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Well, it’s been a pretty lousy start to the trading week for ASX shares and the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) so far this Monday. At the time of writing, the ASX 200 has tumbled yet again. The Index is currently down by another 1.21%, putting it very close to dropping under 6,900 points.

The ASX 200 has now lost more than 6% since 7 March. Ouch.

But rather than letting this set the tone for the week, let’s distract ourselves by instead taking a look at the ASX 200 shares that are at the top of the share market’s trading volume charts at present, according to investing.com. 

The 3 most traded ASX 200 shares by volume this Monday

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

First up this Monday is the ASX 200 lithium share Pilbara Minerals. So far today, a notable 14.96 million PIlbara shares have traded owners on the ASX. There’s been no fresh news out of Pilbara itself that might explain this volume. So let’s turn to the Pilbara share price itself for a possible explanation here. Indeed, Pilbara has had a big day, and not in a good way.

This lithium leader is currently nursing a painful 4.63% loss today, putting the company down to $3.50 a share at present. That’s despite Pilbara initially opening in positive territory this morning and rising as high as $3.71 a share. This volatility and big share price loss are probably why we are seeing so many Pilbara share flying around.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

Next up is another miner in ASX 200 gold share Evolution. So far this Monday, a significant 15.94 million Evolution shares have charged across the ASX boards. We have seen some news from this company today. This morning, Evolution informed investors that underground mining and production at its Cowal project has commenced ahead of schedule.

This has presumably combined with a spike in gold prices to lead the Evolution share price to more than 11% higher so far today, with the miner currently asking $2.86 a share. No wonder we are seeing high trading volumes here.

Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

Another ASX 200 lithium share rounds out our list today in Sayona. So far this session, a whopping 29.35 million Sayona shares have been bought and sold. This looks like a very similar situation to that of Pilbara. Despite no fresh news out today, Sayona shares have still had a shocker.

The miner is presently down by a nasty 5.91% at 21 cents each, despite a positive open this morning. With a fall of that size, it’s no surprise to see a boatload of Sayona shares trading on the share market.

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

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More reading

• Buy these ASX growth shares this week: experts
• Where I would go hunting for defensive ASX 200 shares with upside
• ASX 200 gold shares are starting the week with a bang. Here’s why
• AMP share price dips despite $337m sale win
• Why I’d be happy to invest in these ASX 200 bank shares today

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.

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S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) oil shares are broadly trailing the benchmark index today.

At the time of writing, the ASX 200 is down 1.23%.

As for the big oil and gas stocks, the Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price has dropped 2.53% while Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares are currently down 3.07%.

This comes amid another leg down for the oil price over the weekend.

On Friday, Brent crude oil was trading for US$74.70 per barrel. Today that same barrel is worth US$72.91, down 2.4%.

ASX 200 oil shares, as you’d expect, are greatly impacted by the price of the black gold they pump from the ground.

And the past few weeks haven’t been kind to global oil prices, which have been hammered to 15-month lows in the wake of a series of banking collapses in the United States and Europe.

Which brings us to the latest crude oil price forecast from Goldman Sachs.

Where to now for ASX 200 oil shares?

Goldman Sachs had been forecasting Brent crude prices to rise to US$100 per barrel towards the latter half of 2023.

But with the recent bank turmoil and sharp retrace in crude prices, the broker has scaled back that prediction.

“Oil prices have plunged despite the China demand boom given banking stress, recession fears, and an exodus of investor flows,” Goldman stated (courtesy of Bloomberg).

”Historically, after such scarring events, positioning and prices recover only gradually, especially long-dated prices.” 

Goldman Sachs’ analysts are now forecasting that Brent crude will hit US$94 per barrel over the coming 12 months and US$97 per barrel in the second half of 2024.

While that’s a significant downward revision, the broker still expects the oil price to increase by some 29% over the year. Which should offer ASX 200 oil shares some heady tailwinds.

Santos and Woodside share price snapshots

With the oil price in retreat in retreat in 2023, both ASX 200 oil shares have dipped into the red in the new year.

As you can see in the charts below, the Santos share price is down just over 5% since the closing bell on 31 December while Woodside shares have fallen 12.3%.

But if Brent crude prices rebound to US$94 per barrel as Goldman Sachs expects, the story could be quite different come Christmas time.

The post What Goldman Sachs new oil price forecast could mean for ASX 200 oil shares in 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• With oil below $75 per barrel, what’s next for the Woodside share price?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• ASX 200 oil stocks are tanking. Is now the time to buy?
• Why Bendigo and Adelaide Bank, BHP, IPH, and Woodside shares are dropping

Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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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Are you looking for some ASX 200 shares to add to your retirement portfolio?

If you are, then the shares listed below could be top options in the current environment.

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

Transurban could be an ASX 200 share to buy for a retirement portfolio. It is a toll road operator with a portfolio of important roads across Australia and the United States. This includes CityLink in Melbourne, the Logan Motorway in Brisbane, and WestConnex in Sydney.

Transurban has been tipped to grow its earnings and dividend at a solid rate over the medium term thanks to population growth, urbanisation, and the time savings its roads offer. In respect to the latter, Transurban estimates that customers using its roads saved a total of 323,000 hours of travel time each workday in FY 2022.

Citi is positive on the ASX 200 share and has a buy rating and $16.00 price target on its shares.

In respect to dividends, the broker is expecting the company to pay dividends of 58 cents per share in FY 2023 and 60 cents per share in FY 2024. Based on the current Transurban share price of $14.09, this represents yields of 4.1% and 4.2%, respectively.

Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW)

Another ASX 200 share that could be a top option for a retirement portfolio is Woolworths. It is the retail conglomerate behind the eponymous supermarket chain, Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand, and Big W.

Woolworths has a lot of qualities that you would want from a share in a retirement portfolio. It has defensive qualities, a high quality management team, fully franked dividends, and a positive long-term outlook.

Goldman Sachs is a big fan of the company. It likes Woolworths due to its digital and omni-channel advantage, which it expects to drive further market share and margin gains.

The broker currently has a conviction buy rating and $41.00 price target on the company’s shares. Its analysts are also forecasting fully franked dividend yields of approximately 3% in the coming years.

The post Experts name 2 high quality ASX 200 shares to buy for your retirement portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Where I would go hunting for defensive ASX 200 shares with upside
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy next week
• Buy these ASX dividend shares next week: analysts
• Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Should I buy Woolworths shares at $37?

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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Investors looking for ASX growth shares to buy might want to look at the three listed below.

These shares have been named as buys and tipped to climb meaningfully from current levels. Here’s what you need to know:

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

This first ASX growth share to buy could be Pilbara Minerals. It is one of the world’s leading lithium miners with a collection of high quality assets that are generating significant free cash flow. So much so, the company recently declared its maiden dividend. And while recent pressure on lithium prices has weighed on sentiment, the team at Morgans believe prices could soon benefit from “demand in the Chinese market [increasing] from March onwards.”

Morgans currently has an add rating and $4.70 price target on this lithium miner’s shares.

Readytech Holdings Ltd (ASX: RDY)

Another ASX growth share to buy could be Readytech. It is a leading provider of mission-critical software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions for the education, employment services, workforce management, government and justice sectors. Goldman Sachs is bullish on the company due to its attractive valuation and exposure to government software. It notes that the latter “has been a pocket of strength and resilience” and expects it to help “deliver mid-teens organic growth at an expanding profit margin through the cycle.”

Goldman has a buy rating and $4.40 price target on its shares.

ResMed Inc. (ASX: RMD)

A final ASX growth share to buy could be ResMed. It is a medical device company with a focus on the sleep disorder treatment market. Goldman is also bullish on ResMed and believes it is well-placed for growth in the coming years. In fact, its analysts “currently model an EPS CAGR of +11% (FY23-26E), with potential upside depending on how competitive/regulatory dynamics develop.”

Goldman has a buy rating and $38.00 price target on its shares.

The post Buy these ASX growth shares this week: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Friday
• Buy these ASX growth shares now: analysts
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• The Pilbara Minerals share price has crashed another 20% in a week. Time to buy?
• 7 ASX shares flying under the radar to buy now: Goldman Sachs

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 ReadyTech and ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended ResMed. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ReadyTech. 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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While the interest rates on offer with term deposits are improving, they still don’t compare to the potential returns on offer in the share market.

For example, the three ASX shares below offer attractive yields and the potential for strong capital gains.

Here are the three options to consider:

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ)

This banking giant’s shares could be far better than its term deposits. In fact, the yield on offer with its shares could be among the biggest in the ASX 200 in FY 2023 if Citi’s forecasts prove accurate. The broker is forecasting a $1.66 per share fully franked dividend this year, which represents a yield of almost 7.4%.

The broker also sees huge upside potential for its shares with its buy rating and $29.25 price target.

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

If you’re not keen on the big four banks then Macquarie could be another great alternative to term deposits. This is due to Macquarie being arguably one of the highest quality companies in the country with a very positive long term outlook. This is underpinned by the quality and diversity of its operations and its talented management team.

Morgans is very positive and has a $222.80 price target on its shares. It is also forecasting a 4.7% dividend yield in FY 2023.

Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS)

Telstra could be a good option for income investors. Although times have been hard for the telco giant, things are improving rapidly now. Especially given easing competitive pressures, the arrival of 5G, and its new T25 strategy. The latter replaces the highly successful T22 strategy and has a focus on sustainable growth.

Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating and $4.60 price target on its shares. It is also expecting a 4.1% fully franked dividend yield this year.

The post Forget term deposits and buy these ASX 200 dividend shares: analysts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Where I would go hunting for defensive ASX 200 shares with upside
• Why I’d be happy to invest in these ASX 200 bank shares today
• These ETFs could be top options for buy and hold investors
• Buy Macquarie and this high yield ASX dividend share: brokers
• 2 ASX 200 bank shares to buy after the selloff: experts

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 Macquarie 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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Market watchers might be considering investing in Fortescue Metals Group Ltd (ASX: FMG) after the recent tumble in its share price. The stock has dropped more than 10% from its year-to-date high, reached in February.

Right now, the Fortescue share price is $20.96. Does that make the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) iron ore giant a buy? Let’s take a look.

Are Fortescue shares a buy at their current price?

Expert opinions on the stock’s future are mixed. That’s probably at least partly due to expectations for the price of iron ore, which currently sits at around US$132 a tonne. The company’s profits are closely tied to the commodity’s value.

CommSec, for one, is slightly bearish on iron ore after its recent rally. It tips the commodity’s value to fall to US$100 a tonne this year, my Fool colleague Bronwyn reported last month.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs expects the iron ore price to reach US$150 a tonne in coming months before falling to US$120 a tonne for 2023. However, that bullish forecast isn’t reflected in the broker’s outlook for Fortescue.

It predicts the iron ore giant’s stock will tumble 27% to $15.50, alongside its dividends.

It believes Fortescue’s valuation is higher than those of ASX 200 peers BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO). It’s also wary of the company’s green energy leg Fortescue Future Industries and its multi-billion-dollar Pilbara decarbonisation strategy.

But not all are so sceptical. Fairmont Equities’ Micheal Gable labels the stock a hold, saying as per The Bull:

Recently, [Fortescue] enjoyed solid buying support and we believe the technical chart continues to look bullish.

I also think it’s worth considering Fortescue’s green energy ambitions. The company is aiming to be a leader in the hydrogen and battery space, as my colleague Tristan recently outlined. No doubt the green energy sector houses mountains of potential.

However, in my opinion, the current Fortescue share price doesn’t represent good value.

The post Is the Fortescue share price a buy at $21? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• How to generate $10,000 of passive income from Fortescue shares
• Is it time to buy ASX 200 iron ore shares right now?
• Fortescue share price marching higher as green hydrogen plans heat up
• Are Fortescue shares back on the menu amid job cuts?
• Could buying Fortescue shares at under $22 make me rich?

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 Goldman Sachs Group. 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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Want to create a secondary source of income to potentially retire off? Well, ASX shares are a great place to start. Many shares pay their ASX investors dividends. Dividends are passive income in the truest sense, arriving in your bank account whether you are young or old, sick or healthy, working or retired.

But creating an income stream that pays you $500 every month is no easy feat. So let’s talk about how ASX shares can get you there. 

Here’s how ASX dividends can give you a second income

So let’s start with the basics. $500 a month equates to an annual income of $6,000.

That means to hit $6,000 in annual dividend income, one will need $100,000 invested in an ASX share paying a 6% dividend yield. Or else $200,000 in an ASX share yielding 3% (and so on).

Luckily, most ASX 200 shares fit this bill, coming in somewhere between those metrics. In fact, one of the oldest index funds on the ASX gives us a good indication. Index funds are investments that reflect the broad performance of a share market.

Here in Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is typically used as a benchmark. The ASX 200 contains the 200 largest companies listed in Australia, ordered and weighted by market capitalisation (or sheer size).

The SPDR S&P/ASX 200 Fund (ASX: STW) is one of the oldest index funds on our share market. This exchange-traded fund (ETF) holds all 200 shares in the ASX 200 Index.

Since its inception in 2001, this ETF has returned an average of 7.86% per annum. That 7.86% can be broken down into 3.19% per annum in capital gains, and 4.67% per annum in dividend income.

If that average holds, you would need approximately $129,000 invested into this index fund if you wish to receive $6,000 in dividend income every year ($500 a month).

That might sound like a lot of money (and it is). But If you invested $500 a month every month, and reinvested your dividends, you would get to $129,000 in just under 13 years. If you doubled that to $1,000 a month, you would hit $129,000 in just under eight years. This is why ASX investors say you have to spend money to make money.

So achieving a sustainable secondary income from ASX shares is very doable. You just need time, discipline and regular investments.

The post ASX investors: How to create $500 in income each month for retirement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Where I would go hunting for defensive ASX 200 shares with upside
• AMP share price dips despite $337m sale win
• Why I’d be happy to invest in these ASX 200 bank shares today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• $400 in monthly passive income, buy 8,728 shares of this ASX 200 stock

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.

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The Australian share market typically provides investors with an average dividend yield of 4%. However, income investors don’t have to settle for that. Not when there are ASX shares offering vastly superior yields.

Here are two ASX shares with big forecast yields and bigger upside potential:

Charter Hall Retail REIT (ASX: CQR)

The first ASX share to consider for dividends is the Charter Hall Retail REIT. It is a supermarket anchored neighbourhood and sub-regional shopping centre markets-focused property company.

Citi is positive on the company due to its “defensive net property income growth.”

The broker expects this to underpin dividends of 26 cents per share in both FY 2023 and FY 2024. Based on the current Charter Hall Retail REIT share price of $3.79, this will mean yields of almost 6.9% for both years.

Citi also sees plenty of upside for its shares with its buy rating and $4.50 price target.

Universal Store Holdings Ltd (ASX: UNI)

Another ASX share that has been tipped as a buy is youth fashion retailer Universal Store.

Goldman Sachs is feeling very positive about the company’s outlook. This is thanks to its expansion plans and exposure to younger consumers.

The latter are expected to be less impacted by higher interest rates and continue spending largely as normal. In fact, they could even spend more thanks to an increase to the minimum wage.

Goldman expects the company to be in a position to pay fully franked dividends of 27 cents in FY 2023 and then 34 cents in FY 2024. Based on the latest Universal Store share price of $4.90, this equates to yields of 5.5% and 6.9%, respectively.

Goldman has a buy rating and $8.05 price target on its shares.

The post Dividends: Why analysts rate these ASX shares highly appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• This All Ords ASX share could pay a 10% dividend yield in 2025
• 7 ASX shares flying under the radar to buy now: Goldman Sachs
• Buy these ASX dividend shares with big yields today: experts
• Buy these ASX dividend shares before it’s too late: brokers
• Top ASX small-cap shares to buy in March 2023

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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UBS Group is set to acquire its embattled former rival, Credit Suisse.

The writing was on the wall last week.

Today, it looks to be a done deal.

What’s happening with UBS and Credit Suisse?

As you’re likely aware, Credit Suisse, formerly Switzerland’s second largest bank, suffered serious liquidity issues last week.

The Swiss bank was already on shaky ground when a series of banking collapses in the United States, led by SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB), roiled the global banking sector.

Suffering from “significant deposit and net asset outflows”, the Credit Suisse share price plunged, and trading was halted.

Now, in a deal backed by the Swiss government and Swiss National Bank in an effort to contain the crisis, UBS will acquire Credit Suisse for an all-stock transaction valued at approximately CHF3 billion (AU$4.8 billion).

Credit Suisse shareholders will get one UBS share for every 22.48 Credit Suisse shares they own, or 0.76 francs per share. That’s down a gut-wrenching 99% from where the bank was trading in mid-2007.

The Swiss government has waived the standard requirement to get shareholder approval for the deal to move forward.

Looking ahead

On completion of the deal, expected before the end of the calendar year, the combined entities will manage some US$5 trillion of invested assets.

“This acquisition is attractive for UBS shareholders, but let us be clear, as far as Credit Suisse is concerned, this is an emergency rescue,” UBS chairman Colm Kelleher said (quoted by Bloomberg).

UBS plans to do some hefty cost-cutting to ensure the viability of the combined businesses moving forward.

“Let me be very specific on this: UBS intends to downsize Credit Suisse’s investment banking business and align it with our conservative risk culture,” Kelleher added.

While shareholders will get at least some of their money back, bondholders won’t be so lucky, with roughly CHF16 billion of Credit Suisse bonds set to lose all value.

The post UBS to acquire Credit Suisse. Here’s what you need to know appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Another day, another bank in trouble
• The CBA share price is on a rollercoaster today. Is Credit Suisse to blame?
• ASX 200 oil stocks are tanking. Is now the time to buy?
• ASX 200 bank shares are deep in the red on Thursday. Here’s why
• Investing in ASX 200 shares? Here’s what to expect from the US Fed next week

SVB Financial provides credit and banking services to The Motley Fool. Motley Fool contributor Bernd Struben 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 SVB Financial. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended SVB Financial. 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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With so many shares to choose from on the ASX, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy. The good news is that brokers across the country are doing a lot of the hard work for you.

Three top ASX shares that leading brokers have named as buys this week are listed below. Here’s why they are bullish on them:

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have resumed coverage on this energy company’s shares with an outperform rating and $8.31 price target. The broker believes that AGL’s shares are materially undervalued at the current level. Particularly given the company’s positive exposure to higher electricity prices. The AGL share price is trading at $7.10 this afternoon.

Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE)

A note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $15.40 price target on this lithium miner’s shares. Although spot lithium prices continue to weaken, Goldman holds firm with its buy rating. That’s because it believes Allkem’s production growth and downstream optionality will offset this and underpin strong earnings in the coming years. The Allkem share price is fetching $10.26 at the time of writing.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

Another note out of Goldman Sachs reveals that its analysts have retained their buy rating and $7.85 price target on this location technology company’s shares. This follows the release of a full-year result which ticked all the boxes for the broker. Outside this, the broker believes the market is underappreciating the company’s significant earnings growth potential. The Life360 share price is trading at $4.76 on Monday afternoon.

The post Leading brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Should I buy AGL shares at under $7 each?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Monday
• Life360 share price higher on 100% revenue surge
• 3 ASX All Ords tech shares rebounding strongly from the SVB fallout (and 2 still tumbling)
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Allkem and Life360. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Life360. 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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