On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week with a day in the red. The benchmark index fell 0.5% to 7,108.8 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to fall again

The Australian share market looks set to fall again on Tuesday despite a solid start to the week on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 114 points or 1.6% higher. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.45%, the S&P 500 is up 0.65%, and the NASDAQ is down 1.35%.

Oil prices drop

Energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) could have a tough day after oil prices dropped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is down 2.7% to US$74.56 barrel and the Brent crude oil price is down 2.7% to US$80.56 a barrel. The banking collapse has rattled the market.

ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend

There are a number of ASX 200 shares that are going ex-dividend for their latest dividends this morning and could trade lower. This includes coal miner Coronado Global Resources Inc (ASX: CRN), corporate travel booker Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD), and media giant News Corp (ASX: NWS).

Gold price jumps

It could be a good day for gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (down: RRL) after the gold price jumped overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 2.6% to US$1,915.2 an ounce. Traders were buying gold due to increased demand for safe haven assets.

Macquarie rated neutral

The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price is almost fully valued according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. Following an investor tour, the broker has retained its neutral rating with a price target of $197.53. It notes that the investment bank's shares are trading above historical multiples despite the prospect of its earnings falling in FY 2023. Goldman is forecasting a 13% decline in its earnings.

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

On Monday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) started the week with a solid gain. The benchmark index rose 0.6% to 7,328.6 points.

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

ASX 200 expected to fall

The Australian share market looks set to fall on Tuesday despite a relatively decent start to the week on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 18 points or 0.25% lower. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is up 0.1%, the S&P 500 is up 0.2%, and the NASDAQ is up 0.15%.

Oil prices rise

Energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) could have a decent day after oil prices rose overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 0.6% to US$80.16 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 0.1% to US$85.85 a barrel. Oil prices rose despite concerns over China's economic growth targets.

RBA meeting

It is the first Tuesday of the month, which means the Reserve Bank of Australia will be meeting to discuss the cash rate. According to cash rate futures, the market has priced in a 75% probability of the central bank increasing the cash rate by 25 basis points to 3.6%.

Gold price edges lower

It could be a subdued day for gold miners Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (down: RRL) after the gold price edged lower overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is up 0.15% to US$1,851.9 an ounce. Traders were selling gold ahead of the US Fed chief testimony.

ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend

A number of ASX 200 shares are going ex-dividend on Tuesday for their latest payouts and could trade lower. This includes the likes of fast-fashion jewellery retailer Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV), gold miner Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), healthcare company Sonic Healthcare Limited (ASX: SHL), and fuel retailer Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA).

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

In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record a small gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.1% to 7,259.4 points.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price is down 3% to 51.5 cents. Investors have continued to sell this semiconductor company's shares after it reported just US$250k of revenue during the second half of FY 2022. Brainchip remains one of the most shorted shares on the Australian share market. It appears that the smart money believes this the company is all hype and no substance.

Coles Group Ltd (ASX: COL)

The Coles share price is down over 3% to $17.40. The catalyst for this has been the supermarket giant's shares trading ex-dividend this morning for its upcoming interim dividend. Eligible shareholders can now look forward to receiving this fully franked 36 cents per share dividend at the end of the month on 30 March.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The Karoon Energy share price is down 5% to $2.12. This has been driven by news that the energy producer has been hit with a new tax in Brazil. It revealed that the Brazilian government is putting a 9.2% tax on oil exports for the next four months. Karoon Energy estimates that it will result in a potential payment of US$22 million to US$35 million.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price is down 4% to $4.04. As with Coles, this has been caused by the lithium miner's shares going ex-dividend. Last month, Pilbara Minerals declared its maiden 11 cents per share fully franked interim dividend. This will be paid to eligible shareholders later this month on 24 March.

The post Why Brainchip, Coles, Karoon Energy, and Pilbara Minerals shares are tumbling appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended the week with its first gain since Monday, lifting 0.3% to close at 7,307 points. That leaves it 0.54% lower than where it finished the previous week.

But not all was well on the index on Friday. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) tumbled 1.2% despite the Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) share price jumping on the back of the company's record first-half revenue.

Fortunately, however, all other sectors ended the day in the green.

Leading the way was the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ). It lifted 2.4%, helped along by the Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) share price, which gained 5.9% on the tech giant's quarterly earnings.

But Block wasn't today's top-performing ASX 200 share. Let's take a look at which stock took out the title on Friday.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's biggest gain was posted by the Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) share price. It surged 7.5% today, recovering much of the 7.8% tumble it experienced yesterday on the release of its first-half earnings.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

Reporting season continues amid a background of geopolitical tensions and economic turbulence.

Morgans analyst Andrew Tang has been monitoring all the financial reports and regularly declaring his favourites to buy.

Here are the latest seven ASX shares he likes:

Explosive growth while the rest of the world struggles

Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) has been a darling on the ASX, rising 51% over the past 12 months when most other non-mining stocks have been in the red.

But the results just announced still exceeded Morgans' expectations.

"Lovisa reported net profit after tax [NPAT] of $50.5 million (pre-AASB 16) — 1% higher than our forecast," Tang wrote on the Morgans blog.

"Sales growth was 45%, driven by store rollout and +12.5% like-for-like sales growth."

The current growth is at breakneck pace.

"Lovisa opened a net of 86 new stores in 1H23, more than in all of FY22."

Tang's team is recommending a buy for Lovisa shares and has upgraded future earnings expectations for the company.

'Momentum in the business is strong'

Meanwhile, Superloop Ltd (ASX: SLC) exceeded Morgans' expectations for earnings but slightly missed for net profit after tax.

But the stock is a buy, with the broadband provider heading in the right direction.

"Momentum in the business is strong with Superloop delivering 28% YoY organic revenue growth and EBITDA lifting more due to positive leverage," said Tang.

"Underlying EBITDA was up 89% YoY and operating cash flow conversion was impressive at 103%."

Healthcare goods distributor EBOS Group Ltd (ASX: EBO) enjoyed "a record 1H23 result", showing off "double-digit gross order receipts and EBITDA growth through acquisitions and organically".

According to Tang, the company has successfully navigated through "an operationally challenging environment with supply chain issues and cost pressures".

"EBOS continues to be a leader and hold strong market positions in both healthcare and animal care operating segments," he said.

"We have upgraded our EPS forecast by ~1% in FY24/25."

Energy sector still in demand in 2023

While Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)'s wasn't mind-blowing by any means, the result left the "valuation in its dust", according to Tang.

"Even the lower-than-expected 1H23 result with EBITDAX of US$176 million puts Karoon on an EBITDAX multiple of just ~2.0x, a sector low," he said.

"Karoon maintaining FY23 unit cost and production guidance highlights the bulk of earnings are skewed to 2H23."

Also in the energy sector, Tang noted Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) posted "record profits and cash flow, upsized shareholder returns and developments across several key assets". 

"On balance, a steady 2H22 result, falling just short of consensus expectations. Strong final dividend of 15.1 US cents, vs Morgans' [forecast] 14.3 US cents."

Both these energy players are a buy right now for the Morgans team.

'Remarkably strong' businesses

Insurance claims repairer Johns Lyng Group Ltd (ASX: JLG) posted a "remarkably strong" half-yearly result due to "unprecedented" amount of work from catastrophic (CAT) weather events.

"EBITDA of $59.4 million — 15% above our forecast of $51.7 million — was up 63% vs pcp," said Tang.

"Underlying NPAT of $25.9 million was 10% above our forecast and up 82% vs pcp. FY23 guidance was upgraded by ~5.5% on a headline basis."

The stock is a buy, with more catalysts to come for the business.

"We maintain our positive view on JLG, and continue to see it well placed to benefit from ongoing elevated claims activity, further market share gains across its four key growth pillars in Australia, US and New Zealand, and ongoing market consolidation via M&A."

Hotel Property Investments Ltd (ASX: HPI) is not a name often heard of, but Morgans likes the investor of pubs.

Tang noted that its dividend guidance was maintained after the latest result, which indicates "an implied distribution yield of +5%". 

"The portfolio is valued at $1.25 billion, weighted average lease expiry +10 years, and hotel occupancy 100%."

The net tangible asset was recalculated to $4.06, which is far above the current stock price.

"HPI's focus remains on portfolio quality via the refurbishment program (well progressed), as well as potential asset divestments."

The post 7 more ideas for buying ASX shares this reporting season: expert appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) broke a three-session-long losing streak on Tuesday, gaining 0.18% to close at 7,430.9 points.

It came on the back of a strong session on Wall Street. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) both rose 1.1% overnight while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) gained 1.5%.

It makes sense then that the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) posted the biggest gain on the Aussie index, rising 1.3%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) also outperformed, gaining 1.1% with the Domain Holdings Australia Ltd (ASX: DHG) share price leading the way, lifting 5.5%.

Meanwhile, market giant CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) saw its share price rise 0.9% on the back of the company's half-year earnings.

On the other end of the market, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XMJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) fell 0.4% and 0.2% respectively.

But which ASX 200 share outperformed all others on Tuesday? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index's best performer today was metal recycler Sims Ltd (ASX: SGM). Its stock soared 7.1% to close at $15.72 on Tuesday.

That was despite the company posting an 80% fall in statutory profit for the first half, leading it to slash its interim dividend by 66% to 14 cents per share.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) got off to a rough start this week, falling 0.21% on Monday to close at 7,417.8 points.

Meanwhile, the February earnings season stepped up a gear, with results from Insurance Australia Group Ltd (ASX: IAG), Aurizon Holdings Ltd (ASX: AZJ), Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT), and Endeavour Group Ltd (ASX: EDV) all hitting the market.  

Speaking of earnings, the Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR) share price crashed 20% after the company revealed that increased regulation and competition has taken a major toll on its bottom line.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the company's home sector, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) weighed heaviest, falling 1.4%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) outperformed all others, gaining 1.8% on the back of strengthening oil prices. The black liquid's value lifted over 2% on Friday amid reports Russia will cut its oil output by 5% next month.

But the top performing ASX 200 share wasn't from the energy sector. Let's take a look at which stock posted today's biggest gain.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares today

The IAG share price posted the biggest gain of the ASX 200 on Monday, soaring 4.5% to close at $4.92.

The insurer's post-tax profit rocketed more than 170% year-on-year last half to reach $468 million.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

Listed below are a couple of energy shares that have been named on the best ideas list of Morgans for the month of February.

Here's why they could be top options for investors:

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The first ASX 200 energy share that has been named as a buy is Karoon Energy. Morgans likes the company due to its strong balance sheet and bold production growth plans. It explained:

Unique as a reasonable scale pure conventional oil producer, benefitting directly from rising oil prices. Karoon has significant net cash and is fully funded through a doubling of production over the next 12 months. While there is also potential catalysts just around the corner with Karoon flagging at its recent result that it planned to shortly update the market with more detail on its growth plans, Bauna's outlook, and its ESG approach.

Morgans has an add rating and $3.70 price target on Karoon Energy's shares.

Santos Ltd (ASX: STO)

Another ASX 200 energy share that Morgans thinks investors should be considering is Santos. It sees the energy producer as a great option due to the strength of its growth profile and its diversified earnings base. It commented:

The resilience of STO's growth profile and diversified earnings base see it well placed to outperform against the backdrop of a broader sector recovery. While pre-FEED, we see Dorado as likely to provide attractive growth for STO, while its recent acquisition increasing its stake in Darwin LNG has increased our confidence in Barossa's development. PNG growth meanwhile remains a riskier proposition, with the government adamant it will keep a larger share of economic rents while operator Exxon has significantly deferred growth plans across its global portfolio.

Morgans has an add rating and $8.75 price target on Santos' shares. It also expects an attractive 5.8% dividend yield in FY 2023.

The post These are the best ASX 200 energy shares to buy now: Morgans appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

If you're feeling a bit off on Monday, you're not alone. Many shares are also having a relatively tedious day, with the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) trading 0.16% lower than it was at Friday's close.

Fortunately, that hasn't stopped some overachievers from outperforming. Four ASX 200 shares have posted new 52-week highs this morning.

Here is all you need to know about the quartet trading at long-forgotten heights today.

4 ASX 200 shares posting new 52-week highs

Making the first notable jump this morning is the Pro Medicus Limited (ASX: PME) share price. The ASX 200 health imaging provider's stock rose 2% today to a new 52-week high of $66.42.

The gain came as the company announced a new 8-year $12 million deal with US community-based, integrated delivery network (IDN) Samaritan Health Service.

The deal will see Pro Medicus' Visage 7 Enterprise Imaging Platform replacing legacy systems across Samaritan's network.

Pro Medicus CEO Dr Sam Hupert commented on the news, saying:

IDNs are the largest market segment in North America, and this is our fifth material IDN contract in the last 12 months.

Joining Pro Medicus' shares in posting a new 52-week high today are those of Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE).

The ASX 200 wine company's stock peaked at $14.47 earlier today. That marked a 0.5% gain and a new post-pandemic high.

Interestingly, there's been no news from the company lately. Though, it has been tipped to benefit from an apparent easing of tensions between Australia and China.

Also in on the action is the TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) share price.

It rose nearly 2.2% this morning to reach $15.14 – a new all-time high.

The stock dodged the carnage that plagued the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) in 2022 and has made the most of the sector's 2023 gains.

It's already risen 15% year to date.

And last but not least is Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR).

The ASX 200 oil and gas exploration company's shares lifted 1.2% to hit a multiyear-high of $2.45 this morning before slipping into the red.

Today's slump follows a 12% gain posted by the stock over the course of last week amid the release of its December quarterly report.

The post 4 ASX 200 shares hitting new 52-week highs on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Australian share market is making another move higher today, bringing returns from the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) to 7.8% so far this year. Today's enthusiasm is being felt across ASX energy shares, with the sector's performance peaking in early afternoon trade.

While the energising segment is on the move, there are a handful of energy companies that are receiving heightened attention on Tuesday. Juiced-up trading volume can be found in several names following the release of their quarterly reports.

Here's a quick summary of the results.

Drilling down into these ASX energy shares

Warrego Energy Ltd (ASX: WGO)

The $478 million oil and gas explorer released its quarterly cash flow and activities report today for the three months ending 31 December 2022. In response, investors have pushed shares in the ASX energy company up 1.3% to 39.5 cents apiece.

According to the cash flow report, Warrego pulled in $1.26 million in cash receipts from customers during the quarter. However, the company experienced a net operating cash outflow of $4.49 million after expenses.

Notably, Warrego's made further progress on its host of projects during the quarter while fielding an ongoing takeover war from Hancock Energy and Strike Energy.

Cooper Energy Ltd (ASX: COE)

Next up is Cooper Energy, a $513 million ASX energy share that is on the way down on Tuesday. The market appears to be unimpressed by the company's figures for the second quarter.

According to its release, Cooper Energy achieved record year-to-date production and revenue. Production increased by 16% to 1.82 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMboe). However, production and revenue fell 16% and 17% respectively in Q2 compared to the prior corresponding period.

Shares in the company are currently 1.54% below yesterday's closing price, swapping hands at 19.2 cents apiece.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

Back to ASX energy shares that are in the green. Karoon Energy has settled 0.22% higher at $2.325 a share in late afternoon trading as the market digests its latest update. Earlier today, it hit a high of $2.38 a share, or 2.6% higher.

The two major positives to take from Karoon's quarterly are its 62% increase in production — reaching 2.08 MMboe — and its 34% lift in oil sales. The elevated sales helped the ASX energy share secure US$159.2 million in oil sales revenue.

Melbana Energy Ltd (ASX: MAY)

Last but not least is the best performing of the bunch, Melbana Energy. Shares in the small-cap energy company shot 15.6% higher at one stage today, hitting 8.9 cents a share. Melbana shares are currently trading at 8.1 cents each, up 5.2%.

This ASX energy share actually released its quarterly report after the market close yesterday. Although, the report largely covered the status of its Zapato-1st exploration well and its plans for well appraisals.

Today, Melbana revealed independent assessments estimate volumes of 1.9 billion barrels of oil in place at Amistad structure in Block 9. The company will now move to evaluate the quality and performance of this formation.

The post 4 ASX energy shares heating up on quarterly reports today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After 2022's full-year loss of 5.5%, it's certainly a pleasing change of pace to see the ASX 200 start the year with such optimism.

But 2023's strong showing thus far doesn't mean there aren't still cheap shares out there to find.

One area that might be worth taking a dive into is ASX energy shares. That's according to one ASX expert, anyway.

Looking for undervalued ASX shares in 2023? Try cooking with gas

ASX mining resources and energy shares were some of the only places to hide from the market's poor showing last year. In fact, many had stellar years.

Just take the BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price. BHP shares rose almost 10% last year, defying the gloom that infected the broader market. Rio Tinto Limited (ASX: RIO) shares fared even better, giving investors a share price return of more than 16%.

But that's nothing compared to ASX coal share Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC). Whitehaven shares gave investors a spectacular return of 165% last year, not including dividends.

Expert investor Aaron Binsted saw the writing on the wall for these sectors. Binsted is an Australian equities portfolio manager at Lazard Asset Management. Lazard's Select Australian Equity fund was one of the best-performing managed funds in 2022, returning 26.34% for investors last year.

According to reporting in the Australian Financial Review (AFR) this week, Lazard went in hard on resources and energy sources in 2020 and 2021, which helped to drive the fund's stellar returns last year.

Binsted reckons, "This energy crisis has been brewing for a long time". In 2020, he recalls saying, "If you're not overweight energy now, you never will be. It was absolutely against the consensus of the time."

Back in 2020, he favoured oil shares like Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), but in 2023, he's looking to gas, largely due to the "superior cashflow generation" on offer:

Most people's long-run numbers [for LNG prices] are probably in the $US7 to $US8 mark. No one's got that in their valuations for the equities…

We are in a world that's short energy, while a bit over 80 per cent is coming from fossil fuels, and governments are saying, 'give us more energy, but don't invest in fossil fuels'. It's very hard to make up that gap from fossil fuels at the moment…

We can only assume Binsted is still looking at Woodside shares (Woodside is also a gas producer), as well as other gas stocks such as Santos Ltd (ASX: STO), Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) and Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT).

The post Looking to energise returns with this pocket of undervalued ASX shares in 2023 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) wobbled into this week before ultimately closing higher. In fact, it posted its highest close since April 2022, lifting 0.07% to reach 7,457.3 points.

It followed a strong Friday's trade on Wall Street, led by the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC)'s 2.7% gain.

Perhaps it's no surprise then, that the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) led the way on the Aussie bourse. It gained 1.3% today with Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) shares posting their biggest increase, rising 6%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX XEJ) also outperformed, gaining 0.9% after oil prices closed last week on a high.

Brent crude oil rose 1.7% to trade at US$87.63 a barrel while US Nymex crude increased 1.2% to US$81.31 a barrel.

On the other hand, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) lost ground today, falling 0.2% as Fisher & Paykel Healthcare Corp Ltd (ASX: FPH) handed back some of Friday's gains.

So, having browsed how the ASX 200 broadly performed today, let's dive into its top 10 biggest gainers.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 stock was Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR). It lifted 7.4% to close at $2.32 after announcing a 23% increase in reserves at its wholly-owned Santos Basin concession.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended this week strong, gaining 0.23% on Friday to close at 7,452.2 points – its highest close since April 2022. That marks a 1.69% week-on-week improvement.

Its gains today came despite yet another disappointing session for New York-listed shares overnight. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) both slipped 0.8% on Thursday's session, while the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) tumbled 1%.

That didn't stop the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) from posting a 1.4% gain. The sector rose alongside oil prices, which also jumped as much as 1.4% overnight.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) lifted 0.9%, driven by lithium and coal stocks.

On the other hand, the S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) slumped 0.9% and 0.5% respectively.

Let's dive into the ten ASX 200 shares that ended the week with the biggest gains.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price outperformed all its peers on Friday, gaining 13% to close at $4.55.

Its gains followed the release of the lithium favourite's latest quarterly update, in which it saw production increase 10% on that of the prior period.

These shares made today's biggest gains:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended a disappointing week on a high today. It lifted 0.53% to close at 7,213.2 points on Friday. That marks a 1.21% week-on-week loss.

Leading today's gains was the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ). It rose 1.9% on the back of commodity prices.

Gold futures lifted 0.2% overnight to US$1,801.50 an ounce and iron ore futures improved 2.2% to US$109.49 a tonne. Meanwhile, copper added 0.6% amid Goldman Sachs' bullishness.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) also recovered 1% following a dire four-session-long losing streak that saw it dump 5.7%.

On the other side of the coin, the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) fell 0.8%, weighed down by the APA Group (ASX: APA) share price.

All in all, seven of the ASX 200's 11 sectors closed higher today. But which share outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing share was Champion Iron Ltd (ASX: CIA). It gained 5.15% today.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) got off to a good start this week. The index finished Monday's session 0.33% higher at 7,325.6 points.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) posted the market's biggest gains today, lifting 1.5% despite a disappointing Friday for global oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price fell 1.5% to US$85.57 a barrel on Friday while the US Nymex crude oil price slumped 1.5% to US$79.98 a barrel.

Perhaps less surprisingly, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) also soared, gaining 1.4% after a strong session for iron ore.

Iron ore futures surged 4.2% to US$107.44 a tonne on Friday, leaving it up 15.9% for the week just been. 

Also on Friday, S&P Dow Jones Indices outlined upcoming changes to the index, set to take effect on 19 December. From then on, St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM) will be removed from the ASX 200 with Monadelphous Group Limited (ASX: MND) taking its place.

But it wasn't all green on the Aussie bourse today. The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) slipped 0.7% while the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) dumped 1.1%.

At the end of Monday's session, six of the ASX 200's 11 sectors were in the green. But which stock took out today's top spot? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Monday's top-performing ASX 200 stock was Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG). Its share price soared 6.9% today.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

ASX 200 energy shares have had a rocking year but for a terrible reason — that being the war in Ukraine. The conflict has disrupted global supply chains given Russia is a pretty big energy supplier, especially to Europe.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) has soared this year, up around 36% in 2022 so far.

This compares to an almost 4% drop in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO), which has occurred due to rising inflation and interest rates, as well as fears of a United States recession.

Here we look at the top three ASX 200 energy shares in November based on share price gains over the month.

No surprise to see coal miner Whitehaven at the top of the list. It's had an unbelievable year with the share price up more than 250% so far, largely due to skyrocketing commodity prices.

The following data is from S&P Global Market Intelligence, canvassing ASX 200 energy shares with a minimum market capitalisation of $100 million.

Whitehaven Coal Ltd (ASX: WHC)

The top-performing ASX 200 energy share from the close on November 1 to the close on November 30 was Whitehaven, with a 9.73% share price gain.

This was largely due to thermal coal prices remaining near all-time highs over the month. Plus, it remains a favourite ASX share pick among brokers, with plenty of positive commentaries keeping investors excited.

The only price-sensitive news during November was a downgrade in FY23 production guidance due to bad weather caused by La Nina. As my Fool colleague Matthew reported, flooding has disrupted operations at some mines.

The Whitehaven share price closed 1.52% lower on Friday at $9.74.

Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT)

Oil and gas producer Beach Energy was November's next best-performing ASX 200 energy share with a gain of 8.87% in value.

The company is currently embroiled in a takeover battle for Warrego Energy Ltd (ASX: WGO). Beach and Warrego announced a deal on 14 November, whereby Beach would acquire all Warrego shares for 20 cents apiece. This trumped a scheme of arrangement proposal from Strike Energy Ltd (ASX: STX) a few days before.

The saga is continuing. Warrego received a counter offer from Gina Rinehart's Hancock Energy Pty Ltd yesterday at 23 cents per share. Beach Energy bettered their offer at 25 cents on Friday. Warrego is considering its options.

Also supporting the Beach Energy share price in November was the commencement of production cuts by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), as announced in October.

At Friday's close, the Beach Energy share price was down 2.44% to $1.80.

Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR)

The third best-performing ASX 200 energy share in November was Karoon Energy, up 5.94%.

The oil and gas producer had a nice start to the month with Morgans giving a presentation on the company.

The Karoon Energy share price was volatile in November, moving rapidly between $2.20 and almost $2.40 several times over the four weeks. The company delivered an update on its Patola project on 21 November and held its annual general meeting (AGM) on 24 November.

The Karoon Energy share price closed on Friday at $2.32, down 2.52%.

The post 3 best-performing ASX 200 energy shares in November appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Wednesday was another good day for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). It closed 0.43% higher at 7,284.2 points.

Leading its gains was the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ). It lifted 1.25% following a decent night for base metals. They pulled ahead amid news China vowed to ease some COVID-19 measures, CNN reports.

Gold futures also lifted 0.5% overnight to US$1,748.40 an ounce. Iron ore futures, however, slipped 0.2% to US$92.90 a tonne.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also gained, rising 1.8% on Wednesday after a mixed night for oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price fell 0.2% to US$83.03 a barrel while the US Nymex crude oil price rose 1.2% to US$78.20 a barrel.

It wasn't all sunshine across the market today, though. The S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Index (ASX: XTJ) both slumped 0.25%.

All in all, six of the ASX 200's 11 sectors closed higher on Wednesday. But which stock outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Out in front come the final bell was the Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) share price. It lifted 12% on Wednesday.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

Energy and mining stocks have absolutely carried the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) this year while other sectors struggled.

But it's a familiar story in share markets that a hot sector in one year could deflate the next.

So if you're buying ASX resources shares right now, discerning selections are the name of the game to avoid a disastrous 2023.

Fortunately, a pair of experts had some ideas this week:

'Healthy' boost to production

Morgans investment advisor Jabin Hallihan currently reckons ASX 200 share Karoon Energy Ltd (ASX: KAR) is a prudent purchase.

That's despite a nice 51% surge upwards since a 7 July trough in the share price.

"The oil and gas producer and explorer operates in Australia and Brazil," Hallihan told The Bull.

"We retain an add rating, with a $3.75 valuation."

The advisor is bullish on Karoon from "the steady progress KAR is making on its growth program".

"Karoon has provided encouraging drilling results at the second Patola well in Brazil," said Hallihan.

"Given the results, Karoon now expects initial production from Patola to exceed 10,000 barrels of oil a day. This is a healthy short-term boost to group oil production."

Hallihan's peers generally agree with him.

According to CMC Markets, seven out of nine analysts that cover Karoon recommend the ASX 200 stock as a buy. Six of them even rate it as a strong buy.

A peaking US dollar could mean a rising gold price

Seneca investment advisor Arthur Garipoli is banking on a rebound in the gold price in his backing for Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN).

"Potentially slowing interest rate increases and a peaking US dollar should support the gold price, so we believe there's good value in the gold sector."

He reckons Evolution is poised to under-promise then over-deliver in 2023.

"Metrics at Evolution projects, including the challenging Red Lake, are improving. We believe guidance is conservative."

The Evolution share price has enjoyed a tidy 29% rise this month.

"The share price has risen from $2.01 on November 4 to trade at $2.73 on November 24," said Garipoli.

"We like the company's outlook and see potential upside from here."

The professional community is more split on Evolution than Karoon. Currently, nine analysts rate the ASX 200 gold miner as a buy on CMC Markets, while five recommend holding.

Concerningly, three analysts are urging their clients to strongly sell.

The post 2 ASX 200 energy and mining shares hot to buy right now: experts appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spent a second day in the green today. The index closed 0.7% higher at 7,231.8 points – a five-month high.

Among its top performers were coal stocks, which led the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ). The sector was, in turn, among those leading the ASX 200, gaining 1.3% today amid rising oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price lifted 1% to US$88.36 a barrel and the US Nymex crude oil price gained 1.1% to trade at US$80.95 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) also outperformed, lifting 1.3% on the back of a trading update from Qantas Airways Limited (ASX: QAN).

Other winning sectors included the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ and the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ). They gained 1% and 1.6% respectively.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) weighed on the market, falling 1%.

All in all, nine of the index's 11 sectors closed Wednesday in the green. But which share outperformed all others to take today's top spot? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The top-performing stock on the index on Wednesday was tech favourite BrainChip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN). Its share price gained nearly 7% despite the company's silence.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.

Despite posting a strong start to Monday's session, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) finished the day in the red. As of today's close, the index was down 0.17% at 7,139.3 points.

Leading the fall were many ASX 200 miners. The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) closed Monday's session 1.5% lower with Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG)'s 3.8% fall weighing it down.

The tech sector also underperformed, with the S&P/ASX 200 Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) plunging 1.5%. Giants Block Inc (ASX: SQ2) and Xero Limited (ASX: XRO) were among its worst performers.

Though, not all was dire on the Aussie bourse today.

The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) led today's gains, surging 1.8% higher.

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) also put out a decent gain, lifting 0.9%.

All in all, seven of the index's 11 sectors closed in the green on Monday. But which share rocketed higher to take out today's crown? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 stock was AGL Energy Limited (ASX: AGL). Interestingly, there's been no news from the company since the dramatic outcome of its annual general meeting (AGM) last week.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 shares countdown is a recurring end-of-day summary to let you know which companies were making 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.