Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) released its eagerly anticipated half-year results this morning and has declared its latest interim dividend.

Here is what investors need to know.

Westpac’s half-year results

As a reminder, Westpac released a solid half-year result that showed earnings growth and a strong capital position.

The bank reported statutory net profit of $3.4 billion, up 3% on the first half of FY 2025 but down 5% on the second half. Net profit excluding notable items came in at $3.5 billion, up 1% on the prior corresponding period and down 1% on the previous half.

Westpac also ended the half with a CET1 capital ratio of 12.4%, which is above its target ratio of 11.25% in normal operating conditions.

Commenting on the half, Westpac CEO Anthony Miller said:

This half, we’ve delivered solid operating momentum while investing for the future. Our strong balance sheet and disciplined focus will allow us to support customers through global uncertainty.

He also noted that growth was solid across lending and deposits, saying:

Growth is solid across lending and deposits, with several highlights. We grew Australian mortgages, excluding RAMS, in the half at 1.2x system, with the proportion of new first party lending increasing. We are supporting Australian businesses with lending up across both business and institutional over the past year. At the same time we are managing costs, which are down from the prior half.

The Westpac dividend

In light of this performance, the Westpac board declared a fully franked interim ordinary dividend of 77 cents per share.

This was flat on the previous half but an increase of 1.3% on last year’s interim dividend, and represents a payout ratio of 77.1%.

Westpac shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend for this payout on 8 May 2026.

The ex-dividend date is when investors need to own the shares before to qualify for the dividend.

If an investor buys Westpac shares on or after the ex-dividend date, they will not receive this interim dividend. Instead, the seller keeps the entitlement.

When will the dividend be paid?

The good news is that investors won’t have to wait too long for payment.

Westpac advised that the interim dividend is scheduled to be paid next month on 26 June 2026.

The bank’s dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) will apply to this dividend. However, unlike the National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) DRP, Westpac’s will not include a discount.

The post Everything you need to know about the latest Westpac dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• NextDC shares pull back after a funding update. Here’s what you need to know
• Westpac share price rises on $3.5bn first-half profit
• Westpac posts higher profit in 1H26 results
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) and NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are stirring up investor interest on Tuesday.

As we head into the Tuesday lunch hour, two of the ASX heavyweights are outpacing the 0.8% losses posted by the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) at time of writing, while one is trailing that performance.

Here’s what’s happening.

NextDC shares gain on $1.8 billion funding news

NextDC shares are up a 0.1%, trading for $14.09 each.

This comes after the ASX 200 data centre operator and developer announced that it has secured $1.8 billion in new senior debt facilities from a syndicate of domestic and international banks.

With the new funding in place, NextDC now has $8.2 billion of senior debt available.

The company said it intends to use the new funds for ongoing data centre developments amid strong demand growth, as well as general corporate purposes.

On 20 April, the company reported a record increase in contracted utilisation.

NextDC shares are up 15% in 2026.

Which brings us to…

Ampol shares lift on Macquarie presentation

Ampol shares are also making headlines and outperforming today.

Shares in the Aussie fuel supplier are up 0.5% at time of writing, trading for $35.44 each.

This comes following Ampol’s company presentation at the annual Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) Conference.

As you may be aware, Ampol operates the Lytton refinery, located in Brisbane, one of only two domestic refineries remaining in Australia.

Management focused on the impacts of the Middles East conflict, noting that the world is losing around 10 million barrels of oil per day due to the ongoing hostilities.

Ampol said it was well placed at the start of the Iran war at the end of February, with its crude and product secured through Q2 2026. The ASX 200 energy stock expects tightness during Q3.

The company added that domestic refining plays a critical role when global supply is disrupted.

Management noted, “Ampol is uniquely positioned through its integrated supply chain, with domestic refining, independent trading and shipping capabilities and a national terminal and distribution network.”

In the first quarter of 2026, Ampol reported a Lytton Refiner Margin (LRM) of US$25.45 per barrel.

Ampol shares are up 10% in 2026.

And finally…

Westpac shares sink amid economic outlook concerns

Joining Ampol and NextDC shares in turning heads today, Westpac released its first half results this morning.

Shares in the ASX 200 bank stock are down 1.8%, changing hands for $37.80 each, despite Westpac reporting a 3% year on year increase in statutory net profit to $3.4 billion. However, statutory net profits were down 5% from the prior half.

On the passive income front, management declared a fully franked interim dividend of 77 cents per share. That’s up from last year’s interim dividend of 76 cents per share.

Investor may also be favouring their sell buttons amid concerns over the Iran war’s looming impact on the Aussie economy and the bank’s second half performance.

“The war in the Middle East is presenting challenges for some customers, and the economic impact of the conflict will continue through the year,” Westpac’s CEO Anthony Miller said.

Westpac shares are down 3% in 2026.

The post Why is everyone talking about Westpac, Ampol and NextDC shares on Tuesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Everything you need to know about the latest Westpac dividend
• NextDC shares pull back after a funding update. Here’s what you need to know
• Brent crude oil price rips to 4-year high amid missile strikes in Strait of Hormuz
• Westpac share price rises on $3.5bn first-half profit
• NEXTDC secures $1.8bn in new senior debt to boost liquidity

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 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.

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) shares are having a rough session on Tuesday after the fund manager released a fresh update.

At the time of writing, the Magellan share price is down a sizeable 7.54% to $9.56.

That leaves the stock down around 4% in 2026, though it remains up about 24% over the past year.

Here’s what landed this morning.

Magellan reshuffles global equities funds

According to the release, Magellan announced changes to the investment management arrangements for its Global Equities strategy.

The Magellan Global Fund Open Class Units and Magellan Global Fund Hedged will move to the Vinva Global Alpha Strategy.

Vinva Investment Management will become the investment manager of the funds.

In total, those funds had about $5.3 billion in assets under management at 30 April 2026.

Magellan Asset Management will remain the responsible entity and will keep responsibility for distribution.

The company also intends to close the Magellan Global Equities Fund (currency hedged), which had about $94 million in assets.

Magellan said the investment strategy and philosophy for its Global Opportunities strategy will remain unchanged.

Alan Pullen will continue as portfolio manager, with Ryan Joyce staying on as deputy portfolio manager.

Fees cut as part of the change

The other big part of today’s update is the fee cut.

Magellan will reduce management fees across the affected funds from 1.35% per year to 0.89% per year.

In addition, performance fees will also be removed.

On paper, that should make the funds more competitive for clients.

The issue for shareholders is that lower fees also mean less revenue from a sizeable pool of funds.

Magellan said the funds are expected to see an average fee reduction of about 55 basis points, including sub-advisory fees.

The company expects the changes to be implemented in early June, subject to ASX approvals.

Why investors are selling

Magellan expects to realise direct cost savings of about $7 million a year from the changes.

That includes a smaller global equities team and lower fund administration costs.

At 30 April, it also managed about $3.7 billion in similar mandates.

The company said it is still working through how these changes will affect those clients.

That may explain some of the pressure on the share price today.

The cost savings are useful, but they do not fully offset the bigger concern here. Magellan is cutting fees and making more changes while the business is still trying to rebuild confidence.

What did management say

CEO and Managing Director Sophia Rahmani said the move was about improving outcomes and positioning the business better.

She said:

Today’s announcement reflects our commitment to putting clients first and our insight into client needs today and in the future.

Rahmani also said Vinva has a strong long-term track record.

She added that the lower fees strengthen the competitiveness of Magellan’s global equities offering.

Foolish Takeaway

I am not in a rush to step in here.

The fee cuts may make the funds easier to sell, but I still want to see evidence that this actually improves flows.

Magellan has already been through a long reset, and today’s update adds another moving piece.

Until fund flows start moving in the right direction, I’ll be holding off on any investment in the stock.

The post Why Magellan shares are getting smashed today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Morgans names 3 ASX 200 shares to buy now
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• Why is the Magellan share price rising today?
• Why Magellan, Telix and Fortescue shares are grabbing headlines on Friday

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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) healthcare shares are down 0.3% on Tuesday.

Healthcare has been the worst performer of the 11 ASX 200 market sectors over the past year, falling 40%.

The healthcare sector faces many challenges, including currency headwinds, US tariffs for larger companies, and higher labour costs.

Crumbling consumer confidence is leading to delayed medical decisions, and we are likely to see further interest rate rises in Australia.

Investors are also wary of the potential impact of artificial intelligence (AI), especially for software-as-a-service (SaaS) providers.

ASX 200 biotechs are also grappling with uncertainty with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Trump administration.

Recently, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) hit a six-year low, and many sector giants are trading around 52-week lows.

Some brokers say this downward sector spiral is an opportunity.

Here are four ASX healthcare shares that have attracted new buy ratings this week.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price is $137.58, down 0.8% today and down 46% over six months.

Pro Medicus designs medical imaging software and services for healthcare providers around the world.

This ASX 200 healthcare share hit a record $336 per share last July following an amazing two-year run.

The Pro Medicus share price has since deteriorated significantly.

Morgan Stanley maintains a buy rating with a 12-month target of $200, implying 45% upside ahead.

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

The Mesoblast share price is $2.22, up 0.7% today and down 20% in the year to date (YTD).

Mesoblast specialises in allogeneic cellular medicines for severe inflammatory diseases.

Bell Potter has reaffirmed its speculative buy rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share.

The broker has a $4.45 price target on Mesoblast shares, suggesting a doubling in value over the next year.

Bell Potter said:

At the very least, today’s cash flow result should provide shareholders with confidence that MSB can generate earnings and cash flow positive operations from sales of Ryoncil alone.

The company’s future is looking brighter than ever with revenues expanding and new product approvals now well advanced for heart failure and chronic lower back pain. 

Resmed CDI (ASX: RMD)

This ASX 200 healthcare share is trading 1.8% higher at $29.49 on Tuesday.

The Resmed share price has fallen 18.5% YTD.

Morgans reiterated its buy rating on Resmed shares after the sleep device developer released its 3Q FY26 report.

The broker said Resmed delivered double-digit revenue and earnings growth, further margin expansion, and strong cash flow generation.

Morgans commented:

Sleep and respiratory demand remains robust, with continued mask strength and ROW re-acceleration, while SaaS remains stable but subdued.

Notably, GM expansion continues, underpinned via manufacturing, procurement and logistics efficiencies.

And while macro uncertainties remain and investors seemingly focus on variability in US device growth while pondering if the Noctrix acquisition is merely a ‘plug’ to a slowing core, we view these concerns as myopic and manageable.

Morgans has a $41.72 price target on Resmed shares, implying 42% growth ahead.

Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)

Cochlear shares are $100.50, up 0.2% today and down 62% YTD.

The Cochlear share price hit an 11-year low of $88.74 after the hearing implant maker downgraded its earnings guidance last month.

Cochlear cited many challenges, including capacity constraints at hospitals, falling consumer confidence, cancellations in the Middle East, industrial action by healthcare professionals in Italy and Spain, and China lowering its reimbursements to patients.

However, Canaccord Genuity sees an opportunity, and reiterated its buy rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share last week.

But the broker more than halved its 12-month price target from $295 to $120.

The post 4 ASX healthcare shares to buy as sector struggles: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Buy, hold, sell: Mesoblast, Mineral Resources, and Woolworths shares

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 Cochlear and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear and Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO) share price is in focus today after the specialist business lender reported strong Q3 lending growth and robust deposit franchise performance at the Macquarie Australia Conference.

What did Judo Capital report?

• Gross loans and advances (GLA) reached $13.8 billion as at March 2026, up from $12.9 billion at December 2025
• Quarterly lending margin (NIM) improved to ~3.15%, up from 3.03% in 1H26
• Attrition decreased to 15% annualised in Q3, indicating higher customer retention
• Deposit balances grew to a record $11.5 billion
• Common equity tier 1 (CET1) capital ratio held firm at 12.6%
• Collective provisioning increased to 94bps of GLA, reflecting prudent credit management

What else do investors need to know?

The launch of Judo’s Direct Online Savings Account in February 2026 has seen at-call savings balances top $1.1 billion, strengthening its deposit base. The bank’s AAA pipeline sits at $2.2 billion, with an average margin of 4.3%, pointing to continued lending momentum.

Judo has reviewed its lending portfolio on a client-by-client basis, as a response to ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty, ensuring most customers remain in strong financial health. Increased expected credit loss (ECL) provisioning, particularly in sectors affected by fuel prices and economic trends, demonstrates a cautious approach to risk.

What’s next for Judo Capital?

Judo reaffirmed its FY26 guidance, targeting GLA of $14.4–$14.7 billion and a NIM at the upper end of 3.00%–3.10%. The bank expects its cost-to-income ratio to further improve in the second half of FY26, and its cost of risk to remain within 70–75bps of average loans.

Management remains confident Judo can support ongoing lending growth and become capital self-sustaining, supported by a strong CET1 ratio and other capital management levers like securitisation.

Judo Capital share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Judo Capital shares have declined 3%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 6% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Judo Capital Q3 2026: Lending and deposit growth shine appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is hovering around 8,700 points, which is not far below its record high of approximately 9,200 points.

That can make buying feel a little harder. When the market is already trading at elevated levels, I think investors need to be more selective. I would rather focus on high-quality businesses with long-term growth runways than chase whatever has already been running hot.

One ASX blue chip stock I would still consider buying in this environment is ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD).

A global healthcare leader

I think ResMed is one of the strongest healthcare businesses on the ASX.

The company develops products to treat sleep apnoea and breathing disorders, as well as software solutions for home healthcare. This gives it exposure to several powerful long-term trends, including ageing populations, rising awareness of sleep health, and the shift toward care being delivered outside hospitals.

What I like most is that ResMed is not relying on one narrow product line.

It has devices, masks and accessories, software, data, and connected health platforms. That creates a broader ecosystem around patients, clinicians, and healthcare providers.

Its latest third-quarter update showed the business still has momentum. Revenue increased 11% to US$1.4 billion, while earnings per share rose 21% to US$2.86. ResMed also reported a 290-basis-point lift in its gross margin.

I would not buy the stock purely because of one quarterly result, but I think that update supports the view that the business remains in good shape.

A huge addressable market

For me, the bigger reason to like ResMed is the size of the opportunity.

Sleep apnoea remains massively underdiagnosed and undertreated globally. ResMed’s presentation points to more than 1 billion people with sleep apnoea, with fewer than 20% of patients diagnosed or treated in the US and fewer than 10% in the rest of the world.

That is the kind of runway I like in a blue chip.

ResMed does not need to invent a completely new market to keep growing. It can continue expanding access, improving diagnosis, and helping more patients move onto treatment.

The company also has a growing digital advantage. Its ecosystem includes more than 26 billion nights of respiratory medical data, more than 36 million patients in AirView, and more than 34 million cloud-connectable devices worldwide.

I think that data and connectivity could become increasingly valuable as healthcare becomes more digital, personalised, and outcome-focused.

Innovation remains important

Another reason I would consider this ASX blue chip stock is that it continues to invest in new products.

The company highlighted its AirSense 11 rollout into more global markets and newer mask launches such as AirTouch N30i and AirTouch F30i. It is also expanding into adjacent sleep health areas, including its planned acquisition of Noctrix, which has a device for refractory moderate-to-severe restless leg syndrome.

That tells me ResMed is still thinking about the broader sleep health market, rather than standing still with its existing portfolio.

Foolish takeaway

With the ASX 200 around 8,700 points, I would be careful about what I buy.

But ResMed is one ASX blue chip stock I think still deserves attention.

It has a global market position, a large underpenetrated opportunity, strong recent earnings momentum, and a growing digital health ecosystem.

For investors looking beyond short-term market levels, I think those qualities make it a blue chip worth considering.

The post 1 ASX blue chip stock I’d consider buying with the ASX 200 around 8,700 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) shares are lifting off today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) travel stock closed yesterday trading for $10.16. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares are changing hands for $10.42 apiece, up 2.6%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.6% at this same time.

This outperformance follows the company’s presentation and trading update at the annual Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) Conference.

Here’s what we know.

Flight Centre shares lift on profit growth

In a trading update cover the nine months to 31 March, the ASX 200 travel stock reported a 7.6% year on year increase in total transaction value (TTV) to $19.5 billion.

Management noted that the third quarter showed strong momentum, with Q3 TTV up 6.8% to $7 billion, representing 9.4% growth in constant currency.

Flight Centre shares also look to be getting a lift from the 9.7% year-on-year increase in underlying profit before tax (UPBT), which reached $226.4 million over the nine months.

The company’s corporate segment enjoyed a 23% increase in UPBT, while profits in its leisure segment were up 2% from the same nine-month period last year.

And if you held Flight Centre stock at market close on 24 April, you’ll have received the fully franked interim dividend of 12 cents per share on 16 April.

The first nine months of FY 2026 also saw the company complete its $200 million share buyback program.

“We’ve seen strong momentum in both our corporate and leisure businesses, despite a challenging travel environment,” Flight Centre chief financial officer Adam Campbell said.

“Our people have gone above and beyond for customers, and our focus on technology and efficiency continues to deliver returns,” he added.

What’s next for the ASX 200 travel stock?

Looking to what could impact the Flight Centre share price in the months ahead, investors would do well to keep an eye on potential disruption from the Middle East conflict.

Today, management reaffirmed the company’s full year FY 2026 UPBT guidance of $315 million to $350 million.

But Flight Centre said that it is continuing to closely monitor the impact of world events on its short-term results, with hostilities in the Middle East “creating near-term uncertainty and temporarily disrupting international travel patterns”.

For now, investors will have to settle for some ongoing uncertainty, with Flight Centre noting that the impact of ongoing unrest and potential future fuel supply disruptions are “not currently clear heading into the key May-June trading period”.

While the company said its global corporate business has not yet been significantly impacted, its leisure business took an estimated $10 million profit hit in April amid the ongoing hostilities.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, Flight Centre shares remain down 19% since this time last year, not including dividends.

The post Why are Flight Centre shares jumping higher in Tuesday’s sinking market? 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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. 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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are down 0.6% to 8,642 points after missile strikes in the Strait of Hormuz.

The US and Iran fired on each other, and Iranian drones hit vessels from South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Iran also hit an oil port in the UAE, causing a large fire.

The four-week-old ceasefire is now in jeopardy as the US tries to restart shipping via US Navy escort under ‘Project Freedom’.

ASX 200 energy shares are leading the market today, up 1%, with technology not too far behind, up 0.8%.

Meanwhile, three experts give us their views on three ASX stocks.

Let’s check them out.

ASX 200 shares attracting buy ratings this week

Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL)

The Deep Yellow share price is $1.81, down 1.6% today and down 7.4% in the year to date (YTD).

On the The Bull this week, Michael Gable of Fairmont Securities explained his buy rating on this ASX 200 uranium share.

Gable said:

The uranium sector remains promising because demand should continue to outpace supply for the next few years.

Although the uranium price has edged higher in the past several months, I’m expecting a much bigger move to occur soon when utilities return to contract for future supplies.

This uranium developer, based in Namibia, appears cheap at these levels and it’s highly leveraged to any increase in the underlying uranium price.

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR)

The Liontown share price is $2.39, down 1.2% today and up 47% YTD.

Bell Potter has reiterated its buy rating on this ASX 200 lithium share and lifted its 12-month target from $2.42 to $2.65.

Liontown released its 3Q FY26 report last week.

After reviewing the report, the broker said:

LTR is now in a net cash position. Over FY26-27, LTR will continue to ramp up and de-risk Kathleen Valley.

With current lithium price strength, LTR can rapidly generate cash to support incremental production expansions and shareholder returns.

Kathleen Valley is highly strategic in terms of scale, long project life and location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction.

LTR has offtake contracts with top-tier EV and battery OEMs.

Alkane Resources Ltd (ASX: ALK)

The Alkane Resources share price is $1.45, down 1.9% today and up 46% over six months.

Bell Potter has renewed its buy rating on this ASX 200 gold share and lifted its target from $1.95 to $2.10.

In a new note, the broker said:

ALK offers multimine gold and antimony exposure across three attractive jurisdictions, a strong balance sheet and an operating platform focused on organic and inorganic growth options.

Valuation metrics are undemanding and we retain our Buy recommendation.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares to buy this week: Experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are drifting lower on Tuesday following a pre-market update from the data centre operator.

At the time of writing, the share price is down 0.99% to $13.94.

Despite the small decline, the stock is still up about 26% over the past month as momentum has built.

By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up a modest 0.72% over the same period.

Here’s what was announced.

$1.8 billion debt facility locked in

According to the release, NextDC has secured $1.8 billion in new senior debt commitments from a syndicate of domestic and global banks.

The funding comes from a group that includes the major four banks, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

The new facilities will lift total available senior debt from $4.6 billion to $8.2 billion once completed.

Liquidity is also expected to increase, with the company pointing to around $5.4 billion in cash and undrawn capacity.

The facilities will sit under existing terms and carry margins broadly in line with its current debt.

A general syndication process is expected to begin shortly, with financial close still subject to standard conditions.

Funding supports expansion pipeline

The capital is aimed at supporting NextDC’s ongoing build-out of its data centre network.

Most of the proceeds will go towards capital expenditure tied to recently signed customer contracts and future developments.

The company has been stepping up investment to meet demand from cloud providers and enterprise customers.

This follows an update last month showing record contracted utilisation across its platform.

Share price reaction

The market appears to be taking a more measured view of the update, with shares edging lower despite the scale of the funding.

While securing $1.8 billion adds flexibility, it also highlights the level of capital required to keep expanding.

That trade-off can keep a lid on short-term sentiment, even as the longer-term pipeline continues to build.

It also means the focus stays on how efficiently that capital is deployed across projects already underway.

Foolish takeaway

It’s encouraging to see NextDC is still pushing ahead with its expansion, but execution is where it really counts.

And that only gets harder with multiple projects running at the same time.

The balance sheet is clearly being structured to support that build-out over several years.

From here, I’d be watching how quickly that spending actually turns into capacity and revenue across the business.

The post NextDC shares pull back after a funding update. Here’s what you need to know 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.

The Brent crude oil price hit a four-year high of US$114 per barrel today after the US and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz.

This follows the US announcing it would escort commercial ships from nations uninvolved in the conflict through the critical waterway.

Iranian drones hit South Korean and United Arab Emirates (UAE) vessels, as well as the UAE’s Fujairah oil terminal, causing a large fire.

ASX 200 energy shares are leading the market today, up 1.3%, due to the correlation between a rising Brent crude oil price and earnings.

However, the market is also aware that rising energy costs may lead to resurgent global inflation and higher interest rates.

This is contributing to a 0.6% fall for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) as the market braces for the Reserve Bank’s next interest rate decision at 2.30pm on Tuesday.

No end in sight

The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world’s gas and oil supply is shipped, remains effectively shut down.

The Brent crude oil price has lifted 12% over the past week. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude is up 9% to US$105 per barrel.

US gas prices have also lifted 10% over the week. US heating oil prices are up 4% and European gas prices have increased 9%.

Trading Economics analysts said Middle East tensions have intensified sharply over the past 24 hours.

They commented:

The US and Iran exchanged fire in the Strait of Hormuz, raising uncertainty over the durability of the four-week ceasefire.

US forces repelled Iranian attacks while escorting two US-flagged vessels through the strategic waterway, stating they had “defended all commercial ships” from drones and small boats deployed by Tehran.

CBA senior economist Ryan Felsman said the four-week-old ceasefire between the US and Iran was now in jeopardy.

Overnight, gold futures fell “as Middle East risks pushed the US dollar higher and kept inflation fears in focus”, he said.

Interest rates in Australia

CBA expects the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates for a third consecutive month today.

Felsman said:

We expect the RBA to lift the cash rate 25bp at their meeting … to 4.35%. However, the decision will be finely balanced.

We anticipate another split vote with the softer March trimmed mean CPI print and recent falls in sentiment surveys strengthening the case to the leave the cash rate unchanged and wait to see how the data evolves.

Those arguing for a hike, by contrast, will focus on inflation being persistently too high, a labour market that remains too tight and rising cost pass through from the war in Iran

The market is pricing in a 74% chance of an interest rate rise today.

What’s happening with ASX 200 energy shares?

At the time of writing, the Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price is up 2.2% to $32.83.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price is up 0.7% to $7.97.

The Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price is 1.5% higher at $35.80.

The Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price is up 1.7% to $2.46.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) shares are up 2.9% to $2.14 apiece.

The Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) share price is 1.9% higher at $1.17.

The post Brent crude oil price rips to 4-year high amid missile strikes in Strait of Hormuz appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.