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Investors could be forgiven for thinking the rally in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) to start the year was yet another false dawn.

The market has dropped almost 6% since the February peak, to deliver a brutal reality check to stock portfolios.

Of course, a lot of the stress this month relates to US and Swiss bank failures. It seems after steep interest rates rises over the past year, parts of the system are buckling under pressure.

It’s all enough to make your hair turn grey.

“The press is filled with stories of banking failures and global financial crisis (GFC) analogies,” Wilsons head of investment strategy David Cassidy said in a memo to clients.

“Equity markets have fallen ~3% this month, and demand for safe haven assets has risen.”

So are we on the brink of another crisis?

Volatility spike vs financial crisis

Fortunately for investors, Cassidy reckons what we’re experiencing now is merely a “volatility spike”, rather than a full-blown disaster.

“Our analysis suggests that in comparison to genuine ‘crisis’ periods such as the COVID dislocation of 2020 and the GFC of 2008, most market stress indicators are still a long way from ‘extreme’ levels,” he said.

“Key indicators of economic activity suggest conditions remain relatively solid, although a growth slowdown is widely expected (and we agree).”

Out of all the measures that Wilsons analysts use to measure market stress, the Merrill Lynch Option Volatility Estimate (NYSEGIS: MOVE) is the one that’s most outside of normal levels.

This index represents interest rate volatility.

“This is arguably not so much an indicator of severe current market stress but an expression of a heightened fear that the Fed could overtighten, causing a recession, a genuine banking crisis, or both,” said Cassidy.

“Importantly, we do not see a credit dimension to current banking strains, so the Fed still has some wiggle room.”

Cassidy fully admits that share markets are “jittery”. 

“But the real economy continues to look robust.”

What will happen from here?

Cassidy forecasts that stock markets will soon “settle down” and refocus on growth and inflation fundamentals.

“While there are still risks in this fundamental backdrop, we do see prospects as looking encouraging for a relatively orderly slowdown in both growth and inflation,” he said.

“This should see equity markets lift again in response.”

But the Wilsons team will be vigilant on all the metrics, as the situation can change quickly.

“We will continue to watch our stress indicators closely for warning signs of more severe strains.”

The post Don’t stress! The stock market is ‘a long way from a crisis’ appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• To pause or not to pause? Here are the predictions on next week’s RBA rate decision
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo 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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Investing in ASX dividend shares can be a great way to generate a steady stream of passive income. However, many people believe that they need a large sum of money to get started. Especially if they’re wanting diversification.

The truth is, some modern-day brokerage accounts offer no minimums, making the building of a diversified dividend portfolio for regular income much more achievable.

In this article, I highlight seven high-yielding ASX shares that can be invested in for under $10 each, unlocking the chance to create a diversified income stream with less than $70 from day one.

Note: All dividends in the charts below are semiannual dividends per share

Finding income in financials

The financial sector is a common area of the market among investors to go hunting for dividends.

A quick look at the big four banks will reveal consistently strong earnings margins and dividend yields that would make interest on a savings account look disappointing. Though, these mammoths of Australian finance are all above the $10 threshold, prompting a further search elsewhere.

Two possible alternatives that come to mind are Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) and Bank of Queensland Ltd (ASX: BOQ) at $8.83 and $6.49 a pop, respectively.

Magellan, an Australian funds manager, has experienced a sharp reduction in dividends recently (shown above) due to a mass exodus of funds under management. However, the similarly large fall in the company’s share price has resulted in a yield of 13.1%.

Whereas, the Bank of Queensland dividend has bounced back after getting ditched during the pandemic. Currently, the retail bank is offering up a 7.1% yield, assuming it remains stable.

ASX retail shares raining dividends

Lately, some of the highest dividend yields can be found among ASX retail shares. Exceptionally sturdy results paired with a forward-looking market have, in many cases, suppressed share prices and driven yields skyward.

A $10 cap might rule out iconic companies such as Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES) and JB Hi-Fi Limited (ASX: JBH), but there are still some quality names in the mix. Three ASX dividend shares that could jumpstart the passive income engine are:

• Shaver Shop Group (ASX: SSG) at $1.05 per share
• Nick Scali Limited (ASX: NCK) at $9.29 per share; and
• Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1) at $2.29 per share

As shown above, all three of these retail shares handed out dividends that have been gradually trending higher over the past five years. Furthermore, each of the above companies sells different products, ranging from grooming products to footwear.

At the time of writing, these three companies — Shaver Shop, Nick Scali, and Accent — offer dividend yields of 9.7%, 8.1%, and 7% respectively.

Sold-off ASX dividend shares

Lastly, if picking up some dividend-payers that have had a tough trot so far this year is of interest, here are two possibilities.

Filling out the final spots of the seven ASX dividend shares are Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) and Rural Funds Group (ASX: RFF), trading at $6.67 and $2.00. These companies provide exposure to energy and real estate, adding further diversification.

Reported net profits after tax (NPAT) for these two have launched to new heights for the past trailing 12-month periods. At the same time, shares in both have staggered lower in 2023.

Of all the sub-$10 shares on this list, Whitehaven Coal is possibly the one with the most volatile history for dividends. Whereas, Rural Funds has been steadily increasing its dividends to shareholders over the years.

Foolish takeaway

Overall, the average yield across all seven ASX dividend shares is around 8.8%. And, for reference, buying one share of each would come to a total of $36.62.

That’s not too shabby for some extra income in the back pocket. However, I personally think focusing on fundamentals can produce far superior returns in the long run. Ultimately, the share price provides little to no insight into the quality or ‘cheapness’ of an investment.

Another approach could involve identifying one high-quality dividend share and investing in it regardless of the share price — whether above or below $10.

The post 7 ASX dividend shares you can buy for under $10 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Guess which ASX 200 bank stock UBS says is the most over-priced right now
• $1,600 annual dividend income from a $20,000 ASX share portfolio? Here’s how
• Forget term deposits and buy these high-yield ASX dividend shares instead: experts
• ASX 200 bank stocks: ‘No different’ or ‘extremely strong’?
• Bendigo Bank shares worst of the ASX 200 banks following UBS downgrade

Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler 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 Rural Funds Group and Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Accent Group and Jb Hi-Fi. 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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Ask A Fund Manager

The Motley Fool chats with the best in the industry so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In this edition, Chester Asset Management portfolio manager Rob Tucker recalls how painful long-term investing can be, but why it’s worth sticking to it.

The ASX share for a comfortable night’s sleep

The Motley Fool: If the market closed tomorrow for four years, which stock would you want to hold?

Rob Tucker: When I think about those sorts of questions, I do think about pricing power — when a company can raise prices without impacting customer engagement. 

I would say CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) has those attributes. It would be CSL or the Lottery Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLC) for me.

MF: Do you hold Lottery Corp?

RT: We do, yep. Since they’ve de-merged, they’ve shown a really strong ability to tweak prices with Powerball and some of the other games. It’s certainly one that’s got margin expansion through the ability to sell digital tickets, and some pricing levers. I like the Lottery Corp. 

There is probably a five-year wait in terms of the Victorian licence, so that’s a near-term potential obstacle. That’s why I’d err on the side of saying CSL on the five-year yields and I’d hold if the market was closed.

Looking back

MF: Is there a move that you regret from the past? For example, a missed opportunity or buying a stock at the wrong timing or price.

RT: One thing we’ve done occasionally with our fund, in the cyclical space, we’ll value the asset in the ground and come up with a net asset value. That’s how we value the company. Sometimes we’ve been a little early in the strategic merit of that asset base. Sometimes we have to be very patient and [cop] a fair bit of drawdown on individual stocks because we’ve been a bit early. 

I’ll use a stock like Comet Ridge Ltd (ASX: COI) [as an example]. Comet Ridge we bought in 2018 on the premise that it is a large gas discovery in the Bowen Basin and at some point that asset will be the next cab off the rank in terms of production. They have a joint venture with Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) for half of it, and 100% owned the other half. 

Comet Ridge has been a painful stock for us, but as we sit here today five years later, we’re really excited about what happens the next two years, because it is absolutely still a gas resource in the middle of Queensland that’s going to be desperately needed to help solve the East Coast gas crisis. 

That’s an example of one I’ve still got high conviction in, but I’ve been wrong for four years basically.

MF: That would be painful, especially for professional investors like yourselves, because you have to report performance periodically. Even if you have high conviction for a long time, it’s a tricky balance, isn’t it?

RT: Yep. And smaller caps tend to have more volatility. 

Large caps, if something changed fundamentally with CSL, our fund’s of the size we could change our mind in the first two hours. With a small cap, you’ve got to be really vigilant and very, very detailed in why you’re holding those interested companies. And they can move aggressively against you. 

The other point is just sometimes getting the portfolio weights wrong. Sometimes some of your best ideas, you’ve only got a 2% position and you wish it was a 4% position. Sometimes you’ve got a 4% position you wish was only a 1% position. 

When they’re going down, you want less of them, when they’re going up you want more of them.

It’s always getting the portfolio weight right is as much a challenge in portfolio management [as] getting the right stocks.

The post This ASX share’s halved in 5 years, but I’m still sticking with it appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• This ASX 200 giant is about to wake up from a 3-year slumber. Are you ready?
• Fundie loves these 2 ASX 200 shares that are ‘difficult to replicate’
• Does the CSL share price fall finally make it a no-brainer buy?
• Why these 3 ASX 200 shares could be leading picks for dividends and growth
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in CSL. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended CSL. 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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On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a very strong session. The benchmark index rose 1% to 7,122.3 points.

Will the market be able to build on this on Friday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 expected to rise again

The Australian share market looks set to end the week on a very positive note following a solid night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 39 points or 0.55% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.4%, the S&P 500 is up 6%, and the NASDAQ index is up 0.8%.

Oil prices push higher

Energy producers Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good finish to the week after oil prices pushed higher overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.7% to US$74.18 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 1% to US$79.09 a barrel. This was driven by lower US inventories and Iraqi supply risks.

Lithium M&A activity to continue?

Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) and Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) shares will be on watch after Morgans suggested that they could also become takeover targets in the lithium industry. It said: “We see potential for both PLS and AKE to also be considered attractive targets. PLS offers exposure to high quality hard rock while AKE is much cheaper on a resource multiple.”

Gold price higher

Gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) could have a solid finish to the week after the gold price pushed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.8% to US$1,999.7 an ounce. Traders were buying gold on US dollar weakness and optimism that inflation is easing.

Harvey Norman goes ex-dividend

The Harvey Norman Holdings Limited (ASX: HVN) share price could take a tumble on Friday when it trades ex-dividend for the retailer’s interim dividend. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving Harvey Norman’s fully franked 13 cents per share dividend in a little over a month on 1 May.

The post 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• ASX shares are paying out $19 billion in dividends this week. Are you getting a piece?
• Attention lithium investors: This ASX 200 mining billionaire says Australia could become a battery chemical manufacturing powerhouse
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Citi gives its verdict on the Pilbara Minerals share price
• Why are ASX 200 gold shares like Newcrest being thumped on Thursday?

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Harvey Norman. 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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If you’re looking for ASX 200 blue chip shares to add to your portfolio, then read on!

Listed below are two blue chip shares that have been rated as buys by analysts. Here’s what they are saying about them right now:

QBE Insurance Group Ltd (ASX: QBE)

This insurance giant could be a top option for investors looking for ASX 200 blue chip shares to buy.

Especially given its increasingly positive outlook thanks to premium increases, cost outs, and rising interest rates.

It is for these reasons that Morgans is bullish on the company. The broker also highlights that its shares are currently trading at a level that appears “relatively inexpensive.”

Morgans has an add rating and $16.96 price target on QBE’s shares. This compares favourably to the latest QBE share price of $14.53. In addition, the broker is forecasting dividend yields of 5.6% and 6.4%, respectively, for the next two financial years.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Another ASX 200 blue chip share that could be in the buy zone right now is Wesfarmers.

It is the conglomerate behind a high quality portfolio of businesses across a range of industries. This includes Bunnings, Kmart, Target, WesCEF, Officeworks, Priceline, and Flybuys.

UBS is a fan of the company and believes its WesCEF business is well-placed to deliver strong earnings again this year.

The broker currently has a buy rating and $55.50 price target on its shares. So, with the Wesfarmers share price trading at $49.76, this suggests potential upside of 11.5% for investors.

In addition, income investors can expect some attractive dividend yields in the near term. UBS is forecasting 3.7% and 4% dividend yields, respectively, over the next two years.

The post 2 high quality blue chip ASX 200 shares named as buys by analysts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• $1,600 annual dividend income from a $20,000 ASX share portfolio? Here’s how
• Morgans says buy these ASX dividend shares for passive income
• How to make passive income for life with just $5 a day
• Is time running out to buy high-yield ASX dividend shares?
• Stay away from this ASX sector (and buy this one instead): expert

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 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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The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price charged higher on the market on Thursday.

BHP shares rose 2.4% to close the day at $46.08. For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) lifted 1.02% today.

Let’s take a look at how the day played out for the BHP share price.

Iron ore prices rise

BHP shares may have risen today, but multiple other ASX 200 iron ore producers also edged higher.

Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) shares lifted 2.13%, while RIO Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) jumped 1.8%.

The iron ore price climbed 2% overnight to US$123.30 a tonne.

It appeared to lift amid positive sentiment out of China, the world’s largest importer of the commodity.

Commenting on this optimism in a research report today, ANZ economist John Broomhead said:

Iron ore futures were steady, following gains earlier in the week on optimism that China’s construction period will boost demand.

Traders have shrugged off pollution-controlling curbs on steel output and lingering concerns around the property slump in recent weeks. With fixed asset investment showing signs of improvement, the mood has lifted.

Iron ore on the Singapore Exchange is currently fetching US$122.85 a tonne at last look.

Eligible BHP shareholders were due to receive a FY23 interim dividend in their bank accounts today. The company declared a dividend of US 90 cents a share.

This is down 40% from the US$1.50 cents a share paid out in the first half of FY22.

Goldman Sachs is tipping BHP will pay a fully franked final dividend of US$1.21 per share in the second half of this year.

Share price snapshot

The BHP share price has risen 2.32% in the last year. However, it has climbed 3.43% in the past month.

BHP has a market capitalisation of about $233.4 billion based on today’s closing share price.

The post Why did the BHP share price have such a top run today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• ASX shares are paying out $19 billion in dividends this week. Are you getting a piece?
• Here’s the Rio Tinto dividend forecast through to 2025
• The trimmed-down BHP dividend will be paid today. What’s next?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Buy BHP and this ASX 200 mining share now: analysts

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 ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) sector is a great place to find opportunities that can provide diversification and growth for a portfolio. I’d love to add two of them to my portfolio.

I like the companies that are on the ASX, but the Australian share market is only a small part of the overall picture. So I think it’s a good idea to get exposure to good global businesses.

There are many good ways to invest in global shares via ETFs. But, I think these two options would be high-quality picks and improve my portfolio.

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

The concept of this ASX ETF is that it provides exposure to leading companies in the global cybersecurity sector.

Readers may have heard of, or even use, some of the largest businesses in the portfolio: Fortinet, Cisco Systems, Broadcom, Palo Alto Networks, Infosys, Okta, Open Text, Juniper and Crowdstrike. Most of these positions are listed in the US.

While it’s a concerning situation, the growing amount of cyber-attacks means that cybersecurity businesses could continue to see growing demand. Just look at what’s happened to some ASX names recently like Medibank Private Limited (ASX: MPL), Latitude Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: LFS) and IPH Ltd (ASX: IPH).

According to BetaShares, the cybersecurity market is expected to grow from US$248.26 billion in 2023 to US$478.68 billion in 2030.

I think this can be both a defensive and growth ASX ETF.

VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF (ASX: QUAL)

The VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF is invested in the world’s “highest quality companies based on key fundamentals” including a high return on equity (ROE), earnings stability and low financial leverage.

VanEck says that “investments focusing on companies with quality characteristics have delivered outperformance over the long term relative to global equity benchmarks.”

It’s invested in around 300 companies across a range of geographies and sectors.

As at 29 March 2023, the ASX ETF had the following positions with weightings of more than 2.5%: Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia, Meta Platforms, Home Depot, Visa and Alphabet.

I think the quality of the investment method and holdings have come through with its long-term net returns – over the past five years VanEck MSCI International Quality ETF has returned an average of around 12.30%, beating the average return of the MSCI World ex Australia Index of 10.06% per annum.

Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance, but I think this impressive outperformance can continue over the long term because of the quality focus.

The post 2 amazing ASX ETFs I’d love to buy for my portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• No savings? Drip-feed $500 a month into ASX shares and aim to retire in comfort
• 3 fantastic ETFs for ASX investors to buy in April
• 3 high quality ETFs for ASX investors to buy after the market selloff
• Want to invest in cybersecurity but don’t know how? Try this ASX ETF
• 3 excellent ETFs for ASX investors to buy for the long term

Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Randi Zuckerberg, a former director of market development and spokeswoman for Facebook and sister to Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. 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 positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Apple, BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF, Cisco Systems, CrowdStrike, Fortinet, Home Depot, Meta Platforms, Microsoft, Nvidia, Okta, Palo Alto Networks, and Visa. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Broadcom and Open Text and has recommended the following options: long March 2023 $120 calls on Apple and short March 2023 $130 calls on Apple. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended BetaShares Global Cybersecurity ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Apple, CrowdStrike, IPH, Meta Platforms, Nvidia, and Okta. 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) spent Thursday in the green, gaining 1.02% to close at 7,122.3 points.

It followed an equally good night over on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) rose 1% while the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) lifted 1.4% and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) gained 1.8%.

Back home, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) led the way, rising 1.7% today.

Banks and mining companies also made the most of the day. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) both rose 1.5%.

S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XJO) had the worse end of the stick, however, falling 0.2% on Thursday.

So, with all that covered, which ASX 200 share posted the biggest gain today? Let’s take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The biggest gains on the index today came from uranium producer Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN).

Its share price gained 8.33% to close at 65 cents despite no news having been released by the company.

These shares made today’s biggest gains:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)	$0.65	8.33%
Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)	$9.84	5.81%
NRW Holdings Limited (ASX: NWH)	$2.37	5.33%
Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)	$1.995	5%
Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN)	$7.31	4.58%
Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE)	$0.47	4.44%
AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)	$1.08	4.35%
Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)	$4.13	4.29%
Credit Corp Group Limited (ASX: CCR)	$16.51	3.84%
Virgin Money UK CDI (ASX: VUK)	$2.62	3.56%

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

• Why Appen, Regis Resources, Syrah, and Zip shares are charging higher today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• Why Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, Jervois Global, Megaport, and NAB are dropping today
• Sunk $3,000 into AMP shares 5 years ago? Here’s how much passive income you’ve realised
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today

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 Megaport. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Megaport. 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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This article, but for the name of the current Reserve Bank governor, is 10 years old.

It borrows from (okay, is ripped off from) one of the great bush poems, Said Hanrahan, by John O’Brien. A tweet from the inimitable business journo, Michael Pascoe, reminded me that I’d written it, and prompted me to share it, once again.

Feel free to read the original first (or after). It’s better. Obviously. And it was about rain. This one is about rates. But, well, people’s responses now, and their responses then, aren’t that dissimilar.

—–

“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan

He sounded most forlorn

Outside the ASX while trade began

One chilly Monday morn.

The investors stood around about,

Coat-collars to the ears,

And talked of shares and interest rates

As they had done for years.

“It’s lookin’ crook,” said Daniel Croke;

“Bedad, it’s cruke, me lad

For never since the GFC

Had investing been so bad.”

“It’s bad, all right,” said young Whitehead

With timing so sublime

As everyone in chorus said

“It’s different this time”.

And so around the chorus ran

“The market’s stuffed, no doubt.”

“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,

“Before the year is out.

“The shares have crashed; ye’ll have your work

To save your hard earned cash;

From here way out to Back-O’-Bourke

They’re talkin’ ‘bout the crash”.

“They’re cryin’ for rate cuts,” he said,

“They’ve gone and lost their nerve.”

The investors scratched their heads,

And awaited the Reserve.

“There won’t be growth, in any case,

Not a dollar to be made;

The market’s rigged – a gambler’s place

What is a guy to trade?”

“If shares don’t spike this month,” said Dan,

And cleared his throat to speak –

“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan, ”

If rates don’t fall this week.”

A heavy silence seemed to spread

O’er all – it was a sign

As everyone in chorus said

“It’s different this time”.

“We want a small rate cut, we do,”

O’Neil observed at last;

But Croke “maintained” we wanted two

To put the danger past.

“If we don’t get 0.5%, man,

Or more to break this drought,

We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,

“Before the year is out.”

In Phil’s good time down came the rates;

And all the afternoon

In boardrooms of investment banks in town

They sang a happy tune.

And speculation continued still,

And lightsome, gladsome elves

On dripping spout and window-sill

Kept talking to themselves.

‘Twas exuberance all day long,

A-singing at its work,

Till every cabbie took up the song

Way out to Back-O’-Bourke.

And sure as sure wages ran,

Then inflation overtop;

“We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,

“If these rate cuts don’t stop.”

And stop they did, in Phil’s good time:

And spring came in to fold

A mantle o’er the hills sublime

Fortunes made in gold.

And days went by as good times rolled,

With drinking from the cup,

As shares and bonds and bars of gold,

They went nowhere but up.

And, oh, the smiles on every face,

As happy guy and girl

Winning the share market race

Jumped online to buy and sell.

While round the bar well dressed and fed

They drank the finest wine,

As everyone in chorus said

“It’s different this time”.

“There’ll be a crash for sure, me man,

There will, without a doubt;

We’ll all be rooned,” said Hanrahan,

“Before the year is out”.

… “Said Hanrahan” originally spoke of the doomsayers who seemed to delight in predicting drought, then flood – all the while missing the point that farmers were successful despite – not in the absence of – the occasional meteorological extreme.

Hopefully our capital-F Foolish investing analogy is clear.

Fool on!

The post Of rains and interest rates… appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Thursday
• To pause or not to pause? Here are the predictions on next week’s RBA rate decision
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Scott Phillips 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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It’s a big week on the ASX share market this week for dividend investors. Huge.

Here on the Australian share market, the vast majority of ASX 200 shares pay out their dividends only every six months. That stands in stark contrast to other major economies like the United States and Britain. In these countries, quarterly dividends are the norm.

This bi-annual schedule means that when that dividend does come, it makes it all the sweeter.

And this week will be especially sweet for many ASX dividend investors. That’s because there are multiple ASX 200 blue-chip shares that are imminently set to pay out their latest dividend payments.

Let’s begin with today. This Thursday has seen the likes of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), and Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) fork out. Not to mention BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD), Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC), and Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) as well.

ASX 200 dividend shares shower investors with cash

Tomorrow, it’s just as busy. There’s Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) and Perpetual Ltd (ASX: PPT). They’re joined by Suncorp Group Ltd (ASX: SUN), Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT), and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), up for their own payments.

So it’s a big week on the ASX for income investors. In fact, as reported in The Australian today, Shaw & Partners senior investment adviser, James Nicolaou, estimates that a total of $19 billion in dividends will be paid out by the end of this week. That’s out of a total of $36.27 billion for this earnings season.

Of particular note are the dividends that investors can expect from Coles and Telstra. In Telstra’s case, the upcoming fully franked interim dividend of 8.5 cents per share is the highest interim dividend investors have received in five years.

When it comes to Coles, investors will receive (or already have) a record dividend payment from the ASX 200 grocer. The interim dividend of 36 cents per share, fully franked, is the largest dividend Coles has ever paid and represents a happy 9% increase over last year’s corresponding payment.

So I hope most readers are getting a big paycheque in the proverbial letterbox this week. It’s certainly a good week to be invested in the Australian share market.

The post ASX shares are paying out $19 billion in dividends this week. Are you getting a piece? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Attention lithium investors: This ASX 200 mining billionaire says Australia could become a battery chemical manufacturing powerhouse
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Why are ASX 200 gold shares like Newcrest being thumped on Thursday?
• Why Jervois Global, Mincor, Newcrest, and Santos shares are dropping today
• 2 ASX 200 stocks smashing new multi-year highs on Thursday

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Newcrest Mining, Ramsay Health Care, and 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 Bendigo And Adelaide Bank, Coles Group, and 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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