Author: openjargon

Once you reach your 50s, you’ll probably start thinking about what it’ll take for you to stop working and start your retirement. This is the age bracket where you’ll need to start fine tuning your retirement strategy and think about maximising your superannuation balance.

Some might even think about how they can retire much earlier than the average age of 65. 

But while it’s not impossible to retire at age 55, it’s not as straightforward as you might think.

Let me explain why.

The price of retirement versus the average balance at age 55

According to data from the Association of Superannuation Funds (ASFA), a comfortable retirement is one defined as a good standard of living. 

It typically would include top-level private health insurance, ownership of a reasonable car brand, regular leisure activities, funds for home repairs and renovations, occasional meals out, and an annual domestic trip. 

It also assumes you own your home outright and that you’re receiving the age pension.

ASFA has calculated that a comfortable retirement will cost approximately $54,840 per year for individuals and $77,375 per year for couples.

That lifestyle requires a superannuation balance of around $630,000 for a single person, or $730,000 for a couple.

Compare this figure to the average superannuation balance for Australians aged 55.

For men aged 55-59, the average balance is $319,743 and for women it is just $242,945.

As you can see, the average superannuation at age 55 isn’t enough to fund a comfortable retirement. In fact, the figures are very far apart.

But the average balance isn’t the only thing preventing 55 year old Aussies from retiring.

Accessing your superannuation balance in retirement

Age 60 is considered the preservation age. This is the milestone where Australians can start living off their superannuation provided they have stopped working.

Once you hit age 65, you can access your superannuation regardless of whether you’re earning an income or not. You can withdraw it as a lump sum, start an income stream or do a combination of both.

Then at age 67 you can access the Age Pension payment, if you meet eligibility requirements. Many government or association estimates around retirement are also based on the understanding that you’ll retire at age 67.

At age 55, none of these are available to you. That means in order to retire you’d need other savings or income to fund yourself for at least the next five years.

Also, by retiring 10 years ahead of the average age and 12 years ahead of the age used to calculate retirement estimates, your money needs to stretch a lot further.

So, yes it’s possible to retire at 55, but not with any superannuation, let alone the average balance at that age.

The post Could you retire at 55 with the average superannuation balance? Here’s what the numbers say appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• 3 ASX dividend shares raising dividends like clockwork
• 3 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy with $20,000
• I’d buy this ASX dividend stock in any market
• $10,000 invested in Zip shares one month ago is now worth…

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.

Vanguard will pay the latest distributions (dividends) to investors in their ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) today.

This includes investors who hold the most popular ASX ETF in the market, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS).

Investors participating in the distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) for any of these ASX ETFs will receive their new allocations today.

Here are the final distribution amounts for investors receiving cash dividends, and the DRP prices for those who are reinvesting.

Own Vanguard ETFs? Here’s how much you’ll get today

VAS ETF, which tracks the performance of the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO), will pay 84.788 cents per unit. The DRP price is $40.5596.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY), which tracks the FTSE Australia High Dividend Yield Index, will pay 81.1358 cents per unit. The DRP price is $81.548.

Vanguard Australian Fixed Interest Index ETF (ASX: VAF) will pay 29.4897 cents per unit. This ASX ETF tracks the Bloomberg AusBond Composite 0+ Yr Index. The DRP price is $44.9409.

The Vanguard Australian Property Securities Index ETF (ASX: VAP) will pay 50.5047 cents per unit. This ASX ETF allows investors exposure to bricks and mortar via the S&P/ASX 300 A-REIT Index. The DRP price is $83.3674.

What about ETFs holding international shares?

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) is the largest exchange-traded fund holding diversified international shares on the ASX. It provides exposure to 1,500 stocks in developed nations ex-Australia.

ASX VGS will pay 39.4131 cents per unit in dividends. The DRP price is $143.2044.

The Vanguard Diversified High Growth Index ETF (ASX: VDHG) will pay 64.6897 cents per unit. This ASX ETF provides exposure to 16,000 ASX and international shares. The DRP price is $70.7673.

Vanguard FTSE Europe Shares ETF (ASX: VEQ), which tracks the FTSE Developed Europe All Cap Index (with net dividends reinvested) in Australian dollars, will pay 27.0768 cents per unit. The DRP price is $85.3474.

The Vanguard MSCI International Small Companies Index ETF (ASX: VISM), which tracks the MSCI World ex-Australia Small Cap Index (with net dividends reinvested) in Australian dollars, will pay 176.7237 cents per unit. The DRP price is $70.6349.

Vanguard Ethically Conscious International Shares Index ETF (ASX: VESG) will pay 43.9277 cents per unit. This ASX ETF tracks the FTSE Developed ex Australia Choice Index (with net dividends reinvested) in Australian dollars. The DRP price is $102.14.

Vanguard S&P 500 US Shares Index ETF (ASX: V500) tracks the US benchmark S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX).

ASX V500 will pay 2.6468 cents per unit in dividends. The DRP price is $48.9889.

The post Vanguard ETF dividends to be paid today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Stop ‘saving’, start investing! How to target a $1 million ASX share portfolio
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• 3 reasons why the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF is a great buy for wealth building
• The biggest ASX ETFs revealed – are they still buys?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. 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 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.

The ASX dividend share space gives investors interested in passive income various avenues to find investments that tick the boxes.

For me, a big dividend yield is not one of the first things that I look for. Instead, I want to see that the business is regularly increasing its payout. That’s a good sign that the business is headed in the right direction and growing its underlying earnings/value.

Plus, having your investment income regularly grow is a good defence against inflation. So, I’m going to mention three businesses that have regularly increased their payouts, though none of them has increased their payouts for as many years in a row as Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL).

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Wesfarmers is one of the leading retail businesses in Australia, with a number of brands under its wings including Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks and Priceline. It also has a compelling chemicals, energy and fertiliser business called WesCEF.

The ASX dividend share has increased its dividend each year since the onset of COVID-19, following the divestment of the Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) business several years ago. It grew its payout in FY21 and hasn’t stopped hiking the dividend.

Wesfarmers has benefited from the expansion of both the store network and product ranges at Kmart and Bunnings, which has helped improve its profitability and increase the return on capital (ROC).

According to CMC Invest, it’s expected to grow its annual payout to $2.206 per share in FY26, translating into a grossed-up dividend yield of 4.3%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Universal Store is the owner of a number of premium youth apparel businesses, including Universal Store and Perfect Stranger.

Its success has been driven by solid like-for-like growth at its existing store network and regular expansion of its store network. Perfect Stranger is delivering excellent total sales growth, I’m expecting it to drive the company’s overall success in the coming years.

The ASX dividend share has increased its annual dividend per share each year since it first started paying a dividend in FY21.

The projection on CMC Invest suggests the business could pay an annual dividend per share of 42.5 cents in FY26. That translates into a grossed-up dividend yield of 8.1%, including franking credits, at the time of writing.

APA Group (ASX: APA)

APA has one of the longest records when it comes to passive income growth.

This ASX dividend share owns various energy infrastructure, including a huge gas pipeline network, gas-powered energy generation and other gas infrastructure, renewable energy generation and electricity transmission assets.

With most of its revenue linked to inflation and steady expansion of its asset portfolio, the business has been able to generate more cash flow and fund higher distributions.

The business is expecting to increase its annual payout to 58 cents per security in FY26, which translates into a distribution yield of 5.8%.

The post 3 ASX dividend shares raising dividends like clockwork appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy with $20,000
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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Apa Group and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Universal Store and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you have $20,000 ready to invest and want to keep things relatively low risk, ASX 200 blue chip shares can be a smart place to start.

These are established businesses with proven track records, strong competitive positions, and the ability to perform across different market conditions. They may not always grab headlines, but they are often the companies that quietly compound wealth over time.

Here are three ASX 200 blue chip shares that could be worth considering.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

The first ASX 200 blue chip to consider is Cochlear.

It is a global leader in hearing implant technology and operates in a highly specialised market with strong barriers to entry.

What makes the business particularly attractive is the long-term nature of its customer relationships. Once a patient receives a cochlear implant, they often remain within the ecosystem for upgrades, servicing, and accessories.

This creates a recurring revenue stream that supports consistent growth.

With hearing loss becoming more prevalent globally and access to treatment expanding, Cochlear appears well placed to continue growing over the next decade and beyond.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

Another ASX 200 blue chip that could be worth considering is ResMed.

It operates in the sleep apnoea and respiratory care market, combining medical devices with digital health solutions.

Its business benefits from recurring revenue, as patients continue to purchase masks and accessories after adopting its devices. There are also strong structural tailwinds, including ageing populations and increasing awareness of sleep health.

While the share price has faced some volatility, the long-term outlook remains very positive and is supported by growing demand and ongoing innovation.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

A third ASX 200 blue chip that could be a top pick for Aussie investors this month is Wesfarmers.

It is a diversified business with exposure to retail, industrial, and chemical operations, including well-known brands such as Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, and Priceline.

One of its key strengths is its ability to adapt and allocate capital effectively. Over time, management has shown a willingness to invest in growth areas while maintaining discipline.

This has helped the company deliver steady returns and maintain a strong market position.

For investors, Wesfarmers offers a blend of resilience and growth, arguably making it a dependable addition to a long-term ASX share portfolio.

The post 3 ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy with $20,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

There are various ASX dividend stocks that I’d be comfortable buying during a bear market because of the appealing longer-term dividend yields that can be available during that period.

But, I wouldn’t choose to buy an ASX discretionary retail share when the economy is booming. Economic conditions are likely to change at some point.

There are a few names, particularly listed investment companies (LICs), that I’ve highlighted as opportunities in the past that could be good buys in any market.

But, I also want to highlight a business in the real estate investment trust (REIT) sector which has strong, ongoing rental demand – it’s not cyclical. I’d be willing to invest in it in any market, particularly right now.

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

This ASX dividend stock is focused on owning a portfolio of industrial properties across Australia. Those properties are in a few different areas including distribution centres (42% of the portfolio), manufacturing and production (24%), transport logistics (14%) and data centres (12%).

The ASX dividend stock has a number of high-quality tenants, with 92% of those being listed, multinational or national tenant customers. Some of its largest tenants by rental income include Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), Arnott’s, AWH, Visy and Fantastic Furniture.

Pleasingly, its income is locked in for a long time – in the FY26 half-year result, it reported a weighted average lease expiry (WALE) of around seven years. That income visibility and security give me confidence that this is a good business to own for the long term.

There are a number of tailwinds that are helping sustain and grow the rental potential and underlying value of the properties.

Those tailwinds include a growing Australian population, increasing e-commerce adoption, fresh food and pharmaceutical demand (for refrigerated space), increasing data centre, a high cost (and limited supply) of building additional industrial properties, and onshoring of supply chains.

The ongoing growth of demand is helping push up its rental earnings. In the HY26 period, it saw 5.1% like-for-like net operating income (NOI) growth, which I’d describe as very compelling growth for a REIT.

Great time to buy in the ASX dividend stock

The ASX dividend stock is expecting to grow its distribution per unit by 3% in FY26 to 16.8 cents, which translates into a distribution yield of 5.7% at the time of writing.

If the interest rate decreases and the REIT unit price increases, I think it would be just as compelling to buy, because a lower yield would still seem attractive to me (with growth potential) compared to what we could get from a bank account.

It’s currently trading at a discount of around 25% to the net tangible assets (NTA) of $3.95 as at 31 December 2025. This looks like a great time to invest, in my view.

The post I’d buy this ASX dividend stock in any market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

After coming under heavy selling pressure during the first weeks of the Iran war, Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) shares have come roaring back.

Although shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) buy now, pay later (BNPL) stock didn’t bottom out until 20 March, we won’t cherry-pick our dates here.

Instead, we’ll focus on those brave ASX investors, lacking today’s 20/20 hindsight, who bought the BNPL stock on its downward slide on 17 March. Mind you, this would be after shares had tumbled 54% year to date.

So, if you were one of those daring investors, and if you’d bought $10,000 worth of Zip shares a month ago, just how much would you have today?

What a $10,000 investment in Zip shares a month ago is worth today

On 17 March, you could have picked up Zip shares at an intraday low of $1.50 each.

Meaning you could have bought 6,666 shares in the BNPL company for $10,000.

Five trading days later, on 23 March, you would have watched shares changing hands for as little as $1.375  each.

Fortunately, in our scenario, you didn’t cut and run but held fast in hopes of a turnaround.

And you wouldn’t have been disappointed.

On Friday, Zip closed the day trading for $2.33 a share. Meaning the 6,666 shares you bought for $10,000 a month ago are now worth an impressive $15,531.78.

Here’s what’s been helping to boost the ASX 200 stock.

ASX 200 BNPL stock smashes short sellers

Zip shares enjoyed tailwinds on several fronts this past month, much to the chagrin of the raft of short sellers betting against the stock. Indeed, on Monday, Zip shares were the 10th most shorted on the ASX, with a short interest of 11.2%.

But the stock defied short sellers, boosted in part by renewed hopes of a possible peace deal in Iran. An end to the conflict would ease energy prices and inflationary pressures, which in turn would reduce the chances of further central bank interest rate hikes. And BNPL stocks like Zip have proven to be very sensitive to interest rate moves.

Zip shares also enjoyed a big lift on Friday, closing the day up 13.66%.

Those outsized gains followed the release of Zip’s third-quarter (Q3 FY 2025) results.

Investors were overheating their buy buttons after Zip reported total quarterly transaction volume (TTV) of $4.0 billion, up 22.4% year on year.

Zip also reported record quarterly earnings before tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBTDA) of $65.1 million. That’s up 41.5% from the prior corresponding quarter.

With earnings ramping up, management upgraded Zip’s full-year FY 2026 cash EBTDA guidance to “no less than” $260 million.

The post $10,000 invested in Zip shares one month ago is now worth… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why are Zip shares rocketing 24% today?
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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Have you ever dreamed of building a $500,000 ASX share portfolio? If you have, I can safely say you are not alone.

The good news is that it isn’t as hard to achieve this goal as you might think. In fact, all you really need is a combination of time, patience, and capital, and you could get there.

Here is a step-by-step way to approach it.

Step 1: Build a core portfolio

At this level, the foundation matters more than ever.

A large portion of the portfolio should be in reliable, high-quality ASX shares or broad exchange traded funds (ETFs) that can deliver consistent returns over time. These are the holdings that do the heavy lifting.

This might mean shares like Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) or ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD), or ETFs like the iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV).

Think of this as the engine room. It is not about chasing the highest returns. It is about creating stability and steady compounding.

Step 2: Add growth to drive progress

While the core provides stability, growth assets are what push the portfolio higher.

This is where companies with scalable models and strong tailwinds come in. Over time, these positions can outperform and meaningfully increase the overall value of the portfolio. ASX shares like WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) or Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) could be worth considering.

The key is balance. Too much growth can increase volatility, but too little can slow progress.

Step 3: Invest consistently

One of the biggest differences between successful investors and everyone else is consistency.

Regular contributions, whether monthly or quarterly, keep the portfolio growing regardless of market conditions. This also helps smooth out entry prices and reduces the pressure of trying to time the market.

Even as the portfolio grows, continuing to add capital can have a significant impact.

Based on an average 10% annual return (not guaranteed) and investments of $500 a month, it would take just under 17 years to reach $500,000.

Step 4: Let compounding take over

At some point, the portfolio starts to work harder than your contributions.

Returns begin generating their own returns, and growth accelerates. This is where patience pays off.

Trying to interfere too much during this phase can do more harm than good. Staying invested and allowing compounding to continue is often the best approach.

Foolish takeaway

Building a $500,000 ASX portfolio does not happen overnight.

It is the result of consistent investing, smart allocation, and patience over many years. But once you reach that level, the journey becomes very different.

Because from that point on, your money is doing much more of the work.

The post How to build a $500,000 ASX share portfolio step by step appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• ASX 200 tech shares rocket 13% as long-awaited sector rebound accelerates
• Which ASX 200 tech stock has Bell Potter just downgraded?
• How to build a Warren Buffett-inspired ASX share portfolio
• The tech rally is back: here are 5 ASX shares leading the charge

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Goodman Group, ResMed, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goodman Group, ResMed, WiseTech Global, Xero, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Goodman Group and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Finding investments you can buy and hold is about identifying trends that are likely to matter not just next year, but five or ten years from now.

The good news is that ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) can make this easier by giving you access to entire themes rather than relying on a single company to get it right.

Here are three ETFs that approach long-term investing from very different angles.

BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

The first ETF worth considering is the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF.

You may have noticed that cyber threats are becoming more frequent, more sophisticated, and more costly. That creates a situation where spending on security is not optional. It is essential.

The companies in this ETF are not just beneficiaries of a trend. They are part of the infrastructure that keeps the digital world running.

Key holdings include CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ: CRWD), Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), and Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT).

This makes the BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF less about hype and more about necessity, which can be a powerful foundation for long-term investing.

BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

Another ETF that looks well-placed for long-term growth is the BetaShares Asia Technology Tigers ETF.

This fund is not just a technology ETF. It is a demographic and economic story wrapped in a portfolio.

It provides exposure to companies operating in some of the most densely populated and rapidly digitising regions in the world. As more people come online, adopt digital payments, and consume digital services, the companies in this ETF stand to benefit.

Its holdings include Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), Meituan (SEHK: 3690), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM).

What sets this fund apart is that it captures growth that is being driven by adoption, not just innovation. Analysts at BetaShares recently recommended the fund.

BetaShares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ)

A third ETF that could be a top long-term pick is the BetaShares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF.

This fund focuses on companies that are applying robotics and AI across industries.

It includes businesses involved in automation, precision manufacturing, and advanced systems that are already being used in the real world.

Key holdings include Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG), Keyence, and ABB Ltd (SWX: ABBN).

This makes it less about future possibilities and more about ongoing transformation. Factories, hospitals, and supply chains are already being reshaped by these technologies.

It was also recently recommended by analysts at BetaShares.

The post Looking for ASX ETFs to buy and hold? Here are 3 top picks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Betashares Capital – Asia Technology Tigers Etf. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Abb, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, Intuitive Surgical, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Tencent. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Palo Alto Networks and has recommended the following options: long January 2028 $520 calls on Intuitive Surgical and short January 2028 $530 calls on Intuitive Surgical. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CrowdStrike. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX 200 tech shares crushed it last week, rising 12.96% while the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) dipped 0.15%.

Technology was the strongest of the 11 ASX 200 market sectors following a commanding lead from Wall Street.

The NASDAQ Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) has been on a tear in April and hit a new record high last week.

As of Friday’s market close (Australian time), the NASDAQ had recorded 12 consecutive days of gains — its best run since 2009.

ASX 200 tech shares have followed suit, but not in a straight line. The sector has lifted 18.47% since the rebound began on 31 March.

It appears investors may have overcome their fears about artificial intelligence (AI).

Investors have fretted over large AI spending and the potential for AI tools like Claude to wipe out software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers.

These fears drove a near halving in the value of the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) in just seven months.

You read that right — the tech index experienced an extraordinary 48% sell-off between 29 August and 30 March.

No other sector recorded significant gains last week amid the ongoing war in Iran and a major fire at one of Australia’s two oil refineries.

Only five ASX 200 sectors finished the week in the green.

Let’s recap.

ASX 200 tech shares led the market last week

The ASX 200’s largest tech company, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), skyrocketed 22.72% to finish the week at $46.18 per share.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price leapt 14.72% to $81.98, while TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) jumped 11.34% to $30.83.

NextDC Limited (ASX: NXT) shares rose 10.14% to $14.12 and Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) increased 9.6% to $21.35.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price screamed 26.53% to $8.49.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) shares soared 9.37% to $5.02.

ASX 200 hotel booking platform provider, Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR), ripped 13.27% to $3.33 per share.

Nuix Ltd (ASX: NXL) shares stormed 10.96% higher to $1.26 apiece, while Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) rose 12.77% to $1.59.

The Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) share price lifted 7.41% to $4.06.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL) shares lifted 6.97% to $11.82.

The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price ascended 4.19% to $8.95.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here’s how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

S&P/ASX 200 market sector	Change last week
Information Technology (ASX: XIJ)	12.96%
A-REIT (ASX: XPJ)	2.85%
Materials (ASX: XMJ)	1.71%
Communication (ASX: XTJ)	1.64%
Healthcare (ASX: XHJ)	0.27%
Utilities (ASX: XUJ)	(0.03%)
Energy (ASX: XEJ)	(0.63%)
Consumer Staples (ASX: XSJ)	(1.45%)
Industrials (ASX: XNJ)	(1.54%)
Consumer Discretionary (ASX: XDJ)	(1.7%)
Financials (ASX: XFJ)	(2.12%)

The post ASX 200 tech shares rocket 13% as long-awaited sector rebound accelerates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Appen. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Appen, Life360, Megaport, Objective, SiteMinder, Technology One, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Dicker Data, Life360, Objective, SiteMinder, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nuix and Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It was another busy week for Australia’s top brokers. This has led to the release of a number of broker notes.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here’s why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL)

According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have retained their buy rating and $30.00 price target on this investment platform provider’s shares. Bell Potter notes that Netwealth released its quarterly update this week and delivered funds under administration (FUA) that fell a touch short of expectations. However, this FUA miss was due to a $3.7 billion negative market movement. The good news is that with markets rebounding in April, Bell Potter believes that most of this miss has now been reversed. Outside this, the broker highlights that Netwealth shares have de-rated to trade on 28x forward EBITDA. This compares to 33x through-the-cycle. Bell Potter believes there is scope for a re-rating in the future, which could make now a good time to buy. The Netwealth share price ended the week at $25.42.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

A note out of the Macquarie equities desk reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this airline operator’s shares with a slightly reduced price target of $11.00. This follows the release of a market update from Qantas which revealed higher fuel costs compared to previous expectations. However, Macquarie was pleased to see that Qantas’ yields have improved, which has underpinned international and domestic revenue growth ahead of estimates. In addition, it thinks Qantas is well-placed to adapt to challenges from the war in the Middle East through its accelerated fleet retirement. The Qantas share price was fetching $9.08 at Friday’s close.

ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

Analysts at Ord Minnett have retained their buy rating on this sleep disorder treatment company’s shares with a trimmed price target of $41.40. According to the note, the broker is forecasting ResMed to deliver double-digit earnings and revenue growth in FY 2026. The good news is that it then expects this trend to continue through to at least FY 2028. Ord Minnett believes this will leave ResMed with a significant cash balance, which could lead to further capital management initiatives. Overall, it feels this makes the company’s shares a top option for investors after recent weakness. The ResMed share price ended the week at $31.52.

The post Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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