Author: openjargon

The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) price is having a week to forget.

The world’s first and biggest crypto is currently trading for US$77,334 (AU$111,032). That’s down 1.6% overnight and down 11.7% since this time last week, according to data from CoinMarketCap.

This marks the lowest levels for the token since 9 April, when all manner of risk assets came under pressure following United States President Donald Trump’s ‘Liberation Day’ global tariff pronouncements.

The Bitcoin price hit an all-time high of US$126,198 on 7 October last year. The crypto is now down 38.4% from that high watermark.

Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH), the world’s second biggest crypto, is having an even tougher run of it lately.

Ethereum is currently fetching US$2,275, down 7.1% over the past 24 hours. The Ethereum price is now down 20.5% since this time last week. Ethereum hit its own record high of US$4,954 on 22 August last year.

The world’s number two crypto has since tumbled 53.9% from those highs.

What’s pressuring the Bitcoin price?

The Bitcoin price looks to be catching headwinds on several fronts.

First, despite the recent pullback in gold and silver prices, investors have been showing greater interest in precious metals and cold hard cash than in cryptocurrencies as safe-haven assets amid rising geopolitical risks.

Indeed, spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) outflows have continued over the past weeks.

Then there’s the diminishing outlook for ongoing interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve.

What are the experts saying?

“Suddenly, cryptocurrencies no longer appear to be an alternative to fiat money and a hedge against the not-so-responsible financial policies of major countries,” Alex Kuptsikevich, chief market analyst at FxPro, said (quoted by Bloomberg).

“Silver and gold have become the vehicle for investors concerned about fiat currencies,” Louis Navellier at Navellier & Associates added.

Matt Howells-Barby, vice president at Kraken, noted that the big global cash splash on artificial intelligence also looks to be weighing on the Bitcoin price.

He said:

Concerns around heavy AI investment by big tech, without the corresponding earnings to justify the spend, appear to be unsettling broader risk assets. With credit spreads already extremely tight, markets were firmly risk-on going into this move, so it’s not surprising to see investors pause and reassess their risk appetite.

Then there’s the market’s shifting expectations on the outlook for interest rates in the world’s biggest economy after United States President Donald Trump last week appointed Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair.

While Warsh has recently amended his views to be more dovish and in line with Trump’s own push for lower interest rates, he is known to be hawkish, with a sharp focus on combating inflation.

“While his nomination would support the case that rates will continue to decline in 2026 through to 2027, Warsh is a career economist who is all too aware of reducing too much, too quickly,” Hayden Hughes, general partner at Tokenize Capital, said (quoted by Bloomberg).

The Bitcoin price has historically proven to be highly sensitive to interest rate moves.

The post What on earth is happening with the Bitcoin price? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Is Bitcoin digital gold? It seems investors prefer the real thing
• How is Ethereum stacking up against the Bitcoin price so far in 2026?
• Bold calls, big risks, and what really matters for Bitcoin price in 2026
• Better Buy in 2026: XRP, Dogecoin, or Bitcoin?

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

Given the potential returns on offer at the small side of the market, if you have a higher tolerance for risk, it can sometimes be a good idea to have some exposure to small-cap ASX shares.

But which small caps are buys? Let’s take a look at three that Morgans is recommending to clients:

Meeka Metals Ltd (ASX: MEK)

This gold miner could be a small-cap ASX share to buy according to Morgans. In response to the company’s quarterly update, the broker has retained their buy rating and 33 cents price target on its shares.

It was relatively pleased with the miner’s performance during the quarter. It said:

MEK delivered its 2Q26 operating result as the Murchison Gold Project continues to ramp up. Gold production increased 28% quarter on quarter to 9.1koz Au and was in-line with MorgansF of 9.3koz Au. Ounce production was underpinned by a mill head grade of 3.3g/t Au, ~10% above MorgansF assumptions; however, this grade outperformance is partially offsetting lower-than-expected throughput.

Looking ahead, improvements in mill throughput, driven by underground production, remain key to maintaining alignment with PFS forecasts We maintain our BUY rating, price target A$0.33ps and update our precious metals price deck.

Neurizon Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: NUZ)

Another small-cap ASX share that gets a thumbs up from Morgans is Neurizon. It has put a speculative buy rating on its shares with a reduced price target of 28 cents.

The broker believes that with major risks cleared, now is a great time to be jumping on board with this clinical-stage biotech company. This is especially the case given how there is a condensed catalyst runway ahead of it. It said:

Following FDA clearance, the imminent start of the Ph2/3 trial and the removal of the funding overhang providing full visibility through the pivotal program, NUZ now offers one of the cleanest entry points seen in the past 18 months, with major risks cleared and a condensed catalyst runway ahead.

Recent M&A activity underscores the scarcity value of ALS assets and provides a meaningful valuation anchor for NUZ if its clinical program delivers. Post recent capital raises, we update for the new share issuances which drive a reduction in our target price to A$0.28 from A$0.39, although we maintain our Speculative Buy rating, noting the high risk / high reward proposition.

Saluda Medical Inc (ASX: SLD)

This commercial-stage medical device company could also be a small-cap ASX share to buy according to Morgans. It has put a speculative buy rating and $3.07 price target on its shares.

It was pleased with the company’s second quarter update and management revenue guidance upgrade for FY 2026. The broker said:

2Q activity report debut did not disappoint, highlighting accelerating US commercial momentum, cost actions to reduce future operating expenses and upgraded FY26 revenue guidance. Revenue growth jumped 15% QoQ, supported by rising implanted patient volumes, and continued expansion of both sales reps and implanting physicians, while cash outflow fell 14% QoQ on a lower fixed cost base supportive of operating leverage.

We believe management’s decision to lift FY26 revenue guidance c4% at this early-stage post-IPO reflects improving visibility on sales execution and demand trends, reinforcing confidence in a stronger 2H performance. We update FY26 forecasts in line with guidance, with our DCF-based TP unchanged at A$3.07. SPECULATIVE BUY maintained.

The post Morgans names 3 exciting small cap ASX stocks to buy now 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.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares delivered some materially disparate returns in January.

Over the month just past the ASX 200 gained a welcome 1.8%.

One of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining giants raced ahead of those gains, one modestly outperformed the benchmark, and the third ended the first month of 2026 in the red.

This came as iron ore prices averaged above US$105 per tonne over the month, while copper prices hit new record highs of US$13,618 per tonne.

So how did the big three Aussie miners stack up?

Read on!

BHP shares lead the pack

Australia’s biggest mining stock, and indeed the biggest stock on the ASX after retaking that crown from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) on 27 January, closed out 2025 trading for $45.49 a share. When the closing bell sounded on 30 January, shares were changing hands for $50.57

This put BHP shares up an impressive 11.2% over the month.

On 20 January, BHP released its December quarter results.

Highlights included a 2% increase in iron ore production to 134 million tonnes, with BHP’s Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO) operations achieving record high quarterly shipments.

While copper production was flat at 984,000 tonnes, the miner lifted its full year FY 2026 copper guidance to 1,900kt to 2,000 kt (up from the prior guidance of 1,800kt to 2,000 kt).

“BHP delivered another half of very strong performance with operational records at our copper and iron ore assets,” CEO Mike Henry said on the day.

Looking ahead, Henry added:

BHP enters the second half of FY26 with strong operating momentum. We’re investing for the decade ahead, with a significant copper growth pipeline and a pathway to ~2 Mt of attributable copper production in the 2030s.

How about the other two ASX 200 miners?

Rio Tinto shares also enjoyed a solid month.

Rio Tinto shares closed out December trading for $146.82 and ended January at $151.55 apiece.

That put that ASX 200 mining stock up 3.2% over first month of the new year, beating the ASX 200 but underperforming BHP shares.

Rio Tinto reported its quarterly results on 21 January.

Highlights from those results included Pilbara iron ore production of 327.3 million tonnes, in line with the prior year. And iron ore shipments notched a new record 326.2 million tonnes for the year.

Rio Tinto’s copper production of 883,000 tonnes was up 11%, exceeding guidance.

Turning to Fortescue, the miner underperformed both the ASX 200 and BHP shares in January.

Fortescue shares finished December trading for $22.01 and closed on 30 January changing hands for $21.00. This saw the Fortescue share price down 4.6% for the month.

The miner released its quarterly results on 22 January.

Fortescue reported all-time high H1 FY 2026 iron ore shipments of 100.2 million tonnes. That was up 3% year-on-year.

“It was a record first half, with shipments reaching new highs across our operations,” Fortescue Metals and Operations CEO Dino Otranto said on the day.

The post How Rio Tinto, Fortescue and BHP shares stacked up in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Rio Tinto shares fall despite big acquisition news
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Buy, hold, sell: BHP, DroneShield, and Santos shares
• Buying ASX shares for passive income? Here’s how Woodside, Fortescue and CBA shares stack up

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 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 Hot Chili Ltd (ASX: HCH) share price is in a trading halt on Monday following a fresh announcement from the company.

The halt was requested earlier today and will remain in place pending further details from the company.

Before entering the halt, Hot Chili shares last traded at $1.94. The stock is now up almost 40% so far in 2026, after a strong rally through January.

Here is what investors need to know.

A sizeable placement at a discount

According to today’s announcement, Hot Chili plans to raise up to $40 million by issuing approximately 24.3 million new shares to institutional and professional investors.

The shares will be issued at $1.65 apiece, representing a 15% discount to the company’s last closing price and a 13.6% discount to the 5-day volume weighted average price (VWAP).

The placement is being conducted under the company’s existing 25% placement capacity, meaning no shareholder approval is required.

Settlement is expected later this month, with new shares ranking equally with existing shares on issue.

Why Hot Chili is raising now

Management says the funds will be used to aggressively advance development at the Costa Fuego copper-gold project in northern Chile.

That includes accelerating work at the La Verde copper-gold discovery. It will also fund studies toward a maiden mineral resource and advance permitting and environmental approvals across the broader Costa Fuego hub.

Hot Chili also flagged funding for feasibility work, ongoing exploration, strategic studies, and general working capital.

Costa Fuego remains one of the few large-scale copper projects globally that is not controlled by a major mining company. At the same time, large producers are increasingly focused on securing long-term copper supply.

Trading halt and what happens next

Hot Chili’s shares will remain suspended until the company announces the outcome of the placement, which is expected before market open on Wednesday.

That update should confirm the final amount raised, demand levels, and whether the placement was upsized.

Given the stock’s strong recent momentum, investors will be watching closely to see how the market reacts once trading resumes.

The bigger picture

Hot Chili has delivered one of the ASX’s stronger copper performances, with the share price climbing more than 180% over 12 months.

While capital raisings can pressure share prices in the short-term, they can also strengthen the balance sheet and de-risk future development.

With additional capital on the way, attention turns to delivery and whether progress at Costa Fuego can justify the recent re-rating.

The post Why this ASX copper stock suddenly halted trading this morning 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 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.

With so many shares to choose from on the Australian share market, it can be difficult to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this agribusiness company’s shares with an improved price target of $8.40. This follows the release of Elders’ investor update, which revealed that its performance was improving as conditions normalise. Looking ahead, Macquarie believes the company is well-placed for growth over the medium term as it realises synergies from the Delta Agribusiness acquisition. In light of this, the broker sees value in the company’s shares at current levels. The Elders share price is trading at $7.61 on Monday afternoon.

Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating on this gold miner’s shares with an improved price target of $9.90. The broker highlights that Genesis Minerals delivered a strong second quarter update, with record-breaking production coming in ahead of expectations. Bell Potter believes there is more to come in the second half. So much so, it expects the company to achieve the upper end of its production guidance in FY 2026. In addition, the broker points out that it likes Genesis Minerals due to its belief that it is a high-quality gold producer that is expanding production in a rising gold price environment. The Genesis Minerals share price is fetching $6.98 at the time of writing.

ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

Analysts at Morgans have upgraded this sleep disorder treatment company’s shares to a buy rating with a $47.73 price target. According to the note, Morgans was pleased with ResMed’s performance in the second quarter. It highlights that the result was a beat across the board, with double-digit revenue and earnings growth, further gross margin expansion, and solid cash generation. ResMed’s operating leverage has seen the broker lift its earnings estimates and valuation slightly. And with its shares down unjustifiably and materially from recent highs, Morgans thinks now is a good time to invest. The ResMed share price is trading at $36.74 this afternoon.

The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why is the ResMed share price jumping 7% today?

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

Welcome to the first trading day of February 2026. This last month of summer here on the ASX is always a dramatic one. It usually sees ASX investor attention back in full focus after the summer break, thanks to the start of the first earnings season of the year for ASX shares.

Every ASX share is required to report its latest financials and numbers to the market at least twice a year. Most ASX shares deliver their first report in February, making this month one of the most important in the year.

Earnings reports are often the catalysts for some of the biggest share price swings we see every year. As such, the importance of these earnings seasons cannot be overstated for investors. This year, I’m keeping my eye on three ASX shares in particular.

Three ASX shares that I’m watching this February

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

CBA’s earnings are some of the most watched every earnings season. Although Commonwealth Bank is no longer the ASX’s top dog, its unique role at the heart of the Australian financial sector lends its numbers extra weight. As we’ve pointed out a few times in recent weeks, although CBA shares have come off the boil over the past few months, they are still arguably expensive by global banking standards.

That means there might not be much of a cushion if the bank fails to live up to expectations. I’ll be watching that cash profit after tax figure closely, as well as the unveiling of CBA’s next dividend, of course. CBA’s earnings are scheduled for 11 February.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Wesfarmers is another ASX share I’ll be watching like a hawk this earnings season. Yes, partly because I’m a shareholder myself. But also because I view Wesfarmers as a bit of a market litmus test. You have a company here that is one of the most ‘plugged in’ stocks to the broader Australian economy.

Given Wesfarmers has many fingers in many pies (those fingers including WesCEF, Bunnings, Kmart, OfficeWorks, amongst many others), its earnings report gives us a lot of insight into the health of the Australian economy, as well as market sentiment. The market usually recognises the inherent quality of this business, and assigns it a relatively high earnings multiple as a result.

If that reality changes during or following earnings season, it could prove telling. Wesfarmers’ earnings will come out on 19 February.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Finally, we have one of Wesfarmers’ former fingers, Coles Group. I like to look at Coles’ earnings every season, as I think this ASX share’s numbers are another useful barometer of the Australian economy. Given we all need to regularly eat and stock or households, Coles tends to see relatively consistent earnings. But we can still derive insights from them, such as how cost-conscious consumers are being.

Additionally, Coles has what is now one of the better dividend growth streaks amongst top blue chip stocks, having delivered an annual dividend hike every year since 2019. I’m curious to see if that will continue into 2026. Coles is set to reveal its latest numbers on 27 February.

The post 3 ASX shares I’ll be watching like a hawke this earnings season appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Where will CBA shares be in 5 years?

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Wesfarmers. 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.

Shares in Biome Australia Ltd (ASX: BIO) have jumped after the company announced a distribution deal for its probiotic products in Canada.

The company said in a statement to the ASX on Monday that all of its biome-activated probiotics products had been approved for launch on Fullscript Canada, which services more than 100,000 practitioners and five million patients across North America.   

The company added:

The Fullscript partnership represents a significant milestone in Biome’s Canadian expansion, providing access to the dominant platform for practitioner-to-patient supplement dispensing across the region. The North American integrative medicine market has grown at a 25% CAGR, with approximately 80% of healthcare professionals now recommending supplements in some capacity.

Biome Australia said Canada had a stringent regulatory framework which creates a significant barrier to entry, “favouring established, compliant brands like Activated Probiotics”.

Building on established wins

The company said the new agreement was complementary to its existing partnership with Ecotrend Ecologics, which was one of Canada’s leading natural health products distributors.

The company elaborated further:

This dual-channel approach ensures Biome’s Activated Probiotics range is accessible to practitioners regardless of their preferred dispensing model, whether maintaining in-clinic inventory through wholesale ordering or utilising Fullscript’s innovative e-prescribing platform that ships products directly to patients’ homes.

Biome Australia Managing Director Blair Norfolk said the new agreement was significant for the company.

Securing approval on Fullscript is a pivotal milestone in our Canadian expansion. Combined with our existing Ecotrend partnership, we now have complete coverage of the Canadian practitioner market, traditional wholesale through Ecotrend for in-clinic dispensaries, and digital direct-to-patient through Fullscript. This dual-channel approach removes any barriers to practitioners choosing Activated Probiotics for their patients. This partnership demonstrates continued momentum in our Vision 27 international expansion strategy. We’re systematically building scale across key markets, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and the UK—establishing Biome as a truly global leader in evidence-based microbiome health. Fullscript’s broader platform reach positions us well for ongoing growth opportunities.

Biome Australia shares were 8.3% higher at 48.7 cents. The company was valued at $101.3 million at the close of trade on Friday.

The company released a trading update last month, which said that second-quarter revenue was $6.48 million, up 40.9% on the previous corresponding period and up 9.1% on the first quarter of the year. The company said this was particularly strong given that the Christmas trading period was traditionally softer.

First half revenue of $12.42 million was up 40.2% on the previous corresponding period.

The post This probiotics company has just struck a distribution deal, sending its shares sharply higher 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.

ASX gold stock Waratah Minerals Ltd (ASX: WTM) is bucking the broader sell-off today and storming higher.

Waratah Minerals share closed on Friday trading for 55 cents. In late morning trade on Monday, shares are changing hands for 63.5 cents apiece, up 15.5%.

For some context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.4% today, while the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is down a steep 6.6%.

Unlike Waratah Minerals, most ASX gold stocks are deep in the red today following another sharp decline in the gold price. Gold is currently trading for US$4,759 per ounce. This now sees the yellow metal down more than 22% since Thursday’s US$5,417 per ounce, according to data from Bloomberg.

Gold came under pressure at the end of last week following news that United States President Donald Trump appointed Kevin Warsh to succeed Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve chair.

Warsh is widely expected to focus on combating inflation, which has the market pricing in higher US interest rates. Higher interest rates in the world’s top economy are likely to hinder gold’s remarkable bull run, as bullion doesn’t pay any interest itself and is priced in US dollars.

Now, here’s why a tumbling gold price isn’t keeping investors from bidding up Waratah Minerals shares today.

ASX gold stock leaps on strong drill results

Waratah shares are surging today after the company announced a promising batch of new results from the ongoing drill program at its 100%-owned Spur Gold Project, located in New South Wales.

The ASX gold stock reported that complete assay results for five diamond drill holes and partial results from one diamond drill hole (SPD015) have returned “significant intercepts” of gold mineralisation from the Spur and Consols Zones.

SPD021 is likely spurring added interest from investors, with the hole returning the highest-grade interval yet achieved at the site. Top results included 6 metres at 24.56 grams of gold per tonne from 329 metres, including 1m at 146 g/t Au from 333m and 9m at 5.52 g/t Au from 142m.

The miner noted that drilling at Consols continues to demonstrate the increased scale and grade of the mineralised system.

Waratah Minerals currently has seven drill rigs operating at the project, with two at the Spur Zone and five said to be focused on extending the wide and high-grade intercepts at the newly discovered Consols Zone.

What did management say?

Commenting on the results sending the ASX gold stock surging today, Waratah managing director Peter Duerden said, “The partial results from SPD015 are significant and exciting as they indicate one of the many high-grade shoots at Consols potentially extending to surface.”

Duerden added:

Results from Spur indicate the potential for extensions at the eastern margin of the system whilst continuing to provide internal definition of high-grade trends including the intercept of 1m at 146 g/t Au in hole SPD021, representing the highest-grade assay recorded to date…

These outstanding results support Waratahs’ interpretation that the gold mineralisation at Spur has the potential to be a significant gold system with similarities to other very strongly mineralised gold deposits globally.

Waratah Minerals share price snapshot

With today’s intraday gains factored in, shares in the ASX gold stock are now up a whopping 339.3% in 12 months.

The post How is this ASX gold stock rocketing 16% on Monday amid a tanking gold price? 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.

In early afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down 0.8% to 8,796.1 points.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping:

Appen Ltd (ASX: APX)

The Appen share price is down 9% to $1.68. This may have been driven by profit-taking from investors after the artificial intelligence data services company’s shares rocketed last week. Investors were buying Appen’s shares following the release of a strong quarterly update. It reported revenue of $73.4 million. This was a 10% lift on the prior corresponding period and a 33% increase on the third quarter of FY 2025. Appen’s CEO, Ryan Kolln, said: “Q4 was a strong finish to the year for both our China and Global businesses. Appen China exited the quarter with an annualised revenue run-rate growing to over $135 million – a pleasing result, providing strong momentum heading into FY26.”

Brightstar Resources Ltd (ASX: BTR)

The Brightstar Resources share price is down 23% to 48.2 cents. This has been driven by the gold explorer raising funds through a major capital raising. Brightstar has received binding commitments from tier one institutional investors to raise $175 million at a discount of 50 cents per new share. Brightstar’s managing director, Alex Rovira, commented: “The near-term development of our Goldfields Hub, as shown in our DFS 2.0, enables Brightstar to underpin its position as an emerging Western Australian gold producer with a significant growth profile that will generate outstanding financial metrics and unlock significant value for our shareholders.”

Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC)

The Graincorp share price is down 16% to $6.07. This has been driven by the release of guidance from the grain exporter this morning. Graincorp is now forecasting underlying EBITDA of $200 million to $240 million and underlying net profit after tax between $20 million and $50 million. These are both down materially on the prior corresponding period. The company’s CEO, Robert Spurway, said: “Record global production has created an oversupply of grain, outpacing demand growth and placing downward pressure on commodity prices for the whole market. Despite strong ECA production volumes, with ABARES estimating a 2025-26 ECA winter crop of 31.2 million tonnes (mmt), the current abundance of global supply and low grain prices have reduced incentives for growers to deliver grain to market. As a result, GrainCorp is experiencing lower margins on grain handled in FY26.”

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is down 7.5% to $26.78. Investors have been selling Northern Star’s shares following a huge decline in the gold price on Friday night. It isn’t just Northern Star that is tumbling today. Most ASX gold shares are falling heavily along with it this afternoon. This has seen the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index fall 7.1% so far today.

The post Why Appen, Brightstar, Graincorp, and Northern Star shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• GrainCorp shares slide nearly 15%. Is this ASX 200 stock now oversold?
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• Why 4DMedical, Appen, Nine Entertainment, and ResMed shares are storming higher today

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 Appen. 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.

Some of the best opportunities tend to appear when sentiment turns against genuinely high-quality businesses. Share prices fall hard, confidence wobbles, and suddenly, great S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares get talked about as if something is fundamentally broken.

That’s how I see WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) and Block Inc (ASX: XYZ) right now. Both are down sharply over the past year, but when I step back and look at what these companies actually do, I think the market is being overly pessimistic.

WiseTech Global shares

WiseTech is a company that sits right in the middle of global trade, providing mission-critical software that freight forwarders, customs brokers, and logistics providers rely on every single day.

Its CargoWise platform is effectively the operating system for global logistics. Once a customer adopts it, switching is painful, expensive, and risky. That creates the kind of stickiness and recurring revenue profile I really like in long-term growth businesses.

What often gets missed is the scale WiseTech has already achieved. It services many of the world’s largest freight forwarders, processes millions of shipments, and continues to expand its functionality through acquisitions and internal development. This isn’t a speculative product. It’s a deeply embedded infrastructure.

The share price fall hasn’t come out of nowhere. Slower growth in the core business, management and board upheaval, and highly publicised issues around the founder all damaged confidence. On top of that, the integration of a large acquisition has added complexity at a time when investors were already nervous about tech valuations.

But when I look through the noise, I see a business that is refocusing on execution. Product launches, a new commercial model, and operational integration all point to improving momentum.

For me, this feels less like a broken story and more like a reset phase.

Block shares

Block is often talked about as if it’s one product or one trend. In reality, it’s an ecosystem business with multiple growth engines.

On one side, there’s Square, which provides payments, software, and financial tools to millions of small and medium-sized businesses globally. On the other, there’s Cash App, which has evolved into a full-featured consumer finance platform with tens of millions of active users. Then there’s Afterpay, which Australian investors already know well, sitting inside the broader Block ecosystem.

What really stands out to me is how these products reinforce each other. Sellers use Square, consumers use Cash App, and Afterpay sits at the point of transaction, increasing engagement and monetisation across the platform.

Block has been caught in a perfect storm. Rising interest rates hit fintech valuations, regulatory scrutiny increased, and concerns around buy now, pay later models weighed heavily on sentiment. Even a strong operating performance hasn’t been enough to stop the sell-off.

Yet the underlying numbers tell a very different story. Cash App continues to grow users and monetisation. Square is gaining share in key verticals. The business is generating meaningful operating income and free cash flow, while continuing to invest heavily in product innovation, including AI-driven tools.

To me, this disconnect between business momentum and share price is exactly what creates opportunity.

Why I think both could beat the market

Neither WiseTech nor Block needs bold assumptions to deliver strong returns from here. They simply need to keep executing.

WiseTech benefits from global trade complexity only increasing over time, whereas Block benefits from the ongoing shift toward digital payments, integrated financial services, and platform-based ecosystems.

Both ASX 200 shares have been heavily sold off. Both businesses are still growing. And both, in my view, look far more attractive today than they did when sentiment was euphoric. That’s why these two unloved ASX 200 shares are ones I’m quietly backing to surprise investors over the next few years.

The post 2 unloved ASX 200 shares I’m tipping to beat the market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 50% from recent highs: Is it time to buy these ASX stocks?
• Why buy and hold investing with ASX shares could make you rich
• Why these brokers are very bullish on the WiseTech share price
• 3 ASX 200 shares trading at 52-week lows: Are they a buy?
• Eight stocks to buy in the bruised tech sector according to RBC

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino 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 and 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.