US President Donald Trump said the ceasefire would remain in place pending a revised peace proposal from Iran.

ASX 200 shares are trading at 8,818.5 points, down 0.3%, at the time of writing.

Meanwhile on The Bull this week, two experts have run the ruler over three ASX 200 shares.

Let's check out their assessment.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is $22.31, up 2.9% today and down 53% over the past six months.

LIfe360 is an information technology company that provides a mobile tracking app for families.

Christopher Watt from Bell Potter has a buy rating on this ASX 200 technology share.

Watt explains:

The company offers a compelling growth story driven by its unique position at the intersection of safety, connectivity and subscription-based monetisation.

The integration of hardware and software ecosystems provide options for further monetisation, while operating leverage is beginning to emerge.

Given strong top line momentum, expanding margins and the recent sell-off in line with the broader technology sector, Life360 presents an attractive risk-reward profile, particularly at current levels.

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC)

The Lynas Rare Earths share price is $18.84, down 4.4% today and up 54% in the year to date (YTD).

Lynas is an Australian miner that operates a mining and concentration plant in Western Australia and a processing plant in Malaysia.

Dylan Evans from Catapult Wealth has a hold rating on this ASX 200 rare earths share.

Evans said:

Lynas remains one of the few rare earths producers outside China, and the strategic value of its Australian location has only become more obvious in the shadow of the war in Iran.

The recent 10-year renewal of the company's Malaysian operating licence provides further certainty, particularly as the Malaysian Government has left uncertainty in the past.

Sustaining the company's demanding valuation is a challenge, with much of its future potential priced into the share price at recent levels, in our view.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

The Iress share price is $7.04, down 1.7% today and down 21% over the past six months.

Iress sells financial market and wealth management software across Australia, Asia, Canada, and the UK.

Evans has a sell rating on this ASX 200 tech share.

The analyst said:

The recurring subscription model has always been attractive, delivering reliable and consistent earnings over several decades.

However, other competitors are emerging and could challenge IRE's all-in-one model with a solution built from smaller offerings.

This may challenge IRE's long term market share.

Evans points out that the Iress share price has fallen from $9.68 in November to where it is today — a 27% drop.

The post Buy, hold, or sell? Life360, Iress, Lynas Rare Earths shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 to rise

The Australian share market looks set to rise again on Wednesday following a mixed night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 18 points or 0.2% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones dropped 0.2%, but the S&P 500 rose 0.1% and the Nasdaq climbed 0.1%.

Buy Telix shares

The team at Bell Potter thinks investors should be buying Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) shares following its first-quarter sales update. In response to the update, the broker has retained its buy rating and $19.00 price target on Telix's shares. It said: "The company continues to make good progress on multiple pipeline products. Short term news flow includes acceptance by the FDA of the resubmitted NDA for Pixclara and the amendment to the IND for TLX591 (prostate cancer Tx). We maintain our Buy rating. FY26 EBITDA is increased by ~US$21m to US$55.3m."

Oil prices fall

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a subdued session after oil prices pulled back overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 1.7% to US$110.41 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 3.8% to US$105.27 a barrel. This was driven by optimism that a US-Iran peace deal could be on the way.

Gold price rises

ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a good session on Wednesday after the gold price pushed higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 1.1% to US$4,734.4 an ounce. Traders have been buying gold in response to Donald Trump's comments on Iran.

Dividend payday

A number of ASX 200 shares will be rewarding their shareholders with their latest dividends on Wednesday. This includes financial technology company Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE), gold miners Regis Resources Ltd (ASX: RRL) and Vault Minerals Ltd (ASX: VAU), media giant News Corporation (ASX: NWS), and private health insurer NIB Holdings Limited (ASX: NHF). The latter is paying a fully franked 13 cents per share interim dividend today.

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

That's because listed below are two ASX dividend shares that Morgans rates as buys. Here's what it is saying about them and what sort of dividend yields it is forecasting:

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

Morgans is bullish on this travel agent giant and sees it as an ASX dividend share to snap up this month. It has a buy rating and $18.05 price target on its shares. It thinks its shares are cheap based on its FY 2027 forecasts. It said:

FLT's 1H26 NBPT was up 4.1%, a beat on guidance for a flat result. The Corporate result was the highlight with NPBT was up 20%, while Leisure was better than feared down only 4%. The 3Q26 is off to a strong start and importantly Leisure is back in growth. FY26 guidance was reiterated. We have made minor upgrades to our forecasts. FLT's fundamentals remain attractive (FY27 PE of 10.6x) and we retain a Buy recommendation with a new A$18.05 price target.

As for income, the broker is forecasting fully franked dividends of 47 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 54 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on its current share price of $11.40, this would mean dividend yields of 4.1% and 4.7%, respectively.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

Another ASX dividend share that Morgans is positive on is financial technology company Iress. The broker recently upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $10.95 price target. It said:

IRE delivered a solid FY25 result with underlying EBITDA of A$136.2m, +4.7% ahead of our estimate, and the group's FY25 guidance range. Divisionally each segment delivered solid EBITDA growth half on half, with APAC Wealth up +24.5%, UK Wealth +46%, and GTMD +8.6%. FY26 Cash EBITDA guidance (underlying EBITDA less capex) was provided at A$116-126m (representing 15-26% growth YoY).

IRE flagged that capex for FY26 will remain in line with FY25, which implies further operating leverage is expected. We upgrade our underlying EBITDA forecasts by +5-6%, which sees our price target increase to $10.95 from $10.50. With over 50% implied TSR, we move to a BUY rating from ACCUMULATE.

With respect to income, the broker is forecasting dividends of 28 cents per share in FY 2026 and then 33 cents per share in FY 2027. Based on the current Iress share price of $6.90, this would mean dividend yields of 4.1% and 4.8%, respectively.

The post Morgans names 2 ASX dividend shares to buy now 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 for massive rebound

The Australian share market looks set for a very strong session on Tuesday following a solid start to the week in the US. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 200 points or 2.3% higher. In late trade on Wall Street, the Dow Jones is up 0.5%, the S&P 500 is up 0.8%, and the Nasdaq is 1.4% higher.

Oil prices tumble

It could be a poor session for ASX 200 energy shares Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) after oil prices pulled back overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 5.25% to US$86.13 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 3.2% to US$89.71 a barrel. This was driven by comments from President Trump, suggesting that the US could take control of the Strait of Hormuz.

Buy Nickel Industries shares

Nickel Industries Ltd (ASX: NIC) shares could be in the buy zone according to analysts at Bell Potter. This morning, the broker has retained its buy rating and $1.45 price target on the nickel producer's shares. It said: "While the conflict in the Middle East is resulting in an immediate market impact to key input costs and the duration is uncertain, we form the view that while margins may be impacted, NIC is insulated due to its diversified nickel product suite. There is also a potential offset from higher nickel prices to which NIC has strong leverage. We retain our Buy recommendation and leave our $1.45/sh Target Price unchanged."

Gold price slips

ASX 200 gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS) could have a subdued session on Tuesday after the gold price slipped overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 0.25% to US$5,146.5 an ounce. A stronger US dollar and higher rate expectations put pressure on the precious metal.

ASX 200 shares going ex-div

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend today and could trade lower. This includes CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL), Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE), News Corporation (ASX: NWS), and Qantas Airways Ltd (ASX: QAN). With respect to the latter, the airline operator is paying shareholders a fully franked 19.8 cents per share interim dividend next month on 15 April.

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

For you to be entitled to a stock's next dividend, you must own it before its ex-dividend date.

Here are some of the ASX shares going ex-dividend next week.

ASX shares with ex-dividend dates next week

The post 32 ASX shares about to go ex-dividend appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But that isn't always the case.

For example, the two blue chip shares named below are currently being tipped to rise by almost 50% by analysts at Morgans.

Here's what they are recommending to clients this month:

Flight Centre Travel Group Ltd (ASX: FLT)

The team at Morgans is positive on travel agent giant Flight Centre and believes it could be an ASX 200 blue chip share to buy now.

It has put a buy rating and $18.05 price target on its shares, which suggests that upside of almost 50% is possible between now and this time next year.

The broker was pleased with its half-year results, which were better than feared, and highlights the low multiples that Flight Centre's shares trade on. It said:

FLT's 1H26 NBPT was up 4.1%, a beat on guidance for a flat result. The Corporate result was the highlight with NPBT was up 20%, while Leisure was better than feared down only 4%. The 3Q26 is off to a strong start and importantly Leisure is back in growth.

FY26 guidance was reiterated. We have made minor upgrades to our forecasts. FLT's fundamentals remain attractive (FY27 PE of 10.6x) and we retain a Buy recommendation with a new A$18.05 price target.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

Morgans also thinks that this financial technology company could be an ASX 200 blue chip share to buy.

In response to its full-year results last month, the broker upgraded Iress' shares to a buy rating with a $10.95 price target.

This implies potential upside of almost 50% for investors over the next 12 months. It said:

IRE delivered a solid FY25 result with underlying EBITDA of A$136.2m, +4.7% ahead of our estimate, and the group's FY25 guidance range. Divisionally each segment delivered solid EBITDA growth half on half, with APAC Wealth up +24.5%, UK Wealth +46%, and GTMD +8.6%. FY26 Cash EBITDA guidance (underlying EBITDA less capex) was provided at A$116-126m (representing 15-26% growth YoY).

IRE flagged that capex for FY26 will remain in line with FY25, which implies further operating leverage is expected. We upgrade our underlying EBITDA forecasts by +5-6%, which sees our price target increase to $10.95 from $10.50. With over 50% implied TSR, we move to a BUY rating from ACCUMULATE.

The post 2 ASX 200 blue chip shares that could rise 50% appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three ASX shares that impressed enough to get an upgrade from Morgans are named below. Here's why the broker has become bullish on them:

Accent Group Ltd (ASX: AX1)

This footwear retailer delivered a profit result that was down heavily over the prior corresponding period, but in line with expectations.

Outside this, the broker was pleased to see management decide to close down the Glue Store brand and believes it will be supportive of earnings growth in FY 2027.

In light of this and the low multiples its shares trade on, the broker has upgraded the stock to a buy rating with a $1.30 price target. It said:

AX1 reported 1H26 EBIT which was down 30% yoy to $56.5m, in line with the revised guidance range provided in November ($55-60m). The decline was driven by soft comp sales and significant operating de-leverage from lower gross margins. AX1 has made the unsurprising decision to cease operations of loss-making Glue store, which contributed $8.4m EBIT loss in 1H26. On an underlying basis, EBIT fell 10%. We see this providing incremental benefit on group earnings in FY27.

We have increased our EBIT by 1.5% in FY26 and by 11% in FY27. Our blended valuation lifts to $1.30 (from $1.10). We have upgraded to a BUY (from HOLD). We see significant earnings growth in FY27, driven by underlying FY26 run-rate (ex-Glue), this makes the stock look inexpensive at ~10x FY27 P/E and ~5.6% yield.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

Morgans notes that this financial technology company delivered a profit result ahead of expectations. In response, it has upgraded its forecasts, bumped its valuation higher, and lifted its recommendation.

The broker now rates Iress shares as a buy with a $10.95 price target. It explains:

IRE delivered a solid FY25 result with underlying EBITDA of A$136.2m, +4.7% ahead of our estimate, and the group's FY25 guidance range. Divisionally each segment delivered solid EBITDA growth half on half, with APAC Wealth up +24.5%, UK Wealth +46%, and GTMD +8.6%. FY26 Cash EBITDA guidance (underlying EBITDA less capex) was provided at A$116-126m (representing 15-26% growth YoY).

IRE flagged that capex for FY26 will remain in line with FY25, which implies further operating leverage is expected. We upgrade our underlying EBITDA forecasts by +5-6%, which sees our price target increase to $10.95 from $10.50. With over 50% implied TSR, we move to a BUY rating from ACCUMULATE.

Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR)

A third ASX share that has been upgraded by Morgans is hotel technology company Siteminder.

In response to its mixed half-year result and recent share price weakness, the broker has upgraded its shares to a buy rating with a $7.00 price target. It said:

SDR's 1H26 result was largely per expectations at the revenue line (A$131m, +23% on the pcp on a constant currency basis), however marginally below at EBITDA. Growth in transaction revenue and the mix shift towards the higher margin Smart Platform offering saw the group gross margin expand ~98bps to 67.8%. Key business metrics remain robust (e.g LTV/CAC of 6.7x, ARR and Rule of 40 growth).

We undertake a broad review of our assumptions in this update. Our price target is lowered to A$7.00 (from A$8.10) as a result. However, given the significant discount of the current share price versus our valuation we upgrade to a BUY recommendation.

The post Morgans just upgraded these ASX shares to buy ratings appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This happy hump day for ASX investors comes after a decent morning up on the American markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had a fantastic time of it, rising 0.76%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) did open better though, gaining a rosy 1.04%.

But let's get back to ASX shares now and check out how the various ASX sectors benefited from today's unbridled optimism.

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

The rally reflects investor enthusiasm for improving earnings momentum, a strengthened balance sheet, and renewed dividend confidence.

What did Iress report?

Iress reported statutory net profit after tax (NPAT) of $79.3 million for the year ended 31 December 2025, down 10% on the prior year. However, underlying profit after tax (UPAT) rose 16% to $73.9 million, beating guidance.

Headline adjusted EBITDA increased 2% to $136.2 million, ahead of the $128 million to $132 million guidance range. On a continuing business basis (i.e. excluding divested assets), revenue rose 6% to $504.3 million, while adjusted EBITDA climbed 15% to $132.6 million. Margins expanded to 26%, up 192 basis points.

Underlying earnings per share increased 16% to 39.6 cents.

The board declared a final dividend of 13 cents per share, 100% franked, bringing total FY25 dividends to 24 cents per share.

What else do investors need to know?

FY25 marked the completion of Iress' simplification strategy, exiting non-core businesses such as Superannuation and QuantHouse.

Proceeds from asset sales were used to reduce debt, with leverage falling to 0.5x at year-end, down from 1.0x a year earlier. Net debt reduced materially, providing flexibility to reinvest in product development and support capital returns.

Performance across the continuing business was robust:

• Global Trading & Market Data revenue rose 6%, with adjusted EBITDA up 8%
• APAC Wealth revenue grew 2%, with second-half momentum strengthening
• UK revenue increased 7%, driving a 50% lift in segment EBITDA

Operating discipline remained a key theme, with cost controls supporting margin expansion.

What did management say?

Group CEO Andrew Russell said FY25 reflected disciplined execution and sharper operational focus following the company's portfolio reset.

He highlighted progress on the accelerated business efficiency program, targeting around $30 million in annualised cost savings by the end of FY26, with approximately 60% already delivered.

What's next for Iress?

For FY26, Iress expects revenue of $520 million to $528 million and cash EBITDA of $116 million to $123 million, implying 15% to 23% growth. UPAT is forecast at $84 million to $90 million.

Importantly, management is targeting a FY26 cash EBITDA margin exit run-rate of more than 25%.

After a period of restructuring and divestments, investors appear to be backing Iress' leaner model and improving earnings trajectory.

The post Iress shares surge 12% as profit beats guidance and margins expand appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose 1.84% to finish at 9,081.4 points on Friday.

As earnings season continued, strong results and higher oil prices pushed the ASX 200 to a new record of 9,118.3 points on Thursday.

That beat the previous record of 9,115.2 points set on 21 October.

Eight of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's recap.

ASX tech shares led the market last week

Last week was a welcome bright spot for ASX 200 tech shares, which are in the midst of a prolonged rout.

And boy, is it ugly.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) has fallen by more than 40% over the past six months.

We took a deep dive into the issues plaguing the sector last week.

In a nutshell, there's fear in the market over artificial intelligence (AI).

Investors are worried about high tech stock valuations, extraordinary AI capex, and whether AI could white-ant SaaS companies.

Perhaps a rebound is now underway, given last week's 6.55% increase for the tech sector.

Let's take a look at what happened in the sector last week.

WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares lifted 10.51% to finish at $47.10 ahead of the company's earnings release on Wednesday.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price rose 5.51% to $77.54.

NextDC Limited (ASX: NXT) shares slipped 0.71% to $13.92.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares soared 22.71% to $24.74, with investors reassured by upgraded FY26 guidance at last week's AGM.

Shares in electronics solutions provider Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) lifted 1.37% to $34.69.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) shares increased 8.27% to $23.84.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price tumbled 9.98% after the company reported an underlying net loss of $3.3 million for 1H FY26.

The Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) share price rose 7.32% to $10.41 ahead of its earning report on Thursday.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares rose 5.4% to $67.19.

The Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL) share price lifted 4.24% to $9.10 ahead of the IT solutions provider's earnings release on Monday.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL) shares increased 6.4% to $14.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price edged 0.43% higher to $7.05 ahead of the financial technology company's report on Wednesday.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price rose 5.72% to $3.51.

Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) soared 16.29% to $5.14 after the company reported a 389.1% lift in net profit for 1H FY26.

Hansen is one of a large group of ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend next week. The tech stock will pay a dividend of 5 cents per share.

Shares in hotel bookings management platform provider, Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) rose 4.62% to $3.62.

The Weebit Nano Ltd (ASX: WBT) share price fell 0.2% to $4.90.

Shares in wealth management software company Bravura Solutions Ltd (ASX: BVS) fell 7.45% to $1.93.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here's how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

The post ASX 200 tech shares lead market sectors with a 7% bounce back appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

A bear market is defined as a 20% (or more) fall from the most recent high point.

The ASX 200 tech stock index reached an all-time high of 3,060.7 points on 19 September.

Yesterday, the index closed at 2,317.6 points, down 743 points in just a little over two months.

By comparison, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) hit a record 9,115.2 points on 21 October and has slipped 6.3% since its peak.

The other market sectors have also fallen from their recent highs, set between August and October, but not as dramatically as technology.

Healthcare is also in a bear market, down 23.6%, but that decline has occurred over 10 months since the sector's peak on 31 January.

Take a look.

Why are technology and healthcare in a bear market?

ASX 200 tech and healthcare shares are in bear territory partly because each sector's largest company has been significantly derated.

In the tech sector, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) shares have fallen 51% from their 52-week high of $134.26 on 5 December 2024.

Governance concerns have plagued the logistics software supplier this year, along with investors' disappointment with FY25 earnings.

In the healthcare sector, CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL) shares are down 37% since their 52-week high of $290.32 per share on 8 January.

The global biotech has been hit by weaker global flu vaccine demand and is undergoing a major restructure, including 3,000 job cuts.

It's notable that ASX 200 healthcare shares have fallen 23.6% over 10 months, while tech shares have plummeted 24.3% in two months.

This may indicate that ASX 200 tech shares are facing other immediate tailwinds.

One of them is the concern that artificial intelligence (AI) is creating a market bubble.

We saw this play out last week, with markets experiencing high volatility ahead of a quarterly report from AI chip giant Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA).

This led to significant fluctuations in the ASX 200, with technology the worst-performing sector of the week, falling 4.07%.

Joe Koh and Elan Miller, portfolio managers of Blackwattle's Large Cap Quality Fund, said many clients are asking about an AI bubble.

Koh and Miller said uncertainty over further interest rate cuts was another factor weakening ASX 200 tech shares in recent weeks.

They commented:

Some of the weakness was company-specific (such as the ASIC investigation into Wisetech executives' share trading), but there was also increasing concern around the health of both US and Australian economies.

Higher interest rate expectations following the September inflation numbers also affected growth names in the IT sector, whose earnings and cash flows are further into the future and are therefore more impacted by higher discount rates.

Look outside the tech sector for AI gains: expert

Joe Davis, Vanguard's Global Chief Economist, expects a rotation out of tech shares as AI matures.

He suggests investors will need to look beyond the tech sector if AI does, indeed, transform the global economy, as markets expect.

Davis said:

In every technology cycle, the firms producing the new technology do initially outperform (sometimes by fantastic or even "irrational" levels); but as the technology spreads, it is non-tech companies that benefit.

That is what happened with manufacturers and service companies during the age of electricity.

Similarly, in the age of AI, health care or financial companies could hold the most transformational potential, implying a rotation in stock outperformance, with the best returns shifting from technology stocks to other sectors.

ASX 200 tech share prices in 2025

Here is how the biggest ASX 200 tech shares by market cap are faring in 2025 so far.

WiseTech shares are down 47% in the year to date.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price is down 28%.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares are down 0.1%.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares are down 9.3%.

The Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price is up 84%.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares are up 85%.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares are up 87%.

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) shares are up 21%.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price is down 2.2%.

The Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) share price is up 5.9%

The post Bear market alert: ASX 200 tech shares down 24% since September peak 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:

Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN)

The Bendigo and Adelaide Bank share price is down 8% to $10.11. Investors have been selling the regional bank's shares following the results of an investigation by Deloitte into suspicious activity indicative of money laundering at one of its branches. The investigation, which was initiated by the bank, concluded that deficiencies existed regarding the bank's approach to the identification, mitigation and management of money laundering (ML) and terrorism financing (TF) risk. In response, its board stated: "The Board is very disappointed with the findings and is fully committed to ensuring that the Bank undertakes the necessary enhancements to its systems, processes and frameworks to ensure it is fully compliant with its obligations."

Bougainville Copper Ltd (ASX: BOC)

The Bougainville Copper share price is down 49% to 59.5 cents. This morning, this Papua New Guinea based copper developer released an update on its Panguna Project. It has been busy progressing a confidential strategic partnering process to investigate the potential involvement of an international mining partner in the future redevelopment of the Panguna Project. However, the company has just found out that the Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG) has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Lloyds Metals and Energy Limited (LMEL). It understands that the MOU serves to establish a formal framework for collaboration on major development projects across Bougainville, including the Panguna Project.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

The Iress share price is down 5% to $9.17. This has been driven by news that the financial technology company has not received a formal takeover approach. In response to media speculation, the company said: "Iress continues to engage with multiple parties in order to ascertain whether there is a proposal which could be recommended by the Iress Board and will continue to update the market in accordance with its continuous disclosure obligations."

IVE Group Ltd (ASX: IGL)

The IVE Group share price is down 5% to $2.84. Investors have been selling this marketing company's shares following the release of an update at its annual general meeting. Management advised that year to date revenue has been softer than expected across the retail and media sectors. As a result, underlying net profit after tax is now expected to be at the bottom end of its guidance range of $50 million to $54 million in FY 2026.

The post Why Bendigo Bank, Bougainville Copper, Iress, and IVE shares are falling 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.

Some have fared well, others have not.

With that in mind, let's see what the broker is saying about the three popular stocks listed below.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

This financial technology company's update caught the eye of Morgans. It notes that Iress is planning to accelerate its cost-out program to save another $25 million.

However, that is just a sideshow, with the main event a potential takeover. Morgans believes that if one comes, it will likely be before the end of the year and could be at a price around $10.50 per share. But for now, the broker has an accumulate rating and $9.69 price target on its shares. It said:

We assume the formal data-room process has highlighted additional opportunity, supportive of an accelerated program. IRE confirmed that multiple parties remained engaged in the process. We expect CY25 would be set as a bid deadline. A bid not materialising is a key short-term risk for the share price. However, on a fundamental basis, the incoming CEO has a strong track record of execution which provides some additional comfort to the efficiency targets now in place.

IRE is set up for reasonable growth whilst investing in top-line initiatives (FY26/27) and will now accelerate core business efficiency plans. We consider the live corporate appeal as providing some extra risk/reward to the investment case. We have an ACCUMULATE rating based on our fundamental valuation. Under a takeover scenario we see >A$10.50ps as more appropriate.

Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG)

This investment bank didn't do enough with its half year results to convince Morgans to change its recommendation.

The broker continues to believe its shares are trading at fair value. As a result, it has retained its hold rating with a $215.00 price target. It said:

MQG's 1H26 NPAT (A$1.65bn) was +3% on the pcp, but -9% below company-compiled consensus ($1.81bn). Whilst acknowledging there were some explainable items driving this miss, e.g. increased investment spend in CGM, factors like green asset impairments and non-repeated prior year gains also came into play. Purely on face value, it was another headline result miss for MQG, albeit full year guidance commentary appears relatively unchanged.

We make mild downgrades to our MQG FY26 earnings of -2%, with future year earnings slightly lifted (+2% to 4%) on a broad review of our earnings assumptions. Our PT is reduced to ~A$215 (previously ~A$223). We maintain our HOLD recommendation on MQG, believing the stock is currently fair value trading on 19x PE.

REA Group Ltd (ASX: REA)

Morgans was impressed with REA Group's strong yields during the first quarter of FY 2026. It notes that this helped offset softer listing volumes.

In response, the broker has upgraded its shares to an accumulate rating with a $247.00 price target. It said:

REA's 1Q26 trading update benefited from a strong yield outcome (+13%), which helped to offset a softer new listings environment in the period (volumes down -8% vs the pcp). Group revenue was A$429m (+4% on pcp), with EBITDA (ex assoc.) up 5% on pcp to A$254m. We make minor changes (-1%) to our FY26-FY28 EPS estimates. Our DCF-derived price target is lowered to A$247 (from A$254). Given REA is trading on ~42x FY26F PE (MorgansE), broadly in line with its 10-year historical average, and now with >10% TSR upside to our valuation we upgrade REA to ACCUMULATE.

The post What is Morgans saying about Iress, Macquarie, and REA shares? 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 climbing:

ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ)

The ANZ share price is up almost 3% to $37.82. Investors have been buying this banking giant's shares following the release of its full year results this morning. The big four bank posted a cash profit before significant items of $6,896 million. While this was flat on the prior corresponding period, it was ahead of the consensus estimate. ANZ's CEO, Nuno Matos, said: "Our franchise has a strong competitive position. We have two scale markets, Australia and New Zealand, two market leading positions, our Institutional and New Zealand businesses, and a well-diversified business benefitting from our strong presence in Asia, the fastest growing economic region in the world."

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is up 12% to 16.25 cents. This follows the release of an updated reserve for the Grants deposit at its 100%-owned Finniss Lithium Project. Management advised that Grants will now be initially mined as an open pit and will transition later to an underground mine. This is expected to reduce the re-establishment costs for Grants and bring first ore and revenue forward. It estimates that the change will reduce Grants pre-production capital by $35 million to $45 million.

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

The Iress share price is up 6% to $9.30. This morning, this financial technology company announced initiatives that it expects to permanently boost its margins. Iress has divested six non-core business units, which has enabled it to strengthen its balance sheet and "transformed (it) into a more focused and streamlined organisation centred on two core global enterprise software business units – Wealth and Trading & Market Data"

Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX: MND)

The Monadelphous share price is up 9% to $24.63. This follows the release of a trading update from the engineering company this morning. Monadelphous revealed that the strong momentum experienced in the last quarter of FY 2025 has continued. This has been underpinned by the record level of work secured during the 2025 financial year. As a result, Monadelphous is forecasting first half revenue of approximately $1.5 billion. And while operating activity is expected to moderate in the second half, its full year revenue is still forecast to grow 20% to 25% year on year.

The post Why ANZ, Core Lithium, Iress, and Monadelphous shares are charging higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Iress said in a statement to the ASX on Monday morning that it had divested six non-core business units over the past two years, which had enabled it to strengthen its balance sheet and had "transformed (it) into a more focused and streamlined organisation centred on two core global enterprise software business units – Wealth and Trading & Market Data''.

It went on to say:

Looking ahead, Iress is now executing a FY26 business efficiency program designed to further enhance operating leverage, strengthen profitability, and re-energise the business for growth through a sharper focus on product, technology, and client engagement.

Iress said the program would deliver "enduring structural efficiencies" and said this would lead to better earnings margins this financial year.

The program targets a sustainable cash EBITDA margin of about 25% by the end of FY26, compared with an expected about 19% cash EBITDA margin for FY25. This increased level of margin performance is expected to be maintained on an ongoing basis, reflecting a structurally more efficient operating model.  

The company said it was also building new revenue channels for growth, "including AI-enabled capabilities and enhanced client solutions''.

Iress' product, technology, and capital management priorities are being closely aligned to reinforce client outcomes, improve execution, and deliver on the company's cash EBITDA margin and shareholder return objectives.

Earnings upgrade

Iress reconfirmed its FY25 guidance on Monday, saying it expected adjusted EBITDA to be in the range of $128 million to $132 million, and underlying profit after tax to be in the range of $67 million to $71 million, up from prior guidance of $65 million to $71 million.

The possibility of a corporate transaction also remained a possibility, the company said.

Iress continues to engage with multiple parties in order to ascertain whether there is a strategic proposal which could be recommended by the Iress Board.

Iress said on October 17 that it had made a virtual data room available to a number of new parties considering a takeover proposal for the company, although there was no guarantee that any such transaction would eventuate.

Iress shares traded as high as $9.52 on the trading update on Monday morning before settling back to be 4.3% higher at $9.14. Iress was valued at $1.63 billion at the close of trade on Friday.

Iress' new managing director, Andrew Russell, will start with the company on 17 November.

The post This ASX 200 technology stock is racing higher on plans to permanently boost margins appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Adore Beauty Group Ltd (ASX: ABY)

The Adore Beauty share price is up 4.5% to $1.05. This has been driven by the release of a bullish broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has upgraded the beauty retailer's shares to a buy rating with a $1.25 price target. Commenting on the upgrade, Bell Potter said: "We upgrade to a Buy recommendation following ABY trading at a far more attractive FY26e EV/EBIT multiple (~15x BPe numbers), with the stock having pulled back ~17% since initiating at 17-Sep, as well as the expectation of a positive trading update at the AGM on 21-Nov."

Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE)

The Iress share price is up 4.5% to $8.79. Investors have been buying this financial technology company's shares after it revealed further takeover interest. In an announcement before the market open, it advised that a number of parties are running the rule over the company. It stated: "To facilitate this engagement, Iress has, since the time of its previous update, made a virtual data room available to a number of additional parties under appropriate confidentiality agreements. The basis for engagement is that bidders are restricted from contacting certain former management (without Iress' consent)."

Jumbo Interactive Ltd (ASX: JIN)

The Jumbo share price is up a further 3% to $12.52. This online lottery ticket seller's shares have raced higher this week thanks to the announcement of a major acquisition. The team at Morgans has responded positively to the news. Yesterday its analysts upgraded Jumbo's shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $15.90. The broker said: "The acquisition bridges the potential earnings gap from non-TLC revenue streams and accelerates JIN's strategic shift from slower-growing international B2B operations toward higher-margin B2C opportunities."

Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM)

The Newmont Corporation share price is up 4% to $151.59. Investors have been buying Newmont shares after the spot gold price raced higher yet again overnight. It isn't just Newmont that is rising today. Most gold miners are rising in response to the news. This has led to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index climbing 1.8% at the time of writing.

The post Why Adore Beauty, Iress, Jumbo, and Newmont shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Iress was forced to make a statement to the ASX on August 8 about the fact that a potential buyer was sniffing around, after there was speculation in the media that a deal was in the wings.

Iress said at the time that it had considered an approach from Blackstone in relation to a potential takeover of the company at $10.50 per share, but that offer was withdrawn.

Iress shares are currently changing hands well shy of this figure, closing Thursday's trade at $8.40, valuing the company at $1.56 billion.

The shares jumped in early trade on Friday's news, however, up 4.8% to $8.80.

Iress said in August it was still engaging with Blackstone and Thoma Bravo "in order to ascertain whether an offer can be made which can be recommended by the Iress board''.

Deal potential still exists

Until this Friday, the company has had little to say about any potential deal, but told the ASX in a statement on Friday morning that new third parties had entered the mix, "in addition to the parties which have previously expressed interest in Iress''.

It went on to say:

To facilitate this engagement, Iress has, since the time of its previous update, made a virtual data room available to a number of additional parties under appropriate confidentiality agreements. The basis for engagement is that bidders are restricted from contacting certain former management (without Iress' consent).

Iress' former Chief Executive Officer, Marcus Price, stepped down on 4 September and will be replaced by Andrew Russell, who will join the company in November.

Iress delivered a steady set of first-half financial results in August, with revenue 3.1% lower at $299.5 million for the year and net profit steady at $17.3 million.

The company sold its superannuation business during the first half and, in September, completed the sale of its Quanthouse business for $31.3 million.

Mr Price said during the release of the first half report that the company's transformation process was now completed, and Iress would now focus on its growth drivers.

As we enter the next phase of our growth strategy, Iress is well-placed to capitalise on global growth opportunities, leveraging our core capabilities while selectively investing in new trading and wealth technologies.

Mr Price said the company saw "significant opportunities" in emerging cloud and artificial intelligence technology to enhance trading experiences for its customers.

Iress at the time reconfirmed its guidance of underlying net profit of $65 to $73 million.

The post Shares lift as potential new takoever bidders run the ruler over market data firm appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

On Friday, several ASX tech stocks ripped to new highs after the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) hit a record the previous night.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) fell 1.03% over the week to close at 8,773.5 points on Friday.

The energy sector was the biggest drag last week, falling 4%, after the foreign takeover bid for Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) was withdrawn.

Just three of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's recap.

ASX 200 technology shares led the market last week

Tech sector darling Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) was among 9 ASX 200 shares that reached multi-year high share prices on Friday.

The Life360 share price rose 5.3% over the week to close at $51.96, after reaching a record $52.40 during intraday trade on Friday.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares set a new 52-week high of $18.22 on Friday, and rose 2.8% over the week to finish at $17.81.

The Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) share price reached a four-year high of $7.20 on Friday before closing at $7.14, up 3% over the week.

The Betashares S&P/ASX Australian Technology ETF (ASX: ATEC) also reached a new record of $33.42 per unit on Friday.

ATEC, which seeks to track the S&P/ASX All Technology Index before fees, was among 68 ASX ETFs that smashed records on Friday.

Several ASX small-cap tech shares also hit new highs on Friday.

The Hansen Technologies Ltd (ASX: HSN) share price closed at a four-year high of $6.22 on Friday, up 7.4% for the week.

Energy One Ltd (ASX: EOL) shares reached an all-time high of $18 on Friday before closing at $17.95, up 11.8% over the week.

Infomedia Ltd (ASX: IFM) shares closed at a 52-week high of $1.72, up 2.4% over the week.

Eroad Ltd (ASX: ERD) shares reached a three-year high of $2.63 on Friday before finishing the session at $2.55, up 8.1% last week.

Other tech sector price changes

Turning our attention to large-cap ASX 200 tech shares, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) lifted 1.4% over the week to close at $96.30.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price inched up 0.3% to $162.59.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares rose 0.8% to $38.35.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares fell 3.1% to $29.98.

The Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) share price lifted 0.8% to $15.01.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price increased 4.4% to close at $7.09.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price rose 2.4% to $9.34.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares rose 5.5% to $65.07 ahead of their departure from the ASX 200.

Macquarie Tech is among 9 shares leaving the ASX 200 in the next index rebalance, effective tomorrow.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here's how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

The post Life360, NextDC, and Siteminder shares reach new highs amid tech sector lead last week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slipped 0.07% to close at 8,864.9 points on Friday.

Just five of the 11 market sectors finished the week in the green.

Let's review.

ASX technology shares led the market last week

Let's take a look at how the major ASX 200 technology shares performed last week.

The ASX 200's largest tech share, WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC), lifted 1.46% to close at $94.93 on Friday.

We presented 4 expert opinions on whether WiseTech shares are a buy, hold, or sell right now.

Wisetech shares went ex-dividend on Friday and will pay a final dividend of 11.9 cents on 10 October.

The Xero Ltd (ASX: XRO) share price rose 2.07% to $162.18 last week.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares slipped 0.21% to $38.06 apiece.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT) shares increased 4.84% to $17.32.

The Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price swished 8% higher to $49.34.

Life360 shares are a firm investor favourite and have risen 21% in just one month.

Morgan Stanley has a buy rating on Life360 shares with a 12-month price target of $51.

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares inched 0.58% higher to finish at $30.95 apiece on Friday.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1) shares rose 5.68% to $14.89 after Citi issued a bullish note upgrading the tech stock to a buy.

The Siteminder Ltd (ASX: SDR) share price lifted 1.46% to $6.93.

Objective Corporation Ltd (ASX: OCL) shares fell 0.63% to $20.58 apiece.

The Catapult Sports Ltd (ASX: CAT) share price ripped 15.67% to $6.79 despite no news from the company last week.

Catapult Sports shares reached a new record high of $6.99 on Friday.

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR) shares lifted 1.55% to $9.84 apiece.

The Iress Ltd (ASX: IRE) share price slipped 0.11% to $9.12.

Macquarie Technology Group Ltd (ASX: MAQ) shares rose 3.68% to close at $61.70 on Friday.

Macquarie Tech is among 9 ASX shares being dumped from the benchmark ASX 200 index in the next rebalance.

The Data#3 Ltd (ASX: DTL) share price lifted 4.2% to $9.68 and reached an 18-month high of $9.74 on Friday.

Data#3 shares are among 23 ASX stocks going ex-dividend next week.

The company will pay a dividend of 15 cents per share on 30 September.

ASX 200 market sector snapshot

Here's how the 11 market sectors stacked up last week, according to CommSec data.

Over the five trading days:

The post ASX 200 tech shares led last week with sector darling Life360 now up 21% in a month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.