Well, it's another day, another fall for the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) so far this Tuesday. And not just any fall. At the time of writing, the Index has cratered by a depressing 2%, which drags the ASX 200 back below 7,000 points for the first time since early January.

Since the 2023 peak that we saw for ASX 200 shares in early February, the markets have now fallen a nasty 7.8%. So why is everyone focused on ASX 200 gold stocks then?

Well, in a pattern that is emerging this week, ASX gold stocks are shining brightly today. Companies that mine the precious metal are amongst the few ASX 200 shares that have recorded gains so far this week. And what gains they have been.

Today, we have Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS), Perseus Mining Ltd (ASX: PRU) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) shares all climbing by more than 3% at the time of writing.

The ASX 200's largest gold miner – Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) – is currently up by a pleasing 3.75% at just under $25 a share. And the ASX 200's leading gainer so far today is none other than Silver Lake Resources Limited (ASX: SLR). As it currently stands, Silver Lake shares have rocketed a happy 5.9% to $1.12 each.

Yesterday, we also saw not one, but two gold exchange-traded funds (ETFs) hit new record highs.

So no wonder everyone is talking about ASX 200 gold stocks this Tuesday.

But what's behind this pointed defiance of the broader markets? Why is everything except for gold seem to be falling?

Why is everyone buying ASX 200 gold stocks?

Well, let's start at the beginning. These gains seem like a direct consequence of the price of gold itself. Over the past week, gold has been on fire. The yellow metal was asking as little as US$1,820 per ounce last week. But, as my Fool colleague flagged this morning, last night's international trading saw gold prices spike as high as US$1,915 per ounce.

Gold has always been viewed as a defensive, 'safe haven' asset by many investors. As such, there is a belief that the precious metal is a safe place to park capital in times of economic or financial stress. Well, we appear to be fulfilling some of these criteria at the moment.

The collapse of the US tech-focused bank SVB Financial Group (Silicon Valley Bank) late last week has clearly led to some panic in the markets. ASX banks are being walloped today, as are most bank shares around the world. Tech shares are also feeling the pinch.

There are clear fears that the woes from the SVB saga might spill over into other parts of the US (and thus, global) financial system.

Whether these fears are well-founded is a topic for another time. But we can't deny that there are fears. This is the most likely explanation as to why the gold price has so suddenly gone through the roof. And, by extension, why everyone is talking about ASX 200 gold stocks this Tuesday.

The post Why is everyone suddenly talking about ASX 200 gold stocks again? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) ended the week on a high, gaining 0.39% to close at 7,283.6 points. That sees it having recovered all but 0.29% of Monday's losses.

Helping it along on Friday was the S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ). It rose 0.9%.

Bank stocks also had a good run into the weekend, with the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) lifting 0.5%.

Meanwhile, mining giants helped drive the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) 0.5% higher.

On the other hand, the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) was the worst performer, falling 0.3%.

So, with most of the market trading in the green on Friday, which ASX 200 share posted the biggest gains? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Taking out the index's top spot today was the Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) share price.

It roared 13% higher to close at $1.63 on Friday. And that could be just the beginning if Bell Potter is to be believed. The broker recently tipped the lithium hopeful's stock to soar to $2.81, my Fool colleague James reports.

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) traded in the green for much of Wednesday before plunging into the red at the last moment. It ended the day 0.09% lower at 7,251.6 points.

And mining shares led much of its gains, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) coming in as today's top-performing sector. It rose 2.3% to regain all of its Monday losses.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also outperformed today, gaining 1.6% following a strong overnight session for oil prices.

Brent crude oil rose 1.7% to US$83.89 a barrel overnight while US Nymex crude oil lifted 1.8% to trade at US$77.05 a barrel.

But not all rejoiced today. The S&P/ASX 200 Communications Index (ASX: XTJ) fell 2.3% on Wednesday as Telstra Group Ltd (ASX: TLS) shares traded ex-dividend.

So, with all that covered, which ASX 200 share posted the index's biggest gain today? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 share was none other than Ramelius Resources Ltd (ASX: RMS). It gained 6.7% to close at $0.955 despite only silence from the gold miner.

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.

These three ASX mining shares are on the move today following the release of their quarterly results.

For perspective, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) is in the green today, up about 1%.

Let's take a look at these three ASX mining shares in more detail.

Legend Mining Ltd (ASX: LEG)

The Legend Mining share price is soaring 7% today to 4.7 cents at the time of writing. The company's share price surged 9% this morning following the release of its quarterly report before retreating slightly

Legend is exploring the Rockford nickel and copper project in Western Australia.

Legend reported cash of $12.8 million as of 31 December. The company completed octagonal 3D seismic survey data collection in the December quarter at the Rockford Project.

One major highlight from the report is news of a $2.93 million tax refund in December. Legend said this means cash at 31 December is $600K greater than the previous quarter.

The company said this places it in a "well-funded position for the commencement of 2023".

The Legend Mining share price has descended 40% in the last year.

Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)

Perseus Mining also released a quarterly report to the market today. The company explores three gold mines in Africa.

Perseus shares are down nearly 2% today. The gold price is up 0.07% to US$1932.67 a tonne, according to trading economics.

Perseus reported it had produced 130,911 ounces of gold in the December quarter. This was down on the company's record gold production of 137,460 ounces in the September quarter.

Overall in 2022, Perseus delivered 521,221 ounces of gold at an all in sustaining cost (AISC) of US$941 an ounce. This exceeded the company's production guidance.

The company achieved a weighted average realised gold price of US$1,748 a tonne, up from US$103 on the September quarter.

The Perseus share price has surged nearly 52% in the last year.

De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG)

De Grey Mining shares have been bouncing around today and are currently climbing 0.32%.

The De Grey mining share price is leaping 0.64% at the time of writing to $1.585. De Grey shares fell 1.26% in earlier trade before picking up.

De Grey is exploring gold at the Mallina Gold Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. In today's quarterly, De Grey reported 160 million in cash and no debt at the end of the December quarter.

Highlights included completing a $130 million placement and $19 million share purchase plan to fund a definitive feasibility study and a final investment decision in 2023.

The De Grey share price has lifted nearly 16% in the last year.

The post 3 ASX mining shares on the move after quarterly updates appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

No one can truly know what's going to happen next. Resource prices are notoriously difficult to predict, which subsequently makes it tricky to forecast how ASX 200 mining shares are going to perform.

There are a number of different miners within the ASX 200 including the iron ore miners of BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP), Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO), Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG), and Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN).

Mineral Resources also has lithium operations. Other ASX 200 lithium shares include Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS), IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO), Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE), and Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA)

Gold miners also have plenty of representation with names like Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN), Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU), and De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG).

There is also exposure to commodities like copper, nickel, and other minerals within the ASX 200.

What's the outlook for ASX 200 mining shares?

For iron ore, things are looking a lot brighter than a few months ago. As the biggest buyer of iron ore, China's move to end COVID lockdowns may be a boost for iron demand as economic activity starts normalising.

China is enacting more initiatives to support its troubled real estate sector. A stronger construction industry could mean higher demand for steel/iron ore.

A recovery of activity in China could also mean more demand for things like copper, nickel and possibly lithium, particularly if decarbonisation investment is ramped up across the country.

Lithium miners have been through enormous volatility over the past year. Their performance in 2023 could be decided by the movement of the lithium price. A report by KPMG suggests there is enormous demand ahead for lithium if the world is to move away from the combustion engine by 2050, requiring two billion electric vehicles.

I recently covered some expert thoughts on the gold sector, which suggest the gold outlook for 2023 is improving.

Foolish takeaway

I'm not sure where the share prices of the ASX 200 mining shares will end up at the end of 2023, but I think that with the strengthening of prices for a number of commodities, it's looking good for short-term profitability and dividends.

However, I think it'd make more sense to buy resource businesses when the outlook is weakening and sentiment is low. So, for now, I'd be happy to wait on the sidelines to give myself a better chance of capital gains.

The post Will 2023 be a golden year for ASX 200 mining shares? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This Monday has been especially lucrative for a number of big ASX miners.

First up is Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM). This ASX 200 gold miner has enjoyed a 2.17% bump so far today to $5.19.

That's not only a new 52-week high for Capricorn but an all-time, record high. Investors have also enjoyed a pleasing 57% return from Capricorn over the past 12 months.

Another ASX 200 share worth checking out is Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR). Gold Road shares are presently up a decent 0.65% to $1.86. But this gold miner hit a new 52-week high of $1.90 a share this morning soon after market open.

That's just a whisker off of Gold Road's all-time high of just over $2 a share that we saw back in mid-2020.

ASX 200 gold shares glitter

De Grey Mining Limited (ASX: DEG) is another ASX 200 gold miner that is on fire this Monday. De Grey shares have gained 1.43% so far today to $1.56 a share.

That's bang on De Grey's new 52-week high and is also close to the highest share price this miner has ever traded at.

Next, we have gold share Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU). This company's rise has been a little more muted, with Perseus shares up 0.86% so far to $2.35 each.

This morning, the company lifted as high as $2.38 a share, which is a new 52-week high for Perseus. Although this isn't a record high, it is the highest share price this company has seen in a decade.

Finally, we have yet another ASX 200 gold miner in Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST). Northern Star shares have put on a pleasing 1.2% so far this Monday to $11.90 each.

This morning saw a new 52-week high of $11.99 for Northern Star as well, capping off what has been a very pleasing day of trading for ASX 200 gold shares.

So with so many gold shares hitting new highs, you might think there is an underlying factor at play here. Well, you'd be right. As my Fool colleague James covered this morning, the price of gold jumped a substantial 1.6% at the end of last week to US$1,869.70 per ounce.

Thus, we can probably thank this jump for the boom we have seen in these five ASX 200 gold shares this Monday.

The post Mineral mania: 5 ASX 200 mining shares smashing new highs on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) closed the first week of 2023 in the green. It gained 0.65% on Friday to close at 7,109.6 points. That marks an 1.01% week-on-week gain.

In the lead today was the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ), which lifted 3% with lithium shares driving it higher.  

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) also traded higher today, gaining 1.6%. That was a notable change in fortunes following the 3.9% tumble it posted over this week's first three sessions.

On the other end of town, however, S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) stocks struggled, with the sector falling 1.1%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) also slumped 0.2%, with the Magellan Financial Group Ltd (ASX: MFG) share price its biggest weight. The stock dumped 10.5% on news the company's funds under management (FUM) fell $2.6 billion in December.

So, with all that in mind, which ASX 200 share posted the biggest gain on Friday? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The best performing ASX 200 share in Friday's session was lithium favourite Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO). It gained 8.56% to close at $1.205.

While there was no news from the company to explain today's rise, it was joined in the green by many of its lithium-focused peers.

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 2022 year was a mixed one for ASX 200 gold shares, but three shares were standout performers.

The Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM), Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share prices all soared in 2022. In this piece, we are looking at three shares with a market capitalisation of more than $100 million that are part of the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO).

Let's take a look at these three ASX 200 gold shares in more detail.

Capricorn Metals

Capricorn Metals shares soared by 35.3% in 2022. The company is developing the Karlawinda Gold Project and the Mount Gibson Gold Project in Western Australia.

Capricorn Metals shares exploded by 78% between market close on 26 September and 30 December. Gold futures rose 12% from US$1633.40 an ounce at market close on 26 September to US$1830.10 on 30 December, CNBC data shows.

In late October, Capricorn advised ore reserves at the Karlawinda project had lifted 12% to 1.34 million ounces. Capricorn shares leapt nearly 5% on this day. Meanwhile, on 7 November Capricorn announced the Mineral Resource Estimate at the Mt Gibson project had soared by 32% from 2,755,000 ounces. Capricorn shares soared 10% on this day alone.

Commenting on this news, executive chairman Mark Clark said:

Our exploration team has made a strong start to FY23, advancing some exciting early-stage prospects across our global tier-1 portfolio as well as expanding beyond known areas of mineralisation.

Perseus Mining

The Perseus share price surged by 30.2% in 2022. Perseus operates three gold mines in Africa. Perseus shares had a bumper end to the year, soaring 57% between market close on 26 September and 30 December amid higher gold prices.

In October, Perseus advised of a maiden ore reserve of 2.2 Mt 3.58 grams per tonne for 259koz at the Yaouré Gold Mine in Côte d'Ivoire. Commenting on the news, Perseus managing director and CEO Jeff Quartermaine said:

Having attained the goal of producing gold at a rate of 500,000oz per year across our three gold mines, we are now working to maintain, and where possible, exceed that level of production over the next decade and beyond.

Northern Star

Northern Star shares leapt by 15.9% in 2022. The company has a market capitalisation of nearly $13 billion. Northern Star outperformed ASX gold giant Newcrest, which fell 15% during the calendar year.

Like Perseus and Capricorn, Northern Star shares soared nearly 57% between market close on 26 September and 30 December. The higher gold price likely helped Northern Star recover losses in the first nine months of the year.

On 15 November, Northern Star provided an exploration update. The company advised of progress on its FY23 exploration program. Managing director Stuart Tonkin said:

Our exploration team has made a strong start to FY23, advancing some exciting early-stage prospects across our global tier-1 portfolio as well as expanding beyond known areas of mineralisation.

The post 3 best ASX 200 gold shares of 2022 appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) broke its three-day winning streak on Friday. The index closed 0.72% lower at 7,301.5 points. That still marks a 0.66% week-on-week increase.

Weighing on the market today was the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ). It fell 2.4% despite a mixed night for oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price slipped 0.1% to trade at US$86.88 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price rose 0.8% to US$81.22 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) also suffered on Friday, falling 2.6%.

On a more positive note, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care Index (ASX: XHJ) posted a 1.1% gain while the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Index (ASX: XTJ) rose 0.8%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) slipped 0.5% despite higher commodity prices.

Gold futures increased 3.1% to US$1,815.20 an ounce and iron ore futures lifted 1.2% to US$103.10 a tonne.

All in all, four of the ASX 200's 11 sectors closed Friday's session in the green. But which stock took out today's crown, ending the week the highest? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The best-performing stock on the iconic index today was none other than gold favourite St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM). It soared 10% amid the yellow metal's surge.

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) has taken off with a vengeance today. The ASX 200 is presently up a healthy 1.01% to just under 7,360 points. It was even better this morning, with the index rocketing to a new seven-month high of 7,375 points earlier in the session.

It seems that these strong gains have at least partly been spurred by what happened on the US markets overnight.

Last night (our time) saw the US markets go on a tear. The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) rose by a whopping 3.09%, while the NASDAQ-100 (NASDAQ: NDX) rose by an even more impressive 4.58%.

These moves came after some bullish comments from US Federal Reserve chair Jerome 'Jay' Powell.

As my Fool colleague dug into earlier today, Powell flagged a moderation of US interest rate rises going forward. Powell stated that, "the time for moderating the pace of rate increases may come as soon as the December meeting".

So it seems we could have just one man to thank for the massive gains we are seeing on the ASX today.

There are many shares doing even better than the ASX 200 today though, with several even clocking new 52-week highs. So let's dig into seven that have just hit new benchmarks for the year.

Thanks Jay: 7 ASX shares hitting new 52-week highs today

The A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) is one. A2 Milk shares are currently up around 1.7% at $6.30 after hitting a new 52-week high of $6.36 this morning. That leaves the A2 Milk share price up more than 21% over the past month.

We also have Mineral Resources Limited (ASX: MIN). Mineral Resources shares have climbed more than 2% so far this Thursday and hit a new 52-week (and all-time record) high of $89.98 soon after market open.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE) shares are also joining in on the party. Treasury uncorked a new 52-week high of $13.97 this morning, although the shares have since lost a little flavour and are back in the red.

TechnologyOne Ltd (ASX: TNE) shares are another beneficiary of Mr Powell's optimism. This ASX 200 tech share cracked a new high of $14.22 upon market open this morning – a rather remarkable feat given this company has just traded ex-dividend today.

Financial services company AMP Ltd (ASX: AMP) hasn't missed out either. AMP was an ASX dog for several years, but seems to have turned around the ship over 2022. The company hit a new high of $1.40 at market open this morning. AMP shares are now up 36.2% in 2022 thus far.

Lower interest rates are catnip for gold, and our next winner is an ASX 200 gold miner in Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU). Perseus shares have touched a new record high of $2.27 today, and are also up around 36% year to date.

Finally, we have ASX 200 travel share Webjet Limited (ASX: WEB). Webjet shares took off at market open this morning, climbing as high as $6.48 – a new 52-week high for the travel company.

So no doubt Jay Powell has more than a few fans on the ASX today,

The post Thank you Mr Powell! 7 ASX 200 shares cracking new 52-week highs on Thursday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The All Ordinaries (ASX: XAO) is down 0.15% so far today, but these ASX All Ords shares have still managed to hit 52-week highs.

Treasury Wine Estates Ltd (ASX: TWE), Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU) and Monadelphous Group Limited (ASX: MND) shares all reached new, yearly or multi-year highs at some point during trading today.

Let's take a look at what's going on with these ASX All Ords companies.

Treasury Wine Estates

Treasury Wine shares soared to a multi-year high of $13.70 shortly after market open. The wine company's share price leapt by 3.6% this morning to crack the new high before giving back some of those gains. At the time of writing, Treasury Wine shares are climbing by 0.61%.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping today and, as reported by SBS, Australia's current trade sanctions on wine, coal, barley and beef could be on the agenda. China slapped a tariff on Australian wine exports back in 2020.

Monadelphous Group 

The Monadelphous Group share price hit a yearly high of $14.64 this morning before also pulling back. Monadelphous shares climbed 2.4% in early trade but are now 0.49% in the red. Monadelphous is an engineering company and recently provided an update on some new contracts. On 9 November, the company advised it had just been awarded new contracts and contract extensions in the resources and energy sectors worth $150 million.

Perseus Mining

Perseus Mining shares climbed 1.83% to an almost 10-year high of $2.22 this morning before shedding some of those gains and then rebounding again. The explorer's share price is up 1.38% to $2.21 at the time of writing. The spot gold price is currently down 0.17% to US$1,773.9 an ounce, CNBC data shows.

Perseus is exploring gold from three operating mines in Africa. In the September quarter, Perseus reported record gold production of 137,460 ounces, up 12% on the previous quarter.

The post 3 ASX All Ords shares that racked up new 52-week highs this morning appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) surpassed a major milestone for the first time in nearly two months today. The index lifted 0.58% to close at 6,999.3 points.

However, it reached a high of 7,012.4 in intraday trade, marking the first time the ASX 200 has surpassed 7,000 points since mid-September and a fourth consecutive gain.

Its day in the green followed a decent session on Wall Street as the United States market anticipated the outcome of the nation's midterm election.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) rose 1% overnight while the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) lifted 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) gained 0.5%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) led the way on the Aussie bourse on Wednesday. It gained 2.5% despite falling iron ore prices.

Iron ore futures slumped 2.1% to US$85.33 a tonne while gold futures lifted 2.1% to US$1,716 an ounce.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ), meanwhile, underperformed, falling 0.1%.

The Brent crude oil price slipped 2.6% to US$95.36 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price fell 3.1% to US$88.91 a barrel.

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

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The best-performing ASX 200 share on Wednesday was gold miner St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM). Its stock jumped 13% despite no news having been released by the company.

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.

As impressive as this was, some ASX 200 shares managed to deliver even stronger gains! Here's why these were the best performers on the index last month:

Liontown Resources Limited (ASX: LTR)

The Liontown share price was the best performer on the ASX 200 in October with a 26.8%. Last month, the lithium developer announced the approval of the mining proposal and works approval by the Western Australian Government for a 4Mtpa operation at the Kathleen Valley Lithium Project. This allowed major site works to commence

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price wasn't far behind with a 25% gain. Investors were buying this lithium miner's shares thanks to booming prices of the battery making ingredient and news that its Finniss lithium mine was officially open for business.

Domino's Pizza Enterprises Ltd (ASX: DMP)

The Domino's share price was a strong performer in October with its 24% gain. This appears to have been driven by a promising update from its US parent which revealed improving sales trends globally. Despite this strong gain, the pizza chain operator's shares are still down almost 50% in 2022.

Hub24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

The Hub24 share price wasn't far behind with a gain of 21.5% last month. Investors were buying this investment platform provider's shares following the release of a strong quarterly update. According to the release, Hub24 recorded platform net inflows of $3 billion for the three months. This took its total funds under administration to $52.4 billion. This was driven by continued growth in the number of advisers on its platform.

Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)

The Perseus Mining share price was a strong performer and rose 20.1% in October. This followed the release of a strong quarterly update late in the month. That update revealed production that was well ahead of the market's expectations. In light of this strong start, analysts at Macquarie suspect that the miner could outperform its production guidance.

Challenger Ltd (ASX: CGF)

The Challenger share price was just a touch behind with a gain of 20% last month. Investors were buying this annuities company's shares after it released its quarterly update and announced an agreement to divest its banking operations. In respect to its update, Challenger's Life sales were up an impressive 33% during the first quarter to $2.8 billion. Whereas for the latter, the company has agreed to sell its Australian bank to Heartland Group Holdings Ltd (ASX: HGH) for $36 million.

The post These were the best-performing ASX 200 shares in October appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spent a fourth consecutive day in the green on Thursday. The index closed 0.5% higher at 6,845.1 points.

That was despite a rough night on Wall Street amid disappointing earnings from the likes of Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT), Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ: GOOGL)(NASDAQ: GOOG), and Boeing Co (NYSE: BA).

The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) lifted less than 0.01% overnight, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) dumped 0.7%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) plunged 2%.

Back home, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) led the way, gaining 2.4% amid rising oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price lifted 2.3% to US$95.69 a barrel overnight, while the US Nymex crude oil price gained 3% to US$87.91 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) also outperformed, gaining 1.7%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Communication Index (ASX: XTJ) weighed, falling 0.4% and 0.7% respectively.

All in all, eight 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

The index's best-performing share on Thursday was Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS).

Interestingly, there was no news from the ASX gold share today. Though, it did release its quarterly update yesterday.

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) ended the week in the red once more. The index fell 0.8% to 6,676.8 points on Friday. That leaves it 1.21% lower than it finished last week's trade.

It followed a rough Thursday for New York-listed stocks, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) falling 0.4%, the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) dropping 0.8%, and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) slipping 0.6%.

Back home, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was the only sector to post a notable gain, lifting 2% despite a mixed night for oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price fell less than 0.1% to US$92.38 a barrel while the US Nymex crude oil price rose 0.5% to US$85.98 a barrel.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XJO) traded comparatively flat, slipping 0.3% after a steady night for both gold and iron ore.

But there was plenty of pain to be felt elsewhere. The S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) plunged 2.3% while the S&P/ASX 200 Real Estate Index (ASX: XRE) fell 1.8%.

But not all ASX 200 shares suffered amid the market's downturn. These 10 stocks raced higher to finish the week in the green.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) share price was the index's top performer on Friday, gaining close to 13%.

There was no news from the biotechnology company today. Though, it did release its quarterly report yesterday.

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) sank lower on Thursday, weighed down by tech shares. The index closed 1.02% lower at 6,730.7 points.

Its suffering followed a rough night's trade on Wall Street amid surging US government bond yields. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) fell 0.3% overnight while the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) slipped 0.7% and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) slumped 0.9%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) led the Aussie bourse's downturn, falling 3.8%.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) also struggled, plunging 2.4% alongside base metal prices.

All base metals except nickel and zinc slipped lower overnight, with lead's 1.6% fall leading the pack. Gold futures also slumped 1.3% to US$1,634.20 an ounce while iron ore futures dumped 0.4% to US$94.86 a tonne.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) was alone in the green today, gaining 3.1%.

It followed a good night for oil prices, with the Brent crude oil price lifting 2.6% to US$92.41 a barrel and the US Nymex crude oil price climbing 3.3% to US$85.55 a barrel.

So, with all that in mind, which share outperformed all others on Thursday? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) share price topped the lot today after the company announced it has been awarded a US$150 million grant.

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) dumped most of Thursday's gains today. The index closed 1.23% lower at 6,474.20 points.

That saw it posting a 1.53% week-on-week tumble and a 7.34% fall for the month of September.

Today's suffering followed a rough session overseas. The S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) fell 2.1% to a two year low on Thursday while the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) slipped 2% and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) dumped 2.8%.

It might come as no surprise, then, that the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) led today's downfall. The tech sector plunged 2.6% to its lowest point since July on Friday.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) dropped 2.3% ahead of an expected rate hike next week.

It wasn't all bad news, however.

Both the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) closed in the green, gaining 0.7% and 0.1% respectively.

So, which ASX 200 share outperformed all others on Friday? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The index's top performing share on Friday was newcomer Capricorn Metals Ltd (ASX: CMM). The company was added to the ASX 200 earlier this month.

Its gains today came amid news Macquarie is expecting big things for its future. The broker has tipped the miner's stock to lift to $3.30, slapping it with an outperform rating, as my Fool colleague James reports.

Today's biggest gains were made by these shares:

Our top 10 ASX 200 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.

We've seen a number of companies in the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) turn ex-dividend this week.

And this streak is only set to continue as more ASX 200 shares take away entitlements to their upcoming dividend payments.

On Monday, three ASX 200 shares are set to turn ex-dividend. This means that today will be the final day to lock in recently-declared dividends from these ASX 200 shares. Let's check them out.

Chorus Ltd (ASX: CNU)

To kick things off, Chorus shares will be trading on Monday without an unfranked final dividend of 21 NZ cents.

Shareholders electing not to participate in the company's dividend reinvestment plan (DRP) should see this payment come through on 11 October.

The ASX 200 telco share saw continued growth in demand for fibre broadband in FY22. This helped underlying revenue climb by NZ$4 million to NZ$959 million.

Meanwhile, the company's cost management initiatives partly mitigated inflationary and COVID pressures. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) grew by NZ$3 million to NZ$660 million.

As a result, the company noted it returned to earning more than it was investing in the network for the first time in a decade.

This helped Chorus declare total dividends of 35 NZ cents, up 40% from the prior year. 

What's more, the company has increased its FY23 dividend guidance to 42.5 NZ cents per share. It's also guiding for minimum total dividends of 47.5 NZ cents per share in FY24.

Based on the company's FY23 dividend guidance, Chorus shares are currently trading on a forward dividend yield of 5.4%.

HUB24 Ltd (ASX: HUB)

ASX 200 financials share HUB24 will also be going ex-dividend on Monday, trading without a fully franked final dividend of 12.5 cents.

Investors who own HUB24 shares by the time the market closes today can pencil in a payment date of 14 October. 

The independent specialist platform provider noted it achieved record levels of organic growth in FY22. 

Combined with acquisitive growth from the addition of formerly ASX-listed Class, HUB24 grew revenue by 76% to $190 million.

On the bottom line, underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) surged by 133% to $36 million.

Importantly, the company continued to carve out more market share across the year, increasing its share from 3.9% to 5.1%.

This record performance saw HUB24 double its total dividends in FY22 to 20 cents per share, fully franked.

As a result, HUB24 shares are currently printing a trailing dividend yield of 0.9%, which grosses up to 1.2%.

Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU)

Rounding out this trio of ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend on Monday is gold miner Perseus.

Today will be the last day to lock in Perseus' unfranked final dividend of 1.64 cents, which will be paid on 12 October.

The ASX 200 gold miner delivered a record performance in FY22. Revenue surged by 66% to $1.1 billion while NPAT doubled to $280 million.

This result was underpinned by a 50% increase in gold production to 494,014 ounces (oz), a 6% reduction in all-in sustaining costs which came in at US$952/oz, and a stable average gold sales price of US$1,683/oz.

On the back of this record performance, Perseus declared a bonus dividend of 0.79 cents, which is included in the final dividend. Total dividends in FY22 arrived at 2.45 cents.

This put Perseus shares on a trailing dividend yield of 1.5% at the end of the financial year, ahead of the company's target annual yield of at least 1%.

The post Here are 3 ASX 200 shares going ex-dividend on Monday appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) gold shares recently all reported their full 2022 financial year (FY22) results or half-year results.

And to get straight to the point, all five of them paid a final or interim dividend.

But income investors should bear in mind that ASX 200 gold shares are cyclical by nature. They generally see revenues and profits increase when gold prices rise and fall when the yellow metal slips.

That means that their dividend payouts can likewise be cyclical in nature.

Bullion hit highs of US$2,050 per ounce on 8 March this year and has since retraced to the current US$1,750 per ounce.

Should the gold price increase over the coming year, ASX 200 gold shares are likely to pay out higher dividends. Should bullion drop, dividend payouts from the big miners will likely take a hit.

With that said…

What kind of dividends do the biggest two ASX 200 gold shares pay?

We'll start with the biggest of the ASX 200 gold shares, Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM), with a market cap of $15 billion.

Newcrest pays a 2.3% trailing dividend yield, fully franked.

In its FY22 results, Newcrest reported US$872 million in underlying profit, down 25% year on year. Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) were also down 16% to US$2.05 billion.

The gold miner paid a final dividend of 20 US cents per share, half its final dividend payout in FY21.

Moving on, Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST), Australia's second biggest gold miner, has a market cap of $8.4 billion.

Northern Star pays a trailing dividend yield of 2.9%, fully franked.

In its FY22 results, the miner reported a 35% year-on-year increase in total revenue up to $3.74 billion. Despite the total revenue boost, underlying net profit after tax (NPAT) dropped 27% to $273 million.

Northern Star declared a final dividend of 11.5 cents per share, down 43% from the final dividend paid in FY21.

Three other top gold stocks paying dividends

Working our way down the list to the third biggest ASX 200 gold share, Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) has a market cap of $3.9 billion. The gold explorer and producer pays a fully-franked trailing dividend yield of 2.7%.

Evolution's FY22 results revealed a 22% year-on-year decrease in underlying NPAT to $274.7 million. That's despite an 11% increase in total revenue to $2.06 billion

Evolution declared a final fully-franked dividend of 3 cents per share, down from 5 cents per share in FY21.

Our number four ASX 200 gold share, Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU) has a market cap of $2 billion.

Perseus pays a trailing dividend yield of 1.5%, unfranked.

Unlike its bigger cousins, in its FY22 results Perseus reported a 66% year-on-year increase in revenue, to $1.13 billion, and record NPAT from ordinary activities of $280 million, up 101% from FY21.

Perseus declared a final dividend of 1.64 cents per share.

Leaving off with the smallest of the ASX 200 gold shares, Gold Road Resources Ltd (ASX: GOR) has a market cap of $1.4 billion.

Gold Road pays a trailing dividend yield of 1.2%, fully franked.

The company reported some strong half-year results, with a 109% boost in NPAT to $40 million. Revenue was up by 51.6% to $197 million.

This saw the miner double its interim dividend payout from the prior corresponding period to 1 cent per share.

The post Do ASX 200 gold shares pay regular dividends? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is currently having a rough day. At the time of writing, it's down by 1.8%.

If it finishes like this, then it'll be one of the most painful days in 2022 for the ASX 200.

What's happening to the index?

Well, changes in the value of an index are dictated by movements in the share prices of the underlying businesses.

ASX shares drop

There are some big movements today by many of the ASX's biggest blue chips.

The BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) share price is down by 6.3%.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) share price is down 2%.

The Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) share price is down 2.2%.

The Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) share price is down 3%.

The National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX: NAB) share price and the Westpac Banking Corp (ASX: WBC) share price are both down around 1.7%.

But those are just the declines of some of the biggest names.

There are a few bigger negative movements within the ASX 200 by some of the smaller names. For example:

The Pointsbet Holdings Ltd (ASX: PBH) share price is down 10%, Perseus Mining Limited (ASX: PRU) shares are falling 8%, the Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) share price is sinking 8%, Sandfire Resources Ltd (ASX: SFR) shares are sliding 7.5%, the Ramelius Resources Limited (ASX: RMS) share price is down 6.8%, and the Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) share price is falling 5%.

It's a hard day in the gold sector. According to Commsec, gold futures dropped by 0.6% overnight.

But, some of the ASX 200's decline could be explained by the fact that some businesses have gone ex-dividend. That simply means that investors buying shares of those specific companies today won't be entitled to the recently announced dividend.

BHP is one of those businesses that went ex-dividend today. That could explain the majority of the BHP share price decline.

What else could be affecting the ASX 200?

The different share markets around the world often take cues from each other.

Last night, the S&P 500 (INDEXSP: .INX) fell by 0.8%. This index represents 500 of the biggest US businesses, which are also among the biggest in the world.

However, more falls are indicated for the US share market. According to CNN, the S&P 500 futures is currently in the red, with an implied opening drop of 0.7%. The NASDAQ futures currently show a drop of 1.2% at the open. But, the market movement could be different by the time the US share market opens.

Sizeable declines for the US share market over two consecutive trading sessions may also be unnerving ASX investors. Time will tell whether this is a short-term dip or a return to longer-term declines like we saw in the first half of 2022.

The post Why is the ASX 200 diving 2% on Tuesday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.