Author: openjargon

ASX gold stocks were generating plenty of buzz into the early part of 2026. 

Global conflict pushed investor sentiment firmly towards defensive and safe-haven assets. 

However despite history telling us this would continue, many ASX gold stocks have since tumbled. 

Many investors were likely left scratching their heads of where to turn next amidst an extended period of volatility. 

One ASX gold stock that has ignored the noise and powered ahead this year has been Forrestania Resources Ltd (ASX: FRS). 

Company overview and acquisition news

Forrestania Resources Ltd. operates as a mineral exploration and development company focused on gold, lithium and nickel discoveries. Its projects include Forrestania Gold, Lithium and Nickel, Southern Cross Gold and Leonora Gold.

In the last 12 months, its share price has risen more than 600%, which includes an impressive 53% in 2026 alone. 

It was making headlines yesterday after it tabled a takeover offer to Zenith Minerals Ltd (ASX: ZNC). 

In summary, Forrestania Resources has agreed to acquire 100% of Zenith Minerals through a recommended takeover using shares rather than cash. 

Zenith’s key asset is the Consolidated Dulcie Gold Project in Western Australia, which contains an estimated 0.7 million ounces of gold and is located within FRS’s existing Southern Cross Hub area.

By adding the new project, FRS will increase its total gold resource base from approximately 1.0 million ounces to 1.7 million ounces.

The takeover values Zenith at approximately A$81 million, compared with its current market capitalisation of about A$63 million, representing a premium of roughly 29%. 

Overall, the acquisition strengthens FRS’s gold portfolio and expands its resource base with a project that fits well alongside its existing assets.

What is Bell Potter’s view?

Following this announcement, the team at Bell Potter provided updated guidance on this ASX gold stock. 

The broker views the acquisition as highly strategic because it gives FRS control of an important land package within its Southern Cross Hub, alongside several of its existing gold deposits. 

The Dulcie Gold Project is close to FRS’s Lake Johnston processing plant and also within trucking distance of Ramelius Resources (ASX: RMS) Edna May plant, providing potential future processing options.

The addition of 0.7Moz represents a material uplift to the resource base that strengthens FRS’ development pathway and mine life visibility. The Transaction is consistent with FRS’ established M&A playbook of disciplined, value-accretive regional consolidation.

The broker subsequently lowered its price target to $1.15 (previously $1.25) and maintained its speculative buy recommendation. 

Despite the slight downgrade, the broker’s price target still indicates 127% upside from current levels. 

The post This ASX gold stock is expected to double in the next year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Up more than 140% over a year, this ASX gold stock has just fielded a takeover offer
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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.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares could be approaching full value now.

That’s the view of analysts at Bell Potter, who have downgraded the ASX 200 tech stock this morning.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter highlights that the market is warming up to software-as-a-service (SaaS) shares following a rough period. This has been driven by the release of results from SaaS companies that supported the view that AI could be a tailwind rather than a headwind for some tech stocks.

As a result, the broker has lifted the target multiples that it uses in its valuation model. This has led to Bell Potter lifting its valuation of the ASX 200 tech stock. It commented:

We have increased the multiples we apply in our PE ratio and EV/EBITDA valuations from 52.5x and 30x to 57.5x and 32.5x given the market view on SaaS companies appears to have recently turned more favourable following, in particular, the Atlassian and Salesforce quarterly results which were both strong and exhibited more tailwinds than headwinds from AI.

We also see little risk to our FY26 forecasts for Technology One following the solid H1 result and, if anything, see upside risk to our ARR forecast but not so much the PBT forecast. We do not, however, change the WACC we apply in our DCF of 8.3% given we already consider this quite low. The net result is a 6% increase in our TP to $34.25.

ASX 200 tech stock downgraded to hold

According to the note, despite the increase in its price target, Bell Potter thinks TechnologyOne shares have limited upside following a strong rebound.

This morning, the broker has downgraded the enterprise software provider’s shares to a hold rating (from buy) with a $34.25 price target (from $32.25).

Based on its current share price of $32.56, this implies potential upside of 5.2% over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the downgrade, Bell Potter said:

Our updated TP of $34.25 is <15% premium to the share price so we downgrade our recommendation to HOLD. We now see the stock as reasonable value on FY26 and FY27 PE ratios of 66x and 55x respectively. We do see Technology One as one of if not the best quality large cap SaaS company on the ASX but we note it is already trading at almost double the FY26 and FY27 PE ratios of WiseTech (ASX:WTC) on 35x and 28x.

We also see a lack of catalysts for Technology One in the near term as the company does not tend to announce individual contract wins – though some are posted on the website – and we do not expect any change in the FY26 guidance. The next potential catalyst therefore is not until the release of the FY26 result in November when, as said, we see some chance of a beat in the ARR guidance.

The post Guess which ASX 200 tech stock just got hit with a broker downgrade appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares closed 0.24% lower at 8,604.2 points on Tuesday.

Let’s check out 3 ASX 200 shares with new ratings from analysts on The Bull this week.

Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD)

The Resmed share price finished 1.3% higher at $28 yesterday.

Mark Gardner from MPC Markets has a hold rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share.

Gardner explained his view: 

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.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

The Goodman share price closed 0.32% higher at $31.20 on Tuesday.

Tony Locantro from Alto Capital has a sell rating on the ASX 200’s biggest real estate share by market capitalisation.

Locantro says Goodman is seeking to capitalise on artificial intelligence (AI) while maintaining large exposure to logistics infrastructure. 

Data centres represent about 73% of the company’s pipeline, and total work in progress is expected to reach about $18 billion this month.

Locantro discussed his sell rating on Goodman shares:

While the long term outlook for digital infrastructure remains highly attractive, investor enthusiasm surrounding AI and data centres has driven a substantial re-rating in the share price.

With significant growth expectations already reflected in the valuation, future returns may become increasingly dependent on flawless execution of large scale projects.

Given the strong share price performance and elevated market expectations, the risk-reward balance supports taking profits at current levels, in our view.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

The Westpac share price finished 0.29% lower at $34.71 yesterday.

Damien Nguyen from Morgans has a sell rating on this ASX 200 bank share.

Nguyen said: 

Revenue growth appears constrained by a competitive mortgage market and subdued business lending conditions.

The bank has made meaningful progress on its strategic simplification agenda, shedding non-core businesses and improving its risk and compliance foundations.

The pathway to sustainable outperformance remains unclear. In our view, the recent share price doesn’t offer a sufficient margin of safety in a challenging banking environment.

We see the risk–reward equation as unfavourable at recent levels.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Resmed, Goodman Group, Westpac shares 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 positions in and has recommended Goodman Group and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The positive news keeps rolling in for ASX materials stock Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6).

This Perth-based exploration and development company has hit several big milestones recently which has catapulted its share price higher. 

Yesterday, it was announced that the materials stock is being added to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) at the next quarterly rebalance. 

This comes after an impressive 78% rise year to date and 440% rise over the last 12 months. 

The company also released an important ASX announcement yesterday. 

Drilling at Bullabulling continues to support resource growth

Yesterday, the ASX materials stock announced further results from ongoing drilling at its 100% owned 4.5Moz Bullabulling Gold Project, located 25km west of Coolgardie in Western Australia. 

The latest program across the Bacchus, Phoenix, Dicksons, and Kraken deposits continues to:

• Confirm the continuity of mineralisation within the 4.5Moz Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) and extensions of mineralisation beyond the MRE boundaries
• Support the conversion of Inferred Resources to Indicated classification
• Improve the understanding of structural controls of mineralisation and support the potential identification for higher-grade trends within and outside the MRE.

What does this all mean?

The recent commencement of a 26,000m grade control program (10m x 10m spacing) represents another important step towards production readiness, focusing on areas scheduled for mining in the first two years of production and further advancing understanding of the orebody. 

The maiden Ore Reserve and Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) remain on track for release in July 2026, with an updated Mineral Resource Estimate scheduled for August 2026.

The bottom line for investors is that the latest drilling continues to support both resource growth and resource upgrades, while the commencement of grade-control drilling suggests the project is progressing toward development and potential production. 

The upcoming PFS and Ore Reserve will be important catalysts for investors.

What is Bell Potter’s updated view?

Following this announcement, the team at Bell Potter updated its outlook on this ASX materials stock. 

The broker said these results continue to confirm the continuity and grade of mineralisation at Bullabulling. 

It has also demonstrated key deposits remain open at depth and along strike, with high-grade hits below the existing pit-shells and along the more recently identified footwall shear zones which are emerging as strong high-grade targets.

Following the release, Bell Potter maintained its speculative buy recommendation and $1.350 price target. 

From yesterday’s closing price of approximately 77 cents per share, this indicates an upside potential of 74%. 

Signalling a production focussed mindset, MI6 recently commenced a 26,000m grade control program. This has kicked off on areas scheduled for mining in the first two years of production. 

This is a material de-risking step being undertaken well in advance of traditional development timelines – i.e. before the PFS has even been released. We see this as a unique opportunity for MI6 to develop a granular understanding of orebody controls that may further improve what is already sectorleading exploration efficiency.

The post This ASX materials stock has 74% upside according to Bell Potter 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.

ASX gold stocks generally have had a turbulent start to 2026. 

Gold miners have faced several strong headwinds over the past six months, including a significant increase in mining costs and a weaker ASX gold sector after a strong run late last year. 

Fluctuating sentiment has led many investors to sell their gold assets and rotate into larger, more stable ASX stocks. 

Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) is one ASX gold mining company that has struggled under recent pressures. Its share price has swung wildly throughout the first half of 2026, ranging from 55 cents to $1.68 per share.

At the close of the ASX on Tuesday afternoon, Resolute Mining shares fell another 5.29% to a six-month low of $1.08 a piece. The ASX gold stock is also now 13.31% lower year to date.

What about if I’d invested $5,000 in Resolute Mining shares 12 months ago? What would it be worth today?

The good news is that the ASX 200 gold stock has rallied off the back of stronger gold prices over the past year. 

Even after this year’s share price volatility, the ASX mining stock is still trading significantly higher than it was 12 months ago.

At the time of writing, the shares are up 88.6%. Which means a $5,000 investment just 12 months ago is already worth $9,430.

In fact, if a savvy investor managed to snap up the shares in the dip in mid-February last year, when the stock was just 35 cents per share, they’d be sitting on a huge increase today. That 207.14% increase means a $5,000 investment at the right time would be worth $15,357 today. 

What’s next for the ASX gold stock? Can it start climbing higher again?

Resolute Mining shares are closely tied to the fluctuating price of gold. Gold prices came off the boil in March this year after conflict in the Middle East saw investors turn their back on the once-considered safe-haven assets.

Trading Economics data shows the gold price has strengthened to around $4,300 per ounce this week. But this is still one of the lowest price levels seen so far in 2026.

The latest increase is supported by growing optimism around an imminent peace agreement between the US and Iran. A deal could help to ease inflationary pressures and reduce concerns about further interest rate hikes. 

Meanwhile, the miner also recently announced it has reached several impressive feasibility milestones and posted a significant increase in gold production. 

Resolute Mining expects production to keep climbing this year, too, to around 250,000 to 275,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost of $2,000 to $2,200. 

The gold price is forecast to rebound this year. If gold prices return to record highs, the value of high-performing gold stocks like Resolute Mining could quickly see their share prices pick up. 

Analysts are very bullish on the outlook for the ASX gold stock. TradingView data shows all seven analysts have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares. 

The average $2.37 price target implies a potential 121% upside at the time of writing. But some think Resolute Mining shares could climb as much as 221% to $3.45 a share. For context, the gold miner’s shares haven’t traded above the $ 2.30 level since mid-1999.

The post If I invested $5,000 into this ASX gold stock 12 months ago, I’d have nearly $9,430 today 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 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 the ASX 200 experiencing a down year by historical standards, many investors will be staring down the barrel of a flat portfolio. 

But the silver lining of a down year is that there are plenty of ASX shares offering significant upside. 

When markets are flat or underperforming, it means there are value opportunities for investors. 

Here are three such ASX shares tipped to rise significantly over the next 12 months. 

Light & Wonder Inc (ASX: LNW)

Light & Wonder, Inc. engages in the development of technology-based products, services, and associated content. It operates through the following segments: Gaming, SciPlay, and iGaming.

Its share price has fallen by over 25% year to date; however, it has been generating plenty of buzz amongst experts. 

It appears now could be the chance to scoop up this blue-chip consumer discretionary stock at a considerable discount. 

It closed trading yesterday at $116.35 per share. 

However, Macquarie recently placed a $200 price target on these ASX shares. 

Bell Potter placed its most recent 12-month target at $192 per share. 

If it were to reach this range in the next 12 months, it would represent a 65%-72% gain. 

Judo Capital (ASX: JDO)

Bank shares have been one of the sectors that have largely underperformed in 2026. 

Investors usually associate the sector with steady revenue and reliable dividends. 

However, the big four banks have all struggled in 2026. 

It appears that for banking stocks, opportunity lies outside the big four. 

Enter Judo Bank. 

The Australian bank focused on lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) has seen its share price fall 20% year to date. 

However, experts are tipping this bank stock as the one to buy in 2026. 

The team at Morgans recently retained a buy recommendation on this small business lender’s shares with an improved price target of $2.15.

From current levels, this indicates an upside of 50%. 

Idp Education (ASX: IEL)

IDP Education Ltd is a global education service offering English language testing and international student placement services. The company is a co-owner of IELTS, or International English Language Testing System, which administers English language testing around the world.

Its share price rose 5% yesterday, but it remains down by more than 60% year to date. 

Brokers now believe these ASX shares have been oversold. 

A note out of Morgans said it sees scope for earnings to stabilise and return to growth from FY27. 

The broker has placed a price target of $3.15 on these ASX shares. 

This target is 50% higher than current levels. 

The post 3 oversold ASX shares to target right now for 70% gains 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 positions in and has recommended Light & Wonder Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Light & Wonder Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Are you looking for some new portfolio additions? If you are, it could be worth considering the three ASX shares in this article.

They have been named as buys by Morgans and are tipped to rise 15% to 55% from current levels. Here’s what the broker is recommending to clients:

Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

Morgans was pleased with this sports technology company’s recent FY 2026 results.

In response, the broker put a buy rating and $5.40 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $3.52, this implies potential upside of 53% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on Catapult, Morgans said:

CAT’s FY26 result confirmed strong organic momentum, with revenue US$141m (+19% c/c) and closing ACV US$134m (+28% c/c) at the top of guidance, while Management EBITDA of US$25m (17.6% margin, +67% pcp) beat MorgansF. Operating leverage is now evident, with a 41% incremental margin (48% ex-acquisitions) in the period. ACV per pro team crossed US$30k for the first time whilst SaaS metrics improved.

We trim FY27-FY29F Management EBITDA by 6-8% factoring in the result. Our price target is lowered to A$5.40 (from A$5.55) on these changes, offset to a degree by a valuation roll forward. BUY maintained.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Another ASX share that Morgans is bullish on is integrated industrial property company Goodman.

Following the release of its third-quarter update, the broker has put a buy rating and $36.00 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $31.20, this suggests that upside of 15% is possible.

The broker commented:

GMG’s 3Q26 update reinforced a deliberate strategy: deploy balance-sheet capital ahead of customer commitments to win the race for power-enabled metro data centre (DC) capacity. WIP is set to step from $14.5bn at Mar-26 to a record c.$18bn by Jun-26 (Consensus $17.7bn), with the power bank lifted to 6.4GW. Operationally the update was mixed, with pre-committed share, production rate and Yield On Cost (YOC) all relatively flat hoh.

The structurally important note was management’s view that industry DC capex requirements likely exceed global capital market funding capacity, a backdrop that favours those with secured power, sites and locked-in capital partners.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

A third ASX share that gets the thumbs up from Morgans is burrito seller Guzman Y Gomez.

It was pleased with the company’s decision to exit the US market. In response, it put a buy rating and $29.40 price target on its shares. Based on its current share price of $18.95, this implies potential upside of 55%.

Speaking about the company, Morgans said:

GYG announced the immediate exit of its US operations, a business that we forecast generated a significant FY26 underlying EBITDA loss and required materially more capital than could be justified by prospective returns. We view this as a positive catalyst, notwithstanding that the market has previously ascribed meaningful optionality value to the US as a long-term growth engine.

The exit removes a loss sooner than consensus anticipated and simplifies the story while the Australian operations are performing well and in line with expectations. Stripping out the US losses results in material upgrades to our EBITDA and NPAT forecasts. We maintain our BUY rating and upgrade our price target to A$29.40.

The post Morgans rates these ASX shares as buys with up to 55% upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• These shares are being dumped from the ASX 200 index

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

ASX growth shares can be among the best investments to own because of their ability to compound earnings over the long term.

When a company is growing revenue rapidly, there is a strong chance that operating leverage will improve, and profit margins can increase. Typically, investors usually value a business based on how much net profit it could make in the future,

The investment team from WAM Active Ltd (ASX: WAA) have outlined a couple of compelling ASX shares that could be great opportunities today. They are usually looking for mispriced opportunities in the Australian market.

EchoIQ Ltd (ASX: EIQ)

WAM described EchoIQ as an Australian medical technology company focused on improving cardiology decision-making through AI to detect structural heart issues in echocardiograms.

The fund manager noted that the company has received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for severe aortic stenosis detection, with additional FDA clearance for heart failure detection expected in the near term.

WAM noted that the EchoIQ share price rose 44% in May after the ASX growth share announced an expanded resale and distribution agreement with the Mount Sinai Health System (one of the leading cardiology programs in the US) in late April.

The investment team explained that the agreement provides meaningful clinical validation and further de-risks the FDA pathway. FDA clearance for heart failure is expected in the coming weeks, which would significantly expand EchoIQ’s US addressable market and support a “material uplift” in revenue generation.

WAM said:

We believe additional hospital signings and strategic partnership discussions with Australian and US-based parties remain key near-term catalysts for further share price re-rating.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

The other ASX growth share that WAM highlighted is Megaport, a Brisbane-headquartered network-as-a-service provider. After its 2025 acquisition of Latitude.sh, it also operates a global on-demand compute platform.

The company is positioned as one of the few ASX (growth) shares that has direct exposure to the infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence (AI) adoption.

Last month, the ASX growth share announced three binding contracts with two US AI customers, with a total contract value (TCV) of approximately US$183 million and annualised recurring revenue (ARR) of approximately US$65 million.

Two of those three contracts have 36-month terms, providing visibility into revenue. The Megaport share price increased by 28% on the day, exceeding the contract value.

The agreements validate the strategic rationale for the Latitude.sh on-demand ARR increasing 31% since the acquisition, compute is becoming a key growth driver.

WAM concluded:               

We continue to hold Megaport, with the May contract wins supporting the FY2026 and FY2027 earnings outlook, and further customer announcements representing a credible near-term catalyst.

The post 2 ASX growth shares to buy with big growth potential! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares fell 0.24% to close at 8,604.2 points yesterday.

Let’s take a look at some new ratings on three ASX 200 shares from experts on The Bull this week.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside share price finished 0.58% higher at $31.09 yesterday.

Mark Gardner from MPC Markets has a buy rating on this ASX 200 energy share.

Gardner said: 

The company remains leveraged to LNG demand from Asia. The Scarborough Energy project is reportedly 96 per cent complete and on track for first LNG cargoes in the fourth quarter of 2026.

Energy prices remain volatile, but gas continues to play an important role in regional energy security.

In our view, the market isn’t fully pricing in the production uplift from Woodside’s major growth projects.

The dividend has been under pressure, but the balance sheet and asset base remain appealing for investors seeking energy exposure.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO)

The Rio Tinto share price closed 1.81% lower at $181.23 on Tuesday.

Rio Tinto shares have been on a rollercoaster over the past week.

The ASX 200 iron ore mining share rose to a record high of $195.84 last Wednesday.

Then on Thursday and Friday, iron ore stocks tumbled after a big production rise at the giant Simandou mine in Africa.

That’s not as big a problem for Rio Tinto, given it’s a part-owner of Simandou.

But the mine is bringing significant new supply onto the market at a time when demand is already weakening.

That has implications for the iron ore price, which directly impacts miners’ earnings.

The iron ore price has already dropped more than 9% over the past month.

Damien Nguyen from Morgans puts a hold rating on Rio Tinto shares this week.

Nguyen said: 

Rio Tinto is a world class diversified miner with high quality iron ore, aluminium and copper assets generating solid cash and consistent shareholder returns.

Iron ore earnings remain central to the investment case, but are sensitive to Chinese property and infrastructure activity, which continues to face near term headwinds.

Copper and lithium assets provide structural growth exposure.

The balance sheet is strong and the dividend remains well-supported, making RIO a sound income holding.

However, with the near term earnings outlook balanced rather than clearly positive, we retain a hold recommendation.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

NAB shares finished 1.72% lower at $35.96, after hitting a new 52-week low of $35.48, on Tuesday.

Gardner has a sell rating on this ASX 200 bank share.

He explains: 

NAB remains a quality banking franchise, but the near term earnings outlook is under pressure.

The bank’s first half net profit in fiscal year 2026 missed analyst expectations, with bad debt provisions and one-off charges weighing on the result.

The dividend remains attractive, but valuation support looks less convincing if earnings momentum continues to soften.

In our view, the bank faces the challenges of margin pressure, higher credit risk and slower profit growth.

We prefer to reduce exposure and direct capital towards stronger growth opportunities elsewhere.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Woodside, Rio Tinto, NAB shares 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.

ASX-listed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be some of the easiest ways to invest and become wealthy.

Being able to invest in a single transaction and get exposure to a wide range of businesses is very compelling, in my opinion.

But, there are so many options, which one to buy? I think it depends on an investor’s goals.

Simple ASX ETF investing

For investors who just want a very simple investment strategy that can help grow wealth passively in the background without needing to monitor it. There are plenty of possible ASX ETFs.

Aussies can get the return of the share market for very little cost by choosing one of the cheapest ones.

I really like the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) because it invests in more than 1,000 businesses worldwide. Over time, global businesses are collectively growing profits, supporting long-term share price growth.

Over the past 10 years, the VGS has returned an average of 13.5% per year. Past performance is not a guarantee of future returns, of course, but it has been an excellent long-term investment.

High-quality

Some investors may not want to own thousands of businesses across the global share market. What about just investing in the best ones?

There are a variety of options that aim to invest in the highest-quality businesses. One of my favourites is the VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL) – it invests in 300 of the highest-quality global businesses, as measured by quality metrics.

High-quality businesses can perform better during downturns and over the long term. In the last decade, it has returned an average of 14.6% per year.

Technology

Over the last 20 years, tech businesses have been some of the strongest-performing investments. With the current trajectory of many large tech companies and their strong profit margins, investors may want targeted exposure to the exciting sector.

One of the best options for a tech allocation, in my opinion, is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) – that’s 100 of the biggest tech businesses listed in the US.

It’s important to remember that past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. Having said that, it has returned an average of 19.2% per year in the past five years.

Passive investing

ASX ETFs can be an excellent way for investors to unlock passive income. Many funds don’t have high dividend yields because the underlying businesses themselves don’t have much dividend yield.

But some funds deliberately target higher-yielding businesses, while some ASX ETFs can provide a pleasing dividend yield.  

The WCM Quality Global Growth Fund (ASX: WCMQ) invests in a high-quality portfolio of global shares with strengthening economic moats and corporate cultures that support those competitive advantages. The fund aims to deliver a 5% distribution yield to investors.

One of the ASX’s most appealing options for passive income is Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY). It looks to invest in just the higher-yielding ASX shares.

In my view, a good ASX ETF is a great investment, though it is not the only effective investment.

The post Which ASX ETF should I buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 excellent ASX ETFs for beginners to buy now
• Where to invest $5,000 in Vanguard ETFs in June

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in VanEck Msci International Quality ETF and Wcm Quality Global Growth Fund. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.