This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) remains the most shorted ASX share after its short interest rose to 15.4%. This pizza chain operator is undertaking a turnaround strategy and short sellers don't appear confident it will succeed.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 13.9%, which is down since last week. Short sellers may be betting against this radiopharmaceuticals company successfully getting its products approved by the US FDA.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.8%, which is up week on week. Short sellers aren't giving up on this quick service restaurant operator despite its shares rocketing this month after reporting a big improvement in its performance.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has 13.7% of its shares held short, which is down since last week. Short sellers seem to think this medical device company's shares are overvalued. However, both Bell Potter and Morgans believe they could rise approximately 80%.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise to 13%. This is likely to have been driven by concerns that the wine giant will continue to struggle with consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 12.9%, which is up week on week. Short sellers appear to believe that travel demand could be impacted by the Middle East conflict.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has 12.7% of its shares held short, which is up since last week. This counter drone technology company recently announced the sudden exit of its CEO and chair. This disruption and valuation concerns could be weighing on sentiment.
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has short interest of 12.5%. Unfortunately for short sellers, this buy now pay later provider impressed the market with its quarterly update last week.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 11.5%, which is down since last week. This uranium miner's production outlook is uncertain beyond 2026. Short sellers appear to be betting on production falling more than the market is predicting.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11%. It is another uranium producer that short sellers are targeting.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

One popular share in the space is Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE). But is it an ASX share to buy now for uranium exposure?

Let's see what Bell Potter is saying about the uranium producer following its production update this week.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter notes that Boss Energy has downgraded its production guidance for FY 2026 due to several rain events. It said:

BOE have reduced its production guidance of 1.6Mlbs for FY26 to 1.4-1.45Mlbs (drummed). The downgrade is in relation to several rain events which impacted site access (and importantly reagent deliveries) in March 2026.

Costs remain within guidance of C1 A$36- 40/lb and AISC A$60-64/lb, however, are likely to track to the upper end of the range. The rainfall event also impacted construction of NIMCIX column 4, however BOE are targeting the completion of 4 & 5 by the end of FY26. Transportation and deliveries to site have now resumed.

Reading between the lines, the broker remains optimistic that a major upcoming potential share price catalyst is still in play. It explains:

The downgrade represents a 24-15% revision on production for the 3Q (assuming 4Q production was 490-520klbs).and a 9.3-12.5% downgrade on FY26 guidance. We suspect that the quarter was impacted by more than weather, with previously flagged decline in leach tenors, however it is difficult to tell. The reagent disruption has resulted in the drop in pH in the IX columns, which will take some time to restabilize, hence the flow on impacts through to 4QFY26.

There appears to be no slippage in the timeline for results of the upcoming wide-spaced drill pattern test work, which is due for release around June. This is the key, near-term catalyst for the story, with success or failure beyond 1.6Mlbpa processing rates resting on the result. On a recent site visit we were pleased to hear examples of ~100m spacings being utilized in Kazakhstan.

Should you buy Boss Energy shares?

According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating on Boss Energy shares with a trimmed price target of $1.80 (from $1.95).

Based on its current share price of $1.57, this implies potential upside of almost 15% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its buy recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We continue to see the market positioning for a negative outcome in the upcoming wide-spaced wellfield program, creating an asymmetric risk opportunity in our opinion. Adding to this thesis, the continued increase in uranium prices (Spot US$88/lb or A$124/lb and Term US$89/lb A$125/lb), increases near-term margins and cashflow, further bolstering the balance sheet.

The post Should you buy Boss Energy shares for uranium exposure? 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:

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is down 11% to $1.54. Investors have been selling the uranium producer's shares after it downgraded its guidance. Boss Energy now expects FY 2026 production for the Honeymoon operation to be between 1.40 million and 1.45 million pounds of U3O8. This is down from previous guidance of 1.6 million pounds. The company's managing director, Matthew Dusci, said: "We recognise this downgrade is disappointing, particularly after maintaining guidance as recently as March. At that time, our expectation was that site access and reagent deliveries would normalise during the month. Subsequent unexpected rainfall, combined with the degraded baseline condition of access roads, extended disruption materially beyond that assumption. This has impacted both production and the timing of commissioning critical infrastructure during ramp-up."

Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

The Telix Pharmaceuticals share price is down 6% to $14.50. This has been driven by news that the radiopharmaceuticals company is raising US$600 million through a convertible bonds offering. The bonds are expected to carry a relatively low coupon of between 1.50% and 1.75% and will be issued with a conversion price of US$13.85 (~A$19.55). This is a premium of approximately 37.5% to the current share price. Telix's managing director and group CEO, Dr. Christian Behrenbruch, said: "The successful completion of the convertible bonds refinance is in line with our capital management strategy and provides financial flexibility for Telix. We are pleased with the support we have received from both existing and new investors as part of the concurrent repurchase and new issue of convertible bonds."

Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS)

The Woodside Energy share price is down 2.5% to $33.13. Investors have been selling the energy producer's shares today in response to reports that the US and Iran have re-entered peace talks. This caused oil prices to tumble overnight. It isn't just Woodside shares that are falling. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy index is down 2% at the time of writing.

Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL)

The Yancoal Australia share price is down 2.5% to $7.06. This is despite the coal miner announcing a major acquisition today. Yancoal revealed that it has agreed to acquire an 80% interest in the Kestrel coal mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin for up to US$2.4 billion. This includes an upfront payment of US$1.85 billion, as well as contingent payments of up to US$550 million that are linked to future coal prices.

The post Why Boss Energy, Telix, Woodside, and Yancoal shares are falling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the ASX 300 uranium stock is down almost 14% to $1.49.

Why are Boss Energy shares crashing?

The company's shares are under pressure following the release of a production update that included a downgrade to its FY 2026 guidance.

According to the release, Boss Energy has reduced its FY 2026 production guidance for the Honeymoon operation to between 1.40 million and 1.45 million pounds of U3O8. This is down from previous guidance of 1.6 million pounds.

Management advised that the downgrade is largely due to ongoing disruptions caused by heavy rainfall.

Boss Energy had previously flagged that rain impacted third quarter production by restricting site access and limiting the delivery of key materials. However, further unexpected rainfall during March extended these disruptions beyond initial expectations.

As a result, production for the third quarter came in at just 203,000 pounds of U3O8. This is below the previously guided range of 240,000 to 270,000 pounds.

Looking ahead, fourth quarter production is now expected to be between 356,000 and 406,000 pounds, which is also below earlier expectations.

Infrastructure delays add to pressure

In addition to weather-related issues, Boss Energy experienced delays in commissioning key infrastructure.

This includes components required to support the ramp-up in production, such as NIMCIX columns and associated pumping systems, as well as the completion of wellfield infrastructure.

These delays, combined with restricted site access, have contributed to the lower production outlook.

Costs remain unchanged

One positive is that despite the downgrade to production, the company has maintained its cost guidance.

Boss Energy expects FY 2026 C1 costs to remain in the range of $36 to $40 per pound, and all-in sustaining costs between $60 and $64 per pound.

However, management noted that costs are now expected to come in toward the upper end of these ranges due to factors such as higher fuel and transport expenses.

Commenting on the update, Boss Energy's managing director, Matthew Dusci, said:

We recognise this downgrade is disappointing, particularly after maintaining guidance as recently as March. At that time, our expectation was that site access and reagent deliveries would normalise during the month. Subsequent unexpected rainfall, combined with the degraded baseline condition of access roads, extended disruption materially beyond that assumption. This has impacted both production and the timing of commissioning critical infrastructure during ramp-up.

While weather-related access constraints were a key factor, delays to certain infrastructure, mainly associated with the commissioning of the additional PLS and BLS pumps, have also contributed to the revised production outcome and guidance for FY26.

Despite this setback, Dusci remains positive on its outlook. He concludes:

These events have impacted performance in the short-term, however we anticipate rebounding to a normalised FY26 production run rate over the course of Q4 FY26. Our immediate focus is restoring targeted lixiviant chemistry, completing commissioning of additional capacity, and exiting FY26 with the operation better positioned for FY27.

The post Why are Boss Energy shares crashing 14% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are rising more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are racing higher:

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is up almost 8% to $1.73. This is despite there being no news out of the uranium producer today. However, it is worth noting that most uranium stocks are rallying today. And with short sellers having a high level of interest in Boss Energy shares, some could be buying shares to close positions.

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

The Macquarie share price is up almost 4% to $232.24. This appears to have been driven by a bullish broker note out of Morgan Stanley this morning. According to the note, the broker has upgraded the investment bank's shares to an overweight rating with an improved price target of $270. The broker believes that Macquarie is well-placed to benefit from volatility in commodity markets. And while it concedes that its shares are not cheap, it still sees potential for a meaningful re-rating thanks to its positive earnings growth outlook. Morgan Stanley's price target implies potential upside of 16% over the next 12 months.

Nova Minerals Ltd (ASX: NVA)

The Nova Minerals share price is up almost 10% to 75.2 cents. Investors have been buying this gold explorer's shares following the release of drilling results from its flagship Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project, which is located in the prolific Tintina Gold Belt in Alaska. Management stated: "The 2025 surface sampling at Portage Pass has outlined a broad gold anomaly just over the ridge from the established Korbel deposit. The proximity to existing resources and proposed infrastructure makes Portage Pass particularly compelling. These early results reinforce our belief that the greater Estelle district continues to deliver new opportunities with real upside potential."

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC)

The WiseTech Global share price is up 6% to $39.38. The catalyst for this has been a strong night of trade on Wall Street's Nasdaq index for software stocks. WiseTech isn't alone with its rise today. Most tech stocks are rising today. This has led to the S&P/ASX All Technology Index is up 2.55% at the time of writing.

The post Why Boss Energy, Macquarie, Nova Minerals, and WiseTech shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) continues to be the most shorted ASX share after its short interest remained flat at 15.3%. Short sellers appear to have doubts that the pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy will succeed.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.6%, which is up since last week. Unfortunately for short sellers, this radiopharmaceuticals company's shares stormed higher last week after the US FDA accepted its NDA for Pixclara
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has 14% of its shares held short, which is down since last week. This high level of short interest may be due to valuation concerns. The medical device company's shares are trading on high earnings multiples.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.7%, which is down week on week. Unfortunately for short sellers, this quick service restaurant operator's shares rocketed last week after it reported a big improvement in its performance.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise to 12.5%. This wine giant is struggling due to consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 12%, which is up slightly week on week. Short sellers may believe that travel demand could be impacted by the Middle East conflict.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 11.7%, which is down since last week. This uranium miner's production outlook beyond 2026 is uncertain and attracting short sellers.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has short interest of 11.6%, which is down slightly since last week. This infection prevention technology company's recent performance has been disappointing. Short sellers don't appear confident a change is coming.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has 11.5% of its shares held short, which is up since last week. Last week, this counter drone technology company announced the sudden exit of its CEO and chair.
• Zip Co Ltd (ASX: ZIP) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.2%. Later this week, the buy now pay later provider will be releasing its third-quarter update. Short sellers appear to believe it could disappoint.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) continues its run as the most shorted ASX share after its short interest rose slightly to 15.3%. It seems that short sellers are betting against the pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.3%, which is down slightly since last week. This radiopharmaceuticals company failed to gain FDA approval for a couple of its therapies last year. Short sellers don't appear confident that 2026 will be any better despite a recent resubmission.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has short interest of 14.2%, which is flat since last week. This may be due to valuation concerns with the medical device company's shares trading on high earnings multiples.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 14.1%, which is up week on week. This quick service restaurant operator's shares have fallen heavily over the past 12 months due to their premium valuation and concerns that its US expansion could be a failure. The US was supposed to be its largest growth opportunity.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 12.1%, which is up again since last week. There are major concerns over this uranium miner's production outlook beyond 2026.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest fall again to 11.6%. This wine giant is battling consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption. Short sellers appear to believe it will get worse before it gets better.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.8%. This infection prevention technology company's performance has underwhelmed in recent times. It seems that short sellers aren't confident a change is coming.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 11.8%, which is up week on week again. Short sellers have been loading up on the travel agent's shares since the Middle East conflict. There are concerns it could have a negative impact on travel markets.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has 11.4% of its shares held short, which is up since last week. Short sellers appear to think this counter drone technology company's shares are overvalued after surging over the past 12 months.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has short interest of 10.2%. This uranium producer is one of a number of stocks in the industry being targeted by short sellers, with several sitting just outside the top ten.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because the team at Bell Potter believes this ASX penny stock could rocket significantly higher over the next 12 months if everything goes to plan.

Which ASX uranium stock?

The stock that Bell Potter is tipping as a speculative buy is Alligator Energy Ltd (ASX: AGE).

It is an exploration and development company with a focus on the Samphire uranium project, which is southeast of Whyalla in South Australia.

Bell Potter notes that the ASX uranium stock conducted a scoping study in 2023 confirming amenability for in-situ-recovery (ISR) mining similar to that utilised by Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) at Honeymoon. Samphire has a targeted initial project of ~1.2Mlbspa U3O8 production over a 12-year mine life.

Bell Potter recently visited the Samphire uranium project and was pleased with what it saw. It said:

We attended a site visit to the Samphire Uranium project, southeast of Whyalla,which is in the process of conducting a Field Recovery Trial (FRT). The FRT aims to de-risk technical aspects of Samphire and provide data into the upcoming Bankable Feasibility study (BFS). The FRT is being conducted across two wellfields (A & B), with differing grade and permeability characteristics to provide a representative sample of expected operations.

The broker highlights that there is now a pathway to approvals and ultimately production. It adds:

The data collected in the FRT will be utilised in the upcoming BFS (1HCY27), alongside additional drilling being conducted at Samphire, aimed at increasing resource confidence and expanding the Mineral Resource Estimate. AGE obtained a Retention Lease (RL) to conduct the FRT, which laid out a pathway towards an eventual Mining lease (ML) application.

The team believes this process helped to build on community and stakeholder engagement, identify the key environmental risks and commence collection of environmental baseline studies. With this knowledge in process they believe the regulatory approvals process may be streamlined.

Big potential returns from this ASX penny stock

According to the note, Bell Potter has retained its speculative buy rating on the ASX penny stock with a 7 cents price target.

Based on its current share price of 3.7 cents, this implies potential upside of almost 90% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the company and its recommendation, Bell Potter said:

We maintain our Speculative Buy recommendation and $0.07/sh valuation for AGE. Samphire is being de-risked through to an eventual Final Investment Decision, which could see first production towards the end of the decade. We model Samphire as a standalone 1.2Mlbpa producer, with optionality from additional Resource discovery providing an upside scenario to our production base case or extending the ~12 year life of Mine.

The post Bell Potter says this ASX penny stock could rocket 90% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) remains the most shorted ASX share despite its short interest easing to 15.2%. Short sellers appear to be doubting that the struggling pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy will succeed.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.5%, which is down since last week. This radiopharmaceuticals company has faced delays gaining FDA approval for a couple of its therapies recently. Short sellers don't appear to believe a change is coming in 2026.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has short interest of 14.2%, which is up again since last week. This may have been driven by valuation concerns with the medical device company's shares trading on high multiples.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.8%, which is up week on week. This burrito seller's shares have been under significant pressure since the release of its results last month which revealed that it is struggling in the United States market. This was supposed to be its largest growth opportunity.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 12%, which is up since last week. There are concerns over this uranium miner's production outlook beyond 2026.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest fall meaningfully to 11.9%. It has been a tough period for this wine giant, which is battling consumer spending pressures and distributor disruption.
• Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX: LOT) has entered the top ten with short interest of 11.1%. It is one of a number of ASX uranium stocks being targeted by short sellers.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 10.9%, which is up week on week again. Short sellers may believe the Middle East conflict will impact travel markets.
• DroneShield Ltd (ASX: DRO) has entered the top ten with 10.8% of its shares held short. Short sellers may believe this counter-drone technology company's shares are overvalued after surging over the past 12 months.
• IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) has 10.2% of its shares held short, which is down week on week once again. Short sellers have been targeting this student placement and language testing company due to changes to visa rules in key markets.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's because fuel is both a major cost and key input for mining operations across the country.

Bell Potter has been looking at this and has earmarked a number of ASX mining stocks that are better placed than others in the current environment.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter highlights that diesel prices have been rising in response to the conflict in the Middle East. It said:

The Middle East conflict and associated rally in oil prices, flows almost directly through to higher costs for much of the mining sector. The sector may also have to manage scarcity of diesel supply, which could impact production volumes. These risks are particularly apparent for large-scale open pit operations relying heavily on diesel powered trucking fleets. Many mining and exploration projects are also reliant on diesel gensets to power plant and associated infrastructure.

Which ASX mining stocks should you buy?

There are a number of stocks under the broker's research coverage which are less exposed to these diesel price and supply risks.

The first is uranium producer Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE), which has been named as a buy with a $1.95 price target. It said:

The Honeymoon project draws power directly from the grid (connected to Broken Hill). In-situ-recovery operations by nature do not require high-diesel consuming truck and shovel fleet typically seen in open-pit operations. The only exposure is via 3rd party site deliveries for reagents.

Another ASX mining stock to get the thumbs up is Liontown Ltd (ASX: LTR). Bell Potter has a buy rating and $2.42 price target on the lithium miner's shares. It commented:

The Kathleen Valley underground lithium operation achieved 82% renewable energy penetration in 1H FY26. Lithium is likely to benefit from the increased incentive to Electric Vehicle take-up and Battery Energy Storage Systems emerging role in providing grid stability.

Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) could be another stock to consider. Bell Potter has a buy rating and $1.45 price target on its shares. It said:

Insulated from oil price shock and security of supply issues due to Indonesia's near-self-sufficient diesel supply and a subsidised domestic fuel market. Process plant power supply secure, via on-site coal-fired power utilising abundant domestic coal. NIC is exposed to cost and supply risks of elemental sulphur, which is used to produce acid for High-Pressure-Acid-Leaching (HPAL) of nickel – a key growth area for NIC in CY26. NIC is highly leveraged to the nickel price, a first derivative beneficiary of higher EV demand.

Lastly, it notes that Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL) is well-positioned due to its geothermal electricity generation. It has a speculative buy rating and $6.10 price target on its shares. It said:

Phase One Lionheart lithium brine project (first production 2028) is vertically integrated from geothermal electricity generation and heat supply through to electrolysis production of lithium hydroxide. Like LTR, we expect VUL will benefit from stronger lithium markets.

The post 4 of the best ASX mining stocks to buy in the current environment appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Will the market be able to bounce back from this on Tuesday? Here are five things to watch:

ASX 200 set to rebound

The Australian share market looks set for a good session on Tuesday following a positive start to the week in the US. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 159 points or 1.9% higher. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 1.5%, the S&P 500 is up 1.25%, and the Nasdaq is 1.5% higher.

Oil prices crash

It could be a difficult session for ASX 200 energy shares Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices crashed overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 10.3% to US$88.18 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 11.6% to US$99.14 a barrel. This was driven by news that Donald Trump has paused strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure for five days.

BHP and Rio Tinto shares to rebound

It looks set to be a good session for BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO) shares on Tuesday. Both miners' NYSE listed shares are charging higher on Monday night and up 4.5% and 3.5%, respectively. Improving investor sentiment and a strong rebound in the copper price overnight appear to be behind this.

Gold price sinks

ASX 200 gold shares including Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) could have a poor session on Tuesday after the gold price sank overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 3.6% to US$4,410.7 an ounce. Inflation fears have been weighing on the precious metal.

Boss Energy named as a buy

The team at Bell Potter has named Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) shares as a buy. In response to concerns over high diesel prices impacting mining margins, the broker highlights that the uranium miner's project is powered by the grid. It said: "The Honeymoon project draws power directly from the grid (connected to Broken Hill). In-situ-recovery operations by nature do not require high-diesel consuming truck and shovel fleet typically seen in open-pit operations. The only exposure is via 3rd party site deliveries for reagents." It has put a buy rating and $1.95 price target on the ASX 200 share.

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

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) continues to be the most shorted ASX share with short interest of 16%. This is up week on week. Short sellers appear doubtful that the struggling pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy will be a success.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 15.3%, which is up again since last week. This radiopharmaceuticals company has been struggling with FDA approvals. It seems that short sellers don't believe regulators will be approving its therapies any time soon.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise again to 15.1%. This wine giant has been battling very tough trading conditions, with consumers focusing on value rather than its premium wines.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.4%, which is down week on week. This may be due to the burrito seller struggling the United States market, which was supposed to be its largest growth opportunity.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has short interest of 13.3%, which is up again since last week. This medical device company's shares trade with a premium valuation.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has 11.7% of its shares held short, which is up week on week again. This infection prevention company's performance has been underwhelming in FY 2026, with profit before tax falling 3% during the first half.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 11.2%, which is down since last week. Short sellers continue to close positions in the uranium producer, which was the most shorted ASX share for much of 2025.
• IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) has 10.7% of its shares held short, which is down week on week again. Short sellers have been targeting this student placement and language testing company due to unfavourable changes to visa rules in key markets.
• Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) has short interest of 10.5%, which is flat week on week. This is likely due to valuation concerns after the rare earths producer's shares rocketed over the past 12 months.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 10.3%, which is up week on week. There are concerns that the travel agent won't deliver on its revenue margin targets, especially given how the war in the Middle East could impact travel markets.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the ASX uranium stock is down 4.5% to $1.56.

Why are Boss Energy shares falling today?

The company's shares are falling today after a market selloff offset the release of a positive announcement relating to its Gould's Dam and Jason's Deposit satellite uranium deposits near the Honeymoon operation.

According to the release, Boss Energy has updated the mineral resource estimate for Gould's Dam to 38.7Mt at 388ppm U3O8 for 33.1Mlbs of contained U3O8. This represents a 30% increase in total contained uranium from the previous estimate.

The company also updated the mineral resource estimate for Jason's Deposit to 13.3Mt at 410ppm U3O8 for 12.0Mlbs of uranium. That is up 9% from the previous estimate.

Development pathway advancing

Boss advised that the development pathway for both deposits has accelerated over the past six months, with baseline and technical studies for permitting applications being advanced.

The company is targeting the commencement of state and federal approvals processes in the second half of calendar year 2026.

However, Boss added that the timeframe from initial applications to the granting of a mining lease is expected to take up to 18 to 24 months, followed by a further six to 12 months for Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation approval.

So, if everything goes to plan, it will still be some time before these deposits contribute to the Honeymoon project.

Boss Energy's managing director, Matthew Dusci, was pleased with the progress. He said:

Over the past six months, the Company has initiated several strategic programs aimed at unlocking shareholder value. One of these is aimed at progressing the value realisation of Gould's Dam and Jason's Deposit located close to the Honeymoon Operation. The updated Mineral Resource Estimates for Gould's Dam and Jason's Deposit incorporate additional drilling and an improved understanding of geology and mineralisation controls derived from the Honeymoon deposit.

This work highlights the significance of these deposits, with Gould's Dam and Jason's Deposit hosting 33Mlbs and 12Mlbs of uranium, respectively, with mineralisation at both deposits remaining open. Further drilling programs are planned to commence in the second half of this calendar year to continue to extend both resources.

Commenting on the impact on the New Feasibility Study for Honeymoon, Dusci adds:

The wide-spaced wellfield design being advanced as part of the New Feasibility Study at Honeymoon is also expected to be directly applicable to these satellite deposits. If successful, this approach has the potential to deliver a high conversion of resource to wellfield mining inventory through cost-efficient extraction. Early indications suggest that both deposits could be material production sources of uranium in the future, leveraging the existing infrastructure at the Honeymoon Operation.

The post Why Boss Energy shares are falling despite positive uranium update appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because I believe it is well worth keeping a close eye on short interest levels as high levels can sometimes be a sign that something isn't quite right with a company.

With that in mind, here are the 10 most shorted shares on the ASX this week according to ASIC:

• Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP) is the most shorted ASX share with short interest of 15.6%. It appears that short sellers believe the struggling pizza chain operator's turnaround strategy will not be a success.
• Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) has seen its short interest rise to 14.8%. This wine giant has been battling very tough trading conditions. Short sellers may not believe a change is coming in the near term.
• Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) has short interest of 14.2%, which is up since last week. This radiopharmaceuticals company has been facing delays with FDA approvals. Short sellers don't appear confident that regulators will be approving its therapies any time soon.
• Guzman Y Gomez Ltd (ASX: GYG) has short interest of 13.8%, which is up week on week. This burrito seller continues to struggle and make a loss in the United States market, which was supposed to be its largest growth opportunity.
• Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) has short interest of 13%, which is up since last week. This medical device company's shares trade on sky-high earnings multiples.
• Nanosonics Ltd (ASX: NAN) has 11.4% of its shares held short, which is up week on week. Last month, this infection prevention company posted a 3% decline in profit before tax during the first half.
• Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE) has short interest of 11.4%, which is down significantly since last week. With the uranium producer's shares down 65% since the start of July on production concerns, some short sellers may be buying back shares to lock in their gains.
• IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL) has 10.8% of its shares held short, which is down week on week. This student placement and language testing company has been battling changes to visa rules in key markets.
• Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) has short interest of 10.5%, which is up since last week. This may be due to valuation concerns and the rare earths producer's shares rocketed over the past 12 months.
• Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT) has short interest of 9.7%, which is down week on week. There are concerns that the travel agent won't deliver on its revenue margin targets.

The post These are the 10 most shorted ASX shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

By the time the markets closed this Wednesday, the ASX 200 had risen by another 0.59% after staying in green territory all session, leaving the index at 8,743.5 points. 

This happy hump day for the local markets comes after a nervous morning over on Wall Street.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was volatile, but ended up closing 0.072% lower.

Things were a bit better for the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC), though, which overcame its own shakiness to finish 0.0051% higher.

But let's get back to the Australian share market now and see what was happening amongst the various ASX sectors today.

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

That's according to the team at Shaw and Partners.

Both Paladin and Boss Energy shares are already off to a strong start in 2026.

Year to date at the time of writing, the Paladin share price is up 28.3%, while Boss Energy shares have gained 14%. That compares to a 1.1% gain posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) over this same period.

Why ASX uranium shares could charge higher from here

In a new report, Uranium Super-Cycle, Shaw and Partners recommends investors hold an overweight position in ASX uranium shares.

The broker expects that "a growing disconnect" between global uranium supply and long-term nuclear demand will see a big uptick in uranium prices, which should help lift profits for producers like Boss Energy and Paladin.

Uranium was recently trading for around US$88 per pound, after hitting a two-year high of $101 per pound on 29 January.

But citing structural supply deficits, accelerating nuclear demand, and tightening fuel contracting cycles, Shaw and Partners expects nuclear fuel to surge to US$200 per pound.

In the new report, the broker now forecasts a uranium spot price of US$175 per pound in 2027, up from its prior forecast of US$150 per pound. And in 2028, Shaw and Partners expects uranium will fetch US$200 per pound, up from the prior forecast of US$150 per pound.

Why the uranium price could more than double by 2028

Shaw and Partners' bullish outlook on the price of the nuclear fuel, and the resulting expected strength of ASX uranium shares, follows on what it called a "sharp market signal" when uranium spiked from US$85 per pound to US$102 per pound in only three days at the end of January.

Andrew Hines, head of research at Shaw and Partners, said this big move shows just how sensitive the uranium market is to incremental buying pressure.

According to Hines:

The January spike demonstrated how quickly this market can reprice. A relatively modest amount of financial buying was enough to move the spot price materially. If utilities return to the term market in size, we believe the upside move could be significant.

Shaw and Partners noted that global nuclear capacity currently consumes some 180 million pounds of uranium a year. That's significantly more than the existing mine production of around 150 million pounds a year.

And bringing more uranium to the market isn't something the miners can do overnight.

"On paper there are new projects slated for development, but in practice these are technically complex, capital intensive and often in challenging jurisdictions," Hines said.

Atop Paladin and Boss Energy, Shaw and Partners' preferred exposure to ASX uranium shares includes:

• Bannerman Energy Ltd (ASX: BMN), whose shares are up 28.6% year to date
• NexGen Energy Ltd (ASX: NXG), whose shares are up 24.5% year to date
• Peninsula Energy Ltd (ASX: PEN), whose shares are down 3.3% year to date

"The narrative around nuclear has shifted decisively," Hines said. "Energy security, decarbonisation and AI-driven power demand are converging. Nuclear is no longer a fringe solution. It is becoming central to energy policy."

The post Why ASX uranium shares like Paladin and Boss Energy could be set to rocket appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The team at Macquarie have looked at two Australian uranium companies and believes one's looking good, while the other has some issues to work through.

Let's have a look at what they're saying.

Bannerman Energy Ltd (ASX: BMN)

This company is not a producer yet, but has recently made significant progress on funding for its Etango project in Namibia.

In mid-February, Bannerman announced that a Chinese company, the China National Nuclear Corporation, would invest up to US$321.5 million in the Etango project for a 42.75% stake.

Bannerman would then own 52.25% of the project with a Namibian organisation holding the remaining 5%.

The company said the funding would allow for the debt-free construction of the Etango mine, and CNNC had also agreed to buy 60% of the production from the mine.

Macquarie said in a research note to clients that CNNC was a strong partner for the project, given it already owned a majority stake in the Rossing uranium mine in Namibia and 25% of Paladin Energy Ltd (ASX: PDN)'s Langer Heinrich mine.

Macquarie said the deal substantially reduces equity dilution to finance the project, and added:

Etango Financial investment decision mid-year now looks a lot more certain, placing it at the front of the greenfield uranium project queue – something that customers should value as BMN markets the remaining 40% of the initial (production).

Macquarie has an outperform rating and a $5.60 price target on this ASX uranium share, compared with its current price of $4.38.

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

Boss Energy recently reported what it called a strong financial and operational result, chalking up a net loss of $7.9 million; however, this was largely due to the accounting treatment of inventory, while free cash flow was robust at $36.2 million.

The real story for investors is around what will happen longer term with the Honeymoon uranium mine, where the company said in mid-December that it had to throw away the assumptions under a previous feasibility study and start again.

On the upside, the company said there was a potential pathway forward for an alternative wide-spaced well design; however, it remained at concept stage at this point.

The company said there was the potential for lower costs and better production from the new design; however, more work remained to be done.

The team at Macquarie says this constitutes a major risk for investors.

As they said:

We still hold the view that Honeymoon will be challenging, and wide spacing trials carry risk. A complicated proposition; we believe investors should wait to see more definitive results from wider spaced leach trials first before making an investment decision.

Macquarie has a price target of $1.30 on this ASX uranium share, compared with $1.74 currently.

The post One uranium stock to buy and one to sell, according to Macquarie appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Boss Energy Ltd (ASX: BOE)

The Boss Energy share price is up 1.5% to $1.85. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Bell Potter this week. According to the note, the broker has upgraded the uranium producer's shares to a buy rating with a $1.95 price target. It said: "We make no adjustments to our TP in this note, but take the opportunity to upgrade BOE to Buy (previously Hold), following deterioration in the price. We continue to see the market positioning for a negative outcome in the upcoming wide-spaced wellfield program, creating an asymmetric risk opportunity in our opinion."

Lindian Resources Ltd (ASX: LIN)

The Lindian Resources share price is up 24% to 65.7 cents. This morning, Lindian announced plans to acquire 100% of an existing mixed rare earths carbonate (MREC) processing facility previously operated by a joint venture between Japan's Sumitomo Corporation and Kazatomprom. Executive Chairman, Robert Martin, commented: "The acquisition of the SARECO Mixed Rare Earth Carbonate facility is a defining step for Lindian. It fast-tracks our transition from a concentrate producer to an integrated rare earths company with downstream capability, materially enhancing margins, commercial flexibility and long-term strategic value."

Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG)

The Magellan share price is up 20% to $10.11. Investors have responded positively to the fund manager's plan to merge with Barrenjoey. Magellan's chair, Andrew Formica, said: "The merger with Barrenjoey marks a transformative step in MFG's evolution, bringing together two highly complementary businesses to create an Australian financial services group with meaningful scale and breadth." This morning, Magellan announced that it has completed a $130 million institutional capital raise to help fund the merger.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

The New Hope share price is up 5% to $4.98. This morning, this coal miner announced the extension of its existing on-market share buyback for another 12 months. However, it notes that this is subject to the prevailing share price and market conditions and will be executed at the company's discretion having regard to a number of factors. This includes market conditions, its share price, its future capital requirements, and consideration of any unforeseen developments or circumstances that may arise.

The post Why Boss Energy, Lindian, Magellan, and New Hope shares are rising today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That leaves the index right on yet another record high of 9,200.9 points.

This volatile start to the trading week for Australian investors follows a decidedly negative finish to the American trading week on Saturday morning (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) finished its week on a low note, sinking 1.05%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was in a similar boat, dropping 0.92%.

But let's return to this week and the local markets now with a look at how the different ASX sectors handled today's temperamental trading conditions.

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

That's the view of analysts at Bell Potter, who are feeling bullish about this uranium producer in March.

What is the broker saying?

Bell Potter notes that Boss Energy released its half-year results last week. While it wasn't overly impressed by them, it saw enough to become more positive. It said:

BOE reported a rather lacklustre set of results, which at the headline continue to be impacted by the accounting treatment of inventory sales. Looking under the hood, operating cash flow was robust, and provided a better representation of the financials.

The broker also highlights that the company's Honeymoon Project review is progressing. It believes that this review could be a catalyst to a major re-rating if successful. It adds:

The ongoing Honeymoon Project review is progressing, with the commencement of wide-spaced drill configurations underway targeting areas around wellfields B1-B5 with varying spacings up to 100m. Initial guidance was for residence time of roughly ~90 days, meaning that results could begin to filter through around the beginning of April. Should this prove to be a success, we suspect BOE will re-rate strongly. Whilst BOE remains the most shorted stock on the ASX, the short interest (16%) has pared back markedly ahead of the results.

Boss Energy shares upgraded

According to the note, the broker has upgraded Boss Energy shares to a buy rating (from hold) with an unchanged price target of $1.95. Based on its current share price of $1.64, this implies potential upside of 19% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on its upgrade, Bell Potter revealed that it made the move on valuation grounds following recent share price weakness. It concludes:

We make no adjustments to our TP in this note, but take the opportunity to upgrade BOE to Buy (previously Hold), following deterioration in the price. We continue to see the market positioning for a negative outcome in the upcoming wide-spaced wellfield program, creating an asymmetric risk opportunity in our opinion.

Adding to this thesis, the continued increase in uranium prices (Spot US$88/lb or A$124/lb and Term US$89/lb A$125/lb), increases near-term margins and cashflow, further bolstering the balance sheet. EPS changes in this report are FY26 -36%, FY27 -1% FY28 nc.

The post Top broker upgrades Boss Energy shares to a buy rating appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.