Author: openjargon

The Nine Entertainment Co. Holdings Ltd (ASX: NEC) share price is in focus after the company announced a six-year extension of its Premier League streaming and broadcast rights, securing access to all matches in Australia through 2034.

What did Nine Entertainment report?

• Secured exclusive Australian streaming and broadcast rights for the Premier League from 2028–29 to 2033–34
• FY29 rights fee to remain broadly in line with FY28, before increasing at a ~3% CAGR over six years
• Stan EBITDA more than doubled from $40 million in FY21 to $81 million in FY26
• Premier League key to 50% growth in average Stan Sport subscribers over past year

What else do investors need to know?

Nine’s new deal includes all Premier League matches each season, spanning 38 match weeks annually. The company will use both Stan and its broader media platforms to maximise audience reach and awareness for the sport.

The cost structure will shift, as legacy Optus contributions will end, but this will be offset by removing discounts for Optus subscribers and rolling out new cost-saving and revenue initiatives. The Premier League has been instrumental to the growth of Stan Sport, which itself has supported increases in subscription pricing.

What did Nine Entertainment management say?

Nine CEO Matt Stanton said:

Football is the ultimate global game, followed with remarkable intensity by millions of fans across Australia. Bringing the Premier League to Stan has been a genuine game-changer for our business, and we are very pleased to be extending the partnership for another 8 years. It sits at the heart of our strategy of premium content, particularly Sport that Unites.

This agreement further strengthens Nine’s premium sport offering alongside the NRL and NRLW, all four Tennis Grand Slams, the Olympic Games, Rugby Union, the NBL and WNBL, Netball and more. Together, these partnerships reflect Nine’s long-term strategy of investing in premium live sport and delivering the sporting moments that matter most to Australians.

What’s next for Nine Entertainment?

Nine’s focus remains on delivering premium sports content to build engagement on Stan Sport and across its platforms. The Premier League partnership is expected to underpin further subscriber growth and support pricing strategies for Stan Sport.

As costs rise gradually over the new rights term, Nine plans to balance this through new revenue initiatives and efficiencies while leveraging its wider broadcast assets.

Nine Entertainment share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Nine Entertainment shares have declined 51%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the sam period.

View Original Announcement

The post Nine Entertainment secures Premier League rights through 2034 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Nine Entertainment. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The NEXTDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) share price is in focus after the company announced the successful pricing of a $1.1 billion convertible notes offering, aiming to strengthen liquidity and support growth plans.

What did NEXTDC report?

• Issued $1.1 billion of 1.75% subordinated convertible notes due 2031
• Net proceeds expected to be approximately $1.006 billion after Capped Call Transactions and before other costs
• Initial conversion price set at $16.695 per ordinary share, a 32.5% premium to the $12.60 reference price
• Pro forma available liquidity at 30 June 2026 would have been about $9.8 billion, before costs
• Convertible notes to mature in September 2031 and are listed on the Vienna Multilateral Trading Facility

What else do investors need to know?

The notes issue broadens NEXTDC’s funding base and supports its ongoing data centre development pipeline. The offering is seen as a way to maintain balance sheet flexibility, with the notes ranking junior to existing senior debt but above ordinary shares.

A Delta Placement of around 18.6 million existing ordinary shares was completed at $12.60 per share to facilitate hedging for investors. This does not result in new shares being issued or direct proceeds to NEXTDC.

The company also entered into capped call transactions, providing an economic hedge for share price increases up to a cap price of $21.42 per share, a 70% premium to the reference price.

What did NEXTDC management say?

Craig Scroggie, NEXTDC Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, said:

I am pleased to see such strong support for the Offering. The transaction provides NEXTDC with efficient, committed funding for our development pipeline and diversifies NEXTDC’s sources of capital with a new deep global investor base whilst preserving our senior debt capacity and balance sheet flexibility.

What’s next for NEXTDC?

With this convertible notes offering, NEXTDC has secured significant resources to fund its planned development and expansion across Australia. The company continues to prioritise a strong balance sheet and funding flexibility as it invests in its data centre infrastructure.

NEXTDC plans to continue delivering on its development pipeline for data centre projects, supporting customer-driven growth and scaling up its technology platform for the digital economy.

NEXTDC share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, NEXTDC shares have declined 24%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post NEXTDC secures $1.1bn in convertible notes for data centre growth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) share price is on investors’ radar today after the gold miner reported a first-half net profit after tax (NPAT) of $437 million and declared a special dividend of 20 cents per share.

What did West African Resources report?

• Revenue: $1.46 billion for the half year ended June 2026
• NPAT: $437 million
• Operating cash flow: $690 million
• Gold production: 232,905 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$1,823/oz
• Gold sales: 214,883 ounces at US$4,744/oz realised price
• Special dividend: 20 cents per share (unfranked), totalling $228.8 million
• Cash and bullion balance: $876 million cash plus 42,453 ounces of unsold gold bullion

What else do investors need to know?

West African Resources achieved record revenue and profit off the back of its first full six months of combined production from the Sanbrado and Kiaka operations. The company noted no significant health or safety incidents during the half, reflecting positively on operational standards.

Shareholders can expect a 20 cents per share special dividend—unfranked, with a record date of 18 September and a payment date of 7 October 2026. West African Resources will also accelerate repayments on its secured debt facilities in the coming 12 months, helping to strengthen its balance sheet even further.

What did West African Resources management say?

Executive Chairman and CEO Richard Hyde said:

WAF delivered an outstanding result for the first half of 2026, with the Group’s first full six months of combined production from Sanbrado and Kiaka. We are pleased to reward shareholders with a 20 cents per share special dividend and intend to accelerate debt repayments with our secured lenders over the next 12 months.

What’s next for West African Resources?

West African Resources is looking to build on its strong start to the year, supported by its updated 10-year production outlook and ongoing investment in growth. Pre-production mining at Toega is making good progress, and more than 100,000 metres of exploration drilling is planned for 2026.

With two large, low-cost, and long-life gold production centres, the company is positioning itself for long-term success. Management’s focus remains on operational excellence, healthy cash flow generation, and ongoing shareholder returns.

West African Resources share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, West African Resources shares have risen 37%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has risen 1% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post West African Resources delivers profit surge and special dividend in H1 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial summary of the company announcement. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.

The Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price has seen plenty of volatility over the past year, as the chart below shows. I think it’s a good time to consider what could happen next.

As one of the largest ASX-listed iron ore companies, the company is highly dependent on iron ore prices for its profits.

While Fortescue reported several growth figures in its FY26 results, the ASX mining share relied heavily on higher iron ore prices to drive earnings growth.

During the 2026 financial year, its hematite realised price (the iron ore sold price) rose by 7% to US$90 per dry metric tonne (dmt). This drove a 9% rise in revenue to US$17 billion. Underlying operating profit (EBITDA) also increased 9% to US$8.6 billion, while underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 3% to US$3.46 billion.

One earnings headwind was a 4% increase in the C1 unit cost per wet metric tonne (wmt), driven by elevated energy prices and inflationary pressures.

On the cash flow side, operating cash flow grew 6% to US$6.8 billion, and free cash flow soared 25% amid a reduction in capital expenditure. This helped net debt improve by 23% to US$857 million.

What could happen with the Fortescue share price?

Without a crystal ball, it’s hard to know exactly what will happen with the Fortescue share price in the next 12 months. The performance of the iron ore price could be essential for how it plays out.

Analysts have given their view on whether they think the Fortescue share price is undervalued or not.

According to CMC Invest, there have been 11 analyst ratings on the ASX mining share within the last three months. It was a mixed bag. Two ratings were a buy, six were a hold, and three were a sell.

A price target tells investors where they think the (Fortescue) share price will go over the next 12 months, from the time of the investment call.

According to CMC Invest, the average price target of those 11 analyst ratings on the ASX mining share is $18. That implies the analysts collectively think the Fortescue share price could rise by 2% over the next year.

The most optimistic price target of $20.06 suggests a possible rise of 14% over the next year, while the most negative price target is $15.45, suggesting a decline of 12% from where it is.

It’ll be interesting to see what happens next, but analysts don’t seem to think Fortescue is a great opportunity. There could be a lot better ASX share investments out there.

The post How much could the Fortescue share price rise in the next year? 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 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.

When compelling ASX shares trade at low prices, they could be unmissable buys. Falling to near 52-week lows may be the best price we can buy at.

Of course, just because something has fallen doesn’t mean it’s going to rise again quickly. But I think investing at the lower price gives brave investors a much better margin of safety and will hopefully lead to stronger returns.

With the above in mind, let’s look at two compelling ASX shares.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Temple & Webster is one of the leading online retailers in Australia, selling hundreds of thousands of products across homewares, furniture and home improvement.

A significant majority of the products sold are shipped directly by suppliers to customers. This means the company operates with a capital-light model and can offer a vast range compared to competitors with physical stores.

The digital nature of its operations also means it can provide digital tools to customers such as AI chat, augmented reality (see a product in your room) and so on.

While the current retail conditions are challenging – with a higher cost of living and lower house prices – I think things will improve at some point, we just don’t know when. I believe this is why the Temple & Webster share price has fallen so far and why it makes sense to invest now.

Overall FY26 revenue may have only increased by 11% to $665 million, but home improvement revenue increased by 39% to $59 million. I think the home improvement segment could become increasingly important to the overall business as the years go by.

I believe online shopping adoption will help the company grow earnings in the coming years. The ASX share looks like great value to me, trading at 23x FY29’s estimated earnings after falling around 80% in the past year (and close to its 52-week low).

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

The Propel share price is also near its 52-week low after dropping more than 40% over the past year. I think the market is punishing Propel partly because of higher interest rates (hurting the valuations of stocks like Propel), as well as higher inflation.

Propel is one of the largest funeral providers in Australia and New Zealand. It operates from more than 210 locations, including 42 cremation facilities and nine cemeteries.  

It’s a morbid idea, but the company has compelling long-term growth tailwinds because of Australia’s ageing and growing population.

Propel says that Australian projected deaths are expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.8% between 2026 to 2035 and then a further 2.3% between 2036 to 2045. In other words, there’s clear revenue tailwinds for two decades.

With rising average revenue per funeral and an ageing demographic, I think the ASX share is a good long-term hold while it trades near a 52-week low.

The post 2 cheap ASX shares near 52-week lows I’d buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Propel Funeral Partners and Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Starting an investment portfolio can feel difficult. There are thousands of shares to choose from and plenty of market noise.

For beginners, ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) can make things much easier.

They allow investors to own a collection of stocks through one investment, which means you do not have to identify the next great pick yourself.

So, which ASX ETFs could be top picks for someone starting out?

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

The iShares S&P 500 ETF could be a great place to start for beginners.

It tracks the S&P 500 Index, giving investors a slice of the 500 largest companies listed in the United States.

Many of these companies have become global businesses. They sell phones, software, medicines, financial services, advertising, consumer products, and industrial equipment around the world.

This means an Australian investor can buy this fund and immediately own a slice of many businesses they probably interact with every day.

The S&P 500 also changes over time. Companies that grow can enter the index, while those that lose relevance can eventually leave.

That makes the iShares S&P 500 ETF a simple way to back corporate America over the long term without having to predict which individual companies will still be leading the market in 10 or 20 years.

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

For investors wanting to keep some money closer to home, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF could be worth considering.

This fund tracks the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) and therefore owns a large collection of Australian companies.

That includes banks like Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), miners like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), healthcare companies like CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), retailers like Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW).

One benefit for beginners is familiarity. Many of the businesses inside the fund are companies Australians see, use, or hear about regularly.

The local market is also known for paying dividends, with many companies distributing a meaningful portion of their profits to shareholders.

As a result, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF offers a straightforward way to participate in the performance and income generated by the Australian share market.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

A final ASX ETF for beginners to look at is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF.

This fund spreads investments across developed markets around the world.

I think this is valuable for Australians. Our share market represents only a small portion of the global investment universe. The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF opens the door to businesses and industries that are either underrepresented or largely absent from the ASX.

With more than 1,000 stocks inside the fund, beginners do not need to decide whether the next great opportunity will come from America, Europe, or somewhere else. They can own a piece of all of them.

The post Which ASX ETFs could be top picks for beginner investors? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in CSL and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, CSL, Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF, 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.

There are a number of ways for investors to gain exposure to the artificial intelligence (AI) boom on the ASX.

Popular options include Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) and NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT), which provide the infrastructure behind the megatrend.

Another ASX AI stock that could be worth a look is in this article. Let’s see why Bell Potter is recommending it to clients.

Which ASX AI stock?

The ASX stock that Bell Potter is positive on is Artrya Ltd (ASX: AYA).

It is a Perth-based medical technology company using AI powered image-analysis software to improve the detection and management of coronary artery disease (CAD). 

Bell Potter notes that CAD is driven by soft plaque that builds up silently in the arteries and ruptures without warning, causing a fatal heart attack. 

It points out that traditional cardiac diagnostics often fail to detect this hidden risk, and in over 50% of the population, the first sign of the disease is sudden death. 

The condition affects around 126 million people globally, which demonstrates the size of the opportunity for the company and its technology.

The ASX AI stock’s cloud-based software, Salix, uses proprietary AI algorithms to interpret data from Coronary Computed Tomography Angiography (CCTA) scans, to deliver results in a single point-of-care solution.

Big potential returns

This morning, following a review of its FY 2026 results, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating on the ASX AI stock with a trimmed price target of $6.00 (from $6.75).

Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of approximately 50%.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

While some aspects of AYA’s commercialisation are occurring at a slower than expected pace, it is well advanced. AYA has two modules out of its three approved, and all three Salix modules attract top shelf category 1 CPT reimbursement rates that enable high margin generation. AYA has three customers and six study partners it aims to convert to commercial customers in time. All of this now contrasts favourably with EIQ that investors had been comparing AYA with. 

While submission for the FFRCT module has taken longer than expected, now more than ever, it is imperative that AYA take the time to produce a high-quality submission with a high degree of confidence in achieving an FDA approval. Subsequent to our earnings estimate changes, we reduce our TP by c.11% to $6.00/sh and retain our BUY rating.

The post Why this ASX AI stock could rise 50% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares have long been a favourite with passive income investors.

And it is easy to see why. The banking giant generates billions of dollars in profit each year from mortgages, business lending, credit cards, deposits, and other financial services.

But rather than keeping all those profits inside the business, CBA returns a large portion to shareholders through dividends.

Better still, those dividends are fully franked, which can make them particularly attractive to Australian investors.

So, how much would you need to invest in CBA shares to generate $10,000 of passive income each year?

Let’s take a look.

CBA’s dividend outlook

The market is currently expecting the company to deliver earnings per share of $6.67 in FY 2027, followed by $6.86 in FY 2028.

These earnings are expected to support fully franked dividends of $5.15 per share in FY 2027 and $5.30 per share in FY 2028.

At the current CBA share price of $155.25. this represents dividend yields of approximately 3.3% and 3.4%, respectively.

Those are admittedly not the biggest yields available on the Australian share market, but they are no doubt attractive in the current environment.

How many CBA shares would I need?

Let’s use the FY 2027 dividend forecast of $5.15 per share.

To receive $10,000 in cash dividends, an investor would need approximately 1,942 CBA shares.

At the current share price of $155.25, buying that many CBA shares would set you back approximately $301,496.

The fully franked nature of those dividends is worth remembering as well. Assuming an investor can make full use of the franking credits, $10,000 of cash dividends would come with approximately $4,286 of franking credits.

That would give the income a grossed-up value of roughly $14,286 before personal tax. Not bad!

What about in FY 2028?

The numbers improve slightly if CBA’s dividend grows as expected.

Using the forecast FY 2028 dividend of $5.30 per share, an investor would need around 1,887 shares to generate $10,000 of annual cash income.

That would require an investment of approximately $292,957.

Of course, CBA’s share price will almost certainly be different by then and dividends are never guaranteed. But based on current forecasts, the numbers give us a good indication of the scale required.

All in all, for someone wanting $10,000 a year in passive income from CBA shares alone, they will need roughly $300,000 invested at current levels.

The post How much do I need to invest in CBA shares for $10,000 of passive income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 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.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares have had a stellar year.

As have the miner’s shareholders.

In Wednesday afternoon trade, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) mining giant were changing hands for $64.13 apiece.

That sees the share price up 56.5% over 12 months, smashing the 1.0% gains posted by the benchmark index over this same period.

And if you’re wondering why that figure doesn’t match up with the headline number, that’s because we haven’t factored in the BHP dividends yet.

Over the last 12 months BHP has paid – or shortly will pay – two fully franked dividends totalling (a rounded) $2.42 a share. The stock traded ex-dividend last Thursday.

So, if we add that back into the recent share price, then the accumulated value of BHP shares has gained an impressive 62.4% since market close on 9 September 2025.

That remarkable run saw BHP retake the crown of biggest ASX stock from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) earlier this year.

At the recent share price, BHP has a market cap of around $327 billion.

But after that kind of strong run, is the Aussie mining giant still a good buy today?

Should I buy BHP shares today?

Gray Perry Wealth Advisers’ Blake Halligan recently ran his slide rule over the ASX miner (courtesy of The Bull).

“BHP remains a high-quality diversified miner with large, low-cost assets and increasing exposure to copper,” he said.

Commenting on BHP’s FY 2026 results, reported on 18 August, Halligan said:

The company’s fiscal year 2026 result was strong, with it generating attributable profit of $US9.8 billion, up 9 per cent on the prior corresponding period. Revenue of $US58.8 billion was up 15 per cent. Rising copper demand from electrification and data centres support the longer-term outlook, while iron ore operations remain highly competitive.

Explaining his hold recommendation on BHP shares, Halligan concluded, “Commodity-price sensitivity and project execution risks support retaining BHP rather than increasing exposure.”

One ASX 200 stock to buy now

While Hannigan issued a hold recommendation on BHP shares, he had a more bullish outlook on Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK).

“Seek operates a leading online employment marketplace, with a dominant position in Australia and established operations across Asia,” he said.

Summarising his buy recommendation on Seek shares, Halligan said:

Its scalable model, strong margins and international expansion provide attractive long-term growth potential. Despite softer job-ad volumes, fiscal year 2026 net revenue rose 10 per cent and EBITDA increased 15 per cent, demonstrating pricing power and operational resilience. We’re forecasting earnings to grow about 9.5 per cent annually in the next two years.

An improving return on equity and a healthy dividend further support the investment case.

The post Up 62% in a year are BHP shares now a buy, hold or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 recommended BHP Group. 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) had a subdued session and dropped into the red. The benchmark index fell 0.1% to 8,911.4 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to tumble

It looks set to be a poor session for Australian investors on Thursday following a tough night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 88 points or 1% lower this morning. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.75%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.5%, and the Nasdaq was 0.65% lower.

ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend this morning and could trade lower. This includes appliance manufacturer Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG), fund manager Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT), copper producer Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR), and telco Spark New Zealand Ltd (ASX: SPK).

Oil prices jump again

ASX 200 energy shares Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have another positive session after oil prices jumped again overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 3.9% to US$96.67 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 3.8% to US$101.67 a barrel. Traders bid oil prices to a four-month high after fighting escalated in the Persian Gulf.

Elders downgraded

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD) shares are close to being fully valued according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker downgraded the agribusiness company’s shares to a hold rating (from buy) with an improved price target of $6.70. It said: “Following the recent recovery in the share price we are moving our rating from Buy to Hold. Investments in Delta and SYSMOD are the largest drivers of near term growth, however, we see the large livestock tailwinds the agency business has benefited from the past two years facing more difficult comparisons moving forward.”

Gold price rises

It could be a decent day for ASX 200 gold shares Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) on Thursday after the gold price edged higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.2% to US$4,447.2 an ounce. This was driven by a softening US dollar.

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

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