Author: openjargon

As is often the case, I was halfway through writing about something else, when another inspiration hit, this time courtesy of some interactions I had on social media.

And it’s not directly investing-related, today, but it does go to our economic situation, and the subsequent potential political upheaval that seems to be building.

Don’t worry – I’m not going to delve into the politics.

But if you’re an investor, you probably have an interest in the broader economy and economic policy.

So I wanted to simply share four screenshots, with only a small amount of commentary, which I think demonstrate (at least in significant part, if not entirely), how people are thinking, based on what’s actually happening in the economy.

To set the scene, a chart from a KPMG report, taken from reporting in the Sydney Morning Herald, outlining how we’re feeling, overall, and by age cohort:

So, we know how people are feeling.

But why?

Lots of reasons, but I think the three screenshots that follow tell a pretty significant part of the story.

First, while we’ve only had two recessions over the past 36 years, the numbers on GDP per capita are starkly different (the summary was created by Google’s Gemini AI, using ABS data):

That tells the story at a national, aggregate level, but averaged to a per-person statistic, and shows that total GDP masks a less healthy recent past.

Then, there’s real wages, with a really significant fall since 2021, via the Australian Bureau of Statistics:

Thankfully, recent data has started to recover on this front… but we’re still a long, long way behind, overall.

And that’s wages compared to average consumer prices. But the housing affordability stats are even more stark, from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare:

So, while each dataset isn’t directly comparable, and there are always going to be differences across different age groups, geographies, income levels and time-frames, I think it’s a pretty stark summary.

– People are feeling less satisfied, for lots of reasons, but many presumably economic.

– While the economy has been growing, a lot of that growth (sometimes even more than the total growth) has been offset by a larger population. The pie continues to grow, but the slices often get smaller.

– Not only have prices increased (and ‘sticker shock’ is real), but wages haven’t kept up, since COVID. People feel – and are – poorer.

– And housing, only partly captured in the CPI data, has consumed more and more of the household budget, leaving far less available to pay those higher prices, even allowing for wage rises.

Together, it’s a story of economic underperformance and, I think, justified unhappiness (even if I’d rather have our problems than almost anyone else’s!).

True, some of it is outside the realm of government influence – cycles have always happened – but some is absolutely the result of actions (including inaction).

And regardless, those impacts seem to have coalesced into social disruption and potentially political upheaval.

Whether that upheaval results in better or worse outcomes is up for debate, of course, but I don’t think we should be surprised that it’s happening.

Fool on!

The post The four pictures that tell our (recent) economic story appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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.

If you are thinking about buying BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH), or ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD) shares this month, then it could pay to listen to what analysts are saying about them before making your move.

Experts have named all three as holds this week, according to The Bull, but why? Let’s find out:

BHP shares

Morgans is a big fan of the Big Australian and believes it deserves its position as a core holding for resource-oriented portfolios.

However, due to recent share price strength, the broker thinks it is fairly valued and sees limited near term re-rating catalysts. As a result, it rates BHP shares as a hold. It explains:

The global miner offers broad diversification across iron ore, copper and potash, underpinned by a fortress balance sheet and a disciplined approach to capital returns. Copper provides meaningful long term exposure to the global electrification and energy transition theme, while iron ore remains the dominant near term earnings driver.

However, the macro backdrop remains uncertain, with Chinese steel demand facing structural headwinds and global growth indicators sending mixed signals. The valuation at current levels appears broadly fair, with commodity price assumptions already reflecting a reasonable medium term outlook. BHP remains a core holding for resource oriented portfolios, but with limited near term re-rating catalysts, we retain a hold recommendation.

Cochlear shares

Over at MPC Markets, its team has named Cochlear shares as a hold this week.

It highlights that the market has concerns over margins and procedure volumes. Until those concerns are resolved, MPC Markets thinks investors should sit on the sidelines. It said:

Cochlear remains a global leader in hearing implants, but the investment case has become more balanced. The shares have been under pressure after analysts re-assessed growth expectations and lowered revenue, margin and valuation assumptions. The long term demand profile remains attractive, supported by ageing populations and continued adoption of implantable hearing technology.

However, the market will need evidence that procedure volumes and margins can recover before a stronger recommendation is warranted. At these levels, investors can continue to hold, but should monitor earnings momentum and further analyst revisions.

ResMed shares

MPC Markets has also named ResMed as a hold this week.

Once again, this is partly due to concerns over margin uncertainty. Commenting on its hold recommendation, it said:

ResMed remains a high quality respiratory care business. Concerns about the impact of GLP-1 weight loss drugs have weighed on sentiment, although recent analysis suggests the big undiagnosed sleep apnoea market still provides a long runway for device demand.

The company continues to benefit from a strong mask and device portfolio, but investors were disappointed management left its fiscal year 2026 outlook unchanged after a solid third quarter result. Our hold recommendation balances the quality of the franchise against near term uncertainty around margins, competition and investor expectations.

The post Do experts rate BHP, Cochlear, and ResMed shares as buys, holds, or sells? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Cochlear and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Cochlear and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and Cochlear. 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) gold stock Southern Cross Gold Consolidated (ASX: SX2) is tumbling today.

Southern Cross Gold shares closed yesterday trading for $9.77. In early morning trade on Wednesday, shares are changing hands for $9.35 apiece, down 4.3%.

For some context, the ASX 300 is up 0.1%, while the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is down 1.2% at this same time.

The broader gold market selling pressure today comes amid investor concerns that the Middle East conflict could reignite rather than wind down following renewed military strikes overnight. Those fears sent the gold price down 1% to currently be trading at US$4,220 per ounce, according to data from Bloomberg.

Still, investors who bought Southern Cross Gold shares at the 1 August closing price of $5.37 will be sitting on gains of 74.1% today.

The ASX 300 gold stock has benefited from both its own operational successes on and below the ground as well as a surging gold price. Despite recent declines, the yellow metal has gained 25% since 1 August.

Now, here’s what Southern Cross Gold just announced.

ASX 300 gold stock hits high-grade zones

Southern Cross Gold shares are falling today despite the miner reporting on some high-grade intercepts at its 100%-owned Sunday Creek Gold-Antimony Project, located in Victoria.

The results stem from seven drill holes from the Apollo and Apollo East prospects within Sunday Creek.

Among the top results, the ASX 300 gold stock reported one hole returned 36.6 metres at 6.5 grams of gold equivalent per tonne (4.0 g/t Au, 1.0% Sb) from 700.0 metres. ‘Sb’, if you’re not familiar, is antimony, a silvery metalloid often used in batteries and to strengthen other metals, like lead.

The miner said the latest drill results show the continued high-grade growth in Apollo as its ongoing exploration continues to expand the known boundaries of the mineralisation.

What did Southern Cross management say?

Commenting on the drill results that could help support the ASX 300 gold stock longer term, Southern Cross CEO and president Michael Hudson said, “These seven holes continue to do what Sunday Creek does best, growing the system in every direction we test.”

Hudson noted:

[Drill hole] SDDSC202 delivered a standout 36.6 metres at 6.5 g/t AuEq with high grade assays up to 493 g/t gold, while [hole] SDDSC214W1 has pushed mineralisation to the most easterly position yet identified anywhere on the property, opening up new ground at Apollo East. The shallow, antimony-rich results up to 31.3% Sb in [hole] SDDSC217 are equally important, confirming strong critical-metal tenor close to surface.

Looking ahead, Hudson concluded, “With eleven rigs turning and 67 holes pending, we are only accelerating as we drive toward defining the full extent of this exceptional gold-antimony system.”

The post Up 74% since August, ASX 300 gold stock hits new high-grade zones in Victoria 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.

For most of Australia’s history, superannuation has been paid quarterly.

Your employer withheld your super contribution each pay cycle, then transferred it to your fund four times per year.

In a world of elevated interest rates, that three-month delay has cost workers real money.

From 1 July 2026, that changes permanently. Under the new payday superannuation rules, employers must pay super at the same time as wages, every pay cycle.

For Australian workers, that is one of the most significant improvements to the superannuation system in a generation.

Why the timing change matters more than most people realise

The difference between quarterly and payday super sounds administrative. But the compounding impact over a career is anything but.

Consider a worker earning $80,000 per year with a 12% super guarantee rate.

They receive $9,600 per year in employer super, or $800 per month if paid monthly.

Under the old system, that money sat with the employer for up to three months before arriving in the super fund.

Under payday super, it arrives immediately and starts compounding from day one. Over a 30-year career, the additional compounding from payday super is estimated to add approximately $6,000 to $9,000 to the average worker’s retirement balance.

This is according to modelling by the Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia.

This is free money generated purely by the timing of contributions, not by working harder, earning more, or taking more risk.

Payday superannuation also protects workers from unpaid super

The timing change has another equally important benefit: it dramatically reduces the risk of employers failing to pay super at all.

Under the quarterly system, workers often did not discover unpaid super for months, by which time the employer may have closed or entered administration.

The ATO estimates that approximately $5.1 billion in superannuation goes unpaid each year. This makes unpaid super one of the most significant wealth leakages in the Australian retirement system.

Payday super makes non-payment visible almost immediately, giving workers and the ATO the ability to act before the problem compounds.

What to invest your superannuation in

Payday super delivers more money to your fund, more frequently. But the returns those contributions generate over your career depend entirely on what your fund invests in.

For investors thinking about their superannuation asset allocation, two ASX options are worth knowing about.

The Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) is available inside self-managed superannuation funds and gives investors instant exposure to 200 of Australia’s largest companies at a management fee of just 0.04% per annum.

Since inception, the underlying index has returned approximately 8.53% per annum including dividends. Inside a 15% super tax environment, this figure translates into a powerful compounding engine.

On the other hand, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is the most widely held stock in Australian superannuation funds for a reason.

Its fully-franked dividend, which CMC Invest forecasts at approximately $5.15 per share in FY 2026, generates franking credit refunds inside a super fund that boosts the after-tax yield well above the headline figure.

For investors building a superannuation portfolio designed to generate growing income in retirement, CBA’s combination of franking credits and consistent dividend growth makes it a natural foundation holding.

The 30 June deadline is still important

Payday super starts 1 July, but 30 June 2026 remains a very important financial date of the year for superannuation.

The concessional contributions cap for FY 2026 sits at $30,000, including employer contributions.

Investors who have not yet reached that cap have less than four weeks to make additional salary sacrifice contributions.

Every dollar contributed at the 15% concessional rate before 30 June rather than at a marginal rate of 32.5% or higher is a permanent and compounding tax saving that payday superannuation will then help grow faster than before.

Foolish Takeaway

Payday super is a permanent improvement to the retirement system that will compound into meaningful additional wealth for millions of Australian workers over the coming decades.

Combined with smart investment choices inside super, including quality ASX shares and low-cost ETFs, the new rules give every Australian worker a better chance of retiring with the balance ASFA says they need.

This article is general information only and does not constitute financial advice.

The post Payday superannuation starting 1 July could change how every Australian thinks about their retirement 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 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.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares are on the move on Wednesday morning.

At the time of writing, the ASX lithium stock is up 4% to 26.5 cents.

Why is this ASX lithium stock rising?

Investors have been bidding Core Lithium shares higher today after it made a big announcement.

According to the release, the company has entered into a binding sale and purchase agreement with Glencore International (LSE: GLEN) for the sale of 25,000 tonnes of lithium fines from the Finniss Lithium Operation.

Management highlights that the transaction represents the second sale from the Finniss lithium fines stockpile, following the announcement in April of an initial 20,000 tonnes sale to Glencore.

It believes the sale represents a further step in Core Lithium’s strategy to monetise existing stockpiled material and generate cash flow while mining, processing, and development activities at Finniss progress.

What are the terms?

The ASX lithium stock advised that pricing under the agreement reflects prevailing lithium fines market conditions at the time of sale.

Net proceeds are subject to final grade adjustments and transport costs. However, it has a base price of ~US$270 per tonne (A$375 per tonne) CIF based on indicative Li₂O content. The shipment is expected to occur in June 2026 through Darwin Port.

Management notes that the agreement is otherwise unconditional and subject to customary terms for a transaction of this nature.

What’s next?

The company highlights that this second fines sale builds on its February sale of its spodumene concentrate stockpile and the initial fines sale announced in April 2026.

It feels these transactions demonstrate the value of its existing Finniss logistics chain and its strategic partnership with Glencore in providing market access and execution certainty. Management continues to explore pathways for the sale of the remaining ~30kt fines stockpile.

Operations update

More good news is that the company continues to make progress across Finniss with mining underway at the Grants open pit and development at BP33 progressing in parallel.

Pleasingly, development activities continue on schedule with box cut remediation underway and ground support for the portal face location nearing completion in preparation for the portal cut.

Bulk earthworks for the non-process infrastructure (NPI) are progressing, with the pad for the power station complete. In addition, underground decline development remains on track to commence in July.

As a result, the ASX lithium stock believes it is well positioned to progress the development of Finniss as a long-life lithium operation.

Commenting on news, Core Lithium’s managing director, Paul Brown, said:

This second sale of lithium fines further strengthens Core’s liquidity position as we ramp up operations at Finniss. During 2026 we have generated ~$28.5 million from the sales of lithium stockpiles at Finniss.

This additional liquidity provides Core with greater financial flexibility as we progress mining activities, advance development activities at BP33 and the restart of processing operations. We will continue to assess opportunities to realise further value from the remaining fines stockpile.

The post Guess the ASX lithium stock racing higher on big news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) shares are rising on Wednesday.

In morning trade, the Bunnings and Kmart owner’s shares are up 2.5% to $82.00.

Why are Wesfarmers shares rising?

This morning, Wesfarmers released its 2026 Strategy Briefing Day presentation.

Investors appear to be taking a positive view of the company’s growth plans across its portfolio, particularly with the key Bunnings and Kmart brands.

Wesfarmers highlighted three key messages for the market. It is accelerating its growth and productivity agenda, it has a portfolio of high-quality businesses with a mix of growth and resilience, and it retains a strong balance sheet with flexibility to invest.

The company also pointed to its growing digital, data, and artificial intelligence capabilities as an important driver of future sales and earnings growth.

Bunnings remains the key growth engine

Bunnings was a major focus of the update.

Management said the business continues to be supported by strong foundations, including its lowest prices, widest range, and best experience strategy.

Bunnings is looking to grow by expanding its offer, improving its store network, accelerating commercial sales, and developing adjacent opportunities.

One area of focus is commercial customers. Bunnings is relaunching its commercial loyalty platform and improving its delivery, service channels, and digital tools for builders, trades, businesses, and organisations.

The company is also expanding in newer areas such as home electrification through Zelora, its home renewable energy offer.

Its marketplace is another growth opportunity. Bunnings now has around 300,000 marketplace products across more than 600 sellers and plans to launch the marketplace in New Zealand in the second quarter of FY 2027.

Artificial intelligence is also becoming a bigger part of the Bunnings strategy. The company said its AI-powered shopping tool, Buddy, is helping customers plan projects, find products, and complete purchases, while also driving higher basket sizes and conversion.

Kmart focusing on value and growth

Kmart Group was another key part of the presentation.

Management said customers remain focused on value and that Kmart is continuing to invest in its low-cost operating model.

The business has made more than 2,500 price drops in FY 2026 and is expanding strategic growth categories.

Kmart is also investing in store format innovation, with 16 stores now trading in the new Kmart Plan C+ format. This is expected to increase to 40 stores by the end of FY 2027.

Digital growth is another priority. Kmart has launched a third-party marketplace, is scaling agentic commerce, and continues to see strong engagement across its digital platforms.

The group also sees international growth potential from its Anko brand, with five Anko stores operating in the Philippines and another five planned by the end of FY 2027.

Other growth areas

Wesfarmers also provided updates on Officeworks, WesCEF, and Wesfarmers Health.

WesCEF’s lithium project is progressing, with nameplate spodumene production achieved in FY 2026 and nameplate lithium hydroxide production targeted for the second half of calendar year 2027.

Wesfarmers Health is also progressing its multi-year transformation, with Priceline Pharmacy, digital health, loyalty, and wholesale efficiency key priorities. This includes the rollout of the atomica store brand, which stocks K-Beauty products like Medicube and appears inspired by Korean beauty retailer Olive Young.

Overall, today’s update reinforces Wesfarmers’ long-term strategy of investing in strong businesses, expanding addressable markets, and using technology to improve productivity.

With Bunnings and Kmart continuing to show growth opportunities, investors appear to be backing the company’s strategy on Wednesday.

The post Why are Wesfarmers shares pushing higher today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

If you are hunting for ASX dividend shares to buy, then it could be worth turning your attention to Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) shares.

That’s because it has been named as a top buy by the team at Bell Potter, which is expecting some attractive dividend yields over the next few years.

What is the broker recommending?

Bell Potter is recommending Rural Funds, which is an agricultural property company with a portfolio focused on almond orchards, vineyards, cattle, cotton and macadamias.

It notes that the company’s assets are some of the most productive in the industry and leased to high quality tenants. This includes Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE), Olam, JBS, and Select Harvests Ltd (ASX: SHV).

Bell Potter notes that agricultural land values have been increasing across certain areas, which bodes well for Rural Funds. It said:

In recent weeks we have seen both ABARE and Bendigo Bank release their assessment of agricultural land values through CY25, with both indicating modest YoY gains in transaction values. Land values: ABARES report highlighted a +9% YoY uplift in livestock properties, a +15% YoY uplift in cropping values and a -1% YoY contraction in orchard land values (on a per Ha basis). The Bendigo bank agricultural land values report highlighted +3% YoY growth in Australia wide values (+6% HoH), with largest gains in QLD (+6% YoY) and NSW (+4% YoY) of particular interest.

It also highlights that counterparty commodities remain favourable, adding:

Tree nut pricing has remained firm in USD terms, but facing the headwind of a higher AUDUSD. Opening pool macadamia prices (the direct commodity exposure of RFF) are broadly consistent with 2025 at A$4.25/kg. Cattle prices have bounced back following a period of softness and continuing to demonstrate YoY gains.

Should you buy this ASX dividend share?

According to the note, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating and $2.50 price target on Rural Funds’ shares.

Based on its current share price of $1.98, this implies potential upside of 26% for investors over the next 12 months.

As for income, the broker expects dividends per share of 11.7 cents in FY 2026, FY 2027, and FY 2028. If this proves accurate, it will mean dividend yields of 5.9% each year through to 2028.

Commenting on its recommendation, Bell Potter said:

Buy rating unchanged. An acceleration in interest rates creates a headwind into FY27-28e, which for the most part is mitigated by the expanded J&F guarantee. Should RFF continue to execute on exiting or leasing the 31% of the portfolio unleased then we would expect the share price to bridge the gap to adjusted market NAV (NAV less capitalised costs which we estimate at $2.50-2.55ps).

The post Is this one of the best ASX dividend shares to buy now offering a 5.9% yield? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

June 2016 was not a great time to be investing.

China’s economy was slowing.

Iron ore had crashed from above US$100 per tonne to below US$50 per tonne.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) had just cut its dividend for the first time in 16 years, shocking income investors who had relied on the payout for years. The mood around BHP shares was deeply negative.

And yet, for investors who held their nerve and put $10,000 into BHP shares at that moment, the outcome has been extraordinary.

The numbers

In June 2016, BHP shares were trading at approximately $16 on the ASX.

A $10,000 investment at that price would have bought approximately 625 shares.

Today, BHP shares trade at approximately $60. On capital appreciation alone, those 625 shares are now worth approximately $37,500.

That is a capital gain of approximately 275% over ten years. But for BHP shareholders, the capital gain is only half the story.

The dividend contribution

BHP is one of the most reliable dividend payers on the ASX and has historically distributed 50% to 75% of underlying attributable profit as a fully-franked dividend twice per year.

Over the past ten years, BHP has paid total dividends of approximately A$24 per share. This includes the record payouts that accompanied the commodity super cycle of 2021 and 2022.

On 625 shares, that translates to approximately $15,000 in cumulative dividends received over the decade.

Adding that to the capital value of $37,500 gives a total portfolio value of approximately $52,500.

That is more than five times the original $10,000 investment over ten years, equivalent to a total return of approximately 425%.

For context, a $10,000 term deposit earning 2% per annum over the same period would have grown to only $12,190.

The difference between those two outcomes is the difference between a comfortable retirement and a modest one.

Why the returns were so strong for BHP shares

Three distinct phases drove BHP’s ten-year return.

The first was the recovery from the commodity crash of 2015 to 2016. The iron ore price rebounded from below US$40 to above US$100 per tonne and the share price more than doubled.

The second was the commodity super cycle of 2021 and 2022, when iron ore briefly exceeded US$220 per tonne and BHP paid record dividends that alone returned nearly half the original investment.

The third is the current phase, driven by copper earnings exceeding iron ore for the first time in BHP’s 136-year history. This comes as the copper price surged above US$13,000 per tonne on AI data centre and electric vehicle demand.

Each phase was driven by different forces. And all three rewarded patient long-term holders.

What $10,000 invested in BHP shares today might be worth in 2036

Nobody can predict exactly what BHP shares will return over the next decade.

What we can say with confidence is that BHP plans to grow copper-equivalent production at 3% to 4% per year through 2035.

This will add to one of the world’s most valuable copper portfolios when AI data centres, electric vehicles, and grid infrastructure are creating the most sustained demand surge for copper in history.

If BHP delivers even half the total return over the next decade that it delivered over the past decade, $10,000 invested today would be worth approximately $30,000 by 2036.

Foolish Takeaway

The lesson from BHP’s ten-year return is that patient, long-term ownership of quality businesses through commodity crashes, dividend cuts, and market panics is one of the most reliable paths to building wealth available to Australian investors.

The investors who sold BHP shares in June 2016 when the mood was darkest missed one of the great investment returns of the decade.

The post If you invested $10,000 in BHP shares 10 years ago, here is what they would be worth today 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 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.

The upcoming SpaceX IPO has been generating plenty of coverage over the last month. 

After years of speculation about an initial public offering (IPO), SpaceX shares are expected to start trading on the Nasdaq stock exchange on June 12. 

This announcement has been impacting markets already, with Betashares announcing the very first ASX listed Space themed ETF last month. 

The BetaShares Space Industry ETF (ASX: RCKT) took off with a bang, rising 30% in its first two weeks of trading, before coming back down to earth quickly. 

You can read more about the Betashares fund here. 

Now, the team at Global X has announced its own space themed ASX ETF which will trade under the name: Global X Space Tech ETF (ASX: MOON). 

Fund overview 

According to the ETF provider, The Global X Space Tech ETF (ASX: MOON) gives investors exposure to companies across this ecosystem, including:

• Rocket launch and reusable systems
• Satellite infrastructure and components
• Communication, data, and geospatial services
• Space exploration and emerging applications

Importantly, companies must generate at least 50% of their revenue from space-related activities, meaning space is core to their business, not just a side project.

According to Global X, space is shifting from exploration to commercialisation.

As costs fall and infrastructure scales, it has the potential to become a foundational layer of the global economy, much like the internet did over the past few decades.

The Global X Space Tech ETF offers:

• Exposure to companies across the space value chain
• A mix of established players and emerging innovators
• A way to invest in the broader ecosystem, rather than picking individual stocks. 

At the time of writing, no official launch date has been announced for the new space themed ASX ETF. 

Why satellites matter 

According to the Global X report, more than half of today’s space economy is tied to satellites. The industry is shifting from single satellites to large networks (often called constellations) in Low Earth Orbit, the region of space closest to Earth.

These satellite networks support everyday services such as:

• Broadband internet (e.g. satellite internet services)
• GPS navigation in your phone
• Weather forecasting
• Logistics and supply chain tracking
• Secure communications for governments and defence. 

As these networks grow, business models are shifting from one-off sales to recurring revenue services. For example, satellite broadband alone could grow from about US$22 billion in 2025 to US$100 billion by 2035.

Looking ahead 

Global X believes as space becomes more important for national security, this spending is expected to remain strong.

By 2034, the global space market could surpass US$1 trillion in annual revenues. Key growth areas including launch services, connectivity, and data are expected to grow faster than the overall market.

Government demand also plays a major role. Global government space spending reached US$137 billion in 2025, while defence-related spending accounted for US$73 billion.

The post Global X announces new Space focused ASX ETF appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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 next move in official interest rates will be down, experts at National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) say, following a weakening of economic data in recent months.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has hiked interest rates three times this year, most recently in May, with the official cash rate now sitting at 4.35%.

Weak economic data make an interest rate cut more likely

NAB Chief Economist Dr Sally Auld said the pendulum had now swung from a tightening bias, with recent data suggesting the economy had lost momentum.

Dr Auld explained:

The next move in the cash rate is likely to be down, but the timing is uncertain. In February, growth was above trend, the economy was operating above capacity and there was uncertainty over the restrictiveness of rates. None of these conditions exist today. Both Q1 GDP data and the NAB business survey suggest momentum in the economy has slowed, meaning that growth has likely peaked for the cycle. That said, we are cognisant there is still considerable uncertainty around the outlook, both with respect to activity and inflation.

NAB’s RBA Watch report, released this week, said the bank’s economics team was still expecting inflation to remain higher than the RBA’s target range through to mid 2027.

The report said:

This outlook is not dissimilar to that of the RBA, as outlined in last month’s Statement on Monetary Policy and is likely to keep the RBA watchful around pass through from higher input costs to final prices. We have been worried about a broad and rapid dissemination of inflationary pressures, but the recent slowing in momentum in the economy may short-circuit this dynamic somewhat. If so, margins will compress and weaker labour market outcomes are a risk.

On the employment front, the report said the labour market was close to being balanced, “but the unemployment rate continues to gradually trend higher and we see the unemployment rate as more likely to rise than fall in coming quarters”.

House prices to fall

Dr Auld said the economic slowdown was likely to weigh on housing and activity.

She added:

Tighter financial conditions will be reflected in a slowing in house price growth and housing credit growth.

NAB is forecasting that capital city house prices will on average fall by 2% over 2026.

The report said that the first quarter national accounts shows that the economy had lost some momentum, “as underlying household spending growth is now annualising closer to 1.5%, business investment is weak outside of data centres and dwelling investment continues to grow but not as strongly as demand would imply”.

The post The next RBA interest rates move will be down, NAB says 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.