Getting started in the share market can feel intimidating, especially for first-time investors who are worried about picking the wrong stock.

The good news is that exchange-traded funds (ETFs) remove much of that pressure and offer a simple way to invest.

With a single investment, you can gain instant diversification and exposure to hundreds or even thousands of companies.

For Australians starting their investing journey in 2026, here are five ASX ETFs that stand out as sensible, beginner-friendly options.

Vanguard Australian Shares ETF (ASX: VAS)

The Vanguard Australian Shares ETF is often considered a cornerstone ETF for local investors. It provides exposure to the 300 largest shares listed on the ASX, making it an easy way to invest in the Australian economy as a whole.

Its portfolio includes blue-chip names such as BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES). For beginners, this fund offers simplicity, diversification, and a steady stream of income over time.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

If you want global exposure without complexity, the popular iShares S&P 500 ETF is a strong place to start. It tracks the S&P 500 Index, giving investors access to 500 of the largest stocks in the United States.

Holdings include Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ), and Visa Inc (NYSE: V). For beginners, this fund offers exposure to some of the world’s most profitable businesses with a single, low-cost investment.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

The Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF could be worth considering. It is designed for investors who want broad international diversification beyond Australia. It invests across developed markets such as the United States, Europe, and Japan.

Its holdings include companies like Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Nestlé (SWX: NESN), Toyota Motor Corp (TYO: 7203), and LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (FRA: MOH).

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT)

The Betashares Australian Quality ETF takes a quality-focused approach to Australian shares. Rather than simply tracking the biggest companies, it targets businesses with strong balance sheets, reliable earnings, and solid cash flow.

Top holdings include Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG), National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS). This ETF could suit beginners who want a more selective take on the local market. It was recently recommended by analysts at Betashares.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

Finally, the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF adds a growth tilt to a beginner portfolio by tracking the Nasdaq-100 Index. It provides exposure to innovative companies shaping technology, healthcare, and consumer trends.

Holdings include Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).

The post 5 fantastic ASX ETFs for beginners in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, CSL, and Woodside Energy Group. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, CSL, Macquarie Group, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Visa, Wesfarmers, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom, Johnson & Johnson, and Nestlé and has recommended the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF, Macquarie Group, and Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, BHP Group, CSL, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF, Visa, Wesfarmers, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

S&P/ASX All Ords Index (ASX: XAO) shares rose by 7.11% and delivered total returns, including dividends, of 10.56% in 2025.

The ASX All Ords slightly outperformed the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

The ASX 200 increased by 6.8% and provided total returns of 10.32%, according to S&P Global data.

These were the five best-performing ASX All Ords shares in terms of capital growth in 2025.

5 best ASX All Ords shares for price growth

1. DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

ASX 200 defence share Droneshield leapt 300% to close at $3.08 on 31 December.

Droneshield is benefiting from the rising global defence spending investment theme.

However, investor sentiment soured in November when CEO Oleg Vornik sold more than $49 million worth of shares.

In response, DroneShield announced a mandatory minimum shareholding policy for all directors and senior managers. 

Analysts at investment platform Stake commented:

DroneShield spent 2025 swinging between euphoria and fear.

After rallying to fresh highs mid-year on the back of booming global demand for counter-drone technology, the stock unwound much of those gains as short interest climbed and investors questioned valuation froth.

2. Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR)

The Pantoro share price rose 220% to close at $4.89 on 31 December.

That closing price actually represents a retreat from the miner’s 52-week high of $6.61 recorded in October.

Like all ASX gold shares, Pantoro benefited from the astounding 65% gold price rally last year.

It was the yellow metal’s strongest year of gains in more than four decades.

The gold price hit a record high of US$4,533 per ounce in December.

A combination of tailwinds, including interest rate cuts, geopolitical tensions, and strong central bank buying, is behind the surge.

3. Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI)

This fellow ASX All Ords gold mining share also soared in 2025.

The Predictive Discovery share price also ripped 220% to close the year at 74 cents per share.

Predictive Discovery is developing gold deposits within the Siguiri Basin in Guinea.

Its key asset is the Tier-1 Bankan Gold Project, which has a mineral resource estimate of 5.53Moz.

The Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) was completed in June.

The Guinea Government has approved the environmental Impact assessment, and the exploitation permit application is in the final stages.

4. Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG)

Resolute Mining is another ASX All Ords gold share.

The Resolute Mining share price soared 206% to finish the year at $1.23.

Resolute is an African-focused gold miner and is currently in a growth phase.

It’s developing its Doropo project in Cote d’Ivoire to supplement existing production from Syama in Mali and Mako in Senegal.

5. Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

This ASX All Ords lithium share leapt 206% higher to close out 2025 at 28 cents per share.

Core Lithium shares have benefited from rising lithium prices due to improving demand for batteries, EVs, and new infrastructure.

Analysts at Trading Economics say the lithium carbonate price is now at a 19-month high.

Core Lithium’s flagship Finniss Project remains in care and maintenance.

However, the miner released a restart plan last year and will be ready to roll once it finds new financial partners and lithium prices are sufficiently stronger.

Core Lithium also raised its ore reserve estimate for the Grants deposit by 33% to 1.53Mt at 1.42% Li2O last year.

Finniss was put into care and maintenance in early 2024 due to weak lithium prices.

The post These 5 ASX All Ords shares were the fastest risers of 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• After soaring 310% in 2025, are Droneshield shares still a buy in 2026?
• 12 best performing commodities of 2025
• Gold stars: 5 best ASX 200 gold shares of 2025
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• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in 2025

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Core Lithium. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield. 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.

Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) shares ended 2025 on a high, up 310.67% from when the ASX opened for the first day of the year, to be exact.

At the time of writing on Friday afternoon, the first day the ASX has opened for 2026, the shares are up another 5.52% and are changing hands for $3.25 each.

What happened to Droneshield shares in 2025?

Droneshield shares peaked at an all-time high of $6.60 each in early October. The share price then began a slow and steady tumble back to levels seen earlier in the year.

By the end of the year, the shares had fallen 53.33% from their peak.

During the first 9 months of 2025, the counter-drone technology developer benefited from several tailwinds. A substantial increase in global defence spending was the key driver of share price growth amid ongoing geopolitical tensions. 

In mid-October, a market meltdown on Wall Street spooked some investors. But other than that, there wasn’t any significant news out of the company during the month to explain the sell-off.

In the same month, the company revealed it had launched a new software program, DroneSentry-C2 Enterprise (C2E) platform. It also posted a record 1,091% increase in quarterly revenue.

The absence of any real news to explain the tumbling share prices suggests that the downturn was caused by investors taking their profits following very strong gains.

But the downward spiral didn’t end there. 

Later, in November, the company released an update relating to share options. It said that almost 44.5 million performance options were vested on the 5th November after it met a performance hurdle of $200 million cash receipts in a 12-month rolling period.

This was shortly followed by another ASX announcement that CEO Oleg Vornick sold 14.81 million shares between 6 and 12 November. The shares totalled $49.79 million. There was no other price-sensitive news out of the company, but this type of selling activity tends to raise red flags for investors. It implies that management thinks the stock is overvalued. 

Droneshield shares appeared to reach the bottom at $1.72 a piece in late November and have now recovered around 88% at the time of writing.

So what’s ahead for Droneshield in 2026?

It looks like Droneshield shares have well and truly hit the bottom and are now continuing their recovery. We’re still a long way from the all-time peak seen last October, but I’m confident that the company’s growth strategy this year will put Droneshield shares back on track after a volatile end to 2025.

Analysts are bullish about the shares, too. TradingView data shows analyst consensus of a strong buy rating on Droneshield shares. The average 12-month target price is $4.70, which implies a 43.29% upside at the time of writing. However, some think the increase could be as high as 52.44% to $5 a piece in 2026.

The post After soaring 310% in 2025, are Droneshield shares still a buy in 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These 5 ASX All Ords shares were the fastest risers of 2025
• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in 2025
• These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in December
• 10 ASX shares I would buy in 2026
• 6 most traded ASX shares of 2025

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 DroneShield. 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to start the year with a small gain. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.15% to 8,726.4 points.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here’s why they are falling:

Capstone Copper Corp (ASX: CSC)

The Capstone Copper share price is down 3.5% to $14.64. Investors have been selling this copper miner’s shares following the release of an update. This morning, Capstone Copper revealed that a union at the Mantoverde mine in Chile, representing approximately 50% of site employees, will take strike action from today. As a result, certain activities at the mine will be gradually reduced in a safe manner. The company stated: “Capstone Copper remains willing to participate in meetings to reach a resolution, and will continue to adhere to legal procedures, respecting the rights of all its employees, inviting the union to engage in a constructive dialogue, and providing the authorities with all requested information.”

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is down 3% to $32.48. This follows a pullback in the location technology company’s NASDAQ listed shares after broad weakness in the tech sector on New Year’s Eve. While this is disappointing, Life360 shares are still up over 40% since this time 12 months ago.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is down 10% to $24.09. Investors have been selling this gold miner’s shares following a production downgrade. Due to a softer than expected operational performance, the company has revised its annual production guidance to between 1.6 million ounces and 1.7 million ounces. This is from its previous guidance of between 1.7 million ounces and 1.85 million ounces. In addition, the company advised that its lower gold sales are expected to impact its cost performance. It plans to provide its December quarter costs and revised annual cost guidance with its quarterly results later this month.

Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT)

The Weebit Nano share price is down 2% to $4.95. This is likely to have been driven by profit taking after a very strong gain in December. Investors were buying the semiconductor company’s shares after it revealed that it signed a licensing agreement for its ReRAM technology with Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN). Weebit Nano also released revenue guidance for FY 2026, revealing that it expects revenue of at least $10 million.

The post Why Capstone Copper, Life360, Northern Star, and Weebit Nano shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why are Northern Star shares crashing 10% today?
• Northern Star Resources trims FY26 gold guidance after soft December quarter
• 12 best performing commodities of 2025
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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360 and Texas Instruments. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Life360. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) provider Betashares has announced its next round of distributions (dividends) for most of its ETFs.

Investors who own these Betashares ETFs below will receive their dividends on 19 January.

The ex-dividend date is today, and the record date is Monday.

How much in dividends will you receive?

Here are the dividends that investors will receive, rounded to the nearest cent, on 19 January.

The Betashares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) will pay $1.15 per unit with 60% franking.

Betashares Australian Quality ETF (ASX: AQLT) will pay 47 cents per unit with 93% franking.

The Betashares Global Defence ETF (ASX: ARMR) will pay 32 cents per unit.

The Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) will pay 3 cents per unit.

The Betashares Asia Technology Tigers ETF (ASX: ASIA) will pay 67 cents per unit.

Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) will pay 6 cents per unit with 106% franking.

Betashares Diversified All Growth ETF (ASX: DHHF) will pay 30 cents per unit with 22% franking.

The Betashares Global Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: ETHI) will pay 4 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Sustainability Leaders ETF (ASX: FAIR) will pay 29 cents per unit with 65% franking.

More ASX ETFs paying dividends soon

The Betashares Geared Australian Equity Fund – Hedge Fund (ASX: GEAR) will pay 45 cents per unit with 225% franking.

The Betashares Australian Dividend Harvester Active ETF (ASX: HVST) will pay 6 cents per unit with 74% franking.

The Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD) will pay 12 cents per unit with 66% franking.

The Betashares Australian Financials Sector ETF (ASX: QFN) will pay 28 cents per unit with 89% franking.

Betashares Global Quality Leaders ETF (ASX: QLTY) will pay 9 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Resources Sector ETF (ASX: QRE) will pay 11 cents per unit with 101% franking.

Betashares Global Uranium ETF (ASX: URNM) will pay 3 cents per unit.

The Betashares Australian Top 20 Equity Yield Maximiser Fund (ASX: YMAX) will pay 13 cents per unit with 31% franking.

Betashares Global Banks Currency Hedged (ASX: BNKS) will pay 11 cents per unit.

Betashares Global Energy Companies Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: FUEL) will pay 9 cents per unit.

Want to reinvest your ASX ETF dividends?

A distribution reinvestment plan (DRP) is available for eligible Betashares ETFs.

Betashares’ registrar, MUFG Corporate Markets, must receive your DRP election by 5pm AEST on 6 January.

The post Own Betashares ASX ETFs? Here’s your next dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in BetaShares Australian Quality ETF, Betashares Capital – Global Quality Leaders Etf, Betashares Global Defence ETF – Beta Global Defence ETF, and Betashares S&P Asx Australian Technology ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has 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.

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to open the year with a small gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.1% to 8,723.5 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are starting the year positively:

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX)

The 4DMedical share price is up a further 15% to $4.51. Investors have been fighting to get hold of this respiratory imaging technology company’s shares in recent weeks. This has been driven by the announcement of a commercial arrangement for the clinical use of its CT:VQ platform with United States-based Cleveland Clinic. CT:VQ is a CAT scan-based ventilation-perfusion software. Commenting on the contract win, 4DMedical’s CEO, Andreas Fouras, said: “In just over three months since FDA clearance, we’ve established CT:VQ at three of America’s leading academic medical centres: Stanford, University of Miami, and Cleveland Clinic. This rapid adoption by elite institutions demonstrates the compelling clinical and operational advantages of CT:VQ over traditional nuclear VQ imaging.”

Elsight Ltd (ASX: ELS)

The Elsight share price is up 11% to $3.43. This morning, the uncrewed systems connectivity platform provider released an update on its strategic development program with a leading defence prime contractor. Elsight revealed that it has moved its Aura platform out of the development phase and has commenced the delivery of the initial batch of units ordered under the first phase of the program. The company’s CEO, Yoav Amitai, said: “Completing the development phase of Aura and moving into delivery is an important execution milestone for this program. In parallel, we are investing deliberately in the U.S. market, both through senior hires and through close engagement with government and OEM partners.”

Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)

The Judo Capital share price is up 5% to $1.81. This follows the release of an update from the small business lender. Judo Capital revealed that its unaudited closing balance for gross loans and advances (GLAs) at 31 December was approximately $13.4 billion. Judo’s CEO, Chris Bayliss, said: “We are pleased to have delivered strong loan growth in the first half of FY26, in line with our expectations. Our relationship-led value proposition continues to resonate with SME customers, and we are seeing good momentum across our business.” Management also reaffirmed its profit guidance for FY 2026.

Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)

The Nickel Industries share price is up over 7% to 89.7 cents. This morning, this nickel producer revealed that Sphere Corp has agreed to acquire a 10% interest in the ENC HPAL project at a US$2.4 billion valuation. Sphere is a South Korean premium alloy and precision materials manufacturer for the global aerospace industry.

The post Why 4DMedical, Elsight, Judo, and Nickel Industries shares are pushing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares feature in countless ASX share portfolios and superannuation funds.

As a result, it is fair to say that the performance of the Big Australian’s shares has a big impact on the wealth of most Australians.

But was that a positive or negative impact in 2025? Let’s see what happened over the 12 months.

BHP share price performance in 2025

The mining giant’s shares ended 2024 trading at $39.55 and remained in or below that level for the first half of 2025.

At that stage, it was only BHP’s ~79.1 cents per share fully franked interim dividend in March that created a return for shareholders.

But that all changed in the second half of the calendar year, when the BHP share price started to take flight.

There were a number of catalysts for this. One was the release of the miner’s FY 2025 results.

Although BHP reported a sharp decline in profits year on year due to weaker commodity prices, its results were still ahead of consensus expectations.

In addition, resilient iron ore prices and a strong rise in the copper price gave the BHP share price an additional boost.

The end result was the company’s shares rising 15% during the 12 months to end at $45.49.

This is more than double the performance of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). In 2025, the benchmark index rose 6.8% to finish at 8,714.3 points.

Don’t forget the dividends

BHP is one of the biggest dividend payers on the Australian share market and has returned tens of billions of dollars to shareholders in the 2020s.

This includes total fully franked dividends of $1.71 per share in 2025, which is the equivalent of an attractive 4.3% dividend yield.

This means that BHP’s shares delivered a total return of over 19% for the period.

What’s next for BHP shares?

At present, brokers largely believe that the BHP share price is fairly valued at current levels.

For example, UBS has a neutral rating and $45.00 price target on its shares, whereas Morgans has a hold rating and $43.90 price target on them. This is largely in line with where its shares are currently trading.

And while Morgan Stanley is bullish and has an overweight rating on its shares, its price target of $48.00 is only approximately 5% ahead of its current share price.

But if commodity prices are stronger than expected in 2026, don’t be surprised if brokers reevaluate their forecasts and price targets.

The post How did the BHP share price perform in 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 12 best performing commodities of 2025
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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 BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Elsight Ltd (ASX: ELS) shares are starting the year with a bang.

In morning trade, the ASX drone stock is up 9% to a new record high of $3.36.

Why is this ASX drone stock jumping?

Investors have been fighting to get hold of the uncrewed systems connectivity platform provider’s shares following the release of an update on its strategic development program with a leading defence prime contractor.

According to the release, in addition to its uncrewed systems applications, the company’s strategic development program has led to the development of a communications device (Aura), which has been designed with the flexibility to support dismounted and soldier-level communications use cases.

Management notes that this significantly expands the potential addressable market beyond Elsight’s current core unmanned systems markets and opens additional defence and security application pathways.

It highlights that the strategic development program was structured to progress through defined development, validation, and delivery milestones.

Following the completion of the development and qualification process, it is now transitioning from development into production. This has seen the ASX drone stock commence the delivery of the initial batch of Aura units ordered under the first phase of the program.

US expansion

In addition, Elsight revealed that as part of its ongoing strategy to expand its on-the-ground presence in the United States, it has signed two senior sales and business development executives. They will begin working this month.

It highlights that both appointments bring extensive experience and working contacts with U.S. Department of Defence programs. This includes backgrounds in special forces units and proven track records in supporting U.S. government and defence procurement processes.

Management expects these executives to accelerate the conversion of existing U.S. opportunities that are already in the pipeline, while also generating new opportunities across defence and government channels.

Commenting on the news, the ASX drone stock’s CEO, Yoav Amitai, said:

Completing the development phase of Aura and moving into delivery is an important execution milestone for this program. In parallel, we are investing deliberately in the U.S. market, both through senior hires and through close engagement with government and OEM partners. We are confident in our alignment with U.S. regulatory frameworks and remain focused on executing against the growing opportunity set in this market.

Following today’s gain, Elsight shares are now up approximately 330% since this time last year.

The post ASX drone stock jumps 9% to record high on US news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has 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 starting the year in a disappointing fashion.

In morning trade, the gold miner’s shares are down 10% to $23.99.

Why are Northern Star shares crashing?

The catalyst for today’s selloff has been the release of an operational update this morning.

According to the release, Northern Star’s December quarter gold sales were impacted by a number of isolated negative events coinciding at its operations late in the quarter.

Total sales were ~348,000 ounces during the three months, resulting in first half FY 2026 gold sales of ~729,000 ounces.

This was well short of expectations. As a result of this softer operational performance, the company has revised its annual production guidance to between 1.6 million ounces and 1.7 million ounces, from between 1.7 million ounces and 1.85 million ounces.

Management also revealed that its lower gold sales are expected to impact its cost performance. However, it will provide its December quarter costs and revised annual cost guidance with its quarterly results release later this month.

What happened to its production?

In addition to previously disclosed events at its Jundee and South Kalgoorlie operations, which collectively impacted production by up to 20,000 ounces, management notes that the quarter was further affected by several unplanned maintenance and operational challenges.

For the Kalgoorlie Production Centre, December gold sales totalled ~203,000 ounces. At KCGM, gold sold was ~110,000 ounces driven by reduced throughput in the processing plant because of the primary crusher failure, which has impacted production for four weeks. Milled grades achieved were ~1.6g/t, higher than the September quarter.

While the processing plant will return to normal operations in early January, throughput is expected to remain variable during the second half as it transitions from the existing plant to the new expanded mill. It is on track for commissioning in early FY 2027.

For the Yandal Production Centre, December gold sales were ~91,000 ounces. This reflects weaker performances at both Jundee and Thunderbox.

At Jundee, recovery works have taken longer than planned, with a return to normal operations now expected during the March quarter. At Thunderbox, gold sales were impacted by continued lower mined grades from the Orelia open pit and unplanned processing downtime associated with carbon-in-leach tank failures.

Finally, at Pogo, gold sales of ~53,000 ounces were affected by lower mined grades due to underground mining dilution. The Pogo underground mine and mill operated at an annualised run rate of 1.4Mtpa during the December quarter.

The post Why are Northern Star shares crashing 10% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• 12 best performing commodities of 2025
• Here’s what I think investors in Northern Star shares can look forward to in 2026
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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 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.

Well, we woke up yesterday to a new, blank page on the calendar.

We do every morning, of course, but due to the way we organise our measurement and acknowledgement of time, this page comes with an updated year.

I’ve written before about the arbitrary nature of our 365-day calendar, and also the understandable – but often unhelpful – nature of measuring things over that sort of timeframe.

To our ancestors, and to the primary producers today, an understanding of seasonal cycles is vital, of course.

But for the rest of us, using one year as the benchmark for anything is a little… quaint, if not harmful.

Especially in investing.

Why is 365 days the right yardstick for measuring investment performance? What natural law do we expect share prices to follow, just because we’ve returned to the same place in our solar orbit?

(By the way, many people reading will be trying to justify that reality with a range of different arguments, but I suspect almost all of them will be a version of simply defending the status quo, because that’s what we’re used to, and comfortable with. Humans really don’t like our preconceptions challenged, or our worldviews shaken.)

I mean, if you’re investing in an agricultural company, maybe you can justify using the seasonal calendar to assess the business. But then, as we all know, the vagaries of weather (even putting aside long term climate changes) mean that year-to-year profitability can rely more on changes in rainfall than how the business is run.

And even if we could adjust for those things, that’s the company itself. Overlay that with share price movements – in the short term impacted more by sentiment than business fundamentals – and we’re back to shaking our heads at the arbitrariness of the solar calendar.

Instead, each of us should be making new investments, and assessing our current investments, by asking over what timeframe we can reasonably expect to assess success.

Is BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) really going to be a meaningfully different company in 12 months? Is Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW)? Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)?

And even if it is, should we really expect the market to perfectly reflect those changes in the companies’ share prices?

I hope you’ll agree the answer is a resounding ‘no’.

The same goes for the stock market as a whole.

So, a reminder of Ben Graham’s lesson to the (newly-retired, as of yesterday morning) Warren Buffett:

In the short term, the market is a voting machine, measuring sentiments like greed, fear, excitement, despondency, hype and hopelessness.

In the long term, the market is a weighing machine, tending to give full value to the underpinnings of the businesses themselves: their ability to attract customers, retain customers, and do so at prices that allow them to keep some of the proceeds for the benefit of shareholders.

It’s why ’12 month price targets’ are complete nonsense. No-one knows what other investors and traders will think in a year’s time.

Back in April of 2024, did investors expect ‘Liberation Day’ tariffs to hit markets for six one year later, with the biggest daily fall since COVID?

Of course not.

And yet, our desire for some degree of certainty leads us to ignore the repeated past failings of short-term prognostication, and to hope – despite evidence to the contrary! – that maybe this time they’ll get it right.

So let me be crystal clear: I don’t know the future. Nor does anyone else.

And anyone who thinks they do is either lying to you, or to themselves, or both. And probably because they’re caught up in their own ego and hubris.

Instead, they’d be well advised to understand that some things are unknowable, and to make their peace with that.

My view?

The shorter the time period, the more likely that the share price is driven by feelings.

The longer the time period, the more likely that the share price is driven by business quality and prospects.

But back to the calendar. One of the features of a new year is the phenomenon of the New Year’s Resolution.

There’s no real difference between setting a goal on September 17, compared to January 1, other than that we are drawn to the fresh start. The clean page. The opportunity and possibility to begin anew.

And while I’m not generally a resolutions guy, I’m not going to pooh-pooh that idea, if it gives people a little extra impetus to reset and recommit to their goals.

(It occurs to me that the beginning of Spring might be a more appropriate time for new beginnings, but I’m probably not going to change decades of tradition!)

And so, in the spirit of resolutions – albeit not fresh ones – I’m going to do something I try otherwise not to do, and re-use some stuff I’ve posted here before, because it’s been reviewed and refined to something I think is a pretty good standard.

Years ago I wrote some New Year’s Resolutions that I hoped would be helpful for members of Motley Fool Share Advisor, the investment service I run. Soon after, some of the Motley Fool team helped me improve them, and they’ve stayed the same ever since.

You won’t find any blinding flashes of insight, here: there is no magic formula for getting rich quick.

Believe it or not, that’s good news. Because it means almost anyone can follow them, as long as you earn at least a modest wage.

The other thing? You might have to make some sacrifices, but the value of long-term compounding will almost certainly pay you back in spades.

And so, here are our 13 Foolish New Year’s Resolutions:

13 Foolish New Year’s Resolutions

1. I will live below my means — spending less than I earn.

2. I will save money into a rainy-day fund so I’m ready for what life might bring.

3. I will pay off my credit card debt, and then only spend what I can pay off within the interest free period each month.

4. I will regularly add to my investment account.

5. I will invest money I don’t need for at least 3-5 years to build my nest egg.

6. I will learn more about investing, taking control of my financial future.

7. I will invest in quality businesses, remembering that I’m buying a slice of the company, not just a code on a screen.

8. I will buy shares in a company with the intention of holding them for the long term.

9. I will sell when my investment thesis fails, the company is overvalued or I have a better idea.

10. I will avoid anchoring my decisions to the price I paid for my shares.

11. I will remember that the market can be moody and over-react, both on the upside and the downside.

12. I will expect volatility, and I won’t let it spook me into selling. Indeed, volatility can offer me great opportunities!

13. I will let the market offer me prices (be my servant), not dictate my mood or actions (be my master).

(Want a printable version? I’m glad you asked. Here it is!)

From all of us at The Motley Fool, we hope you have a wonderful, prosperous and safe 2026.

Fool on!

The post Want to invest better this year? Start here appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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 Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BHP Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.