has made some big daily moves, you may want to think again.

Instead look for quality companies, with sizeable barriers to competitor entry and solid long-term growth potential.

And then be patient.

Stick with the things that you know

Warren Buffett is also well known for avoiding investing in companies or assets that he doesn’t understand. That’s one of the reasons he never bought into the crypto markets.

“You don’t have to be smart, as long as you stick to what you know,” Buffett said.

Now we all have our different areas of expertise. So, if you think you understand global crypto markets, that doesn’t mean you should steer clear as well.

But according to the Oracle of Omaha, you should only invest in a sector or company if you understand how it works.

Invest in ASX shares providing real world value

The best investments, Warren Buffet advises, provide real world value, not just market value.

“It’s far better to buy a wonderful company at a fair price than a fair company at a wonderful price,” he said.

Again, don’t let yourself join the herd in snapping up ASX shares that are the market darlings of the hour.

Instead look for companies with great brands, a strong proven management team, and the ability to control prices.

The post 3 golden investment rules immortalised by Warren Buffett appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Oil prices are rising again. What does that mean for these ASX energy shares?
• WiseTech buys FRDM.ai. What does this mean for WiseTech shares?

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.

Oil prices are climbing hard again, and ASX energy shares are the most direct way to play the move.

The Brent crude price rose 3.4% overnight to US$94.07 per barrel, according to Bloomberg data.

That leaves the global benchmark up more than 31% since the beginning of July.

West Texas Intermediate has followed the same path, adding 3.3% to US$87.12 a barrel.

Renewed fighting in and around Iran, combined with fresh Houthi attacks on tankers in the Red Sea, has put a war risk premium back into the crude market.

Traders are pricing the possibility that a meaningful volume of seaborne supply will not be able to reach the buyers who need it.

For Australian producers, these price rises flow almost straight through to the top line.

What higher oil prices mean for Santos

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) is one of the most direct ways to benefit from this trend on the ASX.

The company sells Brent-linked crude alongside LNG that is indexed to oil benchmarks, which means a rising oil price shows up in revenue with only a modest lag.

Shares closed yesterday at $7.85 and were changing hands for $7.94 in early trade on Thursday.

On top of the price rises, there is also volume growth helping to propel top line growth.

The Pikka Phase 1 development in Alaska is producing about 20,000 barrels per day.

Management is targeting a ramp to 80,000 barrels per day during the third quarter of 2026.

Barossa gas is now feeding Darwin LNG, adding a second source of oil-linked revenue, and as such, analysts are broadly positive.

TradingView data shows 12 of the 14 analysts covering the stock rate it a buy or strong buy, with an average price target of $8.48.

Beach Energy offers more leveraged exposure to oil prices

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) gives investors more a more leveraged way of benefiting from recent price increases.

The company is a smaller producer, so every extra dollar on the barrel is more important relative to a largely fixed cost base.

The catch is that around half of its sales volumes are east coast Australian gas, which does not track Brent tick for tick.

Bell Potter has retained a hold rating on Beach with a reduced price target of 95 cents, down from $1.15. The broker expects production growth to return in FY27 as capital expenditure eases.

That should enable positive free cash flow to support balance sheet deleveraging, as well as ongoing dividends.

The broker was also positive on Beach’s east coast gas exposure and cautious on global oil markets.

A closer look at the latest earnings

Santos released its June quarter update before market open on Thursday.

Sales revenue rose 6% quarter on quarter to $1.35 billion, with Barossa and Pikka both ramping up.

Beach reported quarterly production of 4.9 million barrels of oil equivalent and total revenue of $400 million for the June quarter.

Sales volumes fell 11% against the March quarter, largely reflecting the timing of Cooper Basin oil shipments.

The company also completed the sale of its operated interest in VIC/L35 for $70 million upfront plus a future gas production royalty.

A review of Beach’s capital management framework is underway, with an update expected at the full year result.

Foolish takeaway

Oil prices are doing most of the heavy lifting for both businesses right now.

What goes up can also come back down.

As a reminder, Santos fell 8% in a single session when an earlier peace deal broke down in June.

A geopolitical risk premium can evaporate as quickly as it appears.

I think investors buying either name today need to be comfortable owning the commodity cycle, not simply the company.

For those who are comfortable, higher oil prices make the short-term return potential considerably more attractive than at this point one month ago.

The post Oil prices are rising again. What does that mean for these ASX energy shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Santos reports higher Q2 revenue as Barossa, Pikka ramp up
• Broker tips up to 72% upside for one of these ASX shares 
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• The Santos share price is in the spotlight this week. Here’s why

Motley Fool contributor Mark Verhoeven 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.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares have been one of the most painful holdings on the ASX this year, so any positive news is worth exploring further.

On 22 July, WiseTech announced that it had entered a binding agreement to acquire FRDM.ai.

At the time, shares were trading around $33.24 on Wednesday, down roughly 51% year to date and 72% below where they sat this time last year.

Let’s look at what the company has actually bought, and whether it changes anything for the underlying investment thesis.

What WiseTech actually bought

FRDM.ai is a California-based developer of AI-powered supply chain risk and compliance intelligence. Its software maps supplier networks across multiple tiers and scores risk in real time.

That coverage spans human rights, forced labour, sanctions, denied parties, cyber exposure and geopolitical risk.

WiseTech is paying an upfront consideration of US$10 million in cash and WTC shares, with all-cash earn-outs capped at US$14.31 million.

Completion is expected on 3 August 2026, subject to customary conditions precedent.

The technology will be combined with WiseTech’s existing BorderWise, Denied Party Screening and Global Knowledge products to create a new solution called VerifyWise.

Why this could mean for WiseTech shares

The deal size is immaterial against a company of WiseTech’s scale.

However, the strategic logic is rather more interesting.

WiseTech’s compliance capability currently operates at the level of an individual transaction. VerifyWise is intended to extend that to verification across an entire multi-tier supplier network.

This is a expansion of what the company can sell, into an area where regulatory pressure around forced labour and sanctions is only intensifying.

The distribution advantage is the real point, though.

WiseTech serves more than 22,000 logistics companies across 193 countries, including 46 of the top 50 global third-party logistics providers. Selling a new compliance module into that installed base costs far less than winning those customers from scratch.

Every supplier verified through the platform also enriches the underlying data set. This is the same network effect that has made CargoWise so hard for competitors to displace.

What brokers think of WiseTech shares

Citi retained a buy rating this month while cutting its 12-month target to $52, down from $65.65, while Bell Potter also rates the shares a buy with a $71.75 target.

Bell Potter has argued that the headwinds weighing on sentiment should begin to dissipate over coming months.

Both targets imply substantial upside from current levels, and both also assume the organic growth story reasserts itself.

Foolish takeaway

A US$10 million acquisition will not rescue WiseTech shares on its own.

What it does is give management new growth levers to help revive a share price that has fallen more than 70% in a year.

I think the August result matters far more than this deal. Investors want evidence that CargoWise organic growth has stabilised and that the e2open integration is delivering the margins management has promised.

If that arrives, the FRDM.ai deal will look like a sensible bolt-on rather than a distraction.

The post WiseTech buys FRDM.ai. What does this mean for WiseTech shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

It was a pleasant Thursday session for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares today. After yesterday’s sunny showing, investors were keen to double down on the buying this session, with the ASX 200 remaining in positive territory all day, and closing 0.18% higher. That leaves the index at a flat 8,839 points.

This in-form display on the ASX boards follows a more downbeat session up on Wall Street last night.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) couldn’t hold on to an early lead and finished 0.012% lower.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was more decisive, dropping 0.57%.

But let’s return to ASX shares now and check out what the various ASX sectors were up to this Thursday.

Winners and losers

Despite the market’s gains, we had an even split between red and green sectors today.

Leading those red sectors were tech stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was hit hard, plunging 3.32%.

Consumer discretionary shares weren’t popular either, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) diving 1.52%.

Next came healthcare stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) ended up slumping 1.43%.

Communications shares were also on the nose, evident from the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 1.15% dip.

Consumer staples stocks were no safe haven. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) went backwards by 0.53%.

Our last losers were industrial shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) slipping 0.46%.

Turning to the green sectors now, mining stocks headlined the winners. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) soared 1.37% higher this session.

Gold shares were in demand as well, illustrated by the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD)’s 1.34% surge.

Energy stocks ran hot too. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) saw its value climb 0.98%.

Utilities shares followed energy, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) lifting 0.65%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) also enjoyed today’s market sunshine. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) vaulted up 0.52% today.

Finally, financial stocks got across the line intact, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 0.29% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Financial stock Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG) was our best performer on the ASX today. Generation shares rocketed a massive 37.13% this session to close at $4.58 each. This extraordinary leap higher followed an exceptionally well-received quarterly update.

Here’s how the rest of today’s top stocks tied up at the dock: 

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)	$4.58	37.13%
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$10.19	11.61%
James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX)	$36.99	6.14%
Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6)	$0.66	5.60%
Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL)	$1.43	5.56%
Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)	$1.28	3.64%
Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR)	$19.36	3.58%
Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)	$1.62	3.53%
Alcoa Corporation (ASX: AAI)	$66.11	3.52%
Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX: ALK)	$1.40	3.32%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 recommended Generation Development Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) shares rose 2.84% and delivered a total return, including dividends, of 6.16% in FY26.

The ASX 300 underperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which lifted 2.77% and gave a total return of 7%.

As always, there were outliers. And boy, did they outperform.

Here are three ASX 300 shares that were on a supersonic growth trajectory last financial year.

3 ASX 300 shares that smashed their peers in FY26

Sunrise Energy Metals Ltd (ASX: SRL)

This ASX 300 mining share ripped 2,040% higher in FY26, finishing the year at $17.23.

Sunrise Energy is working towards becoming a world-leading supplier of refined metals for advanced and emerging technologies.

The company is focused on scandium, nickel, and cobalt, which are in demand in the energy, defence, transport, and computing sectors.

Sunrise Energy owns one of the world’s largest undeveloped scandium mines, the Syerston Scandium Project, in central-west NSW.

Scandium has many uses in the modern, high-tech world.

For example, it is 3D-printed into a high-performance alloy for aerospace components.

Scandium is also in the 5G/6G semiconductors in mobile phones and communications infrastructure.

Sunrise says the project “will bring a new source of low cost, scalable and reliable supply to western markets”.

The company forecasts production of 64,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of ore to produce 60tpa of high purity scandium oxide per year.

Sunrise Energy Metals says:

This positions the Company to capture significant market share in a rapidly growing global market (currently estimated at 50-60tpa), driven by solid oxide fuel cell deployments for AI data centre power generation, defense and aerospace applications and next-generation chips/semiconductors.

Syerston has a forecast life-of-mine average cash operating cost of US$534 per kilogram of high purity scandium oxide.

This would make Syerston one of the world’s lowest-cost producers.

Today, Sunrise announced an accelerated expansion study to lift its forecast annual output to 180tpa.

The company also has the Sunrise Nickel-Cobalt Project, one of the world’s largest nickel-cobalt resources, also in central-west NSW.

Nickel and cobalt are essential ingredients in EV battery cathodes.

They are also used in high-performance alloys for aerospace, defence, and other advanced manufacturing applications.

Among the tailwinds for Sunrise Energy Metals shares in FY26 were positive updates from the company and export controls introduced by China, which forced buyers to shift focus to alternative suppliers.

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX)

This ASX 300 healthcare share skyrocketed 1,786% in FY26 to close out the year at $4.53.

The highlight of FY26 for this respiratory imaging technology company was gaining US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for its CT:VQ product in September 2025. 

CT:VQ is the world’s first non‑contrast post‑processing technology that transforms routine chest CTs into quantitative, lobar ventilation (V) and perfusion (Q) maps.

Since approval, the company has deployed its technology at several well-known academic hospitals and clinics.

They include the US Mayo Clinic, Stanford, Cleveland Clinic, UC San Diego Health, and University of Chicago Medicine.

Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6)

Minerals 260 was the best performer of the market’s gold miners in FY26.

The Minerals 260 share price soared 508% to end FY26 at 73 cents per share. 

This ASX 300 mineral explorer is building the Bullabulling Gold Project in Western Australia’s Eastern Goldfields.

Bullabulling is one of Australia’s largest near-term gold mines.

It has a Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 130MT at 1.0g/t for 4.5Moz.  

Minerals 260 recently signed a $220 million funding deal with gold royalty company, Franco-Nevada Corporation, to advance and de-risk the project.

The post 3 ASX 300 shares that ripped 500% or more in FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: James Hardie, Adairs, Minerals 260 shares

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide an easy way to invest in international shares via our local exchange.

And Aussie investors love ’em.

There is now a record $372 billion invested across 458 ETFs on the market today, according to Betashares data.

Demonstrating their rising popularity, ASX ETFs attracted a net $30 billion of investment in the second half of FY26.

Back in 2024, $30 billion was the amount invested over the full year.

The industry is responding by introducing new products, with a record 72 new ETFs commencing trading in FY26.

This product expansion is allowing investors to direct more money into thematic trends.

Senior investment strategist, Marc Jocum from Global X commented (courtesy Australian Financial Review):

It’s been a record year for thematic ETF investing driven by the energy transition and AI, so the way Aussie investors are allocating is changing.

Historically, investors sought outperformance through active managers, but that is slowly changing as investors are now seeking outperformance through exposure selection instead – the past was ‘who’ to back, now it’s ‘what’ to back.

The Australian Securities Exchange has just released the full-year performance data for ASX ETFs in FY26.

The data reveals the six ASX ETFs holding international shares that delivered the best total returns last year.

Let’s take a look.

Top 6 international ETFs for total returns in FY26

The popularity of thematic investing is showcased in the top 6 ASX ETFs for total returns last financial year.

Total returns incorporate both share price gains and distributions (dividends).

1. iShares MSCI South Korea AUD ETF (ASX: IKO)

The IKO ETF delivered a spectacular one-year total return of 171%. The historical distribution yield is 4.6%.

This ASX ETF seeks to mirror the tech-heavy MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, providing exposure to Korea’s largest companies.

IKO ETF paid the biggest dollar-value dividend among iShares ETFs this season at $13.98 per unit.

IKO ETF is $246.58 per unit, up 2.7% on Thursday.

2. Global X Semiconductor ETF (ASX: SEMI)

The SEMI ETF produced a ripping one-year return of 161%. The historical distribution yield is 6.2%.

SEMI is linked to the massive artificial intelligence (AI) investment thematic.

Semiconductors control electrical currents in computer chips and everyday devices like smartphones.

SEMI ETF is $38.01 per unit, up 2.1% today.

3. Global X Hydrogen AUD ETF (ASX: HGEN)

The HGEN ETF returned 135% in FY26. The historical distribution yield is 0.7%.

HGEN invests in companies within the global hydrogen industry. Hydrogen is considered a powerful green energy source.

HGEN ETF is $9.89 per unit, up 0.5% today.

4. Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

The ASIA ETF delivered a one-year return of 96%. The historical distribution yield is 1.7%.

ASIA ETF invests in 50 of the largest technology and online retail shares in Asia (ex-Japan).

ASIA ETF is $20.39 per unit, up 1.7% today.

5. Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF (ASX: XMET)

The XMET ETF delivered a one-year return of 83%. The historical distribution yield is 3.6%.

This ASX ETF invests in global metals producers specifically involved in the green energy transition.

The metals in demand include copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, graphite, manganese, silver, and rare earths.

XMET ETF is $14.03 per unit, up 1.6%.

6. Global X S&P Biotech ETF (ASX: CURE)

The CURE ETF delivered a total annual return of 81%. This ETF does not pay distributions.

CURE ETF invests in genomic science companies.

They include businesses involved in gene editing, genomic sequencing, and genetic medicine and therapy.

CURE ETF is $73.83 per unit, down 1% today.

The post 6 best international ASX ETFs of FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• The ASX ETF market is set for a record year – Here are the best performers so far in 2026
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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen 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.

Australian sharemarkets have been chopping through the past seven months as investors come to terms with global uncertainty, interest rate changes, and soaring inflation.

When times are tough, investors tend to lean towards established ASX shares that have long track records.

Here’s what brokers expect from these three well-known ASX shares next.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)

Supermarket giant Woolworths has performed well this year. For the year to date, its shares are up around 32%, mostly trending higher over the past seven months. 

It looks like the steady increase was driven by renewed investor confidence. Many are confident that the retailer’s earnings are recovering after a difficult period in late 2025.

Earlier this year, in February, Woolworths posted a stronger-than-expected first-half result and confirmed it is actively pursuing cost-cutting initiatives to help support margins and earnings over time. 

It looks like the efforts are coming to fruition, too.

But now, after an incredible run, Woolworths shares look to have reached their peak and are trading around fair value. 

TradingView data shows that nine out of 17 analysts have a hold rating on the supermarket stock. Another four rate the shares as a buy or strong buy, and four rate Woolworths shares as a strong sell. The average $36.33 target price now implies a potential 7% downside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing.

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

Elders is a high-quality mid-cap ASX 300 stock that is a leading supplier of fertiliser, agricultural chemicals, and animal health products to rural and regional Australia. It has strong agency positions in livestock, wool, and real estate.

The Elders share price is usually pretty stable, but in May this year it crashed 23% within a day after the release of its half-year results.

The company reported a 25% increase in operating revenue, a 19% increase in EBIT, and a 1% decrease in underlying NPAT. The figures came in well below expectations, and investors quickly sold off the shares.

The ASX shares tumbled even lower in the following few weeks, bottoming at an all-time low of $5 in late June. But they’ve now started rebounding, up around 12% to the time of writing.

It looks like many brokers think the rebound can keep going too.

TradingView data shows that the majority (five out of eight) have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares. The average $6.52 target price implies a potential 17% upside at the time of writing. 

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Wesfarmers shares had a difficult start to the year and slumped to an annual low in mid-May. But the retail conglomerate quickly recovered, and the shares are now around 24% higher than that point at the time of writing. For the year to date, Wesfarmers shares are around 8% higher.

The business benefited from an uptick in consumer spending and news that interest rates could start falling. Wesfarmers’ sheer scale and market dominance across several retail sectors have also helped reinforce the company’s competitive advantage.

Wesfarmers has been actively expanding too, including opening new Anko stores in the Philippines, and its Kmart segment is testing larger K Home stores locally.

But now, after a huge share price rebound, Wesfarmers shares look a little overpriced.

TradingView data shows that half (seven out of 14) of analysts have a strong sell rating on the stock. Another six rate Wesfarmers shares as a hold. Only one broker now holds a buy rating. The average $77.53 target price implies a potential 12% downside, at the time of writing.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Woolworths, Elders, Wesfarmers shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• How much does Morgan Stanley think Wesfarmers shares will fall?
• How many Wesfarmers shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income?
• Why I’d buy Qantas, Woolworths, and ResMed shares
• Up 29% since May, can Wesfarmers shares keep surging higher?

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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 Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Elders and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) shares are climbing higher into the green today.

At the time of writing, the shares are up around 4% at $55.57 a piece.

The increase is great news for investors after a volatile run so far this year. The shares have swung wildly, ranging from $27.65 to $74.94 over the past 12 months. 

For the year to date, they’re roughly flat, and they’re around 81% higher than 12 months ago.

So if I bought $1,000 of Minerals Resources shares 12 months ago, what would they be worth today?

This time last year, the miner’s shares were close to a multi-year low and trading hands for $30.66 each. Today they’re trading 81% higher.

That means your $1,000 investment in July last year would now be worth closer to $1,810.

That’s a decent increase!

What’s ahead for Mineral Resources shares?

The experts are incredibly bullish about the upside for Mineral Resources shares over the next 12 months.

Market Index data shows that all brokers agree on a buy rating on the ASX mining share. The average $79.83 target price implies an upside of around 50% at the time of writing. 

The data is similar on TradingView. Sentiment is more mixed, but the majority (10 out of 16) have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares.

The average target price is lower at $69.68, implying a potential 26% upside at the time of writing. But more bullish analysts expect the shares to increase 55% to around $86 a piece over the next 12 months.

If analyst forecasts are correct, your $1,000 investment last year could be worth around $2,800 by July 2027.

What could drive the share price higher over the next 12 months?

It looks like the key driver of a share price increase over the next year is that the ASX mining stock is still considered oversold and below fair value.

Mineral Resources suffered a sharp share price crash in mid-2024, before bottoming at a five-year low in early 2025. Since then, there has been an impressive recovery. But it appears that the miner has a lot more to bring to the table.

Mineral Resources has major exposure to lithium and has ridden the wave of soaring lithium carbonate prices through early 2026. 

The miner confirmed plans to restart operations at its 100%-owned Bald Hill lithium mine in May, following a “significant and sustained recovery” in lithium prices.

Later the same month, site activity ramped up, and the first production blast was successfully completed in early June.

The initial shipment is expected to depart through the Port of Esperance in the first quarter of FY27.

The post If I invested $1,000 into Mineral Resources shares 12 months ago, guess what I’d have today! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• What are the top picks in the ASX lithium sector right now?
• Buy, hold, sell: Regis Resources, Mineral Resources, Woolworths shares
• Experts name 3 big-name ASX 200 shares to sell
• Top 5 ASX 200 lithium shares of FY26

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies 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.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp (NASDAQ: SPCX) founder Elon Musk is on record as saying the newly listed company will be “worth more than Earth if we achieve our goals”. However, investors who bought shares in the initial public offering are now deeply underwater.

SpaceX shares plumbing new lows

SpaceX shares fell another 6.7% overnight to close at US$115.26, well below the US$135 initial public offer (IPO) price and more than US$100 lower than the high of US$225.64 achieved in the days following the company’s listing on the US NASDAQ exchange.

There has been no specific market-moving news putting downward pressure on the shares; however, the company’s IPO disclosures show that two of its three divisions continue to burn cash, with only the Starlink connectivity division making money.

With that in mind, investors will be focused on the company’s first earnings report, which it announced this week will be scheduled for August 4.

According to US business news outlet CNBC, this will also trigger the ability for insiders to begin trading a portion of their shares, which could put further downward pressure on the share price.

US news outlets have also widely reported that the company has been the target of short sellers, with as much as a third of its public float being shorted.

Mr Musk took aim at the short sellers in a post on X last week, where he declared, “The survival probability of firms who maintain a significant short position in SpaceX over time is very low”.

Market watchers see longer-term upside in SpaceX shares

Analysts are almost universally bullish about the company’s prospects, with Yahoo reporting that, of the 13 analysts following the stock, the lowest price target is US$200.

A UBS report published in Australia earlier this month put a price target of US$210 on the company.

The UBS team said that as the company brings its Starship rocket system into service, the total addressable market for the company could increase to US$30 trillion.

UBS added:

We view SpaceX as an unparalleled set of assets with a multifaceted return profile and multiple drivers of upside for long term, risk tolerant investors. Starship – the most advanced heavy-lift, re-usable rocket – is the foundational technology that unlocks opportunities in launch, communications and AI compute creating a total addressable market nearing US$30T. Starship would effectively give SpaceX commercial control over access to space for the next decade, and we expect revenues/EBITDA to grow at a ~70%/90% CAGR through ’31 to US$660B/US$512B as opportunities in AI and connectivity scale and rapid reusability drives the launch cost per kilogram to just $200 from $1K currently ($50K for the space shuttle).  

UBS said while it was not factored into their base investment case, SpaceX was “uniquely positioned to exploit off planet business models as they emerge, providing investors a call option as Elon Musk looks to fulfill his vision of making life multiplanetary”.

The post SpaceX shares continue to slide. What’s the next catalyst for a recovery? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 9 ASX 200 shares with refreshed buy ratings this week
• 3 ASX 200 stocks smashing new 52-week-plus highs today
• Why is this ASX lithium stock racing 9% higher today?
• Why Sandfire, Domino’s and Macquarie shares are making waves on Thursday
• 8 ASX 200 shares downgraded by experts this week

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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are up 0.7% to 8,883.7 points on Thursday.

Brokers have indicated continuing confidence in several ASX 200 shares this week.

Let’s check them out.

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)

The Mineral Resources share price is $55.06, up 2.7% today.

Mineral Resources was among the 5 best ASX 200 mining shares of FY26 for share price growth.

Morgans reiterated its buy call on the miner with a 12-month price target of $68.

This suggests a potential 24% upside ahead.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

The Lynas Rare Earths share price is $15.24, down 0.9% today.

UBS reiterated its buy rating on Lynas Rare Earths shares with a price target of $22.75.

This implies potential capital gains of 47% ahead.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP share price is $60.62, up 1.4% today.

Morgan Stanley reaffirmed its buy rating on the market’s largest ASX 200 mining share.

The broker has a 12-month target of $67.50, which suggests a potential 12% upside ahead.

Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC)

The Charter Hall share price is $22.80, up 1.4% today.

Jefferies reiterated its buy rating on the real estate investment trust (REIT) yesterday.

The broker has a 12-month price target of $33.82.

This implies a potential near-50% upside ahead.

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)

The IAG share price is $8.46, up 0.2% today.

UBS renewed its buy rating on IAG shares with an $8.80 target.

This implies potential capital growth of 4% for the ASX 200 financial share.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The WiseTech share price is $32.34, down 4.5% today.

Wisetech shares were among the 5 biggest fallers on the ASX 200 in FY26.

Bell Potter reiterated its buy rating on WiseTech shares today with a $71.75 target.

This implies potential capital gains of more than 120% ahead.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX)

The Westgold Resources share price is $4.83, down 0.5% today.

UBS reaffirmed its buy call on the ASX 200 gold share with a 12-month target of $7.75.

This suggests a potential 60% upside ahead.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

The Zip share price is $2.71, down 2.5% today.

UBS renewed its buy rating on Zip shares this week.

The broker raised its 12-month price target from $3.10 to $4.10.

This suggests more than 50% upside ahead.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

The Qantas share price is $10.15, down 0.1% today.

Citi reiterated its buy rating on Qantas shares and increased its target price from $10.40 to $11.40.

This implies a potential 12% upside ahead for the ASX 200 airline share.

The post 9 ASX 200 shares with refreshed buy ratings this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How much could a $100,000 ASX share portfolio pay in dividends?
• 3 key reasons to buy BHP shares today
• Are Megaport and WiseTech shares top buys?
• How many BHP shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group and Zip Co. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Jefferies Financial Group and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.