That includes companies leading areas such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing, financial services, healthcare, and consumer technology.

With so many established global names under one roof, is the IOO ETF a good buy today?

A portfolio of global leaders

The IOO ETF tracks the S&P Global 100 Index, giving investors exposure to 100 major multinational companies from around the world.

I like the focus on businesses that have already built significant global operations.

Major holdings include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Alphabet, and JPMorgan.

These companies give the fund exposure to areas including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital advertising, ecommerce, financial services, and consumer technology.

There are also businesses outside the technology sector, which gives investors exposure to other parts of the global economy.

For me, one of the advantages is that I do not need to decide which individual global giant will deliver the strongest returns over the next decade. The ETF gives me exposure to a collection of them through a simple ASX investment.

Concentration comes with trade-offs

The IOO ETF is more concentrated than some broad global ETFs.

With around 100 holdings, individual companies can have a greater influence on performance. Its largest positions also account for a meaningful proportion of the portfolio.

I do not necessarily see that as a negative. If I were buying this fund, I would be doing so because I specifically wanted greater exposure to some of the world's biggest and most established businesses.

But investors should understand that the fund may behave differently from an ETF holding more than 1,000 stocks.

If several of its largest holdings struggle at the same time, performance could suffer.

Why I would buy

What I like most about the IOO ETF is the quality of the businesses it allows me to own without needing to build the portfolio myself.

Many of its holdings have spent years establishing global customer bases, strong brands, valuable technology, or leading positions within their industries.

I think several of them could still be considerably larger businesses a decade from now.

That makes IOO ETF a fund I would be comfortable gradually adding to rather than trying to pick the perfect entry point.

Foolish takeaway

So, would I buy the IOO ETF now? Yes, I would.

I like the opportunity to own a focused collection of major global businesses through one ASX investment.

The portfolio is relatively concentrated, and some of its biggest holdings are not cheap, so I would expect plenty of volatility along the way.

But for an investor prepared to hold for years, I think the companies inside IOO give the ETF a strong long-term foundation.

The post Should I buy the iShares Global 100 ETF (IOO) now? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At the very top end, fortunes can rise or fall by tens of billions of dollars in the space of a month as share prices and company valuations move around.

So, who sits at the top of the pile right now?

According to Forbes, these are the 10 richest people in the world as of 1 September 2026.

1. Elon Musk – US$892 billion

Elon Musk remains comfortably on top with an estimated fortune of US$892 billion.

His wealth is largely tied to SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) and Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA). Forbes estimates that his fortune jumped by US$202 billion during August as both companies increased in value. To put this wealth into context, Australia's largest bank, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), has a market capitalisation of around A$270 billion.

2. Larry Page – US$277 billion

Google co-founder Larry Page is second with US$277 billion.

Much of his wealth comes from his holding in Google parent Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL), where he remains a board member and controlling shareholder.

3. Jeff Bezos – US$268 billion

Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos sits in third place with US$268 billion.

Bezos remains Amazon's executive chairman and owns around 8% of the ecommerce and cloud computing giant.

4. Sergey Brin – US$256 billion

Fellow Google co-founder Sergey Brin is worth an estimated US$256 billion.

Like Page, his fortune is closely linked to Alphabet. Forbes notes that Brin has also become more involved with the company's artificial intelligence efforts.

5. Michael Dell – US$241 billion

Michael Dell has built a US$241 billion fortune.

He founded Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL) as a teenager and remains its chairman and CEO.

6. Mark Zuckerberg – US$197 billion

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) CEO Mark Zuckerberg is sixth with US$197 billion.

He still owns approximately 13% of the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

7. Larry Ellison – US$193 billion

Oracle (NYSE: ORCL) co-founder Larry Ellison is worth US$193 billion according to Forbes.

His fortune increased by US$25 billion during August, helping him move back up the rankings.

8. Jensen Huang – US$191 billion

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) co-founder and CEO Jensen Huang has an estimated US$191 billion fortune.

His rise has been driven by Nvidia's extraordinary growth as its chips have become central to the artificial intelligence boom.

9. Steve Ballmer – US$155 billion

Former Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) CEO Steve Ballmer is back in the top 10 with US$155 billion.

Forbes notes that Ballmer has retained a significant Microsoft shareholding since leaving the company.

10. Amancio Ortega – US$148 billion

Finally, Zara co-founder Amancio Ortega has an estimated fortune of US$148 billion.

He owns around 60% of Zara parent Inditex (BME: ITX), with his wealth also reportedly spread across a substantial global property portfolio.

The post These are the 10 richest people in the world in September appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But it can also make the decision feel harder.

With a larger sum, investors may not want to put everything into one narrow idea. A better approach could be to build around a mix of broad global exposure, proven technology leaders, and a focused long-term growth theme.

With that in mind, here are three ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) that could be worth considering.

Betashares Global Shares ETF (ASX: BGBL)

The first ASX ETF to consider is the Betashares Global Shares ETF.

This fund gives investors exposure to a large basket of global shares across developed markets.

That means it is not tied to the fortunes of the Australian economy. Instead, investors can gain exposure to global companies across technology, financials, healthcare, industrials, consumer goods, and communications.

Major holdings include Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL).

I think this ASX ETF could work well as a foundation holding because it offers significant diversification in one trade. It was recently recommended by the team at Betashares.

Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

Another ASX ETF to consider is the Betashares Nasdaq 100 ETF.

This fund is more growth-focused than the BGBL ETF. It gives investors exposure to 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange.

These companies are involved in some of the biggest shifts in the global economy, including artificial intelligence, cloud computing, digital advertising, software, ecommerce, streaming, chips, and consumer technology.

Holdings include Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN).

This ASX ETF can be volatile because it has a heavy tilt toward technology and growth shares. But for investors with a long-term view, it provides exposure to companies that are shaping how people work, shop, communicate, and use technology.

VanEck Global Semiconductor ETF (ASX: SMHG)

A final ASX ETF that could be worth a closer look is the VanEck Global Semiconductor ETF.

This is the most targeted option of the three. The fund gives investors exposure to companies involved in semiconductors and semiconductor equipment.

That makes it a way to invest in the chips behind artificial intelligence, cloud computing, data centres, electric vehicles, smartphones, automation, and advanced manufacturing.

Holdings include Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) and Nvidia.

This is unlikely to be a smooth ride. Semiconductor shares can be cyclical and sentiment can move quickly.

But the long-term theme is powerful. The modern economy needs more computing power, not less, and semiconductors sit at the centre of that demand.

This fund was recently recommended by the team at VanEck.

The post The best ASX ETFs to buy with $50,000 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This has extended the exceptional growth of the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ). 

The results roll on 

According to the report, most companies within the Nasdaq 100 Index (NDX) have reported earnings for Q2 2026 and, despite recent macroeconomic uncertainty from tariffs and the Middle East War, the results continue to deliver, with the index on track to deliver a blended year-over-year growth rate of approximately 75.1%.

This is significantly higher than the consensus forecast growth rate of 28.9%, supported by stronger-than-expected earnings, driven by significant contributions from Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL), which reported large unrealised gains from their Anthropic holdings.

Given this result, the Nasdaq 100 is on pace to deliver its 13th straight quarter of double-digit year-over-year earnings growth.

Winners a plenty 

Betashares highlighted that semiconductors have been the primary driver of this growth, with GPU (graphics processing unit), memory and custom chip makers as key beneficiaries of the data centre infrastructure build-out; however, the Magnificent Seven companies (many of which are hyperscalers) remain key contributors to headline performance given their larger weights within the index.

Overall results were solid, led by cloud revenue growth across Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure. Together, these cloud business units are growing revenues by a rate of 43% on a US$3645 billion trailing twelve-month revenue base in Q2, representing an extraordinary rate of growth which will likely continue.

That's because enterprise AI adoption will likely continue its acceleration, as increasingly multi-step agentic AI workloads drive sustained growth in inference demand. Demand for AI compute continues to exceed available supply across, while rapidly growing contracted backlogs provide high visibility into future revenues.

Betashares said that together, persistent demand and capacity constraints suggest that much of the incremental infrastructure being deployed can be absorbed and monetised quickly as it comes online, supporting continued elevated cloud growth.

ASX ETF overview 

These tailwinds have continued to push the NDQ ASX ETF higher in recent months. 

Year to date, the fund is up over 9%. 

This has significantly outpaced the market here in Australia. 

During the same span, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is up just over 5%. 

Looking at the last 12 months, the NDQ fund is up 14% compared to the ASX 200's 4%. 

Over the last 5 years, the fund is up 87%.

The NDQ fund aims to track the performance of the Nasdaq 100 Index (before fees and expenses). 

The Nasdaq 100 comprises 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq market. The fund includes many companies that are at the forefront of the new economy.

It could be an ideal investment for Australian investors looking for portfolio diversification beyond Australia. It also offers greater exposure to the technology and growth sectors.

The post Why this NASDAQ-focused ASX ETF keeps outperforming appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

ISMD units floated on the ASX back on Wednesday, 22 July. Since then, they have fared fairly well. The ETF first traded at just over $50.20 a unit. Today, they have climbed to about $50.63 at the time of writing.

But let's dive into exactly what you are buying if you purchase this latest ETF offering on the ASX.

ISMD: An introduction to the new ETF kid on the ASX block

So, as its name implies, this latest ETF from Global X aims to offer ASX investors exposure to a portfolio of small-cap and mid-cap shares. No massive companies like Apple, Amazon or NVIDIA here. This is a relatively under-serviced opportunity for Australian investors, with only a handful of ETFs currently covering these corners of the global market.

As such, this ASX ETF may suit investors looking to diversify into international shares, but who also may be concerned about the heavy exposure that traditional index funds that track stocks outside the ASX have towards the largest companies in the world.

ISMD is an index fund, tracking the MSCI World ex Australia SMID Cap Select Index. This index holds around 300 international stocks, sourced from advanced economies around the world. As with most globally-focused index funds, ISMD is weighted heavily towards the United States, with about 65% of the ETF's portfolio made up of US stocks. Other contributors include Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Italy. On the smaller end, Hong Kong, Singapore, Israel, and Bermuda also contribute to this fund.

In terms of individual holdings, you still might recognise some of this ASX ETF's largest stocks. They include SanDisk Corp, Warner Bros Discovery, eBay, Archer-Daniels-Midland, Ralph Lauren, and KFC-owner Yum! Brands.

The fund is not currency hedged. That means that the value of ISMD units can be affected by both the underlying movements of its stock holdings, and movements on the foreign exchange markets. This can cut both ways for investors, of course.

The Global X MSCI International Small and Mid Cap ETF charges a management fee of 0.45% per annum. That's a cost of $45 per year for every $10,000 invested.

The post Say hello to the ASX's newest ETF appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

However, as so many of us are invested in both markets, it's relevant to compare their performance over a given period.

So, let's canvas what happened in the Australian financial year (FY26) from 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026.

Let's compare…

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares increased 2.77% and delivered total returns, including dividends, of 7% in FY26. 

The S&P/ASX All Ords Index (ASX: XAO) rose 2.43% and provided total returns of 5.69%, according to S&P Global data.

By comparison, the S&P 500 Index (SP: INX) rose by 20.86% and delivered total returns of 22.32%.

The Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) ascended 28.69% and gave a total return of 30.55%.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJX: .DJI) rose 18.65% and delivered a total return of 20.65%.

Why did US stocks outperform ASX 200 shares?

Drew Meredith from Wattle Partners says it comes down to America's leading position in the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution.

In an article in The Golden Times, Meredith explained:

The United States market is being driven by a small number of companies with outsized earnings power, almost all tied to artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Nvidia, Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon have delivered earnings growth that justifies, at least in part, the premium valuations US indices now carry.

Meanwhile, ASX 200 shares struggled to grow in FY26 amid resurgent inflation, three interest rate hikes in February, March, and May (reversing the impact of one cut in August), the energy crisis, and weak consumer confidence.

On top of that, fears of an AI bubble and a SaaSpocalypse weighed on our tech sector, which dove 37% in FY26.

ASX 200 healthcare shares also tumbled 37% amid many industry challenges, including a weaker US currency impacting global players.

Meredith says the Federal Budget's CGT reform package, announced in May, has also weighed on financial shares and property, too.

Can the US markets keep delivering?

Shaun Manuell, Chief Investment Officer (CIO) at AustralianSuper, isn't ready to call the top of the US stock market yet.

In the Weekend Australian, Manuell described US equities being in the "rational exuberance phase".

He said:

The retail investor is back in the US, and I think there's a lot of weight behind that.

When the US equity market gets going it's a very, very powerful engine. So, I wouldn't be calling the top of that just yet.

As for ASX 200 shares, Manuell is not optimistic for FY27.

It'll be another challenging year; you're going to have to be really careful in the sectors.

We know consumer sentiment's down, house prices are down, and that leads through to the wealth effect as well.

Manuell said AusSuper is "slightly overweight" US stocks, and underweight ASX shares compared to global stocks.

He likes ASX 200 mining shares but is underweight bank stocks.

Should you buy US stocks?

Meredith warns against 'recency bias' and any temptation investors may feel to switch out of ASX 200 shares in order to buy US stocks.

Meredith explains:

When one market dramatically outperforms another for two or three years, investors feel they were wrong to be diversified. That feeling is not evidence. It is recency bias.

The periods of sharpest US outperformance relative to global peers have consistently been followed by periods of mean reversion.

This happened after the dot-com peak in 2000. It happened in the early years after the GFC when US banks were recovering and Australian miners were printing money.

It does not happen on a schedule you can predict, which is precisely why systematic diversification matters more than tactical shifts.

Manuell says his team is eyeing off a recent pullback in the Magnificent Seven US stocks as a potential buying opportunity.

He also said he is more comfortable investing in the "picks and shovels" of the AI revolution, commenting:

Everyone's been playing the picks and shovels because they can see there's money to be made but this is just making the infrastructure.

Once we've got the infrastructure, what's going to happen? Nobody knows…

3-year snapshot of ASX 200 shares vs. US stocks

The post ASX 200 shares vs. US stocks in FY26 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The good news is that Aussie investors do not need to pick individual winners.

That's because there are exchange traded funds (ETFs) out there that allow you to gain exposure to this side of the sector with a single click of the button.

With that in mind, here are three ASX ETFs that could be worth looking deeper into:

Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF (ASX: HACK)

Companies can delay some technology projects when budgets tighten. But protecting data, networks, customers, and critical systems is becoming a permanent business cost.

The Betashares Global Cybersecurity ETF invests in a portfolio of global cybersecurity companies. These businesses provide services across areas such as endpoint protection, identity security, cloud security, network defence, and threat detection.

As more business activity moves online, the number of possible entry points for cyberattacks keeps growing. Remote work, cloud platforms, digital payments, artificial intelligence tools, and connected devices all create more complexity.

Cybersecurity companies are selling into that complexity and therefore appear well-placed for growth over the next decade.

Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF (ASX: RBTZ)

This fund gives investors exposure to technology that is moving out of the screen and into the real world.

The Betashares Global Robotics and Artificial Intelligence ETF is focused on companies involved in robotics, automation, artificial intelligence, unmanned vehicles, drones, and related technologies.

That gives it a very different flavour from a standard tech ETF. It is tied to the idea that more industries will use machines and intelligent systems to do work that is repetitive, dangerous, precise, or difficult to scale with labour alone.

That could include warehouses using more automation, factories improving productivity, hospitals adopting robotic tools, and logistics networks becoming smarter.

Artificial intelligence could also make this theme more interesting over time. If machines become better at sensing, learning, and adapting, robotics may become valuable in more settings.

Global X FANG+ ETF (ASX: FANG)

Finally, the Global X FANG+ ETF is a more concentrated way to own some of the world's most influential technology and growth companies.

It provides exposure to a small basket of major global names that sit at the centre of digital life, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, online advertising, electric vehicles, social media, streaming, and ecommerce.

This includes NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META), and Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN).

It is important to note that the fund is not designed to be broad or defensive. It is built around companies that already have enormous platforms and the financial strength to keep investing in future growth.

As a result, it gives investors a simple way to own a slice of global companies that are still shaping how people shop, communicate, work, search, stream, and use artificial intelligence.

The post 3 exciting ASX ETFs for exposure to the future of technology 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 fall

The Australian share market looks set for a subdued day on Wednesday following a mixed night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 20 points or 0.25% lower. In the United States, the Dow Jones rose 0.65%, but the S&P 500 fell 0.55% and the Nasdaq dropped 1.15%.

Oil prices continue to tumble

ASX 200 energy shares including Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a poor session after oil prices tumbled overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 5.1% to US$76.66 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 4.45% to US$79.47 a barrel. This follows reports that the US will allow Iran to sell oil immediately.

Buy Dexus Convenience shares

Bell Potter is bullish on Dexus Convenience Retail REIT (ASX: DXC) shares. This morning, the broker has named the REIT as a buy with a trimmed price target of $3.15 (from $3.25). It said: "We maintain our Buy rating on DXC and lower our target price to $3.15. The buyback and developments offer attractive long-term returns, despite the short-term headwinds from rising bond yields. With our revised forecasts DXC is yielding 7.9% vs. 6.4% passive REIT average which we think offers compelling risk adjusted value, and at an implied 8.21% cap rate, despite recent asset sales supporting book value."

Gold price edges higher

ASX 200 gold shares Newmont Corporation (ASX: NEM) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) will be on watch on Wednesday after the gold price edged higher overnight. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is up 0.1% to US$4,353.3 an ounce. Easing interest rate hike bets have given the precious metal a boost.

SpaceX now bigger than Amazon

Space Exploration Technologies Corp (NASDAQ: SPCX) shares continued their post-IPO rise overnight on Wall Street. This has taken the space and AI company's shares to a market capitalisation of US$2.66 trillion, which takes it ahead of Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) and within sight of Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT).

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

Some of the world's strongest businesses are listed offshore, and ASX exchange traded funds (ETFs) can make them easy to access in a single trade.

That can be useful for investors wanting exposure to global technology, US market leaders, and high-quality companies with sustainable competitive advantages.

Here are three world-class ETFs that could be worth a closer look.

Global X Fang+ ETF (ASX: FANG)

The first ASX ETF to look at is the Global X Fang+ ETF.

This fund gives investors exposure to a concentrated group of global technology and innovation leaders. Its holdings include companies such as NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA), Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX).

NVIDIA is a particularly interesting example. The company has become one of the most important businesses in the artificial intelligence (AI) boom, with its graphics processing units powering data centres, AI models, cloud infrastructure, and high-performance computing.

It is concentrated and can be volatile when technology valuations come under pressure. But for investors wanting exposure to some of the world's most influential digital companies, the Global X Fang+ ETF offers a simple way to own a basket of global names that are shaping how people work, shop, stream, communicate, and use AI.

iShares S&P 500 AUD ETF (ASX: IVV)

Another world-class ASX ETF to consider is the iShares S&P 500 ETF.

This fund tracks the S&P 500, giving Australian investors exposure to many of the largest listed companies in the United States. Its holdings include Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN), and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.B).

Microsoft is a good example of the quality inside the index. The company has built a powerful position across enterprise software, cloud computing, productivity tools, gaming, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.

Its Azure cloud platform gives it exposure to growing demand for digital infrastructure, while products such as Office, Teams, and Dynamics remain deeply embedded in businesses around the world.

The iShares S&P 500 ETF is broader than a pure technology fund. It includes healthcare, financials, consumer companies, industrials, and communication services. That makes it a straightforward option for investors wanting diversified exposure to corporate America.

VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF (ASX: GOAT)

A third ASX ETF that could be worth a look is the VanEck Morningstar International Wide Moat ETF.

This fund focuses on international companies that have sustainable competitive advantages. Its holdings change periodically but currently include Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO), Etsy (NYSE: ETSY), and Dassault Systemes (FRA: DSY).

Novo Nordisk shows why that moat approach can be powerful. The Danish healthcare giant has built a leading position in diabetes and obesity treatments, with strong brands, deep scientific expertise, and significant global demand for its medicines.

Healthcare businesses with strong intellectual property, regulatory experience, and trusted products can be difficult to displace. That can support pricing power and long-term earnings resilience.

For investors wanting exposure to high-quality international companies with strong advantages, this fund could be a strong long-term option.

The post 3 world-class ETFs for Australian investors appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Even if you have never invested in the likes of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) or Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN), chances are you have used their products or services, probably recently. Ditto with Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL), Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: META) and Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL). Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) and NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) are a little more niche. Even so, these last two of the seven are still household names, and possibly household presences.

Despite the ubiquity of the Magnificent 7 in Australian daily life, far fewer Australians would own shares of them directly. Saying that, international stock market investing has never been more popular in Australia. If an investor does own international stocks, there is a high chance that at least one of them will be a Mag 7 stock.

Personally, I directly own shares in five of the Magnificent 7. In fact, I have owned all seven of these ocmpaneis at various points (although never simultaneously).

Until quite recently, I thought of these positions as a small, although valuable portion of my overall portfolio. However, after a recent audit, I have discovered that I am far more invested in these seven stocks than I previously supposed.

The dominance of the Magnificent 7 stocks

It starts with an exchange-traded fund (ETF) that I own. As I have previously discussed, I recently sold my holdings in the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (AS:X NDQ) to buy a similar, but far cheaper ETF in the Schwab U.S. Large-Cap Growth ETF (NYSE: SCHG).

All seven of the Magnificent 7 are core holdings of this fund. As they are in almost every major US-based ETF listed on the ASX. That includes the iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV) and the Vanguard MSCI Index International Shares ETF (ASX: VGS). Not to mention NDQ. Magnificent 7 stocks also sometimes pop up in the Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (NYSE: SCHD) and the iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (NYSE: DGRO), which are also in my portfolio.

So that's three.

Next, one of my largest investments is the listed investment company (LIC) MFF Capital Investments Ltd (ASX: MFF). This Buffett-esque LIC is a long-term holding of mine, and a favourite investment. As it happens, Alphabet, Amazon, Microsoft and Meta Platforms are all large positions in MFF's portfolio. That's four.

These components routinely pop up in yet another of my favourite, long-term holdings. That would be the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT). That's five major personal investments that are exposed to at least one Mag 7 stock. Outside my direct ownership of five of the Magnificent 7 stocks.

Don't forget about your superannuation

The cherry on the cake comes in the form of my superannuation fund. Like most Australians, my super is partially invested in US stocks. And the Magnificent 7 are at the top of that list, too.

As it turns out, these seven US tech titans are far heavier in my portfolio and my overall wealth than I had previously thought.

I do view most of the Magnificent 7 as companies of the highest calibre. You don't get to where they are now without being truly exceptional. As such, this high exposure doesn't bother me.

However, there's a big chance that other ASX investors out there are in the same boat. Thus, it may be worth checking out your own investments and seeing just how deep the Mag 7 goes. My exposure tolerance to these seven stocks may be higher than yours.

The post ASX investors: Are you overinvested in the Magnificent 7 without knowing it? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Amazon Web Services will invest $20 billion in Australian data centres by 2029.

Microsoft went further, committing $25 billion to Australian AI and cloud infrastructure.

This is the largest single corporate technology investment in the Australia's history.

Yet three ASX-listed companies sitting directly in the path of that investment remain surprisingly under-owned by retail investors.

Goodman Group (ASX: GMG)

The data centre story starts with land, power, and location.

Goodman Group controls all three.

The industrial property giant has transformed itself from a logistics warehouse owner into one of the most important data centre developer in the Asia-Pacific region.

Data centres now make up 73% of Goodman's development pipeline.

This is on track to reach $18 billion by June 2026, up from $14.5 billion at 31 March.

The company has assembled a power bank of 6.4 gigawatts across its global network, a resource that has become extraordinarily difficult to replicate as power access emerges as the key constraint on data centre expansion worldwide.

Morgans this week retained its buy rating on Goodman with a $36 price target, highlighting that its work in progress is expected to be ahead of consensus forecasts at the end of June.

Crucially, Morgans noted that management believes industry data centre capital expenditure requirements likely exceed global capital market funding capacity.

This view points to a sustained period of pricing power for those who already hold secured power, sites, and locked-in capital partners.

Goodman is positioned beautifully here.

NextDC Ltd (ASX: NXT)

If Goodman builds the shells, NextDC Ltd operates what goes inside them.

The company is Australia's largest independent data centre operator, providing colocation, cloud connectivity, and managed services to enterprises, cloud providers, and government agencies across 14 facilities nationally.

In the first half of FY2026, NextDC reported net revenue growth of 13% to $189.2 million, with contracted utilisation surging 137% to 416.6MW and a forward order book of 296.8MW expected to convert into revenue through to FY2029.

Management guides billing utilisation to grow 2.7 times by FY2027 and 3.4 times by FY2028, underpinned by its existing forward order book of contracted but not yet billed capacity.

NextDC has raised its FY2026 capital expenditure guidance to between $2.7 billion and $3.0 billion, up from $2.4 billion previously.

Contracted utilisation surged 60% to 667MW in the March 2026 quarter alone, driven by massive wins at its S4 Sydney development

A compounded annual growth rate in operating earnings of more than 40% is expected between FY2025 and FY2028 as that contracted capacity converts to revenue.

Dicker Data Ltd (ASX: DDR)

The third name in this list is the least obvious but arguably the most interesting from a valuation standpoint.

Dicker Data is Australia's largest technology distributor, connecting more than 10,000 reseller partners with leading technology vendors across hardware, software, cybersecurity, and AI infrastructure.

Every data centre that gets built creates demand for the racks, servers, networking equipment, and software licences that Dicker Data distributes.

For the first four months of FY2026, Dicker Data reported gross revenue growth of 13.4% to $1.27 billion and a 45.5% jump in net profit before tax to $47.3 million.

This was driven by elevated data centre refresh and AI infrastructure demand.

Despite that momentum, Dicker Data trades on approximately 20 times earnings.

This is a steep discount to the global technology distribution peer average of 41 times.

As a result, the company pays a fully franked quarterly dividend yielding approximately 4.7%.

Jarden carries a buy rating with an $11.00 price target, implying good upside from current levels.

The risks

None of these three ASX shares are risk-free.

Goodman and NextDC both carry significant capital expenditure commitments and are sensitive to interest rate movements given their asset-heavy models.

Dicker Data operates on thin margins and is exposed to any slowdown in enterprise technology spending.

All three have already run hard in recent years, which limits the margin of safety at current prices.

Foolish takeaway

The data centre boom is happening right now, with $25 billion of committed investment flowing into Australian digital infrastructure over the next five years.

Goodman owns the land and the power, NextDC operates the facilities, and Dicker Data distributes the technology that fills them. For investors who believe AI-driven data centre investment will keep accelerating, all three of these ASX shares deserve serious attention.

The post 3 ASX shares riding the data centre boom that investors keep overlooking appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Although Buffett may have vacated the CEO chair at Berkshire, he remains at the company as chairman and oracle. Even so, Berkshire's first 13F filing of 2026 is also the first that covers the tenure of new CEO Greg Abel.

As we discussed earlier this afternoon, Abel has certainly put his stamp on the Berkshire portfolio, with several notable buys. The most dramatic of these was a tripling-down of its Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG)(NASDAQ: GOOGL) position, making it Berkshire's fifth-largest investment.

We've already been through Berkshire's stock purchases today, though, so let's get to the stocks that the company was selling over the first three months of 2026.

What stocks did Berkshire sell last quarter?

Long-time Berkshire watchers might be shocked to hear that the company sold positions in no fewer than 20 companies over the three months to 31 March. 14 of those 20 positions were closed out entirely.

Here are the stocks that Berkshire no longer owns:

• Atlanta Braves Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: BATRK)
• Liberty Latin America Ltd (NASDAQ: LILA)(NASDAQ: LILAK)
• Diageo plc (NYSE: DEO)
• Allegion plc (NYSE: ALLE)
• Lamar Advertising Co (NASDAQ: LAMR)
• Charter Communications Inc (NASDAQ: CHTR)
• Formula One Group (NASDAQ: FWONK)
• Heico Corp (NYSE: HEI)
• Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN)
• Pool Corp (NASDAQ: POOL)
• Domino's Pizza Inc (NASDAQ: DPZ)
• UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE: UNH)
• Mastercard Inc (NYSE: MA)
• Visa Inc (NYSE: V)

These are the stocks that Berkshire reduced its holdings of, but didn't sell down entirely:

• Liberty Live Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: LLYVK)
• Bank of America Corp (NYSE: BAC)
• Davita Inc (NYSE: DVA)
• Nucor Corp (NYSE: NUE)
• Contellation Brands Inc (NYSE: STZ)
• Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX)

What should we take from these sells?

Some very interesting names there indeed. Perhaps the most shocking sell-offs to note are the household names Amazon, Visa and Mastercard. These have been in Berkshire's portfolio for a few years, and Buffett himself has sung the praises of all three businesses. It will be interesting to hear Abel explain these sales.

Chevron, another long-term Berkshire holding, is also notable. This oil stock was Berkshire's largest sale of the quarter, with the company offloading almost US$10 billion worth of Chevron (35.2% of its stake). Contellation Brands (an alcoholic beverage manufacturer famous for its Corona label) was also notable, with Berkshire selling 95.1% of its position. It is curious why the other 4.9% remains on the company's books.

It was also interesting to see that Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL), Berkshire's largest position that has been reduced almost every quarter in recent years, was left untouched.

Berkshire Hathaway was a net seller over the quarter, with the sheer number of portfolio cuts and shaves outweighing the buys, and the huge Alphabet purchase in particular. It seems that Greg Abel isn't afraid to shake things up.

The post Berkshire Hathaway just sold these stocks appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Neither is particularly surprising, for those who've been keeping an eye on the market… but they are stark and likely to continue to be impactful. And they're inextricably linked.

Let's start with the topline numbers.

Woolworths Group Ltd (ASX: WOW) released its third quarter sales, which included 5.9% growth for the Australian supermarket business). A pretty good result, continuing its good form from the previous quarter, but the company flagged an earnings downgrade due primarily to increased fuel costs.

Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN) (I own shares, for the record) Australia's 2025 retail revenue hit $4.8 billion, up 25%. Interestingly, that's a minority of the company's overall Australian revenue, eclipsed by the remainder of its business (primarily Cloud computing, advertising and Prime subscriptions).

McDonald's Corp (NYSE: MCD) Australia did $7.5 billion in sales in 2025, up 7%.

And David Jones sold $2 billion worth of merchandise, but that was down 8%, and the company reported an almost-$100 million loss.

Those are each really interesting numbers, I reckon, for lots of company specific reasons. 

Just the fact that Amazon's retail business is the minority of its local revenue is fascinating (and a reminder of the growth of cloud computing in general and AI in particular). And the ongoing tussle between Woolies and Coles is always interesting to watch.

But, with the exception of Amazon (for reasons that will soon become clear!), the topline numbers aren't the key story, I don't reckon.

What's fascinating to me is the ongoing surge of ecommerce. And I think many investors are still missing it.

Let's look at each of those companies.

Woolworths' online sales grew by over 20%, more than three times the almost-6% in total revenue growth.

Macca's home delivery sales – through the company's own app and other delivery apps – topped $1 billion – essentially $1 in every $7.

Amazon's sales are obviously all online, but 25% is impressive growth on an already-massive base.

And while DJs sales fell 8%, the company's online sales were up 10%.

Stating the bleeding obvious, online sales are growing in total, but are also growing strongly as a proportion of sales for those companies with a 'bricks and clicks' channel mix.

Now, it's certain that the strong growth across each of those companies' online operations will moderate at some point. But it could run at these or similar levels for a long while yet.

Why?

Well, online sales are starting from a low base, and so can grow at decent rates for a while; as total multichannel sales grow, and as online cannibalises physical retail.

And not just those companies' own physical retail… but the retail business of those competitors who can't, won't or don't manage to make that transition as successfully as others.

The impacts? They're impossible to forecast exactly. But I think we can take a decent swing at the likely directional impacts.

We've already seen some predominantly or solely physical retailers go to the wall. Mosaic Brands, the parent of Millers, Rockmans, Noni B, Rivers and others, is probably the clearest example. Godfrey's, Barbecues Galore and this week bedmaker A.H. Beard are all likely to have fallen victim – in large part, though not entirely – to this broader retail trend.

Speaking of which, I think it's very likely that both Myer Holdings Ltd (ASX: MYR) and DJs, which are sailing into stiff headwinds anyway, would have probably gone very close to collapse long before now had they not been able to secure a very decent slice of their sales through their respective websites.

(If I was to grab a crystal ball, I suspect that in a decade or so if they're still around, they're predominantly online businesses with a handful of CBD stores.)

And for investors?

If I'm right about the trend, the opportunity is to identify which businesses are winning, and likely to keep winning, the online race.

If they do, they're likely to be able to grow above the market growth rate by winning online and taking sales and customers from other retailers.

I would also suggest it's worth thinking about the end result, rather than the short term. That is, if I'm right about the end stage, companies investing now (and making less money for a while) to put themselves in a better place as that end result plays out, might be cheaper than they appear.

Real estate? I wouldn't want to invest in mid-tier retail real estate for quids. The big 'destination' centres will probably be okay. The local shopping centres will be fine for now, but bear watching if/when some individual stores become unprofitable as more shopping goes online. But the mid-tier stuff, that is neither a destination, nor local? That feels really risky to me.

And the pure-play companies? If those trends above are right, and the online-only mobs can stay relevant (not something we should just assume, of course), they could have a long runway ahead.

Ecommerce has been around for a while. It's easy to take it for granted. But I think it has a long way to play out.

1,000 reasons to celebrate!

It occurred to me the other day that I probably don't talk about the Motley Fool Money podcast enough. Hopefully you already know about it (and hopefully you're already listening!).

And if you don't? Well, today might be a good time to start – because today is something of a milestone.

This afternoon, at 4.30pm AEST, we'll publish our 1,000th episode!

Back in 2016, I got a call from Triple M, asking if we'd ever considered a podcast. Everyone is doing them these days, but back then it was a pretty new thing. Frankly, we hadn't thought about it, but we were happy to give it a go.

(And do me a favour: please don't go and listen to those early episodes! I haven't relistened to them, either, but I'm pretty sure I'd be horrified!)

For some reason, Triple M liked that first episode enough to let us keep going (or perhaps just didn't have a better option?). We're now part of the LiSTNR podcast stable, a sister brand to Triple M.

Over the past 10 years, the podcast has ebbed and flowed, with my original co-host, Andrew Page, departing and then rejoining me, and the pod expanding to a couple of core episodes  a week – our 'regular' Friday episode, and our originally-extra-but-now-permanent Sunday 'mailbag' episode.

But it's not really about us. I wanted to thank those of you who listen regularly (more than a few of you ever since Episode 1!). You suffer our in-jokes and quirks gladly, and we really love hearing from you with questions, suggestions and even the occasional disagreement.

We hope we return your loyalty with a combination of fun, education and investing news and views.

If you're not listening yet, why not tune in and see what you've been missing?

It's free, it's capital-F Foolish, and I hope it'll be a regular companion to your Motley Fool membership or readership.

You can find it on iTunes, Spotify, the LiSTNR app or wherever you get your podcasts!

Here's to the next 1,000! 

Fool on!

The post The huge retail trend many are missing appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

While most ASX shares and exchange traded funds (ETFs) pay dividends a couple of times a year, a small number are structured to provide income on a monthly basis.

Here are two ASX ETFs that follow this approach and could be worth considering if you're an income investor:

Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF (ASX: HYLD)

The first ASX ETF to consider is the Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF.

This ETF provides exposure to a portfolio of 50 Australian shares with high forecast dividend yields. It also applies screening to reduce the risk of including companies with unsustainable payouts.

Its holdings include companies such as mining giant BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and big four banks Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) and ANZ Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: ANZ).

The Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF distributes income monthly, which sets it apart from many other Australian equity ETFs. This structure can provide a more regular cash flow for investors.

Furthermore, its broad exposure to dividend-paying ASX shares provides diversification, which is never a bad thing.

Betashares S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Complex ETF (ASX: UMAX)

Another ASX ETF to consider is the Betashares S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Complex ETF.

This ETF is very different to the Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF. It focuses on generating income from a portfolio linked to the S&P 500 index.

However, instead of relying on dividends, it uses an options-based strategy, typically selling call options over the underlying portfolio to generate income. The premiums received from these options form a key part of the fund's monthly distributions.

This ultimately means that the income generated is expected to significantly exceed the dividend yield of the underlying share portfolio over the medium term. For example, at present, it trades with an above-average dividend yield of 6.6%. This is significantly greater than the average dividend yield of the S&P 500 index.

Its underlying exposure includes major US stocks such as iPhone maker Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), software giant Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), and ecommerce and cloud leader Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN).

It is worth noting that unlike the Betashares S&P Australian Shares High Yield ETF, which could generate capital gains as well as income, the Betashares S&P 500 Yield Maximiser Complex ETF's strategies may limit some capital growth.

The post How to generate monthly income using ASX ETFs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

But with so many to choose from, it can be hard to decide which ones to buy.

Don't worry, I will now narrow things down by picking out three that could be best buys as the month of May approaches rapidly.

Here's why they could be worth considering for a $1,000 investment:

BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

The first ASX ETF to consider is the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF.

This ETF provides exposure to 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq exchange. It is heavily weighted towards technology and growth-oriented businesses.

Its holdings include companies such as Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL), Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT), and NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA).

Demand for AI, cloud computing, and digital services continues to support growth across this group of companies. This could make the BetaShares Nasdaq 100 ETF a strong performer over the next decade and beyond.

iShares S&P 500 ETF (ASX: IVV)

Another ASX ETF to consider is the iShares S&P 500 ETF.

This ETF tracks the performance of the S&P 500 Index, giving investors access to 500 large-cap US stocks.

Its holdings include companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Amazon, Walmart (NYSE: WMT), and McDonald's (NYSE: MCD).

This means that the iShares S&P 500 ETF provides broad exposure to the US economy, which remains the largest and most influential market globally. It also offers diversification across sectors and tends to be less concentrated than more thematic ETFs.

VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF (ASX: MOAT)

A third ASX ETF to consider is the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF.

This ETF focuses on companies that are judged to have sustainable competitive advantages, often referred to as economic moats.

Its holdings include companies such as Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOGL), Visa (NYSE: V), and Airbnb (NASDAQ: ABNB). Visa stands out due to its global payments network, which benefits from high margins and strong network effects.

In addition, the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF incorporates a valuation overlay, selecting companies that are not only high quality but also trading at what is considered an attractive price.

This combination of quality and valuation offers a different approach compared to traditional index tracking ETFs.

The post Are these the best ASX ETFs to buy with $1,000 in May? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

AI adoption is scaling rapidly, and it is now being considered a structural growth theme in global equities.

Rising earnings and visible demand

According to the report, the investment in infrastructure required to build, train, and deploy AI systems at scale represents a multi-year capital cycle with visible demand, rising earnings, and strong competitive positions across the supply chain. 

The commercial applications for AI are broad: 

• automating software engineering
• improving ad targeting
• accelerating scientific research
• optimising supply chains
• transforming enterprise workflows. 

Deploying these systems at scale requires substantial infrastructure, spanning advanced semiconductors, hyperscale data centres, high-performance networking, and significant power generation capacity. 

The depth of this capital requirement, combined with the breadth of end-market demand, is what makes AI a structural rather than cyclical investment theme.

The pillars supporting AI infrastructure

Canaccord said that adoption and monetisation are accelerating. 

Data shows ChatGPT reached 900 million weekly active users in February 2026 – a 350% increase in 18 months. 

AI adoption has moved well beyond  early experimentation. Revenue has followed. Enterprise generative AI spending surged from approximately US$11.5 billion in 2024 to May-24 US$37 billion in 2025, a threefold increase.

At the same time, falling AI costs are accelerating demand and valuations have de-rated while earnings revisions remain positive. 

The pullback in AI-linked equities over the past six months has compressed valuations to levels where the market appears to be pricing in deceleration risk. 

What should investors be targeting?

Canaccord's preferred exposure is to AI semiconductors and capital equipment. 

It listed 6 stocks for AI themed exposure: 

• Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN)
• ASML (NASDAQ: ASML)
• Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO)
• Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT)
• Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA)
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM). 

NVIDIA dominates AI-training GPUs, Broadcom leads custom silicon design, TSMC fabricates the leading edge chips both depend on, and ASML holds a monopoly in the lithography systems underpinning advanced production. 

Amazon and Microsoft offer the largest and most profitable cloud platforms, where AI workloads are driving revenue reacceleration and backlog growth.

For investors looking to basket these companies together, Canaccord pointed towards the Global X Semiconductor ETF (ASX: SEMI). 

The report said SEMI is the most accessible option for Australian-based investors: ASX-listed in Australian dollars, across the 30 largest global semiconductor companies, with meaningful weight in TSMC, ASML, Nvidia, and Broadcom.

However it did note that no single ETF isolates the combination of semiconductors and selective hyperscalers from the report. 

The post How to invest in the AI Build-Out: Expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

IVV ETF has been a popular choice among investors seeking exposure to the roaring US stock market over the past three years.

IVV is now the third largest ASX ETF out of more than 400 on the market, with more than $11.67 billion invested in it.

However, last month, IVV ETF recorded the highest investment outflows, indicating an exodus amid the Iran war.

Aussie investors took $461 million out of the exchange-traded fund (ETF) in March, based on ASX data analysed by Betashares.

However, investors have not given up on US shares, with $232 million flowing into IVV ETF's currency-hedged counterpart in March.

That's the iShares S&P 500 AUD Hedged ETF (ASX: IHVV), which is up 1.62% to $62.68 per unit today.

This indicates investors still want US exposure but are mindful of the weaker USD against the stronger AUD today.

Stronger Aussie dollar weakens IVV ETF returns

The Australian dollar has risen almost 20% from just over 60 US cents 12 months ago to a three-year high of 70.8 US cents today.

As James Gruber, Equity Market Strategist at CommSec, explains:

When the Australian dollar strengthens, your international ETF returns shrink, and if the Australian dollar weakens, your returns improve.

To put that into perspective: last year, the S&P 500 delivered total returns of 17.88%, but IVV ETF investors received just 10.75%.

The US dollar has weakened due to expectations of interest rate cuts, concerns over the impact of tariffs, and geopolitical uncertainty.

Meanwhile, the AUD has strengthened given Australia has entered a tightening rate cycle, with two rate hikes so far in 2026.

There is also strong demand for our commodities, which foreign buyers purchase with Australian dollars, amid a new mining boom.

Investors prefer IHVV over IVV today because hedged ETFs reduce the impact of currency movements on investments. 

Gruber explained:

For example, you may invest in an ETF that tracks the S&P 500 index. If it is unhedged and if the Australian dollar strengthens after you buy it, your returns in AUD may drop, even if the underlying investments do well in their home currency. 

Conversely, if the Australian dollar declines, the value of an unhedged ETF may rise in AUD terms, assuming the underlying asset holds or increases in value.

Gruber points out that currency-hedged ETFs typically cost more than unhedged ETFs.

Case in point: IHVV has management fee of 0.1% while IVV has a fee of 0.03%.

US shares vs. ASX 200 in 2026

The S&P 500 has substantially outperformed the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) over the past three years.

But change is afoot this year.

So far in 2026, the S&P 500 has lifted 0.6% while ASX 200 shares have increased 2.9%.

Gruber points out that a key difference between the two benchmark indices is their exposure to technology companies.

That's significant because a global tech wreck is underway, as investors fret over the impact of artificial intelligence (AI).

Illustrating the difference, the IVV ETF is 34% tech stocks, while the ASX 200 has just a 3% exposure to technology.

Gruber said:

… the S&P 500 leans heavily on technology stocks. 

If you add the likes of Amazon and Tesla – classified as consumer discretionary stocks in the S&P – and Meta and Alphabet – included in the communications sector – to the technology sector, then tech accounts for more than 40% of the S&P 500 index. 

The post Why ASX investors dumped IVV ETF last month appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Thanks partly to our unique system of franking, as well as some good old fashioned love of country, it's fair to say that ASX investors have a strong local bias.

When we do branch out to invest beyond our shores, it is usually a direct flight to the US markets. As I've written here before, the US is, as it should be, the first port of call for ASX investors seeking international diversification. No one can deny that the US is home to the vast majority of the world's best and most dominant businesses. No other country's share market constituents can match the size, scope and scale of top US stocks like Amazon, Alphabet, Microsoft, Netflix, Mastercard, Procter & Gamble, Apple, and countless others.

However, that doesn't meaning investing in US stocks isn't without risk. The US-Iran war that has been raging all month proves that. As such, I think the prudent investor might wish to consider diversifying beyond just Australia and America. The easiest way to do this, by far, is by using exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

Let's go through some of the best options for stocks outside Australia and the US.

3 ASX ETFs that can help diversify a portfolio

First up, there's the Vanguard All-World ex-US Shares Index ETF (ASX: VEU). This ETF, as its name implies, throws a whole bunch of different countries' stock markets together, with the notable exception of the US. The largest contributors to VEU's portfolio include Japan, the United Kingdom, China, Canada, India, and Taiwan. A healthy mix of advanced and developing economies there. ASX do feature in this ETF as well, although they make up just 4.3% of the entire portfolio.

Another option to consider is the Vanguard FTSE Emerging Markets Shares ETF (ASX: VGE). VGE focuses exclusively on emerging economies, so you won't find European, British or Japanese stocks here. Instead, VGE's largest contributors are countries like China, Taiwan, Brazil, South Africa and Saudi Arabia.

Finally, investors can consider the iShares MSCI EAFE ETF (ASX: IVE). This fund covers markets from Europe, Asia and the Far East (EAFE). It offers exposure to countries ranging form Japan, Spain and the UK to Germany, Singapore and Israel. Again, Australia is included as well, but contributes just over 6% to IVE's holdings.

Foolish takeaway

All three of these ASX ETFs offer Australian investors an easy way to add exposure to stocks from Europe, Asia and Africa to their portfolios. These regions are under-represented in the vast majority of ASX portfolios, and can help insulate investors from adverse movements on the American or Australian markets.

The post These 3 ASX ETFs can help protect your portfolio in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In Australia and globally, several powerful themes are driving investment. Electrification is reshaping energy systems, requiring significant spending on transmission infrastructure, renewable generation, and storage. At the same time, strong commodity prices are supporting mining companies, while large-scale infrastructure projects — including those linked to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics — are lifting activity domestically.

Against this backdrop, two ASX-listed companies, Wagners Holding Company Ltd (ASX: WGN) and NRW Holdings Ltd (ASX: NWH), have delivered standout share price performance over the past 12 months, rising over 157% and 94%, respectively.

But after such strong gains, are the fundamentals keeping pace?

Riding the infrastructure and construction wave

Wagners is a construction materials and infrastructure business with exposure to concrete, cement, composite materials, and aviation services. The company generates revenue by supplying essential inputs into infrastructure, civil construction, and mining projects — sectors that are currently benefiting from elevated investment levels.

Recent updates suggest Wagners has been experiencing strong trading momentum, supported by higher demand across its key divisions. In particular, infrastructure activity in Queensland and major project pipelines have been contributing to increased volumes and improved pricing outcomes.

The company has also continued to invest in its proprietary composite technologies, which offer lighter and more durable alternatives to traditional materials. This positions Wagners to benefit not only from near-term construction demand but also longer-term structural shifts in how infrastructure is built.

Looking ahead, the outlook appears supported by sustained infrastructure spending and population growth, particularly in regions such as southeast Queensland. If project activity continues to ramp up, Wagners could see further earnings growth, provided cost pressures remain controlled.

NRW Holdings: Leveraged to mining services growth

NRW Holdings operates as a mining services contractor, providing civil, mining, and drill and blast services to resource companies. Its revenue is largely tied to contract work across mine development, production, and infrastructure.

The company has benefited from strong commodity prices, which have left many miners with robust balance sheets and the ability to fund expansion projects and exploration programs. This has translated into a growing pipeline of work for contractors like NRW.

Recent results highlight solid profit growth and a healthy order book, with the company securing new contracts and maintaining strong utilisation across its fleet. Importantly, NRW's diversified exposure across commodities and clients helps mitigate reliance on any single project or resource.

The outlook remains favourable as mining investment continues, particularly in bulk commodities and critical minerals linked to the energy transition. As long as commodity markets remain supportive, demand for mining services is likely to stay elevated.

What could drive the next leg of growth?

Both ASX shares are benefiting from trends that appear durable rather than cyclical in nature.

Electrification requires significant capital investment in infrastructure. Mining companies are expanding to meet demand for key resources. And government-backed infrastructure pipelines remain strong.

However, after such significant share price appreciation, future returns may depend more heavily on continued earnings growth rather than multiple expansion.

For Wagners, this means maintaining margins while scaling production and delivering on project demand. For NRW, it comes down to converting its order book into sustained revenue and profit growth while managing costs.

If both companies can continue to grow revenue and earnings, maintain or expand margins, and avoid valuation compression, there is potential for further upside over time.

As always, the key will be execution.

The post 2 ASX shares booming on electrification and mining. Is there more upside ahead? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The ASX currently has more than 2,000 listed companies to choose from, not to mention access to international stocks as well. 

That's why a base portfolio of a few ASX ETFs can be a great starting point. 

ASX ETFs offer instant diversification in one simple trade. 

This can be especially attractive when the market is experiencing significant volatility, as has occurred over the past couple of weeks.

Current conflict in the Middle East is causing significant fluctuations day to day for many Australian and global blue-chip stocks.

With this uncertainty and volatility likely to continue in the short-term, it is important to have a portfolio spread across various sectors and countries. 

These three funds would make an ideal starting point for a new investor aiming for a broadly diversified portfolio. 

Global X Australia 300 Etf (ASX: A300)

As the name suggests, this fund offers exposure to the 300 largest Australian companies listed on the ASX.

Typically, investors track the performance of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). 

However, this fund offers exposure to a broader set of companies than the typical 200 Australian companies.

Its largest exposure is to Australia's two largest companies by market cap: 

• Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA)
• BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP). 

These two holdings represent roughly 20% of the fund. 

BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF (ASX: NDQ)

With Australia's market covered by the A300 fund, adding the BetaShares NASDAQ 100 ETF provides a US focus. 

This ASX ETF comprises 100 of the largest non-financial companies listed on the Nasdaq market, and includes many companies that are at the forefront of the new economy.

The NASDAQ 100 is often referred to as the "new economy." 

With its strong focus on technology, NDQ ETF provides diversified exposure to a high-growth potential sector that is under-represented in the Australian sharemarket.

It includes some of the biggest global companies like Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) and Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN). 

It has a strong track record, rising 84% over the last 5 years. 

Betashares Global Shares Ex Us Etf (ASX: EXUS)

With bases covered in Australia and the US, this ASX ETF provides a more global outlook. 

It provides exposure to 900+ large and mid-cap companies from 22 developed markets excluding the US and Australia.

Its largest exposure by country is to: 

• Japan (23.8%)
• Britain (13.2%)
• Canada (12.6%). 

With the US historically representing the majority of developed markets, adding exposure outside the US provides both geographic and sector diversification. 

Compared to US focused exposures, EXUS WTF has a higher weighting to sectors such as financials and industrials, and a lower weighting to technology.

The post 3 ASX ETFs for new investors to consider in 2026 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.