Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares are pushing higher again on Tuesday.

In afternoon trade, the lithium miner’s shares are up 4% to a new 52-week high of $2.24.

This means its shares are now up 300% since this time last year.

The good news for investors is that Bell Potter believes there are more gains to come.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter has been looking at Liontown’s Kathleen Valley lithium mine and has been impressed with the ramp up of its production.

It notes that recent work means that Kathleen Valley is expected to soon hit production rates of 500,000 to 550,000 tonnes of lithium spodumene concentrate per annum. However, it sees scope for an increase to 800,000 tonnes per annum in the future. The broker explains:

LTR’s core asset is the Kathleen Valley lithium mine located in Western Australia’s Northern Goldfields region. LTR took FID on Kathleen Valley in June 2022 and achieved first production in mid-2024. Kathleen Valley is expected to ramp up to 2.8Mtpa ore throughput and lithia recovery rates of 70% in 2H 2026, enabling SC production rates of 500-500ktpa.

There is potential to further expand throughput to 4Mtpa in the longer term, enabling SC production rates of up to 800ktpa. The company has a strong ESG focus as exemplified by its Native Title Agreement and net zero by 2034 carbon emission target. LTR has lithium offtake agreements LG Energy Solutions, Tesla, Ford and Chengxin and Canmax Technologies.

Quarterly preview

Bell Potter is expecting a strong quarterly update from Liontown later this month. It is predicting stronger production and much higher revenue than the first quarter. The broker said:

We expect December 2025 quarterly production of around 110kt SC at a unit operating cost of around A$850/t sold and quarterly revenue of $150m. LTR produced 87.2kt SC (5% Li2O) in the September 2025 quarter, or 19-24% of the FY26 guided range (345-450kt). Quarterly revenue was $68m.

Time to buy

According to the note, Bell Potter has retained its buy rating on Liontown’s shares with an improved price target of $2.48.

This implies potential upside of approximately 11% for investors from current levels.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, the broker said:

Under our updated price outlook, LTR deleverages from net debt of $274m at 30 September 2025 to a net cash position by the end of 2026. EPS changes as a result of these upgrades are: [FY26] now +2.3cps (previously -2.3cps); FY27 +230%; & FY28 +106%. LTR’s 100% owned Kathleen Valley lithium project is highly strategic in terms of scale, long project life and location in a tier-one mining jurisdiction. LTR has offtake contracts with top-tier EV and battery OEMs. Over FY26, LTR will de-risk the ramp up of Kathleen Valley. LTR has a strong balance sheet with long tenor debt finance.

The post Why Bell Potter rates roaring Liontown shares as a buy appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX mining shares on fire! New 52-week highs today
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Silver, lithium, and critical minerals commodities book double digit gains in just one week
• Up 260% in a year, can this ASX 200 lithium stock keep climbing in 2026?
• ASX 200 materials sector dominates as scores of mining shares hit new highs

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.

ASX investors looking for passive income in 2026 have plenty of choices to sift through.

There’s always the ASX 200 bank stocks, of course. The ASX banks have always been a go-to choice for investors seeking fat, and usually fully-franked dividends. However, dividend yields from the four largest banks are currently rather low compared to what investors have historically enjoyed.

Investors can always opt for commodity-based dividend payers instead; that being your miners and drillers. Sure, many of these stocks, including BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), do have the potential to pay sizeable dividends, but they are not the most reliable passive income stocks. That’s due to their reliance on volatile commodity prices to pay large dividends.

Other, more reliable blue-chip dividend stocks are still around, of course. However, the likes of Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) and Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) are also trading with relatively low dividend yields compared to what investors have become accustomed to seeing over the past decade or two.

That’s why investors may want to think outside the box if they wish to secure some outsized dividend income in 2026.

One possible ‘outside the box’ stock to consider is Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW).

Analysts pick this passive income stock as a buy today

Woolworths has just come off one of its worst two-year periods in 2024 and 2025. A number of less-than-favourable developments comprehensively took the shine off this company, leading to investors sending it down almost 20% in 2024 and by another 4% or so last year.

Those developments included the ongoing erosion of market share to the benefit of its rival, Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), and the controversial departure of former CEO Bradford Banducci.

But smart investors are sensing an opportunity here. At just over $30 today, Woolworths shares are currently at a price the company first hit way back in 2014. ASX broker Bell Potter reckons it’s a good price to buy. As my Fool colleague covered last week, Bell Potter has given Woolworths stock a buy rating and a 12-month share price target of $10.70. The broker noted that  Woolworths “has been in an earnings downgrade cycle for two years and this looks to be coming to an end”.

Analysts pointed to the 12% discount Woolworths shares are trading at compared to Coles, as well as the 14% discount the company is sitting at compared to its own historical valuation, as the roots of their confidence.

As we also covered just yesterday, analysts are forecasting that Woolworths will be able to fund 99.5 cents per share in dividends over FY2026. At the current Woolworths share price, this would give the company a forward dividend yield of about 3.3%. That would certainly be a good start for passive income seekers in 2026 if accurate.

The post Smart investors are betting on this ASX passive income stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• How to build a $250,000 ASX share portfolio starting at zero
• Top Australian stocks to buy with $5,000 in 2026
• 2 strong ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy with $7,000
• Why I think this ASX small-cap stock is a bargain at $2.55

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

Shares in Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) have surged to a fresh all-time high, as investor enthusiasm around defence spending and contract momentum continues to build.

The EOS share price touched a record $11.20 earlier today before easing slightly. At the time of writing, the stock is up 10.21% to $11.01.

That move pushes EOS decisively above its previous all-time high of $10.80, set back in early 2020 before the COVID sell-off. More importantly, it caps off one of the most extraordinary rallies on the ASX. The stock is now up more than 800% compared to this time last year.

A powerful mix of tailwinds

The rally is being driven by a potent combination of macro and company-specific catalysts.

On the macro level, rising geopolitical tensions across Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific continue to drive a sharp increase in global defence spending. Governments are prioritising border security, force protection, and autonomous weapons systems, all areas where EOS has proven capability.

At the company level, EOS has delivered a steady stream of positive news over recent weeks. Last month alone, the company announced multiple new contracts across its remote weapon systems (RWS) and space systems divisions, reinforcing confidence that revenue momentum is accelerating into calendar year 2026.

Investors are also closely watching developments in South Korea. EOS is widely expected to secure the conditional South Korean defence contract, with a decision anticipated before the end of this month. If confirmed, it would represent another major validation of the company’s technology and further expand its footprint in a strategically critical region.

Broker confidence builds

Today’s rally was given an extra boost after Ord Minnett upgraded its price target on EOS to $12.72 per share. That upgrade reflects growing confidence in EOS’ earnings outlook, order book strength, and exposure to long-duration defence programs.

Broker sentiment across the sector has been steadily improving as analysts reassess the sustainability of higher global defence budgets. Unlike past cycles, defence spending is being locked in for the long term, rather than driven by short-term shocks.

Why investors are piling in

From a market perspective, EOS now has a market capitalisation of around $2.1 billion, yet many investors believe it is still in the early stages of its global expansion cycle.

With a strong balance sheet, a growing pipeline of contracted work, and multiple near-term catalysts still in play, momentum remains firmly on the company’s side.

While volatility is always part of high-growth defence stocks, today’s breakout to new highs sends a clear message. For many investors, EOS is no longer a speculative small-cap; it is now a clear beneficiary of a rapidly changing global security landscape.

The post New all-time high. Why this ASX defence stock is flying again today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Why EOS, Elevra, Lynas, and New Murchison Gold shares are pushing higher today
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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 positions in and has recommended Electro Optic Systems. 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 ASX 200 materials sector is leading the market on Tuesday, up by more than 500 points in the first half of the day.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) rose 2.3% to hit an eight-year high of 22,523.1 points this morning.

The materials sector is a long way out in front of the other 10 market sectors. The second best performer is real estate, up 0.9%.

A slew of ASX mining shares have also reset their 52-week highs today as commodity values continue to spike.

Meanwhile, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up 0.92% after a strong night on Wall Street.

The S&P 500 Index (SP: INX) hit a new record of 6,986.33 points last night, and finished 0.16% higher for the session.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI), which tracks 30 selected S&P 500 stocks, also hit a record 49,633.35 points.

Surging commodity values continue to push ASX mining shares higher.

Let’s take a look.

Commodity prices just keep going…

The hottest commodity on the global market right now, silver, is up 0.37% to US$84.24 per ounce at the time of writing.

The silver price has risen an astounding 30% in just one month and is up 181% year over year.

The lithium carbonate price leapt 8.6% in overnight trading to US$21,797.74 per tonne.

The commodity has surged 60% over the past month and has doubled year over year.

The aluminium price rose 1.3% overnight to US$3,189.8 per tonne. That’s an 11% monthly gain and a 24% increase over 12 months.

The iron ore price rose 0.2% to US$108.25 per tonne. Iron ore is up 2% over the past month and almost 10% over 12 months.

The gold price is down 0.25% at US$4,586 per ounce, but up 6.5% over the month and 72% year over year.

The copper price is 1% lower at US$5.93 per pound. Copper futures are up 11% over the month and 38% year over year.

The red metal hit a record above US$6 per pound last week.

Let’s check out the impact on ASX mining shares today.

ASX mining shares smashing 52-week highs today

ASX 200 iron ore and lithium miner Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) rose 2.8% to a 52-week high of $60.20.

The market’s largest pure-play copper share, Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR), reached a 52-week peak of $19.58, up 4.4%.

The biggest pure-play lithium share, PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS), also hit a 52-week high of $4.92, up 3.1%.

Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares rose 4.2% to $2.24, and IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) lifted 1.2% to $9.02 — both new 52-week highs.

The Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV) share price ripped 11.6% to a 52-week high of $10.19.

ASX 200 diversified miner South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) hit a 52-week high of $4.04 per share, up 3.6%.

Unico Silver Ltd (ASX: USL) shares ripped 6.6% to a 52-week high of $1.13.

ASX 200 gold share Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) lifted 0.8% to a record high of $167.99.

The Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG) share price rose 3.8% to a 52-week peak of $1.35.

Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares surged 3% to a record $4.52.

Gold and copper miner, Greatland Resources Ltd (ASX: GGP) lifted 5.1% to a 52-week high of $12.58 per share.

Aluminium stock Alcoa Corporation CDI (ASX: AAI) hit a 52-week high of $98.32 per share, up 3.8%.

The post ASX mining shares on fire! New 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why EOS, Elevra, Lynas, and New Murchison Gold shares are pushing higher today
• Red hot: These ASX 200 shares are off to a strong start in 2026
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Australian silver shares jump after a strong week for the price of the precious metal

Motley Fool contributor Bronwyn Allen has positions in Alcoa and South32. 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 track to record a strong gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.9% to 8,837.4 points.

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

Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV)

The Endeavour share price is down 2.5% to $3.71. Investors have been selling the alcohol giant’s shares following the release of a trading update. Although the Dan Murphy’s and BWS owner reported sales growth during the first half, margin pressures weighed on its profitability. Endeavour is expecting to report group EBIT (before significant items) of between $555 million and $566 million for the first half. This will be down 4.9% to 6.7% from $595 million a year earlier. Endeavour’s CEO, Jayne Hrdlicka, said: “In a competitive market landscape, we have focused on reinforcing customer confidence in the value we offer across all channels, particularly in Dan Murphy’s unbeatable price and customer experience.”

GQG Partners Inc (ASX: GQG)

The GQG Partners share price is down 7% to $1.67. This has been driven by the release of the fund manager’s latest funds under management (FUM) update. GQG Partners reported FUM of US$163.9 billion at the end of December, following a US$2.1 billion net outflow during the month. The company said: “We maintained our defensive positioning through year-end, consistent with our goal to protect client assets from what we perceive as extended valuations, deteriorating fundamentals, and macroeconomic uncertainty. As a result, we experienced relative underperformance across all our strategies for the year versus our benchmarks.”

Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd (ASX: KCN)

The Kingsgate Consolidated share price is down 2% to $5.85. Investors have been selling this gold miner’s shares following the release of its quarterly update. Kingsgate Consolidated recorded production of 20,957 ounces of gold and 157,542 ounces of silver in the December 2025 quarter. This brought its total production to 44,879 ounces of gold and 363,382 ounces of silver for the half. This positions the company to achieve the midpoint of its FY 2026 guidance. The market may have been expecting more.

Super Retail Group Ltd (ASX: SUL)

The Super Retail share price is down a further 1% to $14.74. Investors have been selling this retail conglomerate’s shares this week following the release of a trading update. The Supercheap Auto, BCF, Rebel, and Macpac owner expects a 4.2% increase in total sales to a record of $2.2 billion for the first half. However, due to margin pressures from discounting, its normalised profit before tax is expected to be $172 million to $175 million. This is down from $186 million in the prior corresponding period.

The post Why Endeavour, GQG Partners, Kingsgate, and Super Retail shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Why this ASX gold stock is back in the spotlight today
• Guess which ASX 200 stock is tumbling 4% on trading update
• Endeavour Group: H1 FY26 sales rise, retail margin narrows
• GQG Partners reports US$163.9bn FUM for 2025
• Are these ASX 200 shares a buy after yesterday’s sell off?

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

It’s been a little over a year and three months now since the rapid rise of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares saw the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) bank stock surpass BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) as the biggest company on the ASX.

But as CBA stock continues to struggle amid the strong rebound in BHP shares, the months, or even weeks, ahead could see Australia’s biggest mining company retake the crown as the biggest ASX stock.

At the time of writing, CBA shares are putting up a good fight, up 1% at $155.58 each.

But CommBank stock is still losing ground to BHP today, with BHP shares up 2.6% at this same time, trading for $47.71 apiece.

This sees BHP commanding a market cap of $242.4 billion, closing in on CBA’s $259.2 billion valuation.

What’s been happening with BHP and CBA shares?

BHP shares hit a one-year low of $34.16 on 9 April amid global concerns over US President Donald Trump’s tariff campaign.

But amid a stellar rally in copper prices to record highs of US$13,000 per tonne, and with iron ore prices holding above US$100 per tonne (currently at US$109 per tonne), investors have been piling back into the ASX 200 mining giant.

Iron ore remains BHP’s top revenue earner, with copper coming in at number two. And the commodity rally has sent the BHP share price up 39.7% since 9 April’s close.

CBA shares also got walloped in April but then surged to all-time highs of $191.40 on 25 June.

Shares in Australia’s biggest bank (and still the biggest stock on the ASX) have fallen 18.7% since that high-water mark. The selling pressure has come amid growing concerns that CommBank’s rapid rise left it materially overvalued compared to its peers. Even after the past months’ share price retrace, CBA still trades on a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 25 times.

What are the experts saying?

Commenting on the shifting dynamics between BHP and CBA shares in recent months, Sean Sequeira, CFO of Australian Eagle Asset Management, said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

It’s the realisation that CBA had a valuation which was one of the highest in the world for a bank that resulted in the shares being sold down. At the same time, BHP is being supported by strong commodity prices and a strong outlook.

And looking ahead, Plato Investment Management portfolio manager Peter Gardner wouldn’t be surprised to see BHP retake the crown of the biggest share on the ASX.

“It is still a little overvalued,” he said of CommBank stock, adding that a more reasonable level for CBA shares would be in the range of $130 to $140 each.

According to Gardner:

I would not be surprised if BHP continued to run further, given what’s happening globally and with commodity prices rallying further. The commodity price often runs a lot further than people expect, just because it might take a while to get mines started up.

The post As CBA shares struggle, is BHP set to retake the biggest ASX stock crown? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• CBA vs. Westpac: Which is the better ASX bank stock for 2026?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday
• CBA shares could crash below $100 in 2026: Here’s why
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• Building wealth: Here’s why I prefer ASX share buybacks to dividends

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

The Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) delivered a total gross return of 10.07% in 2025.

This comprised 7.05% in capital growth and a dividend yield of 3.02%, excluding franking credits.

The VAS exchange-traded fund (ETF) closed out the year at $108.90 per unit on 31 December.

The ETF hit a 52-week high of $113.18 on 16 October.

With 22.58 billion in funds under management, the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF is the largest ETF by market cap on the ASX.

VAS gives investors exposure to Australia’s 300 largest listed companies by tracking the S&P/ASX 300 Index (ASX: XKO) before fees.

The inclusion of 100 small-cap shares ranked 201 to 300 differentiates VAS from the many ETFs tracking the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

In 2025, this was advantageous, with the ASX 300 slightly outperforming the ASX 200.

The ASX 300 delivered a total gross return of 10.66% last year, while the ASX 200 returned 10.32%.

Three interest rate cuts in Australia and cuts in many other countries disproportionately benefited small-caps in 2025.

This is because small caps are younger businesses that typically carry higher debt to fund their expansion.

We’ve reviewed the VAS ETF’s performance and identified the ASX 300 shares that rose the most among its basket of stocks.

Let’s check them out.

10 biggest gainers within the VAS ETF in 2025

1. DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

ASX 300 defence stock Droneshield was the highest riser within the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF last year.

The Droneshield share price jumped 300% to close at $3.08 on 31 December.

2. Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR)

This ASX 300 gold share skyrocketed 220% to close out 2025 at $4.89.

3. Predictive Discovery Ltd (ASX: PDI)

This fellow ASX 300 gold share also skyrocketed 220% to close the year at 74 cents apiece.

4. Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG)

This ASX 300 gold share ripped 206% to finish the year at $1.23 apiece.

5. Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR)

This ASX 300 lithium share rose 197% to $1.58 on 31 December.

6. Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

The Regis Resources share price soared 196% to close at $7.55 on 31 December.

7. Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)

The Genesis Minerals share price lifted 194% to close out the year at $7.25.

8. Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The Evolution Mining share price rose by 164% to $12.68 apiece on 31 December.

9. Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU)

The Vault Minerals share price increased 155% to close at $5.46.

10. Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM)

Newmont Corporation shares ascended 152% to finish 2025 at $150.20 apiece.

The post Own VAS ETF? Here’s how your investment performed in 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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. 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 Neuroscientific Biopharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: NSB) have rocketed more than 50% higher after the company announced positive clinical trial results for a treatment for Crohn’s Disease.

The biotechnology company, which focuses on finding treatments for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, reported that three of four patients treated with its StemSmart treatment demonstrated a successful clinical response after receiving the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy.

And the fourth patient demonstrated a partial response, the company said.

It went on to say:

This is a remarkable result for patients who are living with debilitating complications of inflammatory bowel disease, which is often resistant to currently available approved therapies.

Few treatment options

The patients were approved for treatment under the special access scheme run by the Therapeutic Goods Administration, which allows for the use of new treatment options where no conventional therapies exist.

NSB Chief Executive Officer Nathan Smith said it was great news for the company.

He went on to say:

These treatment results provide critical validation of the StemSmart MSC platform in presenting a potential therapeutic solution to patients with debilitating fistulising Crohn’s disease that have limited effective treatment options. This data, along with our previous clinical trial results in refractory Crohn’s disease, provides a strong foundation for our commercialisation plans for StemSmart moving forward. Together, these early outcomes allow us to advance the development of a novel therapeutic in a responsible, informed, and patient-centred fashion as it supports and accelerates our progress toward clinical trial work later this year.

The company’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Cathy Cole, said the response rate shown by the patients was “exceptional, given the serious, debilitating and long-standing adverse nature of their condition”.

She added:

If you consider that for these fistula patients treated with StemSmart, there were limited treatment options available, then the response to treatment is truly outstanding and offers hope for clinical recovery when there was previously little.

The StemSmart product is derived from adult human donor bone marrow-sourced MSC and is produced using a patented manufacturing process.

The company said in its ASX release that fistulising Crohn’s Disease was one of the most severe and debilitating complications of inflammatory bowel disease and was often resistant to the currently available therapies.  

NSB shares hit an early high of 17.5 cents, up 52.1% before settling back to be 34.8% higher at 15.5 cents.

The company was valued at $38.2 million at the close of trade on Monday.

The post Early success in battling Crohn’s Disease has sent this ASX biotech’s shares soaring appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• As CBA shares struggle, is BHP set to retake the biggest ASX stock crown?
• Own VAS ETF? Here’s how your investment performed in 2025
• Why EOS, Elevra, Lynas, and New Murchison Gold shares are pushing higher today
• CBA vs. Westpac: Which is the better ASX bank stock for 2026?
• Which ASX defence ETF performed best in 2025?

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is having a strong session on Tuesday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.95% to 8,842.6 points.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are pushing higher:

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS)

The EOS share price is up 11% to $11.12. On Monday, this defence and space company announced an agreement to acquire the MARSS counter-drone command and control business. It is a Europe-based provider of advanced software and AI systems used to detect, track, and respond to drone threats. EOS agreed an upfront cash amount of US$36 million (A$54 million) with a potential earn-out consideration of up to 100 million euros (A$174 million). This extra consideration is linked to how many new third-party contracts MARSS secures over the earn-out period.

Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV)

The Elevra Lithium share price is up 9% to $9.98. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG). Its analysts have retained their outperform rating on the lithium miner’s shares with an improved price target. The broker lifted its valuation to reflect higher than expected lithium prices. Though, with its price target now at $8.50 (from $7.00), Elevra Lithium’s shares are trading comfortably ahead of this.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

The Lynas share price is up 2.5% to $15.16. This is despite the rare earths producer revealing that its CEO, Amanda Lacaze, is retiring after 12 years in the role. Lynas’ chair, John Humphrey, remains positive on the company’s outlook despite the exit. He said: “It is thanks to Amanda’s hard work, drive and tenacity that Lynas is today a leading rare earths producer and critical supplier to global manufacturing supply chains. Under Amanda’s leadership, the company’s production and operating footprint has grown and our market value has increased from around $400 million in 2014 to close to $15 billion. This provides an excellent foundation for the company’s continued growth and development.”

New Murchison Gold Ltd (ASX: NMG)

The New Murchison Gold share price is up 10% to 5.6 cents. This morning, this gold miner announced high grade gold results from a reverse circulation drill program at the Lydia Gold Prospect. New Murchison Gold’s CEO, Alex Passmore, commented: “We are very pleased to provide this exploration update including high grade results for the Lydia gold prospect. Lydia sits on a granted mining lease very close to the Crown Prince Operation. We believe we can leverage off existing infrastructure (offices, maintenance facility, crusher, and sampling preparation facility) to bring Lydia online relatively quickly. NMG is working towards including Lydia into its resources and reserves inventory.”

The post Why EOS, Elevra, Lynas, and New Murchison Gold shares are pushing higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Australia’s big banks remain a core part of many portfolios, particularly for investors seeking income, stability, and exposure to the domestic economy. But even within the same sector, there are meaningful differences in quality, execution, and long-term appeal.

As we move through 2026, a common question is whether Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) or Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) is the better bank stock to own.

While both have their merits, I have a clear preference.

Why CBA stands out

CBA continues to set the standard among Australia’s major banks.

It has consistently delivered stronger returns on equity than its peers, reflecting superior cost control, pricing discipline, and balance sheet quality. Its technology investment over many years has also paid off, particularly in digital banking, where CBA remains well ahead of most competitors.

From an investor’s perspective, that operational strength translates into more reliable earnings. Even when conditions tighten, CBA has shown it can defend margins and maintain profitability better than most.

CBA’s premium valuation is often cited as a concern, and that is fair. The shares are not cheap on traditional metrics. But that premium exists for a reason. The market is effectively pricing in CBA’s track record of execution and its ability to compound earnings more consistently than other banks.

Westpac’s case for consideration

Westpac, on the other hand, offers a different proposition.

It typically trades at a lower valuation than CBA and often provides a slightly higher dividend yield. For income-focused investors, that can be appealing. Westpac has also made progress in simplifying its business and addressing legacy issues that weighed on performance in prior years.

However, Westpac’s earnings profile has been more uneven. It has faced greater challenges around cost growth, compliance, and execution, which have limited its ability to close the gap with CBA.

While Westpac is a solid bank, I don’t think it has demonstrated the same level of consistency over time.

Capital strength and dividends

Both banks are well capitalised and operate within a tightly regulated environment. Neither is taking excessive balance sheet risk, and both are expected to continue paying dividends in 2026.

That said, dividend sustainability matters just as much as headline yield. CBA’s stronger profitability provides me with greater confidence that dividends can be maintained through a range of conditions, even if growth is modest.

Westpac’s yield may look more attractive at times, but I think it comes with slightly higher uncertainty around earnings momentum.

The long-term view

For me, the choice comes down to quality.

If I am going to own a bank stock through different economic cycles, I want the one with the strongest franchise, the best execution, and the least need for constant monitoring. On that basis, CBA remains the standout.

Westpac can still play a role for investors seeking value or income, but as a long-term core holding, it does not quite match CBA’s consistency.

Foolish takeaway

Both CBA and Westpac are credible ASX bank stocks for 2026.

But if forced to choose just one, I would favour Commonwealth Bank. Its premium valuation reflects genuine strengths, not hype, and its track record suggests it is better positioned to deliver steady returns over time.

For investors who prioritise reliability over bargain hunting, CBA remains my preferred bank stock for the year ahead.

The post CBA vs. Westpac: Which is the better ASX bank stock for 2026? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Grace Alvino has positions in Commonwealth Bank Of Australia. 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.