Category: Stock Market

The share market has a long history of bouncing back from tough periods. Over more than a century, ASX stocks have delivered returns of roughly 10% per annum on average, even while enduring recessions, inflation spikes, rate shocks, and global turmoil.

But every now and then, certain companies emerge from a difficult year in far better shape than they entered it. And after a challenging 2025 for many high-quality businesses, a select group of ASX stocks is now being tipped to outperform not only the local market, but potentially global indices as well.

If you’re looking for standout ASX opportunities for 2026, these two names could be the ones to watch.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

CSL has had a bruising year, with investor sentiment hurt by Seqirus restructuring noise, tariff speculation, and questions around the margin recovery of the key CSL Behring business. Yet beneath the short-term issues sits one of the most successful Australian companies of the past three decades.

This is a business with enormous competitive advantages, entrenched global market share, and a long runway for growth across plasma therapies, vaccines, and emerging treatments. Analysts widely expect margins to normalise over the next couple of years and earnings growth to accelerate.

Importantly, CSL is now trading at one of its cheapest valuations in years. For a company that is historically priced at a premium, today’s discount offers long-term investors a window that doesn’t appear often.

UBS currently has a buy rating and $275.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of over 50% for investors from current levels.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

Another Australian stock that could beat global markets in 2026 is TechnologyOne. It is a software powerhouse that has grown earnings for over 15 consecutive years. And despite delivering another robust year of recurring revenue growth in FY 2025, its share price has pulled back materially, creating an unusually attractive entry point.

With its software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform entrenched in government, education, and large enterprise customers, this ASX stock enjoys some of the stickiest revenues on the Australian share market. In addition, its margins are among the highest in the tech sector, and its shift to subscription income continues to strengthen its long-term earnings base. Throw in its UK expansion and management’s belief that it can double in size every five years, and you have a stock that could be a fantastic buy and hold pick.

The team at UBS is also feeling very bullish on this one. It recently put a buy rating and $38.70 price target on its shares. This suggests that upside of almost 40% is possible between now and this time next year.

The post Buy Australian: ASX stocks positioned to beat global markets next year appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 ASX 200 shares I’d buy with $10,000 this week
• Is the CSL share price a generational bargain at $180?
• Top Australian stocks to buy right now with $2,000
• 10 most-traded ASX shares last week
• Own CSL shares? Here are the key dates for 2026

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in CSL and Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and Technology One. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL and Technology One. 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.

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

On Thursday, 33 ASX shares hit 52-week highs and 22 of them were mining shares, including the major iron ore producers.

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price rose 2.1% to a 52-week high of $45.49 per share.

The Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price lifted 3.2% to a 52-week peak of $23.38.

The Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price increased 2.6% to a 52-week high of $141.13.

Several ASX gold shares also ascended to new highs.

The Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price rose 4% to an all-time high of $12.63 per share.

Emerald Resources NL (ASX: EMR) shares reached a record $5.71, up 2.9%.

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares lifted 4.3% to a 52-week high of $1.47.

ASX silver share Andean Silver (ASX: ASL) lifted 6.8% to an all-time peak of $2.34.

Some ASX lithium shares also recorded new one-year highs today.

They included Elvira Lithium (ASX: ELV) shares, up 2.9% to $6.67, and Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE), up 19% to 9.4 cents.

ASX copper share Hot Chili Ltd (ASX: HCH) rose 7.8% to a 52-week high of $1.25.

The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) closed 0.1% higher at 8,877.5 points on Thursday.

What’s pushing ASX mining shares higher?

Stronger commodity prices are contributing to a surge in mining stocks this month.

Here is a snapshot of the strongest performers.

Metal or mineral	Commodity price rise past month	Commodity price rise in 2025
Cobalt	7.5%	115%
Silver	17.5%	117%
Platinum	3.5%	87%
Palladium	0.1%	67%
Gold	1%	62%
Neodymium	3.5%	45%
Tin	10.5%	37%
Copper	5.5%	34%
Lithium	12.5%	23.5%
Aluminium	(0.2%)	12.5%
Iron Ore	3%	3%

Macquarie’s take on ASX mining shares

Earlier this week, Macquarie released a note on commodities and named its preferred ASX mining shares.

Among the diversified major miners, the broker likes Rio Tinto over BHP, but prefers South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) overall.

The broker has an outperform rating on South32 shares with a 12-month price target of $3.70.

Macquarie has a neutral rating on Rio Tinto and BHP shares with price targets of $130 and $43, respectively.

The broker has an underperform rating on Fortescue shares with a price target of $19.50.

Among the gold miners, Macquarie prefers Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) over Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST).

However, the broker has an outperform rating on both ASX gold shares with price targets of $175 and $34, respectively.

Among ASX lithium shares, the broker prefers lithium and nickel producer IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO).

The broker has an outperform rating on IGO shares with a 12-month price target of $7.50.

It also has an outperform rating on Elvira Lithium with a price target of $7.

The broker is neutral on the largest ASX lithium share, PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS), with a price target of $3.80.

Capstone Copper Corp CDI (ASX: CSC) is the broker’s preferred ASX copper share.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on Capstone Copper with a share price target of $17.

The post ASX mining shares dominate stocks hitting 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own Rio Tinto shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026
• RBA watch: Sectors to target and avoid should interest rates rise – Expert
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why is everyone talking about BHP shares this week?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group and South32. 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.

The Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) share price is trading in the red again in Thursday afternoon trade. At the time of writing, the shares have fallen 1.33% and are changing hands at $12.60 a piece. 

Since peaking at a 14-year high of $21.64 per share in mid-October, Lynas shares have crashed 41.77%. But the share price is still 93.96% higher for the year to date.

What has happened to Lynas shares?

Shares in the miner have soared this year and have ridden the wave of booming demand for rare earths materials.

The demand boom peaked in mid-October when US President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese struck a deal to bolster rare earths and critical mineral supplies. The US and Australia will boost investments to expand mining operations and processing of the minerals. The plan was introduced to reduce dependence on China’s exports. 

The deal came amid ongoing trade tensions between the US and China. China controls around 70% of the global rare earths trade. The US has been focused on reducing its reliance on China and building up its own sovereign supply chains for some time.

Later in the same month, Lynas revealed plans to establish a new Heavy Rare Earths (HRE) separation facility at Lynas Malaysia to meet strong market demand. Investors were clearly thrilled.

Fast forward to today, and the share price paints a different picture.

In a recent meeting between Trump and China’s president Xi Jinping, the US and China reached a trade framework to ease tariffs and postpone export controls for a year. This has helped alleviate fears of supply chain disruptions, an issue that had previously driven the Lynas valuation sky-high. 

Are the shares a buy, sell, or hold?

While the drop of Lynas shares from their multi-year peak is significant, the shares are still trading much higher than they were this time last year. 

But analysts are pretty divided about where they think the share price will travel from here. Data shows that the split between analysts with a strong buy, hold, and sell rating is nearly equal. 

The average target price, however, is $15.59. At the time of writing, this implies a potential 23.42% upside ahead for investors.

The team at Macquarie are optimistic about Lynas shares and expects more outperformance from the ASX 200 stock. The broker has a $17 target price on the shares, adding that it expects the rare earths market to remain tight.

On the flip side, Ord Minnett’s Tony Paterno recommends cashing in gains on Lynas shares. He said that he sees the shares as overvalued, and suggested that investors consider cashing in some gains.

The post Lynas shares crash 41% from their peak: Buy, hold or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• See which companies have just been added to key ASX indices
• Guess which ASX mining stock was just promoted to the S&P/ASX 50?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Up 131% in 2025, why Macquarie expects Lynas Rare Earths shares to keep outperforming in 2026
• Sell alert! Experts name 3 ASX 200 stocks to unload today

Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. 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.

S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) shares are 0.2% higher at 8,885.6 points on Thursday.

Meanwhile, several ASX shares have hit 52-week lows today.

Is this an opportunity to buy, or should we be cautious on these ASX stocks?

Let’s defer to the experts.

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV)

The Premier Investments share price hit a 52-week low of $14.19 on Thursday.

Premier Investments is chaired by retail legend Solomon Lew and owns the popular Peter Alexander and Smiggle brands.

Last week, the ASX retail share was smashed after a trading update revealed weaker discretionary spending in 1H FY26.

Macquarie responded by retaining its neutral rating on the ASX retail share.

The broker reduced its 12-month price target on Premier Investments from $20.80 to $16.20 per share.

This implies a potential upside of 14% in the new year.

The broker said:

PMV’s shrunken ‘Retail’ business is challenged – and it remains unclear whether issues are specific to Smiggle, or extend to Peter Alexander.

PMV looks attractively valued (-16% pullback today) if consumer issues are confined to Smiggle, but level of disclosure leaves this unclear.

Bapcor Ltd (ASX: BAP) 

The Bapcor share price hit a 52-week low of $1.79 on Thursday.

The auto parts company downgraded its guidance in an update on Tuesday.

Bapcor said it now expects statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) for 1H FY26 to be a loss in the range of $5 million to $8 million.

The company now expects full-year statutory NPAT to be in the range of $31 million to $36 million.

CEO Angus McKay said:

Although the turnaround of the business is more challenging and taking longer than expected we are committed to doing the difficult work that will result in a stronger, more sustainable company.

Following the company’s update, Macquarie gave Bapcor shares a neutral rating with a price target of $2.05.

This implies a potential upside of almost 15% in 2026.

Macquarie said:

Delivering revised FY26 guidance is critical to provide confidence in the underlying earnings base and alleviate any balance sheet concerns, stabilisation of revenue, earnings and market share in the trade segment.

As reported earlier this week, Bapcor shares will be dropped from the ASX 200 in the next rebalance on 22 December.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

The REA share price hit a 52-week low of $187.84 today.

REA owns the realestate.com.au property listings website.

Morgans has an accumulate rating on REA shares with a price target of $247.

This implies a potential upside of more than 30% in the new year.

After REA’s 1Q FY26 trading update, Morgans commented:

REA’s 1Q26 trading update benefited from a strong yield outcome (+13%), which helped to offset a softer new listings environment in the period (volumes down -8% vs the pcp).

Group revenue was A$429m (+4% on pcp), with EBITDA (ex assoc.) up 5% on pcp to A$254m.

Given REA is trading on ~42x FY26F PE (MorgansE), broadly in line with its 10-year historical average, and now with >10% TSR upside to our valuation we upgrade REA to ACCUMULATE.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

The Xero share price hit a 52-week low of $113.11 on Thursday.

Xero is an accounting Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider.

Wilsons Advisory says Xero is its preferred large-cap tech share alongside TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE).

Wilsons Advisory equity strategist Greg Burke said Xero’s forward EV/EBITDA has “de-rated sharply” from about 38x in July to about 24x today – the lowest on record. 

Burke commented: “Overall, with the growth story remaining firmly intact, XRO offers attractive value at current levels.”

The post Opportunity knocks? Broker ratings on 4 ASX shares at 52-week lows appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Chalice Mining, Predictive Discovery, Premier Investments, and St Barbara shares are sinking today
• Buy, hold, sell: Bapcor, Guzman Y Gomez, and NextDC
• When a top ASX stock falls 30%, it gets my attention. Here’s why
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Trading near 12-month lows, are Bapcor shares worth a look?

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group, Technology One, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Premier Investments and Technology One. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Critical minerals are the talk of the town at the moment, with many nations scrambling to secure access to them.

The good news is that there are many ways for Aussie investors to gain exposure to critical metals on the local stock exchange.

But which ones could be buys? Let’s take a look at three of the best to buy now according to analysts at Bell Potter.

Ioneer Ltd (ASX: INR)

This lithium-boron producer has caught the eye of Bell Potter. It has a speculative buy rating and 36 cents price target on its shares.

The broker was pleased with the funding support it received from the US Department of Energy for the Rhyolite Ridge project and believes this is the first step in de-risking its development. It said:

In January 2025, Rhyolite Ridge received funding support from the US Department of Energy through a US$996m, 20-year loan. The company is currently running a project selldown process, which we expect to materially de-risk the development’s remaining funding requirements. Project development should commence in 2026 to enable first production in 2029. The US Department of Interior, in consultation with the US Geological Survey, recently added boron to the final 2025 List of Critical Minerals; this list also includes lithium. Buy (Speculative), Valuation $0.36

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)

Bell Potter rates lithium miner Liontown highly and has a buy rating and $1.52 price target on its shares. It believes that 2026 will see the company de-risk its Kathleen Valley operation. The broker said:

Over 2026, LTR will further de-risk the ramp-up of production at Kathleen Valley as ore stockpiles support the operation’s transition to all underground mining. LTR has a strong balance sheet and is highly leveraged to lithium markets, which we expect to further improve.

WA1 Resources Ltd (ASX: WA1)

A third ASX critical minerals stock that Bell Potter is recommending to clients is niobium developer WA1 Resources. It has a speculative buy rating and $24.80 price target on its shares.

The broker highlights that the company owns the Luni deposit, which is the highest grade niobium deposit outside Brazil. It said:

WA1’s Luni deposit in the West Arunta, Western Australia, is the highest grade niobium deposit outside of Brazil and bears similarities to the global significance of LYC’s Mt Weld deposit in the rare earth sector. Brazil accounts for ~90% of global supply of Niobium, a key micro alloy in steel. We anticipate a Resource update during CY26 and a potential initial study, which builds on process flowsheet work conducted over the last ~1.5 years, and recent infill drilling.

The post Bell Potter names the best ASX critical minerals stocks to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Bapcor, Emeco, Liontown, and PWR shares are tumbling today
• Liontown clinches Canmax deal: key details for investors
• Why are Liontown shares rising today and up 18% this week?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares 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 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.

If you’re looking to boost your passive income this December, you don’t need to pick individual dividend stocks.

A handful of ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) specialise in delivering steady distributions, broad diversification, and simple set-and-forget investing.

Here are three ASX ETFs worth considering for passive income this month:

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

The Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF is one of the most popular income ETFs on the ASX for a reason. It invests in a basket of Australian shares with some of the highest forecast dividend yields based on broker expectations. This typically includes large, well-established businesses such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC).

These blue chip names generate strong cash flows, have long histories of returning capital to shareholders, and tend to weather economic cycles better than smaller, more volatile companies. In addition, the fund’s diversified approach helps reduce the risk of relying on any single sector.

For investors wanting a simple way to tap into the market’s strongest dividend payers, this ASX ETF could be a natural starting point.

The fund typically trades with a dividend yield around 5%.

Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD)

The Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF also focuses on dividend-rich Australian shares but uses a different methodology. It targets the 50 highest-yielding companies in the S&P/ASX 300 Index after screening out potential dividend traps. That gives investors exposure to higher-than-average income while avoiding some of the risks associated with chasing yield blindly.

Holdings often include major banks, miners, energy producers, and established retailers such as ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES). These are companies with strong underlying cash generation.

It currently trades with a 4.6% dividend yield.

Betashares S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: UMAX)

Finally, the Betashares S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Complex ETF takes a different approach to generating passive income.

Instead of relying solely on dividends, it boosts distributions through a covered-call strategy, which effectively exchanges some potential share price upside for higher ongoing income.

The fund is based on the S&P 500 Index, which is home to the 500 largest stocks in the United States.

Because the ETF collects option premiums each month, this fund can offer significantly higher income than traditional dividend funds. For example, it currently trades with a trailing dividend yield of 5.3%.

The post 3 ASX ETFs to buy for passive income in December appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX dividend stocks to brighten your Christmas stocking
• The smart way to make a $25,000 passive income from ASX shares
• $20,000 in savings? Here’s how you can use that to target an $8,000 yearly second income
• Does the Vanguard High Yield ETF (VHY) really have a 9% dividend yield right now?
• Forget savings accounts, these ASX dividend stocks pay more

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 Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Fund. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

One of the beauties of buying and owning Australian exchange-traded funds (ETFs) is that investors can buy them with the expectation of never having to sell.

Most ETFs follow some sort of index. This is periodically rebalanced every few months to ensure that the stocks in the index reflect the real-life changes that are constantly happening on the share market. For example, an ETF that tracks the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) will be rebalanced every three months or so to ensure that it accurately holds the largest 200 shares on the Australian stock market.

This process is always carried out behind the scenes, requiring no involvement from the investor who owns the ETF. As such, the right Australian ETF can be owned forever.

But not all Australian ETFs are suitable for a long-term investment, at least in my view. So today, let’s talk about three funds that I think would serve well in any portfolio indefinitely.

3 Australian ETFs you could buy and never sell

iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF (ASX: IXI)

Consumer staples companies are some of the most resilient businesses on the planet. That’s because they tend to make things we need, rather than want. That includes food, drinks, and household essentials. If you’re looking for an investment that can last a lifetime, this space is a great one to check out.

This Australian ETF offers a range of global leaders in this space. As a case in point, many of the names in IXI ETF have been around for decades, and in some cases, centuries. Some of this Australian ETF’s largest holdings include Coca-Cola Co, Walmart, Nestle, British American Tobacco and Procter & Gamble.

BetaShares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC)

If you had to bet on one sector of the ASX providing the most lucrative investments for the next few decades, I think tech would be the best choice. This sector houses some of the best innovative and prosperous stocks on the ASX, including Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO), Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), and TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE).

All of these stocks can be found in the Betashares Australian Technology ETF. I think it’s reasonable to assume that these stocks will continue to contribute some of the best returns on the ASX. And if they don’t, ATEC ETF will replace them with the next generation of tech winners.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

Last but not least, we have an Australian ETF that tracks the most popular index in the world, America’s S&P 500. The S&P 500 represents the largest 500 stocks listed on the US markets. That’s everything from Magnificent 7 giants like NVIDIA and Amazon to Netflix, Mastercard, Exxon Mobil and Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway.

Speaking of Buffett, the legendary investor has often advocated an S&P 500 ETF as a perfect investment for most of the population. With American companies continuing to shape the global economy, I think this Australian ETF is a prudent long-term bet for a ‘forever investment’.

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

More reading

• 3 ASX ETFs perfect for building generational wealth
• The smartest ASX ETFs for investors in their 20s and 30s
• Stocks to target for a tech rebound in 2026
• 3 ASX ETFs that could quietly make you rich
• The ultimate ASX ETF portfolio for beginners in 2026

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Coca-Cola, Mastercard, Netflix, and Procter & Gamble. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Netflix, Nvidia, Technology One, Walmart, WiseTech Global, Xero, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended British American Tobacco P.l.c., Nestlé, and Pro Medicus and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $40 calls on British American Tobacco and short January 2026 $40 puts on British American Tobacco. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global, Xero, and iShares International Equity ETFs – iShares Global Consumer Staples ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, Mastercard, Netflix, Nvidia, Pro Medicus, Technology One, 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.

Australian superannuation funds have fallen in value for the first time in more than six months, with property and Australian shares weighing them down, research house SuperRatings says.

After a stellar seven-month run of positive returns, SuperRatings has estimated that the median balanced fund fell by 0.5% in November.

Downward shift after strong performance

SuperRatings director Kirby Rappell said super funds were still doing well overall, however, compared with historical averages.

We expect most asset classes to have delivered negative returns over the month with listed property and Australian shares seeing a pullback. While this month breaks the strong run, 2025 is well on track to be an above average year for member balances, with the 11 months to 30 November 2025 estimated to have returned 8.7% against a median of 7.1% for the full year since 2000.

SuperRatings said the median growth option fell by an estimated 0.6% in November, while the median capital stable option is estimated to have returned a negative 0.2% for the period. 

Mr Rappell said the fall in November had implications for the returns over the calendar year.

The estimated decline means a second consecutive double digit calendar return is unlikely, however members should be pleased that returns remain strong over the long term with the median balanced option providing an estimated 7.1% per annum over the last 25 years. For pension members, the results have been even better with the median balanced pension product is estimated to return 9.5% for the 11 months to 30 November 2025.

Uncertainty ahead

SuperRatings said while the returns were positive for the year to date, there was uncertainty going forward about the trajectory of inflation and its impact on interest rate decisions.

While the returns so far are worth celebrating, the reserve bank of Australia held interest rates in the final meeting of 2025 and the trajectory of inflation into 2026 remains somewhat uncertain. It is important to remember the long-term nature of superannuation and the benefit of holding steady to your long-term strategy should we see increased ups and downs over the second half of the 2026 financial year.

The Association of Super Funds Australia (ASFA) recently estimated that to achieve a “comfortable” retirement at age 67, couples needed a superannuation balance of $690,000, while singles would need $595,000.

To achieve a “modest” retirement while renting privately, a couple would need $385,000, while a single person would need $340,000.

These figures were calculated in today’s dollars and assume inflation of 2.75% and investment earnings of 6%.

The post Superannuation breaks a stellar streak with falls in November appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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Motley Fool contributor Cameron England 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.

Bell Potter has been busy running the rule over a number of sectors this week.

This has led the broker to pick out ASX 200 stocks that it believes are among the best to buy in December ahead of the new year. Let’s see what it is recommending to clients:

Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA)

This diversified food company’s shares have been named as a buy by Bell Potter with a $7.00 price target,

The broker highlights that its strategy leaves it well-placed to grow its earnings per share by upwards of 20% per annum through to 2028. It said:

Following recent restructuring announcements, with regard to the closure of Strathmerton and winding down of the PCA operations, there appears a clear pathway towards a $250-270m EBITDA target. If successful in generating this return and having consideration for the cash costs to achieve this target (c$85- 100m), it would imply a share price of $8.00-9.00ps (at BGA’s historical ~12x EBITDA multiple). In effect, BGA now has a clearly articulated strategy to generating >20% p.a. EPS growth to FY28e. Trading on a FY25-28e PEG ratio of ~1x, BGA is one of the more compelling growth exposures in the sector. Buy, Price Target $7.00

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

This industrial property company is another ASX 200 stock that gets the seal of approval from Bell Potter. It has a buy rating and $3.65 price target on its shares.

Bell Potter highlights that its shares are trading at a sharp discount to their net tangible assets (NTA). This comes at a time when the broker believes there is a strong chance of higher valuations for its properties driven by cap rate compression. It said:

The capital transaction market for industrial has improved significantly across CY25, and indeed, we see strong runway for the sector and in turn valuations into CY26 with material levels of dry powder capital already raised awaiting deployment. Coming into 1H26 and FY26 result periods, we anticipate revaluation uplift driven by cap rate compression as well as net effective rental growth given +5.8% trailing LFL NOI growth that we think is cycling trough levels. CIP provides access to a best in class, scaled, east coast portfolio of industrial property yet trades at a c. -14% discount to NTA.

Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)

A third ASX 200 stock that is rated highly by the broker is Generation Development Group.

It is a provider of investment bonds and investment-linked lifetime annuities that offer tax-efficient solutions for wealth accumulation, estate planning, and regular retirement income.

The broker has a buy rating and $8.40 price target on its shares.

It is positive on the company’s outlook, noting that its investor day targets were comfortably ahead of expectations. It said:

FY28 managed account targets provided at the investor day were ahead of consensus forecasts, incorporating +$28-33bn net inflows and implying +33% compound FUM growth at the mid-point. Expectations for +50% EBITDA margins were also reiterated. Trading on 32x FY28 PE we view the risk-reward as positively asymmetric with: (1) run-rate net inflows of +$8bn likening to +$24bn before new mandates and partnerships; (2) adviser install base utilisation of 35%; and (3) a request for proposal with large superannuation funds flagged to complete within 6-12 months.

The post 3 of the best ASX 200 stocks to buy in December 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 recommended Generation Development Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.