Tag: Motley Fool

If you’re looking for an easy way to invest in international shares, then exchange traded funds (ETFs) could be just the answer.

But which ETFs should you look at this month? Here are two popular ETFs that could be quality options right now:

BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The first ETF to look at this month is the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF.

This ETF aims to track the performance of the famous NASDAQ 100 index. This is an index that comprises 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the famous NASDAQ exchange.

This includes many companies that are at the forefront of the new economy such as Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Netflix, and Tesla. BetaShares notes that this strong focus on technology provides investors with diversified exposure to a high-growth potential sector that is under-represented on the Australian share market.

But it isn’t all technology. The ETF is also home to a few non-tech giants. This includes the likes of Mondelez International, Monster Beverage, Starbucks, Walgreens Boots, and Warner Bros Discovery Inc.

Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS)

Another ETF for investors to look at in April is the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF.

This ETF provides investors with exposure to approximately 1,500 of the world’s largest listed companies from major developed countries.

The fund manager, Vanguard, highlights that this provides investors with low-cost access to a broadly diversified range of stocks that allows them to participate in the long-term growth potential of international economies.

Among the ETF’s largest holdings are household names such a Apple, Johnson & Johnson, JP Morgan, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, and Visa.

The post 2 of the best ETFs for ASX investors to buy this month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are 3 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors to buy and hold this month
• Top ASX ETFs to buy in April 2023
• Why did the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF just hit a new 52-week high?
• Keen to pocket the next Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF dividend? Read this
• No savings? Drip-feed $500 a month into ASX shares and aim to retire in comfort

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF and Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Vanguard Msci Index International Shares ETF. 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) traded in the green on Tuesday, rising 1.26% to close today’s session at 7,309.9 points.

It was driven higher by mining companies, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) leaping 2.2%. Among the sector’s top performers was the Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) share price – it gained 5.2% on the back of a $32.87 per share takeover bid.

Consumer stocks also had a strong session, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) lifting 1.2% and the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) rising 1.3%.

Lagging the rest of the index, meanwhile, was the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ). It fell 0.1% on Tuesday.

So, with all that covered, let’s dive into today’s 10 top-performing ASX 200 shares.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index’s biggest gain on Tuesday was posted by mining stock Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC).

The company announced its intent to simultaneously issue new notes and tender its existing notes this morning. The move is an effort to extend its debt maturity profile.

These shares made today’s biggest gains:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC)	$0.905	7.1%
Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR)	$6.70	6.52%
Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)	$2.41	6.17%
Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM)	$29.74	5.16%
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$0.63	5%
Downer EDI Ltd (ASX: DOW)	$3.39	4.95%
Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)	$13.70	4.26%
Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)	$3.51	3.85%
Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)	$6.29	3.8%
Alumina Limited (ASX: AWC)	$1.525	3.74%

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

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More reading

• Blue chip beat-down: 5 huge ASX 200 shares cementing new 52-week highs today
• Why Arafura, Core Lithium, Mayne Pharma, and Newcrest shares are storming higher
• Just how low could the Lynas share price go?
• Newcrest share price jumps on new takeover offer
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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 Treasury Wine Estates. 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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Are you looking for retirement portfolio options? If you are, then you may want to look at the quality ASX shares listed below.

Here’s why these shares could be top options for retirees:

Charter Hall Long WALE REIT (ASX: CLW)

The first ASX share to consider for a retirement portfolio is the Charter Hall Long Wale REIT.

This property company invests in high quality real estate assets that have long weighted average lease expiries (WALEs). And when I say long, I mean long. At the last count, its WALE was comfortably over 10 years.

Another positive is that these properties are in great demand. So much so, the company reported 99.9% occupancy. And to sweeten the deal further, half of its property income is derived from inflation-linked leases. This bodes well for the company in the current environment.

Citi is positive on the Charter Hall Long Wale REIT and has a buy rating and $5.00 price target on its shares.

As for dividends, the broker expects dividends per share of 28 cents in FY 2023 and 29 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Charter Hall Long Wale REIT unit price of $4.19, this will mean yields of 6.7% and 6.9%, respectively.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Another ASX share that could be a top option for a retirement portfolio is Transurban.

It is a leading toll road operator that owns a portfolio of roads in Australia and North America, as well as a significant project pipeline that could support its growth long into the future.

Like the Charter Hall Long Wale REIT, Transurban also has positive exposure to inflation. It is no wonder then that the company has been tipped to deliver solid growth in the coming years.

Citi is also positive on the company. It currently has a buy rating and $16.00 price target on its shares.

In respect to retirement income, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 58 cents in FY 2023 and then 60 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Transurban share price of $14.61, this will mean yields of 4% and 4.1%, respectively.

The post Analysts reckon you should add these ASX dividend shares to your retirement portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Top defensive ASX shares to buy in April 2023
• How much do you need to invest to give up work and live only off dividend income?
• Buy Pilbara Minerals and this ASX dividend share: analysts
• 5 steps to making $500 in monthly passive income in 2023
• 2 leading ASX 200 dividend shares I’d buy for long-term passive income

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

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The Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN) share price tumbled in the first quarter of this year.

Brainchip shares fell 36% from 74.5 cents at market close on 30 January to 47.5 cents on the last day of March.

For perspective, the S&P/ASX All Technology Index (ASX: XTX) climbed 10% in the same time frame.

However, Brainchip shares are in the green today, rising 2.15% at last look.

Let’s take a look at what has weighed on the Brainchip share price in recent months.

Why did Brainchip shares fall?

Brainchip is developing software solutions for advanced artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning applications.

Brainchip shares appear to have fallen amid the company’s full-year results release in February.

Despite reporting a full-year revenue of US$5.08 million, 95% of this was during the first half.

As my Foolish colleague James noted, this meant during the second half of the financial year, Brainchip recorded a revenue of only US$250K.

On a more positive note, Brainchip launched a new platform in March. This sent the company’s share price up 18% on 6 March.

Brainchip released the second generation of its Akida platform for use in Artificial Intelligence of Things solutions.

Brainchip was among the 10 most shorted shares in the last week according to ASIC. Brainchip short interest was 7.2%.

Future appears ‘bright’

Meanwhile, Brainchip founder and chief technology officer Peter van der Made says the “artificial intelligence revolution” is upon us and “companies must prepare to adapt to this change”.

Commenting on the future of Artificial Intelligence in an article for Forbes published overnight, he added:

The future of artificial intelligence appears bright with continued advancements in technology.

The current trend for neural networks to grow larger will likely continue into the near future as more functionality is required.

Brainchip share price snapshot

The Brainchip share price has descended 47% in the last year.

Brainchip has a market capitalisation of about $843.8 million based on the current share price.

The post Why did the Brainchip share price crash 36% in the first quarter of 2023? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares this week
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares this week
• BrainChip share price bounces off 52-week low to surge 12% in 2 days
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the 10 most shorted ASX shares this week

Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) has come back from the Easter long weekend with a new lease on life it seems. After last week’s shaky performance, the ASX 200  has rocketed higher so far this Tuesday.

At the time of writing, the Index has risen by a pleasing 1.24% to back over 7,300 points. Perhaps it’s a chocolate high, but we’ll have to wait and see.

But let’s now turn to the shares that are topping the share market’s trading volume charts so far this session, according to investing.com. 

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Tuesday

Mirvac Group (ASX: MGR)

First up this Tuesday is the ASX 200 real estate investment trust (REIT) Mirvac Group. So far today, a notable 14.7 million Mirvac units have moved to new owners. We haven’t had any news or announcements out of Mirvac for almost a month.

So it looks like today’s volumes can be explained by the Mirvac unit price itself. Lo and behold, this REIT has had a cracking day. Mirvac is currently up a chunky 2.31% to $2.21 a unit. No wonder so many units are flying around.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Next, let’s discuss the ASX 200 blue chip Telstra. This session has had a hefty 17.1 million Telstra shares change hands as it currently stands. Again, there’s been no developments out of Telstra itself. But turning to the Telstra share price, we can see a possible cause for this volume here.

Telstra has also had a top day. The telco has gained a decent 0.5% so far to $4.29 a share. But Telstra also hit a new 52-week high of $4.32 a share this morning, its latest in what has been a fantastic month for shareholders. This new high is probably why Telstra is gracing this list today.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

Lastly this Tuesday, let’s take a look at ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara Minerals. Today has seen a whopping 20 million Pilbara shares bought and sold on the markets so far. Again, it looks like we have a share price move to thank for this elevated trading volume.

Pilbara has had a bit of a bouncy day, trading between $3.65 a and $3.72 a share. The company is currently in the green though, up a happy 2.5% at $3.70 a share. It’s these gains that probably explain Pilbara’s place at the top of the volume tables so far today.

The post Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Blue chip beat-down: 5 huge ASX 200 shares cementing new 52-week highs today
• Can the Telstra share price keep on rising?
• Why are ASX lithium shares leaping ahead today?
• 3 things I wish I knew before I started investing in ASX 200 shares
• 2 ASX 200 shares that could be top buys for growth

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Telstra Group. 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. 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 ASX energy shares available to Aussie investors are dominated by two major players: Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO).

Both of them are heavily exposed to energy prices, so whatever happens, they will largely affect both of them in similar ways, in my opinion.

Let’s compare them to two of the easiest metrics first.

ASX energy shares’ valuation

There are a number of metrics to measure different businesses. Profit can be impacted by different accounting policies, but it’s the bottom line for a company and also dictates how much of a profit reserve there is to pay dividends.

We can look at the price/earnings (P/E) ratio which shows what multiple of earnings the business is trading at. It provides an easy way to compare businesses in simple terms, particularly if they’re in the same industry.

Commsec numbers say that Woodside could generate earnings per share (EPS) of $3.19 in FY23. That would put the Woodside share price at 11 times FY23’s estimated earnings. It could then generate $2.84 of EPS in FY24, putting the Woodside share price at 12 times FY24’s estimated earnings.

Commsec numbers also suggest that Santos could make an EPS of 38.4 cents in FY23 and 84.6 cents in FY24. This would put the business at 8 times FY23’s estimated earnings and 8.5 times FY24’s estimated earnings.

On valuation terms alone, Santos is a bit cheaper, but they are both trading on a low valuation.

Dividend projections

The dividend could be one of the biggest influencers on which ASX energy share generates the strongest total shareholder returns.

For Woodside, the business is committed to paying a good dividend to investors each year.

In FY23, the current projections suggest that Woodside may pay an annual dividend per share of $2.34, which would equate to a grossed-up dividend yield of 9.75%. Though, in FY24, the grossed-up dividend yield may reduce to 9.5%, though this is still very high.

With Santos, the ASX energy share is predicted to pay an annual dividend per share of 38 cents, which would be a grossed-up dividend yield of 7.6%. In FY24, it could then pay an annual dividend per share of 29.2 cents, putting the dividend yield at 5.8%.

Woodside is the clear winner here.

What about projects?

Both of the businesses are working on projects to grow profit further. Woodside said that with its Sangomar field development phase 1 offshore Senegal, it expects to complete subsea installation and relocate the floating production storage and offloading facility from Singapore, ahead of targeted first oil late in the year.

In Western Australia, the Scarborough and Pluto train 2 projects are now 25% complete and they “remain on track for targeted first LNG production in 2026.”

Santos is working on a number of carbon capture storage projects, which can help it produce “abated gas and LNG”.

The business points out that Asia Pacific LNG demand is expected to almost double by 2040, according to Wood Mackenzie forecasts.

However, the Australian Financial Review recently reported that Santos’ $5.8 billion Barossa gas project in the Timor Sea has emerged as the “biggest target” of the escalated restrictions on gas projects, with the government’s newly-agreed restrictions on gas projects.

The AFR reported that the CO2 content of Barossa is around 18%, while Woodside’s Scarborough project is a “low-CO2 field”.

Foolish takeaway

I think Woodside’s higher dividend yield and investments in renewable energy and hydrogen could make it a better long-term pick, even if it’s a bit more expensive.

However, if everything goes well for Santos with its projects then it could still perform well.

The post Best ASX energy share to buy now: Woodside vs. Santos appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Banking and energy: The ASX 200 dividend shares to buy now according to analysts
• Invested $12,000 in Woodside shares in 2018? Here’s how much dividend income you’ve earned
• Why did the Woodside share price drop 7% in March?
• Here’s Citi’s forecast for the Woodside share price
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday

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 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.

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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is racing higher today and shares in these five market monoliths are along for the ride. The blue chip shares have each rocketed to new 52-week highs on Tuesday – soaring as much as 7% to get there.

Right now, the ASX 200 is up 1.26%, trading at 7,309.7 points.

Let’s take a closer look at the blue chips’ day in the green.

5 ASX 200 blue ship shares posting new 52-week highs

First off the bat is newly crowned takeover target Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM).

The ASX 200 gold mining share hit a high of $30.28 earlier today – marking a 7% gain. Its upwards movement came on news its New York-listed peer Newmont has upped its acquisition offer.

The international mining company put a new all-scrip bid on the table, representing $32.87 per Newcrest share. That implies an enterprise value of $32 billion.

The bid proved enough to convince the ASX 200 company to grant its suitor due diligence.

Joining Newcrest in posting new 52-week highs were shares in ASX 200 blue-chip icons Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS).

They reached respective peaks of $52.065 and $4.32 today – representing gains of 1.7% and 1.2%.

That was despite no word from either the retail conglomerate or the telecommunications staple.

Also making the most of the day is supply chain logistics stock Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB).

The $19 billion company saw its share price leap 1.6% to trade at $13.91. That’s the highest it’s been in 15 years.

The final ASX 200 blue chip share soaring to long-forgotten heights on Tuesday is market staple Washington H Soul Pattinson and Co Ltd (ASX: SOL).

Shares in the 120-year-old investing house leapt 3.3% to trade at a high of $31.99 today – a new 52-week high.

The post Blue chip beat-down: 5 huge ASX 200 shares cementing new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Can the Telstra share price keep on rising?
• Why Arafura, Core Lithium, Mayne Pharma, and Newcrest shares are storming higher
• Newcrest share price jumps on new takeover offer
• Is Wesfarmers a good defensive ASX 200 stock to buy in the current climate?
• How much do you need to invest to give up work and live only off dividend income?

Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper 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 Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group, Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Company Limited, and Wesfarmers. 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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It has been another positive day for the Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) share price on Tuesday.

The telco giant’s shares returned from the Easter break in style by hitting a new multi-year high of $4.32.

When the Telstra share price hit that level, it meant it was up a solid 8% since the start of the year.

Can the Telstra share price keep rising?

Given that Telstra’s shares are now at a new multi-year high, investors may be wonder if there’s anything left in the tank.

The good news is that a number of brokers believe they can keep rising from current levels.

One of those is Morgans, which has the telco on its best ideas list again this month with an add rating and $4.70 price target. This implies potential upside of almost 9% from current levels.

In addition, the broker is expecting a 17 cents per share fully franked dividend both this year and next year. If we add this into the equation, investors can expect a total return of almost 13% over the next 12 months if Morgans is on the money with its recommendation.

What is the broker saying?

Morgans is bullish on the Telstra share price due to the company’s positive outlook. This is being underpinned by its restructure and potential asset divestments. It explained:

After a major turnaround, TLS has emerged in good shape with strong earnings momentum and a strong balance sheet. In late CY22 shareholders vote on Telstra’s legal restructure, which opens the door for value to be released. TLS currently trades on ~7x EV/EBITDA. However some of TLS’s high quality long life assets like InfraCo are worth substantially more, in our view. We don’t think this is in the price so see it as value generating for TLS shareholders. This, free option, combined with likely reputational damage to its closest peer, following a major cybersecurity incident, means TLS looks well placed for the year ahead.

The post Can the Telstra share price keep on rising? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Blue chip beat-down: 5 huge ASX 200 shares cementing new 52-week highs today
• How much do you need to invest to give up work and live only off dividend income?
• Are these ASX 200 dividend shares must-buys for passive income investors?
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday
• Big Wednesday: 12 ASX 200 stocks cracking new 52-week highs

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. 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) and ASX shares seem to have come back from the Easter break with a new spring in their collective step. At market close on Tuesday, the ASX 200 gained a very pleasing 1.25% at 7,309.1 points.

So is it a good time to buy ASX shares this week?

Well, I think the answer is ‘absolutely’. But not because the markets are going up today. In fact, I would have even more conviction if it was a red day today. So let’s discuss three reasons why I think it’s a good week to buy ASX shares.

Three reasons to buy ASX shares this week

King? Cash is still trash

You may be tempted to park any unused cash you have right now in a savings account or term deposit. To be fair, rising interest rates have made this option a lot more attractive over the past year. 12 months ago, it was difficult to find a term deposit yielding more than 1%. Today, you can nab one with an interest rate of up to around 5%.

But cash is still trash in my opinion at least compared to shares. Everyone should have a good store of liquid cash for that dreaded rainy day. But once you have enough money to fund an emergency account, history tells us that you get a bigger bang for your buck investing in shares.

Just a simple index fund like the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS) has averaged a return of 8% per annum over the past three years. Past returns are no guarantee of future success. But I’m willing to take my chances that history will repeat itself with this one.

Shares pay you income

Many investors like to buy assets that don’t produce cash flow. Collectables, fine wine, fine art, gold and even Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) all have the potential to appreciate in value over time. But these kinds of assets don’t pay you passive income for the privilege of owning them like shares or property can do.

Most ASX 200 shares pay their shareholders dividends on a regular basis, many also come with additional franking credits, which can boost your income even further. Again, we’ll look to the Vanguard Australian Shares ETF to illustrate.

Over the past 12 months, investors have enjoyed four dividend distributions from this index fund. These total $4.94 per unit, which, on current pricing, gives this ETF a trailing distribution yield of 5.43%.

This represents real cash flow, which you can use to pay bills, or else, reinvest into even more income-producing shares.

The best time to buy ASX shares is usually yesterday

Everyone knows the share market can be a volatile place. But you can gain some real perspective by zooming out and looking at what the market does over the long term, rather than the short term:

It’s pretty obvious that shares go up far more often than they go down. And, as you can see above, the markets have never failed to exceed a previous all-time high in its long history. So mathematically, it makes sense to buy as many shares as you can today, without waiting for a better opportunity down the road.

The post 3 reasons to start buying ASX shares this week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• How I’m building more passive income to retire early
• Why is the Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (VAS) tumbling on Monday?
• Here are the ASX shares I was buying and selling in March
• Hoping to bag the next Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF dividend? You’d better hurry
• No savings? Drip-feed $500 a month into ASX shares and aim to retire in comfort

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Bitcoin and Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Bitcoin. 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.

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ASX lithium shares are having a top run on the market today.

Lithium shares in the green include:

• Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO), up 2.3%
• Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), up 2.22%
• Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE), up 2.08%
• Lake Resources N.L. (ASX: LKE), up 2.22%

For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is rising 1.27% today.

Let’s take a look at why ASX lithium shares are leaping higher today.

What’s going on?

ASX lithium shares appear to be following in the footsteps of their United States peers overnight.

The share price of New York Stock Exchange lithium giant Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) jumped 2.64% in the US overnight, while Livent Corp (NYSE: LTHM) shares rose 4.22%. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM) shares climbed 1.06%.

This was despite the lithium price sliding again. The Lithium Carbonate Index (battery grade) fell 3.04% to US$31,924.16 on the Shanghai Metals Market, while the Lithium Hydroxide Index (battery grade) fell 3.1% to US$43,538.22.

Lithium hydroxide has also fallen 3.01% on the London Metal Exchange to US$58,100.

Saxo Markets Australia market analyst Jessica Amir, quoted by The Australian yesterday, is positive on lithium long term but noted the sector is a “highly volatile space”. She said:

Investors are thinking the reporting season in August might be ugly compared to what it has been.

However, we are bullish long term on lithium.

Share price snapshot

The Core Lithium share price has fallen 31% in the last year, while Pilbara shares have gained 20%.

Allkem shares have slid 15%, while Lake Resources shares have descended nearly 77% in the last 12 months.

The post Why are ASX lithium shares leaping ahead today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why Arafura, Core Lithium, Mayne Pharma, and Newcrest shares are storming higher
• EverGreen Lithium share price rockets after IPO: everything you need to know
• 50% fall: Are ASX 200 lithium shares a bargain buy right now?
• These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares this week
• Buy Pilbara Minerals and these ASX growth shares in April: experts

Motley Fool contributor Monica O’Shea 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.

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