On Tuesday of next week the Reserve Bank is scheduled to hold its next cash rate meeting.

At present, cash rate futures reveal that the market is divided on what the central bank will do.

Futures are pointing to a 53% probability of rates remaining on hold and a 47% probability of rates being cut to zero.

Could rates go lower?

According to the latest weekly economic update by Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC), its team has suggested that there is a real possibility that the Reserve Bank could not only take rates lower, but also take them into negative territory in the future.

Although the bank maintains is forecast for rates to stay at 0.25% for the foreseeable future, it isn’t ruling out further cuts.

Chief Economist Bill Evans commented: “[A] serious case can be made for the RBA to consider further cuts and entering negative territory for the cash rate if it becomes apparent that the economy is deteriorating even more than is currently expected.”

Mr Evans sees positives in a move to negative rates.

“A small open economy with significant foreign liabilities would certainly see a substantial improvement in the competitiveness of the currency with further rate cuts when other major markets are anchored at their effective lower bounds,” he added.

What are the negatives of negative rates?

It is worth noting that Westpac’s chief economist does have a few concerns over negative rates.

This is mainly the impact they could have on expectations and confidence.

Evans explained: “Is there some nonlinear impact on expectations as rates move into negative – a ‘sticker shock’ even though the same policies have been seen abroad – or does such a bold move strengthen perceptions of the RBA’s determination to deliver on its objectives?”

But Evans believes the Reserve Bank can avoid this by communicating its objectives to avoid any shocks.

“The risks are as much about framing and communication as the policy itself. As we have already seen with the move to ultra-low rates and then QE, if moves come as too much of a surprise, they can exacerbate concerns about the economy and cast doubt on the ability of policymakers to achieve better outcomes,” he said.

Mr Evan concluded: “Although there is a clear current message from the RBA, circumstances can change and astute policy makers (as the RBA has proven to be over many decades) can change with them.”

Foolish takeaway

I would be surprised if rates went lower from here, but anything is certainly possible in the current environment.

But one thing that is for sure, is that in looks set to be many years until rates return to normal levels again.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares to buy for strong retirement income
• 3 cheap ASX 200 shares I’d buy today
• ASX 200 down 1.2%: Westpac tumbles, Appen reaffirms guidance, Costa CEO to retire
• Why Costa, Freedom Foods, Sonic, & Westpac shares are tumbling lower
• ASX 200 rises again, ASX banks push higher

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Westpac Banking. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Westpac isn’t ruling out negative interest rates in Australia appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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It’s been a wild ride for ASX 200 shares in 2020 as the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has gone from bull to bear to bull again.

So if you’ve got $20,000 burning a hole in your pocket right now, here’s a couple of investment ideas to get you started.

Where to invest $20,000 in ASX 200 shares today

I like the look of large-cap dividend shares right now. That means BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares could be in the buy zone for me.

The resources sector could be set to boom in the next year or so. Governments are looking to kickstart their economies and infrastructure is a great way to do that. That means steel (and iron ore) could be in high demand which is good for BHP earnings.

If you’re not bullish on BHP, there are other ASX 200 shares I like right now. I think AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL) could offer defensive exposure which is valuable in the current market.

AGL shares have fallen sharply in 2020 and still offer a solid dividend yield. While I wouldn’t bank on dividend yields ahead of the August reporting season, I think AGL is well-placed in the Aussie energy market.

There are some headwinds, like lower corporate energy use, but higher residential consumption could help to offset that. If you’re buying for the long-term, I think AGL could also be a major renewables player in the next decade or so.

Finally, I think Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS) is another ASX 200 share worth watching. There are certainly challenges facing Telstra this year but we could see the 5G network push accelerated.

More working from home means more reliance on network infrastructure. That could be good news for Telstra as it looks to re-shape itself and re-define its strategy for the decades ahead.

Foolish takeaway

These are just a few of the ASX 200 shares that I like the look of right now. If you have $20,000 to invest, it might be wise to focus on portfolio construction.

No two scenarios are the same which means you have to create a portfolio that suits your needs and investment horizon.

More reading

• 2 ASX shares to buy for strong retirement income
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• How you can get very rich with ASX 200 shares
• Can gold really protect your ASX share portfolio?
• How I would build a $100,000 ASX portfolio with ETFs

Motley Fool contributor Ken Hall has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Telstra Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Where to invest $20,000 in ASX 200 shares today appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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Last week saw a large number of broker notes hitting the wires once again. Three buy ratings that caught my eye are summarised below.

Here’s why brokers think investors ought to buy them next week:

Adairs Ltd (ASX: ADH)

According to a note out of Goldman Sachs, its analysts have upgraded this homewares retailer’s shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $2.40. The broker likes Adairs due to its strong online business, solid product offering, and improving supply chain. It also believes its shares are very cheap at 13x forward earnings. I think Goldman Sachs makes some great points and Adairs  could be a good option for investors.

Nearmap Ltd (ASX: NEA)

Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and lifted the price target on this aerial imagery technology and location data company’s shares to $2.60. According to the note, the broker was pleased with its market update and was impressed with the resilience of the business. And while it suspects that FY 2021 will be tough, it remains positive on its longer term outlook. I agree with Citi and think Nearmap would be a great buy and hold option.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS)

A note out of Credit Suisse reveals that its analysts have retained their outperform rating but trimmed the price target on this telco giant’s shares to $4.10. Although the broker expects the pandemic to negatively impacts its earnings, the damage isn’t enough for it to change its bullish stance. It feels its shares are cheap at the current level and continues to forecast a 16 cents per share dividend over the near term. I think Credit Suisse is spot on and would be a buyer of Telstra’s shares.

More reading

• The best ASX blue chip shares to buy in June
• Here’s why it’s vital your ASX shares have a moat
• The TPG share price is up 26.68% in 2020. Too late to invest?
• The Nearmap share price is up 123% in 2 months: Why I think it can go higher
• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Nearmap Ltd. and Telstra Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form last week and recorded a very strong gain. The benchmark index finished the period at 5755.7 points, 4.7% higher than where it started it.

While the majority of shares on the index pushed higher last week, some climbed more than most.

Here’s why these were the best performing ASX 200 shares over the period:

The Southern Cross Media Group Ltd (ASX: SXL) share price was the best performer on the index by some distance with a 62% gain. This media company’s shares have been incredibly volatile this month and have regularly been among the worst and best performers. Its share price gain this week was so strong the ASX sent it a price query. Southern Cross advised the stock exchange operator that it could not explain why its shares had risen so much.

The Virgin Money UK (ASX: VUK) share price was the next best performer with a gain of 22.9%. Investors were piling into Virgin Money and other banking shares last week. This appears to have been on the belief that they have been oversold during the pandemic. The big four banks all climbed notably higher last week.

The Boral Limited (ASX: BLD) share price wasn’t far behind with a gain of 21% last week. This was despite there being no news out of the building materials company. But with its shares down significantly from their 52-week high, some investors may believe they had fallen into the bargain bin. Boral’s shares are still down 46% from their high, even after this strong gain.

The Austal Limited (ASX: ASB) share price was a strong performer and rose 20.1% over the period. A good portion of the shipbuilder’s gain came on Friday after it upgraded its FY 2020 guidance. Austal advised that its revenue this year will hit ~$2 billion, while its earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) will be no less than $125 million. As a comparison, the company’s previous guidance was for revenue of at least $1.9 billion and EBIT of no less than $110 million.

More reading

• Why this ASX 200 share is up 8% and poised for more explosive growth
• Why Afterpay, Austal, Kogan, & Northern Star shares are charging higher
• ASX 200 down 1.2%: Westpac tumbles, Appen reaffirms guidance, Costa CEO to retire
• The best performing ASX 200 stock today may have more room to climb
• 3 ASX 200 shares to buy for a Goldilocks-style bounce back

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of Austal Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Do you have $5,000 sitting in a savings account and no immediate use for it? Then investing it into the share market could be your first step towards becoming wealthy.

This is because if you are able to invest $5,000 into the share market once a year for a long period of time, you can turn it into considerably more.

Over the last 30 years the Australian share market has provided investors with an average annual return of 9.5%.

This means that if you had invested $5,000 into the share market each year since 1990 and earned the market return, you would be sitting on a small fortune now.

Those investments would now be worth approximately $825,000. Which I believe demonstrates how rewarding long-term buy and hold investing can be.

With that in mind, I have picked out three top ASX shares which I believe could be great long term investments:

a2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

I think a2 Milk Company is one of the best growth shares on the Australian share market. It has been growing at an astonishing rate over the last five years and shows no signs of stopping any time soon. This is thanks to its expanding fresh milk footprint and the insatiable appetite for its infant formula in China. The good news is that it still only has a modest China consumption market share of 6.6%. I believe this gives it a long runway for growth over the next decade.

Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT)

I think this payments company could be a fantastic long term investment. Although its shares have been on fire this year, I believe they can still climb materially higher over the next decade. This is due to its explosive growth in the United States and its massive global market opportunity. In respect to the latter, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the company expand into mainland Europe and Asia in the coming years.

ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

Another company which I think has enormous long term growth potential is ResMed. It is one of the world’s leading medical device companies with a focus on the growing sleep treatment market. Given the quality of its masks and software solutions, I expect it to profit greatly from the proliferation of sleep apnoea.

More reading

• 10 top ASX growth shares to buy in June for strong returns
• Can gold really protect your ASX share portfolio?
• How I would build a $100,000 ASX portfolio with ETFs
• The TPG share price is up 26.68% in 2020. Too late to invest?
• 3 ASX dividend shares with yields over 10%

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk and AFTERPAY T FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ResMed Inc. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post How you can get very rich with ASX 200 shares appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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The best ASX growth shares are the ones that are going to make strong returns for your portfolio over the years. I’d buy these top ideas in June that will hopefully create those excellent market-beating returns this decade:

Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH)

Pushpay is one my favourite ASX growth shares now. Pushpay is an electronic donation business which is currently focused on the US medium and large church sector. The coronavirus is causing more churches to promote electronic giving, particularly in places where people can’t congregate yet. In FY21 the company is expecting earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, amortisation and foreign currency (EBITDAF) to approximately double.

MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF)

MFF Capital Investments is one of the best globally-focused listed investment companies (LIC) in my opinion. Chris Mackay owns a lot of MFF Capital shares and he has expertly guided the LIC to strong returns over the past decade. It currently has a large cash position which can be used for protection or opportunities over the coming months, whatever happens with COVID-19. It has large holdings of excellent the payment businesses Visa and Mastercard.

Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB)

Bubs is another of my favourite ASX growth shares right now. It produces and sells a variety of goat milk products. There are two key aspects I’m looking at right now, aside from the obvious stellar revenue growth. The first is that it’s rapidly expanding its distribution outside of Australia. Vietnam and China alone are two large markets which are producing attractive growth for Bubs. The other aspect is that its operating cashflow was positive last quarter, so it’s a safer prospect from here.

Magellan Global Trust (ASX: MGG)

I wouldn’t describe many of Australia’s blue chips as top ASX growth shares. So what we can do is choose to put our money in investment picks which give that exposure to leading growth shares overseas. I’m talking about businesses like Microsoft, Facebook, Alibaba, Visa, Alphabet and so on. This listed investment trust (LIT) just wants to invest in the best of the best in the world. It’s pretty defensive too in normal market sell-offs.

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU)

Altium is another of my top ASX growth share ideas. Though it’s priced quite highly at the moment considering potential COVID-19 impacts. Altium is an electronic PCB software business helping engineers design the products, devices and vehicles of the future. It’s aiming for market dominance this decade and I believe it has the management and plan to do it. It has been growing its profit margins and cash on the balance sheet. It could be tough in 2020, but if the share price were to fall again I’d be looking to snap up some shares.

City Chic Collective Ltd (ASX: CCX)

City Chic is one of the most compelling retail ASX growth shares in my opinion. It has a very high proportion of sales that come from online. That’s helpful to know that the customer base already knows how to get hold of the product. City Chic is growing internationally and I like the strategy of making international acquisitions as long as they are integrated well and can be adequately profitable.

Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN)

Kogan.com is another exciting retail-related ASX growth share. During the coronavirus restrictions the company saw an enormous jump in sales volume last month. Ongoing growth might not be as strong going forwards, but it may help accelerate Australians to shop more online. I like the network effects that Kogan.com has where it can sell a variety of other affordable services to a growing customer base such as phone services, insurance and finance-related offerings.

A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)

A2 Milk has been one of the best ASX growth shares for some time. It has built a brand of quality and it happily relies on other companies to provide the materials and production, allowing A2 Milk to have high margins. With growth across Asia and North America, A2 Milk is one of watch. It also a very nice cash pile on the balance sheet too. I like that it’s balancing short-term profit with investing for long-term growth.

WAM Microcap Limited (ASX: WMI)

Some of the best ASX growth shares are among the smallest. Small caps may not have the strongest economic moats in the world, but their small size means it’s much easier to double in size than a business like Microsoft.

WAM Microcap has an excellent small cap investment team which is very talented at finding the undervalued stars. Before the coronavirus it had generated very strong investment returns.

It also comes with a very nice dividend. If WAM Microcap were to get too big it would become less effective at investing in small caps.

Duxton Water Ltd (ASX: D2O)

A water entitlement business wouldn’t strike you as an ASX growth share. I believe there are two good reasons to consider it. The first is that water values are steadily rising over time. That’s partly due to the drier weather. But also because there are more high-value crops that need more water, like almonds.

The other reason is that it’s priced at a very large discount to its monthly net tangible assets (NTA) which gives a nice margin of safety even if water values were to drop in the short-term because of more rainfall.

Foolish takeaway

I like all of these ASX growth shares. At the current prices I’d buy Pushpay, WAM Microcap and Bubs. But I’d really like to buy them all for my portfolio.

More reading

• How you can get very rich with ASX 200 shares
• How to make $1,000 a month in dividends
• If you invested $10,000 in the a2 Milk Company ASX listing, this is how much you’d have now
• Brokers name 3 ASX 200 shares to buy right now
• Why Afterpay, Austal, Kogan, & Northern Star shares are charging higher

Tristan Harrison owns shares of Altium, DUXTON FPO, Magellan Flagship Fund Ltd, MAGLOBTRST UNITS, and WAM MICRO FPO. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of BUBS AUST FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd and PUSHPAY FPO NZX. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of A2 Milk and Altium. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BUBS AUST FPO and DUXTON FPO. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post 10 top ASX growth shares to buy in June for strong returns appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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The Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) share price could surge next week.

According to reporting by the Australian Financial Review, apparently there is a new National Health Reform Agreement which could stop public hospitals charging privately insured patients for insurance benefits.

The agreement means the public hospitals won’t be able to get any extra financial benefits for treating private patients. Apparently around 14% of public hospital beds are being used by private patients. This causes non-private patients to have to wait longer.

Michael Roff from the Australian Private Hospitals Association said: “We know the practice has driven up premiums and disadvantages public patients who are pushed further down public hospital waiting lists.” Not so good for the Ramsay share price or earnings if private patients are in public hospitals.

Why this could cause the Ramsay Health Care share price to surge

I think the Ramsay Health Care share price could be a good performer next week, assuming the overall share market doesn’t fall.

There are at least two key reasons why people are happy to go to a Ramsay hospital. They think the cost isn’t too much. And they think they’ll get quicker (and arguably a better) service at Ramsay than using a public hospital. This change could help both of those factors. Why go to a private hospital if you get cheaper, preferential treatment at a public hospital?

This practice by public hospitals has reportedly pushed up the price of private health insurance premiums, which would also essentially indirectly push up the cost for policyholders. Lower private health costs could mean more patients for Ramsay. Potentially good news for the Ramsay share price. Volume is important for private hospitals, just like hotels. 

People may also decide that they don’t want to wait longer for public hospital service. They may be inclined to go to a private hospital like Ramsay. As the largest private hospital business it would likely be the biggest beneficiary from this agreement.

Foolish takeaway

With the ongoing coronavirus global pandemic, we’re not likely to see a huge increase in patients for Ramsay. But it tilts the scales for Ramsay. The Ramsay share price certainly isn’t cheap right now. But it usually isn’t. The coronavirus spread will stop in Europe eventually. Ramsay’s earnings could come bouncing back. The Ramsay share price may rise before then, perhaps as early as next week.

More reading

• These ASX healthcare shares could bring your portfolio to life
• New to investing? Put $500 into these top ASX 200 shares
• $3,000 invested in these 3 ASX industries could make you a fortune in the future
• 3 high quality ASX healthcare shares to buy and hold forever
• If you invested $10,000 in the Ramsay Health Care IPO, this is how much you’d have now

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Ramsay Health Care Limited. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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Can gold really protect a portfolio of ASX shares?

There used to be many different asset classes you could use to protect an ASX share portfolio. Cash was always a favourite – as evidenced by the old phrase ‘cash is king’. But fixed-interest instruments like government bonds were another alternative. These assets even had the potential to increase in value during a share market crash or a recession if the government decided to cut interest rates.

Unfortunately, today we live in a whole new world.

Since interest rates are now effectively zero (or 0.25% to be completely accurate), cash is no longer the ‘safe place’ to store wealth for more than a few months. Even if you manage to snag an interest rate on a term deposit or savings account of 1.5% (rare these days), your money is still losing value to inflation.

Government bonds are even worse today. Right now, the yield you can expect from a 10-year Treasury bond is sitting at 0.87% per annum. And these government bonds will only meaningfully rise further in value if interest rates go negative, which probably won’t happen anytime soon.

So where does that leave us if we want to protect our portfolios from any future market crashes? The only real answer that comes to mind is gold.

Gold has always been viewed as a ‘safe haven’ asset and as a powerful vessel for wealth preservation. But is the yellow metal still relevant as a ‘guardian angel’ of an ASX portfolio? Let’s look at some numbers.

A golden protector?

Let’s take a look at how the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) performed during the most recent market crash.

So from the peak (20 February) to the trough (23 March), the ASX 200 fell approximately 36.5%.

Over the same period the price of gold went from around US$1,611 an ounce to US$1,500 – hardly a protective cloak for a share portfolio.

But let’s also look at gold priced in Australia dollars. So on 20 February, an ounce of gold would have cost an Australian investor around $2,422. On 23 March, this same ounce would have set the investor back roughly $2,600 – giving a nice 7.35% return over the month.

Not quite enough to offset the losses from the share market, but better than a poke in the eye, that’s for sure.

Should we use gold as portfolio protection?

As we have seen, gold can provide some protection in an ASX portfolio, but it is by no means a perfect mechanism. I think investing in gold isn’t really worth doing if portfolio protection is your only goal. If you’re truly a long-term investor, having some short-term cash on the sides is probably a better protection mechanism.

There are other reasons why gold can be useful. Protecting against currency debasement and inflation is one, having a physical and incorruptible store of wealth is another.

But if you really want to build wealth instead of storing it, ASX shares are a far better bet in my view!

More reading

• How you can get very rich with ASX 200 shares
• How I would build a $100,000 ASX portfolio with ETFs
• The TPG share price is up 26.68% in 2020. Too late to invest?
• 3 ASX dividend shares with yields over 10%
• How does the economy affect the ASX 200 share market?

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post Can gold really protect your ASX share portfolio? appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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I believe that every Australian investor can make $1,000 a month in dividends. To do that you need to invest in ASX dividend shares.

In this era of very low interest rates it’s more important than ever for your money to be working hard for you. High interest savings accounts aren’t really paying ‘high’ interest any more.

ASX dividend shares give Aussie income investors an advantage. Franking credits can really boost the yield (or reduce the tax liability) for Aussies.

If you receive a fully franked $7 dividend then you’ll receive $3 of franking credits attached. A normal Aussie tax payer whose only income is the fully franked $7 dividend would get a $3 tax refund when they do their tax return. It depends on your tax situation and taxable income on how much of your franking credits are refunded, or just reduce the tax liability.

How big does your portfolio need to be to make $1,000 a month in dividends?

Our work income is the most important source of earnings until we retire. It’s much easier to generate work income than build up enough money to make thousands of dollars in dividends.

But compound interest and diligent saving can build up an impressive nest egg. Receiving $1,000 a month in passive income is obviously $12,000 a year. How big of a nest egg you need will depend on what you invest in and the yields those shares have. If your portfolio has a 10% dividend yield then you’d ‘only’ need $120,000.

There are some shares that offer that kind of yield, but not many. And they probably won’t show much capital growth because the profit is largely being paid out as dividends. I’m thinking of shares like WAM Research Limited (ASX: WAX) and Naos Emerging Opportunities Company Ltd (ASX: NCC).

What about a lower yield?

If your portfolio has a 6% dividend yield you’d need $200,000. A 6% yield is still high and today’s ultra-low interest rates mean there aren’t many good shares left with yields above 6%. But the coronavirus sell-off has helped those yields a bit. For that type of yield I’d go for WAM Microcap Limited (ASX: WMI), Future Generation Investment Company Ltd (ASX: FGX), Brickworks Limited (ASX: BKW), Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF) and Duxton Water Ltd (ASX: D2O). Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) like BetaShares Australia 200 ETF (ASX: A200) and Betashares FTSE 100 ETF (ASX: F100) could offer sustainable higher yields in the future at the current prices once the coronavirus pandemic is over.

If your portfolio has a 4% dividend yield you’d need a portfolio worth $300,000. This is the type of yield where you can invest for both yield and growth. I’m thinking of shares like Magellan Global Trust (ASX: MGG) and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL) that might be good.

The above numbers exclude the implications of income tax – every reader will have a different tax situation, but unless you need income this year it might be better to go for longer-term growth shares with lower yields.

How to reach your target portfolio size

The share market has historically produced returns of 10% per annum over the long-term. So that may be a decent number to use in any calculations. Right now it’s a decent time to invest with share prices lower than earlier in the year.

If you invest $1,000 a month it would take just over seven years to reach a portfolio of $120,000 growing at 10% per annum. To reach $300,000 it would take less than 14 years.

Market-tracking investments like index exchange-traded funds (ETFs) will help you achieve what the market does. Some of the ideas in this space are iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS).

You could try to grow your portfolio faster than the market by going for the best growth shares. I’m thinking about shares like Pushpay Holdings Ltd (ASX: PPH), Bubs Australia Ltd (ASX: BUB) and MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF).

More reading

• 10 top ASX growth shares to buy in June for strong returns
• 3 ASX dividend shares with yields over 10%
• 10 quality ASX shares to buy in June
• 3 fantastic ASX growth shares I would buy and hold for decades
• Why it could be the perfect time to buy this Vanguard ETF

Tristan Harrison owns shares of DUXTON FPO, FUTURE GEN FPO, Magellan Flagship Fund Ltd, MAGLOBTRST UNITS, RURALFUNDS STAPLED, WAM MICRO FPO, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of BUBS AUST FPO. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Brickworks, PUSHPAY FPO NZX, RURALFUNDS STAPLED, and Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended BUBS AUST FPO, DUXTON FPO, and Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form again last week and recorded a 4.7% gain to finish it at  5755.7 points.

While a good number of shares climbed higher with the market, not all were on form last week.

Here’s why these were the worst performing ASX 200 shares over the period:

The TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) share price was the worst performer on the ASX 200 with a 7.8% decline. The enterprise software company’s shares have come under pressure since the release of its half year results the previous week. One broker that wasn’t overly impressed was UBS. It has downgraded TechnologyOne’s shares to a sell rating with an $8.20 price target. Its shares ended the week at $9.14.

The Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR) share price wasn’t far behind with a decline of 7.2% last week. The majority of this decline came on Friday when its shares fell 6% on the back of no news. Not even a positive broker note out of Citi could stop its shares from sliding lower. The broker has slapped a buy rating and $12.20 price target on its shares. This is materially higher than where its shares finished the week.

The Saracen Mineral Holdings Limited (ASX: SAR) share price was out of form and fell 5.4% last week. A number of gold miners tumbled lower last week after the price of the precious metal pulled back. This was driven by lower demand for safe haven assets after investors switched back to risk assets.

The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price was an uncharacteristically poor performer last week and dropped 5.1%. This appears to have been driven by profit taking after some strong gains over the last 12 months. One broker that believes this is a buying opportunity is Citi. Last week it upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $334.00 price target.

More reading

• Insiders have been buying these ASX shares this week
• Build wealth for life with these 2 ASX 200 shares
• Why I think the CSL share price is a strong buy today
• 10 quality ASX shares to buy in June
• 3 fantastic ASX growth shares I would buy and hold for decades

James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of CSL Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

The post These were the worst performing ASX 200 shares last week appeared first on Motley Fool Australia.

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