The ASX 200 materials sector, which is dominated by mega mining shares, has surged 26% in the year to date (YTD).

Yesterday, the three largest ASX 200 mining shares and the biggest pure-play copper stock reached new 52-week highs.

Top ASX 200 mining shares rise to new highs

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price rose 3.8% to a 52-week peak of $44.60 yesterday, and is $44.63 at the time of writing.

The Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) share price lifted 1.15% to a 52-week high of $22.03, and is $21.78 on Friday.

The Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) share price increased 3.9% to a 52-week high of $140.58, and is currently $137.82.

Pure-play ASX 200 copper share, Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR), rose 5.3% to a record $17.20, and is $16.68 today.

James Gerrish from Shaw and Partners said ASX mining shares have had a strong run and boosted many mining-focused ASX ETFs.

Gerrish and his Market Matters team think there’s not too much more room to run, commenting:

The outperformance by the materials sector is starting to look and feel mature but there are no signs that it’s time to dramatically restructure portfolios.

Yesterday’s boost for the big ASX 200 iron ore shares followed a 2.9% lift in the iron ore price this week to US$107 per tonne, taking the YTD gains to 4.1%.

The Market Matters team can see iron ore grinding about 5% higher over the coming weeks and months.

Gerrish commented:

Most focus in commodities over the last few months has been on gold, silver, and copper, but iron ore has also broken out to new 2025 highs, albeit in a less dramatic fashion.

We are not fading this advance by the bulk commodity and related miners but we do believe the “easy money” is in the rear view mirror.

Turning to copper, Market Matters is bullish on the red metal over the medium and long term.

BHP and Rio Tinto have significantly increased their copper operations amid higher demand due to the green energy transition.

BHP is now the world’s largest copper producer, and copper formed 45% of its total underlying EBITDA in FY25, up from 29% in FY24.

The copper price has risen 3.8% this week and 32.5% YTD to US$5.27 per pound on Friday.

Expert reveals 2 preferred ASX ETFs

Yesterday, Global X Copper Miners ETF (ASX: WIRE) rose to a record high of $20.62 per unit.

This is the Market Matters team’s preferred copper play among ASX ETFs.

BHP and Sandfire Resources shares comprise about 8% of holdings, with Capstone Copper Corp CDI (ASX: CSC) providing another 3.3%.

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%.

Market Matters is now targeting $22 to $24 for the WIRE ETF over the coming weeks and months.

We remain firm believers in the Cu story over the coming years but are conscious that the WIRE ETF has now reached our initial target area, but if Cu continues to accelerate higher the skies the proverbial limit i.e. surprises are still likely to be on the upside although the “easy” money does feel behind us.

Turning to gold, Market Matters expects the gold price to reach US$4,500 per ounce before it takes a breather.

This morning, gold is trading at US$4,207 per ounce, down 0.03%.

Market Matters is bullish towards gold in the short term. The team’s forecast will strengthen if a US rate cut eventuates next week.

Next week’s Fed decision will be important to a bullish thesis around gold in the coming months but with a cut feeling inevitable we see no reason to doubt our view at this stage.

The team likes the VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX), which hit a record $105.92 per unit yesterday.

They expect this ASX ETF to test the $135 to $140 range over the coming months.

Gerrish said:

The ASX gold stocks are a refreshing and rare example of where local investors have enjoyed outperformance compared to their overseas peers with the GDX ETF tracking the gold price and remaining below its October high.

It has a large $1.4bn market cap, backed up by $US23.9bn in its US parent, around 11% of the ETF is in Australian names while its fees are a reasonable 0.53%.

The post Expert names 2 preferred ASX ETFs reaping the rewards of surging mining shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Major ASX 200 mining shares hit 52-week highs
• 70% of institutional investors expect gold price to rise in 2026
• Why are ASX gold shares and ETFs soaring today?
• Two ASX ETFs for exposure to surging commodity prices

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

The Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price is $4.90, up 0.2% at the time of writing on Friday.

In FY25, Telstra shares paid a fully franked dividend of 19 cents per share.

Based on today’s share price, that equates to a trailing dividend yield of 3.9%.

Analysts expect a slightly bigger payment from the ASX 200 telco stock next year.

The consensus expectation among analysts on the CommSec platform is for Telstra to pay a 20-cent dividend for FY26.

That equates to a forward dividend yield of 4.1%.

Telstra has released its corporate calendar for 2026, which includes when the dividends will be announced.

Get your diary out.

Dividend dates for Telstra shares in 2026

Telstra will announce its FY26 half-year results and interim dividend on 19 February.

The ex-dividend date for the interim Telstra dividend will be 25 February.

The record date will be 26 February.

If you’d like Telstra to use your dividends to buy more stock on your behalf, you can enrol in the dividend reinvestment plan (DRP).

The DRP form must be lodged by 27 February.

Telstra shareholders will receive their dividends on 27 March.

The telco will announce its FY26 full-year results and final dividend on 20 August.

The ex-dividend date for the final Telstra dividend will be 26 August.

The record date will be 27 August, and the DRP deadline will be 28 August.

Telstra will pay its shareholders on 24 September.

The telco will hold its annual general meeting on 13 October.

What do the experts think of Telstra shares?

The Telstra share price is up 21.3% in 2025.

This compares to a 4.9% bump for the market benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

UBS and Jarden both have a hold rating on Telstra shares with a 12-month price target of $4.80.

This implies a potential downside of 2% over the next 12 months.

UBS predicts a slightly higher dividend for FY26 than the consensus estimate on CommSec.

The broker is tipping that the telco will pay 21 cents per share in FY26.

UBS also reckons Telstra’s annual dividend could increase every year thereafter until it reaches 30 cents per share in FY30.

This is why my colleague, Tristan, considers Telstra shares a ‘retiree’s dream’.

Macquarie is more ambitious on Telstra shares.

The broker has an outperform rating on the ASX 200 telco stock with a price target of $5.04.

This suggest a potential upside of 2.85% over the next year.

Macquarie predicts that Telstra will pay 20 cents per share in dividends for FY26.

The post Invested in Telstra shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 3 ASX blue-chip shares I’d buy with $3,000 right now
• ASX bank stocks: Buy, sell, or hold?
• Why Telstra shares are a retiree’s dream
• 3 high-quality ASX 200 shares now trading at multi-year discounts
• Brokers name 3 ASX dividend shares to buy in December

Motley Fool contributor ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ass=”yoast-text-mark”>ef=”https://www.fool.com.au/author/TMFBronwyn/”>Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

If you’re looking for an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that pays out good dividends on a regular basis, this new ETF from Betashares might be just the thing.

Betashares has just launched its Australian Enhanced Credit Income Complex ETF (ASX: ECRD), which aims to fill a need for regular income in investors’ portfolios.

New product to fill a gap

Portfolio manager Jing Jia said the new ETF was “designed as a compelling portfolio solution for investors seeking income”.

Mr Jia added:

In an environment of declining investment income, with equity dividend yields trending lower and the gradual phase out of Australian bank hybrids, many investors are looking for ways to fill the income gap in their portfolios. With major bank hybrids historically offered franked yields of 2 to 2.5% above the RBA cash rate, it’s been difficult trying to find alternatives that deliver comparable income with similar risk profiles.

Mr Jia said investment bonds typically did not offer enough yield, while shares came with significantly higher risk and volatility.

Neither option seems to adequately replace what hybrids have offered. This income gap can be a real problem for investors who need regular cash flow from their portfolios. Betashares’ latest innovation, ECRD, could be seen as a true evolution in the Australian credit income landscape. It’s been designed to deliver hybrid-like income levels with a similar volatility profile.

Mr Jia said it is estimated that ECRD will typically yield 2% to 3% above the Reserve Bank of Australia cash rate, with distributions paid monthly.

It delivers this compelling yield by enhancing the income from a diversified portfolio of investment grade Australia bonds. ECRD boosts the income potential and seeks to earn a net interest margin by using internal gearing at institutional borrowing rates. ECRD reduces interest rate risk by holding only floating rate and interest rate hedged bonds.

Mr Jia said the current running yield for ECRD was 7.15% per annum.

Gearing adds potential risk

The ECRD overview says the ETF will have a gearing ratio of between 66.7% and 71.4%, which “means that the fund’s geared exposure is anticipated to vary between about 300% and 350% of the fund’s net asset value on a given day”.

The fact sheet adds that the investment is not for everyone:

Gearing magnifies gains and losses and may not be a suitable strategy for all investors. Investors in geared strategies should be willing to accept higher levels of investment volatility and potentially large moves (both up and down) in the value of their investment. Geared investments involve significantly higher risk than non-geared investments.

The post This new ETF aims to pay high monthly dividends, helped along by gearing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Expert names 2 preferred ASX ETFs reaping the rewards of surging mining shares
• Invested in Telstra shares? Here are the dividend dates for 2026
• Down 80% in 2025: Is it time to buy this beaten down ASX stock?
• Northern Star shares shining bright on $225 million gold exploration news
• Why are Premier Investments shares crashing 12% today?

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.

Step One Clothing Ltd (ASX: STP) shares are sinking again on Friday.

In morning trade, the ASX stock is down a further 6.5% to a new 52-week low of 28 cents.

This latest decline means that the online underwear seller’s shares have now lost almost 80% of their value since the start of the year.

Is this a buying opportunity for investors? Let’s see what analysts at Bell Potter are saying about the beaten down stock.

What is the Bell Potter saying?

Bell Potter was very disappointed with Step One’s trading update this week, which revealed a sharp decline in sales, a significant inventory write-down, and an expected first half EBITDA loss.

In response, the broker has taken an axe to its revenue and earnings estimates through to FY 2028. It explains:

We downgrade our revenue forecasts by 32%/36%/41% in FY26/27/28e, driven by slowing customer growth and anticipated lower basket sizes. We adjust gross margin expectations, factoring in the $10m inventory provision in 1H26e, and pullback longterm gross margins to ~70% given what we expect will continue to be a promotion reliant growth strategy to win new customers. As a result, our EBITDA forecasts have decreased by -207%/-78%/-68% in FY26/27/28e respectively, and see long-term margins revert to high single-digits from previous low-teens.

ASX stock downgraded

According to the note, the broker has downgraded the ASX stock from a buy recommendation to neutral with a heavily reduced price target of 30 cents (from 85 cents). This valuation is largely in line with where Step One’s shares trade today.

Commenting on the online retailer, the broker revealed that it is cautious on its outlook and fears that its opportunities in the core Australian market are now limited. It said:

We downgrade to a Hold recommendation, and our Price Target decreases 65% to $0.30/share (from $0.85/share) driven by our earnings revisions. We maintain our target EV/EBIT multiple at 5.4x, at a 25% discount the peer group median, and continue to value the business on a blend of relative valuation and DCF (WACC 11% and TGR 3%).

We are cautious on the outlook for STP given we believe its core Australian market (~63% of revenue) has matured with customer growth avenues limited. We also note that given the size of the inventory write-down, this could indicate a “nip in the bud” approach but given the slow-down in the November period, we remain cautious on future inventory turnover. We continue to be positive on its UK business as the key driver for new customer growth going forward.

The post Down 80% in 2025: Is it time to buy this beaten down ASX stock? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why Firefly Metals, Pantoro Gold, Step One, and Vulcan Energy shares are sinking today
• Why these popular ASX stocks are making big moves on Thursday

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.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are pushing higher today.

Shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold stock closed yesterday trading for $26.09. In morning trade on Friday, shares are changing hands for $26.14 apiece, up 0.2%.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.2% at this same time.

This follows the release of an FY 2026 exploration update, which points to strong growth potential for some of the company’s core gold mines.

Here’s what’s happening.

Northern Star shares lift on exploration details

The ASX 200 gold miner said today that it expects to spend $225 million in the full 2026 financial year (FY 2026) on its exploration programs.

Northern Star shares are lifting today with the company confirming it is actively exploring for new gold strikes across its three production centres (Kalgoorlie, Yandal, and Pogo) as well as its recently acquired development project (Hemi) located across Western Australia and Alaska.

Management said that the exploration budget in FY 2026 is “heavily focused” on Northern Star’s near-mine opportunities. The miner added that the $225 million spend is weighted to its largest asset, KCGM, located in Western Australia.

The miner said that new underground areas continue to help increased drilling activity, which is intended to provide “near-term optionality and long-term visibility” at the large-scale gold mining operation.

Citing recent exploration successes at KCGM that could provide long-term support for Northern Star shares, the company said the Fimiston South mineralisation footprint has been identified to extend up to 800 metres below the existing Mineral Resource. The miner has also identified a new prospect at Mt Charlotte, labelled Golden Goose.

The ASX 200 gold stock also highlighted that its exploration works come in at an “industry-leading” cost of Resources addition of $19 per ounce for the 12 months to March 2025.

What did management say?

Commenting on the exploration update that’s helping boost Northern Star shares today, managing director Stuart Tonkin said, “This update highlights the strong organic growth potential across our global portfolio. Our team continues to balance exploration priorities, from resource definition through to conversion, creating shareholder value by delivering low-cost Resource ounces.”

Tonkin added:

At Kalgoorlie, drilling and investment are driving growth, with future options to supply high-margin ore to the expanded Fimiston mill from FY27. At Pogo, new drill drives have enabled extensional drilling, while surface programs advance near mine opportunities, unlocking high priority targets such as Goodpaster, Star and Central Link.

The integration of our recent strategic acquisition, the Hemi Development Project, into our gold inventory is underway, with approvals progressing for what is to become our fourth production centre.

With today’s intraday moves factored in, Northern Star shares are up 69% in 2025.

The post Northern Star shares shining bright on $225 million gold exploration news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Expert lists its top resources shares to target in December
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Up 75% this year, are Northern Star shares still a buy today?
• Macquarie names best and worst ASX stocks to buy in a rising interest rate environment

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.

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) shares are ending the week on a disappointing note.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 stock is down 12% to a 52-week low of $15.88.

Why are Premier Investments shares crashing?

Investors have been selling down the Peter Alexander and Smiggle owner’s shares today after responding negatively to a trading update ahead of its annual general meeting.

According to the release, the company has been battling with weak discretionary spending during the first half as consumers remained cautious due to ongoing cost-of-living impacts.

Though, one positive was that the Peter Alexander brand achieved record sales during the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotional period. The company’s chair, Solomon Lew, explained:

Now turning towards current trade. Premier Retail commenced FY26 with a clean inventory position. Discretionary spending remains under pressure with consumers cautious due to ongoing cost-of-living impacts. Despite a challenging global environment, the Black Friday trading week provided encouraging early signs ahead of the all-important Christmas, Boxing Day and back-to-school trading periods, with Peter Alexander delivering record sales across the Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotional period.

Mr Lew then revealed that based on current figures, Premier Retail first half underlying earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) is expected to be around $120 million.

This will be a decline of approximately 7.3% on the $129.4 million it recorded for the first half of FY 2025.

However, the company’s chair concedes that there’s still some very important trading periods to come, so this guidance is far from guaranteed. Lew added:

Premier expects Premier Retail 1H26 underlying EBIT for the 26-week period ending 24 January 2026 (pre-AASB 16) to be circa $120 million. That said, we do not underestimate the significance of the December /January trading period ahead which is a critical driver for the Group’s first half result. The Group is well prepared for this important trading period ahead.

Share buyback

Failing to prevent Premier Investments shares from tumbling today is news that the company plans to initiate a buyback.

Due to its strong financial position, the company’s board has announced a plan to return up to $100 million to shareholders through an on-market buyback. It stated:

The Board has determined that the current capital position provides opportunity to return up to $100 million of capital to shareholders, whilst maintaining a strong balance sheet to support future growth initiatives, and take advantage of opportunities that may arise in the future. As such, the Board announced today its intention to undertake a 12-month on-market share buyback of up to $100 million as part of its ongoing capital management strategy.

The post Why are Premier Investments shares crashing 12% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Macquarie names best and worst ASX stocks to buy in a rising interest rate environment
• 3 ASX shares that I think are buys for both growth and dividends
• 1 ASX dividend stock down 25% that I’d buy right now
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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares are under pressure on Friday morning.

At the time of writing, the mining giant’s shares are down 2% to $137.83.

Why are Rio Tinto shares falling?

Investors have been selling the company’s shares today following the release of its 2025 Capital Markets Day presentation.

That presentation outlined Rio Tinto’s strategy to deliver industry leading returns by becoming stronger, sharper, and simpler.

This includes the miner’s chief executive, Simon Trott, detailing how Rio Tinto will unlock its full potential to become the most valued metals and mining business through a strategy that starts with having the right assets in the right markets, supported by a diversified model that delivers market-leading performance and industry-leading returns.

What is the plan?

Rio Tinto revealed that there are three strategic pillars focused on driving a step change in performance and returns.

One is operational excellence, which will see Rio Tinto streamline to three world class businesses – Iron Ore, Copper, and Aluminium & Lithium. It will have a relentless focus on productivity and leveraging best in class ore body knowledge.

Another strategic pillar is focused on project execution. It aims to create new options for organic growth by delivering projects reliably, efficiently, and at scale.

Finally, capital discipline will be another focus. It notes that it will continue to allocate capital with rigor and maintaining a strong, resilient balance sheet, with leading returns.

Delivering value

Rio Tinto also revealed that it is looking to deliver value through a number of areas. This includes production growth, productivity benefits, and asset sales.

With respect to the latter, the company advised that it is looking at an opportunistic release of US$5 billion to US$10 billion from existing asset base.

It notes that it will aim to release cash where third-party funding is lower than the cost of capital. This includes exploring commercial, partnership, and ownership options across land, infrastructure, mining, and processing assets.

It adds that the strategic reviews of Iron and Titanium, and Borates are advancing as planned, with the next phase focused on testing the market for these assets.

Commenting on its plans, Simon Trott, said:

We are building from a position of strength for Rio Tinto’s next chapter, sharpening and simplifying the business to deliver leading returns. We will drive performance through discipline, productivity and unmatched growth to unlock the full potential of our diversified portfolio of world-class assets.

We are delivering strong early productivity benefits and cost savings with more to come. Freeing up cash from our asset base where it makes sense will strengthen the balance sheet and maintain returns, as we invest for the future with discipline. Our experienced leadership team is committed to delivering against our mission to become the most valued metals and mining company – for shareholders, the people who work with us, our partners and the communities around us.

The post ‘Stronger, sharper, and simpler’: Rio Tinto shares fall despite major update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Major ASX 200 mining shares hit 52-week highs
• How much upside does Macquarie tip for Rio Tinto shares?
• Rio Tinto or BHP shares? Expert says which stock to buy as copper price smashes record

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.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are racing higher on Friday morning.

At the time of writing, the data centre operator’s shares are up 11% to $14.90.

Why are NextDC shares jumping?

Investors have been bidding the company’s shares higher this morning after it confirmed media reports of a major development plan.

The AFR reported that ChatGPT’s owner, OpenAI, has signed an agreement to become the major customer in a new $7 billion NextDC data centre that will be the largest in the southern hemisphere.

NextDC will reportedly build the 650 megawatts centre in Sydney’s Eastern Creek after securing OpenAI as its anchor tenant. It will be used to run the artificial intelligence (AI) models, tasks, and queries from OpenAI’s Australian corporate clients. This includes Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Canva, and Atlassian (NASDAQ: TEAM).

OpenAI’s chief executive, Sam Altman, commented:

Australia is well-placed to be a global leader in AI, with deep technical talent, strong institutions and a clear ambition to use new technology to lift productivity.

This sentiment was echoed by OpenAI’s strategy officer, Jason Kwon. He adds:

We are creating a physical presence here in multiple ways and these are intended to be multiple-year partnerships where we build together. This is really about just the beginning. Our hope is that this sends a pretty clear signal to the Australian market that there is more to be built to enable more economic activity.

NextDC response

This morning, NextDC responded to the reports and confirmed that it has agreed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with OpenAI to develop a sovereign AI infrastructure partnership under the OpenAI for Australia program.

It notes that through the MoU, OpenAI and NextDC will collaborate on the planning, development, and operation of a next generation hyperscale AI campus and large-scale GPU supercluster at NEXTDC’s S7 site in Eastern Creek, Sydney.

Should you invest?

In response to the news, this morning the team at Citi reaffirmed its buy rating and $18.35 price target on NextDC’s shares.

This implies potential upside of over 20% for investors over the next 12 months.

Elsewhere, last week, the team at Morgans upgraded NextDC’s shares to a buy rating with a $19.00 price target. It said:

The share price has declined ~19% in the last three months and given a ~40% differential between the current share price and our $19 target price we upgrade our recommendation to BUY from ACCUMULATE.

The post NextDC shares jump 11% on major OpenAI deal appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Morgans just upgraded these ASX stocks to buy ratings (with huge upside!)
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Why Domino’s, Greatland, NextDC, and Unico Silver shares are pushing higher today
• 2 ASX 200 tech stocks racing higher on big news

Citigroup is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Nextdc. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Atlassian and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

I believe that buy and hold investing is one of the best ways to build wealth.

But don’t worry if you’re not a fan of stock-picking. That’s because exchange traded funds (ETFs) are here to save the day by offering simply access to large groups of stocks in one fell swoop.

With that in mind, here are three ASX ETFs that I would buy for the long term:

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF offers investors exposure to the top 100 non-financial stocks listed on the Nasdaq exchange.

This effectively means a concentrated basket of the world’s most innovative technology leaders. Inside the ASX ETF, you will find giants such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA), along with rising players like Adobe (NASDAQ: ADBE) and Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO).

The Nasdaq 100 has historically outperformed most global indices thanks to its tilt toward fast-growing industries like cloud computing, artificial intelligence, consumer tech, and semiconductors. And with AI now driving a generational infrastructure buildout, many of the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF’s largest holdings remain central to that global transformation.

Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA)

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF targets some of the most influential and fast-growing technology companies across China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Key holdings include Tencent Holdings (SEHK: 700), SK Hynix (KRX: 000660), Alibaba Group (NYSE: BABA), Samsung Electronics (KRX: 005930), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE: TSM), and PDD Holdings (NASDAQ: PDD).

These companies sit at the heart of global megatrends like e-commerce, artificial intelligence, social media, and semiconductor manufacturing. Taiwan Semiconductor, for example, produces the world’s most advanced chips and plays a crucial role in powering everything from smartphones to autonomous vehicles. Tencent and Alibaba, meanwhile, dominate entertainment, cloud, and digital payments across Asia.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

Cybersecurity has become one of the most essential industries in the digital economy, and the Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF provides simple access to the world leaders in the space.

Its portfolio includes CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ: CRWD), Palo Alto Networks (NASDAQ: PANW), and Fortinet (NASDAQ: FTNT). These are companies using advanced AI-powered tools to protect governments, corporations, and consumers from increasingly complex cyber threats.

One standout holding is CrowdStrike. The company’s Falcon platform is widely considered one of the most advanced security solutions available, capable of detecting threats in real time through machine learning. With cyberattacks rising globally and businesses moving more systems into the cloud, cybersecurity spending is expected to grow steadily for years to come.

The post 3 ASX ETFs I’d buy right now to build wealth appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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There’s nothing quite like a takeover bid to drive interest in a stock, and for existing shareholders, there is also the prospect of windfall gains if the price is right.

There has been a flurry of takeover bids recently, with targets ranging from small gold prospectors, such as Venus Metals Corporation Ltd (ASX: VMC), to major companies like logistics provider Qube Holdings Ltd (ASX: QUB).

And in the case of the latter, and fellow takeover target National Storage REIT (ASX: NSR), there’s still the potential to make short-term gains, given each company’s share price is still trading at a discount to the offer price.

Qube trading at a decent discount

In the case of Qube, Macquarie Asset Management has launched a conditional bid for the company at $5.20 per share.

That was a significant premium to the $4.07 at which the company’s shares were trading at the time of the bid.

And while the shares have consistently traded higher than levels before the bid, they are still only changing hands for $4.64, meaning canny investors could make a windfall gain – should the bid actually go through.

Keep in mind that it is still conditional on satisfactory due diligence and a unanimous recommendation from the Qube board.

The board has granted Macquarie a period of exclusive due diligence, having previously negotiated for a higher price from Macquarie, and said at the time the possible deal was made public that, in the absence of a better offer, they do expect to endorse the bid.

Interestingly, UniSuper, which is a significant shareholder in Qube, has increased its shareholding in the company from 5.25% to 9.95% since the potential takeover bid was announced.

National Storage also in play

In the case of National Storage, the company was forced to divulge in late November that it had been approached by Brookfield Property Group and GIC Investments about a potential takeover, priced at $2.86 a share. This followed an article in The Australian hinting at the possible deal.

Like the Qube bid, the National Storage takeover offer is at this stage non-binding and conditional, but investors once again could make gains if it was to go through.

The National Storage bid is priced at $2.86, minus the likely 6-cent dividend to be paid by the company, which compares with the current share price of $2.71.

That implies a much lower premium of just 3.3% for investors who buy in now; however, some might be betting that a higher offer is in the wings.

In the case of Venus Metals Corporation, that company’s share price is actually trading higher than the 17 cent per share offer price from Queensland coal billionaire Chris Wallin’s company QGold.

 QGold’s offer is an on-market offer, meaning the company is actively buying shares at the offer price, however Venus said in a statement to the ASX this week it appeared the company was buying shares  at higher prices of between 18 cents and 19 cents in recent sessions.

Venus said this week it was currently preparing a target’s statement, which would be released to the ASX on December 8.

Venus shares closed Thursday’s trading session at 20 cents, well above the on-market bid price.

The post These two takeover targets are still trading below their potential bid prices appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Harvey Norman, Mirvac, Qube, and Suncorp shares are falling today
• 3 ASX 200 shares smashing the benchmark this week
• This ASX storage REIT’s shares surge as takeover talks confirmed
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why is everyone talking about Qube shares?

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.