If I had $10,000 ready to invest in Australian shares right now, I would be looking for companies with strong global businesses.

Ideally, they would also be businesses that have recently fallen out of favour with the market.

Short term share price weakness can sometimes create opportunities to buy high-quality companies at far more attractive prices.

Right now, two ASX stocks stand out to me as particularly interesting opportunities.

Here’s why.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The WiseTech share price is currently down 1.72% to $45.83.

That means the logistics software company has fallen more than 45% over the past year and about 33% since the start of 2026.

Despite this sharp decline, the underlying business remains one of the most dominant technology platforms in global logistics.

WiseTech is best known for its CargoWise platform, which helps freight forwarders and logistics providers manage complex global supply chains.

Once customers adopt the software, switching away can be extremely difficult. This creates strong recurring revenue and high margins.

The company recently reported revenue of US$672 million in the first-half of FY26, representing 76% growth compared with the same period a year earlier. EBITDA rose 31% to US$252 million.

Looking ahead, management expects FY26 revenue between US$1.39 billion and US$1.44 billion, with EBITDA forecast between US$550 million and US$585 million.

Another encouraging signal is insider buying.

Recent disclosures show several directors purchasing shares on market in February, including:

• Andrew Harrison buying 1,000 shares at $48.20

• Raelene Murphy buying 2,054 shares at $48.99

• Christopher Charlton buying 2,500 shares at $49.90

Director buying can often be a positive sign because company insiders are committing their own money.

After such a steep sell-off, WiseTech shares could rebound strongly if growth continues and sentiment improves.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

The CSL share price is currently down 0.44% to $140.04.

The biotechnology giant has also experienced a difficult run recently, with the stock falling roughly 43% over the past year.

This is unusual for a company that has historically been one of the ASX’s most successful global healthcare businesses.

CSL operates through two major divisions.

CSL Behring develops plasma-based therapies used to treat serious medical conditions such as immune deficiencies and haemophilia.

Meanwhile Seqirus is one of the world’s largest influenza vaccine providers.

Demand for plasma therapies continues to grow globally.

The company also maintains a strong pipeline of new treatments that could support future earnings growth.

Following the recent sell-off, some analysts believe the valuation now looks appealing.

One broker has maintained a ‘buy’ rating with a price target around $235, suggesting significant potential upside from current levels.

Foolish bottom line

Both WiseTech and CSL remain globally competitive businesses despite their recent share price weakness.

If I had $10,000 to invest today, I would consider splitting it evenly between these two companies.

The post Where I’d put $10,000 in Australian stocks right now 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 positions in and has recommended CSL and WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended WiseTech Global. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Dug Technology Ltd (ASX: DUG) plays in a specialised niche of the technology market, providing software and compute as a service (CaaS) products to big players in the oil and gas sector.

Shaw and Partners recently ran the ruler over the company and believes they’re deeply undervalued at the moment.

More on that later. Let’s have a look at the most recent statements from the company.

Strong profit uplift

Dug, in its first-half profit statement to the ASX released in late February, said its total revenue came in at US$40.4 million, up 40%, while normalised EBITDA was up 161% to US$13.6 million.

The company said regarding its results:

DUG achieved record financial results in FY26-H1, characterised by significant revenue growth and margin expansion. These results were underpinned by growth in the Services business and the ramp up of the EPIC contract in Malaysia. Services growth was driven by strong performance in both established and emerging regions, and the continued adoption of MP-FWI Imaging technology. DUG expanded its global multi-client portfolio by launching two new seismic reprocessing projects offshore Equatorial Guinea in partnership with Geoex MCG. Both projects are fully pre-funded by clients and cover extensive acreage in the highly prospective deep-water Douala and Rio Muni basins, ahead of upcoming exploration licensing rounds by the Ministry of Hydrocarbons and Mining Development.

Dug Managing Director Dr Matthew Lamont said the company entered the second half “with a high degree of confidence in our growth momentum”.

Shares looking cheap

Shaw and Partners said in a recent research note sent to its clients that Dug had sunk nearly $60 million into high-performance computing infrastructure over the past three years, which it could now leverage for outsized gains.

Shaw and Partners added:

New regions and a growing reputation support contract awards continuing to grow. Dug is favourably exposed to a rising oil price environment, has limited direct revenue exposure to the Middle East currently and has materially underperformed its oil and gas service peers … year to date, creating an opportunity for savvy investors.

Shaw said Dug has only recently expanded into the Middle East, with the region accounting for less than 8% of total revenue.

This was despite the Middle East and Latin America accounting for about 22% of global upstream capex in the sector.

Shaw said Dug was also demonstrating an ability to grow its “share of wallet” with existing customers.

Shaw and Partners has a price target of $3 on Dug shares compared with $2.01 currently.

Dug was valued at $273.7 million at the close of trade on Monday.

The post This ASX 200 technology company is about 50% undervalued, the team at Shaw and Partners says appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Centaurus Metals Ltd (ASX: CTM) recently reported some good news, with global mining giant Glencore agreeing to a supply agreement for nickel concentrate from the company’s Jaguar project in Brazil.

The analyst team at Canaccord Genuity subsequently ran the ruler over the company and upgraded its share price for it, which we’ll get to shortly.

Firstly, let’s look in more detail at what the company has reported.

Major milestone achieved

Centaurus said in a statement to the ASX on Monday that it had signed a binding offtake agreement with Glencore, “marking a key step in advancing the project towards development”.

The company added:

The Agreement is for the supply of 20,000 dry metric tonnes per annum of high-grade (32%) nickel concentrate (6,400 tonnes per annum of nickel in concentrate) to Glencore, with the base destination of Canada for treatment at Glencore’s Sudbury smelting operations, and commencing from the beginning of 2029 for a period of five years. The Offtake Agreement with Glencore represents approximately 30% of the planned annual production from Jaguar, with Centaurus retaining flexibility over how the balance its production will be used to support the funding of the Jaguar Project in advance of a Final Investment Decision (FID).  

Pricing under the offtake agreement would be linked to the price of nickel on the London Metals Exchange, the company said, and there would also be credits paid for any copper and cobalt byproducts in the concentrate.

The agreement is subject to the Centaurus board making an FID by 30 September this year and first concentrate production being achieved by 15 January 2029.

The estimated value of the agreement is more than US$450 million over the initial five-year contract term.

Centaurus Managing Director Darren Gordon said it was a milestone for the company.

The signing of our first binding offtake agreement for nickel concentrate production with Glencore is a significant achievement for Centaurus and the Jaguar Nickel Project. Glencore is one of the biggest names in natural resources globally and one of the longest-standing integrated participants in the nickel sector. Signing them up as a long-term offtake partner is a major coup that validates the quality of the Jaguar Project and supports our commercial development strategy. We look forward to building a sustainable low-cost supply of low carbon nickel in Brazil supported by Glencore’s long history in the sector and their deep knowledge of the market. Importantly, the Offtake Agreement will support and help de-risk the ongoing debt and equity funding processes which we currently have underway.

Centaurus shares looking cheap

The team at Canaccord Genuity said they believed the agreement was “a significant step toward the project’s commercial development”.

Canaccord has raised its price target on Centaurus shares to 85 cents, up from 80 cents, compared with the current share price of 53 cents.

If achieved, this would constitute a 60.3% increase. Centaurus was valued at $288.2 million at the close of trade on Monday.

The post Which ASX mining project developer is 60% undervalued according to Canaccord Genuity? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares are 0.32% higher as the market reacts positively to an 0.25% rise in interest rates.

Meanwhile, several ASX 200 stocks hit new 52-week lows today.

Do they present a buying opportunity, or is it best to be cautious on these stocks?

Let’s defer to the experts.

ASX 200 shares at new annual lows today

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

The CSL share price fell to a 52-week low of $138.73 on Tuesday, and is down 43% over 12 months.

Michael Gable from Fairmont Equities has a sell rating on the market’s largest ASX 200 healthcare share.

On The Bull this month, Gable lamented:

This biotechnology giant was a market darling for a long time, but it’s now failing to command a premium as uncertainty surrounding the company’s US vaccine business is making it more difficult for investors to forecast future earnings.

The recent departure of its chief executive also adds to the uncertainty.

From a technical perspective, the stock has topped out and is trending lower.

In my view, this leaves further downside risk in the share price until investors feel more confident that CSL can lift earnings.

Car Group Limited (ASX: CAR)

The Car Group share price fell to a 52-week low of $23.52 on Tuesday.

This ASX 200 communications share has fallen 29% over the past 12 months.

On The Bull this week, Toby Grimm from Baker Young revealed a buy rating on Car Group shares.

He reckons the stock has been caught up in the fear around artificial intelligence (AI) disrupting certain industries.

Grimm commented:

Recent sector-wide selling driven largely by concerns around potential artificial intelligence (AI) disruption has weighed on valuations.

However, we believe CAR’s trusted brands, established distribution network and strong dealer relationships position it well to integrate AI tools into its services rather than be disrupted by them.

Over time, AI could enhance listing quality, pricing transparency and advertising effectiveness across its platforms.

Grimm said the carsales.com.au portal owner produced better-than-expected results for 1H FY26.

They included a 13% lift in revenue and an 11% rise in reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA).

He said:

Given the company’s strong market position, attractive margins and long runway for digital automotive marketplace growth across several geographies, we view recent price weakness as an opportunity to accumulate a high quality technology-enabled marketplace at a more reasonable valuation.

Seek Ltd (ASX: SEK)

This fellow ASX 200 communications share tumbled to a 52-week low of $14.42 today.

The Seek share price has fallen 37% over 12 months.

Morgans sees an opportunity at this price level.

After reviewing Seek’s 1H FY26 report, Morgans upgraded the ASX 200 communications share to a buy rating.

Morgans said:

SEK’s 1H26 result was largely as per expectations with net revenue (+12% on pcp), Adjusted EBITDA (+19% on pcp) and adjusted NPAT (+35% on pcp) all broadly in line with Visible Alpha consensus and MorgansF.

Morgans kept its 12-month share price target at $27.50 for Seek shares.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares at 52-week lows: Buy, hold, or sell? 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 positions in and has recommended CSL. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended CAR Group Ltd and CSL. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX defence stocks are in the spotlight right now as ongoing geopolitical instability worsens and governments hike defence budgets.

Investors are scrambling to get in on the action, too. 

ASX defence stock superstars like Droneshield Ltd (ASX: DRO) and Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) have seen their share prices skyrocket over the past 12 months.

Droneshield shares have jumped 293.2% over the past year alone. The counter drone technology company was one of the fastest-growing stocks on the planet last year. 

Meanwhile, EOS has secured several major contract wins recently, and its shares have risen 728% over the same 12-month period. 

The returns are impressive, and investor and analyst sentiment suggest the share prices of these ASX defence stocks could keep climbing higher this year.

But there are some other lesser-known ASX defence shares which could also experience a boom in value this year.

Titomic Ltd (ASX: TTT)

Titomic specialises in metal additive manufacturing (cold spray technology), which has applications in defence (and other markets). The company manufactures, repairs, and upgrades military equipment using advanced materials such as titanium. This can be done while the equipment is active in the field.

The company’s quarterly update, posted in late-January, revealed global expansion plans, new defence contracts, and strong cash reserves of $35.8 million as of 31st December 2025.

Titomic also recently announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters to the US as part of its strategy to grow its defence and aerospace business. 

At the time of writing, the Titomic share price is up 2.27% to 22 cents. Over the past month, the shares have climbed 7.14%, but they’re still 13.46% lower over the year.

Just yesterday, Bell Potter confirmed its speculative buy rating and 50 cents price target on the ASX defence stock. That implies a 122.22% upside at the time of writing. The broker said it thinks 2027 could be the year that Titomic’s production really starts to kick off. 

Austal Ltd (ASX: ASB)

Austal is an Australian-based global shipbuilding company specialising in the design, construction, and support of defence and commercial vessels.

These include naval vessels, defence surface warfare combatants, and law enforcement patrol boats.

The company also installs and maintains vessel command and control systems, communication and radar technology, and information management systems.

At the time of writing, Austal shares are down 1.25% for the day to $4.75 each. Over the past month, the shares have fallen 18.49%, but they’re still 24.98% higher than this time 12 months ago.

The company recently cut its earnings guidance for FY26, citing an accounting issue. The news spooked investors and triggered a sell-off.

Most analysts continue to hold a bullish stance on the ASX defence stock. Data shows three out of six analysts have a strong buy rating, two have a hold rating, and one has a strong sell rating.

The average target price is $6.70, which implies a potential 40.96% upside over the next 12 months, at the time of writing. Although some think the shares could jump 61.97% to $7.71 each.

The post These 2 lesser-known ASX defence stocks are tipped to soar appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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Motley Fool contributor Samantha Menzies has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended DroneShield and Electro Optic Systems and is short shares of DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The S&P/ASX Small Ords Index (ASX: XSO) has fallen 10.4% since the war in Iran began, but is 9% higher over the past 12 months.

The S&P/ASX 300 Metal & Mining Index (ASX: XMM) has also dropped 14.4% since the war started, but is up 38% over the past year.

ASX mining shares have been on a tear over the past year as commodity prices have lifted and Australia commenced a new mining boom.

ASX small-caps have also outperformed over the period, largely due to interest rates falling in many Western nations.

The war in Iran may reverse this tailwind, as we’ve seen today with the Reserve Bank of Australia lifting rates again by 0.25%.

As always with small-caps, stock selection is critical.

The following two ASX small-cap mining shares have rocketed over the past 12 months, and these experts say it’s time to sell.

Let’s find out more.

EQ Resources Ltd (ASX: EQR)

The EQ Resources share price is 33 cents, down 9.7% on Tuesday but up 713% over the past year.

EQ Resources owns a tungsten mine in Mt Carbine in North Queensland, and also holds gold exploration licences in NSW.

The company’s long-term ambition is to become Australia’s pre-eminent producer of tungsten, which is used to harden metals.

This month, Morgans issued a new note downgrading this ASX small-cap mining share from a speculative buy rating to a trim rating.

The broker increased its 12-month price target from 16 cents to 23 cents.

Morgans explained the change:

The ammonium paratungstate (APT) price continues to climb, above US$1,600 per metric tonne unit (mtu – 10kg).

We have lifted the modelled short-term price to US$1,300/mtu, and our long-term price from US$600/mtu to US$700/mtu.

With the share price above our target price, we lower our rating to TRIM from Speculative Buy.

Morgans added:

Continued strength in the tungsten price, a most critical metal, could lead to a further increase in our target price.

Lunnon Metals Ltd (ASX: LM8)

The Lunnon Metals share price is 40 cents, down 1.3% today but up 98% over the past 12 months.

Lunnon Metals is a nickel explorer with assets in the Kambalda district of Western Australia.

On The Bull this week, Nathan Lodge from Securities Vault revealed a sell rating on this ASX nickel mining share.

Lodge explained:

The company’s strategy centres on exploring and advancing sulphide nickel deposits in a region historically known for high grade discoveries and established mining infrastructure.

However, global nickel prices have been under sustained pressure as supply from Indonesia has increased rapidly, creating a structural oversupply in the market.

For companies, such as Lunnon Metals, exploration success isn’t sufficient to drive value if the underlying commodity price environment remains weak.

The nickel price is US$17,485 per tonne on Tuesday, up 4% in the year to date and up 7% over the past 12 months.

The post 2 ASX small-cap mining shares to sell: Experts 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.

Gold stocks have certainly delivered some excellent gains as a result of the strong rally in the gold price over the past year, but for those looking to pick the next winner, it sometimes helps to ask the experts.

The analyst team at UBS has put together a list of its top five picks in the emerging gold space, with price targets as much as 120% above current levels.

Where to for commodity prices?

Firstly, let’s look at their gold price forecasts for the coming year.

UBS expects the price of gold to remain relatively steady, rising slightly from the current level of about US$5,000 to US$5,075 in FY27, before dropping back to US$4,575 in FY28.

As they said in their research note this week:

Our price forecasts align with UBS Precious Metals strategists’ views, which see an average of US$5,200 for CY26 before the rally fades. We wrote recently that risks remain skewed to the upside in the face of ongoing global uncertainty, and we expect gold to continue to benefit from shifts out of US assets. Interest has heightened across institutional and retail investors and the strength of demand has (so far) more than offset any attempts to take profits. The key drivers remain uncertainty relating to the Middle East conflict and geopolitics, ongoing trade tensions and the modest outlook for global growth, de-dollarisation but also gold offering an alternative in times of currency uncertainty.

Local companies set to benefit

Looking at the Australian emerging companies, UBS said, “strong volume growth and gold prices remaining elevated provides a healthy pathway to higher earnings and cashflow”.

UBS’ top pick among the emerging miners is Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR), for which it has a $7.50 price target compared with the current share price of $3.67.

Pantoro produced 41,623 ounces of gold for the half year but is continuing to explore for gold around its Norseman operations with a view to increasing production to 200,000 ounces per year in the medium term.

UBS’ second pick is Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX), for which it has a price target of $10.25 compared with the current share price of $6.06.

UBS said the company’s production target of 470,000 ounces by FY28 “looks conservative” and there were also cost efficiencies to be had.

UBS’ third pick is Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6), which it has a price target of $1.20 compared with the current price of 62.5 cents.

The company recently agreed to a $220 million funding package to accelerate its Bullabulling gold project, which has a mineral resource of 4.5 million ounces of gold.

UBS’ fourth pick is Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL), for which it has a price target of $11.25 per share compared with the current price of $6.42.

The team said Catalyst was targeting low capex production growth with strong free cash flow yields.

And finally, UBS’ fifth pick is Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM), for which it has a $1.60 price target compared with the current price of $1.40, with the company having a pathway to producing 200,000 ounces of gold per year by FY29 while maintaining strong free cash flow yields.

The post What are the 5 emerging ASX gold companies UBS has picked as winners? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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.

If you want to build wealth in the share market, buy-and-hold investing is arguably one of the best ways to do it.

To demonstrate, let’s look at what could happen if $50,000 was invested in ASX shares and allowed to compound over the next 10 years.

The long-term return of the share market

Over long periods, the Australian share market has delivered strong total returns.

Those returns come from two main sources. The first is capital growth as company earnings expand and share prices rise. The second is dividends paid by companies like Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) to shareholders.

When both are combined, it is not unreasonable to expect long-term returns somewhere around the high single digits per year.

For the sake of this example, let’s assume a total return of 9% per annum. That’s not guaranteed and the market rarely moves in a straight line, but it sits within the range of long-term historical returns for equities.

Importantly, this assumes dividends are reinvested rather than spent, allowing compounding to do its work.

The power of compounding

Compounding is one of the most powerful forces in investing.

Instead of simply earning returns on your initial investment, you begin earning returns on the gains generated in previous years.

At first the impact can feel modest. But over time it starts to accelerate.

If $50,000 earned a 9% annual return and those returns were reinvested each year, here’s how the investment could grow over a decade:

Year 1: $54,500
Year 3: $64,750
Year 5: $76,900
Year 7: $91,400
Year 10: approximately $118,400

By the end of the 10-year period, that original $50,000 investment could potentially grow to roughly $118,000.

In other words, the portfolio would have more than doubled.

The market rarely moves in a straight line

Of course, real investing never looks as smooth as a spreadsheet.

There will almost certainly be years where the market falls. Corrections, volatility, and negative headlines are simply part of the investing journey.

But historically, patient investors who stay invested in quality businesses and reinvest dividends have been rewarded over time.

The key is focusing on the long-term compounding of returns rather than the short-term ups and downs of the market.

Building wealth over time

A decade may feel like a long time, but in investing terms it is actually quite short.

Many of the world’s most successful investors have built their wealth over several decades by allowing compounding to work quietly in the background.

For investors who continue adding new money to their portfolios over time, the results can become even more powerful.

Foolish takeaway

A $50,000 investment in ASX shares might not sound life-changing at first.

But if that investment were able to generate an average return of 9% per year and those returns were reinvested, it could grow to roughly $118,000 in 10 years.

That’s the power of long-term investing and compounding. And for patient investors, the real magic often begins after the first decade.

The post What could $50,000 in ASX shares become in 10 years? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares at 52-week lows: Buy, hold, or sell?
• These 2 lesser-known ASX defence stocks are tipped to soar
• 2 ASX small-cap mining shares to sell: Experts
• What are the 5 emerging ASX gold companies UBS has picked as winners?
• ASX 200 resilient in face of latest RBA interest rate increase

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

After kicking the day off in positive territory, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) traded close to flat for much of Tuesday.

At 2:30pm AEDT, the benchmark Aussie index was back up just under 0.2% at 8,598.7 points.

That’s when the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) reported its latest interest rate decision. The benchmark index initially gained on the decision, before retracing to 8,596.1 points, still up around 0.2% for the day.

As you’re likely aware, on 3 February, at its first meeting of 2026, the RBA increased the official cash rate by 0.25% to 3.85% amid concerns over resurgent inflation.

That marked the first time ASX 200 investors were faced with an interest rate hike since November 2023, when the RBA lifted rates to 4.35%. The central bank then cut rates by 0.25% three times in 2025.

Today, the RBA announced its second interest hike of the year.

With market expectations of another rate increase at around 60% this morning, ASX 200 investors look to be taking the news in stride.

Here’s why the RBA opted to lift interest rates again today.

ASX 200 steady as RBA hikes interest rates

The RBA reported that it decided to increase the cash rate target by another 0.25%, bringing Australia’s official interest rate to 4.10%.

“While inflation has fallen substantially since its peak in 2022, it picked up materially in the second half of 2025,” the board said.

Some of those inflationary pressures that see ASX 200 investors facing higher interest rates remain on the domestic front, driven by stronger-than-expected growth in domestic demand.

“Information since the February meeting suggests that some of the increase in inflation reflects greater capacity pressures,” the RBA noted.

The central bank also pointed to surging global energy prices fuelled by the United States and Israel’s war with Iran as potentially driving broader price increases.

“In addition, the conflict in the Middle East has resulted in sharply higher fuel prices, which, if sustained, will add to inflation. Short-term measures of inflation expectations have already risen.”

And ASX 200 investors and mortgage holders alike would do well to prepare for higher rates for longer.

“The board judged that there is a material risk that inflation will remain above target for longer than previously anticipated,” its members revealed.

All told, markets are facing plenty of uncertainty.

According to the RBA:

Globally, the conflict in the Middle East poses substantial risks in both directions. A longer or more severe conflict could put further upward pressure on global energy prices; this will push up near-term inflation and could also increase inflation further out if it impairs supply capacity or price rises get built into longer term inflation expectations.

Higher prices and prolonged uncertainty may cause growth to be lower in Australia’s major trading partners and also in Australia.

Unlike the recent unanimous decisions, five board members voted to lift the cash rate today, while four voted to keep it on hold.

Despite the higher rate environment, the ASX 200 has gained 9.5% over the past year.

The post ASX 200 resilient in face of latest RBA interest rate increase 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.

There are a lot of blue-chip ASX 200 shares to pick from on the Australian share market.

But not all are necessarily buys right now.

So, to narrow things down, let’s see what analysts are saying about three of the most popular shares on the ASX 200 index. Here’s what you need to know:

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

BHP is the world’s largest mining company and a major producer of commodities such as iron ore, copper, and metallurgical coal.

One positive currently working in its favour is the strength in copper prices. Copper is widely viewed as one of the most important commodities for electrification, renewable energy infrastructure, and electric vehicles. With demand expected to rise strongly over the coming decade, BHP’s significant exposure to copper could become an increasingly valuable part of its portfolio.

But does this make BHP shares a buy?

Morgan Stanley has an overweight rating on the mining giant with a $56.00 price target. Meanwhile, Ord Minnett has an accumulate rating with a $54.00 price target. This compares favourably to the current BHP share price of $49.39.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

CSL is one of Australia’s largest healthcare companies and a global leader in plasma therapies, vaccines, and biotechnology products.

Unlike some other ASX heavyweights, CSL has not enjoyed much positive momentum recently. Its shares have come under significant pressure and are trading well below their historical highs, which has left the company looking relatively cheap compared to its long-term valuation.

Is this an opportunity to buy a high-quality healthcare business with global operations, a large research pipeline, and strong positions in specialised treatment markets?

Despite its struggles, brokers remain positive on CSL and see value in its shares. Morgans has a buy rating on the healthcare giant with a $241.34 price target, while UBS also has a buy rating and a $235.00 price target. This compares to the current CSL share price of $139.86.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

Woodside is Australia’s largest oil and gas producer and generates the bulk of its earnings from global energy markets.

One of the major positives currently supporting the company is the strength in oil prices, which are trading above US$100 per barrel due to the war in the Middle East. Higher oil prices typically translate into stronger cash flow for energy producers, which can support dividends and investment in new projects.

Does this make Woodside shares a buy?

Well, due to recent share price strength, brokers are largely on the fence with this one. UBS currently has a neutral (hold) rating on the company with a $28.10 price target, while Macquarie also has a neutral rating with a $30.00 price target. This compares to the current Woodside share price of $31.51.

The post Buy, hold, sell: BHP, CSL, and Woodside shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 3 ASX 200 shares at 52-week lows: Buy, hold, or sell?
• If the oil price remains above US$100, Woodside shares could be raining dividends before Christmas
• Should you buy the dip on ASX mining shares?
• Rio Tinto shares charge higher on big copper news
• Should I invest $2,000 in the VAS ETF?

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