Stock Pick

Author: openjargon

  • How to build a $100,000 ASX share portfolio starting at zero

    A woman sits in a quiet home nook with her laptop computer and a notepad and pen on the table next to her as she smiles at information on the screen.

    You don’t need to wait until you have a big starting balance to build real wealth in the share market.

    Plenty of everyday Australians have grown six-figure portfolios not because they started rich, but because they invested consistently, let time do the heavy lifting, and avoided trying to get rich quickly.

    Here’s how someone starting with almost nothing can grow a $100,000 portfolio over time.

    Where to start

    The perfect time to start investing in ASX shares is now. Markets go up, down, sideways, and sometimes all at once. What matters isn’t timing the market; it is the time you spend in the market.

    Even a modest weekly or fortnightly contribution into ASX shares can build real momentum surprisingly quickly.

    For example, investing just $50 a week, which is an amount that many people spend on takeaway or subscriptions, adds up to $2,600 a year.

    Combined with a long-term market return of around 8% to 10% per annum, that can snowball dramatically.

    This is the quiet power of compounding. Each dollar you invest works for you, generating returns that begin generating more returns. The earlier you start, the more years you give those dollars to multiply and build wealth.

    Choose investments that grow

    If the goal is a $100,000 portfolio, your money needs to be working in assets with long-term growth potential. That means avoiding low-yielding savings accounts and instead leaning on high-quality ASX shares or exchanged traded funds (ETFs).

    ASX shares like Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE), or Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) are examples of high-growth options.

    Alternatively, there are ETFs like the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ), the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK), and the Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS) that could be worth considering.

    How long does it take to reach $100,000?

    If you invest $50 a week or the equivalent of $220 a month and earn 10% per annum, your portfolio could hit the following:

    • $9,000 in around 3 years
    • $50,000 in around 11 years
    • $100,000 in roughly 16 years

    If you can stretch to $100 a week or $440 a month, you could reach $100,000 in 11 years.

    Foolish takeaway

    Reaching a $100,000 portfolio isn’t reserved for high-income earners. It is achievable for almost anyone who starts early and invests regularly.

    The sooner you start, the sooner you will get there.

    The post How to build a $100,000 ASX share portfolio starting at zero appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF right now?

    Before you buy BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Lovisa, Technology One, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Lovisa, Technology One, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Lovisa, Technology One, 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.

  • Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

    A neon sign says 'Top Ten'.

    The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) experienced a disappointing start to the trading week this Monday. After opening with a significant 0.4% loss and bouncing around in red territory all day, the ASX 200 did improve slightly by market close and ended up finishing 0.12% lower. That leaves the index at 8,624.4 points.

    This rather rough start to the trading week for Australian investors comes after a more optimistic end to the American week on Saturday morning (our time).

    The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) managed to eke out a decent 0.22% rise.

    The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared even better still, gaining 0.31%.

    But let’s return to this week and the local markets now to check out how the different ASX sectors began their respective weeks this session.

    Winners and losers

    There were far more red sectors than green ones this Monday.

    Leading the former were gold stocks. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) was singled out for punishment today, tanking 1.74%.

    Utilities shares were hit hard too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) plunging 0.86%.

    We could say the same for mining stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) took a 0.8% dive this session.

    Energy shares had another poor showing as well, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)’s 0.41% hit.

    Consumer staples stocks weren’t popular either. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) slumped by 0.25%.

    Its consumer discretionary counterpart fared similarly, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) getting walked back by 0.18%.

    Industrial stocks mirrored that loss. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) also gave up 0.18% today.

    Tech shares didn’t find many buyers, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)’s 0.06% slide.

    Healthcare stocks round out our red sectors. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) slipped 0.01% by the closing bell.

    Let’s get to the winners now. Leading the green sectors were communications shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) surging 1.05%.

    Real estate investment trusts (REITs) had a decent day, too. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) added 0.25% to its total.

    Finally, financial stocks rounded out our list, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 0.22% lift.

    Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

    Lithium miner Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) was our best index stock this Monday. Liontown shares soared 14.77% higher this session to finish at $1.52 each.

    There wasn’t any news out of the company itself today. Saying that, investors may have been spurred to buy following some positive attention from a broker.

    Here’s the rest of today’s best:

    ASX-listed company Share price Price change
    Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) $1.52 14.77%
    PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) $4.03 6.05%
    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) $3.15 5.70%
    Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) $2.35 4.44%
    Emerald Resources N.L. (ASX: EMR) $5.35 3.28%
    Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) $4.71 3.06%
    Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB) $2.73 2.63%
    Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) $51.47 2.63%
    Reece Ltd (ASX: REH) $12.72 2.50%
    NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) $14.15 2.09%

    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.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Liontown Resources Limited right now?

    Before you buy Liontown Resources Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Liontown Resources Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

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

  • The CEO of OnlyFans explains how she hires for her tiny, but insanely profitable, team

    Keily Blair, CEO, OnlyFans on Centre Stage during day three of Web Summit 2025 at the MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal.
    OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair said she does not hire middle managers in her company.

    Sam Barnes/Sportsfile for Web Summit via Getty Images

    • OnlyFans CEO Keily Blair said the key to a small and efficient team was not hiring middle managers.
    • She only hires senior and junior talent in the company, which has a lean team of 42 full-time staff.
    • In recent years, Big Tech has endured the "great flattening," a rapid culling of middle management roles.

    The CEO of OnlyFans has a rule on how to rake in big bucks with a tiny team: don't hire middle managers.

    Keily Blair, OnlyFans' chief executive, spoke with Jeff Berman, the host of the Masters of Scale podcast, during the November Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon.

    Blair said in the interview that OnlyFans, a subscription-based content platform founded in 2016, has only 42 full-time employees.

    Berman chimed in, saying that it was "very powerful" that the company was making $7 billion in annual revenue with such a lean team. Blair said she was proud of her team, which she called a "pretty efficient bunch."

    The key to this, she said, was to eliminate middle management roles in the company.

    "So we hire incredibly senior talent, and then we hire incredibly hungry junior talent, and we look for attitude and aptitude in hiring rather than experience," she said.

    "And we do not have that sort of squidgy layer of middle management in the middle, because nobody's ever had a really good middle manager in my experience," Blair added.

    She said that leaders in big companies are often judged by the number of people reporting to them, a concept she did not agree with.

    "We've said to our teams, 'You can be a team of one and deliver exceptional results, and that will be so valued,'" she said. She added that there is no "manager track" for her staff's career progression in the company, and every OnlyFans employee is an individual contributor.

    OnlyFans, which initially started as a platform for creators to earn money from paywalled content, has become synonymous with adult, NSFW content. Blair, who became the company's CEO in 2023 after years of work as a lawyer, said in the interview that OnlyFans has 400 million users globally and 4 million content creators.

    OnlyFans' middle-managerless workforce aligns with the broader trend of Big Tech firms eliminating this layer of staff. In recent years, Microsoft, Meta, Amazon, Intel, and Google have all reduced the head count of middle managers, opting for a flatter hierarchy in the name of efficiency.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Chernobyl reactor’s protective shield was so damaged by a drone strike that it’s not confining radiation anymore: IAEA

    Rescuers work at the site where a Russian attack drone with an explosive warhead hit the New Safe Confinement.
    A hole in the New Safe Confinement shelter was created by a drone with an explosive warhead in February.

    Volodymyr Tarasov/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    • A steel shield preventing radiation spread from the Chernobyl site isn't working as intended anymore.
    • The IAEA said on Friday that the New Safe Confinement shelter had "lost its primary safety functions."
    • The shield was hit in February by a drone strike, which created a 160-square-foot hole.

    The steel structure sealing off the Chernobyl nuclear disaster site has suffered so much damage that it's no longer containing radiation effectively, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Friday.

    The agency, or IAEA, wrote in an update that its team had visited the protective shield in the prior week and found that it "had lost its primary safety functions, including the confinement capability."

    This shield is known as the New Safe Confinement, or NSC, which was installed in 2016 as a second protective layer to stop the spread of radioactive material from Reactor Four of the Chernobyl power plant.

    Damage to the shield increases the risk of leaks, which are difficult to contain because radioactive materials, such as gas and dust, can easily disperse widely and remain hazardous for extended periods.

    The NSC fully encases an original, smaller concrete structure for containment called the Sarcophagus, built by the Soviet Union after Reactor Four exploded in 1986 and sparked a nuclear crisis across continental Europe.

    The NSC, which cost $1.75 billion to install, was urgently needed because the Sarcophagus had an estimated lifespan of 30 years and wasn't airtight, allowing radioactive dirt and gas to escape.

    Now, the IAEA said its team confirmed that the NSC can't do its job after being "severely damaged" by a drone strike in February.

    The strike, which Ukraine has said was caused by a drone belonging to Russia, set fire to the steel structure's outer cladding.

    "Limited temporary repairs have been carried out on the roof, but timely and comprehensive restoration remains essential to prevent further degradation and ensure long-term nuclear safety," said the IAEA's director general, Rafael Mariano Grossi.

    The February drone strike left a roughly 160-square-foot hole in the shield, which is shaped like a massive aircraft hangar. At its tallest point, the shield stands at about 360 feet above the ground.

    The fire created by the strike lasted for weeks, and the structure's main crane was damaged, the IAEA said earlier this year.

    In the months following the strike, the IAEA reported that emergency work to extinguish the resulting fire had created about 330 openings in the NSC's outer cladding.

    The New Safe Confinement shelter towers over the photographer.
    The New Safe Confinment shelter encloses the exploded Reactor 4 and the Sarcophagus, an original shelter built by the Soviet Union.

    Volodymyr Tarasov/Ukrinform/NurPhoto via Getty Images

    Authorities were initially concerned that radioactive dust around the shield could be scattered if the shelter was hit by an explosive. No radiation leaks were reported, authorities had said at the time.

    The IAEA's latest findings, however, now indicate that the long-term damage to the NSC may be more significant than first understood. Still, the agency added that it hadn't found any risk to the shelter's load-bearing structures or monitoring systems.

    The nuclear watchdog urged major repairs and upgrades to the shield, including humidity control measures and an improved program to monitor corrosion.

    After the February drone strike, Ukrainian officials accused Russia of deliberately targeting the Chernobyl disaster site, a claim that the Kremlin has denied.

    The Chernobyl exclusion zone was initially captured by Russia in 2022 when its forces tried to sweep into Kyiv in the early months of the war.

    Moscow later withdrew from the area, and Ukrainian authorities could resume work on the Chernobyl disaster site in April 2022.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Buy, hold, sell: Catapult, Step One, WiseTech Global shares

    A happy male investor turns around on his chair to look at a friend while a laptop runs on his desk showing share price movements

    Are you hunting for new ASX shares to buy? If you are, it could be worth hearing what analysts at Morgans are saying about the three below.

    Does it rate them as buys, holds, or sells? Let’s find out.

    Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT)

    This sports performance technology company has been given a buy rating by Morgans with a $6.25 price target.

    It likes the company due to its large addressable market and strong growth outlook. With respect to the latter, the broker believes Catapult is positioned to deliver a compound annual growth rate of 20% for its annualised contract value through to FY 2028. It explains:

    Catapult Sports Ltd (CAT) is a global leader in sports performance technology that provides a comprehensive all-in-one platform for elite professional and collegiate sports. This encompasses coaching, scouting, analytics and athlete management. Initially landing with its core wearables technology, CAT has since expanded its service offering and opened up new key verticals assisting its penetration into a large addressable market of ~20k teams globally.

    We forecast strong topline growth for CAT, estimating a ~20% ACV 3-year CAGR, reaching ~US$180m by FY28. A scalable platform and strong SaaS metrics should see CAT join the ‘Rule of 40’ club by FY27. We initiate coverage on Catapult Sports (CAT) with a Buy recommendation and a A$6.25 per share price target.

    Step One Clothing Ltd (ASX: STP)

    This beaten down online underwear seller has copped a downgrade from Morgans following its disappointing trading update.

    The broker has downgraded its shares to a hold rating with a reduced price target of 30 cents. It said:

    STP has provided a materially weaker than expected trading update for 1H26. Revenue for 1H26 is expected to be down 31-37% to $30-33m and EBITDA is expected to be a loss of $9-11m, including a $10m provision for inventory obsolescence. Excluding inventory obsolescence, EBITDA for 1H26 would be a loss of $1m to $1m profit.

    As a result of recent trading, STP has withdrawn its FY26 earnings guidance. We have materially lowered our earnings estimates for FY26/27/28 based on this trading update and uncertainty around the path forward. We have moved our recommendation to a HOLD (from SPEC BUY), with a blended EV/EBIT and DCF valuation of $0.36, we have applied a 15% discount to this valuation to set our price target at $0.30 due to earnings uncertainty.

    WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

    Finally, this logistics solutions technology company could be in the buy zone according to Morgans.

    It was pleased with its investor day update and believes it is well-placed to continue its strong growth in the coming years. It has a buy rating and $112.50 price target on its shares. Morgans said:

    WTC’s FY25 investor day highlighted the group’s progress and broader outlook for a number of key near to medium-term growth initiatives, which in our view continues to see the group in a solid position to drive value. We retain our BUY rating, with a revised PT of $112.50ps.

    The post Buy, hold, sell: Catapult, Step One, WiseTech Global shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Catapult Group International right now?

    Before you buy Catapult Group International shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Catapult Group International wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

  • Are QBE shares a buy after recent slump?

    a man blown off his feet sideways hangs on with one hand to a lamp post with an inside out umbrella in his other hand as he is lashed by wind and rain with a grey cloudy sky background.

    QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) shares have been sliding in recent months, losing momentum after what began as a strong year for the global insurer.

    The finance stock has drifted toward multi-month lows as investors reassess the company’s growth outlook and brace for softer earnings ahead.

    During Monday afternoon trade, QBE shares were changing hands for $18.97 apiece, a plus of 0.7%.

    In the past 6 months, the $29 billion ASX stock has lost almost 20% of its market value. By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) lost 4.3% in the same period.

    Slowdown premium increases

    After rallying earlier in the year, QBE shares reversed course quickly as investors worried that the company’s strong first-half performance might not carry through to the end of the financial year.

    Investors were rattled after QBE revealed that premium-rate increases had slowed sharply across several key business lines, particularly in commercial property insurance.

    Improved underwriting and share buyback

    The irony is that the underlying business hasn’t collapsed. QBE delivered solid half-year results, boosted by improved underwriting, stronger investment income, and a cleaner, more disciplined portfolio.

    It even launched a sizeable on-market share buyback, signalling confidence in its financial footing. However, markets are looking forward, and the softer 2025 third-quarter update overshadowed earlier gains.

    QBE’s business remains built on global diversification and underwriting discipline. The company operates across multiple regions – North America, Australia and the Pacific – and insurance classes. This gives the insurer a spread of risks and a buffer against volatility in any one market.

    Rising natural disasters

    Nevertheless, the drawbacks are also evident. The main issue now is the slowing growth of premium rates. Insurers depend on consistent rate increases to safeguard their profit margins against higher claims, inflation, and rising reinsurance expenses.

    Slower pricing makes earnings less predictable, particularly in property insurance, where disasters quickly reduce profits. QBE shares are also exposed to global market risks. The company’s performance can be affected by rising natural disasters or fluctuations in reinsurance prices.

    What do brokers think?

    Most analysts see the recent sell-off as overdone, arguing that QBE’s balance sheet is strong, its underwriting is improving, and investment returns remain supportive.

    Most analysts rate QBE shares as a buy or strong buy, with the average 12-month price target sitting at $22.63. That suggests a 19% upside at the time of writing.  

    UBS has assigned a buy rating to the ASX share, with a price target of $24.15, indicating a potential 25% rise over the next year.

    The broker noted that the outlook for FY26 “continue to track in-line with expectations” despite a softening in the premium rate cycle.

    UBS commented:            

    With FY26E COR [combined operating ratio] guidance of ~92.5%… supporting a ~16% ROE outlook, mid-single digit volume growth ambitions retained, investment yields stabilising and A$450m buyback announced (~1.5% shares), its FY26E earnings outlook remains well underpinned. At a 10x FY26E PE (0.54x ASX200, 18% disc to 5yr avg) we continue to see compelling value and retain a Buy rating.

    The post Are QBE shares a buy after recent slump? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in QBE Insurance right now?

    Before you buy QBE Insurance shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and QBE Insurance wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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.

  • Young people aren’t getting hired — but AI isn’t to blame, an economist says

    BI illustration

    Jay Yuno/Getty, Thitima Uthaiburom/Getty, Vankherson/Getty, J Studios/Getty, tioloco/Getty, ViewStock/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

    • Young people face a tough job market, but AI isn't the main culprit, an economist says.
    • Hiring has stalled after post-pandemic overexpansion, policy uncertainty, and tariffs.
    • Sectors most exposed to AI aren't losing more jobs, suggesting deeper economic issues.

    Young people entering the job market are facing the toughest conditions in years — but artificial intelligence isn't the reason.

    A new analysis from a London-based economics consultancy suggests something much more old-fashioned is going on: Companies simply aren't hiring.

    Since 2023, unemployment among new entrants to the US labor force has jumped more than 2.5 percentage points — a sharp contrast with older workers, whose jobless rates have remained flat, according to the analysis from Dario Perkins, a managing director at Global Data.TS Lombard.

    "For the AI maximalists, this is 'proof' that companies are deploying the technology rather than hiring graduates. And it is also consistent with what business leaders are saying, with 'AI' now a synonym for 'cost cutting,'" wrote Perkins.

    But Perkins argues the real reason is simply the normal course of business.

    "US hiring is weak across the board. In fact, the economy as a whole is currently experiencing recessionary levels of job creation," he wrote.

    Perkins' analysis shows that sectors with higher AI exposure are not experiencing larger increases in unemployment.

    The report identifies three main drivers behind the hiring slowdown — and none involve automation replacing workers.

    First, firms rapidly expanded their workforces during the post-pandemic surge and are now normalizing head count.

    Second, policy uncertainty has made businesses cautious about taking on new staff.

    Third, Trump-era tariffs have squeezed profit margins, prompting companies to push for more output from existing employees instead of hiring new ones.

    This leaves young people getting squeezed, but the good news is that net employment is stable.

    The job outlook should improve once hiring rebounds, Perkins wrote.

    "When the economy reaccelerates and hiring rates recover, new entrants' employment prospects should improve," he wrote.

    Perkins' report came as markets continue to assess the impact of AI technology on the economy and employment.

    Other analysts have concluded that young tech workers seem to be taking the brunt of the impact. The unemployment rate for 20- to 30-year-olds in tech has risen by nearly 3 percentage points since early 2024, over four times the increase in the overall jobless rate, according to Goldman Sachs in an August report.

    In October, Goldman warned of an era of "jobless growth" in the US due to AI, even as the broader economy remains strong.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Surge AI CEO says he worries that companies are optimizing for ‘AI slop’ instead of curing cancer

    Surge AI CEO headshot
    Surge AI's CEO says companies are optimizing for flashy AI responses rather than real-world problems.

    Surge AI

    • Surge AI CEO says companies are focused on flashy AI responses over solving real problems.
    • He criticized industry leaderboards such as LMArena, where anyone can vote on responses.
    • Other experts have criticizde AI benchmarks for prioritizing performance over economic usefulness and truth.

    AI companies are prioritizing flash over substance, says Surge AI's CEO.

    "I'm worried that instead of building AI that will actually advance us as a species, curing cancer, solving poverty, understanding universal, all these big grand questions, we are optimizing for AI slop instead," Edwin Chen said in an episode of "Lenny's" podcast published on Sunday.

    "We're basically teaching our models to chase dopamine instead of truth," he added.

    Chen founded AI training startup Surge in 2020 after working at Twitter, Google, and Meta. Surge runs the gig platform Data Annotation, which says it pays one million freelancers to train AI models. Surge competes with data labeling startups like Scale AI and Mercor and counts Anthropic as a customer.

    On Sunday's podcast, Chen said that companies are prioritizing AI slop because of industry leaderboards.

    "Right now, the industry is played by these terrible leaderboards like LMArena," he said, referring to a popular online leaderboard where people can vote on which AI response is better.

    "They're not carefully reading or fact-checking," he said. "They're skimming these responses for two seconds and picking whatever looks flashiest."

    He added: "It's literally optimizing your models for the types of people who buy tabloids at the grocery store."

    Still, the Surge CEO said that AI labs have to pay attention to these leaderboards because they can be asked about their rankings during sales meetings.

    Like Chen, research scientists have criticized benchmarks for overvaluing superficial traits.

    In a March blog post, Dean Valentine, the cofounder and CEO of AI security startup ZeroPath, said that "Recent AI model progress feels mostly like bullshit."

    Valentine said that he and his team had been evaluating the performance of different models claiming to have "some sort of improvement" since the release of Anthropic's 3.5 Sonnet in June 2024. None of the new models his team tried had made a "significant difference" in his company's internal benchmarks or in developers' abilities to find new bugs, he said.

    They might have been "more fun to talk to," but they were "not reflective of economic usefulness or generality."

    In a February paper titled "Can we trust AI Benchmarks?" researchers at the European Commission's Joint Research Center concluded that major issues exist in today's evaluation approach.

    The researchers said benchmarking is "fundamentally shaped by cultural, commercial and competitive dynamics that often prioritize state-of-the-art performance at the expense of broader societal concerns."

    Companies have also come under fire for "gaming" these benchmarks.

    In April, Meta released two new models in its Llama family that it said delivered "better results" than comparably sized models from Google and French AI lab Mistral. It then faced accusations that it had gamed a benchmark.

    LMArena said that Meta "should have made it clearer" that it had submitted a version of Llama 4 Maverick that had been "customized" to perform better for its testing format.

    "Meta's interpretation of our policy did not match what we expect from model providers," LMArena said in an X post.

    Read the original article on Business Insider

  • Up 308% in 2025, this high-flying ASX mining stock is sinking on Monday. But why?

    man in hardhat looking confused

    Investors in Felix Gold Ltd (ASX: FXG) have had a stunning run in 2025.

    Shares in this ASX mining stock have rocketed by more than 300% since early January, reaching $0.365 apiece at the time of writing.

    For context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up by 5.25% across the same period.

    However, today has seen a setback with Felix shares sliding by 12% in Monday’s trading.

    In essence, the drop follows news of an $18 million capital raise.

    The strongly supported placement to institutional investors was executed at $0.36 per share, marking a 12.1% discount to the five day VWAP price in the lead-up to last Wednesday.

    And today’s sinking share price appears to be adjusting to that discount.

    That said, the cash injection could be a blessing for the ASX mining stock as it looks to move its Treasure Creek antimony and gold project in Alaska closer to mining.

    Let’s find out why.

    Strategic project

    Antimony is classified as a critical mineral in the US.

    Amongst others, the metalloid has military applications including its use in night vision goggles, explosive formulations, flares, and infrared sensors.

    In addition, global supply of antimony is highly concentrated, with about 95% coming from China, Russia, and Tajikistan. And China recently imposed a ban on exports to the US.

    This geopolitical setting could present a strategic opening for Felix as it looks to become the first antimony producer in the US in more than three decades.

    Throughout the year, the ASX mining stock has been reporting rich antimony intercepts from exploration drilling at Treasure Creek, along with shallow and high-grade gold hits.

    And proceeds from the placement will now fund further exploration, economic evaluations, and broader operational activities designed to move Treasure Creek closer to mining.

    Management viewpoint

    Management appears confident in Treasure Creek’s ability to help fill the US antimony supply gap.

    In particular, it pointed to the project’s strong potential for delivering military-grade stibnite – a mineral form of antimony.

    Felix Gold executive director, Joseph Webb, commented:

    Recent technical work has confirmed exceptionally high-purity, near-surface stibnite capable of meeting military-grade concentrate specifications – a capability not achieved outside China in decades – at a time when China’s export restrictions have further elevated the need for a US-aligned supply source.

    Webb added that Felix is now fully funded to complete updated resource and economic studies, and to advance key engineering and permitting activities throughout 2026.

    The ASX 200 mining stock is also preparing a bulk sampling program that could facilitate near-term production and early cashflow, whilst generating data to support longer-term development plans.

    Separately, results from more than 100 recent drill holes at Treasure Creek are expected in the coming weeks.

    The post Up 308% in 2025, this high-flying ASX mining stock is sinking on Monday. But why? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Felix Gold Limited right now?

    Before you buy Felix Gold Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Felix Gold Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Bart Bogacz 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.

  • Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

    Broker written in white with a man drawing a yellow underline.

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

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

    Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)

    According to a note out of Bell Potter, its analysts have resumed coverage on this gold miner’s shares with a buy rating and $9.30 price target. The broker is feeling positive about the company’s outlook, noting that it has derisked the Plutonic gold hub with a clear line of sight to a 200,000 ounces per annum steady state production in FY 2029. This is double its current production and is expected to be achieved by developing five mines under a hub-and-spoke model and leveraging latent processing capacity at its processing plant. In addition, Bell Potter highlights that Catalyst Metals remains debt free with no gold hedging contracts. This provides full exposure to gold price upside, which it feels is particularly attractive in the current gold bull market. The Catalyst Metals share price is trading at $6.57 on Monday.

    Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)

    A note out of UBS reveals that its analysts have upgraded this lithium miner’s shares to a buy rating with a vastly improved price target of $1.80. The broker made the move after increasing its lithium price forecasts materially for the coming years to reflect increasing demand. UBS believes that the lithium market could move into a deficit next year. It expects this to lead to significant improvements in free cash flow generation for lithium miners. As a result, it sees now as a good time for investors to pick up Liontown shares. The Liontown share price is fetching $1.45 at the time of writing.

    NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

    Analysts at Ord Minnett have retained their buy rating on this data centre operator’s shares with an improved price target of $20.50. According to the note, the broker was pleased to see that NextDC has signed a memorandum of understanding with ChatGPT’s owner OpenAI for its proposed S7 data centre in Eastern Creek, Sydney. This centre will be a hyperscale AI campus and the largest in the southern hemisphere with 650MW capacity. It sees big positives from the plan and believes it could be a big boost to its valuation if it goes ahead as expected. The NextDC share price is trading at $14.10 this afternoon.

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

    Should you invest $1,000 in Catalyst Metals Limited right now?

    Before you buy Catalyst Metals Limited shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Catalyst Metals Limited wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    See the 5 Stocks

    * Returns as of 18 November 2025

    .custom-cta-button p {
    margin-bottom: 0 !important;
    }

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.