Junior oil and gas player 3D Energi Ltd (ASX: TDO) has had a run of good news of late, but that positive run looks to have ground to an abrupt halt with the news it’s fallen short on paying its joint venture costs.

Back in November, we reported that the company’s shares were hitting a new 12-month high after a drilling campaign it was involved in had struck gas off the Victorian coast.

3D shares traded as high as 18.5 cents on the news, and it was just the start for the company, which announced a second gas discovery from the drilling campaign in late December.

The company updated the market on that find in early January, with Executive Chair Noel Newell saying they were “incredibly excited” by it.

But all of this work has come at a cost, and it’s a cost the small company appears to be finding a struggle to pay for.

Joint venture payments in arrears

3D Energi holds a 20% stake in the exploration program, while ConocoPhillips serves as the operator with a 51% stake, and Korea National Oil Company owns the remaining 29%.

The small Australian company told the ASX in a statement on Tuesday that it had asked for its shares to be suspended from trading while it figures out the impact on its default over joint venture payments.

The company said:

Joint Venture cash calls for the drilling program are higher than originally forecast and a balance of approximately US$2.5 million remains outstanding by the company which it does not currently have. A default notice has been issued by the joint venture operator to the company with a remedy period to 6th February. Additional forecast company drilling program expenditure subject to cash calls due on 6th February is currently estimated at approximately US$5.3 million, which if not paid by that date may well become the subject of an additional default notice and remedy period.

3D said it was implementing a suspension of trade in its shares while it “addresses its funding position” and the implications of payment default on the level of its ongoing interest in the drilling program.

It said further:

The Joint Operating Agreement for the joint venture contains industry standard mechanisms to address default payment matters, including notice, cure and cost reconciliation processes and potential dilution or buy-out of a party’s participating interest.

3D shares last traded at 8 cents, valuing the company at $41.9 million.

The post After a run of good news, why has this oil and gas junior been suspended from trade? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Junior ASX energy company ‘incredibly excited’ by new gas find
• An “unexpected” gas discovery has this company’s shares rocketing higher

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 recommended ConocoPhillips. 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 Metrics Master Income Trust (ASX: MXT) share price is in focus today after the fund announced an estimated monthly distribution of 1.36 cents per unit for January 2026.

What did Metrics Master Income Trust report?

• Distribution per unit: AUD 0.0136 (1.36 cents) for January 2026
• Ex-date: 30 January 2026
• Record date: 2 February 2026
• Payment date: 9 February 2026
• Distribution is 100% unfranked
• Distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) available with no discount

What else do investors need to know?

The January 2026 distribution is in line with Metrics Master Income Trust’s regular monthly payments. This consistency may appeal to income-seeking investors in search of steady distributions. The announced distribution remains unfranked, so investors do not receive any franking credits on payments.

The trust’s Distribution Reinvestment Plan (DRP) remains available for unitholders who prefer to reinvest their distributions rather than take cash. Participation is optional and comes with no discount. The last date to elect for the DRP for this period is 6 February 2026.

What’s next for Metrics Master Income Trust?

Metrics Master Income Trust will confirm the final distribution amount on 5 February 2026, but the current estimate gives investors a clear idea of expected income. The trust continues to target predictable monthly distributions, aiming to deliver stable returns throughout changing market conditions.

Investors can expect further monthly updates. With the DRP open, some may choose to compound their investment, depending on personal financial goals.

Metrics Master Income Trust share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, Metrics Master Income Trust shares have declined 2%, trailing the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 7% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post Metrics Master Income Trust announces January 2026 distribution 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.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares are having a poor start to the week.

At the time of writing, the location technology company’s shares are down 10% to $30.33.

Why are Life360 shares sinking?

This decline appears to have been driven by profit taking from some investors following a very strong gain on Friday in response to a trading update.

For example, despite today’s sizeable pullback, Life360 shares remain up approximately 14% since this time last week.

Is this a buying opportunity?

The team at Bell Potter is likely to see this pullback as an opportunity for investors.

That’s because the broker remains very positive on the company following its update, which outperformed expectations. In response, it said:

Life360 provided a Q4 and 2025 update which was ahead of both the guidance and our forecasts: Year end MAU of 95.8m (vs BPe 93.5m) comprising 50.6m in the US (vs BPe 49.5m) and 45.3m international (vs BPe 44.0m); Year end paying circles of 2.83m (vs BPe 2.80m) comprising 2.00m in the US (vs BPe 1.97m) and 0.83m international (vs BPe 0.81m); 2025 revenue expected to be b/w US$486-489m (vs guidance US$474-485m and BPe US$480m); and 2025 adjusted EBITDA expected to be b/w US$87-92m (vs guidance US$84-88m and BPe US$86m).

The company also provided one outlook statement for 2026 which was MAU growth of 20% which implies absolute growth of c.19m users to around 115m at year end.

Time to buy

According to the note, Bell Potter has reaffirmed its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $45.00.

Based on its current share price, this implies potential upside of 48% for investors over the next 12 months.

The broker explained that its price target reduction reflects lower tech valuations and a higher weighted average cost of capital. It explains:

We have reduced the multiples we apply in the EV/Revenue and EV/EBITDA valuations from 12x and 62.5x to 10x and 52.5x given the pull back in tech valuations over recent months. We have also increased the WACC we apply in the DCF from 8.3% to 8.5% which has been driven by an increase in the risk-free rate from 4.25% to 4.5%. The net result is a 14% decrease in our price target to $45.00 which is >15% premium to the share price so we maintain the BUY recommendation.

The next potential catalyst for the stock is the release of the 2025 result in early March where we expect strong 2026 guidance to be provided with, for instance, revenue growth expected to be >30% and adjusted EBITDA growth >40%.

The post Down 10% today: Should you buy Life360 shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down 40% in 3 months: Are Life360 shares still a buy? 
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Life360, Northern Star, Objective Corp, and Rox shares are charging higher today
• Up 29% today. Why Life360 shares are surging on record results
• Life360 posts record Q4 as revenue and EBITDA top guidance

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. 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 up 1.12% to 8,959.5 points on Tuesday.

Materials is leading the 11 market sectors, up 1.73%, as ASX 200 mining shares continue their strong run.

On The Bull this week, experts revealed their views on three high-profile ASX 200 stocks.

Let’s take a look.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

The BHP share price is $49.96, up 3.15% after reaching a two-year high of $50.05 in earlier trading.

Remo Greco from Sanlam Private Wealth has a buy rating on the ASX 200 iron ore giant.

Greco says:

The resources upgrade cycle continues to unfold as global growth conditions strengthen into 2026.

Expected US interest rate cuts should stimulate global growth and put downward pressure on the US dollar.

Commodity markets are already tight in terms of adequate supply, and this is already pushing mining stocks higher.

This is a global theme.

BHP fits the bill as global investors are drawn to earnings upgrades driving share price gains.

Also, investors are exposed to a currency gain if the Australian dollar strengthens during 2026.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price is $183.98, up 1.69% on Tuesday.

Pro Medicus stock has plummeted after reaching a record $336 per share in July last year.

Stuart Bromley from Medallion Financial Group has a hold rating on this ASX 200 healthcare share.

Bromley explains:

The company retains best-in-class imaging software that should generate high margins and structural growth from a steady flow of new contract wins amid bigger and longer contract renewals with existing customers.

The significant share price retreat leaves PME as a hold, but also presents an opportunity to enter a top class business at an attractive price. 

Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR)

The Myer share price is steady at 49 cents on Tuesday.

Myer was among the worst-performing ASX stocks of 2025, losing six-tenths of its value to finish at 48 cents per share on 31 December.

Bromley has a sell rating on this ASX 200 consumer retail share.

He explains:

The department store giant delivered disappointing results in full year 2025, in our view.

Sales were weaker than expected. Earnings before interest and tax of $140.3 million, excluding significant items, were down 13.8 per cent on the prior corresponding period. MYR didn’t declare a final dividend.

Ongoing cost challenges and pressures on discretionary spending have continued to weigh on investor sentiment.

We see risk/reward skewed towards further downside rather than a stabilised rebound in the current cycle.

The post BHP, Pro Medicus, Myer shares: Buy, hold, or sell? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Dateline, EOS, Karoon Energy, and Pro Medicus shares are charging higher today
• BHP share price cracks $50 as experts revise ratings following 1H FY26 update
• This ASX ETF has returned 34% annually since inception
• BHP and 4 strong ASX dividend shares for Aussie income investors to buy
• ASX Sectors to target and avoid in 2026: Expert

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Pro Medicus. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Myer, 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 BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price reached a two-year high of $50.05 per share on Tuesday morning.

BHP shares have risen strongly in recent times — up 9.4% in a month and 23.5% over six months.

A strongly ascending copper price and a stable iron ore price are supporting the ASX 200’s largest mining share.

BHP shares will likely reclaim the No. 1 spot on the ASX 200 from Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) soon.

For fellow stock market nerds keeping score, there’s about $4.2 billion in market capitalisation between the two stocks now.

The BHP share price would need to rise by about 85 cents to make up the difference, given there are 5.1 billion shares on issue.

BHP shares are not far off their historical all-time high now. The record is $50.84 per share, reached on 28 December 2023.

BHP half-year operations update

Last week, BHP released an operational update for 1H FY26.

BHP reported 984.1 kt of copper production, on par with 1H FY25, and with record output from Escondida.

Copper SA produced record refined gold output, which is handy given the skyrocketing gold price.

The gold price breached US$5,000 per ounce for the first time in history yesterday.

BHP increased its full-year FY26 guidance for copper from a range of 1,800 to 1,900 kt to 1,900 to 2,000 kt.

The miner also reported a 2% increase in iron ore production to 133.8 kt, with record output at Western Australia Iron Ore (WAIO).

There was a 2% lift in metallurgical coal production to 9.2 kt and a 10% increase in thermal coal production to 8.1 kt.

BHP revealed a $1 billion cost blow-out on Stage 1 of the Jansen potash project, which remains on track to begin production in mid-CY27.

Costs increased due to inflation, longer construction hours, design development and scope changes, and lower productivity forecasts.

BHP expects Stage 1, which is 75% complete, to produce about 4.15 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of potash.

The anticipated underlying EBITDA margins for Stage 1 remain strong at approximately 63% to 64%.

BHP CEO Mike Henry said:

Jansen will be a long life, low cost and scalable asset that will add a new, future facing commodity to BHP’s portfolio, which we expect will generate value for shareholders over many decades.

Global demand for commodities

Henry also commented on the strong global demand for commodities:

China’s commodity demand remains resilient, supported by targeted policy measures and solid exports. Momentum moderated in H2 CY25, notably in construction, manufacturing and infrastructure investments.

India is emerging as a key engine of demand, with strong domestic activity sustaining steel and rising copper needs.

Forecast global growth in 2026 is around 3%, creating a positive backdrop for commodity demand.

Where to now for the BHP share price?

Following BHP’s update on 20 January, several analysts have updated their ratings and 12-month targets for the BHP share price.

Ord Minnett remains buy rated on BHP shares with a price target of $49.

Macquarie reiterated its hold rating with a price target of $48.

UBS maintained its hold rating but raised its target from $45 to $47.

JP Morgan kept its hold rating, too, but raised its target from $45.72 to $47.70.

Citi also kept its hold rating on BHP with a share price target of $48.

Berenberg Bank remains sell rated on BHP with a price target of $39.75.

The highest price targets for BHP shares today were all issued prior to the 1H FY26 update.

They are $57.70 from Goldman Sachs (buy rating), $56.50 from Morgan Stanley (buy), and $56 from Bank of America (buy).

The post BHP share price cracks $50 as experts revise ratings following 1H FY26 update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• BHP, Pro Medicus, Myer shares: Buy, hold, or sell?
• This ASX ETF has returned 34% annually since inception
• BHP and 4 strong ASX dividend shares for Aussie income investors to buy
• ASX Sectors to target and avoid in 2026: Expert
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Goldman Sachs Group, JPMorgan Chase, and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie 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.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) shares are pushing higher on Tuesday.

At the time of writing, the ASX defence stock is up 5% to $10.85.

Why is this ASX defence stock rising?

Investors have been buying the defence technology company’s shares after it released a strong fourth quarter update that highlighted accelerating activity levels, a sharply higher order book, and improving cash flow.

According to the release, EOS reported cash receipts from customers totalling $77.3 million. This represents an increase of $60.8 million compared to the third quarter of 2025.

Management notes that this increase primarily reflects milestone completions achieved on customer contracts during the quarter.

The good news is there should be more to come in 2026. The ASX defence stock notes that as of 31 December, its order contract backlog was $459 million. This is an increase of $323 million on the position at the start of the year.

What else happened during the quarter?

EOS advised that during the quarter, it continued the manufacture and delivery of remote weapon systems (RWS) for customers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, South East Asia, and Australia.

Activity levels during the three months were higher than in previous quarters due to the timing of customer orders and delivery schedules.

It also advised that during the quarter, the ASX defence stock relocated its business activity in Singapore to a new facility. The facility includes a new RWS service and support centre and a High Energy Laser Weapon manufacturing facility.

In addition, its EOS Space Systems business continued to deliver on the backlog of contracts with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and Commonwealth of Australia.

Strong balance sheet

EOS’ net cash inflow from operating activities for the quarter was $19.3 million. This compares favourably to a net cash outflow of $34.3 million in the third quarter.

At the end of the quarter, the ASX defence stock had total cash holdings of $106.9 million. This represents a $15.4 million increase from its total cash holdings at the end of September.

In addition, the company has a further $41.6 million of cash security deposits held with banks to support bank guarantees and bonds.

Following today’s gain, the EOS share price is now up almost 800% since this time last year. To put that into context, a $5,000 investment would now be worth approximately $45,000.

The post This ASX defence stock is racing higher on sales surge appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Electro Optic Systems. 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.

Shares in Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) were trading higher on Tuesday morning after the company announced it had shipped the first cargo of liquefied natural gas from its Barossa project off the coast of the Northern Territory.

The oil and gas company said in a statement to the ASX that the first cargo had been loaded at the Darwin liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant onto the Kool Blizzard and was on its way to Japan.

Big day for the company

Santos Managing Director Kevin Gallagher said it was a major milestone for the company, which had delivered the project within the original budget and within about six months of the planned start date.

This is an outstanding achievement for a project of this scale and complexity in the global offshore upstream sector. It demonstrates Santos’ self-execution capability in delivering major development projects and the success of our disciplined, low-cost operating model. I am proud of the way the whole Santos team navigated through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, regulatory approvals, legal challenges and supply chain disruptions during the construction phase.

Mr Gallagher said when the project was signed off for investment in March 2021, it was “the biggest investment Australia’s oil and gas sector had seen for almost a decade”.

He added:

We took a final investment decision for Barossa LNG in March 2021 at a time when the economy was re-emerging from the COVID-19 lockdowns, and job-creating and business-generating projects like Barossa were critical for the Northern Territory and Australia. At the same time, Barossa LNG will continue to drive a stronger economy for the Northern Territory and Territorians. The 2025-26 Northern Territory budget papers forecast gross state product to rebound by 7.8 per cent for the year, largely driven by Barossa LNG exports, before growing a further 5.9 per cent in 2026-27 on the back of the LNG industry. “Barossa LNG will secure approximately 300 permanent positions in the Northern Territory for the next 20 years, with an estimated A$2.5 billion worth of wages and contracts expected to flow for Territorians over that time.

Mr Gallagher said the project would also contribute up to $10 million per year into the Barossa Aboriginal Future Fund, which would invest in projects to improve community infrastructure and services, and help establish pathways to employment.

Santos is the operator of Barossa and has a 50 per cent interest with joint venture partners PRISM Energy International Australia owning 37.5 per cent and JERA Australia 12.5 per cent.

Santos shares were 3% higher in early trade at $6.65. The company was valued at $20.98 billion at the close of trade on Friday.

The post Santos ships first gas from its major Barossa project off the coast of the Northern Territory appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

The shortened trading week is starting out with a bang for investors in small-cap ASX share Terra Metals Ltd (ASX: TM1).

How much of a bang?

Well, on Friday, Terra Metals shares closed the day trading for 21 cents. In morning trade on Tuesday, shares leapt to 33.5 cents each, up 59.5%. After likely profit-taking, shares are changing hands at 32 cents apiece at the time of writing, up 52.4%.

For some context, the S&P/ASX Small Ordinaries Index (ASX: XSO) is up 0.1% at this same time.

With today’s intraday gains factored in, the Terra Metals share price is now up a blistering 966.6% since this time last year. Or enough to turn a $6,000 investment into $64,000.

In one year!

Here’s what’s piquing investor interest in the small-cap ASX share again today.

Small-cap ASX share leaps on platinum strikes

The Terra Metals share price is surging today after the miner confirmed a major high-grade platinum group metal (PGM) sulfide discovery at the Southwest Prospect within its flagship Dante Project, located in Western Australia.

The ASX share reported that new reverse circulation (RC) drilling results from one drill hole at SW5 have returned “exceptionally high PGM grades”. Those include individual assays up to 52.97 grams per tonne PGE3, within broad mineralised intervals starting from near surface.

Terra Metals said the latest results “substantially upgrade” the tenor of mineralisation that it has previously reported at the SW5 target. The assays also confirm the presence of “extensive and high-grade” PGM–Cu–Ni (platinum group metals, copper, and nickel) sulfide mineralisation within the Southwest corridor.

That corridor now spans more than 850 metres in strike length and 250 metres in width.

And this fast-rising ASX share looks like one to watch, with assays still pending for numerous visually identified sulfide intervals across the Southwest corridor.

What did management say?

Commenting on the latest drill results sending the ASX share flying higher today, chief metallurgist Evan Kirby said:

I’ve worked on major platinum deposits around the world and never seen a hard rock drill intersection with PGM grade anywhere close to this SWT008 intersection. In South Africa, the only comparable grades were found in the dunite pipes that were mined in the mid-20th century.

Terra Metals CEO Thomas Line noted, “When you intersect nearly 53 grams per tonne of PGMs from near surface, you don’t need to over-explain it, the rocks speak for themselves.”

Line added, “These SW5 results are exceptional and indicate that we may be dealing with a large, powerful mineral system that is only just starting to come into focus.”

The post Guess which surging small-cap ASX share is rocketing another 60% on Tuesday! appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Santos ships first gas from its major Barossa project off the coast of the Northern Territory
• Up 100% this year. Why this ASX gold stock is back in rally mode
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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.

One of the ASX’s best-performing small-cap stocks is back in the spotlight after releasing a new exploration update.

Shares in Dateline Resources Ltd (ASX: DTR) are up 15.48% today to 48.5 cents. The move adds to a powerful run, with the stock now up around 100% year to date and attracting strong investor attention.

Let’s take a closer look at what was announced early Tuesday morning.

A key step forward at Colosseum

According to the release, Dateline has completed a ground geophysical survey at its 100%-owned Colosseum Gold and Rare Earth Element (REE) Project in California.

The survey, which looks below the surface using electrical signals, is designed to help identify the most promising areas for future drilling.

Early results identified several standout zones beneath the surface, both shallow and at greater depths, across the southern part of the project.

These zones line up with information Dateline already had, including other geophysical data and known geological features.

Why investors are paying attention

Dateline has also identified a large fault zone running through the project area. Faults are cracks in the earth where rocks have shifted over time.

These structures can allow mineral-rich fluids to move through the ground. Over long periods, that process can help form gold and rare earth deposits.

The company said these features appear in similar locations to the results from the new survey, which helps explain the market’s interest.

Dateline also pointed to similarities with the nearby Mountain Pass rare earths mine, one of the biggest rare earths projects in the United States. While Colosseum is still much earlier in development, the comparison has caught investors’ attention.

What happens next

The survey results are now being analysed by geophysics specialists at Mitre Geophysics.

Dateline plans to combine this new data with earlier surveys to narrow down the most promising drill targets for both gold and rare earths.

The company has also ordered more surveys, including gravity and magnetic work, to further improve targeting before deeper drilling begins.

Management said future drilling will focus on areas where several datasets point to the same locations. More updates are expected as this work continues.

Putting the rally into context

Colosseum already hosts a defined gold resource and sits in a well-known mining region.

Current work is focused on expanding the project and testing deeper areas, while also assessing rare earths potential.

After such a strong start to the year, the share price could remain volatile. Still, the latest update helps explain why interest in the stock remains high.

The post Up 100% this year. Why this ASX gold stock is back in rally mode appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Dateline shares halted as investors await key announcement
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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.

ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) Global X Copper Miners ETF (ASX: WIRE) has risen 6% in a month and almost doubled over a year.

WIRE ETF is soaring due to rising demand for copper as the green energy transition starts showing itself in rising commodity prices.

But WIRE’s performance since inception in November 2022 is also impressive at an average 34.23% per annum.

Last year was particularly strong amid the copper price soaring 42%.

The red metal traded above US$6 per pound for the first time earlier this month.

Copper is essential for electrification and is a key ingredient in much of the new infrastructure being built for the energy transition.

It offers high ductility, malleability, and thermal and electrical conductivity, and is resistant to corrosion.

Copper is used in wiring, electric vehicles (EVs), wind turbines, solar energy systems, telecommunications, and electronic products.

The red metal was added to the US Critical Minerals List in November 2025.

The weaker US dollar is also supporting the copper price as investors seek safety in base metals like copper and precious metals like gold.

Trading Economics analysts explain:

A softer dollar makes commodities priced in greenbacks, including copper, gold, and silver, more affordable for buyers using other currencies.

Investment demand has also picked up, with Chinese merchants offering 1-kilogram investment-grade copper bars despite challenges in the secondary resale market.

Additionally, physical buyers are front-loading copper deliveries ahead of the Lunar New Year holiday in China and potential US tariffs on refined metal, further tightening global supply.

Elsewhere, robust consumption driven by the global shift toward renewable energy and artificial intelligence applications continues to support copper demand.

Nitty-gritty on WIRE ETF

WIRE seeks to mirror the performance of the Solactive Global Copper Miners Total Return Index before fees.

WIRE holds 39 stocks and offers good geographical diversification.

This mix is 37% Canada, 11% US, 10% Australia, 10% Hong Kong, 7% Japan, 6% Poland, 5% Sweden, and the list goes on.

The ASX copper shares among WIRE’s investments include the market’s biggest copper pure-play, Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR), at 3.2%.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), now the world’s largest copper producer, makes up 4% of WIRE’s investments.

Capstone Copper Corp CDI (ASX: CSC) shares provide another 3%, and Develop Global Ltd (ASX: DVP) makes up 0.36%.

WA1 Resources Ltd (ASX: WA1) shares are in there, too, at 0.2%.

Last month, James Gerrish from Shaw and Partners said WIRE was his team’s preferred copper exposure among ASX ETFs.

Gerrish said:

The ASX-listed Global X Miners ETF (WIRE) remains one of our preferred vehicles for broad exposure to global copper producers.

From a regional perspective, it only has 11% exposure to Australia, with Canada providing the main holdings.

It has a decent $400mn market cap, while its fees are okay at 0.65%.

The post This ASX ETF has returned 34% annually since inception appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BHP Group and Global X Copper Miners ETF. 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.