Author: openjargon

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have hit a rough patch after soaring to fresh record highs just last week.

The BHP share price has fallen around 11% since those highs and is down roughly 7% over the past five trading sessions. Despite the pullback, investors are still sitting on impressive gains. BHP shares remain up about 29% in 2026 and have surged approximately 62% over the past 12 months.

For comparison, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gained just 2% over the same 12-month period.

So, after a sharp sell-off, where do brokers see BHP shares heading next?

Why have BHP shares slumped?

The main catalyst behind the recent weakness of BHP shares was an update on the company’s massive Jansen potash project in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Following a comprehensive review of costs and timelines for Jansen Stage 2, BHP revealed that the project will be significantly more expensive than previously expected.

The company now estimates Stage 2 will require an additional US$4.9 billion to US$5.4 billion beyond earlier forecasts. That comes on top of the original US$4.9 billion budget approved in October 2023.

The $300 billion ASX mining stock also announced it expects to recognise an impairment charge of approximately US$2.3 billion relating to Jansen Stage 2 in its FY26 results.

The timeline has also slipped. First production from Stage 2 is now expected in FY2031, two years later than the previous target of 2029.

Little room for disappointment

Meanwhile, Jansen Stage 1 remains on track for first production in FY2027, although its cost estimate has also increased since the project was originally sanctioned. BHP has indicated it will provide a further update on Stage 1 costs and timing before 31 December 2026.

Importantly, this is not the first time Jansen’s projected costs have risen. Repeated budget revisions have increasingly tested investor confidence and raised questions about the reliability of management’s long-term project forecasts.

The market’s reaction may also reflect the strong run-up in BHP shares prior to the announcement. After climbing around 30% since the start of the year, expectations were high and there was little room for disappointment.

Some investors may also be locking in profits after the remarkable gains of BHP shares.

What do brokers forecast for BHP shares?

Despite the recent sell-off, analysts remain largely neutral on BHP’s prospects.

According to TradingView data, 13 of the 19 analysts covering BHP currently rate the stock as a hold. Four analysts have buy recommendations, while two rate the mining giant as either a sell or strong sell.

Among the more recent updates, DZ Bank upgraded BHP shares from sell to hold. The broker has an average price target of $65 per share, implying upside of around 11% from current levels.

The spread of analyst forecasts remains unusually wide.

The most optimistic analyst has a price target of $94.51, suggesting potential upside of about 61.5%. At the other end of the spectrum, the most bearish forecast sits at $40.97, suggesting downside of roughly 30%.

Foolish takeaway

That divergence highlights the key debate facing investors. On one hand, BHP continues to benefit from its world-class asset portfolio, substantial iron ore cash flows, and increasing exposure to copper, which could be crucial in the global energy transition. Potash also remains a potentially valuable long-term growth opportunity, even if the development timeline has stretched further into the future.

On the other hand, escalating project costs and execution risks at Jansen have introduced fresh uncertainty. For now, most brokers appear content to sit on the fence.

The post What’s next for BHP shares? Broker forecasts revealed appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther has positions in BHP Group. 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 BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR) is being overlooked by investors at the moment, according to the team at Shaw and Partners, which has tipped the emerging gold producer to more than triple in value as its projects come into production.

Projects already well-progressed

Shaw and Partners analysts said that, between the company’s Goldfields and the Sandstone projects, Brightstar has a “realistic path” to producing 275,000 ounces of gold per year from FY31.

The analysts said in a note to clients this week:

In our view, the market is heavily discounting BTR’s project delivery. However, we find both projects relatively low-risk, standard WA gold operations. Goldfields has already commenced construction with first gold due in JunQ’27. Sandstone may be early-stage but has permitting and technical advantages, plus considerable Resource upside potential. Market confidence could be aided with two Resource updates, a maiden Reserve, and prefeasibility study expected in 2H CY26.

Brightstar made a final investment decision to proceed with the Goldfields project in May, saying at the time it was fully funded through to first gold following the completion of a $193 million equity raising and a US$120 million bond financing.

The project was expected to produce about 75,000 ounces of gold per year over the initial six-year mine life, generating about $1 billion.

Brightstar Managing Director Alex Rovira said regarding the project:

Today’s Final Investment Decision is a landmark moment for Brightstar. With all key approvals now secured, funding in place and the EPC contract executed with GR Engineering, we are immediately moving into full construction of the 1.5Mtpa Laverton processing plant. It marks the first major step in our TARGET200 strategy to build a multi-asset Western Australian gold producer and advance our aspiration of being a Top 10 Australian Gold Producer. We are fully funded, highly motivated and focused on executing with discipline to deliver this transformative project on time and on budget whilst continuing to unlock further value across our Goldfields and Sandstone assets.

The Shaw and Partners team said the Goldfields project posed low technical risk and believed the mine would eventually produce one million ounces of gold.

They said that at an earlier stage of the Sandstone project, they expected production to peak at 200,000 ounces per year and that the gold resource could “materially increase” in the second half of this calendar year.

Shares looking cheap

The analysts added that, looking at peer group companies, a market capitalisation of $2 billion was reasonable.

Brightstar’s current market capitalisation is $323.9 million.

Shaw and Partners has a $1.15 price target on the company’s shares compared to 28 cents currently.

The post Looking for returns of greater than 250%? One broker has tipped this ASX gold stock to fly 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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) is one of the most talked-about growth shares on the ASX, and it is easy to see why.

Drones are becoming a bigger issue for defence forces, governments, airports, prisons, and critical infrastructure operators. That is creating more demand for technology that can detect, track, and respond to drone threats.

Despite this, DroneShield shares have been on a poor run and are now down around 60% from their high.

That combination of a serious long-term security problem and a much lower share price is what makes the stock interesting to me.

Why the market is interested

The basic investment case is easy to understand.

Drones are becoming cheaper, smarter, and more widely used. They can be useful for commercial and civilian purposes, but they can also create serious security problems.

Military forces, airports, prisons, major events, government sites, and critical infrastructure owners all have reasons to detect and respond to drones that should not be there.

That gives DroneShield a large problem to address. Its technology is designed to help customers detect, identify, track, and respond to drone threats. I think that full chain is important. It is not enough to know that a drone is nearby. Customers need useful information quickly and response options that fit the situation.

This is where strong products, software, sensors, and integration can become valuable.

The opportunity is bigger than one contract

One mistake investors can make with small defence technology companies is focusing too heavily on the next contract announcement.

Contracts are important, of course. They provide revenue, credibility, and proof that customers are willing to pay.

But I think the bigger question for DroneShield is whether it can build a repeatable sales engine.

That means turning interest in counter-drone technology into ongoing demand across different regions, customers, and use cases. It also means developing software, services, upgrades, warranties, and support that can add more depth to the revenue base.

If DroneShield can become a trusted supplier rather than a one-off equipment provider, the investment case becomes much more interesting.

What needs to go right

DroneShield still has a lot to prove. It needs to keep winning meaningful contracts, deliver products on time, maintain technology leadership, manage production, and support customers properly.

It also needs to show that revenue growth can translate into attractive margins and cash flow generation over time.

That last point is important. A strong theme can lift a share price, but long-term value usually comes from earnings. Investors will eventually want evidence that demand is not only real, but profitable.

Competition is another factor. Defence technology attracts serious players, and government customers can be demanding. DroneShield needs to keep showing that its products are useful, reliable, and worth selecting.

Why I’d buy

I would treat DroneShield as a speculative ASX growth share, so position sizing would be important.

This is not the type of stock I would put in the same basket as a mature blue-chip share. But I think the pullback has made the risk/reward more attractive for investors who can accept volatility.

The company is operating in a market where demand could remain strong for years, especially as drones become more common in conflict zones and around sensitive infrastructure. If counter-drone systems become a standard part of defence and security spending, DroneShield could have a substantial runway.

The upside could be significant if management executes well.

Foolish takeaway

DroneShield is a high-risk ASX growth share, but I think it is also one of the more compelling technology stories on the market.

The company is addressing a problem that governments and security customers cannot ignore. That gives it a strong starting point, while the share price fall of more than 60% from its high has made the valuation more interesting.

I would still want to see continued contract momentum, improving revenue quality, and evidence that scale can lead to stronger earnings. But for investors with a higher risk tolerance, I think DroneShield shares are worth buying as a small, patient position.

The post Is DroneShield the ASX growth share investors should be buying? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares rocketed higher at the start of the year, climbing around 18% to an all-time high in mid-May.

But as quickly as the telco‘s shares spiked, they cooled back down again. 

What has happened to Telstra shares?

The telco’s share price has been incredibly volatile recently, swinging between $5.41 and $4.97 over the past couple of months. At the time of writing, Telstra shares are trading at $5.14 a piece.

By early June, Telstra shares had fallen 11% from their peak. It looks like much of the shift in sentiment was investors taking their gains off the table after a huge rally.

The downturn also accelerated when a flurry of brokers updated their outlooks on the stock.

A broad softening in defensive shares, including telcos, and valuation concerns have also acted as headwinds.

Another headline that has weighed on sentiment is Telstra’s announcement of job cuts late last month. The company said it plans to cut 111 jobs as part of a restructuring of its technology division under new CEO Vicki Brady. The restructure collapses several of Telstra’s internal technology and infrastructure teams into two new divisions.

The latest headcount cut follows the telco’s announcement earlier this year that it would axe up to 650 roles as part of a restructuring and AI-driven efficiency programs.

It looks like investor confidence is still under pressure and the share price has struggled to rebound through June.

The question now is, what’s next?

Are the telco’s shares a buy, sell or hold?

The outlook over the next 12 months is split.

Market Index data shows the majority of brokers have a buy rating on Telstra shares. The $5.50 average target price implies a potential 7% upside ahead.

But analysts on TradingView data are a lot more reserved. All 10 analysts have a hold rating on Telstra’s shares, but their target prices vary significantly. The average $5.25 target price implies a potential 2% upside at the time of writing.

But some forecast the shares to rise 8% to $5.57, and others expect them to fall further by around 11% to $4.60 apiece.

Macquarie thinks Telstra shares are trading close to fair value. The broker downgraded its rating to a hold earlier this month and shaved its price target on Telstra shares to $5.57. Based on the current share price of $5.14, the price target suggests potential upside of around 8%.

The team at Shaw and Partners give Telstra a sell rating. The broker said it thinks the stock has been trading at elevated levels and was pushed higher by its defensive appeal. But it adds that underlying growth is limited, and the dividend yield is becoming less attractive.

The post Here’s what brokers tip for Telstra shares over the next 12 months appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME) has done something it has rarely done at this scale before.

The company has signed a binding Heads of Agreement with Echo IQ Ltd (ASX: EIQ), a Sydney-based AI cardiology company, to expand its AI-driven cardiology solutions and broaden its commercial reach in the United States.

On paper, this is a small transaction for a company with a market capitalisation in the tens of billions.

The potential that lies underneath is what deserves attention.

What the Pro Medicus AI cardiology deal involves

Pro Medicus will make an initial $10 million investment in Echo IQ through secured convertible notes. The company retains the option to invest a further $10 million once Echo IQ’s heart failure algorithm, EchoSolv HF, receives clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration.

Pro Medicus also becomes the proposed US reseller of Echo IQ’s EchoSolv product suite. This should plug an AI-powered cardiac diagnostic tool directly into the same hospital network that already runs its Visage 7 imaging platform.

CEO Sam Hupert framed the move as part of a deliberate strategy, stating:

In addition to providing financial backing, we are looking to offer our Visage 7 Cardiology customers the option of Echo IQ’s technology. This is in line with our AI strategy of offering a curated suite of algorithms that will be a mixture of algorithms created by us, those created in conjunction with our clinical partners and third party algorithms such as Echo-IQ.

Definitive legal documentation is still being finalised, with completion expected within the coming weeks.

Why this deal matters more than its size suggests

Pro Medicus has spent the past 18 months landing landmark Full Stack contracts with major US health systems. The company’s cardiology modules are increasingly attached at the point of first sale.

Bolting Echo IQ’s AI diagnostic layer directly onto Pro Medicus’ existing distribution network gives Pro Medicus a capability it does not have to build in-house, sitting natively alongside the workflow its customers already use every day.

This deal positions Pro Medicus as acquiring a low-cost option on AI-led cardiology imaging without diluting its own research and development.

The more pessimistic view states that every legacy imaging vendor in North America is now racing to add its own AI partners. This may narrow the window in which a reseller deal like this one carries exclusive competitive value.

What it means for Pro Medicus shares

Pro Medicus shares were up 3.5% to $185.30 on the news, adding to a rally that has lifted the stock roughly 50% since mid-May. Year-to-date, however, shares still remain down.

This partial recovery follows a difficult few months for the stock. This downturn was driven by broader fears that AI would disrupt rather than enhance imaging software businesses.

This deal is a direct rebuttal to that fear. Pro Medicus is not being disrupted by AI cardiology tools. Rather, it is bringing them in-house and reselling them to its own customer base.

What it means for Echo IQ shareholders

The reaction in Echo IQ shares has been even more dramatic.

Echo IQ shares jumped 28% to a record high of $1.58.

Echo IQ CEO Dustin Haines called the deal:

A transformational milestone for Echo IQ and a significant validation of both our technology and long-term commercial strategy, while also providing exceptional financial flexibility to accelerate our commercialisation activities in the US.

For a small-cap AI company, validation and distribution from one of Australia’s most successful healthcare technology exporters is about as strong an endorsement as the market could ask for.

Foolish takeaway

The dollar value of this deal is immaterial to Pro Medicus’s balance sheet.

The strategic message is not.

By investing in and reselling third-party AI cardiology technology rather than treating it as a competitive threat, Pro Medicus is reinforcing the thesis that AI strengthens its moat rather than eroding it.

For a stock that spent the first half of 2026 being sold down on exactly the opposite fear, that distinction is the real reason this deal matters.

The post Pro Medicus just struck a revolutionary AI cardiology deal. Here’s why that matters 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 recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Superannuation is a popular and tax-effective way for working Aussies to build a long-term passive income for their future.

Of course, the catch is that you can’t access your funds until you reach your preservation age, typically around 60. You’ll also need to meet the conditions of release.

But by investing early, you can benefit from lower tax rates, compounding, and then eventually a retirement lifestyle boosted by a tax-free passive income.

The question is, how much do you need in your superannuation to receive the passive income you want when you’ve retired?

Let’s break it down, using $4,000 per month as an example.

How much do I need in my superannuation to get $4,000 of monthly passive income?

If you want to earn $4,000 in passive income every month from the money saved in your superannuation, that equates to $48,000 per year in dividend payments.

To work out the superannuation balance you’d need to get that, you’ll need to divide your annual passive income by the dividend yield.

The catch is that the figure varies widely depending on the dividend yield of the ASX shares you have in your portfolio.

For example, a portfolio with a dividend yield of around 6% only needs to be around half the size of one with a dividend yield closer to 3% to generate the same level of dividend income.

Let’s break it down further.

To earn $48,000 in annual passive income from a portfolio with a dividend yield around 3%, you’d need $1.6 million.

But to earn the same amount from a portfolio with a dividend yield closer to 4%, you’d need more like $1.2 million.

Then you’d need closer to $960,000 in a portfolio with a 5% dividend yield to earn the same amount.

If the yield is 6%, you’d need less, at around $800,000.

To get the same $48,000 of annual passive income from a portfolio with a 7% dividend yield, you’d need around $685,714. 

And if the portfolio’s dividend yield is closer to 8% or 9%, the portfolio size could be more $600,000 or $533,333, respectively.

And so on… 

As you can see, as your dividend yield increases, the superannuation balance needed to earn the same level of passive income goes down.

What ASX shares can I get around these dividend yields?

There is a wide range of high-quality ASX dividend shares available for superannuation investments, with yields varying significantly. 

But here are a few of my favourites to get you started.

Lower yielding ASX dividend-paying shares such as Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL) are solid and reliable shares that offer a yield of around 2% to 3%.

For a mid-range yielding ASX dividend option, I’d look at defensive assets like Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) or Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), and blue-chip majors like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), which pay a dividend of around 3% to 4%.

For a higher 5% to 6% dividend yield, I’d look at reliable payers like APA Group (ASX: APA), Metcash Ltd (ASX: MTS), or Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG).

If you want to take on more risk and go for a much higher-yielding ASX stock, my picks would be something like IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH), the BetaShares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: YMAX), or the Metrics Income Opportunities Trust (ASX: MOT). These typically yield around 9% or more.

The post How much do I need in my superannuation to get $4,000 per month in passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 Transurban Group, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group, Telstra Group, Transurban Group, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, IPH Ltd , and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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 positions in and has recommended Block, Lovisa, and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa and Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The income you can earn and the value of assets you can own in retirement, while still qualifying for the age pension, will rise next week.

The Department of Social Services has just announced the next lot of indexation changes to means testing for the pension.

These indexation changes are made twice per year to reflect the impact of inflation.

Pension amounts will remain as they are today. All that is changing next Wednesday, 1 July, is the parameters for means testing.

The full age pension $1,200.90 per fortnight for singles and $905.20 per person, per fortnight, for couples.

Let’s review.

When can I get the age pension?

Australians born on or after 1 January 1957 are eligible for the pension at age 67, whether retired or not.

The pension is subject to an assets test and an income test. You have to pass both to receive the full pension.

If you own too much in assets, or earn too much income, you may only qualify for a part-pension, or no support at all.

What are the new pension thresholds for asset values?

The first thing to know is that your home is excluded from the pension assets test if you own your residence.

If you rent your home, you are allowed to own more assets (and earn more income) while still qualifying for the pension.

Assessable assets include ASX shares, international shares, superannuation, bonds, managed funds, rental properties, and cash.

Single homeowners

Under next week’s changes, single homeowners will be able to own up to $333,000 in assets and still qualify for the full age pension.

Single homeowners with assets worth between $333,001 and $733,500 will qualify for a part-payment.

Single non-homeowners

Single renters will be able to own up to $600,000 in assets and still qualify for the full age pension.

Single non-homeowners with assets worth between $600,001 and $1,000,500 will be eligible for a part-pension.

Couple homeowners

Couple homeowners will be able to own up to $499,000 in assets and still qualify for the full age pension.

Couple homeowners with assets worth between $499,001 and $1,102,500 will still be eligible for a part-payment.

Couples who are renting in retirement

Couple non-homeowners will be able to own up to $766,00 in assets and still be eligible for the full pension.

Renters who own assets worth between $766,001 and $1,369,500 will qualify for a part-payment.

How much income can you earn and still get the age pension?

Under next week’s changes, singles will be able to earn up to $226 per fortnight and still qualify for the full pension.

If they earn between $227 and $2,627.80 per fortnight, they will qualify for a part-payment.

Couples will be able to earn up to $396 per fortnight and still receive the full age pension.

Couples who earn between $397 and $4,016.80 per fortnight will be eligible for a part-payment.

Assessable income includes wages and investment income.

To make things easier, Centrelink relies on deeming rates to determine a pensioner’s investment income.

(The only exception is rent from investment properties. Pensioners must report actual net rental income each year.)

Deeming rates have been well below market average returns for many years.

The Albanese Government has been gradually increasing deeming rates and the asset value thresholds.

Under next week’s changes, the lower deeming rate will remain at 1.25% and the upper deeming rate will remain 3.25%.

However, the thresholds will lift.

The lower deeming rate will apply if a single pensioner’s assets are worth less than $66,800. For couples, the new threshold is $110,600.

If your investments are worth more than that, the upper deeming rate will apply.

The post Age pension income and asset test limits to rise next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

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.

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.

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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.