There are arguably two types of Australians: Those that relish the nine-to-five grind and those that don’t. For those in the latter group, living a never-ending weekend while raking in a ‘wage’ probably sounds like a dream come true. Fortunately, ASX dividend shares can offer such passive income.

And building a ‘wage’ through investing in Aussie stocks need not be overly expensive.

I believe that by regularly setting aside funds to buy undervalued, high-quality ASX dividend shares, I could begin preparing an early retirement (or second wage) in 2023. Here’s how.

How much do I need to invest to see my wage in dividends?

As of August 2022, the average Australian employee was paid $1,250 each week, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That’s around $65,000 annually, pre-tax. So, let’s use that as our base.

If one was to realise a notable – but not impossible – annual dividend yield of 8%, one would need an $815,000 portfolio to receive around $65,000 each year in dividend income.

If you’re anything like me, that’s far from pocket change! Fortunately, it doesn’t need to be invested all at once. Here’s how I would build it up over the years.

Building a portfolio using compounding

If I were aiming to build a portfolio of dividend shares capable of growing to be worth $815,000, I’d focus on compounding my earnings for now.

By reinvesting any dividend income in shares, I could build up my holdings without forking out extra cash.

I think I could put $250 of the average $1,250 weekly wage aside to invest.

If I did so, and I could realise an 8% yield while reinvesting all my dividends, my portfolio could be worth around $815,000 in under 24 years. That could feasibly see me retiring by 2047.

If I made some lifestyle changes, I could potentially stretch my wage further.

By investing $500 a week, I could reach my goal in under 17 years. That could potentially allow me to kick back for the remainder of my ‘working’ days from 2040.

Identifying ASX dividend shares to buy

Of course, realising a consistent 8% dividend yield is a hard – but not impossible – ask.

Right now, S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) companies like BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), and Cromwell Property Group (ASX: CMW) each offer yields of around 8%.

Though, higher yields can also come with greater risks. On the other hand, a lower yield would increase the time it would take to reach my goal.

Fortunately, I think there’s a middle ground. An investor buying ASX value shares that are also capable of paying dividends may find themselves receiving higher returns when their investment’s true worth is realised.

Identifying value shares is notoriously tricky. And it’s likely made trickier if one is seeking passive income on top. However, it can be done.

If that was my aim, I would analyse a company’s business, its true value, balance sheet, and strengths and weaknesses to assess whether it might be able to grow its valuation and payouts in the future.

Still, even the most considered investment can’t be guaranteed to provide either dividends or capital gains.

The post Sick of the grind? Here’s how I’d aim to replace my wage with dividend income in 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Investing in ASX 200 energy shares? Here’s why the oil price may already have hit its 2023 lows
• Why is the BHP share price slipping on Monday?
• Is now the time to load up on Woodside shares?
• Invested $5,000 in BHP shares 5 years ago? Here’s how much passive income you’ve earned
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) seems to have gotten up on the wrong side of the bed this morning. After briefly opening in positive territory at the start of today’s session, the ASX 200 is now firmly in the red so far this Monday. At present, the index has slipped by 0.04% to just over 7,490 points.

But rather than trying to figure all of that out, let’s now take a look at the ASX 200 shares currently topping the share market’s trading volume charts, according to investing.com.

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)

ASX 200 insurance purveyor IAG is our first share worth taking a gander at this Monday. So far this session, a notable 7.34 million IAG shares have been swapped. This is almost certainly a result of the gloomy announcement IAG made to the markets this morning.

The insurer told investors that it had received a large number of claims relating to the recent devastating floods in New Zealand. As a result, the IAG share price had shed a nasty 3.44% down to $4.90 at present, after dropping as low as $4.78 this morning. It’s these factors that have probably resulted in so many IAG shares finding a new home today.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

Next up we have a familiar face in ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara Minerals. This Monday has seen a hefty 10.6 million Pilbara shares phoned in for trading. We haven’t seen any fresh news out of Pilbara so far this week. But that hasn’t stopped Pilbara shares from defying the market and shooting up by a healthy 2.65% so far today to $5.03 a share. This is the likely cause of the high volumes we see. Perhaps investors were reacting to some recent bullish comments from more than one ASX expert.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

Third and finally today we have another ASX 200 lithium stock in Core Lithium. This session has had a sizeable 25.22 million Core Lithium shares trade hands as it currently stands. This one isn’t too hard to work out.

Core Lithium shares are soaring in value today after the company released its latest quarterly production figures. As we went through this morning, Core Lithium has now delivered its first shipment of dry lithium ore. Amid this announcement, the Core Lithium share price has shot higher by a whopping 7.96% so far today to $1.22 a share. No wonder so many shares have been traded.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why lithium prices could be ‘higher for longer’: Macquarie
• Why Brainchip, IAG, Metcash, and ResMed shares are sinking today
• Why Block, Core Lithium, Lynas, and Xero shares are charging higher today
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Why is the IAG share price tumbling 4% on Monday?

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

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Lithium prices could remain elevated for longer according to analysts at Macquarie equities.

ASX 200 lithium explorers include Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN), Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) and IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO).

Pilbara shares are rising 2.14% today, while Core Lithium shares are leaping 4.20%. Mineral Resources shares are climbing 0.02%, while IGO shares are descending 0.63%.

Let’s take a look at the outlook for the lithium price.

What’s ahead?

Lithium prices can weigh on company earnings and hence the share price of ASX 200 lithium shares.

Analysts at Macquarie Bank Ltd (ASX: MBLPC) are optimistic lower lithium supply amid development delays and capex upgrades could be a positive for the lithium price, The Australian reported.

Macquarie’s team is positive on ASX 200 lithium shares Mineral Resources and IGO, while it is also impressed with Pilbara’s “full lithium exposure” via its Pilgangoora operation in WA.

Commenting on lithium supply, the Macquarie equities team said:

A struggling lithium supply could keep lithium prices higher for longer, a silver lining for the lithium industry.

Pilbara delivered a 10% increase in spodumene concentration production in the December quarter to 162,151 dry metric tonnes, as my Foolish colleague James reported last week.

Meanwhile, Argosy Minerals Ltd (ASX: AGY) has also shared an upbeat outlook for lithium in today’s quarterly activities report.

In comments today, Argosy highlighted the “growing expectations across the market that supply will remain tight over 2023”.

Significant growth in EV sales remains the most material driver for future lithium demand.

Share price snapshot

Pilbara Minerals shares have surged 56% in the last year, while Core Lithium shares have soared nearly 61%.

IGO shares have leapt 33% in the last year, while Mineral Resources shares have exploded 71%.

For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) has soared nearly 14% in the last year.

The post Why lithium prices could be ‘higher for longer’: Macquarie appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Block, Core Lithium, Lynas, and Xero shares are charging higher today
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Core Lithium share price marches higher as key quarterly milestones achieved
• Pilbara Minerals share price ‘offers strong growth potential’: expert
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week

Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) oil and gas stocks were among the biggest beneficiaries of soaring energy prices in the first half of 2022.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, crude oil prices rocketed. By 10 June, West Texas International (WTI) crude had topped US$120 per barrel, up from US$75 per barrel at the beginning of the year.

As you’d expect, that offered some strong tailwinds for ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS).

By 10 June 2022, Woodside shares had gained 59% over the calendar year. Santos shares were up 35% over that same period.

But with a warmer-than-average European winter and China remaining stuck in COVID lockdowns, the second half of 2022 saw reduced demand and oil and gas prices retraced.

WTI traded as low as US$71 per barrel on 9 December.

And both the Santos and Woodside share price fell right alongside crude prices.

What’s happening with the oil price in 2023?

That’s what happened with the crude oil price and these ASX 200 energy shares in 2022.

So far in 2023, WTI hit a low of US$72.84 per barrel on 4 January. At the time of writing, that same barrel is worth US$79.85.

That’s helped boost the Santos share price by 4.3% since the opening bell on 5 January, while the Woodside share price has gained 7.8%.

The question now is, what can investors expect from the oil price for the rest of 2023?

The answer will largely come down to global demand. Which brings us back to China and its long overdue reopening from the COVID lockdowns.

RBC Capital Markets LLC analyst Michael Tran believes that investors haven’t properly priced in that reopening yet. RBC forecasts an average price for WTI of US$92 per barrel in 2023 and may already have hit its lows for the year.

According to Tran (quoted by Bloomberg):

China‘s reopening is hardly being priced into the oil market, yet. We would not be the least bit surprised if the lows of the year end up being the $72-a-barrel print that we saw three weeks ago, on the second trading day of the year.

Indeed, China’s State Council has stressed the importance of consumption to spur China’s economy back into high gear.

How have these ASX 200 energy shares been performing?

The Santos share price is up 1% over the past 12 months while rival ASX 200 energy share Woodside has gained 46%.

The post Investing in ASX 200 energy shares? Here’s why the oil price may already have hit its 2023 lows appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Is now the time to load up on Woodside shares?
• Two ASX sectors to buy right now (and two to avoid like the plague): fundie
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Consumer spending defies logic as inflation rages higher, locking in yet another interest rate hike in February

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.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on track to start the week with a small decline. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is down 0.1% to 7,488 points.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are dropping:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price is down 4% to 63 cents. Investors have been selling this semiconductor company’s shares after it reported cash receipts of US$1.1 million for the three months ended 31 December. This compares to its current market capitalisation of $1.15 billion. No wonder Brainchip gets called a meme stock!

Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG)

The IAG share price is down over 3% to $4.91. This morning, IAG revealed that it had already received more than 5,000 claims in New Zealand following the devastating floods. The full financial impact is still unknown and IAG may need to review its estimate for natural peril costs for FY 2023.

Metcash Limited (ASX: MTS)

The Metcash share price is down 2.5% to $4.10. This follows news that the company’s Food CEO, Scott Marshall, has resigned. Marshall had been with Metcash for over 30 years and is leaving to pursue another career opportunity.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

The ResMed share price is down 7.5% to $31.12. Investors were buying this sleep treatment company’s shares on Friday following the release of its quarterly update. However, with the ResMed share price falling heavily on Wall Street that evening, its locally listed shares have had a bit of catching up to do today. It is worth noting, though, that brokers are overwhelmingly positive on the company following the update.

The post Why Brainchip, IAG, Metcash, and ResMed shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why is the IAG share price tumbling 4% on Monday?
• ResMed share price sinks 7%: Is this a buying opportunity?
• Add some oomph to your portfolio with these ASX growth shares: analysts
• Here’s why the Brainchip share price is being sold down again today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

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

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Ex-dividend dates can be some of the most important on an ASX share’s calendar. An ex-dividend date is the date that an ASX dividend share cuts off investor eligibility to receive the company’s next dividend payment.

Put simply, if you own a company’s shares before an ex-dividend date passes, you get paid. If you buy them after the ex-div date has passed, you miss out.

It so happens that the current trading week has three of these ex-dividend dates. So let’s check out which shares are about to cut off investors from their latest dividend payments.

3 ASX shares going ex-dividend this week

CVC Limited (ASX: CVC)

Investment company CVC is first up today. This company is a provider of investment products, including managed funds ad property trusts. CVC is scheduled to pay out its next dividend on 20 February next month. This interim dividend will be worth 4 cents per share and will come fully franked.

This 4 cents per share dividend is steady from the same interim payment that investors enjoyed last year. But investors will need to be quick if they are desperate to receive this dividend. That’s because CVC is scheduled to trade ex-dividend for this payment tomorrow, 31 January.

So today is effectively the last day investors can buy CVC shares and get the dividend thrown in. At current pricing, CVC shares have a trailing dividend yield of 4.5%.

Euroz Hartleys Group Ltd (ASX: EZL)

ASX financial services company Euroz Hartleys is next up today. Investors are no doubt looking forward to the company’s next interim dividend, which is scheduled to hit bank accounts next month on 17 February.

Shareholders can look forward to receiving a payment worth 2.5 cents per share, fully franked, which again is flat on last year’s interim dividend.

Investors have a little more time to get in before this dividend shuts off to new investors, but not by much. Euroz shares will go ex-div on 1 February, this Wednesday.

So if you want to nab this dividend, there’s your cutoff date. Euroz Hartleys currently has a trailing dividend yield of 10.78%.

Australian Foundation Investment Co Ltd (ASX: AFI)

Listed investment company (LIC) AFIC is our last share worth a look at today. AFIC is an ASX veteran, having been around for close to 100 years.

This well-loved income share is also coming up to a new interim dividend payment. Investors will receive the company’s fully franked interim dividend of 11 cents per share on 24 February next month.

This interim dividend is a pleasing 10% hike over last year’s interim dividend of 10 cents per share.

But would-be shareholders have until 2 February, the ex-dividend date, to buy shares if they want to receive it. At the last AFIC share price, this LIC had a dividend yield of 3.26%.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares trading ex-dividend this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• AFIC share price jumps on 10% dividend hike

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.

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There are plenty of investments out there that can offer passive income. Consider investment properties or bonds for example. However, many passive income buys don’t offer the convenience and return potential of ASX dividend shares.

Unlike property, ASX dividend shares are notably liquid and don’t demand a large deposit to buy.

And, while investing in dividend stocks can represent greater risk than buying bonds, they also offer greater potential rewards. Fortunately, I believe there are ways investors can minimise the risks involved with buying ASX dividend shares.

Here are three mistakes dividend investors often make when building a portfolio and how to avoid them.

3 mistakes I’d avoid when buying ASX passive income shares

Not looking at the bigger picture

The first mistake those buying ASX dividend shares often make is a simple one. That is, buying a stock purely for its dividends.

ASX dividend shares can provide both passive income and share price gains – or falls. Thus, I think it’s important to assess the health of a whole company before buying in.

To do so, I would look at whether it’s currently trading for a good price. If it is, I would then delve into its business and balance sheet to make sure I both understand the company and am confident of its future prospects.  

Though, even the most considered investment can’t be guaranteed to provide returns or downside protection.

Choosing passive income over quality companies

On that note, while a high yielding company might look like an obvious investment for one seeking passive income, I believe it’s important to delve into the reliability of those dividends.

That means assessing a stock’s dividend history and its cash flows.

By looking at the former I might find that, for instance, a company tends to cut its payouts during hard times. That might make it a less attractive income buy. However, past performance isn’t an indication of future performance.

Meanwhile, the latter is important because dividends generally come from a company’s free cash flow. Thus, an ASX dividend share with consistent cash flows might be more likely to provide consistent passive income.  

Failing to diversify

Finally, while I wholeheartedly believe it’s important to understand the businesses one invests in, it’s equally important to build a diverse portfolio. Of course, that can be a tricky – but worthwhile – balance to strike.

By diversifying – buying into various companies, sectors, and asset classes – an investor can better protect their portfolio.

That’s because unavoidable risks are spread across multiple investments while one maintains exposure to multiple potential opportunities.

On the other hand, failing to diversify could set an ASX passive income portfolio up to suffer in the event of a single-sector or company-specific downturn.

The post 3 common mistakes to avoid when buying ASX shares for passive income in 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Block, Core Lithium, Lynas, and Xero shares are charging higher today
• 3 ASX 300 shares on the move after quarterly updates
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Should I buy Woolworths shares for 2023 or not?
• Why is the IAG share price tumbling 4% on Monday?

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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.

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In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a small decline. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is down slightly to 7,489 points.

Four ASX share that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here’s why they are charging higher:

Block Inc (ASX: SQ2)

The Block share price is up almost 5% to $117.68. This follows a solid night of trade for the payments company’s NYSE listed shares on Friday. Investors were piling back into the tech sector on Wall Street, driving the Nasdaq index 1% higher.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is up 5% to $1.19. This morning, this lithium developer released its quarterly update. Positively, management revealed that additional night shifts continued during the quarter to ensure that the construction of the dense media separation (DMS) plant remains on schedule for production of first spodumene concentrate in the first half of 2023.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

The Lynas share price is up 4.5% to $9.50. Investors have been buying this rare earths producer’s shares following the release of its second quarter update. For the three months ended 31 December, Lynas reported a 42% quarter on quarter increase in sales revenue to $232.7 million.

Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)

The Xero share price is up 3% to $77.63. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Goldman Sachs this morning. Goldman has named Xero as its top pick in the tech sector and put it on its coveted conviction list with a buy rating and $109.00 price target. This implies potential upside of 40% for investors from current levels.

The post Why Block, Core Lithium, Lynas, and Xero shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Core Lithium share price marches higher as key quarterly milestones achieved
• Why Xero shares are Goldman’s top ASX 200 tech pick
• Lynas share price rises on 42% jump in sales revenue
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday

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

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Three ASX 300 shares are bouncing around today after the companies released their quarterly results.

For perspective, the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) is just 0.02% in the green at the time of writing.

Let’s take a look at these three ASX 300 shares and what they reported in more detail.

Argosy Minerals Ltd (ASX: AGY)

Argosy Minerals shares have had a rollercoaster day so far, falling 1.5% near the open to lift 1.12% into positive territory before again sliding into the red. Shares in the company are currently trading 1.19% lower.

Today, the lithium explorer released its quarterly activities report. The company revealed it was in a sound financial position with about $36.6 million in cash reserves as at 31 December.

It outlined a major highlight: Completing 98% of development works at the 2,000 tonnes per annum lithium carbonate production operation at the Rincon Lithium project in Argentina. Argosy also progressed exploration works at the Tonopah Lithium Project in Nevada, USA.

The company reported lithium prices remained strong during the quarter and highlighted growing expectations that “supply will remain tight over 2023” and lithium prices will maintain at “their record highs”. Argosy added:

Significant growth in EV sales remains the most material driver for future lithium demand.

Argosy shares have exploded 105% higher in the last 12 months.

Strike Energy Ltd (ASX: STX)

Strike Energy shares are sliding a hefty 4.05% today. Strike revealed it has $9.7 million cash available at the end of the December quarter, down from $21.1 million in the last quarter.

A highlight during the quarter was the company’s progress in the Walyering gas field in EP447 towards production. Strike has a 55% interest in this project, with Talon Energy Limited (ASX: TPD) owing the remaining 45%. This venture has now been granted a production licence from the Western Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum.

Strike also highlighted its takeover offer to acquire Warrego Energy Limited (ASX: WGO) was now open to Warrego shareholders.

Commenting on the results, Strike managing director and CEO Stuart Nicholls said:

The fourth quarter of calendar year 2022 was significant for Strike shareholders on a number of fronts. Firstly, and most importantly, the Company made substantial progress in its pursuit of becoming a gas producer by the end of Q1/23 at the Walyering gas field.

Strike shares have soared more than 67% in the last year.

Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL)

Vulcan is developing a zero-carbon lithium project for electric vehicle batteries. Today, Vulcan reported it was in a “strong financial position” with €134.1 million (A$204.87 million) cash on hand at the end of the December quarter.

Vulcan shares are down 0.48% at last look after sliding 2.9% in earlier trade.

During the quarter, Vulcan produced 6,350 MWh of gross baseload, renewable energy at Natür3 Lich Insheim in Germany, at an average selling price of €0.26/kWh. Vulcan said this was “helping Germany to respond to the energy and climate crises”.

Also during the quarter, the company revealed it was expanding its Zero Carbon Lithium business into France.

Commenting on today’s results, Vulcan managing director and CEO Dr Francis Wedin said:

The progress made during the last quarter of 2022 is testament to our rapidly growing team, who are working hard to execute on Phase One of our Zero Carbon Lithium Project, which aims to provide domestic lithium production for the auto industry, as well as renewable heating production on a larger scale for Europe, from 2025.

Vulcan Energy shares have slid 16% in the last year.

The post 3 ASX 300 shares on the move after quarterly updates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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.

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At the start of each week, I like to look at ASIC’s short position report to find out which shares are being targeted by short sellers.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn’t quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) remains the most shorted ASX share by some distance after its short interest rose to 13.9%. This may have been driven by concerns over ongoing revenue margin pressures.
• Betmakers Technology Group Ltd (ASX: BET) has seen its short interest ease to 12.7%. Much to the delight of short sellers, this betting technology company’s shares are trading within a whisker of a 52-week low.
• Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) has seen its short interest ease to 9.8%. Short sellers will be disappointed to learn that the network as a service provider’s shares are up 20% so far this month.
• Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) has 9.6% of its shares held short, which is down week on week. This appears to be due to concerns that lithium prices have peaked.
• Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) has short interest of 9.2%, which is down slightly since last week. Once again, short sellers appear to believe that Core Lithium could miss out on the sky high lithium prices being commanded today.
• Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE) has 7.6% of its shares held short, which is flat week on week. J Capital’s short report reveals that it is targeting the lithium developer due to concerns over its technology and project funding.
• Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) is yet another lithium share in the top ten with short interest of 7.3%. Concerns over lithium prices and project costs may be behind this. The latter could mean a capital raising is required in the near future.
• Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG) has seen its short interest ease to 7%. There are fears that demand for this appliance manufacturer’s production could soften notably this year.
• NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT) has short interest of 6.8%, which is down week on week. Balance sheet concerns and Asian expansion uncertainty may be behind this.
• Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) has short interest of 6.8%, which is up slightly since last week. Short sellers don’t appear confident that this sports betting company will turn a profit any time soon due to intense competition and significant marketing costs.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 4 ASX All Ords shares insiders have been buying up in January
• Core Lithium share price marches higher as key quarterly milestones achieved
• Add some oomph to your portfolio with these ASX growth shares: analysts
• What’s with ASX 200 lithium shares today?
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday

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 Betmakers Technology Group, Megaport, and PointsBet. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Betmakers Technology Group, Flight Centre Travel Group, Megaport, and PointsBet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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