The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is under pressure again on Monday, with the market sliding closer to correction territory.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down around 1.4% to 8,299 points, extending its recent decline. The index is now approaching a 10% fall from its recent peak, which is typically considered a market correction.

Let’s take a closer look at what is driving the sell-off and whether there’s more pain ahead.

Global risks rattle investor confidence

One major factor behind the weakness is the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Over the weekend, developments involving the United States and Iran added fresh uncertainty to global markets. Reports of potential military escalation and threats to key oil supply routes have pushed investors into a more cautious stance.

This has already flowed through to global markets. US indices ended last week lower, with tech stocks leading the decline. The Nasdaq is now also nearing correction territory after a sharp pullback in recent weeks.

This has also weighed on the local market, with investors rotating out of equities and into safer assets such as bonds.

Energy rises, but most sectors fall

Looking across the ASX today, the selling has been broad, with most sectors in the red.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) has been among the hardest hit, falling around 3.2%, reflecting weakness across mining stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) is also under pressure, down roughly 1.4%, while the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) has dropped close to 2%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ), which carries a heavy weighting in the index, is also lower, down about 0.8%. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) have also edged lower, pointing to widespread weakness across the market.

One of the few areas showing strength is the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ), which is up slightly, gaining around 0.1% on higher oil prices.

Is this the start of a bear market?

While the recent move has been significant, it is important to keep it in context.

A correction is typically defined as a fall of 10% or more, while a bear market usually involves a decline of 20% or more. At this stage, the ASX 200 is approaching the first threshold but remains well short of the second.

Market pullbacks are also a normal part of investing. Even in long-term bull markets, corrections occur from time to time.

That said, if geopolitical tensions escalate further or global growth expectations weaken significantly, the sell-off could deepen.

What should investors watch next?

From here, investors should keep a close eye on global developments.

Oil prices, interest rate expectations, and moves in US markets are likely to remain key influences on the ASX. If things start to calm down, sentiment could improve, but further shocks may keep markets on edge.

Periods like this can also create attractive opportunities for long-term investors.

The post ASX nears correction territory. Is this the start of a bear market? 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 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.

Shares in ARN Media Ltd (ASX: A1N) are trading lower on Monday after the company said former employee, shock jock Kyle Sandilands, had lodged a legal claim against the company.

Sandilands, half of the long-running The Kyle and Jackie O Show, has been off air since a falling out with co-host Jacqueline Henderson on February 20.

ARN Media said earlier this month that Henderson later gave notice that she “cannot continue to work with Mr Kyle Sandilands.”

At the time, ARN Media said it had terminated its agreement with Henderson, while offering her the possibility of another show on the network.

ARN also said on March 3 it had written to Sandilands, saying “that it considers that Mr Sandilands’ behaviour during the show on 20 February 2026 is an act of serious misconduct which is in breach of ARN’s services agreement with Quasar Media, under which Mr Sandilands presents The Kyle and Jackie O Show“.

Sandilands was given 14 days “to remedy this breach”.

Contract terminated

ARN said last week that it had now issued a notice of termination of contract to Sandilands and his company, Quasar Media, and as a result, The Kyle and Jackie O Show will no longer be presented.

Sandilands said at the time that he didn’t accept the termination and would take ARN to court.

Sandilands hits back

On Monday, ARN confirmed that a legal claim against it had been lodged.

As the company said:

The proceedings have been filed in the Federal Court against ARN and Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation Pty Ltd (CBC), a subsidiary of ARN which is the licence holder for KIIS 1065 Sydney and contracted with Mr Sandilands and his services company. Unsealed copies of Court documents in respect of the proceedings were served on CBC on 20 March 2026 after market close. In summary, the applicants claim the termination of Mr Sandilands’ contract was invalid on the basis they allege that there was no act of serious misconduct or breach of contract, and that the termination was unconscionable under the Australian Consumer Law. The applicants seek an order for specific performance of two contracts, payment of whatever amounts are due and payable under the contracts at the time of judgment, and damages.

ARN said it disputed the claims and intended to defend the proceedings.

Sandilands’ contract is worth $100 million and was due to run for 10 years until 2034.

His contract alone is not far off the entire worth of ARN, which was valued at $103.3 million at the close of trade on Friday.

ARN shares were trading 4.5% lower on Monday at 31.5 cents.

The post Which media company’s shares are on the slide after big legal news? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• ARN Media has torn up Kyle Sandilands’ contract – so how much could it cost them?

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

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are trading another 2.5% lower early on Monday morning. At the time of writing, the miner’s shares are changing hands for $46.30 a piece. 

Today’s slump means the share price has now crashed 21.5% so far in March. But BHP shares are still up 1.2% for the year-to-date and are trading 17.8% above trading levels seen this time last year.

What happened to BHP shares in March?

BHP shares spiked at an all-time high of $59.25 earlier this month on the 2nd of March after the mining giant reported an impressive half-year earnings result. On the bottom line, BHP achieved a 22% increase in underlying NPAT and hiked its fully-franked interim dividend to 73 US cents (AU$1.03) per share, up 30% in Aussie dollar terms and up 46% in US dollar terms.

The company’s share price hiked nearly 18% after the announcement but sank just as quickly with several announcements and market updates acting as strong headwinds for the miner’s stock. 

Soaring geopolitical uncertainty as the US and Israeli war against Iran continues to intensify, has frightened investors and raised concerns about the outlook and expectations for commodities. 

Meanwhile, there have been recent reports that BHP’s Queensland mines can no longer compete for investment and that the company is receiving no returns from the projects. 

BHP’s shares also went ex-dividend in the first week of March. When a company’s shares trade ex-dividend, it means the rights to the upcoming dividend have been settled. It’s common for buying activity to cool around this time.

In mid-March, the BHP announced that its CEO, Mike Henry, is stepping down. Australia’s biggest miner reported that Brandon Craig will become its new CEO and director on the 1st of July. News of the reshuffle spooked investors and sent the share price further south.

Is this a signal for investors to sell their BHP shares?

Sentiment might have turned quickly for BHP’s this month, but it doesn’t mean it’s time to flee from the mining giant’s shares.

TradingView data shows that the majority of analysts are still neutral on BHP shares. Of 20 analysts, 11 rate the mining giant’s stock as a hold, and 7 have a buy or strong buy rating. 

Another two have a sell or strong sell rating on BHP shares. 

The average target price is currently $52.94 per share, which, after this month’s crash, implies a 14% upside at the time of writing. 

Although some analysts are bullish that the shares could climb 47% to $68.22 a piece this year. And others think the stock could shed 36% and tumble to $34.11.

The post BHP shares crash 21% in March so far: Time to sell up? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Own BHP shares? Here’s an expert’s view on the new CEO
• Pulse check: How are the top 10 ASX 200 shares performing amid a new war?

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 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.

With so many shares to choose from on the Australian share market, it can be difficult to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

Breville Group Ltd (ASX: BRG)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating on this appliance manufacturer’s shares with a trimmed price target of $37.10. The broker has been looking at industry data and believes it points to an outperformance compared to peers. It notes that this is being driven by growth from its coffee business, as well as new products and new markets. Macquarie believes that this supports its forecast for annual growth of 10%+ through to FY 2028. The Breville share price is trading at $25.85 on Monday morning.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

Another note out of Macquarie reveals that its analysts have upgraded this investment platform provider’s shares to an outperform rating with a reduced price target of $92.25. Macquarie has become bullish on Hub24 following a recent material derating on concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) disruption and broader Middle East conflict-related selling. It notes that this has left its shares trading at a sizeable discount to five-year average multiples. The broker believes that this has created a buying opportunity for investors and expects Hub24 to continue to take market share over the next one to two years. The broker thinks AI disruption concerns are overblown and is expecting Hub24 to deliver annual earnings growth of more than 20% over the medium term. The Hub24 share price is fetching $78.35 at the time of writing.

JB Hi-Fi Ltd (ASX: JBH)

Analysts at Bell Potter have retained their buy rating on this retail giant’s shares with a reduced price target of $90.00. According to the note, the broker sees some defensiveness in JB Hi-Fi with the semi-discretionary characteristics as stretched consumer wallets take a larger share in technology products. As a result, it retains its view of JB Hi-Fi as one of the key preferences within its sector coverage. Bell Potter also highlights that the company’s shares are trading at an 18-month low on a ~17x estimated FY 2026 earnings. As a result, it sees valuation support considering the relative defensiveness and margin levers in the business model. The JB Hi-Fi share price is trading at $71.86 on Monday.

The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy 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 positions in and has recommended Hub24 and Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Hub24. 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 kicking of the week with a whimper.

In morning trade on Monday, the benchmark Aussie index is down 1.6% at 8,294 points.

The ASX 200 isn’t getting any help from the two biggest listed Aussie stocks either. BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 2.6%, and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares are down 1.1% today.

Taking a look at some of the key sectors, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) is down 1.6% while the gold miners are doing it tougher. Amid ongoing pressure on the gold price, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is down 6.1%.

As you might expect with the global oil price surge, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) is one of the few bright points, up 0.2%. Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are up 0.8%.

Here’s what’s happening.

Why is the ASX 200 tumbling today?

The Aussie stock market is following US markets lower today.

On Friday, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) closed down 1.5%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) ended the day down 2%.

US and ASX 200 investor concerns are mounting that the war in Iran could spread deeper into the Middle East, with no clear endpoint in sight.

This sees the Brent crude oil price trading at US$112 per barrel today, up more than 84% since 1 January. That, in turn, is fuelling concerns that the resulting inflation will see central banks like the US Federal Reserve turn to raising interest rates in 2026 rather than cutting them as markets have long been pricing in.

And US President Donald Trump didn’t ease those concerns, when over the weekend he threatened that the US will “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the nation doesn’t reopen the critical Strait of Hormuz shipping route within 48 hours.

What are the experts saying?

Commenting on the selling pressure on the ASX 200 and global stock markets, Stephen Miller, an investment strategy adviser at GSFM in Sydney, said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review), “Markets are starting to wake up to the fact that even if this conflict gets resolved or de-escalates, the impact on oil markets will be longer lasting.”

Miller pointed to the 0.10% increase in US Treasury yields as indicative to rising bets on a looming Fed interest rate increase.

“The US bond market finally had a big meltdown,” he said. “It’s telling you that [investors] are starting to get worried about the ongoing inflation impacts of higher oil prices.”

Then there’s all the uncertainty thrown up by the open-ended Iran war. There are a few things that equity markets like less than uncertainty.

“The current state of affairs are certainly, I think, more uncertain than I can remember. I think there is, to some degree, more uncertainty now than there was in COVID,” Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH) CEO Dig Howitt said (quoted by the AFR).

Howitt noted:

At least COVID, we sort of knew after the first month or so … what we were dealing with. Here, I think we’re still not quite sure exactly what we’re dealing with and what the flow-on implications and impacts are.

With today’s intraday losses factored in, the ASX 200 remains up 4.4% over 12 months.

The post Why is the ASX 200 down so much on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• 6 rules for set-and-forget investing to fund your retirement goals

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

It’s a rare time when ASX growth shares collectively go through a significant bump in their valuations. Today is one of those days when the stock market is hit.

The market is understandably nervous about events in the Middle East and what might happen this week. As unsettling as that is, investors can still make investment decisions with their portfolios.

If I were going to invest $10,000 today – and I am planning to put money to work today (into ASX dividend shares for passive income) – the ASX growth shares I’d buy today would be the following.

Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA)

I regularly like to say that we should only invest in ASX shares that we’d be happy to invest more in if they declined in price. Both of my ASX growth share ideas are ones I’ve already put real money into, and I’d definitely buy more of.

Tuas is a rapidly growing Singaporean telecommunications company that is seeing pleasing expansion of its financials.

In FY25, the business reported revenue growth of 29% to $151.3 million, and operating profit (EBITDA) grew by 38% to $68.4 million. This shows both the strength of its growth in Singapore and the operating leverage the business is delivering, leading to rising profit margins.

In the AGM update, the company reported that its active mobile subscribers increased 20% year over year to 1.34 million, while active broadband services increased 41% quarter over quarter to 36,200.

With ongoing market share wins, a great value offering for customers, improving profit margins, an upcoming profit-boosting acquisition (M1), and the potential to expand internationally, I think this ASX growth share is one to watch.

Temple & Webster Group Ltd (ASX: TPW)

Temple & Webster is a leading online retailer of furniture and homewares, selling hundreds of thousands of items.

The company has suffered a dramatic sell-off this year, despite achieving the most revenue and the biggest market share in its history.

I like that the ASX growth share is prioritising growth over short-term profitability because scale advantages will come with their own benefits in the coming years, including lower fixed costs as a percentage of revenue, better terms with suppliers, and a bigger marketing budget.

The business is benefiting from structural growth as more people shop online. The market share of homewares and furniture that’s transacted online has reached 20%. The UK has reached around 30%, suggesting further potential growth ahead for Australian online retail.

I’m also excited about the home improvement product segment of the business. It’s just a small part of the overall company at this stage, but it grew revenue by 47% in the first half of FY26 to $30 million (with private label penetration reaching 25%). This could become increasingly important in the coming years if it continues growing much faster than the rest of the business.

I think this ASX growth share has a lot of potential, and it’s significantly undervalued on a long-term basis.

The post Where I’d invest $10,000 into ASX growth shares on this painful day for the stock market appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has positions in Temple & Webster Group and Tuas. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Temple & Webster Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Owning National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares could be a compelling choice this year because of how the economic situation is developing.

The ASX bank share‘s earnings are fairly exposed to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cash rate.

Generally, a higher RBA cash rate means NAB can earn a higher net interest margin (NIM) from lending out money that it doesn’t pay much/any interest on (such as transaction accounts). However, a higher rate could mean a higher risk of loan arrears and bad debts.

It’s uncertain at this stage how high inflation and interest rates will go. But, these are latest forecasts for earnings from broker UBS on where NAB’s earnings could change, which includes analysis on the latest quarterly update from the bank.

FY26

After seeing a record quarterly result in the first quarter of FY26, broker UBS decided to increase its earnings per share (EPS) estimates for FY26 by 2.8%, for FY27 by 2.1% and for FY28 by 0.8%, largely driven by an improving NIM and reduced credit charges in FY26 and FY27.

NAB’s FY26 first quarter earnings increased 16% year-over-year to $2.02 billion, while underlying profit rose by 11% year-over-year.

UBS noted that NAB’s NIM improved by 2 basis points (0.02%) to 1.8% over the quarter, supporting strong net interest income (NII) growth on the back of loan growth. NAB’s total loans and acceptances (GLAs) rose by 6%.

Costs were largely flat compared to the second-half quarterly average, but up 5% year-over-year because of tech spending and staff inflation.

UBS also said that NAB’s business lending was progressing more profitably its than peers, excluding Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA).

The broker thinks investors will focus on continued cost management, as well as loan growth with how the market treats the NAB share price.

UBS currently estimates that NAB could generate net profit of $7.5 billion in FY26.

FY27

The profit is expected to continue rising in the subsequent financial years.

In the 2027 financial year, NAB is projected to generate $7.7 billion of net profit.

FY28

UBS expects that NAB could deliver further net profit growth in the 2028 financial year, with net profit rising to $8 billion.

FY29

The 2029 financial year could see further growth in net profit, with earnings rising to $8.7 billion.

FY30

In the 2030 financial year, NAB could see net profit climb again in the final year of this series of projections, with earnings potentially climbing to $9.2 billion.

The post Here’s the latest earnings forecast out to 2030 for NAB shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX share prices are always changing, which means investors have the opportunity to buy and sell at different times.

When share prices are at their cheapest, those low valuations often coincide with the market becoming afraid of something that’s developing negatively like a pandemic or inflation.

As Warren Buffett once said:

Be fearful when others are greedy and greedy when others are fearful.

Below are two picks I’m optimistic about for the long-term and feeling greedy for this week.

Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG)

Sigma’s key business is Chemist Warehouse, the leader in Australia. Most of its earnings are generated in Australia and it provides a range of essential products.

It’s clear that the business is growing rapidly, with the FY26 half-year result showing pleasing growth. Total revenue rose 14.9% to $5.5 billion, normalised operating profit (EBIT) climbed 18.7% to $582.9 million and normalised net profit grew 19.2% to $392 million.

Australian Chemist Warehouse-branded store sales increased 17.2% and Sigma reported that international growth accelerated, with retail network sales growth of 24.5%. This could become a larger part of the ASX share in the coming years.

I’m expecting Sigman Healthcare to continue growing its international network – in the second half of FY26 alone it’s planning to open 11 new stores, with growth concentrated in New Zealand and Ireland. There are plenty of other countries that could be appealing growth locations.

I also like that the business is growing its sales of owned and exclusive products, giving the business a stronger economic moat. Further expanding the ranges will give the business a larger total addressable market.

Its ongoing scaling should help with profit margins, while impressive mid-teen like-for-like sales at Chemist Warehouse are a strong driver of the bottom line.

According to Commsec, at the time of writing, the Sigma Healthcare share price is valued at 45x FY26’s estimated earnings.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

I think TechnologyOne is one of the most defensive technology businesses on the ASX because of how it provides integral operations software to clients like governments, councils, companies, universities and so on. They need this software to operate, even if global economic growth is slowing.

The business invests heavily (around 25% of revenue each year) to develop existing and new software to be as good as it can be for subscribers. That’s one of the main reasons why it expects its revenue from the existing client base to grow by at least 15% per year. At that pace, its revenue will double in size every five years.

Another reason I’m optimistic about the ASX share is that it’s seeking to grow in the UK, which could be just as rewarding as the Australian market. It recently won two important councils in London, which bodes well for future wins around the UK.

Management expects its growing scale to lead to rising profit margins, a pleasing prospect when combined with growing revenue. It’s aiming for $1 billion of annual recurring revenue (ARR) by FY30.

The valuation looks appealing to me, with the TechnologyOne share price trading at 54x FY26’s estimated earnings (at the time of writing), according to the forecast on Commsec.

The post 2 top ASX shares I’d buy today amid falling prices appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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

If you are building a long-term investment portfolio, focusing on high-quality ASX 200 shares with strong growth drivers can be a smart approach.

The best opportunities are often found in businesses with scale, strong management, and exposure to trends that can support earnings growth over many years.

Here are two ASX 200 shares that could be worth considering for the next five years.

ResMed Inc (ASX: RMD)

The first ASX 200 share that could be worth considering for the next five years is ResMed.

The sleep technology company is a global leader in devices and digital platforms used to treat sleep apnoea and other respiratory conditions. Its ecosystem combines medical devices, software, and cloud-connected data to help patients manage sleep-related health issues.

One of the most compelling aspects of the investment case is the size of the market opportunity. More than one billion people globally are estimated to suffer from sleep apnoea, yet a large portion of patients remain undiagnosed or untreated.

This underpenetrated market could provide a long runway for growth as awareness improves and diagnostic technology becomes more accessible. At the same time, wearable technology and digital health tools are helping identify more potential patients who may require treatment.

With strong global market leadership, a growing digital health ecosystem, and a massive addressable market, ResMed appears well positioned to continue expanding over the coming years.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Another ASX 200 share that could be worth considering by Aussie investors for the next five years is Wesfarmers.

The company is one of Australia’s leading conglomerates, with a portfolio of well-known businesses including Bunnings, Kmart, Priceline, Target, and Officeworks. These brands have strong market positions and generate consistent cash flow, providing a solid foundation for the group.

One of Wesfarmers’ key strengths is its disciplined capital allocation. Management has a track record of investing in growth opportunities while also returning capital to shareholders when appropriate.

In addition, the company has been investing in areas such as lithium and health, which could provide new avenues for growth beyond its core retail operations.

With a combination of defensive earnings from its retail businesses and optionality through new investments, Wesfarmers appears well placed to deliver steady returns over the next five years. This could make it worthy of a spot in a balanced investment portfolio.

The post 2 fantastic ASX 200 shares to buy and hold for the next five years appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX All Ords gold stock St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) has smashed the returns delivered by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) over the past year.

But not today.

St Barbara shares closed on Friday trading for 57.5 cents. In early morning trade on Monday, shares are changing hands for 54.5 cents apiece, down 5.2%.

For some context, the All Ords is down 2% at this same time, while the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is down a steeper 4.7%.

Despite today’s retrace, shares in the ASX All Ords gold stock remain up 147.7% since this time last year, racing ahead of the 3.7% 12-month gains delivered by the All Ords.

Atop ongoing pressure in the gold price, here’s what investors are mulling over today.

ASX All Ords gold sinks amid project update

St Barbara shares are sliding today despite a positive update on the miner’s New Simberi Gold Project, located in Papua New Guinea.

The ASX All Ords gold stock said it expects to complete both the Lingbao and Kumul transactions in the first days of April. The Final Investment Decision (FID) on Simberi will then be triggered on the same date.

At completion, St Barbara will receive a $370 million cash payment from Lingbao.

Commenting on the progress, St Barbara CEO Andrew Strelein said, “The receipt of Lingbao’s approval from Chinese and PNG regulators is very positive step and satisfies a key condition precedent in completion of the transactions.”

Strelein added:

The parties have been targeting the end of March quarter for completion and St Barbara remains confident the remaining conditions will be met to allow completion on track in the first days of April 2026 and declaring Final Investment Decision on the New Simberi Gold Project.

Energy update

Amid the rising global energy crisis fuelled by the war in Iran, St Barbara also sought to ease investor concerns about its diesel requirements.

The ASX All Ords gold stock revealed it had received various inquiries about Simberi’s fuel stocks, given the impact on global diesel supply chains amid the attacks on tankers in the Strait of Hormuz.

The gold miner noted that its Simberi project is “well stocked” with diesel fuel.

Which is a good thing, as the Simberi Operations currently use some 65,000 litres per day of diesel for the mining fleet and power generation.

According to the release:

Current diesel supply stored on Simberi Island is approximately 4.7 million litres (sufficient to cover more than two months’ usage), with another 3.5 million litres in allocated storage in country at Lae and Port Moresby storage locations.

Pleasingly, St Barbara noted that the majority of its diesel stockpile was paid for based on average January (pre-conflict) pricing.

The post Up 148% in a year, ASX All Ords gold stock sinking today amid $370 million news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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