Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Goodman shares are trading 2.7% higher at $28.32 at the time of writing on Tuesday afternoon. After tumbling over 19% between mid-February and late-March, the shares have recovered 10.8% of their value over the past two weeks. The shares are still 8.2% lower for the year to date, but they're 0.7% above this time last year.

Goodman shares faced headwinds amid concerns about Australia's interest rate direction, high borrowing costs, and overall investor uncertainty. 

There is also broad weakness across the property sector, and the slump in investor confidence has flowed through to the company's latest earnings results. 

But it doesn't look like the downturn is here to stay.

Brokers rate the ASX 200 shares as a strong buy and tip an average target price of $35.34 over the next 12 months. At the time of writing, that implies a potential 35.51% upside. 

AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP)

AMP shares are up 0.36% at the time of writing on Tuesday, to $1.40 a piece. The latest uptick means the shares are now 14.4% higher over the past month and 27% higher than just one year ago. 

AMP shares crashed over 26% off the back of a disappointing financial results announcement in February. Meanwhile, ongoing geopolitical tensions and concerns that surging oil prices will push Australia's inflation data higher have weighed heavily on financial stocks like AMP over the past month.

But since bottoming close to a 52-week low in mid-March, they've finally started rebounding. AMP recently confirmed it will undertake an on-market buyback of up to $150 million of ordinary shares, and Blair Vernon has officially stepped into the CEO role. Sentiment could well follow suit.

Brokers have a strong buy rating on the ASX 200 shares and tip a potential 36.19% upside to $1.75 per share, at the time of writing.

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

Bellevue Gold shares are also down slightly today, by 0.75% to $1.72 per share. Many ASX gold stocks crashed in mid-March thanks to a sizable retreat in gold prices, and Bellevue wasn't immune. 

After dropping to a four-month low in late March, the shares have climbed 37.7% higher at the time of writing. But the gold miner's shares are also up an enormous 91.3% from just one year ago.

Brokers seem to think they can keep climbing higher, too. They have a strong buy rating on the ASX 200 shares and tip a 35.3% upside to $2.07 per share over the next 12 months.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares tipped to climb another 35% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

By the time trading wrapped up, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had gained a pleasing 1.85%. That lifts the index up to 8,534.3 points.

This happy Wednesday for the local markets comes despite a far more bearish morning over on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) couldn't quite stick the landing, dropping 0.18%

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared even worse, falling by 0.84%.

But let's get back to the ASX now and dig into what was going on amongst the various ASX sectors today.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In early afternoon trade on Tuesday, the ASX 200 is up 0.4%, having given back earlier intraday gains of 1.6%.

The gold miners' strong rally is coming off the boil as well, though ASX gold shares are still outpacing the benchmark. At the time of writing, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is up 2.6% after having been up 5.3% in morning trade.

Here's how these ASX 200 gold stocks are performing at this same time:

• Northern Star shares are up 2.0% at $17.55
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are up 4.8% at $138.10
• Evolution Mining shares are up 3.1% at $11.86
• Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are up 3.3% at $3.42
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are up 0.4% at $1.26
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares are up 6.3% at $5.69
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 2.4% at $4.67
• Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) shares are up 2.1% at $3.69
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are up 3.1% at $5.18
• Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are down 1.0% at $1.04

Boom!

With the exception of Ora Banda, here's why the Aussie gold miners are outperforming today.

ASX 200 gold stocks rally on Trump's Iran reprieve

After getting hammered throughout most of March following the outbreak of the Iran war on 28 February, ASX 200 gold stocks like Evolution Mining and Northern Star are rallying today amid hopes that the conflict could end sooner than later.

This comes after United States President Donald Trump extended his 48-hour deadline to begin bombing Iranian power plants if Iran doesn't fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Trump offered a five-day reprieve, saying the US is in talks with Iran. An assertion that Iranian authorities have denied.

As you'll have noticed at the petrol station, the oil price has rocketed since the start of the war, with Iran all but closing the vital shipping route in retaliation.

Indeed, on Friday, Brent crude oil was trading north of US$112 per barrel, according to data from Bloomberg.

But the oil price plunged almost 11% overnight, briefly dipping below US$100 per barrel, and is currently trading at US$102.76 per barrel following Trump's comments.

And should the US succeed in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which carries around 20% of the world's oil shipments, Trump predicted that the oil price would "drop like a rock".

Why is that important for ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star, Newmont, and Evolution Mining?

Mostly because soaring energy costs will rekindle global inflation and, in turn, lead to higher interest rates. And gold, which pays no yield itself, historically struggles in high or rising interest rate environments.

Stay tuned!

The post Why ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Evolution Mining are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Gold stocks enjoyed a bull run through 2025, and this continued into the beginning of this year. 

Since the recent conflict began between Iran, Israel and the United States, many experts tipped gold shares to continue their climb. 

However last week, many ASX gold stocks were heavily sold off. 

It's a stark reminder that investing isn't as straightforward as we would like. 

A quick recap 

Among many others, some notable falls last week for some well-known gold stocks included: 

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) fell more than 24% last week
• Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) fell almost 11%
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) lost 11.5%
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) fell 8.5%
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) fell 5.5% 

Why are gold stocks falling?

As Bernd Struben reported last week, many gold stocks are now coming under pressure from a sizable retreat in global gold prices. 

Gold dropped from about US$5,322 per ounce on 2 March and was hovering around $4,600 per ounce on Friday.

This is a fall of more than 13%. 

Simultaneously, oil prices have surged.

This shift has pushed investors from gold into energy stocks. At the same time RBA cash rate hikes have also created headwinds for gold stocks, which usually performs better in a low rate environment. 

Is there any value?

After such a heavy sell-off last week, investors may be considering buying the dip on some of these gold stocks. 

Amongst those listed above, recent analysis does suggest some offer long-term value. 

It is worth noting that if current conditions persist, there could be further drops in the near-term. 

Firstly, Bell Potter maintains a buy rating on Northern Star Resources shares and a price target of $30.00. 

It's worth noting this target has declined recently from $35.00. 

Despite this, from last week's closing price of $18.50 for Northern Star Resources, the updated target indicates an upside potential of roughly 62%. 

Another stock that may have fallen to a value is Ora Banda Mining. UBS recently placed a $1.60 price target on the gold stock. 

From last week's closing price of $1.18, this indicates an upside potential of more than 35%. 

The broker believes this gold miner has a pathway to producing 200,000 ounces of gold per year by FY29 while maintaining strong free cash flow yields.

The post Should you buy these ASX gold stocks after last week's crash? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX 200 is down 1.6%.

But the gold miners are doing it much tougher today as witnessed by the 7.1% decline in the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD).

Here's how some of the top ASX 200 gold stock are performing at this same time:

• Northern Star shares are down 7.0% at $19.48
• Newmont shares are down 4.9% at $147.69
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are down 7.0% at $12.56
• Ramelius Resources Ltd(ASX: RMS) shares are down 8.7% at $3.69
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are down 9.4% at $1.46
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares are down 9.1% at $5.61
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are down 6.6% at $4.84
• Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) shares are down 8.6% at $4.23
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are down 7.8% at $5.69
• Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are down 9.4% at $1.35

Ouch!

Here's what's got investors reaching for their sell buttons.

ASX 200 gold stocks in the crosshairs

After enjoying a tremendous run through to the beginning of March this year, ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Newmont have come under selling pressure amid a sizeable retrace in the record setting gold price.

On 2 March, gold was trading for US$5,322 per ounce. Today, that same ounce is trading for US$4,834, according to data from Bloomberg. That sees the gold price down more than 9% this month.

This comes as the oil price heads the other direction. Brent crude oil is trading or US$107 per barrel today, up 38% since 2 March.

And it matters for two reasons.

First, this divergence in the two commodity prices is driving a rotation from ASX 200 gold stocks into ASX 200 energy stocks.

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) shares, for example, are up 4.5% today, while rival Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) shares are up 2.8%.

The other reason the gold price – and gold miners like Newmont, Northern Star and Evolution Mining – are taking a steep hit is that fast rising energy prices look likely to fuel inflation.

The Middle East conflict and its impact on global oil prices was cited by Fed officials yesterday when the US central bank opted to keep interest rates on hold. On Tuesday, the RBA also mentioned rising energy costs after it opted to increase interest rates in Australia.

And gold, which pays no yield itself and is priced in US dollars, tends to do better in a low or falling rate environment.

The bigger picture

Longer-term investors in most ASX 200 gold stocks should still be sitting on outsized gains.

Despite today's big retrace, the ASX All Ords Gold Index remains up 55.4% over 12 months.

The post Why are ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Newmont down so much today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After starting strong this morning, the ASX 200 took a brief dip into negative territory in afternoon trading. But investors' feet warmed back up by the time the markets closed, with the index lifting 0.36% to 8,614.3 points.

This happier trading session came after a bullish start to the American trading week in the early hours of this morning.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) rose by an optimistic 0.83%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared even better, gaining a solid 1.22%.

But let's return to the ASX now and take stock of how the various ASX sectors enjoyed (or not) today's renewed sense of optimism.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While the broader market has been volatile recently, some ASX companies now look undervalued relative to their long-term potential. That could create opportunities for investors willing to look beyond short-term market movements.

Here are three ASX shares that could be worth considering right now.

Aristocrat Leisure Ltd (ASX: ALL)

The Aristocrat share price is currently $45.56, down 1.96% today and sitting well below its levels from last year.

Aristocrat is one of the world's leading gaming technology companies. The business supplies slot machines and digital gaming content to casinos across the globe and has also built a growing presence in online gaming.

Despite the recent weakness in the share price, the company's underlying performance remains strong.

Recent broker updates suggest the market may be underestimating the company's long-term growth potential. Macquarie sees a price target of around $63, implying potential upside of roughly 40% from current levels.

If the company continues executing well, Aristocrat could still have plenty of upside left.

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

The Bellevue share price is currently $1.73, up 1.77% today.

Bellevue is a Western Australian gold producer centred around its Bellevue Gold Project. The company has attracted strong investor interest over the past year as it moves toward full-scale production.

Gold producers can benefit during periods of economic uncertainty, as investors often turn to precious metals as a defensive store of value.

Analysts remain optimistic about Bellevue's outlook. Macquarie recently raised its price target by 11% to $2, implying potential upside of roughly 16% from current levels.

If gold prices stay strong and production ramps up as planned, Bellevue could deliver strong growth from here.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles share price is currently $20.47, down 0.10% today.

Coles operates one of Australia's largest supermarket networks and remains a key player in the country's grocery sector. Because food and household essentials are everyday purchases, supermarket businesses tend to be relatively defensive during uncertain economic periods.

The company recently reported its FY26 half-year result, with earnings broadly in line with expectations despite ongoing competition and cost pressures across the retail sector.

Several brokers remain positive on the stock. Analysts currently have an average price target of around $23.03, suggesting potential upside of roughly 12% from current levels.

Coles also offers a dividend yield of around 3.6%, providing investors with reliable income alongside potential share price growth.

Foolish takeaway

While no investment is risk free, these 3 companies operate in industries with strong long-term demand.

Aristocrat is trading well below previous highs, Bellevue is benefiting from elevated gold prices, and Coles offers defensive earnings.

That combination could make these shares worth considering for investors putting $10,000 to work today.

The post The best ASX shares to invest $10,000 in right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In late morning trade on Friday, the Northern Star share price is down 5.7% at $27.69. That sees Northern Star shares down 13.7% since Monday's close.

Evolution Mining shares are down 4.3% at the time of writing, changing hands for $15.05 apiece. This puts the Evolution Mining share price down 14.8% since Monday's close.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 3.2% since the closing bell on Monday.

Here's how these other top ASX 200 gold stocks have performed over this same time:

• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are down 11.5%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd(ASX: RMS) shares are down 10.0%
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are down 11.7%
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares are down 9.0%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are down 8.3%
• Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) shares are down 13.2%
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are down 12.5%
• Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are down 3.2%

Why are ASX 200 gold stocks getting smashed despite gold's haven status?

In times of global uncertainty, investors often turn to gold as a relatively safe store of wealth.

And, indeed, on Monday, the gold price spiked to US$5,322 per ounce following the United States and Israel's military strikes on Iran. This, in turn, saw most ASX 200 gold stocks post outsized gains on Monday.

But over the following days, the gold price went into reverse.

The yellow metal is currently fetching US$5,094 per ounce, down 4.3% over the past four days.

"Gold's sell-off this week is a reminder to investors that even with rising demand for safe havens, the ultimate safe haven asset isn't immune if market forces work against it," Josh Gilbert, market analyst at eToro, said.

One of those market forces is the rapidly changing outlook for the prospect of interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve, the Reserve Bank of Australia, and a host of other prominent central banks.

That's because the sharp spike in oil prices (Brent crude is up 18% this week, trading at US$85.40 per barrel) is likely to fuel inflation worldwide. And gold tends to underperform in high or rising rate environments.

Fewer (or no) further interest rate cuts from the US Fed will also aid the already strengthening US dollar. And with the gold price in US dollars, that throws up additional headwinds for the yellow metal, as well as ASX 200 gold stocks.

According to Gilbert:

We're seeing similarities to what we saw in 2022. When Russia invaded Ukraine, oil prices surged, inflation spiked globally, and the Fed responded by hiking rates aggressively, which strengthened the dollar and sent gold lower for much of that year…

The physical gold market is also facing real disruption. The UAE, one of the world's most important regions for the global gold trade, closed its airspace over the weekend.

There are other forces pressuring the gold price as well.

As we've seen during other market pullbacks, traders have been selling off their gold holdings to meet margin calls, adding more gold supply to the market just as demand is dipping.

"This hints strongly at 'good for bad' activity in markets, where traders need to cover loss-making positions elsewhere by booking profits on their hitherto profitable trades," National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) head of FX strategy Ray Attrill said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review).

Now what?

As for what's ahead for the likes of Northern Star and Evolution Mining, it's worth noting that the vast majority of ASX gold shares are still well into the green over the longer term.

S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains some smaller miners outside of ASX 200 gold stocks – remains up 95.7% since this time last year.

"The structural case for gold hasn't changed," Gilbert said.

He noted:

Central banks have been buying at a historic pace for three consecutive years, concerns around fiscal deficits remain firmly in place, and the geopolitical backdrop is arguably more uncertain now than at any point this year. Gold is still up almost 20% year to date, and with the conflict in the Middle East not seemingly letting up for now, buyers may not be gone for too long.

The post If gold is a safe haven, why are ASX 200 gold stocks like Northern Star and Evolution Mining getting smashed this week? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade on Tuesday, Northern Star shares are up 4.4% to $30.57 each. Evolution Mining shares are close behind, up 4% today at $16.20 apiece.

For some context, the ASX 200 is up 0.2% at this same time while the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains some smaller gold miners outside of the ASX 200 – is up 2.5%.

Here's how these other top ASX 200 gold stocks are performing on Tuesday:

• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are up 0.7%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd(ASX: RMS) shares are up 3.7%
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are up 0.8%
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares are up 1.3%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 1.2%
• Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) shares are up 2.6%
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are up 2.7%
• Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are up 1.3%

Here's what's catching ASX investor interest today.

Why are ASX 200 gold stocks smashing the benchmark today?

Investors are piling into Aussie gold miners like Evolution Mining and Northern Star shares today amid renewed concerns over US President Donald Trump's global tariff plans.

With the US Supreme Court striking down Trump's earlier nation-by-nation tariffs as exceeding his authority, Trump now aims to level a potential 15% tariff on every nation for up to 150 days.

That's played into gold's haven status, with the yellow metal jumping early this morning to US$5,248 per ounce. At the time of writing, gold is fetching US$5,481 per ounce. This sees the gold price up 12.5% from the recent lows on 2 February and up a blistering 80% since this time last year.

And, as you'd expect, with higher gold prices, ASX 200 gold stocks tend to deliver juicier profits, which is driving investor interest in Aussie miners today.

What the experts are saying about the gold price

Commenting on the resurgent gold price that's sending Northern Star and Evolution Mining shares soaring today, Bloomberg markets strategist Mark Cranfield said:

Gold's strength amid a lower positioning from hedge funds shows that there's further position upside. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission data shows that the net-long position for gold futures have fallen to the lowest level in nearly a year.

Vasu Menon, strategist at Oversea-Chinese Banking Corp, also has a bullish medium-term outlook for the gold price. But he cautioned about short-term volatility, which could also see some price swings in ASX 200 gold stocks.

According to Menon:

There are enough structural factors in favour of gold in the medium term. In the short term, however, expect gold prices to be volatile after the sharp gains in recent months given still-unfolding developments with US trade policy, and the situation in Iran.

The post Why are ASX 200 gold stocks like Evolution Mining and Northern Star shares going gangbusters on Tuesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL)

AGL shares have rocketed higher today, up 9.32% to $9.68 at the time of writing. The gas and electricity provider's shares have been pushed higher by the company's solid first-half result, posted this morning.

AGL reported flat underlying EBITDA and a 6% decline in underlying net profit after tax. Investors were most excited by the company's revised FY26 guidance figures. AGL now expects full-year underlying EBITDA of $2.02 billion to $2.18 billion. Previously, the range was $1.92 billion to $2.22 billion.

Its underlying net profit guidance was also tightened to $580 million to $680 million, from a much wider range of $500 million to $700 million.

Analysts expect a lot more from the ASX 200 energy shares this year. Data shows 7 out of 9 analysts have a buy or strong buy rating and a maximum target price of $12.72. After today's price surge, it now implies a 31.92% upside at the time of writing.

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

The ASX 200 gold company's shares are 5.56% higher today, at $1.84 a piece. There has been no price-sensitive news out of the company today, so the latest uptick is likely off the back of renewed interest in gold stocks as the sector gains momentum. 

The gold producer released its quarterly results last month, announcing a 10% quarter-on-quarter increase in gold production and confirming FY26 production guidance of 130,000 to 150,000 ounces of gold.

The majority of analysts have a strong buy rating on the stock with a target price of $2.60. That implies a 40.54% upside at the time of writing.

Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE)

Eagers shares are 0.96% higher at the time of writing today, at $26.18 a piece. For the year to date, the ASX 200 auto retailers' shares are 6.21% higher, and they're up a whopping 106.96% for the year.

The company has a diversified earnings base and operates the majority of BYD dealerships in Australia. This gives it exposure to the rapidly expanding EV sector. It also announced acquisition of a 65% stake in Canada's largest auto dealerships late last year.

Analysts think there is more upside to come, too. Half of analysts have a buy or strong buy rating, and the maximum target price is $35.90 a piece. That implies a 36.97% upside at the time of writing.

The post These 3 ASX 200 shares could climb 30% (or higher) in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Bellevue Gold shares closed yesterday trading for $1.695. During the Tuesday lunch hour, shares are changing hands for $1.755 apiece, up 3.5%. That gives the miner a market cap of $2.6 billion.

For some context, the ASX 200 is down 0.5% at this same time.

Today's outperformance is nothing new for the ASX 200 gold stock.

Fuelled by a recent series of mining successes and a surging gold price (currently US$4,666 per ounce), the Bellevue share price is up 92.5% over the past six months, racing ahead of the 1.9% six-month gains posted by the benchmark index.

Here's what's piquing investor interest again today.

ASX 200 gold stock leaps on quarterly results

The Bellevue Gold share price is jumping higher following the release of the company's December quarterly update.

The ASX 200 gold stock reported quarterly gold production of 32,031ounces, up 10% quarter on quarter, with gold poured of 31,656 ounces.

The three months saw Bellevue sell 31,905 ounces of gold, up 7.4% from the December quarter. The company achieved an average realised price of AU$4,292 per ounce.

Investors will also have noted the falling sustained costs. Bellevue Gold reported an all-in sustaining cost (AISC) for the quarter of AU$2,989 per ounce, down 9.2% quarter on quarter. Pleasingly, management expects AISC to reduce further through the second half in line with Bellevue's full-year FY 2026 guidance.

In other notable achievements, the ASX 200 gold stock said that its gold recovery during the quarter remained at record highs, averaging 96.1%. This continues to outperform the recovery assumptions management used in setting guidance.

The miner reaffirmed its FY 2026 production guidance of 130,000 ounces to 150,000 ounces of gold and AISC guidance of AU$2,600 to AU$2,900 per ounce.

Turning to the balance sheet, as at 31 December, Bellevue Gold had $165 million of cash and gold on hand and a debt of $100 million.

What did management say?

Commenting on the quarterly results helping lift the ASX 200 gold stock today, Bellevue Gold managing director Darren Stralow said, "As expected the quarter was a continuation on the journey of increasing production through FY26 with grades continuing to increase and record ore tonnes mined."

Stralow added:

This trend ensures we are on track to meet FY26 guidance, with second-half production to reflect our move into higher-grade areas of the mine. At the same time, we are reducing the hedge book ahead of schedule, paving the way for increased margins and free cashflow.

The post Why this $2.6 billion ASX 200 gold stock is leaping higher again on Tuesday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have not let that hold them back today are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

The Bellevue Gold share price is up 3% to $1.75. Investors have been buying this gold miner's shares following the release of its quarterly update. The company reported a 10% increase in quarterly gold production to 32,031 ounces with gold poured of 31,656 ounces. Bellevue Gold also revealed that its gold sold totalled 31,905 ounces at an average realised price of A$4,292 per ounce. This was achieved with a project all-in sustaining cost (AISC) reducing to A$2,989/oz. Management expects its AISC to reduce further through the second half in line with its FY 2026 guidance.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO)

The DroneShield share price is up 5% to $4.79. This is despite there being no news out of the counter-drone technology company. However, with tensions rising in Europe in relation to the Donald Trump's bid to take over Greenland, investors may believe that demand for counter-drone technology could increase. In other news, last week, DroneShield was selected as a supplier for the Australian Department of Defence's Project LAND 156's Line of Effort 3. This will support the Defence's strategy to address evolving threats posed by small drones in domestic security.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

The Hub24 share price is up 4% to $102.49. This follows the release of its second quarter update this morning. The investment platform provider revealed record net inflows of $5.6 billion. This helped lift total funds under administration (FUA) to a new high of $152.3 billion at the end of December. The company stated: "Strong momentum in 1HFY26 reflects continued opportunities for growth driven by ongoing demand for professional advice in addition to industry transformation. HUB24 remains committed to investing to deliver our strategy to capitalise on these opportunities and further enhance our market leading proposition."

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is up 3% to $11.64. This has been driven by positive news out of China. The radiopharmaceuticals company revealed that Chinese regulators have accepted the New Drug Application for its lead imaging agent for prostate cancer, Illuccix. It advised that the pivotal phase 3 study in China reported a positive predictive value of 94.8%. It also showed a change in treatment for over two-thirds of patients. Telix's CEO of Precision Medicine, Kevin Richardson, said: "Geographic expansion is core to the growth strategy for our precision medicine business, and China represents a strategically important market for Telix."

The post Why Bellevue Gold, DroneShield, Hub24, and Telix shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The post Here are the top 10 ASX 200 shares today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The analyst team at RBC said gold's 13% or so increase over the second half of the financial year had driven strong equity returns.

They went on to say:

While valuations are no longer as cheap, they remain acceptable relative to gold's strength. We maintain our original FY26 investment framework and continue to favour miners delivering meaningful near-term production growth.

A key theme over the second quarter of the year just finished, they said, would be the fact that some gold miners would be moving to a tax-paying position as accrued losses were used up.

They flagged Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN), Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS), and Westgold Resources (ASX: WGX) as falling into this category.

They went on to say:

Balance sheets across our coverage remain in strong net cash positions, well-positioned to self-fund growth commitments. We cautiously favour investments in growth over operational/valuation safety. Gold's price strength has unlocked previously dormant in-ground value, and we believe now is the time to realise this latent value as potential projects.

Best of a good bunch

The companies RBC has an outperform rating on are Westgold, Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL), Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU), and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL).

On Westgold, RBC expects the company to deliver production for the quarter of 93,000 ounces of gold at a cost of $2824 per ounce, which is ahead of consensus estimates of 90,000 ounces.

The RBC team said any second-quarter weakness should be considered against the company's strong three-year production growth, and a pathway to producing 500,000 ounces of gold per year beyond FY28 at a cost of less than $2500 per ounce.

Regarding Bellevue Gold, which has already released its second quarter result, RBC said higher production was expected in the second half and, "Continuation of higher recoveries … over the financial year presents upside to our forecasts''.

Vault Minerals, the RBC report says, is expected to report 92,000 ounces of gold produced during the quarter, in line with consensus estimates.

This will have been the company's last hedged quarter, RBC says, and future earnings growth will come from the hedge book "rolling off".

Regis has also already released its second-quarter results, and RBC said it expected high free cash flow yields from the company for the 2026 and 2027 financial years.

The post Broker picks 'winners amongst winners' in the gold sector appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

And I think the top Aussie gold miners are well-placed to deliver another year of strong outperformance in 2026.

We'll take a look at what the year ahead may bring in a tick.

But first…

What's been sending ASX 200 gold shares rocketing?

Atop their own mining and exploration successes, the big Aussie gold stocks have enjoyed strong tailwinds from a rocketing gold price.

On Thursday, gold was trading near its all-time highs at US$4,627 per ounce. This sees the gold price is up a whopping 72% over the last 12 months.

Over those 12 months, the ASX 200 has gained 7.7%.

Here's how these leading ASX 200 gold shares have performed over this period as at market close yesterday:

• Newmont shares are up 161.4%
• Northern Star shares are up 57.6%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are up 105.4%
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are up 142.7%
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are up 53.4%
• Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD) shares are up 168.1%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 117.3%
• Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU) shares are up 155.4%
• Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are up151.7%
• Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are up 108.1%

Why Newmont and Northern Star shares can outshine again in 2026

You're unlikely to find any investors complaining about the past 12 months performance delivered by the above gold miners.

And amid growing analyst consensus that gold's bull run is far from over, I think ASX 200 gold shares including Evolution Mining, Northern Star and Newmont should deliver another year of outsized gains in 2026.

"Unlike [surging] equity indices or AI stocks … the dynamics driving the gold price are driven by fear, not greed," Webull Securities Australia CEO Rob Talevski said.

According to Talevski:

This fear and greed dichotomy characterises the nature of financial market dynamics today: private investors are chasing returns fuelled by favourable US politics for capital markets, driving the top end of equity indices to new highs; at the same time, central banks as well as global macro investors are expanding allocations to gold, given the potential fallout associated with a breakdown between Wall Street and Main Street, as well as central bank independence.

Talevski concluded, "The global-uncertainty dynamics that prompted these trends toward the end of 2025 have only risen in 2026, creating a perfect storm for ongoing gold demand."

And he's far from alone on his bullish assessment on the gold price outlook.

Sebastian Mullins, head of multi-asset and fixed income at Schroders, noted (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

Gold is benefiting from continued worries over currency debasement along with rising geopolitical risk. In the US, Trump continues to pressure the Federal Reserve … at the same time, geopolitical uncertainty in both Venezuela and now Iran are causing further demand for the safe haven.

And in what would be welcome news for ASX 200 gold shares, the analysts at Global X expect the gold price will top US$5,000 per ounce in 2026.

According to Global X investment strategist Justin Lin:

We see gold as one of the most attractive investments of 2026. The key drivers of gold's strength are still in play. Central banks are set to continue purchasing gold, geopolitical risks remain elevated, and activity in exchange-traded funds is strong.

The post Why I think ASX 200 gold shares like Newmont and Northern Star will keep surging higher in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In early afternoon trade today, Bellevue Gold shares are up 1.5%, changing hands for $1.70 apiece. That sees the Bellevue Gold share price up an impressive 59.9% since this time last year, racing ahead of the 4.2% gains posted by the ASX 200 over this same time.

But with the gold price having rocketed 68% over 12 months, currently trading for US$4,454 per ounce, investors in the Aussie gold miner have watched many of Bellevue's rivals post far juicier gains.

Indeed, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains some smaller miners outside of ASX 200 gold stocks – is up a blistering 114.7% over the past full year.

However, 2026 could prove to be a different story for Bellevue Gold.

Why 2026 could see Bellevue Gold shares outshine

According to Acorn Capital's Rick Squire, 2026 is shaping up to potentially be a much more profitable year for shareholders in the ASX 200 gold stock (courtesy of The Australian Financial Review).

"Bellevue Gold is an emerging gold producer but struggled in 2025 during the start-up of its high-grade underground operation," Squire said.

"Now they have raised more money and lowered guidance, Bellevue has the potential to be hedge and debt free by late 2026," Squire added. "If this is achieved, the company could experience a major re-rate."

What's the latest from the ASX 200 gold stock?

Bellevue Gold released its preliminary December quarterly update yesterday.

Shares in the ASX 200 gold stock closed down 6.4% on the day, after the miner reported delays in access to high-grade headings in production at its Deacon and Viago mine areas in the last week of December. This followed a safety incident at the site.

Underground development resumed on 4 January, and Bellevue Gold reported the high-grade tonnes will now be processed in January.

On the cash flow front, Bellevue Gold reported free quarterly cash flow (before voluntary future hedge book pre-deliveries but including the 4,700 ounces of gold of December 2025 quarter contracted hedge book deliveries) of $62 million. That's up from $33 million in the September 2025 quarter.

As for the hedge-free potential Acorn Capital's Squire mentioned above, the ASX 200 gold stock noted, "Bellevue continued pre-delivering gold and reducing near term hedge book commitments, which will increase future spot gold price exposure."

The post Why this ASX 200 gold stock is tipped for a 'major re-rate' in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)

The Bellevue Gold share price is down 7% to $1.67. This follows the release of a production update from the gold miner this morning. Bellevue Gold revealed that underground development was suspended in the last week of December due to a safety incident involving the management of misfires in an active development face. It advised that the development activity did not resume until a detailed assessment was completed, delaying access to high-grade headings which were in production in the Deacon and Viago mine areas. The good news is that underground development resumed on 4 January, at which time access to the high-grade headings was regained.

Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd (ASX: HVN)

The Harvey Norman share price is down 4.5% to $6.59. This has been driven by a broker note out of Jefferies. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the retail giant's shares to a hold rating with a reduced price target of $7.60. This still implies potential upside of 15% for investors over the next 12 months.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is down 3.5% to $1.45. This may have been caused by a pullback in oil prices overnight. Traders were selling oil in response to lower demand forecasts and Venezuelan output uncertainty. It isn't just Karoon Energy that is falling today. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is down 2.1% at the time of writing.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

The Westpac share price is down 1% to $37.77. Investors have been selling the banks this week, possibly on valuation concerns. Morgan Stanley has warned that the big four banks could derate over 2026 against a backdrop of persistent inflation and potential interest rate hikes. The broker highlights that bank shares are trading on elevated price to earnings multiples. It points out that Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) shares trade at 25x earnings at present. However, it thinks trading conditions in 2026 could see bank share premiums unwind.

The post Why Bellevue Gold, Harvey Norman, Karoon Energy, and Westpac shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.