This rather indecisive session for the Australian markets came after an even nastier end to the American trading week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) had another tough session, dropping 0.77%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared even worse, falling a horrid 1.4%.

But let's get back to this week and our local markets, and take a closer look at what was happening across the different ASX sectors today.

Winners and losers

Tech shares were the sector that was singled out for punishment this Monday. The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was slammed, tumbling 1.54%.

Utilities stocks fared better, but the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) still tanked by 0.63%.

Healthcare shares were in a similar boat. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) saw its value dive 0.49% today.

Mining stocks weren't popular either, evident by the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ)'s 0.34% dip.

Gold stocks were also no safe haven. The All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) ended up sinking 0.23%.

Real estate investment trusts (REITs) followed right behind gold, with the S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) dipping 0.17%.

Our last losers this Monday were financial stocks. The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) slipped 0.07% by the closing bell.

Let's turn to the winning sectors now. Leading the charge were energy stocks, illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ)'s 1.8% surge.

Consumer staples stocks also ran hot. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) roared 0.43% higher this session.

Communications shares saw high demand too, with the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) lifting 0.39%.

Industrial stocks came next. The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) advanced 0.16% today.

Finally, consumer discretionary shares got themselves over the line, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ)'s 0.11% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's winner was healthcare share 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX). 4DMedical shares soared 7.19% higher this session to close at $3.43 each. This may have been a reaction to last week's announcement.

Here's the rest of today's best: 

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

After opening sharply lower at the start of morning trading, the ASX 200 did recover a little over the day. But it wasn't nearly enough to save investors from a loss. By the time trading finished, the index had lost 0.26% and closed at 8,762.5 points.

This depressing Thursday for the local markets came after a mixed night over on the US markets.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) wasn't in a good place, dropping 1.09%.

However, the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared far better, rising 0.2%.

Let's get back to the local markets now and check out how today's tough trading conditions have percolated down into the various ASX sectors.

Winners and losers

Despite the market's bad mood this Thursday, there were plenty of sectors that were spared from a sell-down.

But first, it was mining stocks that got slammed the hardest today. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) ended up crashing 1.48% lower.

Gold shares had another rough one too, with the All Ordinaries Gold Index (ASX: XGD) tumbling 1.24%.

We can say the same for real estate investment trusts (REITs). The S&P/ASX 200 A-REIT Index (ASX: XPJ) sank 1.1% by the closing bell.

Financial stocks were a little better, though, as illustrated by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ)'s 0.15% slip.

Turning to the green sectors now, energy shares had a blowout. The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) ended up surging 1.67% higher.

Utilities stocks also ran hot, with the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) soaring 1.28%.

Consumer staples shares were solid. The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) galloped 0.97% higher this session.

Tech stocks were in demand too, as you can see by the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ)'s 0.92% bounce.

Communications shares fared decently. The S&P/ASX 200 Communication Services Index (ASX: XTJ) added 0.89% to its total today.

As did consumer discretionary stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) advancing 0.58%.

Healthcare shares stayed afloat. The S&P/ASX 200 Healthcare Index (ASX: XHJ) lifted 0.13% this Thursday.

Finally, industrial stocks got over the line, evident from the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ)'s 0.12% bump.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top stock was building supplies company Fletcher Building Ltd (ASX: FBU). Fletcher shares rocketed 7.55% this session to $2.99 each.

This followed the stock releasing some updated earnings guidance, which investors clearly appreciated.

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

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary that shows which companies made big moves on the day. Check in at Fool.com.au after the weekday market closes to see which stocks make the countdown.

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

That return was comprised of 2.77% capital growth and a 4.23% average dividend yield.

That's an improvement on last year's payout.

In FY25, dividends made up 3.84% of the total 13.81% return.

That was well below the long-term average of about 4.5%.

This last financial year, the market moved closer to the norm.

What pushed dividend yields higher last year?

The increase partly reflects higher earnings among resources companies due to rising commodity prices.

This contributed to an outstanding performance in the ASX 200 materials sector, which lead the 11 market sectors last year.

Materials stocks soared 47.48% and paid a healthy above-average dividend yield of 4.63%.

The energy sector paid an even higher dividend yield at 5.14% in FY26.

But neither paid the best dividend yield of the 11 market sectors.

That title belongs to a much more defensive segment.

Experts say capital gains tax (CGT) changes may prompt investors to seek better yield.

If that rings true for you, the following list will give you a general guide as to which sectors pay best.

Let's take a look at the dividend yields of each of the 11 market sectors in FY26.

Which ASX sectors delivered the best dividend yields?

The sectors are listed in order of highest dividend yield for FY26.

Utilities

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) last year was 11.87%.

Dividends made up 5.98% of that total return.

Energy infrastructure company APA Group (ASX: APA) was the sector's best performer for growth.

APA Group shares rose 24%, and are currently trading on a trailing dividend yield of 5.84%.

Energy

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was 14.51%.

Dividends represented 5.14% of that return.

ASX 200 coal  producer New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) had the strongest share price growth at 44%.

New Hope Corporation shares have a trailing dividend yield of 4.78%.

Materials

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) was 52.11% in FY26. 

Dividends made up 4.63% of that return.

The best performer was gold explorer, Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6), which rocketed 508% in FY26.

Minerals 260 does not pay dividends.

The largest company in the materials sector is BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), which has a trailing yield of 3.47%.

Consumer Staples

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) was 13.72%. 

Dividends represented 3.63% of that return.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) was the top-performing consumer staples share, rising 29%.

Woolworths shares have a trailing yield of 2.24%.

Financials

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) was 1.69%. 

The index lost 1.89% of its market cap last year, but dividends of 3.58% brought the sector into the green.

New Zealand-based infrastructure investment company, Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) was the fastest riser, lifting 29%.

Infratil shares have a trailing dividend yield of 1.22%.

Industrials

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) was 5.24%.

Dividends made up 3.55% of that return.

Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) shares were the fastest risers, rocketing 261%.

Electro Optic Systems does not pay dividends.

The biggest company in the sector is Transurban Group (ASX: TCL), which has a trailing yield of 4.68%.

Real estate & REITs

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XPJ) was a negative 2.24%.

The index dropped 5.32% in FY26, but an average dividend yield of 3.08% mitigated the capital loss.

Property fund manager Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) outperformed with capital growth of 19%.

The ASX 200 real estate investment trust (REIT) has a trailing dividend yield of 2.3%.

Communications

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) was a negative 9.41%.

The sector lost 12.4% of its value, but an average dividend yield of 2.99% partially offset the loss.

Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) shares rose the most, lifting 26%.

Aussie Broadband has a trailing dividend yield of 1.03%.

Consumer discretionary

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) produced a negative total return of 1.21%.

The index fell 3.56%, but an average dividend yield of 2.35% reduced the impact.

The Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) share price experienced the most growth, rising 22%.

Eagers Automotive shares have a trailing dividend yield of 3.43%.

Healthcare

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) was a negative 36.15%.

The healthcare index fell 37.4%, and an average dividend yield of 1.25% did little to buoy investors' spirits.

4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) was the outperformer, with its share price skyrocketing 1,786%.

4DMedical does not pay dividends.

The largest company in the sector is CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL), which has a trailing dividend yield of 3.38%.

The healthcare sector is experiencing an extraordinary bounce back, with value investors returning just last month.

Since the pivot point on 3 June, the healthcare index has soared 23%.

Technology

The total return for the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) was a negative 36.97%.

The index lost 37.22% of its value, and a tiny average dividend yield of 0.25% was barely noticeable to investors.

The Aussie tech sector is comprised predominately of younger growth companies, and not many pay dividends yet.

ASX 200 tech shares tanked in FY26, with only four shares experiencing capital growth.

The stand-out was Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares, which rocketed 119%.

Codan shares have a trailing dividend yield of 0.8%.

Technology is also on the rebound after bottoming out on 30 March.

The post Which ASX 200 sectors paid the highest dividend yields in FY26? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The benchmark index hit a record 9,202.9 points on 26 February before finishing the year at 8,778.7 points on 30 June.

There are 11 market sectors within the ASX 200.

In this article, we name the top-performing shares by capital growth in each market sector. 

No. 1 shares of the ASX 200 market sectors 

These were the No.1 shares of each market sector based on 12-month share price growth (excluding dividends).

We have listed the sectors from strongest to weakest.

Six of the 11 sectors declined in value last year. 

Materials

The ASX 200 materials sector was the best performer by far. 

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) soared 47.48% and produced total returns of 52.11% in FY26. 

Australia is in the midst of a new mining boom with five key factors driving a new commodities supercycle.

The green energy transition, artificial intelligence (AI) build-out, and central banks diversifying their reserves with gold drove strong commodity price rises in FY26.

The best performing share within the ASX 200 materials sector was gold explorer, Minerals 260 Ltd (ASX: MI6).

The Minerals 260 share price ripped 508% to finish at 73 cents per share on 30 June. 

Consumer Staples

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) rose 10.09% and delivered total returns of 13.72%. 

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) was the top-performing consumer staples share of the year.

The Woolworths share price rose 28.67% to $40.03 in FY26.

Energy

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) rose 9.37% and delivered total gross returns of 14.51%.

ASX 200 coal  producer New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) recorded the strongest share price growth.

New Hope Corporation shares increased 44.32% to finish the year at $5.34 per share.

Utilities

The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) rose 5.89% and delivered a total return of 11.87%.

Energy infrastructure company APA Group (ASX: APA) was the best performer of the utilities sector. 

The APA Group share price ascended 24.11% to finish FY26 at $10.14.  

Industrials

The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) edged 1.69% higher and produced total returns of 5.24%.

ASX 200 defence share Electro Optic Systems Holdings Ltd (ASX: EOS) recorded the highest capital growth.

The Electro Optic Systems share price soared 261% to finish the year at $10.30. 

Financials

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) fell 1.89% in value, but dividends lifted the total return into the green at 1.69%. 

New Zealand-based infrastructure investment company, Infratil Ltd (ASX: IFT) was the best performer of the financials sector.

The Infratil share price lifted 28.8% to finish the year at $12.61.

Consumer discretionary

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) fell 3.56% and produced a total negative return of 1.21%.

The Eagers Automotive Ltd (ASX: APE) share price experienced the most growth in the consumer discretionary sector. 

The Eagers Automotive share price rose 21.83% to finish the year at $21.26. 

Real estate & REITs

The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XPJ) dropped 5.32% and delivered a total negative return of 2.24%.

Property fund manager Charter Hall Group (ASX: CHC) outshone its property sector peers.

The ASX real estate investment trust (REIT) rose 19.12% to $22.66 on 30 June. 

Communications

The S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) tanked 12.4% and delivered a negative total return of 9.41%.

Telco stock Aussie Broadband Ltd (ASX: ABB) rose the most in FY26. 

The Aussie Broadband share price ripped 26.09% to $4.93 on 30 June.

Technology

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) dove 37.22%, with a total negative return of 36.97% in FY26. 

Codan Ltd (ASX: CDA) shares outperformed in the technology sector last year.

The Codan share price screamed 119.49% higher to $44.14 on 30 June.

Healthcare

Healthcare was the worst-performing sector of FY26.

The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) tumbled 37.4% and delivered a negative total return of 36.15%.

The 4DMedical Ltd (ASX: 4DX) share price was absolutely unstoppable in FY26. 

Shares in 4DMedical skyrocketed 1,786% to $4.53 on 30 June. 

The respiratory imaging tech company was not only the shining star of the healthcare sector.

It was also the No. 1 stock for capital growth overall in FY26.

The post Top ASX 200 share of each market sector in FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Amongst those shares, notable names included: 

• Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) rose 4%
• Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ) hit a multi-year high
• New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) climbed 2%. 

There were various catalysts for the continued success of these ASX shares. Here's what investors were reacting to and what experts are saying moving forward. 

Ampol hits new 52-week high thanks to billion dollar deal 

It's been a great week for Ampol shareholders this week, as Australia's largest listed petroleum refiner and distributor has risen roughly 8% in the last two days. 

Investors have been gobbling up the company's shares after it announced that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has approved Ampol's acquisition of fuel and convenience retailer EG Australia.

The company said the approval is conditional on Ampol's divestment of 41 sites. 

Ampol said it has entered into a binding agreement to sell the 41 sites to Metro Petroleum.

Citing its strong balance sheet, Ampol said it will cash settle the scrip component of the purchase price. The seller of EG Australia will receive a net cash consideration of approximately $1.115 billion.

Its share price is now up 42% over the last 12 months. 

Much of this has come on the back of conflict in the Middle East and concerns about global oil supply earlier this year.

However it now appears the ASX stock is approaching full valuation. 

9 analyst forecasts via TradingView have a one year average price target of $37.89, which is just 4% higher than current levels. 

Aurizon hits multi-year high

Aurizon is Australia's largest rail freight operator hauling bulk commodities, largely coal, as well as iron ore and agricultural products.

Its share price climbed another 1% yesterday, taking it to new multi-year highs. 

Aurizon shares have now climbed over 20% year to date.

This has largely come on the back of positive earnings results and a subsequent dividend boost. 

Despite this, experts are largely looking at the company as a hold after hitting fresh 52-week highs. 

The average price target sits roughly 9% below current levels. 

New hope keeps rising

New Hope is an Australian thermal coal miner.

Like many ASX energy shares, it has enjoyed big returns in 2026. 

For the to date, its share price has climbed an impressive 52%. 

Yesterday, it hit fresh 52-week highs of $6.17 per share. 

However, it also appears to have climbed past fair value. 

Bell Potter recently placed a hold rating and $5.00 price target on its shares.

This indicates a downside of 19%. 

The post Can these ASX shares hitting 52-week highs keep rising? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Well, let's see if analysts believe the popular ASX shares in this article are worthy of your hard-earned money.

Here's what they are saying about them:

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

Morgans was relatively pleased with Goodman's third-quarter update.

It appears to believe the update demonstrates the company's strong position in the rapidly growing data centre (DC) market. The broker said:

GMG's 3Q26 update reinforced a deliberate strategy: deploy balance-sheet capital ahead of customer commitments to win the race for power-enabled metro data centre (DC) capacity. WIP is set to step from $14.5bn at Mar-26 to a record c.$18bn by Jun-26 (Consensus $17.7bn), with the power bank lifted to 6.4GW.

Operationally the update was mixed, with pre-committed share, production rate and Yield On Cost (YOC) all relatively flat hoh. The structurally important note was management's view that industry DC capex requirements likely exceed global capital market funding capacity, a backdrop that favours those with secured power, sites and locked-in capital partners.

Morgans has put a buy rating and $36.00 price target on Goodman's shares.

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Ord Minnett has responded positively to news that this network-as-a-service company's Latitude business has won three major contracts. It said:

Ord Minnett's forecasts for revenue, operating earnings (EBITDA) and EPS for FY26 are unchanged, although capital expenditure assumptions have increased to reflect infrastructure required for the new contracts. Our EBITDA forecasts for FY27 and FY28, however, have been raised by 29% and 34%, respectively, while our EPS estimates have increased by 29% and 55% for FY27 and FY28, respectively. In turn, this has driven an increase in our Megaport target price to $14.50 from $12.00. ‍

Megaport has indicated a two‑year EBITDA payback on capital expenditure of US$101 million for the new contracts, implying EBITDA of circa US$50 million per annum, or an EBITDA margin of 75% at maturity.

Ord Minnett has an accumulate rating and $14.50 price target on Megaport's shares.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

This coal miner delivered a strong quarterly update this month, with production and sales comfortably ahead of expectations.

However, it wasn't quite enough for Bell Potter to give New Hope shares an upgrade. It said:

We retain a Hold recommendation and apply a 10% premium to our sum of the parts valuation with energy security concerns exacerbated by recent geopolitical issues. NHC's low-cost operations will continue to underpin margins through the coal price cycle, funding capital expenditure commitments and supporting shareholder returns. Beyond ramp-up of New Acland Stage 3, we see a limited organic production growth pipeline and believe NHC may participate in industry consolidation.

Bell Potter has a hold rating and $5.00 price target on its shares.

The post Buy, hold, sell: Goodman, Megaport, and New Hope shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Instead, it has become one of the best performing commodities of 2026, and New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) shareholders have been among the biggest beneficiaries.

The company's third-quarter FY 2026 update, released this week, tells investors a great deal not just about New Hope itself but about the state of the broader coal market right now.

What the quarterly update showed

New Hope reported a 5% quarter-on-quarter increase in group run-of-mine coal production to 4.3 million tonnes for the April quarter.

Group coal sales rose 10.4% to 3.2 million tonnes, while the average realised sales price improved 1.2% to $140.7 per tonne.

Together, those improvements lifted underlying EBITDA 21.7% to $130.1 million compared to the prior quarter.

At its key operating asset, Bengalla Mine in the Hunter Valley, saleable coal production rose 13.5% to 2.1 million tonnes and Free On Board (FOB) cash cost fell 12.4% to $74 per tonne, tracking well below the company's FY 2026 guidance range of $81 to $89 per tonne.

That cost performance gives New Hope some protection against any near-term softening in coal prices.

What this tells us about the coal market

The quarterly update is also a useful window into the broader thermal coal market, and the picture it paints is more constructive than many investors might expect.

The Newcastle thermal coal benchmark averaged US$127.6 per tonne during the April quarter, up 16.5% on the prior quarter, driven by a combination of factors.

Middle East tensions have pushed natural gas prices higher, causing power stations across Asia to switch back to cheaper coal as a substitute fuel.

Moreover, cold weather across North Asia simultaneously lifted heating demand, while Japan and South Korea continued to prioritise grid stability through reliable coal-fired baseload generation.

Meanwhile, a longer-term supply squeeze is developing in the background.

Years of reduced investment in new coal mine development, driven by ESG pressures on banks and institutional investors, also has led to global supply gradually tightening as demand falls more slowly than anticipated.

That mismatch benefits low-cost producers like New Hope, who is now selling into a progressively tighter market.

The balance sheet and shareholder returns

Beyond the operational numbers, New Hope also took meaningful balance sheet action during the quarter.

The company successfully issued $300 million in new convertible notes due 2032 while repurchasing $293.3 million of notes due 2029, extending its debt maturity profile and reducing near-term refinancing risk.

The cash balance at quarter end stood at $571 million.

Shareholders also received a fully-franked interim dividend of 10 cents per share during the quarter, totalling $84.3 million.

Foolish Takeaway

New Hope's quarterly update confirms that the coal price recovery is real.

For investors comfortable with the ESG considerations that come with owning a thermal coal stock, New Hope offers a cash-generative, low-cost producer with a strong balance sheet and a track record of returning capital to shareholders.

For those who are not, the update at least provides a useful read on what is driving energy markets in 2026.

The post Here is what this ASX stock's quarterly update tells investors about the coal market in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Interestingly, the brokers don't agree on whether the company is fully valued at the moment, with Macquarie breaking ranks with an outperform rating on the shares.

We'll have a closer look at some of the broker share price targets for New Hope shortly.

First, let's have a look at what they announced this week.

Robust production numbers

The company said in its quarterly report that its coal production was "strong", coming in at 4.3 million tonnes for the quarter, up 5% on the previous quarter.

Coal sales were 10.4% higher at 3.2 million tonnes, while the average realised price inched up from $139 per tonne to $140.70 per tonne.

New Hope said the underlying EBITDA for the quarter was $130.1 million, up 21.7% on the previous quarter, and the company had cash of $571.6 million.

The company said the conflict in the Middle East had been supportive of higher coal prices.

It said:

During the quarter, geopolitical conflict in the Middle East caused disruption and uncertainty to global energy markets. Global coal markets observed favourable price movements during the quarter, driven by concerns surrounding Middle Eastern LNG availability and shifting gas-to-coal for power generation. Japan, South Korea and Taiwan (JKT) increased coal imports, prioritising energy security amidst LNG supply disruption. Japan and South Korea have eased restrictions on older coal plants and postponed planned retirements. The Company anticipates increased demand in the coming quarter, as the Northern Hemisphere moves out of the shoulder season and into Summer. Looking ahead, the Group's forward sales book remains well supported with the majority of production for the next three months sold.

Broker dissent

In terms of the brokers that follow the company, both Bell Potter and Morgans have a hold recommendation on New Hope shares.

Bell Potter said they had increased their price target for the company from $4.50 to $5, after they applied "a 10% premium to our sum of the parts valuation with energy security concerns exacerbated by recent geopolitical issues''.

Their price target is still below the current share price of $5.44, however.

Morgans has a price target of $5.25 on the shares, up from $5 previously, saying New Hope "continues to be well-positioned to deliver low-cost, high-margin cash flow from its operations''.

They added:

We believe coal prices can rebound meaningfully above consensus over time, and NHC is positioned to capitalise, driving stronger cash flow and shareholder returns.

Macquarie, however, is an outlier with a bullish price target of $7 on New Hope shares.

Macquarie said:

Improving (stabilising) performance at Bengalla (hitting target run rates) and ongoing ramp-up at New Acland positions New Hope well in what could become a tighter market for thermal coal as global energy disruptions continue from the Middle East conflict.

The post Analysts are split over whether New Hope shares are a buy or a hold appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

New Hope shares climbed a further 3% yesterday, and are now up 50% over the last 12 months. 

New Hope is an Australian thermal coal miner. It has two operating mines: the 100%-owned New Acland coal mine in the Darling Downs, Queensland and its 80%-owned Bengalla coal mine in New South Wales.

Another great week 

On Monday, this ASX energy stock released a quarterly report.

It reported: 

• Group ROM coal production: 4.26Mt, up 5.0% on the previous quarter
• Saleable coal production: 3.01Mt, up 8.7% quarter-on-quarter
• Total coal sales: 3.20Mt, a 10.4% quarterly lift
• Average realised sales price: $140.7/t, up 1.2% from prior quarter
• Underlying EBITDA: $130.1 million, up 21.7% from the previous quarter
• Available cash: $571.6 million at quarter end. 

Investors have been reacting positively to these results. This ASX energy stock is up 6% across two days of trading this week. 

Bell Potter weighs in 

Following these results, the team at Bell Potter issued an updated report on this ASX energy stock. 

The broker noted FY26 revised guidance was reiterated and group production and sales are tracking towards the upper end of the ranges provided. 

Coal production was 3.0 million tonnes, above Bell Potter's forecast of 2.7 million tonnes.

The broker also said New Hope strengthened its balance sheet through a $300 million refinancing, while noting that any diesel cost increases from Middle East tensions could potentially be offset by stronger coal prices and demand.

NHC's diesel providers have reassured supply in the short term. Around 20% of NHC's overall cost base is diesel price related. In the event of a prolonged Middle East conflict, diesel cost impacts could be more than offset by stronger thermal coal demand and prices as coal is substituted for disrupted LNG supply.

Based on this guidance, Bell Potter updated its assumptions for coal prices and the Australian dollar, leading to earnings forecast changes:

• FY26 earnings forecast cut by 17%
• FY27 forecast raised by 19%
• FY28 forecast raised by 12%. 

Limited upside 

Following recent share price growth, the team at Bell Potter now sees this ASX energy stock as a hold. 

The broker now has a $5 price target on New Hope shares, which indicates a 9% downside from the current share price of $5.51. 

NHC's low-cost operations will continue to underpin margins through the coal price cycle, funding capital expenditure commitments and supporting shareholder returns. Beyond ramp-up of New Acland Stage 3, we see a limited organic production growth pipeline and believe NHC may participate in industry consolidation.

The post Why it could be time to move on from this booming ASX energy stock appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Is the broker now positive on them? Or has it turned negative? Let's find out:

Megaport Ltd (ASX: MP1)

Morgans notes that this network-as-a-service company has announced a series of major contract wins for its recently acquired Latitude.sh business.

The broker was impressed with the contract wins and has upgraded its estimates to reflect them.

This has led to Morgans reaffirming its buy rating on Megaport's shares with an improved price target of $15.50. Based on its current share price of $12.63, this implies potential upside of 23% for investors over the next 12 months.

Commenting on the company, the broker said:

MP1 has announced a series of large contract wins which are financially and strategically significant. MP1 will use its globally unique communications platform to connect servers and GPU clusters in numerous DCs across the US.

DC power constraints are a growing issue and MP1 was uniquely able to stitch together multiple sites to provide consolidated inference solutions. We update our forecasts to reflect recent contract wins, lifting our TP to $15.50 per share. We retain a BUY recommendation.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

Another ASX share that Morgans has been looking at is coal miner New Hope.

It released its third-quarter update this week and performed comfortably ahead of expectations. In fact, Morgans highlights that New Hope's group coal sales were 20% better than consensus forecasts.

It was also a similar story for production and its underlying earnings for the period.

However, due to its current valuation, this strong performance wasn't enough for a buy rating from Morgans.

It has retained its hold rating on New Hope shares with a $5.25 price target. Based on its current share price of $5.48, this implies potential downside of 4.2% over the next 12 months. It commented:

NHC delivered a materially stronger-than-expected 3Q26, with group coal sales of 3.2Mt beating consensus by ~20%. Saleable Production was also strong at 3.01Mt, beating consensus by ~10%. Bengalla achieved a FOB cash cost ($AUD/t) of $74, down from $84.4 in the prior quarter.

Underlying EBITDA (unaudited) of ~A$130m came in ~22% ahead of the prior quarter, supported by higher volumes and a meaningful step-down in unit costs. We maintain a HOLD rating with a target price of A$5.25ps.

The post What is Morgans saying about Megaport and New Hope 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 storming higher:

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD)

The Elders share price is up 1.5% to $5.63. Investors have been buying the agribusiness company's shares today following a 23% decline on Monday. Bell Potter would likely be supportive of this buying. This morning, the broker retained its buy rating with a reduced price target of $6.45 (from $9.00). It said: "1H26 was a consensus miss on higher SYSMOD linked costs and to a degree reflects dual running costs that should reduce into FY27e. However, this was poorly communicated and largely mitigated the benefit of operating leverage. Delivering on the promise of Delta, backward integration and SYSMOD, while unwinding duplicate cost structures are central to EPS growth, but this needs to be done in a potentially more difficult 2HCY26 seasonal backdrop with a CEO transition."

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

The New Hope share price is up over 3% to $5.50. This may have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie this morning. In response to the coal miner's quarterly update, the broker has put an outperform rating and $7.00 price target on its shares. This implies potential upside of 27% for investors over the next 12 months.

Pro Medicus Ltd (ASX: PME)

The Pro Medicus share price is up a further 3.5% to $131.13. Investors have been buying the health imaging technology company's shares this week after it announced a seven-year, A$90 million contract with Boston-based Beth Israel Lahey Health. This will see the company's cloud-based Visage 7 Enterprise Imaging Platform implemented throughout Beth Israel Lahey Health providing a unified diagnostic imaging platform. Pro Medicus' CEO, Dr Sam Hupert, said: "Our pipeline remains strong and spans all market segments. This deal is for our 'full stack' comprising all three core Visage products, namely viewer, workflow and archive, a trend we see continuing."

Tuas Ltd (ASX: TUA)

The Tuas share price is up 25% to $2.84. Bargain hunters have been snapping up this Singapore-based telco company's shares following a massive decline on Monday. Investors have been selling its shares after it revealed that its Simba business has allegedly been using spectrum that it doesn't own. In light of this, the Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) has suspended its review of Tuas' proposed acquisition of M1 Limited for S$1.43 billion. The company said: "The circumstance identified by the IMDA as giving rise to its decision to suspend the review is that it had learned that Simba may have been using radio frequency bands that it was not authorised to use, which would be a breach of the Telecommunications Act and the conditions of Simba's Facilities-Based Operations Licence."

The post Why Elders, New Hope, Pro Medicus, and Tuas shares are storming higher today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After ending what was a pretty sad week on a sour note last Friday, investors seemed to come back from the weekend with even colder feet. After opening with a significant drop, the ASX 200 ended the trading day with a nasty 1.45% fall. That leaves the index at just 8,505.3 points.

This horrid start to the Australian trading week follows a similarly pessimistic end to the American week on Friday night (our time).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in a bit of a panic, finishing down 1.07%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) fared even worse, dropping 1.54%.

But let's get back to this week and the local markets now, with a deeper dive into what was happening amongst the various ASX sectors today.

Winners and losers

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

One of the stocks is shaking off the 1.4% drop in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) and marching higher, while the other two are crashing hard.

Here's what's catching investor interest on Monday.

New Hope shares lift on earnings boost

New Hope shares are flashing a welcome green in today's sea of red following the release of the company's third-quarter results (Q3 FY 2026).

Shares in the ASX 200 coal stock are up 0.6% as we eye the Monday lunch hour, trading for $5.26 apiece.

Highlights include a 5% quarter-on-quarter increase in run of mine (ROM) coal production to 4.26 million tonnes.

New Hope's coal sales of 3.20 million tonnes were up 10.4% from Q2. And the miner achieved a 1.2% increase in its average realised sales price to $140.7 per tonne.

Earnings were up too, with underlying earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $130.1 million, up 21.7% from the prior quarter.

Turning to the balance sheet, the ASX 200 coal stock held $571 million in available cash at the end of the quarter.

New Hope shares are up more than 45% in 12 months.

Brambles shares hammered on profit guidance cut

Brambles shares are getting smashed today.

Shares in the ASX 200 supply pallets and crates supplier are down a painful 18% at the time of writing, changing hands for $18.13 each following a trading update.

On the positive side of the ledger, management announced a new US$400 million on-market share buyback will start once the current buyback is complete.

But investors are overheating their sell buttons after the company scaled back its full-year FY 2026 sales revenue growth forecast to 2% to 3%, down from prior guidance of 3% to 4% revenue growth (at constant exchange rates).

Profit guidance was also cut, with Brambles now expecting FY 2026 profit growth of 3% to 5%, down from prior guidance of 8% to 11% full-year profit growth.

Brambles shares are down about 17% in 12 months.

Which brings us to…

Elders shares tumble on Iran war cost concerns

Joining Brambles and New Hope shares in turning heads today, Elders shares are crashing 25.3% at the time of writing, trading for $5.38 each.

This carnage follows the release of the ASX 200 agribusiness' half-year results.

And it comes despite Elders reporting some strong growth metrics for the six months to 31 March.

That includes a 32% year-on-year increase in underlying sales revenue to $1.77 billion.

And on the bottom line, Elders reported a 17% year-on-year increase in statutory profit after tax to $39.5 million.

But investors appear to have the jitters over potential building headwinds from the ongoing Middle East conflict.

The company noted that while it's "well-placed" to manage the issues, the industry is facing disruptions in fertiliser supplies. And Elders added that elevated diesel prices remain a risk to its cost base in the second half of the year.

Elders CEO Mark Allison noted:

International events have caused price volatility in fuel and fertiliser, creating challenges for our supply chain in the first half. Elders' strong supply relationships, combined with an adept agronomy network for timely advice to growers, has allowed us to manage demand and ensure growers are equipped for the season ahead.

Elders shares are down around 17% in 12 months.

The post Why is everyone talking about Elders, Brambles and New Hope shares on Monday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the time of writing, the New Hope share price is up 2.10% to $5.34.

The move adds to a strong run for shareholders. New Hope shares are now up 32% in 2026 and 35% over the past year.

Here's what was in the announcement.

Production and sales improve

In its quarterly activities report, New Hope said group run-of-mine coal production reached 4.3 million tonnes for the April quarter.

This was 5% higher than the previous quarter, giving the company a stronger production base heading into the period.

Group coal sales also improved, rising 10.4% to 3.2 million tonnes, while the average realised sales price increased 1.2% to $140.7 a tonne.

Higher sales volumes and a slightly better coal price helped lift underlying EBITDA 21.7% to $130.1 million.

Costs move the right way

New Hope said its key operating asset, Bengalla Mine, achieved run-of-mine coal production of 2.6 million tonnes during the quarter. Saleable coal production rose 13.5% to 2.1 million tonnes, while coal sales increased 14.1% to 2.2 million tonnes.

Bengalla's FOB cash cost fell 12.4% to $74 a tonne, giving the business more protection against coal price swings.

The company said the lower cost reflected reduced trade coal sales and lower state royalties. It also leaves Bengalla tracking better than its FY26 FOB cash cost guidance range of $81 to $89 a tonne.

Coal prices help New Hope result

The quarterly result also had some help from the coal market, with thermal coal prices improving during the period.

New Hope said the gC NEWC 6000 index price averaged US$127.6 a tonne across the quarter, up 16.5% on the previous quarter. The API-5 index also moved higher, averaging US$86.5 a tonne over the same period.

The company said geopolitical tension in the Middle East supported some gas to coal switching in power generation. Colder weather in North Asia also helped demand, while Japan and South Korea continued to focus on energy security.

These conditions helped coal prices recover during the quarter, even with longer-term pressure still hanging over the sector.

Management also said its forward sales book remains well supported, with most production already sold for the next 3 months.

Strong balance sheet

New Hope also finished the quarter with a strong cash position, holding cash and cash equivalents of $571.6 million.

The company completed a $300 million senior unsecured convertible notes issue due in 2032. It used the proceeds to repurchase 97.7% of its existing senior unsecured convertible notes due in 2029.

By refinancing the notes, New Hope has pushed a large debt maturity out to 2032 and given itself more financial flexibility.

Shareholders also received a return during the quarter, with the company paying an interim dividend of 10 cents per share.

The post This ASX 200 coal stock is charging higher after a big profit jump appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

What did New Hope Corporation report?

• Group ROM coal production: 4.26Mt, up 5.0% on the previous quarter
• Saleable coal production: 3.01Mt, up 8.7% quarter on quarter
• Total coal sales: 3.20Mt, a 10.4% quarterly lift
• Average realised sales price: $140.7/t, up 1.2% from prior quarter
• Underlying EBITDA: $130.1 million, up 21.7% from the previous quarter
• Available cash: $571.6 million at quarter end

What else do investors need to know?

New Hope successfully issued $300 million in new convertible notes due 2032, while repurchasing $293.3 million of notes due 2029, extending its debt maturity profile and reducing near-term refinancing risks. The cash balance was further supported by a fully franked 10 cent interim dividend totalling $84.3 million that was paid during the quarter.

On the operational front, the Bengalla Mine achieved a 12.4% improvement in FOB cash costs to $74.0 per sales tonne, driven by stronger sales and operational performance. New Acland Mine coal sales also increased, despite slightly lower ROM production due to higher strip ratios.

What's next for New Hope Corporation?

For the remainder of FY26, the company reaffirmed production guidance for both Bengalla and New Acland mines, while lowering Bengalla's sustaining capital expenditure forecast by 21%. New Hope anticipates ongoing strong demand for thermal coal from key Asian markets, with most production for the next quarter already contracted.

The company plans continued capital management initiatives, with its on-market share buy-back remaining active, and says it will keep assessing options to return further value to shareholders.

New Hope Corporation share price snapshot

Over the past 12 months, New Hope Corporation shares have risen 43%, outperforming the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) which has risen 4% over the same period.

View Original Announcement

The post New Hope Corporation posts stronger coal output and profit in third quarter appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to drop

The Australian share market looks set for a poor start to the week following a poor finish to the last one on Wall Street on Friday. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 38 points or 0.45% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones was down 1.1%, the S&P 500 fell 1.25%, and the Nasdaq dropped 1.55%.

Oil prices jump

ASX 200 energy shares Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) could have a good session after oil prices charged higher on Friday night. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price was up 4.2% to US$105.42 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price was up 3.55% to US$109.26 a barrel. Oil prices jumped after Donald Trump warned that he is losing patience with Iran.

Elders and New Hope results

Elders Ltd (ASX: ELD) shares will be on watch today when the agribusiness company releases its half-year results. The team at Bell Potter is expecting Elders to deliver EBITDA growth of approximately 30% for FY 2026, so the market is likely to be looking for a first half performance that is run-rating towards this. Elsewhere, New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) is scheduled to release its third-quarter results this morning.

Gold price tumbles

ASX 200 gold shares including Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a poor start to the week after the gold price tumbled on Friday night. According to CNBC, the gold futures price was down 2.6% to US$4,561.9 an ounce. Strong oil prices have sparked fears of higher inflation and interest rate hikes.

Buy TechnologyOne shares

Bell Potter thinks TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares are good value. Ahead of its half-year results this week, the broker has retained its buy rating on the enterprise technology company's shares with an improved price target of $32.25 (from $31.75). It said: "We believe, however, there is some chance of ARR growth exceeding $45m in H1 due to in part to the release of Plus – Technology One's agentic AI product – and the impact this is having on product uptake by customers (e.g. James Cook University) which is driving up both NRR and ARR."

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

That leaves the index at 8,630.8 points as we head into the weekend.

This disappointing end to the Australian trading week comes after a far more optimistic trading day on Wall Street last night.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) was in a jolly mood, gaining a healthy 0.75% and once again cruising over 50,000 points.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was even more bullish, rising 0.88%.

Let's get back to ASX shares now and dig a little deeper into what was going on with the different ASX sectors this Friday.

Winners and losers

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

I want to focus on two businesses that I think are likely to see their earnings largely unaffected during this difficult period.

If I were looking for long-term investment ideas, the two below are ones I'd heavily consider today.

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV)

Lovisa is fast-growing jewellery business with a sizeable presence in numerous markets including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia, South Africa, the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Italy, the US and Canada.

One of the main reasons I think Lovisa could perform strongly during this period is because of its target market, which is a relatively young demographic. Rising interest rates is a problem for borrowers, which is a significant chunk of Australians and in citizens Lovisa's other important markets.

But, young shoppers don't usually have a mortgage or other forms of debt, so Lovisa's consumer base may not be as impacted during this period.

The company performed resiliently a few years ago and I'm expecting it to do well again during this period. Plus, the business continues to expand its global store network, giving it the potential to further grow its total sales, even if comparable sales growth for its existing stores may slow (or go negative) in the time being.

In the FY26 half-year result, the business reported its Lovisa store network increased 15.5% to 1,089, underlying revenue grew 22.7% to $498.1 million and net profit after tax (NPAT) rose 20.4% to $109.1 million.

In five years, I think this ASX share will have a much larger store network, stronger scale benefits and pleasingly higher revenue.

Washington H. Soul Pattinson and Co. Ltd (ASX: SOL)

Soul Patts is a diversified investment house, with a defensive portfolio, which positions it well for the current situation.

For starters, it has a large investment in ASX energy share New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC), which could see higher earnings amid the disrupted energy supply situation in the Middle East.

Soul Patts is also invested in a number of other sectors that could see resilient or growing earnings such as industrial properties, swimming schools, agriculture, telecommunications and credit.

I was impressed by the company's FY26 half-year result. Net cash flow from investments rose 15.4% year-over-year, the pre-tax net asset value (NAV) return was 9.7% and the interim dividend per share was hiked by 9.1%.

On top of that, remember that as an investment house, Soul Patts has the ability to buy (and sell) investments and take advantage of price changes.

Soul Patts has been an effective investment company for many decades and I'm expecting it to continue to perform for many years to come because of its smart investment strategy and its ability to adjust its portfolio.

The post 2 amazing ASX shares I'd buy amid rising interest rates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) rose 0.74% on Friday to finish the week at 8,729.8 points.

This equated to a weekly fall of 0.65%.

The market was pessimistic last week as negotiations between the US and Iran stalled and oil prices surged again.

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

Let's review.

Global fuel shock drags on with no end in sight

Energy prices lifted again last week as the market anticipated continuing supply disruption as the war in Iran continued.

On Friday, Brent Crude was trading at US$111.85 per barrel, up 6% over the week.

West Texas Intermediate Crude was US$106.40 per barrel, up 12.3% for the week.

Also last week, US heating oil rose 5.6%, US gas prices lifted 5.5%, and European gas prices increased 4.3%.

The Strait of Hormuz, through which about 20% of the world's gas and oil supply is shipped, remains effectively shut down.

On Friday, Trading Economics analysts painted a grim picture as the US and Iran both dug in their heels:

President Donald Trump reaffirmed that the US would maintain its naval blockade of Iranian ports to intensify economic pressure.

Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei also dampened prospects for a deal, pledging not to relinquish the Islamic Republic's nuclear or missile capabilities and indicating that Tehran would retain control over the strait.

Economists have been warning that oil supply shocks have a long-tail impact that is yet to fully play out in Western economies.

The analysts added:

… several countries could soon face acute oil shortages, as the final shipments that departed the Persian Gulf have already arrived at their destinations.

US crude exports surged to record levels last week, with global buyers increasingly turning to American producers to offset disrupted Middle Eastern supply.

What happened with ASX 200 energy shares last week?

The Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS) share price rose 1.56% to close at $33.12 on Friday.

The Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) share price lifted 2.95% to $8.02.

The Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price ascended 4.74% to $35.82, after reaching a 52-week high of $36.04 on Friday.

The Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) share price rose 4.17% to $2.50.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) shares fell 3.13% to close the week at $2.17.

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) shares dropped 4.1% to $1.17 apiece.

ASX 200 coal shares also rose last week alongside a 3.8% lift in the thermal coal price.

The thermal coal price was US$134 per tonne on Friday, up almost 9% since the war began.

The Yancoal Australia Ltd (ASX: YAL) share price bounced 6.96% to close at $7.68 on Friday.

The Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC) share price increased 8.83% to $8.63.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC) shares lifted 3.75% to $5.53 apiece.

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 energy shares lead and market finally cracks 8-day losing streak appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This rather woeful Wednesday for the local markets comes after a similarly downbeat night over on the American stock exchanges.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) managed to snatch a loss from the jaws of victory, losing 0.053%.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) was more decisive, though, dropping 0.9%.

But let's get back to ASX shares and assess the damage from today's trading amongst the different ASX sectors.

Winners and losers

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