The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

When you reach retirement, investing priorities tend to shift.

While growth still matters, reliability, diversification, and dependable income usually take centre stage.

For many retirees, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) can be an ideal solution, offering exposure to dozens or even hundreds of shares while delivering regular distributions without the need to manage individual shares.

With that in mind, here are three ASX ETFs that could play a role in generating passive income throughout retirement.

Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: VHY)

The Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF is a popular choice among income-focused investors, and it is easy to see why.

This ASX ETF invests in Australian shares with above-average forecast dividend yields, providing exposure to some of the ASX’s most established dividend payers.

Its portfolio includes major names such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS). These are businesses with long histories of generating strong cash flows and returning capital to shareholders.

For retirees, the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF offers a relatively straightforward way to access a diversified stream of Australian dividends, with the added benefit of franking credits.

Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD)

The Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF is another option for income investors to consider in retirement. It targets a basket of ASX shares with high forecast dividend yields, while applying screens designed to avoid dividend traps.

This includes avoiding companies that are projected to pay unsustainably high dividend yields, as well as those that exhibit high levels of volatility relative to their forecast dividend payout.

Current holdings include the banks and blue chips such as QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE), Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS). It was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT)

While the Betashares Australian Quality ETF may not look like a traditional income ETF, it can still play an important role in a retirement portfolio.

This ASX ETF focuses on high-quality Australian shares with strong balance sheets, consistent earnings, and sustainable business models. Its holdings include Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ), and Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG).

The fund pays distributions semi-annually and currently offers a 12-month distribution yield of 3.4%, or 4.3% on a grossed-up basis. Importantly for retirees, around 61% of those distributions are currently franked. It was also recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

The post 3 ASX ETFs to generate passive income in retirement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group, Transurban Group, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group, Telstra Group, and Transurban Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group, Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF, and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Australia’s major energy shares are under pressure today as global oil markets tumble.

At the time of writing, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) has dropped 2.38% to $23.43, Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) is down 1.06% to $6.04, and Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) has fallen 2.13% to $31.88.

The catalyst is simple: oil has slipped below US$60 a barrel, a level many traders consider psychologically important for the sector. When oil breaks lower, ASX energy stocks tend to follow, and that’s exactly what we are seeing today.

Why is oil dropping?

Global crude prices are falling as traders react to renewed optimism around a potential Russia–Ukraine peace agreement. Any credible progress towards ending the conflict raises expectations that Russian oil could return more efficiently to global markets.

That matters because Russian supply disruptions have been one of the biggest drivers of volatility in energy markets over the last few years. If geopolitical tensions ease, investors anticipate a more stable and potentially higher global supply, which naturally weighs on crude prices.

With oil now trading at its lowest levels in months, energy stocks are adjusting quickly.

What this means for oil shares

For upstream producers such as Woodside and Santos, revenue is closely tied to global energy prices. When crude falls sharply:

• Selling prices decline, reducing income
• Costs can’t be reduced as easily, leading to a greater risk of margin compression
• Investor sentiment turns cautious, particularly towards companies with heavy capital expenditure pipelines

Both companies have benefited from higher commodity prices in recent years, but they are equally sensitive when the cycle turns. Today’s share price moves reflect that exposure.

Why Ampol is also trading lower

Ampol isn’t an oil producer, but its refining business and fuel margins are influenced by movements in global crude benchmarks. When oil prices fall quickly, retail and wholesale pricing can lag the move, pressuring profitability. The market typically prices this risk in immediately, which explains today’s decline.

Looking ahead

Future movements will depend on how the geopolitical situation evolves. Peace-related optimism can fade quickly, but a sustained period of lower oil prices would reshape earnings expectations across the sector.

For now, the message from the market is clear: the energy trade is shifting, and investors are reassessing their positioning as crude oil tests multi-month lows.

The post Why ASX oil stocks Woodside, Santos and Ampol are sliding today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Kevin Gandiya has no positions 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 Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price has had a strong year, climbing roughly 25% year to date and recently trading around $7.75. For a stock many investors had written off during the coal downturn, that’s been an impressive rebound.

The obvious question now is whether Whitehaven still has more to offer, or if most of the upside has already been captured.

What’s driving the strength?

A big part of Whitehaven’s recent run has come down to execution. The company’s September quarter update showed production and costs broadly tracking within guidance, while realised coal prices remained well above long-term averages.

Whitehaven reported managed run-of-mine production of 9 million tonnes for the quarter, with managed sales of 7.5 million tonnes. Unit costs were in the top half of FY26 guidance, but management reiterated expectations for costs to improve over the remainder of the year as volumes lift and cost savings flow through.

The company is also making progress on its cost-out program, targeting $60 million to $80 million in annualised savings by June 2026.

Coal prices still doing the heavy lifting

Thermal and metallurgical coal prices have come off their peaks, but they remain supportive. According to Trading Economics, Newcastle thermal coal prices are still sitting comfortably above pre-2021 levels, helping underpin margins for low-cost producers like Whitehaven.

That pricing environment has allowed Whitehaven to strengthen its balance sheet. Net debt sat around $800 million at the end of September, a manageable level given the current cash generation from the company.

What are brokers saying?

Broker views are mixed, which is fairly typical for coal stocks at this point in the cycle.

Jefferies recently lifted its price target to $8, while Bell Potter sits around $7. Macquarie trimmed its target to about $7 but still acknowledges Whitehaven’s solid operational performance. Morgans and Ord Minnett have also made modest adjustments to their targets, reflecting more normalised coal prices rather than company-specific issues.

Is it still a buy?

Whitehaven is never going to be a set-and-forget investment. Coal prices are volatile, sentiment can turn quickly, and long-term demand remains uncertain.

That being said, the company is in a much stronger position than it was a year ago. Production is stabilising, costs are coming down, and the balance sheet looks far healthier. Ongoing buybacks and the potential for shareholder returns also support the case.

My take

After a 25% rally, Whitehaven is no longer a deep-value turnaround play. However, for investors comfortable with commodity exposure, it still offers leverage to coal prices, enhances operational momentum, and maintains a disciplined approach to costs.

At these levels, it’s probably no longer cheap, but it’s not obviously expensive either. But as long as coal prices remain supportive and execution stays on track, Whitehaven can continue to earn its place on my watchlist.

The post Up 25% in 2025: Is Whitehaven Coal still a buy? 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 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.

Freightways Group Ltd (ASX: FRW) announced today the $71 million acquisition of Victoria-based company VT Freight Express (VTFE).

Yet despite the deal being forecast to lift earnings per share by 6% in year one, the Freightways share price barely moved.

A flat share price doesn’t mean the market is unimpressed. If anything, it suggests that the company may be underfollowed by analysts and large institutional investors, or that the acquisition aligns neatly with what investors already expected from the company.

Despite owning well-known courier and package delivery brands such as Allied Express, Freightways Group remains relatively under the radar in the investor community.

That, however, could change soon as the company continues to execute its growth strategy.

While today’s news didn’t move the needle, the Freightways share price is already up around 43% year to date in 2025, reflecting strong operational momentum. The company has delivered steady revenue and earnings expansion, disciplined cost management, and an improving contribution from its Australian operations, which will grow with this acquisition.

In FY25, revenue grew 6.6% to $1.3 billion, and NPAT rose 12.9% to $80.1 million, with management signalling confidence in continued growth into FY26.

According to Freightways’ announcement, VTFE generated A$77 million in revenue over the past 12 months and operates an asset-light contractor model across all Australian states and territories. This is a structure that mirrors much of Freightways’ existing Australian operations. The business gives Freightways a stronger foothold in the B2B freight segment, complementing allied brands such as Allied Express, which focuses on B2C deliveries.

Against that backdrop, today’s acquisition looks less like a shock announcement and more like another step in Freightways’ broader Australian expansion strategy. VTFE provides density, scale, and a platform for further growth, while reinforcing Freightways’ multi-brand approach in one of its highest-potential markets.

Foolish bottom line

For investors, the key takeaway may not be today’s flat share price, but the fact that Freightways continues to extend its footprint in Australia. If the company maintains its track record of earnings growth and strategic discipline, the recent strong share price performance may not be finished yet.

The post Is this little-known stock setting up for its next move higher? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Freightways Group to acquire VT Freight Express in $71m deal

Motley Fool contributor Kevin Gandiya has no positions 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 originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL) (NASDAQ: GOOG) has had an unbelievable year. And investors should have zero complaints. As of Dec. 12, shares have climbed 63% in 2025. There is some serious positive momentum working in the company’s favor.

After such a monumental gain and a $3.7 trillion market cap, should you invest $1,000 in this top tech stock right now? 

Alphabet’s valuation looks reasonable

Investors would be wise to consider adding this dominant internet business to their portfolios. Valuation is one of the main reasons why. Shares currently trade at a forward price-to-earnings ratio of 28, a multiple that is justified given Alphabet’s economic moat, history of innovation, and huge free cash flow.

The stock will continue winning

The stock has crushed the S&P 500 index in the past five years. And it’s poised to keep this streak going between now and 2030.

That confidence stems from Alphabet’s ability to find new avenues to make money. The company is planning to introduce ads to its extremely popular Gemini app next year, which has 650 million monthly active users. This is a smart way for the business to monetize its user base that opts to use the free service instead of a paid tier.

Alphabet generated $74 billion of ad revenue in the third quarter, a figure that should continue marching higher and lifting profits in the process.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post Should you invest $1,000 in Alphabet right now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Neil Patel 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 Alphabet. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

From pharmaceutical stocks to dividend-payers, these are the ASX shares that have caught my eye this week.

Mesoblast Ltd (ASX: MSB)

Mesoblast is a clinical-stage biotech company which develops and commercialises allogeneic cellular medicines to treat complex diseases. Its FDA-approved Ryoncil® product is in the market and the company is also in the process of developing other cellular medicines to treat other complex conditions. Some are already in the latter stages of their clinical trial pipelines. 

The company is well-positioned for growth and said it can draw additional capital from its convertible note facility as it continues to grow sales and broaden its cell therapy pipeline for other inflammatory conditions.

At the time of writing Mesoblast shares are up 2.89% for the day at $2.85 a piece. Analyst consensus is that there is a strong upside ahead for Mesoblast shares, with some forecasting a target price of $5.25. This implies the shares could hike another 84.11% over the next 12 months.

Plato Income Maximiser Ltd (ASX: PL8) 

When it comes to income-generating stocks, I like the look of Plato right now. The ASX dividend share holds a portfolio of mature ASX-listed equities, cash, and listed futures. Its portfolio is mostly Australian companies with strong dividend payouts, which is very well diversified and liquid by design. 

Plato has consistently paid fully franked dividends of 0.55 cents per share every month since April 2022. The company said that it plans to keep its dividends steady going forward too, even amid market uncertainty. Plato is currently trading at $1.45 per share.

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The beaten-down stock has suffered multiple setbacks this year. Regulatory issues and broker downgrades have dampened investor sentiment. At the time of writing the ASX biotech company’s shares have plunged another 7.56% to $11.61 a piece.

I think the tide is about to turn Telix though. The company has already had huge success with its flagship prostate cancer imaging product, Illuccix. Once it receives approval for Zircaix, it has the potential to open the door to another long road of growth. 

Analysts are very bullish too. Most have a buy or strong buy rating on the shares and think the shares could climb as high as $34.30 over the next 12 months. That’s a huge potential 195.53% upside. It looks like today’s crash could be a great buying opportunity.

Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP)

It’s been a year of ups and downs for the Australian financial technology company. But Zip has shown strong and improved earnings this year, and the company is continually pushing for even more growth. The business is actively broadening its product range and is also looking at ways to scale its US presence.

I think there is still some good momentum ahead for Zip shares. Analysts are mostly bullish on the stock and think the share price could climb as high as $6.20 in 2026. Using the $3.01 share price at the time of writing, that implies a massive potential 106.32% upside.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra has been in the spotlight for a while now, and triple-0 concerns and buyback programs have dented its share price recently. At the time of writing the shares are $4.81 a piece.

But I like that Telstra is a defensive stock. The company tends to perform steadily, regardless of the stage of the economic cycle. And this is great news for investors who want to hedge against potential volatility elsewhere. 

The company has performed well this year and has outlined some great growth plans for 2026. I’m optimistic that these can be executed. Analysts are also mostly bullish. They expect the share price could rise as high as $5.40, which implies a potential 12.38% upside for investors at the time of writing.

The post 5 ASX shares I’d buy with $10,000 this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) and its CEO and significant shareholder, Elon Musk, frequently make the news. It’s not always positive, with Musk’s potentially $1 trillion dollar pay package vote garnering sharp reactions.

But looking purely at the stock’s performance, how much would you have today had you invested $5,000 in Tesla shares a year ago? 

A volatile stock

Tesla’s stock has certainly been volatile. The shares have a 52-week low of $214.25 and a high of $488.54.

Through the ups and downs over the last year, Tesla’s share price rose 8.8% through Dec. 11. However, the S&P 500 index went up 13.4%. While Tesla doesn’t pay dividends, the S&P 500 had a total return of 14.8% after including the payouts.

That means your $5,000 investment would be worth $5,444. That’s below the $5,737 if you’d invested passively in the S&P 500.

A look ahead

Tesla’s stock has certainly rewarded investors with market-beating returns over the long term. Over five years, the shares’ 126% appreciation beat the S&P 500’s 102.4% return.

With growing competition in the electric car industry and U.S. tax incentives disappearing, its core automotive business’ growth has slowed. Third-quarter automotive revenue increased 6% year over year to $21.2 billion.

Musk has promised a future of artificial intelligence, robotics, and self-driving cars. It’s unclear if and when these initiatives will pay off. Given the long wait and current climate for its core business, I’d pass on Tesla shares right now. For those investing, you should prepare yourself for the stock’s wild price swings. 

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

The post If you had invested $5,000 in Tesla stock 1 year ago, here’s how much you would have today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

This article was originally published on Fool.com. All figures quoted in US dollars unless otherwise stated.

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Lawrence Rothman, CFA 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 Tesla. 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.