It was a lukewarm, tentative, yet positive start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Monday. After a wild week last week, investors didn’t seem to know what to do today. After opening sharply lower this morning, the ASX 200 ended up recovering by market close, posting a small rise of 0.008%. That leaves the index at 8,731.9 points.

This nervous start to the Australian week comes after a mixed end to the American trading week last Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) couldn’t quite stick the landing, losing 0.18%.

However, things were brighter for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), which gained 0.39%.

But let’s return to this week and the local markets now for a look at how the various ASX sectors handled today’s trading conditions.

Winners and losers

As you might expect, there were generous helpings of both red and green sectors this Monday.

Leading the former were tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) had a shocker today, crashing 1.6%.

Gold stocks had a tough one too, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) tanking 0.73%.

Broader mining shares weren’t much better. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) had sunk 0.66% by the closing bell.

Communications stocks came next, evident by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)’s 0.43% dive.

Consumer discretionary shares also had a lacklustre day. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) saw its value cut by 0.41%.

Its consumer staples counterpart was ahead of that, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) sinking 0.23%.

Our last losers today were utilities shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) was sent home 0.11% lighter this Monday.

Let’s turn to the green sectors now. Leading the charge were financial stocks, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)’s 0.63% surge.

Healthcare shares were in decent demand, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) jumped 0.51% today.

We could say the same for energy stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) advancing 0.45%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) saw some mild buying pressure as well. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) added 0.09% this session.

Finally, industrial shares scraped over the line, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)’s 0.05% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Gold miner Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) was our best share on the index this Monday. Ramelius shares leapt 6.15% higher this session to close at $3.80 each.

This big surge seemed to be prompted by a favourable production update released this morning.

Here’s the rest of today’s best:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS)	$3.80	6.15%
Cochlear Ltd (ASX: COH)	$140.95	5.27%
Judo Capital Holdings Ltd (ASX: JDO)	$1.00	4.17%
Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)	$5.36	4.08%
Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR)	$ 2.87	3.61%
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$10.16	3.36%
Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)	$23.32	3.09%
Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)	$0.795	2.58%
Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC)	$6.72	2.44%
Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA)	$2.31	2.21%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• ASX 200 claws back its early losses. What’s moving the market?
• Why is this ASX gold share rocketing 7% on Monday?
• 3 ASX 200 gold stocks turning heads on big news today
• Ramelius Resources boosts production outlook and sets new FY27 guidance
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen 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 Cochlear, Lovisa, and Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Treasury Wine Estates. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Cochlear and Lovisa. 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) has spent Monday struggling to pick a direction.

After falling as low as 8,681 points shortly after the open, the benchmark has clawed its way back to 8,731 points in early afternoon trade.

That leaves the ASX 200 basically flat for the day and around 50 points above its morning low.

It’s a pretty mixed session underneath as well, with 99 shares higher, 94 lower, and 7 unchanged.

The index is still down around 3.8% over the past month, despite recovering slightly over the past 3 sessions.

So, what’s moving the market today?

Wall Street offers little help

There wasn’t much of a lead from Wall Street heading into today’s session.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) slipped 0.18% on Friday, while the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) gained 0.17% and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) rose 0.40%.

Bond yields remain elevated as well, with the US 10-year Treasury yield pushing back above 5% on Friday.

According to Reuters, investors are still weighing the prospect of further US interest rate hikes, while oil prices remain above US$100 per barrel.

Banks help turn things around

One of the bigger changes since the open has been the performance of the major banks.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are up 1.29% to $38.17, while National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) has gained 1.17% to $38.92.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) is also 0.56% higher at $153.28, and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) has added 0.52% to $34.93.

That has helped offset some weakness among the miners.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) shares are down 0.72% to $60.61, while Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) has fallen 1% to $165.82.

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG) is also trading lower, down 0.54% to $16.64.

Some big individual moves

There are also some much bigger moves elsewhere on the market today.

Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT) shares have dropped around 13.5% to $16.95 after the company rejected EQT‘s revised $22.50-per-share takeover proposal.

The board said the offer undervalued the business and carried unacceptable execution risks.

Meanwhile, Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares are down around 6% to $16.77.

The healthcare company announced a deal to combine with Germany’s ITM, with upfront consideration of US$1.65 billion and another US$700 million potentially payable through milestones.

RBA back in focus

Interest rates are likely to remain a major focus over the next week.

RBA Governor Michele Bullock and Assistant Governor Sarah Hunter are both scheduled to speak tomorrow. Bullock will appear at a CEDA event, while Hunter will take part in a separate interview earlier in the day.

This comes ahead of the central bank’s next monetary policy decision on 29 September.

The post ASX 200 claws back its early losses. What’s moving the market? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• ASX 200 healthcare shares lead a weaker market amid 82% chance of a rate hike
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• ASX 200 slips into the red after a positive start. Here’s why
• Downgrade alert! 5 ASX 200 shares downgraded by experts this week

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

Sigma Healthcare vs Sonic Healthcare shares: Which healthcare giant is the better buy?

Healthcare is a core slice of almost every Aussie portfolio, but the sector comes in many flavours. If you’re weighing up Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) and Sonic Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SHL) shares, the decision boils down to more than just “pharma vs pathology.” Both are big names, both have national and global footprints, and each offers a very different blend of income, growth potential, and business risk. Here’s how they stack up.

The case for Sigma Healthcare

Sigma Healthcare is a stalwart of Australian pharmacy. Following its 2025 merger with Chemist Warehouse, Sigma now blends a massive wholesale pharmaceutical distribution network with the country’s biggest pharmacy retail footprint, operating well-known brands such as Chemist Warehouse, Amcal, and Discount Drug Stores. The company also backs up its retail network with services like dose administration aids and technology for pharmacy customers. According to its most recent company profile, Sigma was founded in 1912 and is based in Clayton, Victoria.

The numbers show Sigma as a sizable operation — its market cap clocks in at $28.86 billion, with 11.5 billion shares on issue. Current valuation looks lofty, trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 41.77. Dividends are there, but on the smaller end, with a yield of 1.54% and full 100% franking. Year to date, Sigma’s share price has slipped by 10.5%.

The case for Sonic Healthcare

Sonic Healthcare is a very different beast. Rather than retailing or wholesaling medication, Sonic is a diagnostics empire: the largest private pathology services operator in Australia, the UK, Germany, and Switzerland, plus big positions in the US, New Zealand, and Belgium. Pathology accounts for most of its revenue, but Sonic also boasts a leading role in diagnostic imaging and medical centre ownership in Australia.

Sonic has a market cap of $9.70 billion (much smaller than Sigma) and a P/E ratio of 15.89 — far lower than Sigma’s. For income-seekers, the dividend yield is a noticeable 5.53%, although franking is partial at 60%. It’s also seen a negative year-to-date return of 8.8%.

Valuation comparison

Here’s how the two stack up on key valuation and income metrics:

Metric	Sigma Healthcare	Sonic Healthcare
Market Cap	$28.86 billion	$9.70 billion
P/E Ratio	41.77	15.89
Dividend Yield	1.54% (100% franked)	5.53% (60% franked)
Earnings per Share (EPS)	0.062	1.106
Dividend per Share	0.04	1.08
Year to Date Return	-10.5%	-8.8%

Sigma’s larger market cap reflects its scale and sprawling retail network after merging with Chemist Warehouse. But it is Sonic that stands out on income, with a much higher dividend yield (and larger dividends per share), albeit with less franking. Sonic’s far lower P/E ratio suggests the market expects slower growth or sees less risk in Sigma, but sector differences make a like-for-like comparison tricky.

Recent share price performance

Both companies have faced a challenging run lately. Comparing 18 August – 17 September 2026:

• Sigma Healthcare shares fell from $2.93 to $2.50, including a steep single-day drop of 7.75% on 27 August 2026.
• Sonic Healthcare shares dropped from $23.02 to $19.62, also seeing some sharp daily declines — most notably a 9.25% fall on 20 August 2026.
• Year to date, Sigma is down 10.5%, while Sonic has slipped 8.8%.

So, both stocks have moved lower through 2026, with both hit by periods of strong selling.

Which is the better buy?

This is not a simple snap pick, but if I had to choose, I’d lean toward Sonic Healthcare as the more appealing buy right now.

Here’s why: Sonic’s dividend yield is meaningfully higher at 5.53%, and its payout is larger in absolute dollar terms. While the 60% franking won’t suit everyone seeking maximised after-tax income, it’s still a decent level. Sonic’s P/E ratio of 15.89 is far more attractive than Sigma’s 41.77, suggesting you’re paying much less per dollar of reported profit.

Sigma’s premium valuation might be justified given its dominant retail position after merging with Chemist Warehouse, opening up new earnings streams and scale — but that makes the stock look priced for strong ongoing growth, which isn’t fully backed up by its negative year-to-date returns.

Sonic’s business model is more defensive, with global operations and a central role in diagnostic healthcare. Its lower valuation, higher income, and solid EPS give me more confidence in its risk/reward, even after recent price weakness. Without meaningful trend data beyond this year’s snapshot, I can’t judge longer-term earnings or dividend growth for either company.

So, while Sigma is a genuine heavyweight with exciting exposure to Australian pharmacy retail, my pick for a buy today would be Sonic Healthcare for its income, global footprint, and lower relative valuation.

The post Sigma Healthcare vs Sonic Healthcare: Which ASX healthcare share wins? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Down more than 18% in a month with a 7% yield, are Sonic Healthcare shares too cheap to ignore?
• ASX 200 healthcare shares lead a weaker market amid 82% chance of a rate hike
• 3 ASX shares I’d buy for income and growth in retirement
• How to build a superannuation portfolio generating $50,000 a year
• 9 ASX 200 shares earning strengthened buy ratings this week

Motley Fool contributor Laura Stewart 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 Sonic Healthcare. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips. This article was prepared with the assistance of Large Language Model (LLM) tools for the initial draft. Any content assisted by AI is subject to our robust human-in-the-loop quality control framework, involving thorough review, substantial editing, and fact-checking by our experienced writers and editors holding appropriate credentials. The Motley Fool Australia stands behind the work of our editorial team and takes ultimate responsibility for the content published by The Motley Fool Australia.