ASX blue-chip shares are typically among the most stable and resilient businesses on the stock exchange, capable of providing a good dividend yield.

Having a great market position has usually come about because the business has (one of) the best offerings for customers, great brand power, and appealing economics (compared to peers).

Businesses in the blue-chip space can usually provide investors with a good dividend yield because of two key factors.

Firstly, they are not priced for a lot of growth – they are already very large companies – so the price-earnings (P/E) ratio is lower than a faster-growing business.

Secondly, they’re not investing significantly for growth, so they can be generous with the dividend payout ratio.

While they’re not 10% dividend yields, the below businesses have solid dividend yields themselves.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra’s leading position in the Australian mobile space is not new, but the company’s focus on growing dividends is a relatively new development.

I’d rather have a good yield with growing payments than a huge yield and no growth (with a higher risk of dividend reductions).

Telstra is in a much better position now that the NBN transition has finished and there’s ongoing adoption of 5G by the nation. It has the widest network coverage and seemingly a very reliable connection.

The ASX blue-chip share’s outlook is positive – user numbers on the network continue to grow and Telstra is capitalising on its market position with price increases, which is driving mobile earnings higher.

Analyst projections on CommSec suggest the business could pay an annual dividend per share of 20 cents in FY26. That would be a grossed-up dividend yield of around 6%, including franking credits.

I’m optimistic that the business can claim a larger market share in home and small business broadband that is powered by 5G. For each connection, Telstra captures the margin that’s currently going to the NBN. This could help increase its profitability, which would be helpful for the dividend.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Coles is a leading supermarket business which is currently delivering faster growth than Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) thanks to its product offerings and value. The business also operates a number of liquor companies including Coles Liquor and Liquorland.

The ASX blue-chip share has invested heavily in new automated distribution centres (ADCs) from Witron as well as customer fulfilment centres (CFCs). This is helping improve the company’s efficiencies and stock management, as well as driving e-commerce capabilities.

In the first quarter of FY26, supermarket sales excluding tobacco grew 7%, while e-commerce sales soared 27.9%.

The boost to cash flow after the completion of the distribution centres will help fund larger dividend payouts in the next few years. Its base earnings are very defensive thanks to the integral nature of what it sells.

The forecast on CommSec suggests the business could pay an annual dividend per share of around 79 cents in FY26, translating into a grossed-up dividend yield of 5.3%, including franking credits.

The post 2 ASX blue-chip shares offering big dividend yields appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• How I would invest $3,000 in ASX shares if I were starting today
• 3 ASX 200 shares this fund manager says are buys for 2026
• How I’d invest monthly savings to generate over $50,000 passive income
• Passive income: How to earn safe dividends with just $20,000
• How many Telstra shares do I need to buy for $1,000 of annual passive income?

Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison 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 positions in and has recommended Telstra Group and Woolworths Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are being hit hard today, even though gold prices remain near record highs.

The Northern Star share price has dropped 8.78% to $26.08 following the release of the company’s December quarter update. That sell-off comes despite the stock still being up 53% over the past year.

Let’s take a look at the headline results and why the top-tier gold miner’s shares fell today.

Why Northern Star shares fell

Northern Star reported gold sales of 348,062 ounces for the quarter at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of $2,937 per ounce. That AISC figure was higher than expected and reflected a series of one-off operational issues across several sites.

Management said production was hit by a crusher failure at Kalgoorlie and unplanned downtime at Thunderbox. Lower grades at the Pogo mine, as it moved into new mining areas, also weighed on results.

While many of these issues have since been resolved, the weaker quarter forced the company to revise full-year guidance.

The guidance cut that worried the market

For FY26, Northern Star now expects gold sales of 1.6 to 1.7 million ounces, down from its prior range of 1.7 to 1.85 million ounces. Cost guidance was also lifted, with AISC now forecast at $2,600 to $2,800 per ounce.

That change was enough to knock confidence in the short term. Investors appear to be reacting to weaker near-term numbers, rather than reassessing the company’s longer-term outlook.

Strong balance sheet remains a key positive

For long-term investors, the key question is whether this update affects the company’s long-term outlook.

On that front, Northern Star still looks well-positioned. The company ended December with $1.176 billion in cash and bullion, remained in net cash, and generated $328 million in underlying free cash flow, even after heavy growth spending.

Management expects production to improve in the second half as recent issues are resolved. Major projects, including the KCGM mill expansion, are also continuing to move forward.

So, is this a buying opportunity?

Today’s sell-off looks driven by short-term disappointment, not long-term damage to the company’s underlying fundamentals.

Northern Star still owns long-life gold assets, has a strong balance sheet, and benefits from gold prices near record highs.

For investors who believe gold prices will stay strong, this pullback may offer an excellent buying opportunity. The key is to be comfortable with short-term ups and downs along the way.

The post After today’s 8% plunge, is Northern Star now a buy for gold investors? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• Northern Star Resources cuts guidance after softer quarter
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
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• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

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 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 top three S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) uranium shares for capital growth were also the best performers of the whole energy sector last year.

This represented a rising global trend of nations embracing domestically produced nuclear power as part of the green energy transition.

Anna Wu, a senior associate in cross-asset investment research for VanEck, said nuclear power was a “winner” in markets last year.

In an article, Wu said:

Demand for low carbon, efficient energy sources, primarily driven by the artificial intelligence sector, has resulted in a recent boom for uranium miners and nuclear energy infrastructure sectors.

Some of the companies within the markets helped drive global equity markets in 2025 and this could continue into 2026.

Broadly speaking, the ASX 200 energy sector was sluggish in 2025, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) falling 2.25%.

Dividends raised the total return to 3.21%.

Both the energy and materials sectors involve harnessing naturally occurring commodities that are abundantly available in Australia.

Yet there was a stark contrast in performance last year.

Materials was the strongest sector, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) rising 31.71% and giving a total return of 36.21%.

3 best ASX 200 uranium shares for growth

These were the top stocks last year.

1. Deep Yellow Ltd (ASX: DYL)

Shares in ASX 200 uranium explorer Deep Yellow lifted 63% to close at $1.84 per share on 31 December.

Today, Deep Yellow shares are steady at $2.28.

2. Nexgen Energy (Canada) CDI (ASX: NXG)

Shares in Canadian uranium explorer Nexgen Energy rose 30% to $14 per share on 31 December.

On Thursday, Nexgen Energy shares are $18.18, up 2.2%.

3. Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)

The ASX 200’s largest uranium share, Paladin Energy, lifted 27% to finish the year at $9.59.

Today, the Paladin Energy share price is $12.76, down 3.2%.

What’s driving ASX 200 uranium shares higher?

The uranium price gained momentum in 2H CY25, supporting ASX 200 uranium shares.

The commodity hit a 15-month high of $83.50 per tonne in September. Today, the uranium price is US$85.25 per tonne.

Wu said there are three key forces powering the nuclear energy investment thematic.

They are increasing electricity demand due to new artificial intelligence infrastructure, more electric vehicles on the roads, more battery-powered machinery used across many industries, the adoption of cryptocurrency, and intense heat driving the use of air conditioning.

Wu noted increased government and regulatory support for nuclear power across the world.

Wu commented:

Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, many countries deprioritised nuclear energy in favour of other sources.

However, in recent years, many have reversed their stance or affirmed their commitment, recognising the critical importance of nuclear energy in the power mix…

The United States, Japan, China, Switzerland, India, and Norway are all seeking to establish or expand domestic nuclear production.

In the US, Wu said the ADVANCE Act and the Inflation Reduction Act are providing critical support for nuclear technologies.

The ADVANCE Act streamlines regulatory processes, fosters public-private partnerships, and accelerates innovation in small modular reactors (SMRs).

Similarly, the Inflation Reduction Act bolsters nuclear energy’s competitiveness by offering production tax credits, levelling the playing field with renewable sources like wind and solar.

Meanwhile, China is investing in nuclear fusion.

By some estimates, the Chinese government is spending around US$1.5 billion annually on fusion research, nearly twice that of the US.

In India, Wu said there are plans to set up 50 small modular reactors, with the hope of integrating them into old, non-nuclear power plants.

The post Best 3 ASX 200 uranium shares of 2025 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Should you buy Paladin Energy shares after its strong update?
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• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Evolution Mining, Lynas Rare Earths, Paladin Energy, and Sovereign Metals shares are racing higher today
• Why are Paladin Energy shares jumping 12% to a 52-week high?

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) experienced an immediate fall after new unemployment data was published today.

The ASX 200 was trading at an intraday peak of 8,864.5 points when the Australian Bureau of Statistics released the data at 11:30am.

The ASX 200 dropped by 0.3% to an intraday low of 8,782.9 points after the data revealed that the jobless rate fell to 4.1% in December.

This has enhanced fears of an interest rate hike in the new year to quell resurgent inflation.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has recovered to be up 0.5% for the day at 8,829.6 points.

Unemployment falls to 4.1%

The ABS reported a 0.2% fall in the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate from 4.3% in November to 4.1% in December.

The concern here is that lower unemployment may contribute to resurgent inflation seen in the last few months of 2025.

Lower unemployment indicates a healthy economy in which people have capacity to spend.

This could see demand for goods and services rise, which may push up inflation.

The ABS said the number of people employed rose by 65,000 in December, comprising 55,000 full-time jobs and 10,000 part-time jobs.

Sean Crick, ABS head of labour statistics, said:

This month we saw more 15-24 year olds moving into employment, contributing to the rise in overall employment and the fall in the unemployment rate.

The growth in employed people led to the participation rate rising slightly to 66.7 per cent.

This was despite a 30,000 person drop in unemployment.

The number of hours worked rose 0.4% to reach a record high of more than two billion hours for the first time.

ASX 200 bank stocks rise while gold miners flounder

ASX 200 bank shares are higher on Thursday, with Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) up 1.7% to $149.76.

The Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price is up 1.4% to $38.66.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares are 2.7% higher at $42.31.

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) shares are up 0.8% to $36.45.

The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price is up 2.5% to $210.89.

Meanwhile, the ASX 200 materials sector is the worst performer of the day.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is down 1.7% as gold shares cop a beating.

Gold shares and gold ETFs are lower because higher interest rates make non-yielding safe-haven assets like precious metals less attractive.

Gold stocks are also suffering a contagion effect today after the market’s largest player, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), disappointed investors with its December quarter report.

The Northern Star Resources share price is sharply down 8.9% at $26.06.

The Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is 5.9% lower at $13.92.

Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) shares are 4.7% lower at $172.24.

The Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) share price is $7.51, down 4.3% today.

The Betashares Global Gold Miners Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: MNRS) is down 4.5% to $17.99 per unit.

The VanEck Gold Miners AUD ETF (ASX: GDX) is down 6% to $150.38 per unit.

By contrast, ASX 200 retail shares are sharply higher, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) up 2.2%.

Shares in Smiggle owner Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV) are among the highest risers of the sector today, up 9.4% to $13.96.

Footwear retailer Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) is up 4.4% to 96 cents per share.

Yesterday, the market was already pricing in a 25% chance of an interest rate hike when the Reserve Bank Board meets on 2-3 February.

The post ASX 200 drops as lower unemployment raises the risk of an interest rate hike 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 Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group and Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs) provide a simple and cheap way to invest in international shares via our local exchange.

Access to global markets is one of the reasons Australians sank a net $53 billion into ETFs last year, up 75% on 2024.

There is now $331 billion invested across 423 ETFs on the market, according to Betashares data.

The Australian Securities Exchange has just released the full-year performance data for ASX ETFs in 2025.

Here, we look at the six ETFs holding international shares that delivered the best total returns last year.

Top 6 ASX ETFs holding international shares

The green energy transition and strongly rising commodity prices were the key themes across the top six ETFs for 2025.

1. Betashares Global Gold Miners ETF — Currency Hedged (ASX: MNRS)

MNRS ETF was the best-performing ETF holding international shares last year.

The Global Gold Miners ETF delivered an astounding total return of 155.87%. The historical distribution yield is 0.2%.

MNRS was pushed higher by the surging gold price, which propelled gold mining stocks worldwide.

The gold price rose 65% in 2025, its greatest annual rise in more than four decades, after a 27% gain in 2024.

This ETF’s currency hedging proved very valuable in 2025 as the USD weakened against the AUD. We explain the impact here.

MNRS ETF is $18.04 per unit on Thursday, down 4.25%.

2. VanEck Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX)

The VanEck Gold Miners ETF delivered a similarly stunning return of 143.76%. The historical distribution yield is 0.48%.

GDX ETF is $150.60 per unit, down 5.9% at the time of writing.

3. Global X Physical Silver Structured (ASX: ETPMAG)

The ETPMAG ETF delivered a remarkable return of 132.84% with no dividends paid.

The silver price skyrocketed in 2025 by a staggering 147% due to tighter supply and demand.

Silver is a key input in solar panels, electric vehicles, and AI infrastructure like data centres due to its superior conductivity to copper.

Technology manufacturers also use silver to build circuits, connectors, and to solder metals in smartphones and laptops.

The commodity was added to the US Critical Minerals list in November.

ETPMAG ETF is $123.67 per unit, down 4% at the time of writing.

4. Global X Physical Platinum Structured (ASX: ETPMPT)

The ETPMPT ETF more than doubled in value with a total return of 109.49%. No dividends were paid.

Platinum is one of six metals in the Platinum Group Elements (PMEs).

PMEs are on the critical minerals lists of many countries, including the US, Australia, Europe, the UK, India, and Japan.

Platinum is used in catalytic converters in low-emissions cars, aerospace alloys, chemical refining, and petroleum processing .

ETPMPT ETF is $323 per unit, down 3.6% today.

5. Betashares Energy Transition Metals ETF (ASX: XMET)

The XMET ETF delivered a fantastic one-year return of 100.47%. The historical distribution yield is 0.19%.

XMET ETF is $17.49 per unit, down 2.4%.

6. Global X Green Metal Miners ETF (ASX: GMTL)

The GMTL ETF produced an impressive total return of 81.01%. The historical distribution yield is 0.19%.

GMTL ETF is $15.23 per unit, up 0.2%.

Further reading

Check out the six best-performing ETFs holding ASX shares for 2025.

The post Astronomical returns: Best 6 ASX ETFs holding international shares for 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.

The analyst team at Jarden have run the ruler over the packaging giants listed on the ASX, and it’s fair to say they like what they see.

For both of the majors, Amcor Plc (ASX: AMC) and Orora Ltd (ASX: ORA), they are projecting better than 25% returns.

Let’s look at Amcor first.

Takeover integration

The big news for Amcor over the past year has been its $8.4 billion merger with Berry Global, which was expected to deliver $650 million in synergies for the merged group.

Amcor said in April last year that it expected earnings per share accretion of 12% in FY26 from the synergies alone, with total earnings per share accretion growing to more than 35% by the end of FY28.

The Jarden team said in a research note to clients this week that, “following a period of Berry merger integration, investors are looking for signs that the Amcor business is delivering to expectations”.

The Jarden team said there were headwinds for the company, saying “evidence has emerged that customer and industry volumes have deteriorated”.

They added:

Amcor has guided to relatively flat volumes on the prior year in FY26, which seems ambitious given volumes were down in the low single digits in 1Q26 and we have seen further deterioration in customer results and commentary since then. Notwithstanding this, Amcor seems likely to flex cost and synergy levers as it attempts to reassure investors.

Jarden has a target price of $80.20 for Amcor shares, and once the 5.9% dividend yield is factored in, they project a total shareholder return of 29.6% over 12 months.

Plenty of room to improve

Meanwhile, over at Orora, Jarden said there are “very low expectations” for the company, particularly on the earnings outlook for its Saverglass division.

Much has been made about the weakness of end demand and soft retail ⁄ customer volumes, and an ongoing debate we encounter is whether this is cyclical or a structural shift in demand for alcohol generally. Near term, we think this misses the point, especially as Orora cycles destocking from the prior ~18 months. Australian cans demand has likely remained strong and we look for delivery in line with expectations for Gawler.

Jarden said there are “no balance sheet concerns” for the company, and with “a path to improving free cash generation and potentially capital management from FY27, we see an attractive combination of catalysts for investors”.

Jarden has a $2.60 price target on Orora shares, which, combined with the 4.9% dividend, would represent a total shareholder return of 27.4% if achieved.

The post These two packaging majors are tipped to return better than 25% 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 positions in and has recommended Amcor Plc. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Orora. 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 course to record a strong gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.65% to 8,839.6 points.

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

Fortescue Ltd (ASX: FMG)

The Fortescue share price is down 4.5% to $21.59. Investors have been selling this iron ore producer’s shares after it released its second quarter and first half production update. Although it reported a small increase in shipments for the second quarter and record shipments for the half, investors appear concerned by a jump in its unit costs. This meant that for the half year, C1 costs averaged US$18.64 per tonne. This is slightly above the top end of its full year guidance range of US$17.50 per tonne to US$18.50 per tonne.

Generation Development Group Ltd (ASX: GDG)

The Generation Development Group share price is down 7.5% to $5.57. This is despite the investment bond company reporting a 36% increase in group funds under management (FUM) to $34.5 billion. The company’s CEO, Felipe Araujo, commented: “We continue to see strong and consistent momentum in our inflows, underpinned by deep adviser engagement and growing awareness of the role investment bonds play in long-term wealth planning.” It seems that some investors were expecting even stronger growth.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price is down almost 9% to $26.10. Investors have been selling this gold miner’s shares following the release of its quarterly update. Northern Star reported gold sold totalling 348,000 ounces at an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) of A$2,937 per ounce. This reflects a number of one-off operational events across its assets which resulted in a softer December quarter. This is expected to lead to cash earnings of $1,060 million to $1,110 million, which is down from $1,146 million in the prior corresponding period.

Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR)

The Pantoro Gold share price is down 11% to $5.17. This follows the release of the gold miner’s quarterly production update. Pantoro revealed that it produced 22,071 ounces of gold during the December quarter. This was broadly in line with recent run rates. This underpinned gold sales of 22,473 ounces at an average realised price of A$6,077 per ounce and an AISC of $2,571 per ounce. Pantoro reported EBITDA of $83.6 million for the three months. Ord Minnett was expecting the company to report production of 26,000 ounces for the quarter.

The post Why Fortescue, Generation Development, Northern Star, and Pantoro shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Shares in South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) have hit a fresh 12-month high after the company exceeded expectations for first-half production.

The diversified miner said in a statement to the ASX that its FY26 production guidance was unchanged for all of its operated assets, while guidance for the non-operated Brazilian aluminium business was under review, “as we await the operator’s revised ramp-up profile, following lower than planned quarterly volumes”.

Better-than-expected production

Diving into each commodity, alumina production was up 3% in the first half, aluminium production was up 2%, zinc was up 13%, and manganese was up 58%.

RBC Capital Markets analysts said that the result was “generally ahead of consensus”.

Importantly, FY26 production guidance was reaffirmed across all operated assets, with H1 operating unit costs tracking in line with or below guidance at most operations. Given concerns around seasonal fires and wet weather, the strong volume and cost performance will be seen as a positive.

RBC said the non-operated Sierra Gorda copper operation continued to perform well, delivering US$180 million in distributions to South32.

South32 Chief Executive Officer Graham Kerr said it was a solid result.

We continued to deliver consistent operating results, with FY26 production guidance maintained across our operated assets and first half operating unit costs tracking in line with guidance. Our consistent operating performance, combined with strengthening market conditions, enabled the group to maintain a strong financial position while investing in our high-returning growth options and delivering returns to shareholders. Completing the divestment of Cerro Matoso during the quarter further simplified our business, consistent with our strategy to focus our portfolio on high-quality operations and growth options in base metals.

Mr Kerr said the company also “progressed construction of Hermosa’s large-scale, long-life, Taylor zinc-lead-silver project, and completed the exploration decline for the Clark battery-grade manganese deposit”.

He added:

Sierra Gorda delivered strong copper volumes and cash returns, and we are pursuing further copper growth through our pipeline of development options and exploration prospects. During the quarter, our Ambler Metals joint venture approved a circa-US$35m work program to advance the high-grade Arctic polymetallic deposit and test exploration targets within this underexplored, regional land package in Alaska.

South32 shares were 4.3% higher at $4.36 at noon on Thursday. The company was valued at $18.75 billion at Wednesday’s close.

RBC has an outperform rating on South32 shares and a price target of $4.20.

The post South32 shares hit a 12-month high after a solid first-half performance 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is back on form and charging higher on Thursday. In afternoon trade, the benchmark index is up 0.6% to 8,835.2 points.

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

Cogstate Ltd (ASX: CGS)

The Cogstate share price is up 7% to $2.35. Investors have been buying this neuroscience technology company’s shares following the release of preliminary results for the first half of FY 2026. Cogstate reported a 12% increase in total revenue to $26.9 million, which is ahead of its guidance range of $25 million to $26 million. Cogstate’s CEO, Brad O’Connor, said: “Cogstate’s momentum continues to grow. We continue to see a record level of new sales opportunities from an expanded customer base across more indications, and those opportunities have translated into an increased value of sales contracts executed in the December half year.”

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 7% to $4.63. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on the counter-drone technology company’s shares with an improved price target of $5.00. Bell Potter said: “We believe the key catalyst for DRO in CY26 is the potential awards stemming from the US Public Safety market, notably from the US$250m funds allocated to states hosting the FIFA World Cup and the America 250 events for C-UAS protection. We would be disappointed if DRO did not receive material awards from these events.”

Premier Investments Ltd (ASX: PMV)

The Premier Investments share price is up 8.5% to $13.85. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. According to the note, the broker has upgraded this retailer’s shares to an outperform rating with a $16.20 price target. This implies potential upside of 17% even after today’s gain. Macquarie believes the Peter Alexander and Smiggle owner’s shares are undervalued after significant weakness.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

The South32 share price is up 4% to $4.36. This follows the release of the mining giant’s first half update this morning. South32 reported a 3% increase in alumina production, a 2% lift in aluminium production, and a 58% jump in manganese production. South32’s CEO, Graham Kerr, said: “We continued to deliver consistent operating results, with FY26 production guidance maintained across our operated assets and first half operating unit costs tracking in line with guidance.”

The post Why Cogstate, DroneShield, Premier Investments, and South32 shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Is the DroneShield share price heading to $5.00?
• South32 grows output and returns cash: December 2025 quarterly earnings update
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Why 4DMedical and these ASX shares are up 200%+ in just a year

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 positions in and has recommended Cogstate and DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Cogstate. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Premier Investments. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

As we’ve been covering this week, gold, and by extension gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs), are currently in the middle of one of the most dramatic bull runs in the history of precious metal investing. Two years ago, the yellow metal was going for around US$2,000 an ounce. One year ago, that same ounce was worth just under US$2,800. Today, it will cost an investor about US$4,800 after hitting another new record high of US$4,887 in the past 24 hours. That’s a 12-month gain worth a whopping 71% or so.

Many of the factors that have pushed gold higher over the past few years arguably remain in place today. Economic uncertainty remains a constant in the global economy, exemplified this week by the storm of tariff threats and trade sanctions being thrown around in response to US President Donald Trump’s aspiration to acquire Greenland. Government debt across major economies of the world continues to climb. Central banks continue to snap up gold at record rates. And geopolitical tensions remain high across several global hotspots.

As such, many ASX investors may wish to add gold (or more gold) to their portfolios in 2026, despite the record-high prices. Of course, physical gold bullion in bar or coin form will continue to be the preference of many investors seeking to buy gold. However, many others might prefer the ease of investing in gold ETFs over holding physical metal.

There are many gold ETFs on the ASX that these investors can choose from. So, which is the best? Let’s look at some options.

Which ASX gold ETF is the best to buy in 2026?

For starters, there’s Perth Mint Gold (ASX: PMGOLD). This ETF is managed by the Perth Mint. Its units represent ownership of physical metal held in the Perth Mint vault, and are subject to a government guarantee from Western Australia. They can even be converted to gold bullion if investors wish. As with all of the ETFs we’ll discuss today, this tie to gold means that PMGOLD units should rise and fall in value alongside the price of gold itself.

Perth Mint Gold charges a management fee of 0.15% per annum.

There’s also the Global X Physical Gold ETF (ASX: GOLD) to consider. This gold ETF works similarly to Perth Mint Gold, with each unit representing entitlement to a physical store of precious metal. In this case, that bullion is held in a vault in London. The Global X Physical Gold ETF charges a fee of 0.4% per annum.

Another gold ETF in this vein is the VanEck Gold Bullion ETF (ASX: NUGG). NUGG units are tied to physical gold held in an Australian vault. Like PMGOLD, the units can be exchanged for bullion at investors’ convenience. This ETF asks an annual management fee of 0.25%.

To hedge or not to hedge?

All of the funds we’ve discussed offer gold exposure to Australian investors in US dollar terms. The units are unhedged to Australian dollars, meaning that fluctuations in our exchange rate can influence the pricing of these ETFs, even if the underlying price of gold in US dollars doesn’t change.

However, the BetaShares Gold Bullion Currency Hedged ETF (ASX: QAU) is different. It still holds bullion in a London vault, and its units are tied to the value of that bullion. But this ETF also uses currency hedging to mitigate any movements in the Australian dollar, effectively offering a pure exposure to gold in US dollar terms.

This doesn’t come free, though, and QAU charges a management fee of 0.59% per annum for its services.

It’s a similar story with the Global X Gold Bullion (Currency Hedged) ETF (ASX: GHLD). This ETF works almost identically to GOLD, but also adds a hedging mechanism. It asks 0.35% per annum in management fees.

Foolish Takeaway

As you can see, there are many gold ETFs on the ASX for precious metal enthusiasts to choose from. Which is the best choice comes down to individual preference. If you like the idea of an Australian holding, PMGOLD or NUGG might be your preferred option. PMGOLD also offers the lowest fees on this list, and has significantly more assets under management than NUGG.

If you wish to employ currency hedging, then QAU or GHLD are your only choices. Given the differences in fees there, I would personally be more inclined to give GHLD a look.

The post With gold up 71%, which is the best ASX gold ETF to buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Want to buy gold in 2026? Here are 3 ways to do it

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 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.