Category: Stock Market

ASX defence stocks are in the spotlight right now as ongoing geopolitical instability worsens and governments hike defence budgets.

Investors are scrambling to get in on the action, too. 

ASX defence stock superstars like Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) and Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) have seen their share prices skyrocket over the past 12 months.

Droneshield shares have jumped 293.2% over the past year alone. The counter drone technology company was one of the fastest-growing stocks on the planet last year. 

Meanwhile, EOS has secured several major contract wins recently, and its shares have risen 728% over the same 12-month period. 

The returns are impressive, and investor and analyst sentiment suggest the share prices of these ASX defence stocks could keep climbing higher this year.

But there are some other lesser-known ASX defence shares which could also experience a boom in value this year.

Titomic Ltd (ASX: TTT)

Titomic specialises in metal additive manufacturing (cold spray technology), which has applications in defence (and other markets). The company manufactures, repairs, and upgrades military equipment using advanced materials such as titanium. This can be done while the equipment is active in the field.

The company’s quarterly update, posted in late-January, revealed global expansion plans, new defence contracts, and strong cash reserves of $35.8 million as of 31st December 2025.

Titomic also recently announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to the US as part of its strategy to grow its defence and aerospace business. 

At the time of writing, the Titomic share price is up 2.27% to 22 cents. Over the past month, the shares have climbed 7.14%, but they’re still 13.46% lower over the year.

Just yesterday, Bell Potter confirmed its speculative buy rating and 50 cents price target on the ASX defence stock. That implies a 122.22% upside at the time of writing. The broker said it thinks 2027 could be the year that Titomic’s production really starts to kick off. 

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

Austal is an Australian-based global shipbuilding company specialising in the design, construction, and support of defence and commercial vessels.

These include naval vessels, defence surface warfare combatants, and law enforcement patrol boats.

The company also installs and maintains vessel command and control systems, communication and radar technology, and information management systems.

At the time of writing, Austal shares are down 1.25% for the day to $4.75 each. Over the past month, the shares have fallen 18.49%, but they’re still 24.98% higher than this time 12 months ago.

The company recently cut its earnings guidance for FY26, citing an accounting issue. The news spooked investors and triggered a sell-off.

Most analysts continue to hold a bullish stance on the ASX defence stock. Data shows three out of six analysts have a strong buy rating, two have a hold rating, and one has a strong sell rating.

The average target price is $6.70, which implies a potential 40.96% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. Although some think the shares could jump 61.97% to $7.71 each.

The post These 2 lesser-known ASX defence stocks are tipped to soar appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Bell Potter says this ASX defence stock could rocket 130%
• The five worst performing ASX 200 stocks bought and held in February unmasked
• What is Bell Potter’s view on these ASX small-cap stocks?
• These ASX 200 shares sank 20% or more in February
• Austal shares down almost 40% in a month. Is this the bottom?

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 positions in and has recommended DroneShield and Electro Optic Systems and is short shares of DroneShield. 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 Small Ords Index (ASX: XSO) has fallen 10.4% since the war in Iran began, but is 9% higher over the past 12 months.

The S&P/ASX 300 Metal & Mining Index (ASX: XMM) has also dropped 14.4% since the war started, but is up 38% over the past year.

ASX mining shares have been on a tear over the past year as commodity prices have lifted and Australia commenced a new mining boom.

ASX small-caps have also outperformed over the period, largely due to interest rates falling in many Western nations.

The war in Iran may reverse this tailwind, as we’ve seen today with the Reserve Bank of Australia lifting rates again by 0.25%.

As always with small-caps, stock selection is critical.

The following two ASX small-cap mining shares have rocketed over the past 12 months, and these experts say it’s time to sell.

Let’s find out more.

EQ Resources Ltd (ASX: EQR)

The EQ Resources share price is 33 cents, down 9.7% on Tuesday but up 713% over the past year.

EQ Resources owns a tungsten mine in Mt Carbine in North Queensland, and also holds gold exploration licences in NSW.

The company’s long-term ambition is to become Australia’s pre-eminent producer of tungsten, which is used to harden metals.

This month, Morgans issued a new note downgrading this ASX small-cap mining share from a speculative buy rating to a trim rating.

The broker increased its 12-month price target from 16 cents to 23 cents.

Morgans explained the change:

The ammonium paratungstate (APT) price continues to climb, above US$1,600 per metric tonne unit (mtu – 10kg).

We have lifted the modelled short-term price to US$1,300/mtu, and our long-term price from US$600/mtu to US$700/mtu.

With the share price above our target price, we lower our rating to TRIM from Speculative Buy.

Morgans added:

Continued strength in the tungsten price, a most critical metal, could lead to a further increase in our target price.

Lunnon Metals Ltd (ASX: LM8)

The Lunnon Metals share price is 40 cents, down 1.3% today but up 98% over the past 12 months.

Lunnon Metals is a nickel explorer with assets in the Kambalda district of Western Australia.

On The Bull this week, Nathan Lodge from Securities Vault revealed a sell rating on this ASX nickel mining share.

Lodge explained:

The company’s strategy centres on exploring and advancing sulphide nickel deposits in a region historically known for high grade discoveries and established mining infrastructure.

However, global nickel prices have been under sustained pressure as supply from Indonesia has increased rapidly, creating a structural oversupply in the market.

For companies, such as Lunnon Metals, exploration success isn’t sufficient to drive value if the underlying commodity price environment remains weak.

The nickel price is US$17,485 per tonne on Tuesday, up 4% in the year to date and up 7% over the past 12 months.

The post 2 ASX small-cap mining shares to sell: Experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why BHP, EQ Resources, Lottery Corp, and Woodside shares are falling today
• This newly-producing ASX gold company could almost double in value: Broker

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 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.

Gold stocks have certainly delivered some excellent gains as a result of the strong rally in the gold price over the past year, but for those looking to pick the next winner, it sometimes helps to ask the experts.

The analyst team at UBS has put together a list of its top five picks in the emerging gold space, with price targets as much as 120% above current levels.

Where to for commodity prices?

Firstly, let’s look at their gold price forecasts for the coming year.

UBS expects the price of gold to remain relatively steady, rising slightly from the current level of about US$5,000 to US$5,075 in FY27, before dropping back to US$4,575 in FY28.

As they said in their research note this week:

Our price forecasts align with UBS Precious Metals strategists’ views, which see an average of US$5,200 for CY26 before the rally fades. We wrote recently that risks remain skewed to the upside in the face of ongoing global uncertainty, and we expect gold to continue to benefit from shifts out of US assets. Interest has heightened across institutional and retail investors and the strength of demand has (so far) more than offset any attempts to take profits. The key drivers remain uncertainty relating to the Middle East conflict and geopolitics, ongoing trade tensions and the modest outlook for global growth, de-dollarisation but also gold offering an alternative in times of currency uncertainty.

Local companies set to benefit

Looking at the Australian emerging companies, UBS said, “strong volume growth and gold prices remaining elevated provides a healthy pathway to higher earnings and cashflow”.

UBS’ top pick among the emerging miners is Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR), for which it has a $7.50 price target compared with the current share price of $3.67.

Pantoro produced 41,623 ounces of gold for the half year but is continuing to explore for gold around its Norseman operations with a view to increasing production to 200,000 ounces per year in the medium term.

UBS’ second pick is Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX), for which it has a price target of $10.25 compared with the current share price of $6.06.

UBS said the company’s production target of 470,000 ounces by FY28 “looks conservative” and there were also cost efficiencies to be had.

UBS’ third pick is Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6), which it has a price target of $1.20 compared with the current price of 62.5 cents.

The company recently agreed to a $220 million funding package to accelerate its Bullabulling gold project, which has a mineral resource of 4.5 million ounces of gold.

UBS’ fourth pick is Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL), for which it has a price target of $11.25 per share compared with the current price of $6.42.

The team said Catalyst was targeting low capex production growth with strong free cash flow yields.

And finally, UBS’ fifth pick is Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM), for which it has a $1.60 price target compared with the current price of $1.40, with the company having a pathway to producing 200,000 ounces of gold per year by FY29 while maintaining strong free cash flow yields.

The post What are the 5 emerging ASX gold companies UBS has picked as winners? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Morgans names 3 ASX mining stocks to buy
• This ASX gold stock just dropped 32% in 2026. Here’s what it revealed today
• What just happened to the Westgold share price?
• Up 22% yesterday, Ora Banda shares leaping higher again today on ‘outstanding’ gold results
• Westgold Resources secures $600m syndicated facility in balance sheet boost

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.

If you want to build wealth in the share market, buy-and-hold investing is arguably one of the best ways to do it.

To demonstrate, let’s look at what could happen if $50,000 was invested in ASX shares and allowed to compound over the next 10 years.

The long-term return of the share market

Over long periods, the Australian share market has delivered strong total returns.

Those returns come from two main sources. The first is capital growth as company earnings expand and share prices rise. The second is dividends paid by companies like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) to shareholders.

When both are combined, it is not unreasonable to expect long-term returns somewhere around the high single digits per year.

For the sake of this example, let’s assume a total return of 9% per annum. That’s not guaranteed and the market rarely moves in a straight line, but it sits within the range of long-term historical returns for equities.

Importantly, this assumes dividends are reinvested rather than spent, allowing compounding to do its work.

The power of compounding

Compounding is one of the most powerful forces in investing.

Instead of simply earning returns on your initial investment, you begin earning returns on the gains generated in previous years.

At first the impact can feel modest. But over time it starts to accelerate.

If $50,000 earned a 9% annual return and those returns were reinvested each year, here’s how the investment could grow over a decade:

Year 1: $54,500
Year 3: $64,750
Year 5: $76,900
Year 7: $91,400
Year 10: approximately $118,400

By the end of the 10-year period, that original $50,000 investment could potentially grow to roughly $118,000.

In other words, the portfolio would have more than doubled.

The market rarely moves in a straight line

Of course, real investing never looks as smooth as a spreadsheet.

There will almost certainly be years where the market falls. Corrections, volatility, and negative headlines are simply part of the investing journey.

But historically, patient investors who stay invested in quality businesses and reinvest dividends have been rewarded over time.

The key is focusing on the long-term compounding of returns rather than the short-term ups and downs of the market.

Building wealth over time

A decade may feel like a long time, but in investing terms it is actually quite short.

Many of the world’s most successful investors have built their wealth over several decades by allowing compounding to work quietly in the background.

For investors who continue adding new money to their portfolios over time, the results can become even more powerful.

Foolish takeaway

A $50,000 investment in ASX shares might not sound life-changing at first.

But if that investment were able to generate an average return of 9% per year and those returns were reinvested, it could grow to roughly $118,000 in 10 years.

That’s the power of long-term investing and compounding. And for patient investors, the real magic often begins after the first decade.

The post What could $50,000 in ASX shares become in 10 years? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares at 52-week lows: Buy, hold, or sell?
• These 2 lesser-known ASX defence stocks are tipped to soar
• 2 ASX small-cap mining shares to sell: Experts
• What are the 5 emerging ASX gold companies UBS has picked as winners?
• ASX 200 resilient in face of latest RBA interest rate increase

Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Commonwealth Bank Of Australia. 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.

After kicking the day off in positive territory, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) traded close to flat for much of Tuesday.

At 2:30pm AEDT, the benchmark Aussie index was back up just under 0.2% at 8,598.7 points.

That’s when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) reported its latest interest rate decision. The benchmark index initially gained on the decision, before retracing to 8,596.1 points, still up around 0.2% for the day.

As you’re likely aware, on 3 February, at its first meeting of 2026, the RBA increased the official cash rate by 0.25% to 3.85% amid concerns over resurgent inflation.

That marked the first time ASX 200 investors were faced with an interest rate hike since November 2023, when the RBA lifted rates to 4.35%. The central bank then cut rates by 0.25% three times in 2025.

Today, the RBA announced its second interest hike of the year.

With market expectations of another rate increase at around 60% this morning, ASX 200 investors look to be taking the news in stride.

Here’s why the RBA opted to lift interest rates again today.

ASX 200 steady as RBA hikes interest rates

The RBA reported that it decided to increase the cash rate target by another 0.25%, bringing Australia’s official interest rate to 4.10%.

“While inflation has fallen substantially since its peak in 2022, it picked up materially in the second half of 2025,” the board said.

Some of those inflationary pressures that see ASX 200 investors facing higher interest rates remain on the domestic front, driven by stronger-than-expected growth in domestic demand.

“Information since the February meeting suggests that some of the increase in inflation reflects greater capacity pressures,” the RBA noted.

The central bank also pointed to surging global energy prices fuelled by the United States and Israel’s war with Iran as potentially driving broader price increases.

“In addition, the conflict in the Middle East has resulted in sharply higher fuel prices, which, if sustained, will add to inflation. Short-term measures of inflation expectations have already risen.”

And ASX 200 investors and mortgage holders alike would do well to prepare for higher rates for longer.

“The board judged that there is a material risk that inflation will remain above target for longer than previously anticipated,” its members revealed.

All told, markets are facing plenty of uncertainty.

According to the RBA:

Globally, the conflict in the Middle East poses substantial risks in both directions. A longer or more severe conflict could put further upward pressure on global energy prices; this will push up near-term inflation and could also increase inflation further out if it impairs supply capacity or price rises get built into longer term inflation expectations.

Higher prices and prolonged uncertainty may cause growth to be lower in Australia’s major trading partners and also in Australia.

Unlike the recent unanimous decisions, five board members voted to lift the cash rate today, while four voted to keep it on hold.

Despite the higher rate environment, the ASX 200 has gained 9.5% over the past year.

The post ASX 200 resilient in face of latest RBA interest rate increase appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Worst fortnight in 4 years: How the Iran war is affecting ASX shares
• Challenger revises Pepper Money bid to $2.25 in latest update
• New Hope Corporation 1H FY26: Profit falls, interim dividend declared
• West African Resources posts $567m profit as gold production grows
• RBA tipped to lift interest rates again as oil surge fuels inflation fears

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.

There are a lot of blue-chip ASX 200 shares to pick from on the Australian share market.

But not all are necessarily buys right now.

So, to narrow things down, let’s see what analysts are saying about three of the most popular shares on the ASX 200 index. Here’s what you need to know:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

BHP is the world’s largest mining company and a major producer of commodities such as iron ore, copper, and metallurgical coal.

One positive currently working in its favour is the strength in copper prices. Copper is widely viewed as one of the most important commodities for electrification, renewable energy infrastructure, and electric vehicles. With demand expected to rise strongly over the coming decade, BHP’s significant exposure to copper could become an increasingly valuable part of its portfolio.

But does this make BHP shares a buy?

Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating on the mining giant with a $56.00 price target. Meanwhile, Ord Minnett has an accumulate rating with a $54.00 price target. This compares favourably to the current BHP share price of $49.39.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

CSL is one of Australia’s largest healthcare companies and a global leader in plasma therapies, vaccines, and biotechnology products.

Unlike some other ASX heavyweights, CSL has not enjoyed much positive momentum recently. Its shares have come under significant pressure and are trading well below their historical highs, which has left the company looking relatively cheap compared to its long-term valuation.

Is this an opportunity to buy a high-quality healthcare business with global operations, a large research pipeline, and strong positions in specialised treatment markets?

Despite its struggles, brokers remain positive on CSL and see value in its shares. Morgans has a buy rating on the healthcare giant with a $241.34 price target, while UBS also has a buy rating and a $235.00 price target. This compares to the current CSL share price of $139.86.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

Woodside is Australia’s largest oil and gas producer and generates the bulk of its earnings from global energy markets.

One of the major positives currently supporting the company is the strength in oil prices, which are trading above US$100 per barrel due to the war in the Middle East. Higher oil prices typically translate into stronger cash flow for energy producers, which can support dividends and investment in new projects.

Does this make Woodside shares a buy?

Well, due to recent share price strength, brokers are largely on the fence with this one. UBS currently has a neutral (hold) rating on the company with a $28.10 price target, while Macquarie also has a neutral rating with a $30.00 price target. This compares to the current Woodside share price of $31.51.

The post Buy, hold, sell: BHP, CSL, and Woodside shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares at 52-week lows: Buy, hold, or sell?
• If the oil price remains above US$100, Woodside shares could be raining dividends before Christmas
• Should you buy the dip on ASX mining shares?
• Rio Tinto shares charge higher on big copper news
• Should I invest $2,000 in the VAS ETF?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in CSL and Woodside Energy Group Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group and CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Shares in New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) are heading south on Wednesday after fresh comments about Australia’s energy transition.

At the time of writing, the New Hope share price is down 5.85% to $4.99. Despite today’s decline, the coal producer’s shares remain up more than 24% in 2026.

The move follows the company’s latest results and renewed attention to management’s comments on Australia’s energy policy and transition.

Here’s what investors need to know.

Coal still needed to keep the lights on

According to The Australian, New Hope chief executive Rob Bishop said the current global energy crisis highlights challenges for renewable power. He noted it may take time before renewables can fully replace coal.

Bishop said recent geopolitical tensions have once again exposed vulnerabilities in global energy supply. Disruptions across oil and LNG markets linked to the Middle East conflict have pushed energy prices higher and reminded policymakers about the importance of reliable power.

The New Hope boss argued that renewable energy still has a long way to go before it can fully support Australia’s electricity needs, particularly when it comes to maintaining consistent power supply.

Bishop said:

Energy is important; it goes into everything we use. So we need to make sure the lights stay on and we need a base load which is going to do that.

At the moment, renewables don’t provide that power source, and until that happens, we’re going to need coal to keep the economy running.

Debate around coal fired power continues

The comments come as debate continues over Australia’s energy transition and the role coal will play in the country’s future power mix.

Bishop said investment is more likely to flow toward extending the life of existing power stations rather than building entirely new coal plants.

While some politicians have proposed new coal fired generation, he suggested such projects would require major policy backing and would take a long time to deliver.

“There would have to be a big change in policy at federal and state levels for that to happen,” Bishop said.

Coal prices surge as global supply tightens

The comments also come as global coal markets have been strengthening again.

Newcastle coal futures are a key benchmark for Australian thermal coal exports. Prices recently climbed to around US$140 per tonne amid geopolitical disruptions to energy supply chains.

Higher coal prices have historically been a major driver of earnings for Australian producers.

New Hope exports most of the coal produced at its operations. This includes the Bengalla mine in New South Wales, with much of the supply heading to customers across Asia.

What next for the New Hope share price?

Despite ongoing debate about coal’s long-term role in the global energy mix, the sector continues to benefit from strong demand across parts of Asia.

Based on the current share price, New Hope has a market capitalisation of about $4.2 billion.

Although the company’s shares are weaker today, the stock has still delivered a solid performance over the past year as energy markets remain tight.

The post Why the New Hope share price is sliding today as coal debate heats up appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why New Hope, Pepper Money, Pro Medicus, and Reece shares are falling today
• Should you buy New Hope shares for passive income today?
• Why I invested $3,000 into this great ASX share last week
• New Hope shares crash 12% on profit crunch and big dividend cut
• New Hope Corporation 1H FY26: Profit falls, interim dividend declared

Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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.

Building long-term wealth in the share market often comes down to owning high-quality businesses.

These companies typically have strong competitive advantages, large market opportunities, and strategies that allow them to expand over time.

With that in mind, here are three ASX 200 shares that could be worth considering for smart investors looking to build wealth over the years ahead.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The first ASX 200 share that could be a top long-term investment is Life360.

It operates the world’s leading family safety and location-sharing platform, helping families stay connected through features such as location tracking, safe driving reports, and emergency assistance. The company has built a massive global user base, which gives it a powerful foundation for monetisation through subscriptions, advertising, and connected hardware devices.

The platform is growing rapidly. Life360 finished FY 2025 with approximately 95.8 million monthly active users, up 20% year over year, while Paying Circles increased 26% to 2.8 million subscribers. Revenue for the year climbed 32% to US$489.5 million, highlighting the strength of its freemium model and growing monetisation.

Looking ahead, management believes the business has the potential to scale significantly. The company is targeting 150 million monthly active users and US$1 billion in annual revenue, supported by subscription growth and the expansion of its advertising platform. With a large user base, growing monetisation engines, and strong guidance for further growth, Life360 could have a long runway ahead.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Another ASX 200 share that could be worth considering is Goodman Group.

The company owns, develops, and manages logistics properties and data centres in major global cities. These assets play a critical role in the digital economy, supporting industries such as e-commerce, logistics, and cloud computing.

Importantly, Goodman is increasingly positioned to benefit from the rapid growth in data infrastructure. Data centres now account for 73% of its development work in progress, reflecting strong demand from hyperscale technology companies and cloud providers. The company also has a significant 6.0 gigawatt global power bank across key markets, giving it the ability to develop new data centre projects over time.

With a portfolio valued at $87.4 billion, strong capital partners, and a pipeline of development opportunities, Goodman appears well placed to benefit from long-term demand for digital infrastructure.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

A third ASX 200 share that could be worth a closer look is ResMed.

It is a global leader in connected devices and digital platforms designed to treat sleep apnoea and other respiratory conditions. It combines medical devices, masks, and cloud-connected software to support patients and healthcare providers.

One of the most compelling aspects of the business is the size of its addressable market. Sleep apnoea alone is estimated to affect more than one billion people globally, yet fewer than 20% of sufferers in the United States and less than 10% in the rest of the world are diagnosed or treated.

This large and underpenetrated market provides a significant long-term growth opportunity. Combined with its growing digital health ecosystem and innovation pipeline, ResMed could continue to expand its global leadership in sleep and respiratory care for many years to come.

The post Life360 and two ASX 200 shares for smart investors to buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The Dateline Resources Ltd (ASX: DTR) share price is on the move today after the mining explorer released an update.

At the time of writing, the Dateline share price is up 3.30% to 47 cents.

The stock has delivered extraordinary gains over a longer timeframe. Dateline shares are now up more than 100% in 2026 and have surged an astonishing 8,950% over the past 12 months.

Here is what the company revealed today.

Dateline completes airborne survey at Music Valley project

Dateline announced that it has completed a high-resolution airborne magnetic and radiometric survey over its Music Valley heavy rare-earth element (HREE) project in California, United States.

The helicopter-based survey covered 2,172 line kilometres over the expanded project area.

The program was completed ahead of schedule.

The survey was flown with 50 metre spacing between lines at about 30 metres above the ground. This should produce detailed data to help geologists better understand the area.

Dateline said the data has now been delivered to Mitre Geophysics for processing, inversion, and analysis.

The results will be integrated with ongoing field mapping and rock chip sampling programs currently underway at the site.

Mapping and sampling programs underway

Alongside the airborne survey, Dateline confirmed that field mapping and sampling activities have commenced at Music Valley.

The company said its rare earths element specialists are currently working across the expanded project area to collect geological data and rock samples.

The initial exploration focus will be on outcrops of Pinto Gneiss and surrounding contact zones. These are believed to host potential rare earths mineralisation.

Rock chip samples collected during this program will be sent for laboratory analysis, with assay results expected in around 5 to 7 weeks.

Dateline said the work will help it better understand the geology of the area and identify potential locations for future drilling.

Managing Director Stephen Baghdadi noted that completing the airborne survey is an important step in the company’s exploration plans.

He added that the data will now be combined with fieldwork to guide the next stage of exploration across the project area.

A closer look at Dateline

Dateline is a mining and exploration company focused on projects in North America.

The company’s flagship asset is the Colosseum Gold-REE Project, located in San Bernardino County, California.

Dateline also holds 100% of the Music Valley heavy rare earth project, which sits in the same broader geological region.

Rare earths elements are considered strategically important minerals due to their use in electronics, renewable energy technologies, and defence applications.

Exploration activity is continuing at the Music Valley project, with assay results expected in the coming weeks.

The post This ASX mining stock just jumped again. Here’s what it announced today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Aaron Teboneras 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.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares have been on fire in 2026.

In early afternoon trade today, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) energy stock are down 0.2%, trading for $31.66 apiece.

Despite that minor dip, Woodside shares remain up a whopping 34.2% since the closing bell sounded on 31 December.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 1.5% year to date.

Taking a step back, shares in the ASX 200 oil and gas stock are up 38.8% since this time last year.

And that doesn’t include the $1.653 in fully-franked dividends the company paid (or shortly will pay) eligible stockholders over the year. At the current share price, this sees Woodside trading on a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 5.2%.

But passive income investors could see a significantly juicier dividend yield from the company’s next interim dividend payout. Woodside should be paying its interim dividend in late September or early October, in plenty of time to help pay for those Christmas presents.

Here’s what’s happening.

Woodside shares surging alongside global oil prices

On 31 December, a barrel of Brent crude oil was trading for US$60.85, according to data from Bloomberg.

Today, as the United States and Israeli war with Iran continues to disrupt global oil markets, that same barrel is fetching US$102.97. This sees the oil price up a blistering 69.2% in 2026. And it’s seen investors piling into Woodside shares amid expectations of higher profits and dividends to come.

Now, we’re fervently hoping that the Middle East conflict ends sooner rather than later. An acceptable resolution should see oil prices come back down. There’s no shortage of oil, after all, just a shortage of safe shipping routes.

But if the conflict does drag on, and the oil price remains near or above US$100 per barrel, investors could see a return to the supersized dividends delivered by Woodside shares in 2022 and early 2023.

As you may recall, following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the Brent crude oil price rocketed to US$118 per barrel in March of that year, with oil topping US$122 per barrel in June. The oil price remained above US$100 per barrel through August 2022. And it led to outsized profits for ASX 200 energy stocks like Woodside.

And the company wasn’t stingy when it came to sharing the wealth.

On 10 October 2022, Woodside paid a fully-franked interim dividend of $1.60 a share. The company then paid an all-time high final dividend of $2.154 a share on 5 April 2023.

That equates to a full-year payout of $3.754 a share.

At the current Woodside share price, that would equate to a fully-franked yield of 11.9%.

Or more than twice the actual trailing dividend yield Woodside stock is currently trading on.

But then that yield is based on the far lower oil and gas prices the company received in 2025.

Should the oil price remain above US$100 per barrel for much of this year, passive income investors may well see that yield approach the levels they enjoyed three years ago.

The post If the oil price remains above US$100, Woodside shares could be raining dividends before Christmas appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.