One is volatility in the gold sector following a shift out of safe haven assets. The other is news that the acquisition of De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) is now complete.

In light of the latter, let's take a look and see what analysts at Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) are saying about the gold miner following this addition.

Are Northern Star shares a buy?

Macquarie is a fan of the transaction and believes that the Hemi project will be a great addition to Northern Star's portfolio. It said:

Hemi is the prize: DEG's key asset is the Hemi Gold Project (Hemi) in the Pilbara of Western Australia. Hemi is a large scale open pit project with 11.2Moz of gold resources and 6.0Moz of reserves with forecast (DEG's Sept 2023 DFS) average annual production of 530kozpa over +10- years. Our Hemi outlook is broadly based on the DEG DFS but we also assume an underground (UG) project which could boost production ~8% to ~570kozpa. We also assume pre-produciton capex of A$1.9Bn and an AISC of ~A$1,500/oz which are 38% and 19% higher than the DFS respectively but in line with VA consensus.

Time to buy

In light of this and its positive view on gold, the broker sees a lot of a value in Northern Star shares at current levels and is urging investors to snap them up.

According to the note, the broker has recommenced coverage on the gold miner (after a period of research restriction) with an outperform rating and $27.00 price target.

Based on its current share price of $21.03, this implies potential upside of 28% for investors over the next 12 months.

To put that into context, a $10,000 investment would turn into approximately $12,800 by this time next year if Macquarie is on the money with its recommendation.

It is also worth noting that the broker is forecasting a 50.8 cents per share dividend in FY 2025. This represents an attractive 2.4% dividend yield at current prices.

Commenting on its outperform rating for Northern Star's shares, the broker concludes:

NST's acquisition of DEG makes sense with Hemi accretive on production, reserves and NAV but also enhancing growth and 5-year NPV upgrade momentum. The project also looks set to dovetail nicely with the KCGM expansion and should drive NST to +2.5Mozpa by FY29.

The post How much upside does Macquarie tip for Northern Star shares following its acquisition of De Grey Mining? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

To the contrary, most every Aussie gold producer is taking a beating.

The benchmark index is up 1.7% in early afternoon trade on Wednesday after US President Donald Trump flagged expectations for lower tariffs on China and dialled back his threats to fire US Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell.

But the gold miners, which have benefited from Trump's sowing of uncertainty, aren't benefiting from his latest backpedalling.

Taking a look at the broader picture, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains smaller miners outside of ASX 200 gold stocks – is down a precipitous 7.8% today.

Though it's worth noting that the All Ords Gold Index remains up 42% in 2025, while the ASX 200 is still down 3% year to date.

Here's how these top ASX gold shares are faring today, and in 2025:

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are down 8.0% today, up 37.1% in 2025
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are down 5.3% today, up 39.5% in 2025
• Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are down 9.5% today, up 26.5% in 2025
• Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares are down 5.4% today, up 54.4% in 2025
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are down 8.5% today, up 67.9% in 2025
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are down 6.0% today, up 29.3% in 2025
• De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) shares are down 7.9% today, up 40.8% in 2025
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are down 6.6% today, down 25.0% in 2025
• West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) are down 8.9% today, up 59.5% in 2025

Why are ASX 200 gold stocks in retreat today?

As mentioned up top, ASX 200 gold stocks have enjoyed some strong tailwinds from rising geopolitical uncertainty amid the new Trump administration.

With gold's classic haven status on clear display, this has seen investors send the gold price from US$2,2625 per ounce on 1 January to new all-time highs of US$3,433 per ounce on Tuesday.

However, following Trump's softer words on tariffs and Powell, the gold price has since dipped 1.3% from those highs to US$3,379 per ounce at the time of writing.

And with most experts indicating that gold prices have risen too fast too quickly, it looks like investors are taking this opportunity to scoop some profits off the table.

"Gold's tactically very overbought and extended – it's risen US$500 plus in eight trading days, so naturally there's likely a mix of a buyers pause and some risk reduction," said Nicky Shiels, head of research and metals strategy at MKS Pamp (quoted by Bloomberg).

Bloomberg macro strategist Ven Ram added that while the gold price, and by connection ASX 200 gold stocks, were due for a correction, the long-term outlook remains strong.

According to Ram:

Bullion is extremely overbought in the short term, which makes it ripe for a correction. That, however, is not to be mistaken for its medium-term trajectory: bullion performs best when the global economy is in distress, and the scale of current economic uncertainty is immense.

The post Why are ASX 200 gold stocks getting crushed today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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If De Grey shareholders approve the deal at the scheme meeting, which is to be held tomorrow (April 16), then we can expect the deal to be finalised by the end of April.

What does this mean for investors moving forward? Let's take a dive and see.

Northern Star not just mining gold

The deal, valued at around $6 billion, was first announced in December last year. It is one of many announced in recent months as the price of gold has soared to new highs.

As recently as this week, gold has topped all-time highs of US$3,100 per ounce, as market participants have searched for safe-haven assets while stocks have remained volatile.

As for the transaction, Northern Star's offer is currently pending approval, with De Grey's shareholders set to vote at the scheme meeting this Wednesday. If all goes according to plan, the deal will be effective April 23.

A critical supporter of the deal is Gold Road Resources (ASX: GOR), which holds a significant stake in De Grey.

On Monday, Gold Road confirmed it will vote in favour of the acquisition. It owns around 17% of De Grey, worth more than $1 billion at the time of writing – a hefty payday that provides well-needed cash.

What's next?

If approved, De Grey shareholders will convert their holdings into Northern Star shares. If all goes smoothly, the business will fully integrate into Northern Stars' operations by May 5.

But what's in it for Northern Star shareholders? Every acquisition comes with its own risks. The aim for Northern Star? Capitalise and strengthen its position in the local gold mining sector.

If successful, De Grey's assets, which include promising exploration projects, could provide Northern Star with additional growth opportunities.

Patrick Streater, of Australian stockbroker Argonaut, expects the transaction to go ahead. Speaking to The Australian Financial Review, he also said Gold Road would "look to monetise its Northern Star shares to pursue mergers and acquisitions for another asset".

So it's important for investors to stay informed on the approval process as there's plenty of moving parts here.

Foolish takeaway

Northern Star is set to acquire De Grey Mining, and if all goes according to plan, the deal will be approved by the end of April. What this means for both companies remains to be seen, but there is confidence on Northern Star's part.

Its stock is up 42% in the past year, with De Grey climbing more than 81%.

The post Northern Star Resources set to buyout rival De Grey mining appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

We'll take a look at some top possibilities below.

But first, why invest in gold at all?

And why not simply buy physical bullion?

What's happening with the gold price?

The first reason to invest in gold is that the yellow metal has been on a historic bull run, racing higher at a pace not witnessed since 1986.

This morning, the gold price set yet another new all-time high of US$3,255.90 per ounce (AU$5,215/oz). That's up almost 37% since this time last year when that same ounce was fetching US$2,383.

Among other factors, gold has benefited from ongoing strong demand from central banks, falling interest rates (gold pays no yield itself and tends to perform better in low or falling rate environments), and its classic haven status amid rising geopolitical uncertainty.

And with these factors ongoing, many analysts believe the gold price will continue to rise from here.

As for the second question, there's certainly something almost magical about buying and holding physical gold. Whether that's a 400-ounce standard gold bar or a one-ounce gold coin, the yellow metal has drawn human interest for more than 5,000 years.

But before you run off and invest in gold bullion, give a thought to how you'll keep that secure over the long term.

Options include bank storage vaults, which will charge you significant fees. Or you could invest in a high end safe yourself, but the truth is any safe can be cracked by the right (or wrong) people. Or you could grab a shovel and get to work on sketching out that treasure map.

Which brings us back to our headline question…

How to invest in gold on the ASX

There are three predominant ways you can invest in gold on the ASX.

The first two involve buying ASX exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

If you're looking to get a similar performance to movements in the gold price, there are a number of ASX ETFs that are aimed at tracking the daily moves of bullion.

One option to consider is the ETFS Metal Securities Australia Limited (ASX: GOLD), which is meant to track the price movements in physical gold in Aussie dollars.

The ASX ETF is up 22.2% year to date.

Another option is to invest in gold on the ASX via an ETF that holds a basket of gold miners. This offers some instant diversity and provides leverage to movements in the gold price, as gold stocks tend to see bigger moves (both up and down) than any moves in the gold price.

One option here is the VanEck Vectors Gold Miners ETF (ASX: GDX).

"I remain bullish on the gold price and this exchange traded fund is an effective way to capture future upside," said Fairmont Equities' Michael Gable, who has a buy recommendation on this ASX ETF (courtesy of The Bull).

According to Gable:

Purchasing an ETF containing a range of gold mining companies reduces and spreads risk compared to investing in a single gold mining exposure.

An ETF offers leverage to gold's upside, and we expect gold stocks to move higher than the underlying gold price from here. I'm expecting the gold price to hit levels around US$4,000 an ounce during 2025.

Do your research and invest in gold via the ASX miners

The third way you can invest in gold via the ASX is by buying individual ASX gold stocks.

This will take a bit more time and effort, as you should always do your research before investing in any new stocks. And don't hesitate to reach out for professional advice.

But with the gold price soaring, here are some top S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold miners to investigate:

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM)
• Ramelius Resources Ltd(ASX: RMS)
• Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU)
• De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG)
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL)
• West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF)

Here's to prosperous gold investing on the ASX!

The post What are my options to invest in gold on the ASX? 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 S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closed 2.27% higher, and the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) also closed up 2.39%.

The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) lifted 4.47% despite a volatile gold commodity price today.

Which 5 ASX gold shares reached a new multi-year record?

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

The Northern Star share price rose by 5.4% to hit a new record high of $19.60 on Tuesday.

The ASX gold large-cap share has lifted 29% over the past 12 months.

There was no news from Northern Star Resources today.

De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG)

The De Grey Mining share price lifted 5.8% to an 18-year high of $2.285.

The ASX mid-cap share has risen 72% over the past year, largely due to Northern Star's $5 billion takeover offer in December.

De Grey shares are now trading higher than the implied offer price of $2.08 per share, which was a 36.8% premium at the time.

De Grey did not release any company news today.

Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)

Gold Road Resources shares swelled by 4.4% to reach a record high of $3.07 today.

The ASX 200 mid-cap share has rocketed 79% over the past 12 months.

The miner announced the completion of an underground exploration target review for its Gruyere mine in Western Australia today.

Gold Road said the target estimate ranges from approximately 25 to 31 million tonnes at 1.20 to 1.47 g/t Au for 1.0 to 1.5 million ounces (on a 50% basis, given Gold Road is a 50% joint venture partner in the Gruyere mine).

Gold Road CEO Duncan Gibbs said:

As Gold Road has long maintained, the underground mining potential has the ability to transform Gruyere into a multi-decade life mine and is expected to add material value to the Gruyere JV and Gold Road shareholders.

Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL)

The Regis Resources share price lifted 6.8% to a four-year high of $4.22 today.

The ASX 200 mid-cap gold share has increased by 100% over the past year.

Regis did not release any news today. However, yesterday, the miner released preliminary unaudited figures for the March quarter.

The miner said it was "another solid quarterly performance" that had strengthened its balance sheet and supported its FY25 guidance.

Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL)

Catalyst Metals shares rose by 7.5% to a new record high of $6.04 on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 small-cap gold share has lifted 703% over the past 12 months.

Catalyst Metals did not release any company news today.

The post 5 ASX gold shares that hit multi-year highs 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 ASX 200 experienced a turbulent first quarter of 2025.

The benchmark index rose 4.57% in January, fell 4.22% in February, and lost another 4.03% in value in March.

US trade tariffs and concerns about how they could impact global trade and the US economy have created uncertainty in markets.

With uncertainty comes volatility in share prices.

The ASX 200 experienced a near-official market correction between 14 February and 13 March, when the index fell by 9.43%.

ASX 200 stocks have lifted by 1.55% since that closing trough on 13 March.

Meanwhile, brokers have identified some ASX 200 stocks that they think are worth buying amid all this turmoil.

Here are five large-cap shares just upgraded to a 'strong buy' consensus rating among analysts on CommSec.

5 ASX 200 large-cap shares lifted to 'strong buy' consensus ratings

These five stocks now have a 'strong buy' consensus rating on CommSec.

Meridian Energy Ltd (ASX: MEZ)

The Meridian Energy share price is $5.08, up 1.6% on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 utilities stock has fallen 5.2% in the year to date.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE)

The Treasury Wine share price is $9.73, down 0.26% at the time of writing.

Goldman Sachs has a buy rating on Treasury Wine shares with a 12-month share price target of $12.90.

This implies a potential upside of 32% for investors who buy today.

The ASX 200 wine share has fallen 13.8% since the start of the year.

Worley Ltd (ASX: WOR)

The Worley share price is $14.29, down 0.97% today.

Goldman Sachs has a buy rating on Worley with a 12-month share price target of $18.

This implies a potential upside of 26%.

The ASX 200 industrial share has risen 4.6% in the year to date.

Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL)

The Yancoal share price is $5.12, up 1.09% at the time of writing.

The ASX 200 coal share has tanked 20.7% in the year to date.

De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG)

The De Grey Mining share price is $2.15, up 1.17% on Tuesday.

The ASX 200 gold share has risen 20.4% since the start of the year.

A rising commodity price and De Grey's impending takeover by Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) have been tailwinds for the stock.

According to Trading Economics, the gold price is benefiting from its safe-haven appeal amid global trade uncertainties.

Gold is currently trading at US$3,132 per ounce, up 8.1% over the past month alone.

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ASX listed gold miners have been booming this year.

Gold has long been viewed as a hedge against market volatility and those with shares in ASX gold miners have enjoyed solid gains over the past few months.   

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are up more than 15% so far this calendar year, roughly tracking the increase in the price of gold.

Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shareholders have seen gains exceeding 27%, while Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares have increased 44% since the start of the calendar year.

Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares are up almost 40% year to date, with its share price enjoying a recent surge on the back of news that the company received a takeover offer from South Africa's dual listed Gold Fields (JSE, NYSE: GFI).

I could go on. And I will.

Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 26%, De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) shares are up 18%, and West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) shares are up 51.7%

Looking at these numbers, I'm seriously regretting not having gold stocks in my portfolio.

I'm a big fan of diversification and believe gold should be part of every investor's portfolio.

But I've opted to gain exposure to the precious metal in other ways.

I'm looking for more stability in my gold holdings than what shares in mining companies offer.

Shares of gold miners can still be influenced by market volatility and external factors beyond the company's control, dictating the share price, for better or worse.

Just look at the Gold Road Resources share price surging about 20% in less than a week amid the takeover offer from Gold Fields.

What's wrong with that you may ask? Nothing at all if you're a Gold Road Resources shareholder.

But it's a clear and recent example of how external factors beyond the control of the company's management can influence the company's share price.    

In another example at the other end of the spectrum, the Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) has dropped by about 19% over the past two weeks.

The drop in the value of the Rameilus share price comes amid news of expansion plans that were apparently poorly received by investors and an announcement that the gold miner merging with Spartan Resources Ltd (ASX: SPR). 

And while some will say the costs of extracting gold from the ground are fairly stable, this is simply not true.

All costs fluctuate. Think energy costs, machinery costs, labour costs, and transport costs, to list a few. And accidents can and will happen.

Is it too late to invest in gold shares?

It's never a bad time to invest in the right gold miner at the right price.

But I still see gold bullion as a more stable investment than investing in gold miners and a more effective way of hedging against market volatility.

The post Is this the best ASX sector to invest in for 2025? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's the value of the takeover bid from South Africa's Gold Fields Ltd (JSE: GFI).

And the Gold Road share price is surging on the rejection news. Shares in the Aussie gold miner are up 9.8% in morning trade on Tuesday at $2.69 apiece. That sees the Gold Road share price up 72% since this time last year.

What takeover offer was proposed?

Gold Fields offered to acquire the ASX 200 gold stock for a cash consideration of $3.05 per share as of 7 March. That comprised a fixed portion of $2.27 per Gold Road share (15% below the current price) plus a variable portion equal to the value of each shareholder's proportion of Gold Road's shareholding in De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG).

Gold Road counts as the biggest shareholder in De Grey.

Gold Road and Gold Fields are 50/50 joint venture owners of the low-cost, long-life Gruyere gold mine, located in Western Australia. The Gruyere mine is operated by Gold Fields, and the South African miner was hoping to consolidate its ownership with the $3.3 billion takeover bid.

But that's not to be.

ASX 200 gold stock rejects offer as inadequate

In an update released after market close on Monday, Gold Road's board soundly rejected the takeover bid as "highly opportunistic".

The ASX 200 gold stock stated:

After careful consideration and engagement with Gold Fields, the Gold Road board unanimously formed the view that the offer materially under values Gold Road and is highly opportunistic in nature.

Gold Road notes that the receipt of the offer coincided with a lower March 2025 quarter production due to maintenance on the primary crusher and the failure of two conveyor belts.

After the completion of extension exploration studies at Gruyere, Gold Road added that the takeover offer "attributes no value at all to the potential underground expansion of the Gruyere mine".

The ASX 200 gold stock revealed that it had made an alternate proposal. One which would see it acquire Gold Fields' 50% interest in the Gruyere JV. However, this offer was turned down by Gold Fields.

Commenting on the rejected takeover offer, Mike Fraser, CEO of Gold Fields, said: "We believe our proposal represents a compelling opportunity for Gold Road shareholders to realise an attractive and certain cash price for their investment."

Fraser added:

We are disappointed that Gold Road's board of directors has rejected our proposal. Gold Fields will continue to seek the engagement of the Gold Road board to consider the merits of the proposed acquisition and to advance the proposal.

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And the gold miners' outperformance looks to have some legs, with April potentially shaping up as another big month.

Currently, at US$3,022.94 per ounce, the gold price is down around US$30 per ounce from last week's all-time highs.

Still, that sees the price of the yellow metal up more than 15% in 2025. And bullion has soared 39% over the past 12 months.

Gold has benefited from its classic haven status amid rising global political and economic uncertainty, fuelled over the past months by the return of United States President Donald Trump to the White House.

With the miners' costs of digging an ounce of gold from the ground relatively fixed, much of any increase in the gold price goes straight to the profit line. A phenomenon that is clearly illustrated by the sizzling performance of the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains smaller miners outside of ASX 200 gold stocks.

Here's what I mean.

Year to date, the ASX 200 is down 3.6%, while the All Ords Gold Index has gained 25.4%.

And over the past full year, the All Ords Gold Index has rocketed 53.8%, blowing away the 1.3% 12-month gains posted by the ASX 200.

Taking a look at some of the leading ASX 200 gold stocks, here's how they've performed so far in 2025 amid the wider market retrace:

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are up 12.0%
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are up 14.9%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are up 3.8%
• Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares are up 20.4%
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are up 17.8%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 21.5%
• De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) shares are up 12.3%
• Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are up 9.4%
• West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) shares are up 51.7%

This stellar performance really highlights the enduring nature of gold's haven status.

And April could ignite a fresh rally for these already outperforming ASX 200 gold stocks.

Here's why…

Why ASX 200 gold stocks could shine bright in April

ASX 200 gold stocks have been obvious beneficiaries of the fast-rising gold price.

And with the yellow metal having shown a clear tendency to gain value amid geopolitical uncertainties, April could see ASX 200 gold stocks outshining the broader market once more.

According to Treasurer Jim Chalmers, Trump's tariff policies have "cast a shadow over" the pending Australian budget.

Trump is set to unveil the details of new US tariffs on scores of nations by 2 April, after his administration previously placed 25% import tariffs on aluminium and steel.

Chalmers said (quoted by Bloomberg):

This is a whole new world of uncertainty that we're dealing with here. The changes out of the US are not surprising, but they are seismic. We've got conflicts in the Middle East and Europe. We've got political uncertainty and division around the world.

Advantage bullion

According to Citi, markets have not fully priced in the potential disruptions of the pending Trump tariffs.

While the broker expects many commodities could be hit with increased levies, it believes gold, broadly viewed as a monetary asset, will be exempt. This could lead to another big boost in the gold price and throw up some heady tailwinds for ASX 200 gold stocks.

Citi's global head of commodities research, Max Layton, said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review):

The market could be significantly underpricing the impact of the upcoming April 2 US reciprocal tariffs on growth and commodity prices, and strongly recommend clients take insurance against adverse outcomes, or take outright exposure to these risks.

Citi upgraded its short-term gold price target to US$3,200 an ounce, up from US$3,000 per ounce.

That would see the gold price up US$177 per ounce from current levels and could help put a rocket under the already highly profitable ASX 200 gold stocks.

The post Why April is shaping up to be a BIG month for ASX 200 gold stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A share market correction is generally defined as a pullback of more than 10% from the recent highs.

And the overnight pullback in US stocks now sees the S&P 500 down 10.1% since the closing bell on 19 February.

Now, these kinds of retraces are very normal across global stock markets. In fact, it was only back in late 2023 that we last saw the S&P 500 tumble 10%.

It's a similar story here in Australia. Though with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) up 0.3% today, the benchmark Aussie index is still just ahead of an 'official' share market correction.

Currently at 7,768.9 points, the ASX 200 is down 9.2% since its recent (and all-time) closing highs on 14 February.

Gold stocks outshining the share market correction

As the old investor adage goes, it's not a stock market but a market of stocks.

And with the benchmark Aussie index within a whisker of a share market correction, ASX 200 gold stocks stand out from the crowd as the gold price charges from one record high to another.

Here's what I mean.

While the ASX 200 is down 9.2% since the closing bell on 14 February, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains smaller miners outside of ASX 200 gold stocks – has gained 1.7%.

And the outperformance of ASX 200 gold stocks is even more marked in the whole of 2025.

With the past month's sell-off, the ASX 200 is now down 5.3% year to date.

Here's how these ASX 200 gold stocks have performed over this same period:

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are up 15.7%
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are up 20.4%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd(ASX: RMS) shares are up 4.3%
• Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares are up 28.2%
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are up 37.7%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 23.6%
• De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) shares are up 17.0%
• West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) are up 51.4%

Take that, share market correction!

What's driving the gold price higher?

The gold price topped US$2,989 a few hours ago. That sees the gold price up almost 14% in 2025 and marks yet another record high for the yellow metal.

The soaring bullion price helping ASX 200 gold stocks shrug off the share market correction has been spurred by a range of tariffs slapped on nations around the world by US President Donald Trump. With many nations responding in kind, investors fearing a full-blown trade war have been attracted by gold's classic haven status.

Commenting on the record-high gold price, Standard Chartered analyst Suki Cooper said (quoted by Reuters):

Strong ETF demand and continued central bank buying in a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty and the continued uncertainty created by tariff changes has really continued to stoke appetite for gold.

Gold also looks to be catching some tailwinds from promising recent US inflation prints, which could open the door to further interest rate cuts from the US Federal Reserve. Gold, which pays no yield, tends to perform better in low and falling-rate environments.

But John Ciampaglia, CEO of Sprott Asset Management, believes Trump's tariffs may have tied the Fed's hands, for now.

"The potential impact of the tariff and trade threats are impossible to model, forcing the Fed to gauge economic data to help it determine its next move," Ciampaglia said (quoted by Reuters). "We believe the Fed is stuck in a wait-and-see state."

So, can ASX 200 gold stocks keep skirting any potential share market correction?

Very possibly!

According to Alex Ebkarian, chief operating officer at Allegiance Gold, "Gold is in a secular bull market. We forecast prices to trade between US$3,000 to US$3,200 [per ounce] this year."

The post How ASX 200 gold stocks are skirting the share market correction appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is up 3.21%, while the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is down 0.0087% at the time of writing.

Here's how some of the ASX gold shares are performing today:

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are up 1.65% to $17.25.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are up 3.7% to $6.44.

Newmont Corporate CDI (ASX: NEM) shares are up 0.84% to $69.40.

Bellevue Gold Ltd (ASX: BGL) shares are up 6.25% to $1.27.

Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) shares are up 6.05% to $7.89.

Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) shares are up 5.53% to $2.58.

West African Resources Ltd (ASX: WAF) shares are up 3.11% to $2.15.

Emerald Resources NL (ASX: EMR) shares are up 2.96% to $4.

Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 3.31% to a 14-year high of $3.12.

De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) shares are up 1.77% to $2.02.

Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares are up 2.59% to $2.58.

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM) shares are up 11.73% to a six-year high of $1.07.

The top four risers of the ASX 200 today are Bellevue Gold, Capricorn Metals, Westgold, and West African Resources shares, respectively.

Capricorn Metals has announced the acquisition of a highly prospective project called Kings Find in Western Australia.

Kings Find spans 54 square kilometres and borders Capricorn's Mt Gibson tenure.

Ora Banda has released "outstanding" drilling results from its Riverina Gold Camp.

The miner said it had intersected two wide, high-grade lodes 400 metres below the surface.

What's driving ASX gold shares higher today?

Aside from some company news, it's primarily a strong gold price pushing ASX gold shares up today.

The gold price is trading about 1% higher at US$2,938 per ounce at the time of writing.

According to Trading Economics, the gold price is holding close to record levels due to its safe-haven appeal amid global trade uncertainties and a weaker US dollar.

Tariff turmoil continues to make traders nervous.

The latest drama saw Ontario Premier Doug Ford temporarily suspend a planned 25% surcharge on US electricity exports after US President Donald Trump threatened to double the 25% tariff on Canadian steel and aluminium to 50%.

Trading Economics analysts said:

The ongoing global trade uncertainties, combined with heightened concerns over a US tariff-induced recession, continued to drive investors toward safety assets.

Nervousness over tariffs is the primary reason behind the ASX 200 falling to seven-month lows this week.

The benchmark index is currently down 0.091% to 7,779.1 points.

The post Why are ASX gold shares soaring today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Australian Financial Review (AFR) reports that Goldman has raised its end-of-year gold price forecast from US$2,890 per ounce to US$3,100 per ounce.

The gold price is currently trading 0.64% higher at US$2,899 per ounce. Hence, the broker's upgraded forecast means there is a potential 7% upside still in play for investors this year.

The broker said the gold price could go even higher, perhaps up to US$3,300 per ounce, if United States tariffs and other policy uncertainties continue to make the market nervous.

These forecasts are significant given the gold price has risen for a prolonged period.

The gold price rose by 27% last year, which was the commodity's best annual growth since 2010.

Goldman's boosted forecast has obvious positive implications for ASX gold shares.

On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) is down 0.36%.

We're seeing a mixed-bag performance among ASX gold shares today.

The Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is $17.87, down 0.22%.

Northern Star's takeover target, De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG), is 0.49% higher at $2.06.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are up 0.24% to $6.23, and the Newmont Corporation CDI (ASX: NEM) share price is up 0.027% to $73.51.

Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are steady at $2.78.

Genesis Minerals Limited (ASX: GMD) shares are up 0.94% to $3.22, and Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM) shares are down 0.38% to $7.88.

Why did Goldman raise its gold price forecast?

The broker has raised its gold price forecast due to stronger demand from central banks.

Trading Economics analysts say the gold price is also strong because traders are "focused on the risk of market disruptions due to U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff threats".

When the market is jumpy, a safe-haven asset like gold looks more attractive. US rate cuts have also helped make the rising gold price a more attractive bet than cash and bonds.

Trading Economics analysts said:

Trump's tariff policies have become increasingly unpredictable due to delays and exemptions, with geopolitical and economic uncertainties boosting gold's appeal as a safe haven.

Softer US retail sales data released last week has raised the prospect of further rate cuts.

Meantime in Australia, the market is awaiting the Reserve Bank's first decision on interest rates. The RBA will announce its decision at 2.30pm today.

The post Goldman Sachs upgrades its gold price forecast 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.

Meantime, several ASX 200 stocks have set new record high prices.

Let's check them out.

ASX 200 stocks setting new records on Tuesday

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

The ASX 200 bank share hit an 18-year high of $40.70 despite no price-sensitive news today.

National Australia Bank will reveal its latest earnings next Wednesday, 19 February.

NAB shares are expected to pay a slightly higher dividend in 2025.

Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC)

Fellow ASX 200 bank stock Westpac rose to its highest level in eight years today.

The Westpac share price hit $34.28 during intraday trading, with no news out today.

Westpac will release its 1Q FY25 results next Monday, 17 February.

Analysts expect Westpac to cut its dividend in 2025.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

This ASX 200 communications stock reached a new all-time high of $275.01 today.

REA revealed its 1H FY25 earnings report last week and announced the retirement of its CEO.

Computershare Ltd (ASX: CPU)

Stock in ASX 200 financial services company Computershare reached a new record high of $36.46 today.

Computershare will report to the market tomorrow.

This ASX 200 industrials stock is expected to raise its dividend by 26% in 2025.

SGH Ltd (ASX: SGH)

Formerly known as Seven Group Holdings, SGH shares hit an all-time high of $53.25 today.

The record price followed the diversified investments company releasing its 1H FY25 results.

SGH reported a 2% increase in revenue to $5.5 billion and a 10% lift in EBIT to $843 million.

SGH shares will pay an interim dividend of 30 cents with full franking.

EBOS Group Ltd (ASX: EBO)

This ASX 200 healthcare stock reached a two-year high of $38.09 despite no news on Tuesday.

… What a day for the gold miners!

Several ASX 200 gold stocks have hit multi-year highs following a surge in the gold price.

The gold price is trading at a new record high of US$2,941 per ounce at the time of writing.

Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST)

This ASX 200's largest gold stock peaked at $18.72 today, setting a new all-time high.

Northern Star will reveal its latest earnings next Thursday, 13 February.

Northern Star is tipped to raise its dividend by 19% in 2025.

De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG)

Stock in Northern Star's takeover target, De Grey Mining, rose to an 18-year high today.

The De Grey Mining share price lifted to $2.17 per share.

The miners announced an acquisition deal in December, under which De Grey Mining shareholders will receive 0.119 new Northern Star shares for each De Grey share held.

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The charging gold price also propelled Evolution shares to a two-decade high of $6.34.

Evolution will report its latest earnings to investors on Wednesday, 12 February.

Analysts tip this ASX 200 gold stock to pay a 60% higher dividend in 2025.

Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM)

Another ASX 200 gold miner, Capricorn Metals, reached an all-time high share price of $8.13.

Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR)

Gold Road shares rose to a new all-time high of $2.66 per share.

The post 11 ASX 200 stocks streaking to multi-year highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Earlier this week, the yellow metal topped US$2,867 per ounce. It's currently fetching US$2,857.77 per ounce, which is a remarkable 40% increase from this time last year.

And it's driven some outsized returns from ASX 200 gold stocks.

Here's how they've performed over the past 12 months (not including the dividends many of the big gold producers pay their shareholders):

• Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares are up 36.4%
• Newmont Corp (ASX: NEM) shares are up 38.0%
• Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) shares are up 71.1%
• Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) shares are up 75.0%
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) shares are up 90.0%
• Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) shares are up 65.6%
• De Grey Mining Ltd (ASX: DEG) shares are up 81.9%

Taking a step back for the bigger picture, the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) – which also contains some smaller miners outside of the ASX 200 gold stocks – has rocketed 53.5% in 12 months.

For some context, the ASX 200 has gained 11.8% in a year.

And with Citi's revised gold price forecast in mind, 2025 could see ASX gold shares continue to outshine the wider market.

What's next for the soaring gold price?

"The gold bull market looks set to continue under Trump 2.0," Citigroup's analysts said (quoted by The Australian Financial Review).

Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions and fears US President Donald Trump will usher in a global trade war, Citi upgraded its three-month gold price target from US$2,800 to US$3,000 per ounce. That's 5% above current levels and would certainly come as good news for ASX 200 gold stocks.

Citi also noted that the strong outlook for the US dollar would likely support continued central bank buying in 2025, particularly among developing countries looking to support their domestic currencies.

Commenting on the trade war implications on the gold price, ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ) senior commodity strategist Daniel Hynes said (quoted by the AFR), "Traders remain concerned that the US may place tariffs on precious metal imports into the US following President Trump's recent moves against Canada, Mexico and China."

As for any potential buy the dip in the gold price in 2025, Citi noted, "A Russia/Ukraine peace deal, and confirmation of whether gold would be exempt from broad tariffs (or not), could provide a buying opportunity over the next two to three months."

A word from the World Gold Council

The strong performance for ASX 200 gold stocks in 2024 came amid 40 new record highs for the gold price.

Commenting on the outlook for 2025, Louise Street, senior markets analyst at the World Gold Council, said:

In 2025, we expect central banks to remain in the driving seat and gold ETF investors to join the fray, especially if we see lower, albeit volatile interest rates. On the other hand, jewellery weakness will likely continue as high gold prices and soft economic growth squeeze consumer spending power.

Geopolitical and macroeconomic uncertainty should be prevalent themes this year, supporting demand for gold as store of wealth and hedge against risk.

As for how the surging gold price is likely to influence Aussie investors this year, Shaokai Fan, head of Asia-Pacific (ex-China) and global head of central banks at the World Gold Council, said:

With global conditions largely supportive of gold and the Australian dollar possibly facing pressure, we anticipate gold's role as a high-performing diversifier in Australian investment portfolios will continue to grow in 2025.

The post Citi's 2025 gold price forecast could mean new record highs for ASX 200 gold stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This has seen a large number of ASX 200 shares charge higher with the market.

Some of these shares have even climbed to new 52-week highs (or better) during today's session. Let's take a look at a selection that are scaling new heights this afternoon:

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA)

The Codan share price has hit a 52-week high of $17.14. With the gold price at a record high, investors appear to be betting on this metal detection technology company experiencing very strong demand for its industry-leading products.

National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB)

The NAB share price has climbed to an 18-year high of $40.48 on Thursday. This latest gain means that the big four bank is now up 26% since this time last year.

News Corporation (ASX: NWS)

The News Corporation share price has hit a record high of $56.21. This follows the release of the media giant's second quarter update this morning. News Corp reported a 5% increase in revenue to US$2.24 billion and a 58% jump in net income from continuing operations jumping to US$306 million. This reflects growth across Digital Real Estate, Dow Jones, and Book Publishing, as well as rigorous cost discipline.

Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN)

The Qantas share price has continued its ascent and reached a record high of $9.64. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the airline operator's shares over the past 12 months on the belief that they were seriously undervalued.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE)

The TechnologyOne share price has hit a new record high of $32.31. This means that this high-flying enterprise technology company's shares are now up over 100% since this time last year.

Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO)

The Xero share price has reached a new record high of $186.30 on Thursday. This is another high-flying tech stock that has made its shareholders smile over the past 12 months. During this time, the cloud accounting platform provider's shares have delivered a return of over 70%.

A number of ASX 200 gold shares have been hitting 52-week highs today thanks to the booming gold price. This includes Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM), De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG), Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN), Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR), and Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL).

The post These 11 ASX 200 shares are hitting new 52-week highs today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.