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National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) shares have had a strong year, rising by 12% in the last 12 months. On top of that, the dividend income from NAB may be supercharged thanks to the higher interest rates. But is the ASX bank share a good bet in the current environment?

Bank profits are expected to rise in FY23 because banks have passed on more of the rate hikes to borrowers than to savers.

Considering lending is where most of the profit is generated by NAB, changes to the situation can have a big impact.

Large financial improvement expected in FY23

It’s partially because of the higher interest rates that NAB is expected to generate $2.50 of earnings per share (EPS) in FY23, according to Commsec. That would be an increase of around 14% from continuing operations EPS in FY22. This estimate would put the NAB share price at under 13 times FY23’s estimated earnings.

Bigger profit generation would enable NAB to fund bigger dividend payments.

Commsec numbers suggest that NAB could pay an annual dividend per share of $1.71 in FY23, translating into a grossed-up dividend yield of around 7.75%.

In terms of the dividend yield, that’s a compelling level of income that could be on the way to investors, with mid-single-digit growth in percentage terms in FY24 and FY25.

For investors who are mostly focused on income, I think NAB is a decent shout with its effective management team and growing profit.

Is the NAB share price a buy?

There’s more to an investment than just how much dividend income it produces. I don’t think there’s much point getting 7% of income if the share price falls 10% or more (and stays down).

I think banks like NAB are on track for higher levels of profitability as measured by the net interest margin (NIM). But higher interest rates also come with a risk – a higher chance of defaulting by borrowers. How much will NAB’s arrears rise? Well, that’s a key question. At this stage, I think it’s hard to say.

I think NAB will be able to get through the coming period relatively unscathed, I think the boss Ross McEwan has set up the bank in the right way with the right risk settings.

I’d choose NAB over all of the other domestic ASX bank shares because of the combination of its quality, growth, and reasonable valuation.

Time will tell whether the banking sector ignites another competition war, but I think NAB shares are well-placed to do well.

The post Should I buy NAB shares for 2023 dividend potential? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Investing in ASX 200 dividend shares? Here’s what to look for in 2023: fund manager
• How I’d invest $20,000 in ASX 200 dividend shares in 2023
• Buy NAB and this high yield ASX dividend share: experts
• Investing in ASX 200 bank shares? Here’s the dividend outlook for 2023
• Goldman Sachs names 2 ASX dividend shares to buy now

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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Certainly businesses need to know what they’re doing to flourish, that much is obvious.

But sometimes external factors can push a company’s fortunes into the stratosphere.

It could be that its products and services see a huge rush in demand because of an unexpected event. It might be that the economic forces align just in the sweet spot for the business.

The company happens to be in the right place at the right time.

Is this fair? 

Plenty of otherwise excellent businesses go broke because of unexpected external factors — such as a pandemic. So you have to take the good with the bad.

The Elvest Fund this week mentioned two of its holdings that currently have the opportunity to make much hay while the sun shines:

Travel is going gangbusters

Yes, interest rates have climbed recently at a frightening speed not seen in a generation. Consumers and businesses alike are tightening their belts.

But visit any airport and you realise how much Australians want to travel at the moment, regardless of how worried they are about their mortgage repayments.

Being trapped in lockdowns and closed borders for two years will do that to you.

There are also external drivers stimulating the travel industry too.

China, after persisting with a zero-COVID policy for three years, reversed its stance late last year after rarely seen mass protests flared up among its fed-up population.

While in the short term this could cause tremendous health problems for the world’s largest country, it is a major step in rejuvenating its economy back to something close to normal levels.

These are the two stocks to buy

So which are the two ASX travel shares that the Elvest team thinks are perfectly placed to ride these tailwinds?

“The release of considerable pent up demand coupled with the reopening of the Chinese economy pushed travel related businesses Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD) and Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO) higher during the month,” its memo to clients read.

Indeed Corporate Travel shares are now 12.5% higher than where they started December. The Helloworld share price has climbed an impressive 21.7% over the same period.

Certainly, there are many other players that can similarly take advantage of the above tailwinds in the travel industry.

But the nature of these two businesses set them up for long-term success, read the Elvest memo.

“With leaner operating structures, healthy balance sheets and rapidly recovering demand for travel services, both businesses are well positioned to grow earnings from depressed levels in the years to come.”

The post 2 ASX shares in the right place at the right time right now: Elvest appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• These were the best performing ASX 200 shares in January
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 of the very best ASX 200 travel shares to buy according to Goldman Sachs
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Analysts say these ASX growth shares can generate huge returns for investors

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Corporate Travel Management. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Helloworld Travel. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Helloworld Travel. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Corporate Travel Management. 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 the mining sector booming thanks to China’s reopening, investors may be keen to gain some exposure to this side of the market.

But which ASX 200 mining shares should you buy? Listed below are a couple of miners that have been named on the best ideas list of Morgans for the month of February.

Here’s why they could be top options for investors:

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)

Morgans is very positive on this mining and mining services company. The broker believes the company’s exposure to iron ore and lithium leaves it well-placed to benefit from China’s reopening. In addition, its analysts like the company due to its organic growth opportunities. They commented:

MIN is a founder-led business and top tier miner and crusher that has grown consistently despite barely issuing a share over the last decade. Also helping our investment view is that MIN’s diversification leaves it far more capable of tolerating volatility in lithium markets than its peers in the sector. We see MIN’s lithium / iron ore market exposures as an ideal combination to benefit from the China re-opening increase in demand during 1H’CY23. We also see MIN as well placed to grow into its valuation, even if we see unexpected metal price volatility, given the magnitude of organic growth in the pipeline.

Morgans has an add rating and $99.40 price target on Mineral Resources’ shares.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

Another ASX 200 mining share for investors to buy this month is South32 according to Morgans. It likes the diversified miner due to its portfolio transformation, which it believes has left it well-positioned for growth. It explained:

S32 has transformed its portfolio by divesting South African thermal coal and acquiring an interest in Chile copper, substantially boosting group earnings quality, as well as S32’s risk and ESG profile. Unlike its peers amongst ASX listed large-cap miners, S32 is not exposed to iron ore. Instead offering a highly diversified portfolio of base metals and metallurgical coal (with most of these metals enjoying solid price strength). We see attractive long-term value potential in S32 from de-risking of its growth portfolio, the potential for further portfolio changes, and an earnings-linked dividend policy.

Morgans has an add rating and $5.60 price target on its shares.

The post These are the best ASX 200 mining shares to buy now: Morgans 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
• Should I buy ASX 200 lithium shares now or not?
• Buy these ASX passive income shares now: experts
• Fundie sells South32 to buy this other ASX 200 mining share. Here’s why
• 3 ASX lithium shares to buy right now: 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 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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Buying the dip is all good and well but when that dip is actually a 27% crash, it takes some courage for even the hardiest souls to purchase the stock.

That’s exactly the dilemma for investors looking at technology company Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) at the moment.

The stock was belted 24.7% on Tuesday, then took another 3.46% hit on Wednesday.

If you buy it, are you just burning your money into a loser? Or is there hope in the long run?

Morgans senior analyst Nick Harris tackled this question in a blog post this week.

Bottom line is fine, sales have slowed

The market punished Megaport on Tuesday as a result of its latest quarterly update.

But Harris thought the main figures weren’t a massive disaster.

“Headline EBITDA was above our and consensus expectations (US$ adjusted) with revenue broadly inline,” Harris said on the Morgans blog.

“Cash burn was higher than we expected due to higher cash expenses. Cash burn reduced but not as much as we had expected.”

That expenditure will improve, according to Harris. 

“FY24 guidance suggests cash burn will [halve] year-on-year and our maths suggests [a] drop by two-thirds as revenue grows from a combination of price rises and steady sales momentum.”

The sudden drop in stock price, according to Harris, was more due to “anaemic quarter-on-quarter growth” in sales of its Megaport Cloud Router and Megaport Virtual Edge products.

“MCRs & MVEs declined QoQ, which was attributed to customer proof of concepts completing and not yet being migrated from proof of concepts (tests) to, hopefully, live paying deals.”

Are Megaport shares a buy now?

So the main risk for investors considering buying the dip in Megaport shares is whether the declining sales momentum sticks around.

Harris does not think that this is the case, so would buy the tech stock.

“We think [declining sales] is short term and see value in Megaport for those with a higher risk profile.”

The big upwards share price catalyst will be “becoming free cash flow positive and accelerating sales in the medium term”.

The major financial indicators are heading in the right direction, he noted.

“From Q1 to Q2 FY23 revenue grew by 24%, gross profit grew by 41% and EBITDA grew by 114%,” said Harris.

“This is extremely impressive operating leverage. This trend should continue over the next 12 months as Megaport optimises and automates.”

The post Buy this ASX 200 tech stock that’s crashed 27% this week: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• 3 ASX 200 tech shares going gangbusters on Thursday
• Top brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy today
• Are Megaport shares mega cheap following Tuesday’s crash?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

Motley Fool contributor Tony Yoo has positions in Megaport. 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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The benchmark ASX 200 index has plenty of income shares to choose from. But which ones offer value for money now?

Two that have been tipped as buys are listed below. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Transurban Group (ASX: TCL)

The first ASX 200 income share to buy is this leading toll road operator.

Transurban owns a world-class portfolio of toll roads in Australia and North America that cut travel times for millions of drivers each year. In addition, the company has a significant project pipeline that looks likely to underpin further solid growth in the coming years.

Another positive is the company’s inflation exposure. As Transurban’s toll road concessions are inflation linked, it stands to benefit greatly in the current environment.

It is partly for this reason that Citi is positive on the company. It currently has a buy rating and $15.70 price target on its shares.

In addition, the broker is forecasting dividends per share of 53 cents in FY 2023 and then 55.8 cents in FY 2024. Based on the current Transurban share price of $14.06, this will mean yields of 3.8% and 4%, respectively.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

Another ASX 200 income share that could be a buy is Australia’s oldest bank, Westpac.

With the banking sector benefiting from rising rates, the big four banks have been tipped to deliver solid earnings and dividend growth in the near term.

Westpac could potentially even grow even quicker thanks to its bold cost cutting plans.

It is because of this that Goldman Sachs has named it as the best big bank to buy right now. Its analysts have a conviction buy rating and $27.68 price target on its shares.

As for dividends, Goldman is forecasting fully franked dividends of 148.4 cents per share in FY 2023 and 160 cents per share in FY 2024. Based on the current Westpac share price of $23.50, this will mean yields of 6.3% and 6.8%, respectively.

The post Buy Westpac and this ASX 200 income share: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Investing in ASX 200 dividend shares? Here’s what to look for in 2023: fund manager
• Top ASX dividend shares to buy in February 2023
• Westpac shares are ‘attractive for income-oriented investors’: analyst
• ASX shares investors rejoice! RBA says inflation has now peaked
• Buy these ASX passive income shares now: experts

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro has positions in Westpac Banking. 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 Westpac Banking. 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) flew 6.2% higher during January and three ASX 200 lithium stocks were among its best performers.

Let’s take a look at why.

Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

Sayona was a stand-out ASX 200 lithium stock in January. Between the close on 30 December and the close on 31 January, the share price rose by 37%. And that meteoric rise has continued, with Sayona Mining shares rising 6.7% yesterday for a collective increase of more than 40% already in 2023.

Continuing high lithium prices and optimism that prices may stay higher for longer boosted Sayona’s fortunes. The company also reported progress with the restart of its North American project.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

This ASX 200 lithium stock charged 27% higher in January. A strong quarterly update gave the stocks a big nudge northwards. Production, sales volumes, and unit costs were all up quarter over quarter (qoq). Plus, the company increased its cash balance by a whopping 62% qoq to $2.226 billion.

That’s handy, given Pilbara’s plans to pay a maiden dividend in FY23. The company intends to pay 20% to 30% of its free cash flow as dividends. Also in January, Pilbara Minerals announced progress with the expansion of its Pilgangoora Project in Western Australia with the awarding of a construction contract.

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) 

Getting an honourable mention here is Liontown, with its shares rising by 19% over January. The ASX lithium company released an update on its Kathleen Valley Lithium Project, revealing good and bad news. The bad: Construction is going to cost more than previous estimates. The good: This is partly due to expanded capacity, which will increase the initial throughput rate by 20% to 3Mtpa.

We also learned that Liontown chair Tim Goyder bought an extra $1.5 million worth of shares on-market during the month. The market wasn’t so pleased with the quarterly report on 31 January, with Liontown shares dipping 5.7%. This took the shine off an otherwise strong performance from the ASX 200 lithium stock over the month.

The post 3 ASX 200 lithium stocks that leapt beyond 20% in January appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• The ASX 200 is trading near record highs. Is now the time to invest?
• Can buying Pilbara Minerals shares today create long-term wealth?
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Why are ASX 200 iron ore shares like Rio Tinto sliding lower today?

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

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Ask a Fund Manager

The Motley Fool chats with fund managers so that you can get an insight into how the professionals think. In part two of this edition, we’re rejoined by Don Hamson, managing director at Plato Investment Management.

The Motley Fool: 2022 saw the mining and energy sectors deliver some of the top ASX 200 dividend yields. How do you see that playing out in 2023? 

Don Hamson: Despite the naysayers, Australian miners have continued to deliver strong dividends, hence why many have remained in our portfolio.

Broadly speaking, we think this will continue into 2023. Income from the sector will remain strong, but we may not see the record dividends and special dividends seen in recent years.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) is a good example here.

In FY22, it posted net profits of US$22.4 billion. That was up 64% on 2021 when many thought it was the peak for the ‘Big Australian’ because it was the top of the iron ore cycle. But last year, it was coal that provided a windfall, generating about US$9.5 billion for the company. A great demonstration of diversified revenues.

BHP is now trading on a double-digit grossed-up yield, with an incredibly strong balance sheet. In its FY22 financials, it had US$300 million worth of debt – it can make that up in about a week!

MF: What other sectors look like they might offer some strong potential ASX 200 dividend plays? 

DH: Along with the resources sector, we remain positive on financials over the coming 12 months.

There will be challenges for the big banks if more Australians start struggling with rising mortgage repayments. But they came out of the COVID period in great shape, have strong balance sheets and improving profit margins due to those rising rates.

Beyond the Big 4, there are also some great opportunities for income, such as Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) as previously mentioned.

Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Macquarie Group, National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB), and Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) are all in our top 10 holdings right now.

MF: What do you see as the biggest threat for ASX dividend investors in 2023?

DH: We think we are now in a period where there’ll be more dividend traps than investors have seen in recent years. This is a result of a very complex investing and economic environment, with central banks around the world tightening, inflation volatility, and geopolitical concerns.

Dividend traps occur when you see lofty dividend yield figures on a stock but in reality, the company’s dividends are being cut and their stock price is falling. Investors should remember the dividend yield figures you see associated with stocks are always backwards looking.

When it comes to generating income from equities, avoiding dividend traps is just as important as finding the strong and sustainable dividend payers.

Two examples of dividend traps over the past year have been Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) and Alumina Ltd (ASX: AWC). Both were trading on dividend yields of over 10% at times. But investors, of course, never saw that sort of income, and may have seen a capital loss.

MF: And what’s the biggest opportunity for ASX dividend investors? 

DH: Strong balance sheets and franking credits are two great opportunities for income investors.

If you do your homework, you’ll find many Australian companies with very strong balance sheets, despite a lot of the doom and gloom and sensational headlines about the economy and recession. A strong balance sheet is an enabler of strong and sustainable dividends.

As always, franking credits will remain a major source of additional income for retirees and low-tax investors. They are the icing on the dividend cake.

For every one dollar of income received from fully franked dividends by pension-phase and other tax-exempt investors, an additional 43 cents on top of franking is received.

MF: What’s your outlook on dividends from the broader ASX 200?

DH: Plato’s modelling is projecting that at an index level in 2023, the ASX 200 will deliver a cash yield of 6% when including franking credits. On top of this, we think active and tax-effective portfolio management will deliver significant additional income.

MF: Are there any income stocks you’re likely to avoid, any of the so-called dividend traps? 

DH: Higher interest rates and mortgage repayments are likely to hit mortgage holders big time this year. This might see revenue and profits of some consumer discretionary stocks take a big hit.

Having said that, the prices of many discretionary stocks have already fallen a considerable amount. And, so far, retail sales have held up very well. So it will be interesting to see how this pans out in 2023.

MF: If the market closed tomorrow for five years, which ASX 200 dividend share would you be sure to want in your portfolio? 

DH: We think the set-and-forget approach can be a dangerous strategy in a world that is ever-changing.

Having said that, Macquarie would be my choice here. They have a great track record of taking advantage of change and growing their business in different directions, such as being a leading player in decarbonisation.

**

If you missed part one of our interview, you can find that here.

(You can find out more about the Plato Australian Shares Income Fund here.)

The post Investing in ASX 200 dividend shares? Here’s what to look for in 2023: fund manager appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Why are ASX 200 iron ore shares like Rio Tinto sliding lower today?
• How I’d invest $20,000 in ASX 200 dividend shares in 2023
• ASX 200 investors are selling off CBA shares! What should I do?
• Two ‘top prospect’ ASX 200 dividend shares for 2023 revealed: fund manager
• As the BHP share price flirts with $50, do I buy more?

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 positions in and has recommended Macquarie Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Westpac Banking. 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 in or nearing retirement, it may be time to start focusing a little on capital preservation and income. This means investing in lower risk shares rather than fledgling growth shares.

But which ASX 200 shares might be suitable?

Listed below are a couple of shares that could be good options for a well-balanced retirement portfolio. Here’s what you need to know about them:

Centuria Industrial REIT (ASX: CIP)

The first ASX 200 share to consider for a retirement portfolio is Centuria Industrial.

This property company owns a portfolio of high quality industrial assets that has been constructed with the aim of delivering consistent income and capital growth to investors.

Centuria Industrial’s portfolio is heavily weighted to areas of the economy that are growing fast and are in demand from tenants. This includes properties linked to the production, packaging, and distribution of consumer staples, telecommunications and pharmaceuticals.

UBS is positive on the company and currently has a buy rating and $3.60 price target on its shares. The broker is also forecasting dividends of 16 cents per share in FY 2023 and FY 2024. This implies yields of 4.5% over the next couple of financial years.

Woolworths Limited (ASX: WOW)

Another ASX 200 share that could be a top option for a retirement portfolio is Woolworths.

This retail conglomerate is the name behind the eponymous supermarket chain, Countdown supermarkets in New Zealand, and Big W.

As we saw during the pandemic, Woolworths has incredible defensive qualities. And as we are seeing right now, the company is benefitting from food inflation. All in all, this makes it a bit of an all-weather stock, which is exactly why it could be a good pick for retirees.

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 $41.20 price target on the company’s shares. Its analysts are also forecasting fully franked dividend yields of ~3% in the coming years.

The post Analysts name 2 strong ASX 200 shares for a retirement portfolio appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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More reading

• Goldman reveals the ASX shares that could surprise to the upside (and downside) this reporting season
• ASX shares investors rejoice! RBA says inflation has now peaked
• Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today
• Why Beach, Coles, Cronos Australia, and Woolworths shares are pushing higher
• ASX 200 jumps higher again, defying predictions the 2023 stock market rally could be about to come to a screaming halt

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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On Thursday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) was on form and pushed higher. The benchmark rose 0.1% to 7,511.6 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to rise

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Friday following a mixed night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open 7 points or 0.1% higher this morning. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is down 0.65%, but the S&P 500 is up 0.9% and the NASDAQ index is up 2.5%. An exceptionally strong gain by Meta has given the latter a boost.

Oil prices fall

Energy producers Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a subdued finish to the week after oil prices edged lower overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 0.5% to US$75.97 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 0.8% to US$82.20 a barrel. Global economic growth concerns appear to be weighing on prices.

Lynas shares have peaked

The Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) share price may have peaked now according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning the broker has initiated coverage on the rare earths producer with a hold rating and $9.05 price target. It said: “LYC is a high-quality business, and a key supplier of separated rare earths to Western economies. However, we believe the business to be fully valued currently.”

Gold price slumps

Gold miners Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) and St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) could have a difficult finish to the week after the gold price slumped overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.75% to US$1,928.4 an ounce. Gold hit a nine-month high before pulling back.

CSL on watch

The CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) share price will be on watch today after a rival received FDA approval for a competing drug. Goldman Sachs commented: “This morning the FDA approved GSK’s Jesduvroq (daprodustat) as the first oral treatment for anaemia caused by Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) in adults receiving dialysis.” As CSL’s Mircera and Retacrit are administered through intravenous/subcutaneous injection, Goldman believes the “oral alternative could offer potential convenience and/or economic advantages.”

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

• Happy days! 8 ASX 200 shares smashing new 52-week highs on Thursday
• Why Centuria Office, Deep Yellow, Newcrest, and Xero shares are racing higher today
• CSL share price surges to new 52-week high on Thursday
• Up 37% in 12 months: Here’s why this fundie still sees value in Woodside shares
• How I’d invest $20k in ASX 200 shares in 2023 to aim for a million

Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro 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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The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spent another day in the green on Thursday, gaining 0.13% to close at 7,511.6 points.

It follows the United States Federal Reserves’ decision to bump interest rates another 0.25% to 4.75%, seemingly marking a slowdown in hikes.

Staying overseas, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) led Wall Street overnight, rising 2%.

It likely comes as no surprise then that the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) outperformed all other sectors today, rising 3.1%.

On the other hand, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was the worst performer, falling 0.9% amid tumbling oil prices. Brent crude oil slumped 3.1% overnight while the US Nymex crude dropped 3.1% to US$76.41 a barrel.

But which ASX 200 shares posted the biggest gains of all on Thursday? Let’s take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today’s top-performing ASX 200 share was tech giant Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1). Its share price gained 11% today amid a notable tech rally.

These shares made today’s biggest gains:

ASX-listed company	Share price	Price change
Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)	$6.20	11.11%
Xero Limited (ASX: XRO)	$82.60	7.47%
Wisetech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)	$63.53	6.77%
Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC)	$14.93	6.41%
Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN)	$6.72	6.16%
Credit Corp Group Limited (ASX: CCP)	$23.32	6%
Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)	$3.36	5.99%
Block Inc (ASX: SQ2)	$120.93	5.93%
Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)	$0.27	5.88%
Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG)	$3.33	5.71%

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

• These could be the best ASX 200 growth shares to buy: analysts
• I’m listening to Warren Buffett and buying ASX shares on sale
• Here are the 3 most heavily traded ASX 200 shares on Thursday
• Happy days! 8 ASX 200 shares smashing new 52-week highs on Thursday
• Why are ASX 200 iron ore shares like Rio Tinto sliding lower 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 Block, Megaport, WiseTech Global, and Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Block, WiseTech Global, and Xero. 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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