Author: openjargon

A small bunch of S&P/ASX All Ords Index (ASX: XAO) shares have ex-dividend dates coming up next week.

We’re helping you keep track of ex-dividend dates with an article every Friday.

Here are some of the ASX shares due to go ex-dividend next week.

To receive the next dividend, you must own the ASX share before its ex-dividend date.

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates coming up 

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

This ASX healthcare share will pay an 85% franked dividend of $1.30 per share on 14 October.

The ex-dividend date is Monday, 21 September.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

This ASX coal share will pay a fully franked dividend of 30 cents per share on 15 October.

The ex-dividend date is 21 September.

Southern Cross Engineering Ltd (ASX: SXE)

This ASX industrials share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 7.5 cents per share on 7 October.

The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, 22 September.

Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS)

This ASX financial share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 5.5 cents per share on 22 October.

The ex-dividend date is 22 September.

Fleetwood Ltd (ASX: FWD)

This ASX industrials share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 9.5 cents per share on 9 October.

The ex-dividend date is 22 September.

St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM)

This ASX materials share will pay a fully franked dividend of 5 cents per share on 16 October.

The ex-dividend date is Wednesday, 23 September.

IPD Group Ltd (ASX: IPG)

This ASX industrials share will pay a fully franked dividend of 7.9 cents per share on 8 October.

The ex-dividend date is 23 September.

Genesis Energy Ltd (ASX: GNE)

This ASX utilities share will pay an unfranked dividend of 6.3 cents per share on 9 October.

The ex-dividend date is 23 September.

Bisalloy Steel Group Ltd (ASX: BIS)

This ASX materials share will pay a fully franked dividend of 13 cents per share on 9 October.

The ex-dividend date is Thursday, 24 September.

Salter Brothers Emerging Companies Ltd (ASX: SB2)

This ASX financial share will pay a 50% franked dividend of 2 cents per share on 22 October.

The ex-dividend date is 24 September.

Wiseway Group Ltd (ASX: WWG)

Wiseway Group shares will pay a 100% franked dividend of 0.006 cents per share on 9 October.

The ex-dividend date is 24 September.

PRL Global Ltd (ASX: PRG)

PRL Global shares will pay a 100% franked dividend of 3 cents per share on 23 October.

The ex-dividend date is 24 September.

Teaminvest Private Group Ltd (ASX: TIP)

This ASX financial share will pay a 100% franked dividend of 1.5 cents per share on 5 October.

The ex-dividend date is Friday, 25 September.

The post 13 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX shares I think could return 10%+
• Cochlear share price rebounds 53% from 10-year low: Can it keep climbing?
• Cochlear vs Pro Medicus: Which beaten-down ASX healthcare share is the better buy today?
• How much of my superannuation do I need to invest to earn $60,000 of passive income in 2027?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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 Cochlear and Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Ipd Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Bisalloy Steel Group, Cochlear, and Southern Cross Electrical Engineering. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Woodside Energy vs Fortescue shares: Which mining stock is better for passive income?

If you’re looking to bank reliable passive income from the mining space, two big names on the ASX often get a close look: Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG). Both are true Australian heavyweights, attractively sized, and generous dividend payers—plus, their fully franked dividends can be a real drawcard for savvy local investors. But if you’re weighing up Woodside Energy vs Fortescue shares, which is the better bet for building sustainable, hands-off income? Let’s break it down.

The case for Woodside Energy Group

Woodside Energy is Australia’s largest independent oil and gas company, and the largest operator of oil and gas production in the country. With roots going back to 1954, Woodside’s business stretches across offshore platforms and international assets, strengthened by its recent high-profile merger with BHP’s oil and gas portfolio. Listed since 1971, it now sits among the largest companies on the ASX.

What stands out about Woodside:

• It boasts a sizeable market cap of $63.25 billion, underscoring its scale and stability.
• The dividend yield is a strong 5.04%, fully franked, making its income stream friendly for local investors.
• Recent performance has been robust, with a 44.04% year to date return—a real contrast against some sector peers.

The case for Fortescue

Fortescue is one of the giants in iron ore production, sitting just behind BHP, Rio Tinto, and Vale globally. Its flagship operations cover major mining hubs in the Pilbara, a major port, and the world’s fastest heavy-haul railway. Since debuting on the ASX in 1987, it’s grown into a $50.93 billion titan, underpinning a massive chunk of global iron ore supply.

Numbers I’d call out for Fortescue:

• The current dividend yield is a hefty 6.66%, fully franked, comfortably outpacing Woodside.
• A lower P/E ratio of 12.46 could be pointing to better value at these levels.
• However, 2026’s year to date return is -21.40%, showing headwinds for the share price.

Valuation comparison

Here’s a side-by-side look at the key income and value metrics:

	Woodside Energy (WDS)	Fortescue (FMG)
Market Cap	$63.25b	$50.93b
P/E Ratio	14.41	12.46
Dividend Yield	5.04%	6.66%
Earnings per share	1.605	0.931
Dividend per share	1.63	1.08
Year To Date Return	44.04%	-21.40%
Franking	100%	100%

The key takeaway here: Fortescue offers the higher dividend yield for those hunting passive income, and sports a slightly cheaper earnings multiple. But Woodside is the larger company, with a higher earnings per share and a much better share price run lately.

Recent share price performance

All prices quoted are as of 16 September 2026. Woodside closed at $33.27, having climbed 2.84% that day, capping off a strong few weeks—with only minor dips and overall upward price momentum. Year to date, Woodside shares are up a very impressive 44.04%.

Fortescue, meanwhile, finished at $16.54 (up 1.97% that day), but the bigger story is in the negatives: its year to date return is -21.40%. Across the most recent weeks, Fortescue has seen sharper drops and less sustained upward movement than Woodside, reflecting trickier recent trading conditions.

Which is the better buy?

If I’m focused on pure passive income, I think Fortescue has the edge on yield alone—a 6.66% fully franked payout is nothing to sneeze at. That’s a good margin above Woodside’s 5.04%. But the picture isn’t that simple. Woodside brings a larger, arguably more resilient business, higher earnings per share, and absolutely stellar recent share price performance. Fortescue’s negative YTD performance, on the other hand, is a yellow flag—it’s been a rough run for FMG shareholders lately.

Both stocks have given out big, fully franked dividends for years, but Woodside’s price momentum suggests investors have more confidence in its near-term prospects. If my sole priority was maximising present yield, I’d take a good look at Fortescue. But factoring in total return and share price stability, my pick would be Woodside for a smoother and potentially more sustainable passive income ride. The lower headline yield is offset by the capital growth and big-company resilience, which count for a lot in this space.

The post Woodside Energy vs Fortescue: Which ASX mining share is best for passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX shares I’d recommend to beginners
• Should I buy Rio Tinto shares for passive income?
• BHP vs Rio Tinto: What’s the better buy?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Fortescue shares break a 4-day losing streak as $150 million legal fight heats up

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are 0.2% higher at 8,714.9 points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, brokers have lifted their ratings on several ASX 200 shares this week. 

Let’s review. 

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

The CSL share price is $177.29, up 1.7% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 healthcare share has ripped 32%.

RBC Capital upgraded CSL shares to a buy rating on Tuesday.

The broker raised its 12-month price target substantially from $148 to $213.

This implies a potential 20% upside ahead.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

The NAB share price is $38.91, up 2.3% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 bank share has fallen 1%.

Citi upgraded NAB shares to a buy rating yesterday.

The broker increased its 12-month price target from $40 to $42.10.

This suggests a potential 8% upside ahead.

Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC)

The Lottery Corporation share price is $4.86, up 0.7% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 consumer discretionary share has fallen 9%.

Morgans upgraded Lottery Corporation shares to a buy call today.

The broker reduced its 12-month price target from $5.60 to $5.40.

This implies a potential 11% upside ahead.

Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC)

The Ramsay Health Care share price is $55.06, up 0.4% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 healthcare share has risen 23%.

RBC Capital upgraded Ramsay Health Care shares to a buy call this week.

The broker increased its 12-month price target significantly from $52 to $68.

This indicates potential capital gains of 23% over the next year. 

Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF)

The Challenger share price is $10.09, down 1.9% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 financial share has increased 4%.

UBS upgraded Challenger shares to a buy rating with a $11.50 price target.

This suggests a potential 14% upside ahead.

James Hardie Industries Plc (ASX: JHX)

The James Hardie share price is $37.38, up 0.2% today.

Over the past month, this ASX 200 materials share has fallen 15%.

Morgans upgraded James Hardie shares to an accumulate rating yesterday.

The broker shaved its 12-month price target from $45 to $43.

This suggests potential capital growth of 15% over the next year. 

Morgans said:

The positive company story and the growth trajectory are only partially offset by the tough macro, a 75bps rise in the 30-year mortgage rate over the past six months, and a peer multiple de-rate.

On this basis we upgrade to an Accumulate rating, whilst moderating our target price to A$43.00 (from A$45.00).

The post 6 ASX 200 shares boosted by brokers this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Forget CSL shares, I’d buy this ASX biotech stock instead
• James Hardie says it doesn’t need a US housing recovery. Can it prove it?
• CSL acknowledges “disappointing” results but aims to do better
• CSL, Resmed, and more. See which ASX health stocks RBC Capital Markets has upgraded
• Santos, Ramsay Health Care, and AMP shares reach new 52-week highs: Can they keep climbing?

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. 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 CSL and The Lottery Corporation. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL, Challenger, and The Lottery Corporation. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) shares have fallen lower again in Thursday afternoon trade.

At the time of writing, the mining giant’s shares are down around 5% to $4.78 each.

Today’s decline means the shares have now fallen around 10% since hitting an all-time high of $5.30 last week.

But it’s not all bad news. The shares are still trading 35% higher for the year-to-date and are a huge 82% higher than 12 months ago.

Why are the shares falling this week?

There hasn’t been any price sensitive news out of South32 over the past week to explain the latest share price decline.

It looks like the selloff is a mixture of investors taking their profit off the table after a rally through July and August, combined with softer sentiment about ASX mining shares.

Renewed geopolitical tensions and higher oil prices has put pressure on inflation figures and commodity prices. These broad market pressures have seen some investors turn away from mining shares like South32.

Today is also South32’s ex-dividend day. The miner announced a 7.5 cents per share final dividend as part of its latest FY26 results announcement late last month. The shares are scheduled to be ex-dividend today, with payment on the 15th of October. 

It’s typical for share prices to decline on ex-dividend days because new buyers won’t receive any of the upcoming dividend. 

Now the question is, is the rally over for South32 shares? Or is there more upside ahead?

Let’s find out what the experts think.

Are South32 shares a buy, sell or hold now?

Going forward, it looks like brokers are quite optimistic about the outlook for S32 shares going forward.

Market Index data shows that the majority of brokers have a buy rating on the mining shares. The $5.13 average target price implies a potential 2% upside ahead.

On TradingView, sentiment is a little more dividend. Out of 13 analysts, six have a buy/strong buy rating and another six have a hold rating. One rates the stock as a sell.

The average target price of $5.31 implies a potential 11% upside for South32 shares, at the time of writing.

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a hold rating on South32 shares driven by stronger commodity price outlooks in key metals, including zinc. 

Elsewhere, Blake Halligan from Gray Perry Wealth Advisers has a sell rating on South32 shares. He said that given recent share price increase, commodity price volatility, global uncertainty and execution risk on major projects, investors may want to consider cashing in some gains at this stage of the cycle.

The team at Morgans downgraded South32 shares to a hold after reviewing its FY26 numbers, and increased its price target to $4.90. The broker said it thinks the earnings upcycle is now reflected in the latest price. It also noted the stock has outperformed even the pure copper producers.

The post South32 shares fall 10% from all-time high: Is the rally over? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Buy, hold, sell: NextDC, South32, CBA shares
• 33 ASX shares going ex-dividend next week
• Top 3 ASX shares I’d buy after the most recent sell-off
• South32 shares reach fresh 52-week high: Can they keep climbing?

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.

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) shares are moving higher on Thursday.

This comes despite another legal headache returning to investors’ radar after appearing largely settled.

At the time of writing, the investment bank’s stock is up 0.81% to $241.76.

That still leaves the stock down almost 8% over the past month, although it remains around 19% higher in 2026.

So, what’s going on?

What is the new claim about?

According to The Australian, Gordon Legal has launched a class action in the Supreme Court of Victoria against Macquarie Investment Management.

The action involves Rachelle Dessent and around 2,800 account holders who invested in the Shield Master Fund through Macquarie’s platform.

Macquarie agreed last September to compensate affected investors for the money they had put into Shield.

Around $480 million was invested in the fund between 2022 and its closure in 2024, with roughly $321 million coming through Macquarie’s platform.

But Gordon Legal says getting the original investment back doesn’t necessarily cover everything investors lost.

It says some investors potentially missed out on returns their superannuation could have earned if the money had been invested elsewhere.

Furthermore, the claim is also seeking compensation for the distress investors allegedly suffered.

Gordon Legal partner James Naughton told The Australian that some investors “have not been fully compensated for all their losses, even if they have already received payouts”.

Why is Shield still causing problems?

Shield was available through Macquarie’s superannuation platform from early 2022 until investments were stopped in 2023.

The fund later collapsed and was put into liquidation, leaving thousands of investors facing losses.

That ultimately left Macquarie facing regulatory action over the issue.

Last year, ASIC took Macquarie Investment Management to court after the company admitted it failed to place Shield on a watch list for extra monitoring.

Macquarie later agreed to pay around $321 million to roughly 3,000 affected investors.

What should investors watch?

At this stage, there’s no telling how much more this could end up costing Macquarie.

Gordon Legal is seeking further compensation, but no dollar figure has been put on the claim just yet.

Evidently, that makes it hard to know whether this could become another sizeable cost or something Macquarie can absorb easily.

Nonetheless, investors don’t seem too worried today, with the shares still trading slightly higher.

I’d be watching how the case develops and whether Macquarie ends up facing another sizeable payout over the Shield collapse.

The post Why Macquarie’s $321 million Shield problem is back in court appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX shares I’d recommend to beginners
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• Higher or lower: Where are CSL shares going next?
• 2 ASX shares I think could return more than Westpac
• Could a $1 million superannuation balance provide $50,000 a year in retirement?

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XAO) shares are up 0.3% to 8,724.3 points on Thursday.

The market has endured much volatility in the calendar year-to-date (YTD).

We started the year with a major metals commodity sell-off in late January/early February.

Then the US and Israel attacked Iran in late February, leading to a world oil supply crisis that has raised inflation.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has raised interest rates three times in 2026 in an effort to curb resurgent inflation.

The market is pricing a 76% chance of another 0.25% hike when the RBA board meets again on 28-29 September.

Overnight, the US Federal Reserve raised interest rates for the first time in three years.

The Fed increased its benchmark rate by 0.25% to a range of 3.75% and 4%, also due to persistently high inflation.

On top of that, bond yields have surged to multi-year highs in both Australia and the US over the past month.

Rising bond yields, especially at today’s level of 5% or more for 10-year bonds, can pull investment away from ASX shares.

Put all of this together and it’s not so great for the share market.

The ASX 200 was up 5.6% for the YTD just before the conflict in Iran began.

In the month following the first strike, the ASX 200 fell 8.9%.

There have been more fluctuations ever since.

Today, ASX 200 shares have slipped into the red for the YTD.

Here’s a visual aide.

Despite all of this, a large survey shows ASX shares investors are still buying stocks amid the volatility.

Investors still buying ASX shares

A survey of more than 8,500 Aussie investors and traders conducted by CMC shows continuing engagement in the ASX share market.

More than 55% said they were more cautious, but 87% plan to carry on investing the same amount, or more, over the next six months.

Fraser Allan, Head of Premium Client Management at CMC, said uncertainty in markets had not deterred investors this year.

Rather than stepping back, they appear to be reassessing how and where they participate, a measured response that reflects neither complacency nor retreat.

That’s a meaningful shift from what could be expected, given that uncertainty has in the past led some retail investors and traders to flee to cash.

This time, some investors and traders are staying in the market and adjusting how they participate.

ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) were the most common way investors and traders had added to their portfolios this year.

About 48% increased their investment in ETFs, 38% raised their ASX shareholdings, and 21% increased their US stock positions.

The post ASX shares investors are still buying despite volatility: survey appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Could this evolving development smash ASX lithium shares like Liontown, Mineral Resources and PLS?
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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.

S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) shares are 0.4% higher at 8,659.1 points on Thursday.

On The Bull this week, Toby Grimm from Baker Young explains his views and ratings on three ASX 300 shares.

Let’s take a look.  

Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ)

The Aurizon share price is $3.73, up 0.5% today and up 16% over 12 months. 

Grimm has a buy rating on this ASX 300 industrials share. 

He commented: 

This coal and freight logistics firm delivered better than expected full year 2026 results, in our view. Revenue of $4.194 billion was up 6 per cent on the prior corresponding period and statutory net profit after tax of $362 million was up 19 per cent.

A highly encouraging performance at its containerised freight division provides a long term opportunity, in our view.

Strong global coal prices amid favourable weather conditions to date in New South Wales and Queensland should generate demand for export logistics.

While competition for haulage contracts may lower margins, the business outlook remains positive.

It was recently trading on an attractive dividend yield above 6 per cent.

CAR Group Limited (ASX: CAR)

The CAR share price is $23.91, down 0.5% today and down 37% over 12 months. 

Grimm has a hold rating on this ASX 300 communications share. 

He said: 

Australia’s premium online car trading platform posted reported revenue of $1.253 billion in full year 2026, up 6 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Reported net profit after tax of $314 million was up 14 per cent.

Guidance for 2027 appears favourable relative to consensus expectations.

While the stock remains expensive relative to the broader market, its recent forward price/earnings ratio was trading at a significant discount to its average over the past four years.

The company expects revenue growth of between 11 per cent and 14 per cent in constant currency in full year 2027.

Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG)

The Guzman Y Gomez share price is $24.91, up 0.2% today and down 1% over 12 months. 

Grimm has a sell rating on this ASX 300 consumer discretionary share. 

He explained: 

The share price has rallied strongly after a decision to exit loss making US operations in May, followed by encouraging full year results in August.

While there’s a near term benefit of withdrawing from the US, the decision also removes long term expansion potential. Also, it places more pressure on Australia, Singapore and Japan to perform to greater heights to justify what we consider a lofty price-earnings multiple.

The shares materially exceed our valuation. The shares have risen from $16 on May 20 to trade at $26.85 on September 10.

Investors may want to consider taking a profit at these levels given the Australian economy is dealing with a cost of living crisis.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Aurizon, Car Group, Guzman y Gomez shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares forecast to fly 30% to 40% higher
• Up 67%! Is it too late to buy the rally in Guzman Y Gomez shares now?
• My top ASX passive income stocks for the next 10 years
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• 3 ASX shares with dividend yields of between 6% and 11%

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 recommended CAR Group Ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

After posting strong growth for much of the past full year, ASX lithium shares have come under selling pressure in recent months.

Over the last year, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has slipped 2.1%, with the All Ords having dropped 4.0% in the past month.

Here’s how the performance from these top ASX lithium shares compares:

• Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) are up 12.2% in a year and down 22.3% in a month.
• Pls Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares – formerly Pilbara Minerals – are up 85.2% in a year and down 17.9% in a month.
• IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) shares are up 40.7% in a year and down 17.4% in a month.
• Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares are up 224.6% in a year and down 6.1% in a month.
• And Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) shares are up 41.7% in a year and down 19.0% in a month.

The common headwind battering all of the miners over the last month is the sharp retrace in global lithium prices.

While the lithium carbonate price remains up 79% since this time last year, it’s fallen 34% from its mid-May multi-year highs. And that fall accelerated in recent weeks, with the lithium price slumping 17% since 1 September.

A lot of that decline has come after global and Australian miners ramped up their production amid higher lithium prices, which looks to have quickly led to an oversupply situation.

But ASX lithium shares, and their stockholders, could have more to worry about than just an oversupply of lithium.

Indeed, investors would do well to keep one eye on sodium, an element widely available across the globe.

Will sodium batteries put more pressure on ASX lithium shares?

Lithium batteries aren’t the only way to store large amounts of energy.

Indeed, in potentially concerning news for ASX lithium shares, Chinese battery manufacturing giant CATL expects that sodium-based batteries could take a big slice of market share from lithium batteries.

Addressing the Australian Financial Review Asia Summit, CATL Australia chairman John Kwon said sodium-ion battery costs will likely be on par with lithium-ion batteries early in 2027.

While Kwon said lithium batteries would remain a superior choice for EVs, sodium batteries could be better for date centre power storage. He noted that sodium batteries aren’t as sensitive to temperature as lithium batteries. And they can be recharged more often.

“Sodium-ion is now moving from development towards commercial deployment,” Kwon said (quoted by the AFR).

He added:

Sodium-ion is an important development because it creates another pathway for scaling battery deployment using widely available raw materials and adding flexibility to global supply chains.

And ASX lithium shares could be facing that fresh competition soon, with Kwon forecasting that sodium batteries should be commercially available in Australia by mid-2027.

The post Could this evolving development smash ASX lithium shares like Liontown, Mineral Resources and PLS? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These ASX 200 shares could return 50% to 85%
• Is the PLS Group share price a buy in September?
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• Buy, hold, sell: Magellan, Iluka Resources, PLS Group shares
• Which ASX lithium miners does Macquarie prefer?

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.

S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) shares are down 0.3% to 8,904.6 points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, on The Bull this week, two experts share their views on three ASX shares.

Let’s take a look.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

The Temple & Webster share price is $4.35, down 0.8% today and down 82% over 12 months. 

Toby Grimm from Baker Young has a buy rating on this ASX consumer discretionary share. 

Grimm said: 

We don’t regularly play high growth consumer discretionary stocks, but we see an opportunity emerging in this online furniture and homewares retailer.

The company delivered record revenue of $664.6 million in full year 2026, up 10.6 per cent on the prior corresponding period.

It’s worth noting that new chief executive Susie Sugden was previously the chief marketing officer during the company’s highly successful infancy between 2016 and 2020.

The company is focusing on improving margins, which, in our view, is conservative and prudent given the incredibly challenging conditions in the retail sector.

We believe new management deserves an opportunity to rebase expectations in a sector offering medium term upside.

Also, we believe accumulating a position is worth considering for those willing to take relatively high volatility risk.

Kelsian Group Ltd (ASX: KLS)

The Kelsian share price is $4.05, up 0.5% today and down 18% over 12 months. 

Grimm has a hold rating on this ASX industrials share. 

He explained: 

KLS is a global operator of bus, motor coach and marine services.

In our view, it delivered highly respectable 2026 results, but was marked down on doubts surrounding the sustainability of its impressive US performance and the withdrawal of the SeaLink Rottnest Island ferry from the sale of its planned tourism portfolio.

However, we do see value at recent levels for what will ultimately be a far less volatile business moving forward.

It was recently trading on modest forward earnings multiples.

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is $1.59, up 4.1% today and down 17% over 12 months. 

Joshua Baker from RaaS Group has a sell rating on this ASX uranium share. 

Baker said: 

Boss is a multi-mine uranium producer. It owns the Honeymoon project in South Australia and has a 30 per cent stake in the Alta Mesa project in South Texas.

The Honeymoon project has presented challenges, with the company cutting production guidance in response to bad weather in the third quarter of 2026. A resource downgrade has since followed.

The company posted a net profit after tax of of $2.544 million in fiscal year 2026, up from a loss of $34.168 million in the prior year.

The shares have fallen from $4.62 on June 23, 2025 to trade at $1.53 on September 10, 2026.

Other stocks appeal more at this stage of the cycle.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Temple & Webster, Kelsian, Boss Energy shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Energy shares rose while the ASX 200 slumped last week. Here’s why

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 Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Europe’s latest oil problem might feel a long way from Australia.

But I wouldn’t be so quick to ignore it.

Saudi Arabia has been forced to cut some crude shipments to Europe after drone attacks damaged its East-West Pipeline.

That pipeline carries oil from the kingdom’s eastern fields to the Red Sea.

The route has become especially important because it allows Saudi crude to bypass the Strait of Hormuz.

However, that backup route has now been shut off.

And while Australia doesn’t rely heavily on Saudi oil, we could still end up feeling the impact here.

Europe is already scrambling

Saudi Aramco has reportedly cancelled some September cargoes to European customers, while others have been delayed.

Polish refiner Orlen responded by securing 16 replacement crude cargoes from suppliers including Norway, Algeria, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, and the Americas.

That shows us just how quickly buyers are having to look elsewhere. And the more refiners chasing replacement barrels, the more competition there is for the same supply.

Brent crude is still trading above US$100 per barrel after jumping earlier this week, although prices have pulled back from their recent highs.

One reason is that Saudi Arabia has found another way to move some of its oil.

The kingdom has been offering more crude to Asian refiners through ship-to-ship transfers near Oman, while loadings from Saudi Gulf ports have increased.

Could Australia feel it next?

Yes, but the impact here won’t necessarily be fuel shortages.

Australia imports fuel from a number of countries across the Asia-Pacific. Its two remaining refineries in Brisbane and Geelong produced around 20% of the country’s annual fuel needs in 2025.

That means Australia isn’t in the same position as European refiners trying to replace lost Saudi supply.

The bigger risk for us is price.

Most of our imported refined fuel comes from Asia, while local petrol and diesel prices are heavily influenced by Singapore fuel benchmarks and the Aussie dollar.

So, if higher crude prices push fuel prices up across Asia, Australian motorists could end up paying more at the pump.

And it may not take very long.

The ACCC says changes in international benchmark prices can take around 2 weeks to flow through to fuel prices in Australian cities.

We have some breathing room

Australia does at least have some protection if the situation gets worse.

During the June quarter, our fuel stocks averaged around 44 days of petrol, 36 days of diesel, and 31 days of jet fuel.

The government is also working towards a one-billion-litre strategic fuel reserve, along with higher minimum stockholding requirements.

So, I don’t think Australia is about to run out of fuel any time soon.

But if the problems in the Middle East drag on, Australians will end up paying more at the petrol station.

The post Saudi oil crisis is about to hit Europe, could Australia be next? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Buy, hold, sell: Aurizon, Car Group, Guzman y Gomez shares
• Could this evolving development smash ASX lithium shares like Liontown, Mineral Resources and PLS?
• Buy, hold, sell: Temple & Webster, Kelsian, Boss Energy shares
• ASX 200 rebounds from recent lows. Is this just another false start?

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.