Category: Stock Market

The Scentre Group (ASX: SCG) share price is in focus after the company announced a new 25% joint venture partner for Westfield Chermside, Brisbane, at a transaction value of $683 million and confirmed that the deal matches its book value at 30 June 2025.

What did Scentre Group report?

• A new Dexus managed fund will purchase a further 25% interest in Westfield Chermside, Brisbane for $683 million.
• The sale price equals Scentre Group’s book value at 30 June 2025, reflecting a capitalisation rate of 5.00%.
• Scentre Group will retain a 50% direct ownership and continue as property, leasing and development manager.
• Scentre Group will invest $50 million in the new Dexus fund as a temporary foundation investor.
• Settlement is expected before the end of 2025.

What else do investors need to know?

This transaction follows the earlier deal in July 2025, when Dexus Wholesale Shopping Centre Fund also became a 25% joint venture partner in Westfield Chermside. After these transactions, Scentre Group will have introduced approximately $1.3 billion of new capital into the group.

The company says this added capital aligns with its long-term capital management strategy. Scentre Group remains focused on delivering sustainable growth and pursuing its ongoing strategic priorities. The $50 million investment in the Dexus fund is intended to be temporary.

What did Scentre Group management say?

Scentre Group Chief Executive Officer Elliott Rusanow said:

Following these transactions, approximately $1.3 billion of new capital will have been introduced into the Group.

This is consistent with our long-term capital management strategy and provides the Group with further capital to pursue our strategic objectives and deliver sustainable growth for our securityholders.

What’s next for Scentre Group?

Settlement for the sale is anticipated by the end of the year, and Scentre Group aims to use the new capital to support future strategic initiatives. The company continues to manage and develop Westfield destinations throughout Australia and New Zealand.

With the additional funding, Scentre Group plans to strengthen its balance sheet while focusing on growth and value creation for investors. Maintaining its role as property manager at Westfield Chermside, Scentre Group remains committed to long-term asset management and community development.

Scentre Group share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Scentre Group shares have risen 20%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 3% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Scentre Group introduces new joint venture partner for Westfield Chermside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Dexus launches new fund and lifts DREP2 equity in latest earnings update
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Charter Hall Retail REIT unveils December 2025 quarterly distribution
• Perseus Mining ends Predictive Discovery takeover bid

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.

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) shares closed at $51.43 on Thursday, up 0.06% for the day and up 49% in 2025.

The ASX 200 miner produces iron ore and lithium, and offers mining services across Australia, Asia, and elsewhere.

Governance issues and financial concerns have plagued this ASX 200 mining share in 2025.

A desire to strengthen the balance sheet contributed to the board’s decision not to pay dividends in FY25.

The last dividend Mineral Resources paid was for the first half of FY24.

At the annual general meeting on 20 November, independent non-executive chair Malcolm Bundey said:

We believe it was prudent not to pay dividends in FY25 and have kept capital expenditure to an absolute minimum this financial year, which has strengthened the balance sheet.

Will Mineral Resources resume dividends in 2026?

Bundey said the discretionary dividend policy of up to 50% of underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) would remain in place next year.

But there are new boundaries: net leverage and liquidity metrics must be met, or likely met, within 12 to 18 months.

Bundey said:

… dividends will now only be paid if our liquidity and leverage thresholds are met, or there’s a clear line of sight to meeting them within 12 months.

This ensures we retain a robust balance sheet before paying dividends.

The consensus expectation among analysts on CommSec is that Mineral Resources shares won’t pay dividends again until FY27.

The forecast is for a 63.5-cent payment that year.

Key dates for Mineral Resources shares in 2026

We’ll find out for sure whether Mineral Resources will resume dividends in FY26 on 20 February.

That’s when Mineral Resources will announced its 1H FY26 results. The full-year FY26 results will follow on 27 August.

We’ll get quarterly production reports on 29 January, 30 April, 29 July, and 23 October.

Mineral Resources will hold its annual general meeting on 18 November.

Should you buy Mineral Resources shares?

Among 15 traders on the CommSec trading platform, five give Mineral Resources shares a strong buy rating.

Two give the ASX mining share a moderate buy rating, four say hold, one says it’s a moderate sell, and three say it’s a strong sell.

In a note this week, Macquarie upgraded Mineral Resources shares from an underperform rating to neutral.

The broker raised its earnings per share (EPS) forecast for FY26 by 58% to 156.8 cents per share.

It increased the FY27 forecast by 15% to 158.6 cents per share, with no change for FY27 at 158.6 cents per share.

Macquarie commented:

MIN sees large EPS changes in FY26/27 as iron ore and lithium prices are material raised.

Longer term, EPS is relatively unchanged.

The broker raised its 12-month price target on Mineral Resources shares by 9% from $47 to $51.

Macquarie added:

Movements in spot iron-ore and spodumene prices present the most material risk to our earnings forecasts for MIN.

We make assumptions on the capital and operating costs for projects including Wodgina and Onslow (which is still in a rampup phase).

Variances in these costs vs our forecasts can have a material impact on our earnings forecasts and valuation.

The post Will Mineral Resources shares resume dividends in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 10 most-traded ASX shares last week
• 7 ASX mining shares to buy for Christmas amid upgrades from Macquarie
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 ASX 200 large-cap shares just re-rated by analysts

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

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) shares have been firing on all cylinders recently. Thursday the company finished the trading day on a 52-week high at $32.74, after rising 1.72%.

Ampol shares have gained 18% in the past 12 months and they’re a standout among ASX 200 energy stocks. To put it in context, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) only lifted by 2.5% over the same period.  

Bold strategy rewarded

The rally marks a turnaround from recent volatility. The surging Ampol share price reflects a growing belief that the fuel and convenience retailer is positioning itself for stronger earnings growth in an evolving energy landscape.

Investors have rewarded Ampol’s bold strategic moves, particularly its planned $1.1 billion acquisition of EG Group’s Australian operations. The deal clearly excited the market and sent Ampol shares surging by nearly 10% on the announcement.

National brand presence

The takeover would bring around 500 company-owned and operated fuel stations into Ampol’s network. This would increase scale and give the company greater control over retail operations and brand presence nationwide.

The company announced on Thursday that it launched a $500 million delayed-draw subordinated notes facility to support capital management and the EG Australia acquisition.

The Ampol-board says the deal is expected to boost both earnings and free cash flow, assuming it completes by mid-2026.

Offset cyclical weakness

The EG acquisition isn’t the only catalyst for the soaring Ampol shares. Markets have also been quick to price in improving refining margins and a resilient performance from Ampol’s convenience retail division.

Ampol’s core business spans fuel refining, marketing and distribution across Australia and New Zealand, complemented by an extensive network of service stations and convenience stores.

The company also supplies lubricants and specialty products, and its evolving portfolio includes growing exposure to electric vehicle charging infrastructure and low-carbon energy solutions.

These segments have helped offset cyclical weakness in global refining conditions. Recent quarterly updates have shown stronger refiners’ margins linked to broader crude and product crack improvements, giving traders another reason to pile into Ampol shares.

Crude price swings

But challenges remain. Ampol’s refining margins are highly cyclical and sensitive to global crude price swings, which have weighed on profitability in recent periods.

Ampol’s earnings growth outlook and sales forecasts have been downgraded by some analysts, with profitability margins under pressure and capital expenditure requirements still significant. Debt levels also remain a focus, making ongoing financial discipline crucial.

What next for Ampol shares?

Analyst sentiment on Ampol shares is broadly optimistic. Brokers seem to be supportive of Ampol’s blend of strategic growth initiatives, operational resilience and a diversified business model.  

TradingView data shows that most analysts recommend a strong buy. Some expect the ASX 200 energy stock to climb as high as $37.40, which implies a 15% upside at the time of writing.

However, the average Ampol shares price target for the next 12 months is $34.72. That still suggests a possible gain of almost 7%.   

The post Why Ampol shares zoomed to reach a 52-week high appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Ampol launches $500 million subordinated notes facility to back EG Australia acquisition
• Ampol delivers $649m RCOP EBITDA and updates investors on strategic growth
• Macquarie upgrades 2 ASX 200 energy stocks; suggests strong upside

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

There are plenty of Australian dividend shares available on the ASX boards for income investors to choose from.

To narrow things down, let’s look at three excellent options for income investors that have $1,000 to put to work in the share market. They are as follows:

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

The first Australian dividend share to consider buying with the $1,000 is Macquarie. It is Australia’s leading investment bank with a diversified business model that spans banking, asset management, commodities, and global infrastructure. This diversity gives it multiple earnings engines that fire at different points of the cycle.

This has allowed Macquarie to weather market downturns and rate shocks better than many financial peers. After all, when one division is struggling, there is another that is typically picking up the slack. In light of this, it could be a top pick for income investors that are looking for stable dividends.

At present, Macquarie’s shares trade with a trailing dividend yield of 3.5%.

Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF)

Another Australian dividend share for income investors to look at is Rural Funds.

It is a property company that owns agricultural assets such as cattle properties, vineyards, and cropping land.

It leases these properties to high-quality tenants on long agreements with periodic rental increases built in. This means that Rural Funds has great visibility on its future earnings and has been able to grow its dividend at a consistent rate for many years.

Rural Funds is expecting to reward shareholders with an 11.73 cents per share dividend in FY 2026. Based on its current share price of $2.01, this would mean an attractive 5.8% dividend yield.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra is one of Australia’s most reliable ASX dividend shares. As the country’s telco leader, it benefits from stable cash flow generated by mobile, broadband, and network services. These are the kinds of essential services that Australians rely on every day for connectivity.

Looking ahead, the company recently released its Connected Future 30 strategy, which aims to deliver strong and sustainable long-term earnings. If management delivers on its plans, it should be supportive of dividend growth over the remainder of the decade.

In FY 2025, Telstra paid shareholders a 19 cents per share fully franked dividend. Based on its current share price of $4.88, this represents a trailing dividend yield of 3.9%.

The post 3 excellent Australian dividend shares to buy with $1,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Up 40% in a year, why Macquarie expects this ASX 200 dividend stock to keep outperforming in 2026
• How much upside does Macquarie predict for Coles shares?
• Top Australian stocks to buy right now with $2,000
• I’d buy 40,921 shares of this ASX stock to aim for $400 a month of passive income
• 2 Australian dividend giants that belong in any portfolio

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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group, Rural Funds Group, and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Orica Ltd (ASX: ORI) is an ASX 200 materials stock. The company is the world’s largest provider of commercial explosives and innovative blasting systems to the mining, quarrying, oil and gas and construction markets. 

In 2025, it has seen its share price rise more than 40%. 

What’s behind the success of this ASX 200 stock?

This rise has been driven by the company’s strategic shift from being a pure explosives supplier to a broader, more diversified provider. 

The Motley Fool’s Marc Van Dinther reported earlier this month that acquisitions in specialty chemicals businesses and the roll-out of digital blasting platforms have helped generate higher-margin, repeatable revenue rather than one-off explosives sales.

In its most recent financial results, the company reported its highest profit in 13 years. 

It also reported an EBIT of $992 million and strong growth across all segments. 

The company also paid out a record full year dividend of 57 cents, an increase of  21% from last year’s 47 cents.

Macquarie’s updated view

The team at Macquarie released a new report yesterday with updated guidance on this ASX 200 stock. 

One key takeaway from the report is the company’s preparation for a strategy refresh (details expected in March) following positive early FY26 momentum.

Macquarie said Vik Bansal commences as Chairman post Dec 16 AGM who has a strong track record of cost out from his time as CEO of Boral (ASX: BLD).

Macquarie also highlighted that Orica could close the gap between itself and competitor Dyno Nobel (ASX: DNL). 

It said Dyno Nobel is in midst of its $300m transformation program; this is lifting margins with full benefits targeted in FY28. 

Dyno Nobel’s EBIT margins are above Orica’s at 13.4% (12.9% explosives) vs ORI’s 12.0% in FY25a. 

In our view, an opportunity exists for ORI to close the margin gap to DNL through cost-out and mix benefit as higher margin Digital & SMC grows faster than Blasting. As a scenario, narrowing the gap by half over next 3-4 years would = c$100m of EBIT & a ~10% benefit to our FY28e/FY29e EPS.

Valuation

Macquarie said Orica shares are currently trading at 17.2× FY27 PE, a ~5% discount to the ASX100. 

It also said it is trading at a slight discount to competitor Dyno Nobel’s 17.6x and it sees a positive earnings outlook for the ASX 200 stock coupled with a strong balance sheet.

Based on this guidance, Macquarie has an outperform rating on this ASX 200 stock. 

It also has a price target of $25.95. 

This indicates an upside of 10.85%. 

The post Macquarie tips double digit upside for this ASX 200 stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Macquarie names 3 top dividend-paying ASX 200 shares to buy today
• Brokers rate these 3 top ASX shares as buys in December
• How much higher can this explosive ASX stock go?
• Why ASX, AUB, Dyno Nobel, and HMC shares are sinking today
• Ord Minnett just raised its price target on this soaring ASX 200 stock

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Bell 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closed 0.15% higher on Thursday afternoon. Over the past month the index has fallen 2.57%, although it’s still 4.77% higher for the year-to-date.

The latest index decline is partly due to the Reserve Bank’s decision to keep interest rates on hold for another month. In fact it even hinted that further rate cuts are unlikely, even implied at the possibility of a rate increase in early 2026. And it didn’t sit well with investors.

But during times like this, it’s more important than ever to take note of the strong stock performers and the ones to stay clear of. Here are three ASX 200 shares I’m avoiding this week.

Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU)

Fletcher Building’s shares ended 0.94% higher at the close of the ASX on Thursday, at $3.22 a piece. Over the past month the New Zealand-based building and materials company’s shares have risen 5.92% meaning they’re now trading 25.29% higher than in January.

The dual-listed New Zealand-based building and materials company’s shares also closed 1.68% higher on the NZE on Thursday, at NZ$3.64 per share. 

The company recently reported ongoing declines in trading volumes for the first quarter of FY26 and expects challenging conditions to continue for the remainder of the period. It’s enough for me to steer clear.

Analysts at Macquarie have an underperform rating on the stock and a NZ$1.59 target price. Using Fletcher Building’s NZ$3.64 share price at the time of writing, this implies a massive 56.3% downside ahead.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)

CBA shares closed 0.7% lower again on Thursday afternoon, at $152.74. This means the ASX 200 company’s shares have now fallen 20.2% from its all-time high in June, and are now 3.03% lower than this time last year.

I still think the bank stock’s premium share price is far too expensive right now, and could correct even further. The majority of analysts have a sell rating on the banking giant’s stock, with a target price as low as $96.07 each. 

This implies a potential 37.1% downside over the next 12 months, based on the share price at the time of writing. The team at Medallion Financial Group urges investors to be cautious about buying the stock.

National Australia Bank Limited (ASX: NAB)

NAB is another bank stock which I think is set to drop over the next 12 months, and I’m staying clear of.

At the close of the ASX on Thursday the ASX 200 shares closed 1.03% higher. Although over the month the shares dropped 3.09%. For the year-to-date, the NAB share price is 11.12% higher.

The bank missed consensus expectations of flat earnings in the second half of FY25 and I’m concerned that this is a sign of things to come in FY26.

The team at Morgans have a sell rating and $31.46 target price on the stock. However some analysts are even more bearish, expecting NAB shares to drop as low as $28.79 a piece. At the time of writing this implies a downside of 30.43% over the next 12 months.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares I’m avoiding this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Forget CBA shares! Buy these ASX dividend shares instead for passive income
• The CBA share price has fallen 19% since June, is it a buy?
• 10 most-traded ASX shares last week
• Up 22% in a year! The red-hot ANZ share price is smashing CBA, Westpac and NAB shares

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

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares are a popular option for investors wanting exposure to iron ore.

But that doesn’t mean the mining giant is the best way to do it.

Right now, one leading broker is tipping investors to snap up a different ASX iron ore stock following a strong update.

Which ASX iron ore stock?

The stock that is being tipped as a buy is Fenix Resources Ltd (ASX: FEX).

On Thursday, its shares rocketed higher after the company unveiled its three-year production plan.

After delivering production of 2.4Mt in FY 2025, the ASX iron ore stock is now aiming to increase this materially over the next three years due to the Weld Range Project.

Fenix is guiding to production of 4.2 million to 4.8 million tonnes in FY 2026, 4.7 million to 5.3 million tonnes in FY 2027, and then 5.4 million to 6 million tonnes in FY 2028. It also reaffirmed its FY 2026 cost guidance of A$70 to A$80 per tonne, with sustaining capital for the three-year period estimated at $35 million to $45 million.

Bell Potter was pleased with the update. It said:

The staged production ramp-up provides a low-risk pathway towards 10Mtpa production, with ore sourced from adjacent hubs resulting in streamlined logistics and operational efficiencies. FEX holds mine plan optionality, with numerous Weld Range deposits across the Beebyn and Madoonga hubs.

The company is exploring several cost-reduction initiatives, including: Transition to owner-operator mining; development of private haul road to decrease mileage and increase haulage capacity; and use of transhippers to reduce shipping costs.

Forget Fortescue shares

Bell Potter currently has a hold rating on Fortescue’s shares with a price target of $19.30. This is approximately 15% below where they currently trade.

Whereas this morning, the broker has reaffirmed its buy rating and 65 cents price target on Fenix shares.

Based on its current share price of 50 cents, this implies potential upside of 30% for investors over the next 12 months.

In addition, the broker is expecting a fully franked 2% dividend yield in FY 2026, sweetening the deal further.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

FEX continues to grow its portfolio of low capital mining assets, leveraging its integrated logistics networks to underpin cash flows for growth and shareholder returns. The company holds the largest storage position at the strategic and fast-growing Geraldton Port. The expanded FEX-SMC agreement provides a clearer pathway to +10Mtpa iron ore production at significantly lower unit costs.

The post Forget Fortescue shares, this ASX iron ore stock is better appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX mining shares dominate stocks hitting 52-week highs
• Why Brazilian Rare Earths, Fenix Resources, Flight Centre, and Guzman Y Gomez shares are storming higher today
• Guess which ASX mining stock is rocketing 14% on production plans
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Best ASX mining stock to buy right now: Fortescue or South32?

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.

ASX All Ords share BCI Minerals Ltd (ASX: BCI) has delivered some outsized gains in 2025.

BCI Minerals shares closed up 1.3% yesterday, trading for 38.5 cents each, giving the company a market cap of $1.1 billion.

That sees shares in the ASX miner, which is primarily focused on producing potash and salt, up 42.6% year to date. To put those gains in some context, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up 4.9% over this same period.

And according to wealth manager Euroz Hartleys, which has as speculative buy rating on the ASX All Ords share, the stock is well-placed to deliver more outperformance in the year ahead.

If you’re not familiar with BCI Minerals, the miner owns the Mardie Salt Project, located in Western Australia. The project spans around 115 kilometres on the Pilbara coast. It will the third largest salt project in the world on completion, and the largest in Australia.

The company is targeting its first salt shipment in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2026.

Should you buy the surging ASX All Ords share today?

BCI reported its first quarter (Q1 FY 2026) results on 23 October.

Commenting on those results, which saw the ASX All Ords share close up 2.7% on the day, BCI Minerals managing director David Boshoff said, “During the September quarter, we delivered strong operational performance and solid construction momentum at Mardie, with all ponds approaching capacity.”

He added, “We embedded new technology on site, providing valuable data in real time, allowing us to monitor operations and better plan for the future.”

Euroz Hartleys was also pleased with the results.

The wealth manager noted, “Salt development construction now 74% complete, with total expenditure of $1,221m to date. On track for First Salt on Ship (FSOS) milestone end-CY26.”

On the cost front, Euroz Hartleys said, “Importantly BCI outlines remaining estimated construction cost at $441 million, covered comfortably by available funding of $676 million.”

And Euroz Hartleys expects BCI will be able to achieve higher future prices for its salt exports.

According to the wealth manager:

Salt import pricing (CFR: US$50/t to Asia ex-China, US$48/t to China) through the Jun’Q remained robust, although slight decrease QoQ (~-5%) due to lower freight costs (to Indonesia from Australia) and lower quality product (to China from India) impacting average prices. We assume LT US$60/t CFR with US$11.2/t freight costs

Connecting the dots, Euroz Hartleys said, “BCI is at an attractive entry point just over 12 months out from first salt sales, with the major development executing nicely, on track of timing schedule and budget.”

The wealth manager has a price target of 47 cents on the ASX All Ords share. That’s more than 22% above Thursday’s closing price.

The post Why this buy rated $1 billion ASX All Ords share is tipped to leap 22% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Ampol shares zoomed to reach a 52-week high
• 3 excellent Australian dividend shares to buy with $1,000
• Macquarie tips double digit upside for this ASX 200 stock
• 3 ASX 200 shares I’m avoiding this week
• Forget Fortescue shares, this ASX iron ore stock is better

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

On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a reasonably positive session and edged higher. The benchmark index rose 0.15% to 8,592 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday and end the week on a high? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise again

The Australian share market looks set to jump on Friday following a mixed night in the United States. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 100 points or 1.15% higher this morning. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 1.4% and the S&P 500 is 0.2% higher, but the Nasdaq is down 0.2%.

Oil prices tumble

It could be a poor finish to the week for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) after oil prices tumbled overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.45% to US$57.61 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 1.45% to US$61.31 a barrel. Optimism over Russia-Ukraine peace talks put pressure on oil prices.

Buy Netwealth shares

Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) shares are in the buy zone according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker upgraded the investment platform provider’s shares to a buy rating with a $31.50 price target. It said: “Upgrade to Buy. First Guardian is an overhang, but if net flows are maintained then the company is on-track to beating guidance and maybe consensus. Against this backdrop there continues to be noise – KKR is looking to exit CFS and Macquarie has disrupted its flows – so we view FY26 as a good setup and upgrade based on valuation, where NWL has averaged an EV/EBITDA multiple of 33x. The last traded price implies 29x our blended FY26-27 estimates.”

Gold price jumps

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good finish to the week after the gold price jumped overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.9% to US$4,303.9 an ounce. The precious metal has risen since the US Federal Reserve cut rates again.

NAB AGM

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares will be on watch today when it becomes the second big four bank to hold its annual general meeting this week. It is possible that the bank will provide the market with an update on recent trading. Today is also pay day for NAB shareholders, with the bank scheduled to pay its fully franked 85 cents per share dividend today.

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

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX mining shares dominate stocks hitting 52-week highs
• Charter Hall Retail REIT unveils December 2025 quarterly distribution
• Perseus Mining ends Predictive Discovery takeover bid
• Ampol launches $500 million subordinated notes facility to back EG Australia acquisition

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

The ASX is home to many top Australian dividend stocks. From Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) to BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), from Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) to Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), the Australian markets offer many companies that have decades of paying fat, fully franked dividends.

However, many of these dividend stocks have looked better as we survey them at the end of 2025. Some, perhaps Telstra and Westpac, are looking relatively expensive, and thus are offering dividend yields well below their historical averages right now. BHP and Woolies have their own issues, whether that be low commodity prices or minks in their business models that need ironing out.

That’s why, if I had to choose an Australian dividend stock to invest in today, I’d probably go for something like the SPDR MSCI Australia Select High Dividend yield ETF (ASX: SYI).

This exchange-traded fund (ETF), like most ASX ETFs, holds a basket of underlying shares. In this case, those shares are all strong ASX dividend stocks with a history of providing relatively high yields to investors.

An ASX dividend stock with a 12.7% yield?

SYI contains all of the shares mentioned above, as well as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE) and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL). All in all, this fund holds just under 60 ASX dividend stocks in a well-diversified income portfolio.

By investing in such a wide cross-section of the market, SYI can arguably offer the best income on the ASX has to offer, whilst diluting individual company risk.

Unlike most ASX dividend stocks, the SPDR Australia Select High Dividend Yield ETF pays out four dividend distributions annually. Over 2025, these quarterly payments added up to $3.72 per unit. At the current SYI unit price of $29.23, that translates to a trailing dividend distribution yield of 12.73%.

Now, before anyone rushes out to secure SYI units thinking they will enjoy a permanent 12.73% yield on their cash going forward, investors need to keep in mind that the dividend income from an ETF like this can fluctuate dramatically from year to year. The dividends received from this ETF’s underlying holdings largely dictate what the fund itself can pay out. Not to mention the erratic profits that can stem from this ETF’s periodic rebalancing.

To illustrate this inconsistency, SYI units only paid out $1.07 per unit over 2024, down significantly from that $3.72 enjoyed over 2025. Even so, if this were repeated in 2026, it would give this ASX ETF a yield of 3.66%.

Despite this unpredictable income stream, I think this Australian ETF would be a great investment for anyone who prioritises dividend income from their ASX shares today.

The post A top Australian dividend stock with a 12% yield to buy in December 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 2 ASX financial shares to sell and 1 to buy: experts
• Ranking the best “Magnificent Seven” stocks to buy for 2026. Here’s my No. 1 pick.
• Forget CBA shares! Buy these ASX dividend shares instead for passive income
• Should you invest $1,000 in Nvidia right now?

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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group, Telstra Group, and Woolworths Group. 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.