• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

    Contented looking man leans back in his chair at his desk and smiles.

    On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a disappointing session and dropped deep into the red. The benchmark index fell 0.9% to 8,672.5 points.

    Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Wednesday? Here are five things to watch:

    ASX 200 to rise

    The Australian share market looks set for a better session on Wednesday despite a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 31 points or 0.35% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.6%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.45%, and the Nasdaq was 0.8% lower.

    Oil prices jump

    ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good session on Wednesday after oil prices jumped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 4% to US$105.48 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 2.65% to US$108.48 a barrel. This follows reports that Saudi Arabia has been forced to cancel some crude cargoes.

    Lovisa shares upgraded

    Bell Potter thinks that Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) shares are attractively priced. This morning, the broker has upgraded the fashion jewellery retailer’s shares to a buy rating (from hold) with a steady price target of $27.00. It said: “Our TP remains unchanged at $27.00 given we make no changes to our forecasts while our target P/E multiple remains unchanged at ~29x on a blended FY27/28e basis. Post the market sell-off, we think the current valuation at ~22x FY27e P/E (BPe) which is a ~20% discount to LOV’s recent mid-cycle P/E as BPe of 28.5x appears attractive, and we upgrade our recommendation to BUY.”

    Gold price falls

    ASX 200 gold shares Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a subdued session on Wednesday after the gold price pulled back again. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 0.45% to US$4,333.4 an ounce. Traders are betting on inflation spiking due to high oil prices.

    Buy Netwealth shares

    Bell Potter is also recommending Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) shares to clients today. In response to its deal to acquire Paradino, the broker has retained its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $30.00. It said: “The impact from Paradino is limited. There is 10% adviser growth straight away and the price tag is fair for what could be a transformational strategic move. Trading on 33x, NWL continues to offer strong revenue growth potential at a discount to its prior TTC valuations. Buy.”

    The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Beach Energy right now?

    Before you buy Beach Energy shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Beach Energy wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 1 August 2026

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

  • These 2 ASX healthcare shares just jumped up to 15%. Here’s why

    A group of people in a corporate setting do a collective high five.

    Two ASX healthcare shares are stealing the spotlight this week. Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares have rocketed by as much as 15%, while 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) shares have added around 10% at the time of writing.

    Here’s the story behind each move, plus what brokers now expect.

    Telix now has 3 FDA-cleared diagnostics

    Telix just delivered the news investors had circled on their calendars. On Monday, the FDA approved Pixclara, Telix’s PET imaging agent for brain cancer, confirming Pixclara is the only FDA-approved radiopharmaceutical imaging drug for glioma.

    That’s a big deal. This asset had already been knocked back once, with the FDA issuing a knockback in mid-2025 over data consistency before Telix resubmitted its application and won a priority review with a September action date. Getting it over the line removes years of regulatory overhang in one shot.

    This ASX healthcare share has been a rollercoaster for exactly this reason. Binary regulatory outcomes can swing the price into double digits overnight. With approval finally locked in, Telix now has three FDA-cleared products anchoring its diagnostics franchise, adding a new revenue stream to its existing prostate and kidney imaging portfolio.

    Brokers were already leaning bullish before Monday’s news. Consensus data shows 13 out of 16 analysts on TradingView rate Telix a buy or strong buy, with an average 12-month price target around 45% above the current share price.

    Citi has been the most bullish, maintaining a $31 target, while JPMorgan sits around $24.40. Not everyone’s on board. RBC downgraded to hold with an $18 target, a fraction higher than the share price at the time of writing.

    4DMedical: starting to show commercial traction

    4DMedical’s move is smaller in percentage terms but reflects a similar theme: commercial traction finally showing up in the numbers.

    The respiratory-imaging company has spent the past two years converting FDA clearances and marquee partnerships into actual revenue, and this ASX healthcare share has rewarded patient holders handsomely with a 112% gain over 12 months.

    The engine for this tech stock is CT:VQ, 4DX’s ventilation-perfusion imaging software, which uses ordinary chest CT scans to generate the kind of data that once required nuclear medicine.

    Adoption has been building steadily across top-tier US academic centres, and Medicare has already confirmed reimbursement under Category III CPT codes. That’s a crucial unlock for hospital adoption at scale.

    Analysts, though, are more split on 4DMedical than on Telix. Bell Potter remains the standout bull, maintaining a $6.00 target, while Ord Minnett carries a sell at $3.00. It’s a name where opinions genuinely diverge on how fast the commercial ramp will actually convert to profit.

    Foolish takeaway

    Both stocks are classic high-beta plays in the healthcare space. And this week’s rally shows exactly why: regulatory and commercial catalysts can move these ASX healthcare shares fast in either direction.

    Telix’s Pixclara approval is about as clean a catalyst as it gets, and brokers have responded accordingly. 4DMedical’s story is earlier-stage and more contested among analysts.

    Investors chasing either move after the fact should weigh the excitement of the headline against the underlying pace of revenue growth — and size accordingly.

    The post These 2 ASX healthcare shares just jumped up to 15%. Here’s why appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Telix Pharmaceuticals right now?

    Before you buy Telix Pharmaceuticals shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Telix Pharmaceuticals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 1 August 2026

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    JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Motley Fool contributor Marc Van Dinther 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 JPMorgan Chase and Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Telix Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

  • Up 67%! Is it too late to buy the rally in Guzman Y Gomez shares now?

    I young woman takes a bite out of a burrito n the street outside a Mexican fast-food establishment.

    Guzman Y Gomez (ASX: GYG) shares have staged a red-hot comeback since plumbing their all-time closing low of $15.20 apiece on 2 April.

    On Tuesday afternoon, shares in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) Mexican fast food restaurant chain were changing hands for $25.39 each.

    That sees the stock up a remarkable 67.0% since 2 April.

    And that’s not including the 40.8 cent per share fully franked final dividend the company declared when it reported its full year FY 2026 results on 21 August.

    Guzman Y Gomez stock traded ex-dividend yesterday. Meaning if you owned shares at market close on Monday, you can expect to see that passive income payout land in your bank account on 30 September.

    But following on the strong five-month share price rally, is this ASX 200 stock still a good buy today?

    Guzman Y Gomez shares: Buy, hold or sell?

    Baker Young’s Toby Grimm recently analysed the outlook for the company’s surging shares (courtesy of The Bull).

    “GYG is a Mexican themed restaurant chain,” he said. “The share price has rallied strongly after a decision to exit loss making US operations in May, followed by encouraging full year results in August.”

    However, Grimm foresees potential headwinds from exiting the world’s biggest economy.

    He noted:

    While there’s a near term benefit of withdrawing from the US, the decision also removes long-term expansion potential. Also, it places more pressure on Australia, Singapore and Japan to perform to greater heights to justify what we consider a lofty price-earnings multiple.

    And with Guzman Y Gomez shares having rocketed off their lows, Grimm issued a sell recommendation on the ASX 200 stock.

    He concluded:

    The shares materially exceed our valuation. The shares have risen from $16 on May 20 to trade at $26.85 on September 10. Investors may want to consider taking a profit at these levels given the Australian economy is dealing with a cost of living crisis.

    What’s the latest from the ASX 200 fast food stock?

    GYG reported a 31.6% year-on-year increase in FY 2026 statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) to $40.6 million.

    However, Guzman Y Gomez booked a statutory group NPAT loss of $26.7 million due to its US exit.

    Commenting on the results, founder and co-CEO Steven Marks said:

    Our Australia Segment has reported network sales of $1.4 billion, up 17.9% on last year, demonstrating continued consumer demand for clean, fresh, made-to-order food, loaded with flavour and prepared at speed.

    This momentum has translated into strong earnings growth, with underlying EBITDA up 28.7%, highlighting the strong operating leverage embedded in our business.

    Guzman Y Gomez shares closed up 11.4% on the day of the results release.

    The post Up 67%! Is it too late to buy the rally in Guzman Y Gomez shares now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Guzman Y Gomez right now?

    Before you buy Guzman Y Gomez shares, consider this:

    Motley Fool investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Guzman Y Gomez wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for over a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that may be better buys…

    * Returns as of 1 August 2026

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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.