The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the trading week off on a decidedly sour note this Monday, with the value of many ASX shares taking a hit.

Investors seemed to lose all of the optimism that defined the end of last week's trading, with the index opening sharply lower this morning. Although investors did have a temporary change of heart around lunchtime, sending the ASX 200 briefly back into positive territory, it wasn't to last. By the time the market closed, the index had lost 0.18% and closed at a flat 9,076 points.

This Garfield-esque start to the Australian trading week came after a similarly negative end to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) gave up an early lead to finish down 0.018%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was more decisive, losing 0.52%.

But let's return to this week and our local markets now for a closer look at how the broader market's pessimism affected the different ASX sectors this Monday.

Winners and losers

Despite the market's overall falls, we saw a few sectors make some hay.

But first, it was gold stocks that were hit the hardest this session. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) was smashed down 4.33% by the closing bell.

Broader mining shares were also punished, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) plunging 2.02%.

Tech stocks were also shunned. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) cratered 1.39% today.

Healthcare shares didn't have a healthy time either, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)'s 0.61% dive.

Our final losers this Monday were consumer discretionary stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) shrank 0.37%.

Let's turn to the winners now. It was financial shares that took the glory, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) soaring 1.14% higher.

Consumer staples stocks ran hot, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) bounced 0.91% higher this session.

Communications shares were also in high demand, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)'s 0.78% jump.

Energy stocks found plenty of buyers as well. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) got a 0.54% bump.

Industrial shares got a reprieve as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) putting on 0.38%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) also got out with a win. The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) ended up adding 0.18% to its total today.

Finally, utilities shares got over the line, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)'s 0.07% improvement.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Property stock PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA) was our top-performing stock on the index this Monday. Pexa shares surged 9.43% this session to close at $7.31 each. This leap higher came after Pexa reported its latest earnings, which investors clearly took a shine to.

Here's the rest of today's best:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made 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.

More reading

• 9 ASX shares downgraded by experts post-results this week
• What's driving the ASX 200 higher today?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• What's behind the ASX 200 rebound today?
• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here's what investors should know

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 positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It was a pleasant end to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Friday. Investors shook off the negativity that we saw yesterday right off the bat this morning, pushing the market higher at open.

The ASX 200 stayed in green territory all session, steadily climbing to close with a 0.6% gain. That leaves the index at 9,092.3 points as we head into the weekend.

This happy day for Australian investors followed an upbeat Thursday session for US markets overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) enjoyed a modest 0.1% gain.

Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) ran much hotter, rising 1.57%.

But let's get back to the local markets now for an examination of how the various ASX sectors fared amid today's pleasant trading conditions.

Winners and losers

There were only a couple of sectors that weren't invited to today's ASX party.

The most conspicuous absentee was real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) was left out in the cold, slumping 0.78%.

The other unlucky corner of the market was utilities shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) slipping 0.09%.

Let's get to the winners now, though. Leading said winners this Friday were tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was on fire, shooting 2.31% higher.

Mining stocks were in high demand too, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s 0.98% surge.

Gold shares were also popular. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) roared 0.9% higher this session.

Financial stocks had a day to remember as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) soaring 0.75%.

Energy shares didn't miss out. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) enjoyed a 0.66% jump this Friday.

We could say something similar for consumer discretionary stocks, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)'s 0.44% leap.

Its consumer staples counterpart was a little less enthusiastic. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) still managed a 0.3% improvement, though.

Communications stocks were our next corner of the market, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) advancing 0.25%.

Healthcare shares were decent performers, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) put on 0.08% today.

Finally, industrial shares only just got over the line, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)'s 0.04% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Gold stock Pantoro Gold Ltd (ASX: PNR) was our chart-topper this Friday.

Pantoro shares rocketed up 5.88% to close at $2.88 each today. That was despite no news or announcements from the company today.

Here's the rest of today's best:

Enjoy the weekend!

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made 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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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 positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Xero. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

With earnings season in full swing on the ASX this week, we heard from two titans of the ASX, and two companies that almost all of us visit at least once a week. Yep, both Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL) and Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) have just dropped their results. Coles stock reported on Tuesday, while Woolies shares followed up on Wednesday.

The market reacted positively to both companies' numbers. By the time trading had wrapped up on Tuesday, the Coles share price had jumped 4.9%. Woolworths shares had gained 3.42% by the close of trading on Wednesday.

Both reports were arguably positive, with plenty of green numbers. You can read more about Coles' FY2026 here, or about Woolies' year here, if you're curious.

But today, I want to focus exclusively on the final dividends that both companies declared, and assess which was the more pleasing announcement.

Coles stock or Woolies shares: Which had the better final dividend?

Let's go through Woolworths shares' new dividend first. Woolies revealed that its final dividend for 2026 will come in at 52 cents per share. Like all dividends from this ASX 200 stock, it will come with full franking credits attached. This final dividend represents a 15.56% increase over the equivalent payouts that shareholders enjoyed in 2025, worth 45 cents per share.

It takes Woolworths' full-year payouts for 2026 to 97 cents per share. That's up 15.48% from the 84 cents that shareholders bagged in 2025.

Meanwhile, owners of Coles stock are set to receive a final dividend of 37 cents per share for 2026. It will come fully franked. 37 cents per share is up 15.6% on the 32 cents investors bagged this time last year. It pushed Coles' full-year payouts up to 78 cents per share, which was up 13% from the 74 cents the company paid out over 2025.

So on the surface, it appears these two ASX stocks have delivered markedly similar dividend results this August. And they have. However, I still think there's a clear winner here.

Coles has given its income investors far more certainty over the past few years than Woolworths. 2026 marks the seventh year in a row that Coles has raised its annual dividends. In stark contrast, Woolies' recent dividends have been far more yo-yo-like. To illustrate, the company doled out $1.04 per share over 2023, $1.44 per share in 2024, and then 84 cents per share in 2025.

Finally, Coles stock is sitting on a trailing dividend yield of 3.3% right now, while Woolworths shares are trading on a 2.46% yield. Enough said.

The post Coles stock vs Woolworths shares: Who had the better dividend this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Coles vs Woolworths shares: One I'd buy and one I'd sell
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• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here's what investors should know

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.

The ASX is having a spirited end to the trading week so far this Friday. Earnings season has rolled on and is ending the week with a bang. One of the more interesting reports this session is from a popular ASX dividend share. Unlike most dividend payers this earnings season, this stock has just delivered a crushing 50% cut to its dividend. That popular ASX dividend share in question is none other than WAM Capital Ltd (ASX: WAM).

WAM Capital is a listed investment company (LIC) that has been on the ASX since 1999. Over this time, it has built up a reputation as a generous dividend payer. However, the company has struggled in recent years, with investors enduring a savage share price decline.

To illustrate, WAM Capital shares last topped out at about $2.50 a share back in 2017. Today, the company has opened sharply lower. WAM Capital shut up shop at $1.51 a share yesterday. But this morning, those same shares opened at $1.40 each before descending to $1.28 at the time of writing. That's a one-day loss of 15.2%.

That puts this company's losses over the past 12 months at 25.7%. Shareholders who have held on for the past five years are down a horrid 43.9%.

In other words, WAM Capital's generous dividends have been the only thing saving investors' returns. But now that looks set to change too.

WAM Capital shares plunge as dividend slashed 50%

As part of its latest earnings, released this morning, WAM Capital revealed that it can no longer afford to maintain the 7.75-cents-per-share dividend every six months. That's the payout investors have been receiving on a biannual basis since FY 2020. Investors will receive a final dividend of 7.75 cents per share, partially franked to 60%, in October. But that will be the last of its kind, for at least a while.

In these earnings, WAM Capital has "announced an FY2027 full-year dividend target of 8.0 cents per share, comprising an interim dividend of 4.0 cents per share and a final dividend of 4.0 cents per share".

This means that 2027's payouts will be worth approximately half of the dividends that investors have become used to over the past six years or so. It is a calamitous and embarrassing moment for the company, whose investors will now enjoy the same record-low level of dividend income that they last received in 2009. As we've warned investors about, the dividends needed to be slashed because of the lack of profits to fund them. Here's how WAM Capital justified it:

Since FY2020, the Board has maintained WAM Capital's full year dividend at 15.5 cents per share. Over that period, the dividends paid by the Board exceeded the profits generated, drawing down the Company's accumulated profits reserve. Maintaining the dividend at 15.5 cents per share is no longer sustainable with the profits reserve available.

WAM Capital has also told investors that they should not bank on getting 8 cents per share in dividends next year either, stating "the FY2027 dividend target is not a forecast or commitment of future dividends". No wonder WAM Capital shares are copping a beating this Friday.

The post Ouch: WAM Capital shares crash 15% as dividend cut in half appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) endured a particularly rough Thursday session today, erasing much of the gains that we saw earlier in the week. Investors began the day depressed and only got more pessimistic as trading wore on.

By the time the markets closed, the ASX 200 had dropped a nasty 0.98%. That leaves the index at 9,038.2 points.

This tough Thursday for Australian investors came after a milder night on the US markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) couldn't hold water, falling 0.21%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared better, only losing 0.081% of its value.

But let us return to the local markets now for a closer look at how the different ASX sectors traversed this Thursday's tough trading conditions.

Winners and losers

It was a bleak landscape out on the boards today, with only two sectors managing to escape intact.

Firstly, though, it was consumer discretionary stocks that copped the worst of it today. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) was slammed, crashing 3.18% lower.

Tech shares suffered too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) plunging 2.38%.

Gold stocks didn't hold their value either. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) tanked 1.54% this session.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) were in a similar boat, as you can tell by the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ)'s 1.45% dive.

Consumer staples shares were no safe haven. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) cratered 1.43% today.

Nor were mining stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) copping a 1.18% beating.

Communications shares had a day to forget, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) saw its value erode 1.06%.

Utilities stocks also suffered, evident by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)'s 0.99% tumble.

Financial shares weren't popular either. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slid 0.68% lower this Thursday.

Our last losers were energy shares, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) slipping down 0.19%.

Turning to the two green sectors now, the best place to hide out today was in healthcare stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) was spared, lifting a comfortable 0.23%.

Finally, our other winners were industrial shares, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)'s 0.03% bounce.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Our chart-topper this Thursday was healthcare stock Ramsay Health Care Ltd (ASX: RHC). Ramsay shares surged 13.72% higher this session to hit $50.06 by close. This came after the company reported its latest earnings this morning.

Here's how the other top stocks landed their planes:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made 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.

More reading

• 9 ASX shares downgraded by experts post-results this week
• What's driving the ASX 200 higher today?
• Buy, hold, sell: Flight Centre, Qantas, and Wesfarmers shares
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• 40 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

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 positions in and has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises and DroneShield. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Domino’s Pizza Enterprises. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Earnings season has continued this Thursday, with a cavalcade of S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares reporting their latest numbers to investors. Many of them have also revealed the next dividend their investors can look forward to. So today, let's go over three prominent blue-chip ASX 200 dividend shares and check out what kind of income is coming investors' way.

Three ASX 200 dividend shares that just boosted their payouts

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

Mining stock and ASX 200 dividend share, South32, is first up. The miner had some impressive numbers to show off this morning. Although revenues were only up 1% to US$5.82 billion, underlying earnings grew 38% to US$2.46 billion. Profits after tax attributable to members roared higher, jumping 410% to US$1.09 billion.

That all helped South32 to declare a final dividend of 5.4 US cents per share. Like most payouts from this ASX 200 dividend share, this one will come with full franking credits attached.

This new final dividend is more than double what investors bagged this time last year, up 107.7% over 2025's final dividend of 2.6 US cents per share. Right now, South32 shares are trading on a trailing dividend yield of 1.81%.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

Since the resumption of Qantas' shareholder payouts last year, the airline has become a favourite ASX 200 dividend share amongst income investors. That trend continues into the back half of 2026. This morning, Qantas revealed a final dividend of 19.8 cents per share, fully franked.

That matches 2026's interim dividend, and represents a 20% hike over 2025's final ordinary payout of 16.5 cents per share.

This came despite Qantas also reporting an underlying profit before tax of $2.06 billion, down 11.82% from 2025. The national carrier's earnings per share (EPS) also fell 12.73% to 96 cents.

Qantas stock is currently trading with a dividend yield of 3.8%.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Finally, let's talk about ASX 200 dividend share and popular blue chip, Wesfarmers. The Bunnings, Kmart, OfficeWorks, and Target owner also dropped its report today. There were lots of green numbers on display.

For FY2026, Wesfarmers reported revenue of $47.27 billion, up 3.4% year on year. Earnings before interest and tax excluding significant items rose 7.3%, while statutory net profits after tax (excluding significant items) jumped 8.3% to $2.87 billion.

That enabled Wesfarmers to declare a fully-franked final dividend of $1.20 per share. That represents an 8.11% rise over last year's equivalent payout of $1.11 per share.

Wesfarmers is presently sitting on a dividend yield of 2.68%.

The post 3 ASX 200 dividend shares that just upped their payouts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

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• If I buy $4,000 of Wesfarmers shares, how much dividend income will I receive?
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Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Wesfarmers. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It was a disappointing mid-week session for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Wednesday. After starting out strong this morning, investors got spooked around midday, turning what had been a healthy lead for the ASX 200 into a loss.

That may have been a result of today's inflation figures. Either way, the index ended up closing 0.4% lower at 9,127.8 points.

This tantalising hump day for the ASX followed a more robust night of trading over on the American markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) continued to push higher, gaining another 0.3%.

Over on the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), the mood was even more upbeat, with the index rising 0.66%.

But let us return to the local markets now and dive a little deeper into what was happening amongst the various ASX sectors this Wednesday.

Winners and losers

Despite the market's choke today, we still had a few sectors that pushed higher.

But first, the standout losers this hump day were tech stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was hit hard, crashing 3.47%.

Energy shares had a day to forget as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) plunging 1.52%.

Communications stocks were also on the nose. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) took a 1.38% dive today.

As were healthcare shares, evident from the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)'s 1.21% tanking.

Industrial stocks fared a little better. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) still lost 0.6%, though.

Financial shares were right behind that, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) dipping 0.57%.

Our final losers today were mining stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) slid 0.01% lower.

Let's get to the winners now. Leading the pack were consumer staples shares, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)'s 1.83% surge.

Gold stocks were also a safe haven. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) had lifted 0.83% by the closing bell.

Utilities shares didn't miss out, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) jumping 0.53%.

We can say the same for real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) jumped up 0.35% this session.

Finally, consumer discretionary shares managed to stick a landing, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)'s 0.07% crawl higher.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top stock was retailer Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV). Lovisa shares were hot property today, rocketing up 12.73% to close at $27.62.

This big leap came after the company reported its latest earnings, which seemed to have exceeded expectations.

Here's how the other winners pulled up at the kerb:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made 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.

More reading

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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 positions in and has recommended Electro Optic Systems and Lovisa. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Eagers Automotive Ltd, Lovisa, and Nine Entertainment. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It's always an interesting insight into the health of the ASX when earnings season arrives. Of course, everyone likes to look at revenues, profits, and the countless other metrics that companies present. But my favourite thing to analyse in an ASX 200 share's earnings report is the dividend section.

In my view, there is no litmus test of a company's financial health quite like a dividend. Companies that are in financial strife simply cannot afford to increase their payouts consistently over time. And that can be fudged by accounting tricks. Today, let's go over three ASX dividend shares that aren't in that boat, and have just revealed pay rises for their investors.

3 ASX 200 dividend shares that just boosted shareholder income

First up, we have Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW). Woolworths is a blue-chip ASX 200 dividend share that has always been given a look from the typical ASX income investor. The view this year was a good one. Woolworths announced this morning that its shareholders can look forward to a final dividend of 52 cents per share, fully franked.

This new dividend is worth a 15.56% increase over the final dividend of 45 cents per share that investors banked in 2025. Woolworths is currently (at the time of writing) trading on a trailing dividend yield of 2.23%.

Next, let's talk about gold miner Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU). Perseus' earnings were exceptionally well-received this morning. The company posted big rises in revenues, profits, and cash flow, thanks to the marked increase in gold prices over FY 2026. That filtered down into this ASX 200 dividend share's next payout.

Perseus revealed a final dividend of 9 cents per share for 2026, unfranked. That's a whopping 80% increase over the final dividend of 5 cents per share from 2025. At current pricing, Perseus Mining stock has a dividend yield of 1.04%.

Finally, we can't not mention WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC). WiseTech shares are in freefall today after the ASX 200 tech share reported its own earnings. You can read more about that here. Despite this, there were plenty of green numbers in the company's report. Those included a 79% rise in revenues and a 56% surge in underlying earnings.

That helped Wisetech declare a final, fully-franked dividend worth 88 US cents per share. That's up a healthy 14.29% from the 77 US cents per share investors bagged in 2025. Right now, the Wisetech share price has a dividend yield of 0.51%.

The post 3 ASX 200 dividend shares that just hiked their payouts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 9 ASX shares downgraded by experts post-results this week
• Down another 18%: Why I'd buy WiseTech shares in the dip
• Where could the WiseTech share price be in 12 months?
• 40 ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week
• Coles vs Woolworths shares: One I'd buy and one I'd sell

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

It was shaping up to be such a happy hump day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). After closing at 9,164.6 points yesterday, the ASX 200 opened higher this morning, starting trade at above 9,180 points, and climbing to 9,220.6 points by mid-morning. That was just a whisker away from the index's all-time high of 9.296.7 points.

Well-received earnings reports from ASX shares like Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) and Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU), as well as the galloping BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price, were all pulling their weight to lift the ASX 200 to that height. But alas, it wasn't to last. Just before lunchtime, the index took a dramatic turn for the worse. It fell below the breakeven line just after midday, and is now firmly in negative territory, down 0.2% at the time of writing at just under 9,150 points.

So what has gone so wrong for the ASX 200 this Wednesday?

Well, it starts and stops with inflation. Specifically, the latest economic data out from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), covering the month of July.

As my Fool colleague Aaron went through earlier, the ABS revealed that inflation ran at 1% over July, giving the Australian economy an annual inflation rate of 3.5% for the preceding 12 months. Although that was down from 3.8% in June, it is still well above the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA)'s target band of 203%.

Core inflation, which is the metric that the RBA prefers to use to measure price increases, was at 0.5% in July and 3.6% for the 12 months. That was higher than the 0.3% that most economists reportedly expected.

Why does higher inflation mean lower ASX 200 share prices?

Given that the ASX 200 began its downward turn almost immediately after these numbers were released today, it is clear that this is scaring investors. But why? Well, the obvious conclusion is that the market now expects inflation to remain higher for longer, and that means potentially higher interest rates sooner.

We all know that interest rates have severe impacts on the economy. Rate hikes are infamous for taking a larger chink of income from anyone with a mortgage. But they are also bad news for share prices. Higher rates increase the attractiveness of safe investments outside the share market. Think savings accounts, term deposits, and government bonds. If these investments, which are already offering investors safe yields of 5% or even higher, become even more attractive, many investors will pull money out of the share market and put it into these assets.

Further, investors often use 'risk-free' rates to put a value on ASX shares. This risk-free rate is usually a derivative of the cash rate. So it is this double-edged sword that cuts into share prices when interest rates rise. Investors know this, and given the higher-than-expected inflation number out today, are adjusting their expectations accordingly.

That's probably why the ASX 200 took such a sharp turn for the worse during intra-day trading. Let's see what happens tomorrow.

The post Higher for longer? Why the ASX 200 just turned negative appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What's driving the ASX 200 higher today?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• What's behind the ASX 200 rebound today?
• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here's what investors should know
• The average superannuation balance for 45-year-olds in Australia in FY26. How does yours compare?

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

Every earnings season, it is the blue chips of the ASX that investors arguably look forward to hearing from the most. Even if an investor doesn't own one of these shares, what these companies have to say has ASX-wide implications and even provides insight into the health of the Australian economy. Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) is one of those shares, and we heard about the company's latest numbers, including the new Woolworths dividend, this morning.

As my Fool colleague covered earlier, it was a strong set of numbers that the company had to show for itself. Woolworths reported revenue of $71.54 billion for the 12 months to 30 June, up 3.6% from the prior year.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) before significant items were up an even healthier 6.7% to $6.09 billion. Meanwhile, Woolworths posted a net profit after tax (NPAT) and before significant items of $1.6 billion. That was up a pleasing 15.4%.

But let's talk about the new Woolworths dividend.

Everything you need to know about the next Woolworths dividend

Woolworths just revealed that its final dividend for 2026 will be worth 52 cents per share. That's a 15.56% increase over the final dividend of 45 cents per share that investors enjoyed in 2025. Like almost every dividend that this company pays, this one will come with full franking credits attached.

Together with the interim dividend of 45 cents per share (also fully franked), this final dividend takes Woolworths' 2026 payouts to 97 cents per share, up 15.48% from the 84 cents per share that investors enjoyed over 2025. This represents a payout ratio of 74.1% from the $1.309 in earnings per share (EPS) that the company made over FY 2026.

If one doesn't yet own Woolworths shares but would like to receive the latest payout, Woolworths has set 1 September as the ex-dividend date. That means investors will need to hold Woolworths shares in their names by the end of August to be eligible for the dividend.

Anyone who buys Woolworths shares on or after 1 September will leave the right to receive the payout behind with the seller. Payment day will then roll around on 25 September next month.

Woolworths is running its dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) for this latest dividend. That means investors who wish to receive additional Woolworths shares in lieu of a cash payment can nominate to do so by 3 September.

Woolworths is currently trading with a trailing dividend yield of 2.21%. However, the company can now be assigned a forward yield of 2.38%.

The post Everything you need to know about the Woolworths dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Coles vs Woolworths shares: One I'd buy and one I'd sell
• Top 3 ASX 200 shares that lifted their dividend this reporting season
• Coles versus Woolworths shares: Which ASX supermarket giant outperformed in August?
• Don't panic if these 9 ASX 200 shares fall today
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Tuesday

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.

It seems strange to think about now, but it really wasn't that long ago that bank stock Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) was the largest share on the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

CBA held this crown for a long time, but it was usurped back in January by none other than BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP). The mining giant only held on to said crown for a few weeks, returning it to CBA in February. By March, though, BHP was back on top, and has been there ever since.

Today, the gap looks almost insurmountable. As we speak, BHP rules the ASX 200 roost with its market capitalisation of just over $344 billion. CBA comes in a distant second at a value of $262.75 billion.

In an ASX 200 index fund, this means that BHP commands about a 12% weighting, with CBA taking up 9.6%.

Given that just a few months ago, these two titans of the ASX were in lockstep, it is worth asking the question: 'Will CBA shareholders take back the crown that it relinquished to BHP many moons ago?'

Well, the theoretical answer is of course yes. The ASX has seen many swings and roundabouts in the makeup of its top echelons over many decades. If CBA has supplanted BHP before, there's no reason it cannot do so again. And vice versa.

So let's look at what it took to get where we are today.

CBA vs BHP shares: The race to the top of the ASX 200

CBA shares have really had a year to forget in 2026. The stock is down about 2.5% year to date. It has had a lacklustre 12 months too, with the bank last hitting a record high of $192 a share back in June of 2025. Today, at $157.01, it is down more than 18% from that all-time high. An arguably stretched valuation, as well as concerns over housing and financial markets in Australia, are the likely culprits for this drop.

Meanwhile, BHP has been firing on all cylinders. The 'Big Australian's bet on copper has paid off handsomely, with roaring prices pushing BHP stock to reset its own record highs several times over 2026 to date. The most recent record came just yesterday, seeing the miner hit $68.22 a share.

Year to date, BHP has now lifted an astonishing 47.88%.

So we can see how the disparity between BHP and CBA shares has established itself.

But all it would take for the gap to narrow, or even invert, would be a change in economic conditions. BHP is a resources stock, and thus highly sensitive to commodity prices. If prices came off the boil, you can bet that BHP's shares would follow, and sharply.

If CBA held its own or even attracted buyers looking for a safe haven (the company has benefited from this before), we could well see Commonwealth Bank regain its ASX 200 crown. It's entirely possible. But whether it happens next month, next year or next decade is the $80 billion question.

The post Will CBA shares ever get back to the top of the ASX 200? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• What's driving the ASX 200 higher today?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• ASX shares investors are getting younger and trading more often: CBA report
• 11 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings post-results
• Westpac shares are under pressure: Is it time to buy the dip?

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) enjoyed another strong day of gains this Tuesday, lifting the value of many ASX shares.

After yesterday's rise kicked off the trading week on a positive note, investors built on that momentum today. The ASX 200 opened higher this morning and stayed in green territory all day, closing with a gain of 0.68%. That leaves the index at 9,164.6 points.

This terrific Tuesday for the local markets came after a mixed start to the American trading week on Wall Street overnight.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in an accommodating mood, rising 0.26%.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) had a more Garfield-esque Monday, closing 0.76% lower.

Let's get back to the ASX now and take stock of how the different ASX sectors fared this session.

Winners and losers

Today's market rises were near-universal, with only two sectors missing out.

The first, and worst, of those sectors was energy stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) gave up an early lead to finish down 0.78% today.

The other red sector was real estate investment trusts (REITs), with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) sinking 0.16%.

Let's get to the happier sectors now. Leading the charge were tech shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) had a blowout, rocketing up 2.25%.

Consumer staples stocks ran hot as well, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ)'s 2.11% surge.

Healthcare stocks were also popular. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) soared 1.4% higher this Tuesday.

Financial shares joined the party, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) shooting up 0.94%.

Consumer discretionary stocks were also at the festivities. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) galloped up 0.91% today.

Next came utilities shares, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ)'s 0.59% jump.

Industrial stocks were right behind that. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) added 0.58% to its total this session.

Communications shares had a day to remember as well, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) advancing 0.4%.

Gold stocks didn't miss out. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) enjoyed a 0.34% lift today.

Finally, mining shares managed to find buyers, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s 0.3% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Defence company Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) was our top performer this Tuesday. Electro Optic shares exploded 23.02% higher today to close at $10.58 each.

This astonishing showing followed the company's latest earnings, which were obviously a delight for the market.

Here's how the other top stocks tied up at the dock:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made 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.

More reading

• What's driving the ASX 200 higher today?
• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• ASX shares investors are getting younger and trading more often: CBA report
• What's behind the ASX 200 rebound today?
• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here's what investors should know

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 positions in and has recommended ARB Corporation, DroneShield, and Electro Optic Systems. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended ARB Corporation, Ansell, and Data#3. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

Earnings season on the ASX is rolling on this week, and so too is dividend season. This time of year, we tend to find out what the next shareholder payouts from the ASX's most popular income shares will look like. Exciting times indeed.

Today, we've heard from a number of prominent shares. Let's go through three of them that have just announced fresh dividend hikes for their investors.

3 ASX income shares that just increased their dividends

Australian Ethical Investments Ltd (ASX: AEF)

First up is ethically-focused fund manager Australian Ethical Investments, which reported its earnings this morning, and which contained some impressive numbers. The company revealed that its revenues were up 9% over FY 2026 to $129.5 million, while underlying profits after tax climbed 29% to $25.7 million.

That helped this ASX income share to declare a final dividend of 10 cents per share, fully franked. That's 11.1% above the 9 cents per share final dividend from 2025. Over 2026, Australian Ethical will fork out 18 cents per share in dividends, a 29% boost to investors' 2025 haul.

Australian Ethical shares are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of 3.56%.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

Next up, we have Woodside. The ASX energy stock also reported its half-year earnings this morning. The oil and gas giant enjoyed 13% higher operating revenues over the six months to 30 June at US$7.45 billion. Underlying net profits after tax rose 7% to US$1.33 billion.

That helped Woodside boost its 2026 interim dividend by 7.55% to 57 US cents per share. Like most of this ASX income share's historic payouts, this dividend will be fully franked.

This will bring Woodside's 2026 dividend total to US$1.16 per share. That's 9.4% higher than 2025's total of US$1.06 per share.

Right now, Woodside shares are trading on a trailing dividend yield of 4.99%.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

Last but not least, we have ASX income share and supermarket giant Coles Group, whose earnings this morning were well received by investors. As we covered at the time, the company recorded $45.58 billion in revenues for its FY 2026, up 2.8% from FY 2025. Net profit after tax (NPAT) did even better, jumping 13.7% to $1.26 billion.

That helped this ASX dividend share deliver its seventh annual shareholder pay rise in a row. Investors will bag a final dividend worth a fully franked 37 cents per share, pushing its full-year payouts to 78 cents per share. The final dividend represents a 15.6% hike over 2025's equivalent payout.

Coles shares are currently sitting on a dividend yield of 3.1%.

The post These 3 ASX income shares just hiked their dividends appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• 5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Friday
• Coles vs Woolworths shares: One I'd buy and one I'd sell
• How I'd use ASX shares to build wealth outside my superannuation
• 11 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings post-results
• Top 3 ASX 200 shares that lifted their dividend this reporting season

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

This morning, we discussed the most popular exchange-traded fund (ETF) on the ASX for investors wishing to invest in the US markets. The iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) easily takes that crown, with over $14 billion in funds currently under management. But could the Vanguard Morningstar US Total Market Shares Index ETF (ASX: VTS) be a better choice for that slice of America in an ASX portfolio?

In theory, the iShares S&P 500 ETF and the Vanguard US Total Market ETF are quite different.

For one, IVV is an index fund that tracks the S&P 500 Index. This flagship index represents the largest 500 stocks on the US markets, weighted by market capitalisation (size).

Meanwhile, the VTS ETF tracks a far less common index, the Morningstar U.S. Total Market Index. Instead of following just the largest 500 stocks on US markets, this index tracks more than 4,000. As such, it offers significantly more coverage of mid- and small-cap US stocks than IVV.

Is this enough to make VTS the better choice over IVV? Well, diversification is usually a good thing for investors seeking to increase their exposure to an entire market.

However, as we touched on above, the differences between the IVV and VTS ETFs are more theoretical than practical. That's because, while both funds have different scopes, they both weight their portfolios by market capitalisation. That means the largest shares take up far more room than the smaller ones in both funds. Since both IVV and VTS both share the same stocks at the top of their portfolios, buying either will get you a similar investment profile.

IVV vs. VTS: Top ETF holdings compared

To illustrate, as of 31 July, IVV's top five holdings, and their respective weightings, were as follows:

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) at 7.53%

Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) at 7.03%

Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) at 5.85%

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) at 5.35%

Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) at 4.12%

Meanwhile, the VTS ETF's largest stocks, as of 31 July, were:

NVIDIA at 6.39%

Apple at 6.28%

Alphabet at 5.2%

Microsoft at 4.78%

Amazon at 3.64%

As you can see, there's not a lot of daylight between these two ETFs' holdings.

But let's look at performance.

Over the 12 months to 31 July, IVV returned 9.42%. That rose to an annualised 17.41% over three years, and 13.61% per annum over five.

Meanwhile, the VTS ETF returned 9.82% over the year to 31 July. Over three years, it managed an average of 17.19% per annum, and 12.77% per annum over five years.

So it's clear we're doing a bit of hair splitting here. Overall, these two ASX ETFs can be expected to deliver a similar return over time, given their overlapping, heavy exposure to the largest US stocks on the market. It's my view that ASX investors who are looking for cheap, easy exposure to US stocks can't go wrong with either fund.

The post Is the Vanguard US Total Market ETF (VTS) the best buy for investing in America? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• IVV vs NDQ ETF: Which is the better buy?
• These are the most popular ASX ETFs – Which has performed best in 2026?
• ASX shares investors are getting younger and trading more often: CBA report
• How much passive income can I earn off a $630,000 superannuation balance
• How to build an ASX portfolio you do not need to check every day

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Microsoft, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

There have been many ASX dividend shares that I've been impressed with so far this earnings season. Over the past week or two, we've seen the likes of Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD), and many more announce dividend pay rises for their investors.

Today, another income stock joined that party. It was none other than Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL).

Coles is, of course, the famous name behind the dominant supermarket chain and Liquorland bottle shop network. As we covered earlier today, it was a decent set of numbers that the company had to show for its 2026 financial year. For the 12 months to 30 June 2026, Coles reported revenues of $45.58 billion, up 2.8% over FY2025.

Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) rose 9.9% to $2.32 billion, while net profits after tax (NPAT) surged 13.7% to $1.26 billion.

Perhaps it is these numbers that have prompted the market to push Coles shares 2.3% higher so far this Tuesday to $23.20 each (at the time of writing). Or perhaps it was the dividend hike that Coles just announced.

Coles: An ASX share with seven years of dividend growth

Yep, Coles has just revealed that its final dividend for 2026 will be worth 37 cents per share. It will come with full franking credits attached, as is Coles' habit. That represents a 15.6% hike over the final dividend of 32 cents per share that investors enjoyed last year.

Together with the April interim dividend of 41 cents per share, this latest payout takes Coles' full-year dividends to 78 cents per share. Again, that is a nice 13.04% rise over 2025's total of 69 cents per share.

So why would I buy Coles shares for income post-earnings? Well, a big reason is this company's dividend history. Consistent dividend growth over time is difficult to fake. Dividends are a heavy burden on a company's finances. As such, only the strongest companies tend to be able to keep their payouts growing year in, year out.

2026 happens to be the seventh year in a row that Coles has grown its annual dividends per share. Bear in mind that Coles was only listed on the ASX back in late 2018.

Given that this ASX share is a mature, healthily profitable business in a defensive sector of the market, this dividend pedigree is worth a lot. As such, I would be happy to add Coles shares to a diversified income-focused portfolio today.

The post Post-earnings: Why I'd buy this ASX dividend share for income appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• Coles vs Woolworths shares: One I'd buy and one I'd sell
• How I'd use ASX shares to build wealth outside my superannuation
• 11 ASX 200 shares with reaffirmed buy ratings post-results
• Top 3 ASX 200 shares that lifted their dividend this reporting season
• Own BHP, Woodside or Coles shares? Here's what investors should know

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

If I told you there was a simple ASX exchange-traded fund (ETF) out there, one that charges a paltry fee and has returned 15% per annum for the past decade, would you rush out to buy it without a second thought? I wouldn't blame anyone who was tempted.

That's exactly what the iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) seems to be offering investors right now.

This ETF and index fund is indeed a simple one. It holds the largest 500 companies listed on the American markets, weighted by market capitalisation. In this way, it can be thought of as an American equivalent to the uber-popular Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF (ASX: VAS).

Buying the world's best stocks with this ASX ETF

But instead of investing in the likes of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) and Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS), IVV is far more impressive in terms of scope and scale. The ASX is home to some fine companies. But very few are heavyweights beyond our shores. Not so with IVV. This ASX ETF literally contains dozens, if not hundreds, of companies that sell goods and services right around the world.

These companies include many names you might be familiar with. General Motors, Coca-Cola, Deere & Co, PepsiCo, Walmart, Procter & Gamble, Netflix, Colgate-Palmolive, IBM, Mastercard, Texas Instruments, Costco… the list goes on. And we haven't even got to this ASX ETE's heavyweights. Like most US-based index funds, the iShares S&P 500 ETF is dominated by tech stocks. Its top holdings are also the most powerful companies in the world right now. They include NVIDIA, Apple, Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Tesla.

It's these companies that investors largely have to thank for IVV's incredible performance over the past decade. As we mentioned earlier, this ASXE TF has delivered a 15% return every year for the past ten years. Specifically, it is 15.72% per annum over the ten years to 31 July 2026.

That's real wealth-building stuff. Helped in no small part by IVV's minuscule management fee of 0.04% per annum. That's $4 a year for every $10,000 invested.

So is IVV a no-brainer buy?

Given that the US is home to the vast majority of the world's best companies, I think it is prudent for most ASX investors to have some exposure to US stocks in their portfolios. They are just a cut above what the ASX has to offer, at least in my view. IVV is a great way to get that US exposure. It is a simple, cheap ETF that provides a lot of diversification. What more could one want?

Saying that, I do think investors need to temper their expectations, though. I would be shocked if the iShares S&P 500 ETF kept returning 15% per annum over the coming ten years. Many of its holdings have reached critical mass, and, at multi-trillion-dollar valuations, will find it difficult to keep growing at the rates they have enjoyed in the past.

Saying that, there is plenty of innovation still happening within IVV's portfolio. Either way, I think this ASX ETF is indeed a no-brainer buy for any ASX investor with a long time horizon.

The post 15% for 10 years: Is this ASX ETF a no-brainer buy? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

More reading

• IVV vs NDQ ETF: Which is the better buy?
• These are the most popular ASX ETFs – Which has performed best in 2026?
• ASX shares investors are getting younger and trading more often: CBA report
• How much passive income can I earn off a $630,000 superannuation balance
• How to build an ASX portfolio you do not need to check every day

Motley Fool contributor Sebastian Bowen has positions in Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Coca-Cola, Costco Wholesale, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, and Vanguard Australian Shares Index ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has positions in and has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Colgate-Palmolive, Costco Wholesale, Deere & Company , International Business Machines, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, Tesla, Texas Instruments, Walmart, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has recommended General Motors. The Motley Fool Australia has positions in and has recommended Telstra Group. The Motley Fool Australia has recommended Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Mastercard, Microsoft, Netflix, Nvidia, and iShares S&P 500 ETF. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

It was a bouncy and optimistic start to the trading week for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and many ASX shares this Monday.

After a sour trading week last week, investors seem to have come back from the weekend with a little extra pep in the proverbial step, with the ASX 200 opening higher and staying in positive territory all day today. By the time the markets closed, the index had gained 0.49% to 9,103.1 points.

This happy start to the week's trading for the ASX followed a similarly buzzy end to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in very fine form indeed, rising 0.98%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) wasn't quite as bubbly, but still gained 0.43%.

But let's return to this week and our local markets now for a closer look at what was happening amongst the various ASX sectors this session.

Winners and losers

Despite the market's rise this Monday, a few sectors still missed out on gains.

Leading those losers were consumer staples shares. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) was left out in the cold today, shrinking 0.95%.

Financial stocks also had a rough one, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) sinking 0.72%.

Utilities shares were shunned, too. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) slid 0.48% lower this session.

Our last losers were communications stocks, as you can see from the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ)'s 0.44% slip.

Turning to the green sectors now, it was mining shares that fronted the winners. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) roared 2.43% higher this Monday.

Gold stocks ran hot as well, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) soaring up 1.71%.

Tech shares also had a day to remember. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) enjoyed a 0.96% surge.

Healthcare stocks were in demand as well, evidenced by the S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ)'s 0.62% lift.

Energy shares were next. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) jumped 0.47% today.

Then came real estate investment trusts (REITs), with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) adding 0.12% to its total.

Industrial stocks managed a win. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) put on another 0.1% this session.

Finally, consumer discretionary shares got over the line, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)'s 0.09% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Beating out some stiff competition to take out top spot on the index this Monday was tech stock Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL). Data#3 shares rocketed 17.85% higher today to finish at $11.09 each.

This huge gain followed the company releasing its latest earnings, which clearly had a lot going for them.

Here's the rest of today's best:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made 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.

More reading

• 9 ASX shares downgraded by experts post-results this week
• 8 ASX shares upgraded by the professionals post-results this week
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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 recommended Ansell and Data#3. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.

For me, one of the most exciting aspects of the ASX's earnings seasons, held twice a year, is the dividend season. Whenever an ASX dividend-paying share reports its latest numbers, it also tends to reveal what its next dividend (if there is one) will look like.

Given we are, right now, in the middle of 2026's second ASX earnings season, it's an exciting time to be watching the stock market. Today, let's go through two ASX dividend shares that have just announced that their investors are set to enjoy a dividend pay rise in 2026.

2 ASX income shares that just hiked their dividends

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB)

First up, we have ASX telco Aussie Broadband. Telcos are well-known for their dividend potential, and Aussie Broadband seems to be trying to live up to that reputation.

Today, the company revealed a final dividend worth 3.6 cents per share. That's a significant 50% increase over the final dividend of 2.4 cents per share that investors enjoyed last year. As well as an increase over 2026's interim dividend, also worth 2.4 cents per share.

As with all of Aussie Broadband's past payouts, this latest one will come with full franking credits attached.

Investors have not reacted well to this ASX share's earnings today. At the time of writing, Aussie Broadband stock is down by 6.35% to $4.73. At this price, this S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) share is trading on a trailing dividend yield of 1.01%.

Argo Global Listed Infrastructure Ltd (ASX: ALI)

Next up, we have the listed investment company (LIC) Argo Global Listed Infrastructure. Argo Global Infrastructure is run by the same team behind Argo Investments Ltd (ASX: ARG), a veteran fund manager on the ASX.

It seems the infrastructure LIC shares its parents' predilection for slow-but-steady dividend hikes. Its latest earnings were also released this morning. In these earnings, Argo Infrastructure announced that its final dividend for 2026 would be worth 5.5 cents per share. That's fully franked. That matches 2025's final dividend.

However, this ASX share's interim dividend earlier this year was worth a fully franked 4.5 cents per share. This takes Argo's full-year dividends to a record 10 cents per share. It also marks the fourth year in a row of annual dividend pay rises from the LIC.

Like Aussie Broadband, Argo Global Infrastructure shares have not reacted well to the latest earnings, and are currently down 1.5% at $2.61 each. At that price, this ASX share is trading on a trailing dividend yield of 3.83%.

The post These 2 ASX shares have given investors a 2026 dividend pay rise appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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• Aussie Broadband FY26 earnings: double-digit growth and new acquisitions
• Argo Infrastructure FY26 earnings: Record dividend

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

There are quite a few S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that are reporting their latest earnings to investors this Monday. ASX health insurance stock NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF) is one of them. Unfortunately, investors did not like what they saw, with NIB shares currently down a nasty 10% to $6.66 each.

However, this represents a compelling buying opportunity for income investors.

Before we get into why, let's go over what NIB had to say this morning.

As my Fool colleague covered earlier today, it was an interesting earnings report to go through. NIB reported group revenues of $3.8 billion for its 2026 financial year, up 6.2% on what the company brought in over FY 2025. Group underlying profits were up 9.1% to $260.9 million, but statutory net profits after tax fell 5.9% to $186.9 million.

It seems investors did not like what they saw, going off the steep drop in NIB shares that we are currently witnessing.

But let's talk about income. NIB has always been a decent dividend stock. The company has substantially increased its income in recent years, going from paying out an annual 14 cents per share in fully franked dividends in 2020 to 29 cents per share in 2025.

2025's payouts consisted of an April interim dividend of 13 cents per share and an October final dividend of 16 cents per share. Both payments came fully franked, as is NIB's habit. The company's first dividend of 2026 matched that of the 2025 interim dividend, with shareholders once again bagging 13 cents per share.

NIB shares drop despite new special dividend

Today, though, NIB threw some spice into the income soup. It declared a final dividend of 16 cents per share, once again matching 2025's ordinary payout. But it also unveiled a special dividend alongside its ordinary payout. Yep, shareholders are set to enjoy a concurrent dividend worth another 5 cents per share. That will bring NIB's dividend total for 2026 to 34 cents per share.

Right now, NIB shares are trading on a trailing dividend yield of 4.36% (boosted mightily by today's steep share price sell-off). However, we can now assign the stock a forward yield of 5.12%.

So does that make NIB a buy for income? Well, investors shouldn't take too much from this special dividend. It is entirely possible, even likely, that 2027's total payouts don't match what investors will receive in 2026. Special dividends by nature tend to be one-off events.

Saying that, this company occupies a defensive sector of the ASX and has a strong history of delivering dividend increases. As such, I would be happy to include it in a diversified income-focused portfolio.

The post Special dividend: Is now the time to buy NIB shares for income? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

There aren't too many blue-chip ASX 200 shares that still offer dividend yields of 5% today, let alone 6%. But Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) is one of the rare few. Yes, Bendigo Bank shares are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of 6.05%.

As such, we can probably conclude that there were more than a few income investors watching with interest this morning as Bendigo and Adelaide Bank revealed the next shareholder payment that investors can expect.

As we covered this morning, it was a solid, if uninspiring, report from Bendigo Bank. This ASX 200 bank stock told the market that its cash earnings for the 12 months ended 30 June were $30.2 million, up 3% over FY 2025. That helped the bank post statutory earnings after tax of $375.1 million, helped by a 1.5% growth in total lending and a 2.2% increase in customer deposits.

The second half of the financial year was particularly strong for Bendigo Bank. Cash earnings rose 6.8% compared to the same half in 2025 to $273.8 million, while expenses dropped 2.1%.

Is Bendigo Bank shares' 6% yield holding firm?

But let's get to Bendogo Bank's latest dividend. In some decent news for income investors, this bank's dividend will not be changing. Yes, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank today revealed that its final dividend for 2026 will come in at 33 cents per share. That's unchanged and flat on 2025's final dividend. As such, that 6% yield that we currently see on Bedigo Bank shares will be holding for the time being.

That 33-cent-per-share final dividend, coupled with March's interim dividend of 30 cents per share, gives an annual total of 63 cents per share. That's the same annual amount that Bendigo Bank has paid since 2024.

This latest final dividend will arrive in investors' bank accounts on 30 September next month. Like almost every payout from this bank, this dividend will come with full franking credits attached.

For anyone who doesn't yet own Bendigo Bank shares but wishes to receive this dividend, the shares are scheduled to trade ex-dividend on 1 September. Investors will need to own shares by the end of August to be eligible to receive this payout.

There is also the option to receive additional Benido Bank shares in lieu of a cash payment with this company's dividend reinvestment plan (DRP). The cut-off date for DRP participation is 3 September.

The post 6%: Bendigo Bank just unveiled its latest dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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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 positions in and has recommended Bendigo And Adelaide Bank. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Scott Phillips.