Author: openjargon

ASX dividend shares are a great way for Australian investors to earn a consistent passive income.

Passive income can also give investors a buffer against share market volatility. This is particularly valuable when share markets swing between peaks and troughs.

The catch is that it can be difficult to spot the ASX shares that are most reliable and can give you the passive income you’re targeting.

Let’s break it down, using $10,000 per year in passive income as an example.

What portfolio size do I need to get $10,000 in annual passive income from ASX shares?

The easy way to work out the amount of money you’d need is to divide your annual $10,000 passive income by the dividend yield of your overall portfolio.

The tricky part is that the answer varies widely depending on the dividend yield of the ASX shares you’d have in your portfolio. 

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

So, to receive $10,000 per year in passive income from ASX shares with a 3% dividend yield, you’d need a portfolio of around $333,000.

Then, as your dividend yield increases, the portfolio size needed to earn the same level of passive income goes down.

That means that if your portfolio has an overall dividend yield of around 4%, you’d need to invest closer to $250,000 to receive your $5,000 per year in passive income.

To get the same passive income from a 5% dividend yield, you’d need to invest $200,000.

You’d then need closer to $166,000 to earn the same income off shares with an overall 6% dividend yield.

Raise that portfolio yield to 7% or even 8%, and you would need to be closer to $143,000 or $125,000, respectively.

And so on.

These figures are based on cash dividends before any tax or franking credit benefits.

What ASX shares can I invest in to get my $10,000 annual passive income?

There is a huge range of ASX dividend shares available to buy, and their yields vary significantly. 

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

Lower yielding ASX dividend-paying shares such as Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) are solid and reliable shares that offer a yield of around 2% to 3%.

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

For a higher 5% to 6% dividend yield, I’d look at dividend-payers like National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), retail giant Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN), or a REIT like Charter Hall Social Infrastructure REIT (ASX: CQE).

Packaging giant Amcor (ASX: AMC) yields closer to 7%, as does Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ).

If you want to take on more risk and go for a much higher-yielding ASX stock, my picks would be Nine Entertainment Co Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) or BetaShares Australian Top 20 Equities Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: YMAX). These typically yield 9% or more.

But keep in mind that ASX shares carry market risk. So, diversifying across established, cash-flow-heavy dividend-payers and income ETFs is the most reliable strategy.

What does a diversified portfolio look like?

Say you have $200,000 to invest; to earn $10,000 per year in passive income, you’d need a portfolio yield of around 5%. 

But remember, you don’t need to invest the whole $200,000 at once, and the dividend is the overall portfolio dividend, not exclusively ASX shares with individual dividend yields at 5%. 

For example, you could split your portfolio up so that around 65% is invested into mid-range yielding ASX shares, another 20% is invested into slightly higher yielding stocks, and the remaining 15% could be invested into riskier but much higher yielding shares.

I’d also look to buy the ASX shares across multiple sectors to diversify my portfolio even further.

It’s important to note that while a 5% yield from a diversified portfolio is a reasonable long-term target, it won’t be achieved every year. Your passive income will likely fluctuate, depending on the company’s profits and dividend decisions.

The post These ASX shares could generate $10,000 per year in passive income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy in July
• Are NAB shares a buy, hold, or sell this month?
• BHP shares tumble as strike threat hits iron ore giant
• BHP shares slump 13% from their peak: Are the ASX mining shares a buy, sell or hold?
• Why I’d buy BHP and CBA shares in July

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Amcor Plc, Harvey Norman, and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Nine Entertainment, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The team at Bell Potter have provided fresh analysis on ASX healthcare stock Cogstate Ltd (ASX: CGS). 

The company is a healthcare service provider focused on optimising brain health assessments, predominantly for clinical trials of novel medicines. 

It has been a shining light in 2026 amongst a weaker ASX healthcare sector. 

Cogstate shares have risen 17% year to date while the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) has fallen almost 20%. 

Bell Potter appears optimistic the growth can continue in the next 12 months. 

Here is what the broker had to say. 

Strong performance continues

According to the broker, the company had another strong quarter.

The company reported new contract sales of US$21.9 million. 

This is the fourth quarter in a row with more than US$20 million in sales. Total contract sales for the year reached US$89 million, which is a record for its Clinical Trials business.

Additionally, the company’s revenue backlog (work already contracted but not yet recognised as revenue) grew to US$118.5 million, up 32% from a year ago.

This is important because the business now has more future work secured than ever before.

This was a comfortable beat to our prior expectations and is a 54% increase compared to where FY26 contracted revenue started.

Forecasts lifted

The broker also noted the US$21.9 million in new contracts signed in the latest quarter, US$12.7 million will be recognised as revenue in FY27.

This increases the amount of revenue already locked in for FY27 to US$48.3 million, up from US$35.6 million three months earlier.

Bell Potter says this result was better than expected and means FY27 starts with 54% more contracted revenue than FY26 did.

Because of this stronger starting position, Bell Potter has raised its FY27 revenue forecast by 11% and also increased its FY28 forecast.

Bell Potter now expects EBITDA in FY27 and FY28 to be 19-23% higher than previously forecast, with profit margins improving to the mid-30% range.

Increased upside for ASX healthcare stock

Based on this guidance, Bell Potter has increased its price target on Cogstate shares to $3.70 (previously $3.20). 

The broker has retained its buy recommendation. 

Based on yesterday’s closing price, this indicates 37% upside potential for this ASX healthcare stock. 

We were surprised with the soft share price response today following what we considered to be another strong quarterly update with little to scrutinise.

The discount is despite Cogstate’s far higher growth rate than peers, now forecast at ~18% annualised over the next 2 years compared to peers ranging from -1% to 8%, i.e. Cogstate has more than double the growth outlook of the next best CRO peer, not to mention a higher NPAT margin (BPe 24%) and no debt.

The post Top broker tips 37% upside for this exciting ASX healthcare stock 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 Cogstate. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Cogstate. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

On Wednesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was out of form and ended the day in the red. The benchmark index fell 0.2% to 8,785.1 points.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Thursday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to fall again

It looks set to be a difficult session for Australian investors on Thursday after a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 47 points or 0.55% lower this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is down 1.1%, the S&P 500 is 0.35% lower, and the Nasdaq is down slightly.

Buy Minerals 260 shares

Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6) shares could have major upside according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its speculative buy rating on the ASX gold stock with an improved price target of $1.40. This implies potential upside of approximately 120%. It said: “MI6 offers gold exposure via the 6.2Moz Bullabulling MRE, valuation uplift through discovery success, project advancement and de-risking as the BGP progresses towards production. MI6 holds ~$250m cash, sufficient to fund to Final Investment Decision (FID) in early CY27, long-lead items and early site works. We lift our valuation to $1.40/sh and retain our Speculative Buy recommendation.”

Oil prices jump

ASX 200 energy shares such as Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a great day after oil prices jumped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 4.4% to US$73.57 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 5.2% to US$78.04 a barrel. Traders were bidding oil higher following an escalation in US-Iran tensions.

Uranium miners on watch

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) and other ASX uranium shares will be on watch today. There are reports that the Australian government could sign an agreement with India this week that delivers on a nuclear co-operation plan between the two countries that was signed over a decade ago. Boss Energy shares certainly need a boost. They are down 22% year to date.

Gold price tumbles

It could be a poor session for ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Thursday after the gold price tumbled overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 1.5% to US$4,096.85 an ounce. Rising oil prices have sparked inflation and rate hike concerns.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why the ASX 200 is sliding towards a 4-week low today
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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group Ltd. 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.

July could be a good time to revisit your income portfolio.

But which ASX dividend shares could be worth considering?

Let’s take a look at five top options for this month.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA could be an ASX dividend share to look at in July.

It owns energy infrastructure, including gas pipelines, processing assets, storage, and electricity transmission interests.

These assets play an important role in moving energy around the country. Households, manufacturers, power stations, and major industrial customers all need reliable infrastructure, regardless of whether the economic backdrop is strong or weak.

That gives APA a defensive position in an income portfolio.

The energy transition will continue to change the sector over time, but reliability, storage, firming, and transmission are likely to remain important. This could support the company’s cash flows and distributions over the long term.

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

Another ASX dividend share to look at is Charter Hall Long WALE REIT.

It offers exposure to property income with long lease structures. The company’s portfolio includes properties leased to government tenants, major corporates, and operators across sectors such as convenience retail, industrial, office, and social infrastructure.

Given that tenants are locked into long-term leases, this can give investors more visibility over future earnings and dividends. That can be valuable when markets are uncertain.

Interest rates and property valuations remain key risks, but a long lease portfolio can be a good option for investors who want income backed by contracted rental streams.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

Harvey Norman is more than a retailer selling televisions, couches, computers, and appliances.

It also owns a significant property portfolio, which gives the business a different shape from many other consumer-facing companies.

Retail earnings can move with household spending, housing activity, and consumer confidence. But the property backing gives Harvey Norman an extra layer of asset support and flexibility.

Things may be tough for retailers at the moment, but when the retail cycle improves, the company will be positioned to generate strong cash flow and pay attractive fully franked dividends.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Transurban could be a top ASX dividend share for income investors in July.

The company owns and operates toll roads across major cities in Australia and North America.

Its roads help commuters, freight operators, airport travellers, and businesses move around major cities more efficiently. This ties the company to urban population growth, congestion, and the value people place on saving time.

Traffic volumes can soften during weak periods, but major road networks are hard to replicate. Once built, they can remain important infrastructure for decades.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store is a youth-focused fashion retailer. This means it doesn’t have the defensive profile of infrastructure or property. But it does have a clear customer niche, a curated store format, and exposure to brands and trends that resonate with younger shoppers.

When retailers get this right, cash generation can be strong.

Universal Store also has growth options through new stores, online sales, and its owned brands.

Its dividend may not be as predictable as some larger defensive names, but its growth profile could make it an interesting option for investors who want more than a traditional slow-moving ASX dividend share.

The post 5 top ASX dividend shares to buy in July appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Want passive income? These ASX dividend shares keep delivering
• A rare buying opportunity in 1 of Australia’s top shares?
• How much do I need in my superannuation to get $6,000 per month in passive income?
• 2 ASX dividend shares with yields over 4% right now
• How should I invest my money in FY27?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Universal Store. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group, Harvey Norman, and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Universal Store. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) is an ASX bank share that can divide opinion.

It is a major bank with a large customer base, an attractive dividend profile, and a strong position in business banking.

But investors also need to think about the economy, bad debts, mortgage competition, and whether bank valuations leave enough room for upside.

So, are NAB shares a buy, hold, or sell this month?

The NAB share price looks reasonable

The NAB share price is currently around $39.59.

That compares with a 52-week range of $35.48 to $49.45, meaning the shares are still trading well below their recent high.

That does not automatically make NAB a bargain. But I do think the pullback has made the valuation more appealing for investors looking at the big banks.

Using CommSec consensus estimates, NAB is expected to generate earnings per share of $2.43 in FY26 and $2.53 in FY27.

Based on the current share price, that puts the bank on a price-to-earnings ratio of around 16.3 times FY26 earnings and 15.7 times FY27 earnings.

I think that looks reasonable for a major Australian bank with NAB’s market position.

The dividend case is solid

NAB also offers an attractive income profile.

Consensus dividend forecasts are $1.70 per share in FY26 and $1.72 per share in FY27.

At the current share price, that implies forward dividend yields of roughly 4.3% and 4.35%.

That is not the highest yield investors can find on the ASX, but I think it is attractive when paired with the scale and profitability of a major bank.

Dividends are never guaranteed, especially in banking. Credit quality, regulation, capital requirements, and economic conditions all matter. But for investors wanting passive income from ASX shares, I think NAB’s forecast yield is strong enough to deserve attention.

Why I’d call NAB a buy

My verdict is that NAB shares are a buy this month.

The main reason is the bank’s business banking strength.

Retail banking is a challenging market. Mortgage competition remains intense, deposits are valuable, and households are still dealing with cost-of-living pressure.

NAB’s business banking exposure gives it a different angle. Businesses need loans, deposits, payment services, transaction accounts, and working capital support. Those relationships can be deeper and more valuable than a single home loan.

That does not remove economic risk. If conditions weaken, business confidence and credit quality could come under pressure.

But I like NAB’s position in a part of banking where relationships, scale, and service still count.

Foolish takeaway

I think NAB shares are a buy this month.

The share price remains well below its 52-week high, the valuation looks reasonable on consensus earnings forecasts, and the dividend yield is attractive.

The banking sector still has risks, so I would not expect a perfectly smooth ride. But I think NAB’s business banking strength gives it a useful edge in the current environment.

For investors looking for ASX bank exposure, I would be happy to buy NAB shares at current levels.

The post Are NAB shares a buy, hold, or sell this month? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• How many Westpac shares do I need to buy for $10,000 of passive income?
• Here’s what brokers tip for NAB shares over the next 12 months
• ASX financials went from the best sector in FY25 to negative growth in FY26. Here’s what changed
• Better buy? NAB vs Westpac shares
• A leading analyst is forecasting growing headwinds for NAB shares. Should investors be worried?

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

The BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ) is one of the most popular exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the ASX. In fact, it is currently the third-largest ETF covering international shares on our market, with more than $9 billion in assets under management.

However, thanks to its rather opaque name, many investors might not actually know what this ETF is offering up to them. 

This is important for any ASX ETF, but arguably particularly so for NDQ units. This ETF is one of the most concentrated funds when it comes to the US stocks it is exposing ASX investors to. Some investors who don’t yet own the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF might wish to buy some after hearing about these stocks. Others may want to stay away from the heavy exposure to tech stocks that this index fund offers up.

If you wish to find out which side of this ledger you might fall on, you’re in the right place.

NDQ: What’s in this ASX ETF?

Let’s start at the top. The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF is technically an index fund that tracks the NASDAQ-100 Index (NASDAQ: NDX). This index contains the 100 largest non-financial companies listed on the NASDAQ, one of the two major stock exchanges in the United States of America.

The NASDAQ, together with the New York Stock Exchange, houses almost all of the publicly listed stocks in America. However, the NASDAQ is the more modern exchange that tends to attract newer companies, particularly of the tech persuasion. As a result, the Betahsares Nasdaq 100 ETF is heavily exposed to America’s largest tech companies.

In fact, its current top ten holdings are all tech stocks. Here’s a look at them, including how much weight they take up in the NDQ ETF’s portfolio:

1. Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) at 7.5% of NDQ’s portfolio
2. Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) at 7.2%
3. Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ: MU) at 4.8%
4. Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) at 4.5%
5. Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) at 4.1%
6. Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ: AMD) at 3.9%
7. Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ: GOOGL) at 3.4%
8. Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) at 3.3%
9. Alphabet Inc Class C (NASDAQ: GOOG) at 3.1%
10. Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META) at 2.8%

As you can see, NDQ’s top ten reads as a who’s who of the tech world. Of course, this isn’t a tech-only ETF. Some other names in this fund that you might recognise that hail from other sectors include Walmart Inc (NASDAQ: WMT), PepsiCo Inc (NASDAQ: PEP), and Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST).

But drilling down, a whopping 61.4% of NDQ’s weighted portfolio is in tech stocks. The next-most dominant sector in this ASX ETF is communications, at a mere 12.1%.

Tech lifts the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF

Of course, NDQ’s fans will tell you (and they aren’t wrong) that it is this tech exposure that is responsible for this ETF’s breathtaking returns over many years.

Since its inception in 2015, the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF has returned an average of 20.37% per annum. That’s as of 30 June. That extends to 22.45% per annum over the past ten years.

Over the past five years, investors have enjoyed 17.86% per annum, 24.4% over three years, and 26.37% over the past 12 months.

Let’s see how NDQ fares going forward.

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF charges a management fee of 0.48% per annum.

The post Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF: What stocks are actually in NDQ? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• The best ASX ETFs to buy and hold for 10 years
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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Costco Wholesale, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and PepsiCo. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Costco Wholesale, Meta Platforms, Micron Technology, Microsoft, Nvidia, Tesla, and Walmart. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Advanced Micro Devices, Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) endured a rough mid-week session this Wednesday, building on the negativity we saw during yesterday’s trading. After opening sharply lower this morning, the ASX 200 spent most of the session recovering. But it was not enough to break even. The index ended up closing 0.21% lower at 8,785.1 points. 

This tough hump day for ASX investors followed a similarly bearish session on the American markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) did start well, but quickly lost all momentum to finish down 0.25%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was more decisive, dropping 1.16%.

But let’s get back to the Australian bourse now and dive a little deeper into what was happening amongst the different ASX sectors today.

Winners and losers

Despite the market’s loss, we still had a few corners of the market that managed to prosper today.

But first, it was again gold shares that copped it hardest. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) had another bruising session, cratering by 2.36%.

Communications stocks were hit hard as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) plunging 2.1%.

Mining shares were also on the nose. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) took a 2% dive this Wednesday.

Tech stocks were in the firing line too, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)’s 1.87% tumble.

Industrial shares came next. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) saw its value cut by 0.52%.

Healthcare stocks were our last losers, with the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) sliding down 0.32%.

Turning to the green sectors, it was energy shares that topped the tables. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) vaulted 3.25% higher this hump day.

Utilities stocks also had a day to remember, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)’s 1.22% spike.

Consumer staples shares proved to be a safe haven, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) surged up 1.04% this session.

Financial stocks attracted attention as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) leaping up 0.65%.

Next came real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) advanced 0.52% today.

Finally, consumer discretionary shares stayed out of trouble, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)’s 0.4% jump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

This Wednesday’s winning stock was energy share Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR). Karoon shares roared 6.64% higher this session to finish at $1.45 each. There wasn’t any news out from the company today, but most energy shares did very well.

Here’s how the other top stocks tied up at the dock: 

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)	$1.45	6.64%
Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)	$7.50	5.78%
Stockland Corporation Ltd (ASX: SGP)	$4.09	5.14%
Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL)	$5.45	4.01%
LeandLease Group (ASX: LLC)	$3.12	4.00%
Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI)	$0.685	3.79%
Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR)	$1,72	3.30%
Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)	$2.22	3.26%
Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)	$28.87	3.22%
Nick Scali Ltd (ASX: NCK)	$16.28	2.71%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are sliding on Wednesday as investors react to reports of looming strike action at its Western Australian port operations.

At the time of writing, the BHP share price is down 3.16% to $57.01. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 0.5% to 8,759 points.

The fall comes after a strong run for the ASX mining stock. BHP shares are still up around 25% since the start of 2026 and almost 50% over the past year.

Here’s what the report said.

Strike threat hits Port Hedland

According to The Australian, a coalition of unions is preparing to take strike action at BHP’s port operations in Western Australia.

The action is expected to involve workers at Port Hedland, which plays a major role in the handling, blending, and loading of iron ore.

The unions reportedly said workers would walk off the job for 8 hours on 16 July.

While that may not sound huge, the site is particularly important. Port Hedland is one of the world’s biggest bulk export ports and a key part of BHP’s iron ore business.

Reports say the strike would involve 236 of about 450 employees working across BHP’s port operations.

The dispute appears to centre on pay, conditions, career progression, and enforceable terms for port workers.

Why this could hurt BHP

BHP has previously warned that a shutdown at Port Hedland could cost the company around US$90 million, or $129 million, a day.

But the real risk is whether this could potentially turn into a longer standoff between BHP and the unions.

And the timing does not help either.

BHP shares have had a superb run over the past year, helped by stronger iron ore prices and better appetite for large miners.

With the stock still up almost 50% over that period, some investors may have been happy to take a bit of profit today.

The next date to watch

The planned walkout is set for 16 July, which gives BHP and the unions a short window to reach a deal.

If an agreement is reached before then, today’s fall may not amount to much more than a pause after a solid run.

But if the strike goes ahead, attention may quickly turn to whether more stoppages could follow.

Iron ore remains the main driver of BHP’s earnings, and Port Hedland is an important part of getting those tonnes out of Western Australia.

For now, investors seem to be taking some risk off the table while they wait to see whether the strike goes ahead.

The post BHP shares tumble as strike threat hits iron ore giant appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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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 recommended BHP 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: XJO) shares are down 0.5% to 8,757.9 points on Wednesday.

Among the 11 market sectors, energy is in the lead today, up 2.9%, while materials is the laggard, down 2.3%. 

Meanwhile, on The Bull, three experts give us their views on three ASX 200 shares.

Let’s check them out.   

Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD)

Resmed shares are $31.37 apiece, down 0.2% on Wednesday.

The Resmed share price fell 26.6% to $28.88 in FY26 amid a broader healthcare sector downturn.

Blake Halligan from Catapult Wealth has a buy rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share.

Halligan said:

ResMed is a global leader in sleep apnoea devices and digital health platforms, benefiting from strong structural demand and resilient clinical positioning.

Despite the progression in GLP-1 therapies for treating sleep apnoea, ResMed’s CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) treatments remain superior at this point in time.

RMD continues to offer appealing growth, income and defensive healthcare exposure.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

The Goodman Group share price is $30.07, down 2% today.

Goodman Group shares fell 9.1% in FY26 and finished the year at $31.13 on 30 June.

Remo Greco from Sanlam Private Wealth has a hold rating on this ASX 200 real estate investment trust (REIT).

Greco said: 

Goodman Group is a global industrial property and data centre developer. Data centres under construction represent 73 per cent of work in progress, according to the company’s third quarter update in fiscal year 2026.

In our view, GMG trades at an elevated valuation, reflecting a lot of potential growth options for the business. The shares have risen from $25.08 on March 30 to trade at $30.645 on July 2.

Investors can continue holding the stock after a recent strong share price performance, but should monitor the news flow to gauge if developments are meeting investor expectations.

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

Endeavour shares are $3.41 apiece, up 1.6% today.

The Endeavour share price fell 19% to close out FY26 at $3.25 on 30 June.

James Bills from Shaw and Partners has a sell rating on this ASX 200 consumer staples share. 

Bills said: 

Endeavour operates liquor outlets, hotels and gaming facilities. It’s navigating a more challenging consumer environment amid cost pressures in fiercely competitive sectors.

While the company has a strong asset base and market position, we believe near term performance is likely to remain subdued.

With limited catalysts for a re-rating, the stock lacks appeal at this stage of the cycle, in our view.

The shares have fallen from $4.04 on March 2 to trade at $3.375 on July 2.

 

The post Buy, hold, sell: Goodman Group, Endeavour, Resmed shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Why these ASX shares could rise 20% to 30%
• July is historically one of the best months for ASX shares. Can July FY27 deliver?
• 7 ASX 200 shares given buy ratings this week
• 2 ASX shares highly recommended to buy: Experts

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.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares have fallen further into the red in Wednesday lunchtime trade.

At the time of writing, the shares are down around 7% and are changing hands for $2.26 a piece. It’s the lowest level the shares have fallen to in 2026 so far.

Today’s decline means DroneShield shares are now down 18% over the past month, are around 32% lower for the year-to-date, and are 11% lower than trading levels this time last year.

What happened to DroneShield shares this year?

There has been a significant shift in sentiment around DroneShield shares over the past couple of months.

The company had a strong start to the year. Its shares were supported by higher global defence budgets, and geopolitical volatility amid conflict in the Middle East. But by May, investors seem to turn their backs on the stock.

A combination of recent governance and regulatory issues and the cooling of conflict in the Middle East has dragged DroneShield’s shares down.

While heightened conflict can increase interest in defence technology, particularly counter-drone systems, signs of easing will do the opposite.

Meanwhile, governance concerns have also weighed on sentiment. DroneShield announced in May that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) had requested the company provide reasonable assistance in connection with an investigation relating to market announcements and share trading in November 2025.

Now there are concerns about ongoing volatility, and that the company’s future growth may not be large enough to justify its share price. 

So the question is, is there anything left ahead for DroneShield shares? Or can the stock fall even further? 

Here’s what the experts think.

Buy, sell or hold?

I wouldn’t jump at the chance to add more DroneShield shares to my portfolio right now, but I wouldn’t cut and run either.

And it looks like analysts are sharply divided too.

TradingView data shows that analysts are split in their outlook for the counter-drone technology stock over the next 12 months, but they all agree we’ll see some element of upside ahead.

Out of four analysts, two have a strong buy rating, and two have a sell or strong sell rating.

The average $3.41 target price still implies a potential 49% upside at the time of writing. The maximum $4.80 target price implies that DroneShield shares could leap another 110%. Meanwhile some are more bearish, tipping the shares to sit unchanged from the current trading price of $2.28 a piece. 

Canaccord Genuity is one analyst with a bullish view on the shares. It renewed its buy rating on Droneshield shares earlier this month, with a 12-month price target of $3.75.

The post DroneShield shares crash another 7% today: Is this the end for the once-soaring defence stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Should I buy and hold DroneShield shares for 10 years?
• DroneShield shares are rebounding. Is this the turning point?
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why did DroneShield shares crash 29% in June?

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