Category: Stock Market

The Australian share market has no shortage of high-quality companies with the potential to grow earnings well above the market average over the long term.

While short-term volatility is always part of investing, history suggests that owning outstanding businesses with structural tailwinds, strong competitive positions, and scalable business models can be a powerful way to build wealth over time.

With 2026 shaping up to be another year where innovation, technology adoption, and global expansion matter, here are five ASX growth stocks that I think could be well worth a closer look for long-term investors.

Life360 Ltd (ASX: 360)

Life360 has established itself as a global leader in family safety and location-based services, with over 90 million monthly active users worldwide.

The company continues to execute on a highly scalable subscription model, converting free users into paying subscribers while expanding average revenue per user through new features and services. Importantly, Life360 has reached a point where strong revenue growth is now being matched by improving margins and cash flow.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

Pro Medicus is widely regarded as one of the highest-quality businesses on the ASX.

Its Visage imaging platform is increasingly becoming the system of choice for large hospital networks in the United States, thanks to its speed, scalability, and cloud-based architecture. Long-term contracts, high switching costs, and expanding margins underpin a business model that is both resilient and highly profitable.

With strong earnings visibility, a growing pipeline of major contract wins, and a backdrop of radiologist shortages, I think Pro Medicus remains a standout ASX growth stock for investors.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

REA Group could be another ASX growth stock to buy. It is the property listings company best known for realestate.com.au, which remains the clear market leader in Australian property listings.

What makes REA a compelling growth stock is not just its dominant position, but its ability to monetise that leadership through premium products, data services, and advertising tools. The company also has exposure to offshore markets, such as India, providing additional growth optionality over time.

ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

Another ASX growth stock that could be an incredible buy in 2026 is ResMed. It operates in the growing global sleep health and respiratory care market, supported by powerful demographic tailwinds.

Rising awareness of sleep apnoea, increasing diagnosis rates, and ongoing innovation in connected medical devices continue to drive long-term demand. The company’s expanding software and data ecosystem also provides opportunities to deepen relationships with healthcare providers and patients.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

Finally, WiseTech Global could be a great option for growth investors in 2026. It operates at the heart of global supply chains through its CargoWise logistics software platform.

After a disappointing 2025 marked by leadership controversies and product launch delays, WiseTech Global’s long-term growth story remains compelling. Global trade continues to become more complex, increasing demand for software that improves efficiency, compliance, and visibility across logistics networks.

And with its shares down heavily over the past 12 months, now could be a great time to make a patient long-term investment.

The post 5 incredible ASX growth stocks to buy for 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Buy, hold, sell: Fortescue, Qantas, and WiseTech shares
• How I’d build a growing passive income stream from ASX shares over 15 years
• Why Andean Silver, CBA, Life360, and Silex shares are dropping today
• Up 38% in a year, Life360 shares sliding today on $120 million US acquisition news
• How to turn small ASX share investments into life-changing money

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360, Pro Medicus, REA Group, ResMed, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360, ResMed, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360, ResMed, and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

When an S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) share is trading substantially below its underlying value, I think it’s a great idea to invest while the opportunity is there.

The two businesses I want to highlight in this article both have excellent long-term potential – one because of the longevity of the assets it owns and the other one because of its growth runway.

I already own a piece of both of these ASX 300 shares and I’d happily invest more if someone gave me $5,000 to invest in them.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Farming has been an important asset for many centuries, if not thousands of years. We all need to eat food, so I imagine its assets will remain in demand for the rest of my lifetime (and beyond).

The business is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns farmland across Australia, which includes cattle, almonds, macadamias, vineyards and cropping farms.

Pleasingly, Rural Funds’ properties are spread across different states and climate conditions, giving the business pleasing diversification.

Rural Funds has long-term leases with its tenants, giving the business pleasing income security and visibility. Some of its tenants include names like Select Harvests Ltd (ASX: SHV), Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) and Australian Agricultural Company Ltd (ASX: AAC).

The ASX 300 share has in-built rental increases with most of its contracts, which are predominantly either linked to inflation or the increases are fixed at an annual pace each year. This gives the business a pleasing tailwind for rental profit growth and an improvement in the underlying value of the farms.

It reported its adjusted net asset value (NAV) was $3.08 at 30 June 2025, so the current Rural Funds unit price is trading at a 36% discount to this. That’s a very attractive discount!

Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

Siteminder is a tech business that provides software for hotel management and booking.

The business is responsible for helping hotels generate more than 130 million reservations worth more than A$85 billion in revenue each year.

This ASX 300 share is truly a global company, with offices in Bangalore, Barcelona, Berlin, Dallas, Galway, London, Manila and Mexico City.

The company wants to achieve 30% annual revenue growth in the medium-term, which it could achieve through winning new subscribers and offering them more advanced software to help subscribers maximise their revenue.

Siteminder is seeing its gross profit margin increase over time thanks to operating leverage and efficiencies.

I’m expecting the company’s operating profit (EBITDA), net profit and free cash flow margins to increase in the coming years as revenue rises. If revenue can continue growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 20% over the next few years, then I think the business could be substantially undervalued today.

Since 29 October 2025, the Siteminder share price has dropped by 24%, making this growing business a lot cheaper. I think this ASX 300 share could be a top performer over the next five years.

The post 2 unmissable ASX 300 shares that look too cheap to ignore! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 super ASX growth stocks to buy in bunches in 2026
• I would invest $5,000 in these ASX 300 shares in January
• ASX travel shares to watch in 2026
• $20,000 in excess savings? Here’s how to try and turn that into a second income in 2026
• 3 ASX dividend shares to buy for passive income in 2026

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Rural Funds Group and SiteMinder. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended SiteMinder and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Rural Funds Group, SiteMinder, and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Looking to buy a few quality S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares to add to your 2026 investment portfolio?

Then you may wish to run your slide rule over Aussie electronics retailer JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) and home furnishings and whitegoods retailer Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN).

The past year delivered widely differing results from the two ASX 200 shares.

But with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) forecasting an ongoing rebound for the Australian dollar, 2026 could see both stocks outperforming.

If you’ve been following currency moves, you’ll know that the Aussie dollar plumbed a five-year low of 59.22 US cents in April amid the height of US tariff fears and uncertainties. At market close on Tuesday, that same dollar was worth 67.22 US cents.

And CBA expects further strengthening in the months ahead.

The bank noted, “The Aussie typically does well against most currencies when the world economy is in a cyclical upswing.”

CBA also expects growth-supportive US tax cuts and US Fed interest rate cuts (while the RBA holds firm or possibly hikes rates) to drive gains in the Aussie dollar.

Indeed, CommBank noted that analysts are forecasting the Australian dollar could reach 73 US cents in 2026 “if tariff fears ease and US tax cuts support growth”.

As for ASX 200 shares that could stand to benefit, CBA noted, “A stronger currency is good news for local companies that re-sell imported goods, especially volume retailers such as Harvey Norman and JB Hi-Fi.”

What’s been happening with these quality ASX 200 shares?

As mentioned above, JB Hi-Fi and Harvey Norman shares delivered very disparate returns to stockholders over the past 12 months.

Turning to JB Hi-Fi first, shares in the electronics retailer closed yesterday trading for $93.99 apiece. This sees the ASX 200 share down 0.8% since this time last year.

Though investors will also have received two fully franked dividends totalling $3.75 a share over this time, putting them back in the green. JB Hi-Fi shares trade on a fully franked trailing dividend yield of 4%.

Harvey Norman stockholders have enjoyed a much more profitable year.

Harvey Norman shares closed on Tuesday trading for $6.90. That puts this ASX 200 share up 46% over 12 months.

Harvey Norman shares also trade on a 3.8% fully-franked trailing dividend yield.

Looking ahead, both companies stand to benefit from lower realised costs for their imported electronics, furniture, and appliances should the Aussie dollar continue to appreciate as CBA forecasts.

The post 2 quality ASX 200 shares to buy now amid a rising Aussie dollar appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• My 10 top stocks to buy to start the New Year off right
• 5 ASX dividend shares to buy in January
• Bell Potter rates these ASX shares as strong buys for 2026
• Forget term deposits and buy these ASX dividend shares in 2026
• Bell Potter names three retail stock picks for your Christmas hamper

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

I’m always on the lookout for ASX growth share ideas that could become the next sizeable growth name like CAR Group Ltd (ASX: CAR) or Altium.

This doesn’t mean I’m expecting the business in this article to become worth tens of billions of dollars. But I want to find companies that have a very long growth runway.

I think the following two ASX growth shares are very exciting stocks for the next decade.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

Lovisa is a retailer of affordable jewellery with a global store network.

The company has already demonstrated significant growth potential by establishing a large store network in places like the USA, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, South Africa, and the UK.

This ASX growth share is exciting to me because it can expand its store network in existing markets and enter new countries. Places like Poland, Italy, Mexico, Vietnam and China are all fairly new additions and offer further growth potential.

As long as its same store (comparable) sales remain positive over time, I’m expecting Lovisa’s total sales to grow at a pleasing double-digit pace in percentage terms in the coming years.

Further scaling in the company’s existing markets could considerably help margins as it grows.

According to the forecast on CMC Markets, the business is trading at 21x FY28’s estimated earnings, which I think is too low for how much long-term potential the ASX growth share has.

Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA)

Tuas is one of the businesses I’m most bullish about, which is why it’s one of my largest holdings.

It’s an Asian telecommunications business based in Singapore. It is led by David Teoh, who helped TPG Telecom Ltd (ASX: TPG) become a fierce competitor before its merger with Vodafone Australia.

Tuas is using the same playbook – winning market share by offering great value to customers. It now has well over 1 million mobile subscribers in Singapore, with no signs of stopping.

Telco businesses are usually scalable, so more users are helping grow the company’s operating profit (EBITDA) and net profit margins. I expect this trend to continue for the ASX growth share, helping the bottom line substantially.

Tuas is also working on acquiring competitor M1, which will give the ASX telco share a greater market share in mobile, broadband and other areas. This move is expected to significantly boost Tuas’ profitability and will also add expertise to the overall business.

I believe Tuas will be a much larger business in five to ten years, particularly if it expands to neighbouring countries such as Malaysia or Indonesia.

The post These 2 ASX growth shares are ideal for Australians! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 super ASX growth stocks to buy in bunches in 2026
• My top 5 ASX stocks to buy in early 2026
• Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• 10 ASX shares I would buy in 2026

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

Aussie bank stocks endured a horrid day yesterday. 

At the close of trading, the big four banks all were in the red. 

• Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) – down 2.95%
• National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) – down 2.37%
• Westpac Banking Corporation (ASX: WBC) – down 2.2%
• Australia And New Zealand Banking Group (ASX: ANZ) – down 1.96%

While it’s just one day of trading, and we never overreact to a single day, the dominance of bank stocks in the Australian economy will often mean portfolios are impacted by poor performance. 

After a down day, are any of these stocks worth buying?

Let’s quickly recap how bank stocks have performed recently. 

2025 performance

ANZ shares were the clear winner amongst the big four in 2025. 

These bank shares sit 24% higher than a year ago. 

Westpac shares were also a winner in 2025. 

At the time of writing, Westpac shares sit almost 17% higher than a year ago. 

Following behind, NAB are almost 10% higher than the start of 2025, while CBA are now almost even with January 2025. 

Which big four shares could be a buy in 2026?

With a strong performance amongst the big four bank shares in 2025, it seems experts are largely bearish in 2026. 

Valuations on these stocks remain full, with little upside tipped amongst brokers. 

Morgans has put a sell rating and $31.46 price target on NAB’s shares, which would be a 24% decline from current levels. 

Westpac has an average one year price target of $33.41 according to TradingView (12% below current levels). 

ANZ’s second half results disappointed Morgans.

The broker has a trim rating on ANZ’s shares with a $33.09 price target (current share price hovering around $36). 

Meanwhile, CBA shares are tipped to keep falling from its current price of around $155: 

• Morgan Stanley has a price target of $144.80
• Jefferies has a target price of $143.87
• Morgans has a target of $99.81

Is it time to look outside the big four banks?

With little upside tipped for the big four banks, it could be an opportunity to look elsewhere. 

Despite being down roughly 5% over the past year, Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO) is drawing attention from experts. 

The fast-growing challenger focussed on servicing small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is projected to generate impressive profit in 2026. 

UBS has a price target of $2.20 on these bank shares which indicates upside of almost 28%. 

The post Australian Bank Stocks: Which ones look like a buy (and which don’t) appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why CBA is forecasting a stronger Aussie dollar in 2026, and what that means if you’re buying ASX shares
• Why Andean Silver, CBA, Life360, and Silex shares are dropping today
• Could 2026 be the year when CBA stock implodes?
• Buy, hold, sell: Light & Wonder, NAB, and Woodside shares
• Decade darlings – these ASX shares have provided 10 years of returns

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell has positions in National Australia Bank. 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.

I think the best investments to go for are the ones with the potential to deliver the biggest returns over the long-term. With that in mind, I’d go for ASX shares I’m expecting to grow earnings significantly over time but also trade at valuations that seem too low for the outlook.

Some of the ASX tech shares are trading much cheaper than they were at the start of 2025. But, I’m going to highlight other investments today.

I’m optimistic that over ten years, both of the below ideas can outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

Propel Funeral Partners Ltd (ASX: PFP)

This a morbid idea, but it’s one that comes with ultra-long-term tailwinds.

Sadly, there are a certain number of funerals required each year, giving the business a very defensive set of earnings. As the saying goes, there are only two things certain in life – death and taxes.

Due to Australia’s growing and ageing population, the business has significant tailwinds for demand in the coming decade or two.

According to Propel, the number of deaths is expected to increase in Australia by an average of 2.8% per year between 2025 to 2035 and then grow by 2.4% between 2036 to 2045. In other words, the company is expected to benefit from that tailwind for at least the next 20 years.

On top of that, the business is seeing its average revenue per funeral increase, which is helping offset inflation impacts. Between FY15 and FY25, the company saw its average revenue per funeral increase at an average of 3.1% per year. It has also made the occasional acquisition to boost its geographic presence.

Overall, I think the ASX share is likely to see rising earnings over time, which should provide a compelling tailwind for a higher Propel Funeral Partners share price.

Global X S&P World EX Australia Garp ETF (ASX: GARP)

This leading exchange-traded fund (ETF) gives investors exposure to some of the best businesses in the world, in my view.

The fund goes through a selection process to find businesses that could generate growth at a reasonable price (GARP). There are three different core factors it uses to identify great companies.

First, growth. It looks at the three-year sales per share growth and earnings per share (EPS) growth.

Second, value. The GARP ETF considers the earnings to price ratio, which is another way of calculating the price to earnings (P/E) ratio.

Third, quality. The fund looks at how much debt these businesses have (meaning debt levels) as well as the return on equity (ROE).

Overall, it has 250 companies spread across multiple countries and sectors, giving it good diversification. I’m calling this an ASX share because we can buy it on the ASX and it’s invested in shares.

Past performance is not a guarantee of future performance, but the index this fund tracks has outperformed the global share market return over the past year, three years and five years.

It seems like a fund of great businesses trading at reasonable prices.

The post 2 compelling ASX shares I’d buy in a heartbeat appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 2 strong Australian stocks to buy now with $5,000!
• Guess how much $10,000 in these ASX ETFs at inception would be worth today?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Propel Funeral Partners. 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.

Many, though not all, Australian exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are suited to investors who just wish to buy an investment and hold it passively for the rest of their lives. A simple fund that holds, say, the largest 300 stocks listed on the Australian share market, would arguably be aptly suited for such a goal. An ASX ETF that holds oil futures, perhaps less so.

With this in mind, let’s discuss three Australian ETFs that I believe any investor can purchase today and hold for decades to come.

Three Australian ETFs that anyone can buy and hold forever

Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS)

First up, we have this Australian ETF from Vanguard. This fund is one that does indeed hold the largest 300 stocks listed on the Australian markets. That’s everything from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: TLS) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) to Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD).

Decades of data have shown that simply investing in the Australian share market has produced relatively high returns for investors if we use a long-term lens. Australian shares have historically delivered decent capital growth, strong dividend income, and valuable franking credits. Investors can buy VAS units today, safe in the knowledge that while the largest 300 companies in Australia will move over time, this Australian ETF will move with them by watering the winners and weeding out the losers.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

This next Australian ETF works similarly to VAS. However, instead of holding stakes in the largest 300 Australian shares, it owns stakes in the largest 500 companies listed on the American stock market. That’s everything from Apple, Amazon, Netflix, Microsoft, Mastercard, Walmart, Coca-Cola Co, and ExxonMobil.

The US has also been a historically lucrative market for long-term investors. Even the legendary Warren Buffett has repeatedly stated that he believes an S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) fund like this one is the best choice for most investors.

Given that the US is still home to the vast majority of the world’s most successful businesses, I would be happy to buy and hold this ETF for the rest of my life.

The post 3 Australian ETFs to buy and hold forever appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 excellent ASX ETFs to supercharge your portfolio
• 3 unstoppable Vanguard ETFs to buy even if there’s a stock market sell-off in 2026
• 3 strong ASX ETFs to buy for your SMSF
• 5 fantastic ASX ETFs for beginners in 2026
• Keen to invest outside the ASX? UBS reveals 2026 forecast for US, China, and Euro stocks

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Apple, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, and Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Apple, AstraZeneca Plc, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Tencent, Vanguard International Equity Index Funds – Vanguard Ftse All-World ex-US ETF, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Apple, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, 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.

Last week, I started off 2026 by discussing five top ASX stocks that I would love to buy this year, as well as five US stocks. In case you missed those ASX stocks, they were:

• Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL)
• REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)
• MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF)
• Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)
• TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

My US picks were:

• Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)
• Doulingo Inc (NASDAQ: DUOL)
• S&P Global Inc (NYSE: SPGI)
• Costco Wholesale Corp (NASDAQ: COST)
• Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA)

Obviously, not much has changed in a week, and I would still love to own more of all ten of these companies in 12 months’ time.

But we’re not stopping wth those stocks. Today, let’s discuss ten more stocks that I think anyone can buy today to start 2026 off on a strong note. We’ll once again do five ASX shares and five US stocks.

5 top ASX shares to kick off 2026 with a bang

I love consumer staples companies, and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) is one of my favourites here on the ASX. Coles is a strong dividend payer with a defensive and mature earnings base that can provide protection against both recessions and inflation. It will, in my view, be around for decades to come.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) is another veteran ASX stock I like for 2026. Its dominance of the defensive mobile and internet markets gives it a strong moat and, thus, a reliable dividend. This company’s fully-franked payouts are historically some of the best on the ASX.

Turning to a faster-growing company now, Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) is another top stock looking interesting as we start the new year. Xero has a remarkably sticky product in its cloud-based accounting software. Consumers seem willing to keep paying those monthly fees to use Xero’s platform. The company’s growth plans are very exciting too.

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH) is our fourth pick of the day. JB has proven itself to be one of the ASX’s best retailers, having savvily evolved from selling hi-fi products to becoming an all-out electronics and appliances retailer over the past two decades. Customers love JB’s distinctive marketing tactics and innovative store layouts. With JB having a rare lacklustre year in 2025, this one is looking tempting as we start 2026.

Our final ASX stock worth discussing today is more left-field. It is the gold miner Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM). Normally, I shy away from more speculative investments like Newmont. But Newmont can be viewed as an insurance policy of sorts. If 2026 produces geopolitical or economic uncertainty on the global stage, Newmont could benefit from a rush to the ‘safe haven’ of gold. If some experts are to be believed, it could have another bumper year in 2026.

5 top US stocks to check out too

When I named Mastercard as one of my top US picks last week, it was partly due to my conviction that contactless and electronic payments are in the middle of a powerful long-term tailwind. That’s why I am also happy to own and spruik Mastercard’s arch-rival Visa Inc (NYSE: V). Visa is the largest payments company in the world, and is an extraordinarily profitable stock. However, I think its best days lie ahead.

We can say the same for Magnificent Seven winner Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL). Google-owner Alphabet owns several of the world’s best businesses. These include Google Search, YouTube, Google Cloud, and AI-platform Gemini. I’m also excited about the company’s self-driving division.

I would be happy to own Alphabet’s Magnificent 7 sibling, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), too. Buying Microsoft stock means buying a share in Windows, Office, Xbox, Teams, Activision Blizzard, LinkedIn, and many other leading digital products and services that Microsoft owns. I rest my case.

Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) is another winner that I think will keep on winning. If Netflix manages to acquire the assets of Warner Bros Discovery Inc (NASDAQ: WBD) this year, it will own one of the most extensive and valuable collections of intellectual property on the planet. Even if it doesn’t, Netflix owns a service that is well on its way to becoming an internationally recognised household essential.

Our final stock is a simple one that we all know and may love. McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) is one of the most resilient businesses in existence. Its brand is universally recognised, having transcended into popular culture decades ago. As an inflation and recession-resistant stock, I’d be happy to buy more McDonald’s this January.

The post My 10 top stocks to buy to start the New Year off right appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 36% in a year, is it time to consider buying shares in this dominant ASX tech company?
• 3 no-brainer ASX stocks to buy with $1,000 right now for the New Year
• How I’d build a growing passive income stream from ASX shares over 15 years
• Forecast: Here’s what $10,000 invested in Telstra shares could be worth next year
• How to turn small ASX share investments into life-changing money

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Duolingo, Mastercard, McDonald’s, Mff Capital Investments, Microsoft, Netflix, Newmont, Visa, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Costco Wholesale, Duolingo, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, S&P Global, Technology One, Visa, Warner Bros. Discovery, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, Wesfarmers, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Mastercard, Mff Capital Investments, Microsoft, Netflix, Technology One, Visa, 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 are lucky enough to have $10,000 to invest in the share market this month and don’t like picking stocks, then exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be worth considering.

But which funds could be top picks for investors in January? Let’s take a look at three that stand out for good reason. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Betashares Cloud Computing ETF (ASX: CLDD)

The first ASX ETF for investors to look at is the Betashares Cloud Computing ETF. It offers targeted exposure to one of the most important technology shifts of our time.

Cloud infrastructure and software underpin everything from remote work and ecommerce to artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, and that reliance is only increasing.

The fund holds a range of global cloud leaders, including Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP), Salesforce (NYSE: CRM), and Snowflake (NYSE: SNOW). These companies sit at the core of enterprise digital transformation, generating largely recurring revenue from mission-critical services.

Cloud adoption is still expanding globally, and even though tech stocks can be volatile, the underlying demand for cloud services is structural rather than cyclical. This bodes well for the future.

Betashares recently recommended the fund to investors.

VanEck MSCI International Value ETF (ASX: VLUE)

While growth gets most of the headlines, value investing tends to shine over full market cycles.

The VanEck MSCI International Value ETF provides investors with exposure to developed-market stocks that are trading at attractive valuations based on fundamentals such as earnings and cash flow.

At present, this ASX ETF’s portfolio includes well-known global names such as Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO), Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU), and Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC). It is also less concentrated in mega-cap US tech than many global indices, which can help diversify portfolio risk.

Overall, the VanEck MSCI International Value ETF could be a useful counterbalance to growth-focused ETFs. It provides exposure to businesses that are profitable, established, and often overlooked when markets become fixated on the latest trend. VanEck recently recommended the fund.

VanEck China New Economy ETF (ASX: CNEW)

Lastly, the VanEck China New Economy ETF could be worth a look.

While it is not for the faint-hearted, it offers exposure to an area with enormous long-term potential. Rather than focusing on China’s old-economy giants, this ASX ETF targets stocks aligned with the country’s evolving consumer, healthcare, and technology sectors.

The fund holds a diversified portfolio of 120 China A-share stocks that are operating in areas such as advanced manufacturing, healthcare, and consumer services. These are businesses benefiting from rising incomes, urbanisation, and domestic consumption trends. This fund was also recommended by VanEck.

The post Where to invest $10,000 in ASX ETFs this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 niche ASX ETFs you didn’t know existed
• 5 ASX ETFs to buy with $2,500 in January
• 3 exciting ASX ETFs to buy with $3,000 in 2026
• The ASX ETFs to buy now and not look at until next Christmas
• Guess how much $10,000 invested in these VanEck ASX ETFs a year ago is worth today?

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 Cisco Systems, Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Shopify, and Snowflake. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Shopify. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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

More reading

• Scores of ASX mining shares hit 52-week highs
• US stocks vs. ASX shares in 2025
• Why 2025 was the year of the ASX small-cap shares
• Why BlueScope, DroneShield, Monadelphous, and SGH shares are racing higher today
• With the copper price hitting a new record, how can you get exposure?

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