Inflation is now the word of the day. Today, Australian CPI was printed at 5.1% for the three months until 31 March 2022.

It doesn’t appear the market has taken the news very well. The benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is down 63 basis points at the time of writing.

As commodity markets continue to boom and food prices look set for a green period, market pundits are positioning to avoid the fallout of rising inflation.

What shares do well in inflationary periods?

Inflation can be a real pain to investors. Especially at the retail end because it has a direct impact on investment returns.

Returns are measured in nominal and real terms, with the latter accounting to adjust for inflation. Put simply, inflation eats into real savings and investment gains by reducing purchasing power.

“Inflation poses a threat to investors because it chips away at real savings and investment returns,” according to analysis from fixed-income giant Pimco.

Most investors aim to increase their long-term purchasing power. Inflation puts this goal at risk because investment returns must first keep up with the rate of inflation in order to increase real purchasing power.

For example, an investment that returns 2 per cent before inflation in an environment of 3 per cent inflation will produce a negative return (-1 per cent) when adjusted for inflation.

Going to the archives, research analysts at JP Morgan have uncovered some interesting findings.

Curiously, investigations by the broker reveal that materials, industrials and financials sectors each demonstrate strength when consumer expectations of inflation rise. Whilst more growth-type assets flounder.

“Cyclical sectors such as financials, industrials, materials and energy, tend to outperform the global benchmark in periods of rising inflation expectations,” the broker wrote.

By contrast, defensives and growth stocks tend to struggle. Technology is the sector that looks most vulnerable today, given their valuations have likely benefitted from the low interest rates and flat yield curves over the past couple of years.

Pimco suggests the same, noting that “[m]any commodity-based assets, such as commodity indexes, can help cushion a portfolio against inflation because their total returns usually rise in an inflationary environment.”

What instruments are out there?

Along those lines, the BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF (ASX: FUEL) offers investors diversified exposure to the energy sector. Meanwhile, the BetaShares Global Banks ETF (ASX: BNKS) lends the same, albeit in financials.

For global ‘inflation-protected’ exposure, the Fidelity Stocks for Inflation ETF (BATS: FCPI) might pique investor interest. It’s an index fund that tracks the Fidelity Stocks for Inflation Factor Index.

According to S&P Global:

[The] Fidelity Stocks for Inflation Factor Index is designed to reflect the performance of stocks of large- and mid-capitalization U.S. companies with attractive valuations, high quality profiles, and positive momentum signals, with structural tilts to sectors that tend to outperform in inflationary environments.

Some of the top holdings include Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO).

As the investment landscape keeps evolving, it appears these baskets are poised to perform amid the inflationary pressures. But only time will tell.

The post Which ASX 200 shares have historically performed well during rising inflation? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Apple stock could crush the market this earnings season
• Have ASX tech shares finally reached the bottom?
• The world’s most valuable companies from 2000 to 2022
• 3 high quality ETFs for ASX investors to buy today
• Looking for dividend shares outside mining and banking? Read this

Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow owns Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended Apple, BetaShares Global Banks ETF – Currency Hedged, BetaShares Global Energy Companies ETF – Currency Hedged, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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Today, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) deepened its retracement from its recent near all-time highs amid red hot inflation numbers. At the end of the session, the benchmark index finished 0.78% lower at 7,261.2 points.

In a similar cascading dance that unfolded on Wall Street last night, the Australian share market suffered a brutish blow. Taking a first-class seat to the downside today were tech shares and consumer stables. Fortunately, shares across the energy and real estate sectors provided some stability to the benchmark index.

However, the question is: which shares delivered the biggest returns to investors on the ASX today? Here are the top ten stocks that came through for investors:

Top 10 ASX shares countdown today

Looking at the top 200 listed companies, Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) was the biggest gainer today. Shares in the coal producer jumped 5.46% despite the company lacking any announcements. Although, a few broker notes portraying a sense of confidence in the coal miner could partially be behind the enthusiasm. Find out more about Whitehaven Coal here.

Finding the second-best spot on the list today was Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW). It appears the integrated services company unlocked some excitement for its shares after posting its investor day presentation this morning. Uncover the latest Downer EDI details here.

Today’s top 10 biggest gains were made in these ASX shares:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)	$4.64	5.46%
Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW)	$5.33	4.72%
Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA)	$7.02	3.39%
Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN)	$2.21	3.27%
Nib Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF)	$6.99	3.25%
South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)	$4.60	3.14%
Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT)	$7.77	2.64%
Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group (ASX: SCP)	$3.12	2.30%
Centuria Capital Group (ASX: CNI)	$2.76	2.22%
Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM)	$20.62	2.03%

Our top 10 ASX shares today countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to ensure you know which companies were making big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the market has closed during weekdays to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

More reading

• These ASX 200 shares are up more than 10% in the last month
• How might the election outcome impact the outlook for ASX energy shares?
• ASX 200 shares trim losses despite surging inflation news
• Why is the Whitehaven share price accelerating 6% today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 owns and has recommended Shopping Centres Australasia Property Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended NIB Holdings Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) share price suffered once more on Wednesday, tumbling to its lowest point since 2018.

The fall came after short sellers upped their siege on the stock. But one broker is still hopeful the buy now, pay later (BNPL) giant could stage a comeback.

As of Wednesday’s close, the Zip share price is $1.015, 5.14% lower than it was at the end of Tuesday’s session.

But that’s an improvement on its early trade. The BNPL stock slumped to trade at $1 in intraday trade on Wednesday.

At least it wasn’t alone in its suffering. As of the end of trade, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) were down 0.75% and 0.78% respectively.

Let’s take a look at what might have weighed on Zip’s stock today and what its future could bring.

Zip share price hits disappointing milestone

Well, it’s finally happened, folks. The Zip share price has hit $1.

The solemn milestone comes only 14 months after the stock reached its all-time high of $14.53. That means the Zip share price has tumbled a whopping 92% between then and now.

And if investors once thought the new year could see the stock turn around, they’ve been bitterly disappointed. Since the start of 2022, it has fallen 76% from $4.33.

Today’s plunge was likely due to the tech sector’s movements.

While Zip is technically at home on the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ), it more often follows the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ).

The information technology sector plunged 2.43% on Wednesday, likely helped along by the Nasdaq Composite’s 3.95% tumble overnight.

But could the future be brighter for the Zip share price? Well, that depends on who you ask.

Short sellers seem to think not. As The Motley Fool Australia’s James Mickleboro recently reported, Zip’s short position increased last week, reaching 9.2%. That means more market participants are betting the stock will drop.

Additionally, UBS slapped Zip with a $1 price target and a ‘sell’ rating back in March.

It’s a similar story out of Jefferies, while Macquarie and Morgans are slightly more bullish, giving targets of $1.05 and $1.26 respectively, Mickleboro reported earlier this week.

On the other hand, Citi has a $2.15 price target and a ‘neutral’ rating on Zip shares, as my colleague Sebastian Bowen reported yesterday.

The post Zip share price slides another 5% to new multi-year low of $1 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares
• Is the Zip share price set to sink below the $1 mark for the first time since 2018?
• Have ASX tech shares finally reached the bottom?
• Is the Zip share price weakness a buying opportunity?
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to sell next week

Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. 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. owns and has recommended ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Macquarie Group Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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It has been on a bumpy ride for ASX 200 shares in the last month, with heightened uncertainty plaguing markets around the world.

However, there are still several ASX-listed companies that have been able to deliver big wins over this period. In fact, these ASX 200 shares have managed to outperform the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) by more than 10%.

So, what is behind these stellar performances? Let’s take a look.

Doing better than the benchmark

Although the past is not always indicative of future performance, it can give us some clues as to which ASX 200 shares have been able to shine in a month where the benchmark index has struggled.

In the last month, the ASX 200 has fallen around 2%. Meanwhile, a number of ASX-listed companies managed to buck this trend. In fact, 10 constituents in the benchmark index delivered in a month what the overall index returns on average over a whole year.

ASX-listed company	Price change (1 month)
Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC)	30.6%
Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA)	17.3%
GrainCorp Ltd (ASX: GNC)	16.2%
Pendal Group Ltd (ASX: PDL)	15.3%
GUD Holdings Ltd (ASX: GUD)	12.8%
Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)	12.3%
Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)	12.0%
Nufarm Ltd (ASX: NUF)	11.0%
AGL Energy Ltd (ASX: AGL)	10.9%
APA Group (ASX: APA)	10.3%

At the top of the leaderboard as the biggest gainer in the past 30 days is Ramsay Health Care.

At a market capitalisation of $18.66 billion, it is a strange sight to see such dramatic moves in a relatively stable business, such as the private hospital operator.

However, it was no every-day announcement that moved this blue-chip. Instead, a takeover bid from a consortium of investors led by KKR acted as the rocket fuel for this outperformance. Likewise, Pendal enjoyed a solid month after the fund manager received a takeover bid of its own.

On the other hand, ASX 200 shares such as Viva Energy, APA Group, GrainCorp, and Mineral Resources have benefited from sustained strength across commodities and energy.

Inflation flies in front of ASX 200 shares

Looking ahead, the main headwind that investors are keeping an eye on is interest rate rises. While the correlation is arguable, there is a sense that share prices tend to lose steam amid a rising rate environment.

Today, it was revealed that the underlying inflation rate increased to 3.7%. Following this, many economists have renewed their call for the Reserve Bank of Australia to lift rates in May. In turn, investors are wary of how this could impact ASX 200 shares and the broader market.

The post These ASX 200 shares are up more than 10% in the last month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX shares today
• ASX 200 shares trim losses despite surging inflation news
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday
• Why is the EML share price tumbling again today?
• ASX 200 midday update: Coronado has record quarter, Life360 and Northern Star sink

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 owns and has recommended APA Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Flight Centre Travel Group Limited and Ramsay Health Care Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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In periods of elevated volatility and market declines, investors may get the chance to buy ASX growth shares that are much cheaper than they were before.

Sometimes a decline can be triggered by external events, such as the prospect of rising interest rates or the recent-ish onset of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

With that in mind, these are two ASX growth shares that are rated as buys:

Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB)

Bubs claims to be Australia’s number one goat infant formula brand, with a 43.2% market share of the domestic goat segment.

It has also reached a 4.2% market share of the total infant formula market in Australia, with 40% scan sales growth in the third quarter of FY22 for the three months to 31 March 2022. Scan sales refer to the combined sales at Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW), and Chemist Warehouse.

Not only is the company growing sales rapidly domestically, but sales are also increasing internationally. In the FY22 third quarter, international (excluding China) sales represented 32% of total quarterly sales. Quarterly international sales jumped 153% with Bubs-branded product international sales rising 63%.

Quarterly Chinese sales were up 8%, representing 40% of the company’s quarterly sales. Daigou sales were up 11% year on year, while cross-border e-commerce sales rose 2%.

The company is working on growing its distribution footprint in the USA. In the quarter, its ranging expanded to 254 Smart & Final stores as well as 130 Buy Buy Baby stores.

The ASX growth share is also increasing its partnership with corporate daigou business Willis Trading. This includes a large purchase order for Bubs’ new product called Bubs Supreme.

Bubs is rated as a buy by the broker Citi, with a price target of $0.59. However, it was expecting more revenue growth in the FY22 third quarter. The Bubs share price has fallen more than 10% this week.

The company warned COVID-19 could cause more disruptions in the shorter term.

Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ASX: ABY)

The Adore Beauty share price has fallen by around 60% in the 2022 calendar year to date.

Like plenty of other ASX growth shares, the beauty e-commerce business has seen a decline amid rampant global inflation and expectations of rising interest rates.

However, the company has continued to deliver operational growth. That’s one of the things that attracts UBS to the business. The broker rates Adore Beauty as a buy, with a price target of $4.70. UBS thinks that Adore Beauty can keep growing revenue in the coming years.

In its FY22 half-year result, Adore Beauty said that its revenue rose 18% to $113.1 million, with annual revenue per active customer rising by 5% year on year to $224. That was thanks to higher average order values and an increasing proportion of returning customers.

The company boasts of industry-leading customer satisfaction scores while executing “strongly” on longer-term strategic priorities. It’s growing its loyalty program with “continued strong member sign-ups”. The company is also expanding its owned-marketing channels which means it doesn’t need to spend as much to reach potential customers with its marketing.

The ASX growth share is working on initiatives that can help its underlying profit margins. It’s planning to launch its first private label skincare brand in the fourth quarter of FY22. The gross profit margin improved by 0.6 percentage points to 33.1% in HY22.

In the first six weeks of the second half of FY22, its revenue increased another 14%. Management says the business is benefiting from a structural shift to online. It says “customer growth, high levels of retention, and growing brand awareness, strongly positions the company for future growth”.

The post 2 great ASX growth shares to buy in May 2022: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Analysts name 3 small cap ASX shares to buy
• Bubs share price sinks 7% despite quarter of ‘exceptional growth’
• 2 buy-rated ASX growth shares that analysts say can double
• 3 factors that could make the Adore Beauty share price too good to miss
• Why is the Adore Beauty share price tumbling 9% to an all-time low?

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 recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Adore Beauty Group Limited and BUBS AUST FPO. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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If you’re interested in adding some growth shares to your portfolio in May, then the two listed below could be worth considering.

These ASX growth shares have been named as buys and tipped to generate strong returns for investors in the future. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

The first growth share for investors to look at is Aristocrat. It is a gaming technology company with a portfolio of world class pokie machines and digital games. The latter includes Raid: Shadow Legends, Heart of Vegas, Mech Arena, and Vikings: War of Clans, which are generating significant recurring revenues from their millions of daily active users.

The team at Citi is very positive on Aristocrat and believes it is well-placed for growth in the future.

Citi commented: “Aristocrat represents a compelling long-term growth story, with exposure to ongoing growth in mobile game penetration and potential to grow into new markets.”

The broker currently has a buy rating and $44.00 price target on the company’s shares. Based on the current Aristocrat share price of $31.95, this implies potential upside of 38% for investors over the next 12 months.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

Another ASX growth share to look at is NextDC. It is a leading data centre operator with a collection of world class centres across key locations throughout Australia. It is also looking to the Asia market and regional Australia for expansion opportunities.

NextDC has been tipped to continue its solid growth in the future thanks to increasing demand for data centre capacity due to the structural shift to the cloud.

Morgans recently commented: “NXT remains our preferred pick given substantial structural growth, quality management, significant barrier to entry and, in our view, improving competitive advantage with regional/edge sites. We see a clear pathway for long-term growth, substantially higher EBITDA and material free cash flow, over the medium term.”

The broker has an add rating and $14.64 price target on its shares. Based on the current NextDC share price of $10.85, this suggests potential upside of 35% for investors.

The post Analysts name 2 ASX growth shares to buy with 30%+ upside appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Analysts name 2 ASX growth shares to buy with ~30% upside potential
• 3 ASX 200 shares sliding to 52-week lows on Tuesday
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Jackpot! Citi tips Aristocrat share price to surge 30% higher
• 2 ASX tech shares that are cheap enough to buy now

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns NEXTDC Limited. 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 Bruce Jackson.

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The Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) share price finished in the red today, despite electric vehicle (EV) news.

Coles shares fell 2.19% in today’s trade to $18.32. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closed also closed 0.78% lower today.

Let’s take a look at what is happening at Coles.

Coles share price falls

The Coles share price dropped today but it was not the only supermarket giant to fall. The Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) share price also fell 2.34%, as did the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ), slipping 1.87%.

In today’s news, Coles has revealed it will introduce an electric truck to deliver products to New South Wales supermarkets.

This is part of a trial with Linfox Logistic, a transport partner working with Coles. Coles head of transport safety and sustainability David Clark said:

Coles’ first electric truck is a big step to introducing alternate fuel technologies to our supply chain, and we are excited about the opportunity to see more electric vehicles delivering groceries to our distribution centres and supermarkets in the future.

We will continue to work tirelessly toward our Together to Zero sustainability ambitions, with hopes to one day introduce electric vehicles to support home delivery, as customers look to live and shop sustainably.

The initiative will reduce the company’s carbon dioxide emissions by more than 60 tonnes.

It seemed ASX shares were suffering today amid rising inflation. The inflation rate has just hit 5.1%, Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures revealed today. This is its highest level in 20 years.

Coles share price snapshot

The Coles share price has surged nearly 17% in the past 12 months while it is up 2% this year to date.

By comparison, the benchmark ASX 200 index has returned about 3% in the past year.

Coles has a market capitalisation of about $24.5 billion based on the current share price.

The post Green delivery milestone fails to electrify Coles share price appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Own the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF? Here’s what you’re invested in
• Why is the Coles share price in the green today?
• Analysts name 2 ASX dividend shares to buy now
• 2 strong ASX 200 dividend shares analysts love
• Why is the Coles share price slipping today?

The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended COLESGROUP DEF SET. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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ASX energy shares have posted strong gains so far in 2022 amid surging energy prices and a now two-year-long commodity boom.

Investors have flocked to energy stocks this year in the wake of rising inflation, both caused by and the result of rising commodity prices.

As the debate surrounding renewable energy transition continues, market and industry pundits argue we must pay close attention to the ripple effects of such far-reaching decisions.

How could the election influence things?

As the deadline for Australia’s next federal election looms, the question of government policy is on investors’ minds.

Depending on the outcome, a Labor or Coalition government could potentially oversee different results for the energy industry.

Reports in the Murdoch press suggest Labor may consider additional taxes on carbon polluters.

Such a move could have a direct impact on resources giants such as Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) and Woodside Petroleum Ltd (ASX: WPL).

However, Labor has outlined its energy policy to reduce carbon emissions by 43% by 2030 as part of the “global energy transition”. It does not include mention of additional taxes on carbon producers.

The need to tread carefully

Speaking at an Australian Superannuation conference today, Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) CEO Shemara Wikramanayake shared her perspective on the issue.

“We have to think about how we do this balanced transition. People need energy and if we end up creating energy scarcity, we could lose the mandate for the transition,” Ms Wikramanayake said, cited by The Australian.

The coal industry is very profitable but it is going to run off. The people of Newcastle, the people of Australia need new industries, and we need new reskilling for jobs.

Let‘s not go so fast that we blow up the mandate to do this, because without the solutions we can’t switch. We can’t just shut off all the energy and go back to living like cave people.

With energy prices surging, all eyes have been on utilities players this year and their returns have certainly matched the sentiment.

Energy giant Origin Energy Ltd (ASX: ORG) shares have gained 26% this year to date whilst fellow player Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) has jumped 25% as well.

The post How might the election outcome impact the outlook for ASX energy shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why is the Whitehaven share price accelerating 6% today
• Why is the Macquarie share price getting hammered today?
• Broker says Santos share price could storm 27% higher
• Here’s why the Woodside share price is beating the ASX 200 today
• Own the Vanguard Australian Shares High Yield ETF? Here’s what you’re invested in

Motley Fool contributor Zach Bristow 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 Limited. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The Appen Ltd (ASX: APX) share price is plunging amid a broader sell-off in the company’s sector.

At the time of writing, the Appen share price is $6.43, 4.46% lower than its previous close.

For context, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) and S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) are 0.85% and 0.89% lower respectively right now.

Meanwhile, the tech sector is struggling. Let’s take a closer look at how the provider of artificial intelligence data and its peers are performing on Wednesday.

What’s going on with the Appen share price?

The Appen share price is suffering on Wednesday, alongside its peers on the ASX 200.

Right now, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) is falling 2.47%, making it the market’s worst performing sector.

The drop is being led by the Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price. It’s dumping 25.66% on the back of its quarterly results.

The share price of Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) is also suffering today, slipping 6% at the time of writing.

In fact, the Compershare Limited (ASX: CPU) share price is in the only ASX 200 tech stock trading in the green. It’s up 0.08% right now.

It’s not such a blood bath on the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX). Though, the index has slipped 1.75%.

The sector’s struggles follow a devastating session on the tech heavy Nasdaq Index overnight (Australia time). The Nasdaq-100 plunged 3.87% in Tuesday’s session overseas.

The Appen share price is currently 42% lower than it was at the start of 2022. It has also dropped 57% since this time last year.

The post Appen share price tumbles 4% amid ASX tech sell-off appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why Appen, Block, Life360, and Northern Star shares are dropping
• 3 beaten-up ASX All Ordinaries shares that surged higher today
• Have ASX tech shares finally reached the bottom?
• Appen shares may be at a 5-year low, but their dividend yield has never been higher
• Why did the Appen share price rise by a strong 5% today?

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. owns and has recommended Appen Ltd, Block, Inc., and Life360, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended Block, Inc. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.85% in late afternoon trading at 7,539 points. A bunch of ASX shares are falling with the benchmark to hit new 52-week lows — which begs the question, is this opportunity knocking?

We profile three of these ASX shares below.

Bigtincan Holdings Ltd (ASX: BTH) 

The first ASX share to look at is enterprise mobility software provider, Bigtincan. It’s trading at 63 cents on Wednesday afternoon — down 7.34% — and hit a new 52-week low of 61 cents earlier. We haven’t heard any price-sensitive news from Bigtincan since 25 February when it released a very pleasing half-year report. Revenue hit a record $45.9 million — up 142% on the prior corresponding period (pcp). Annualised recurring revenue (ARR) was $112 million — up 132%. Plus, the company turned its adjusted EBITDA around to $1.2 million in the green compared to $3.6 million in the red in the prior period. Bigtincan CEO David Keane described 1H FY22 as a “transformational period”, particularly due to the Brainshark acquisition. All sounds very positive, right? Well, get this. The stock has tumbled by 23% since that report was released. Is this a classic buying the dip opportunity? For perspective, the 52-week high is $1.53.

Marley Spoon AG (ASX: MMM)

You might remember when ASX share Marley Spoon was among the most spectacular COVID-19 winners. Of course it was — those home-delivered meal packages came in very handy during the lockdowns. The Marley Spoon share price flew during the first six months of the pandemic. It went up a remarkable 1,024% from 29 cents to around $3.20 between mid-February and mid-August 2020. Yep, no kidding. The All Ords fell 13.3% over the same period. But as society has gotten a handle on the virus, the share prices of some of the pandemic winners have returned to Earth. The Marley Spoon share price has been dwindling downwards since July 2021. This morning it hit a 52-week low of 38 cents. It later rebounded to 41 cents — a healthy daily gain of 7.89%.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Megaport is down 0.11% at the time of writing to trade at $8.90. Earlier it dipped to $8.55, which was a new 52-week low for the ASX tech share. A recent quarterly update disappointed ASX investors, with the Megaport share price dipping 18% on the day it was released. But this might be an opportunity, according to Goldman Sachs. The broker continues to rate the network-as-a-service (NaaS) provider a buy. However, it has cut its price target for Megaport shares to $13.10. Goldman believes “the long term opportunity for MP1 is unchanged.” Megaport’s 52-week high is $22.

The post Is this opportunity knocking? 3 ASX shares hitting 52-week lows today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX All Ordinaries shares leaping 5% or more on Wednesday
• 48% fall: Fund names 3 ASX shares to take off after heavy crash
• Top broker tips Megaport share price to rebound 45%
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Brokers name 2 ASX shares to buy after the tech selloff

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns and has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO, Goldman Sachs, MEGAPORT FPO, and Marley Spoon AG. The Motley Fool Australia owns and has recommended BIGTINCAN FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended MEGAPORT FPO and Marley Spoon AG. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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