Tomorrow will be a big day for income investors, with a huge number of ASX 200 stocks trading ex-dividend for their next payments.

When a share goes ex-dividend, it means the rights to an upcoming dividend have been settled.

As a result, if you want to receive any of these dividends, you have until the close of play today to buy shares.

Which ASX 200 shares are trading ex-dividend on Thursday?

There are 10 ASX 200 stock that are due to trade ex-dividend on Thursday. This includes some of the biggest dividend payers on the Australian share market.

Here's a summary:

ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)

This stock exchange operator's shares will go ex-dividend for its fully franked interim dividend of 116.2 cents per share tomorrow. This will be paid to shareholders on 29 March.

BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP)

Last month, the Big Australian declared a fully franked interim dividend of 130.6 cents per share. This is scheduled to hit shareholders' bank accounts on 30 March.

CSL Limited (ASX: CSL)

After going ex-dividend tomorrow, ASX 200 biotherapeutics giant CSL will be paying its shareholders a partially franked 154.9 cents per share interim dividend on 5 April.

IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)

This language testing and student placement company declared a 21 cents per share partially franked dividend last month. This will be paid at the end of the month on 31 March.

Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN)

Last month, thanks to surging lithium earnings, this ASX 200 mining and mining services company increased its interim dividend to a fully franked $1.20 per share. The payment date for this dividend is 30 March.

Monadelphous Group Ltd (ASX: MND)

This mining services company declared a fully franked interim dividend of 24 cents per share last month. This will be paid to shareholders at the end of the month on 31 March.

Perpetual Limited (ASX: PPT)

This fund manager was forced to slash its interim dividend last month to a partially franked 55 cents per share. This will be paid to shareholders on 31 March.

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

This plumbing parts company declared a partially franked 6.5 cents per share interim dividend last month. It plans to pay this to shareholders next month on 6 April.

Rio Tinto Ltd (ASX: RIO)

Although this mining giant was forced to cut its final dividend in response to falling iron ore prices, it was still able to declare a hefty 326.5 cents per share fully franked dividend. This is expected to be paid to eligible shareholders on 20 April.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

This diversified miner released its half-year results last month and declared a 7.1 cents per share fully franked dividend. This will be lining the pockets of shareholders on 6 April.

The post 10 ASX 200 stocks trading ex-dividend tomorrow appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a decent start to the week, gaining 0.06% to close at 7,351.5 points.

It was driven higher by the S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ) which rose 0.9% today amid earnings from Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Ltd (ASX: BEN) and NIB Holdings Ltd (ASX: NHF).

The former stock rose 1.9% after posting a 49% just in a half-year profit while the latter tumbled 11.6% despite growing its interim dividend by 18%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) fell 1% despite a strong performance from the Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD) share price. Shares in the fuel refiner and distributor lifted 1.7% after it posted record 2022 earnings.

The sector's suffering followed a rough Friday for oil prices. After the Aussie market shut for the week, the Brent crude oil price fell 2.5% to US$83 a barrel while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 2.7% to US$76.34 a barrel.

But which ASX 200 share posted the biggest gain on the index today? Let's take a look.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top-performing ASX 200 share was none other than Inghams Group Ltd (ASX: ING). It gained 11.7% to close at $3.06 after a number of brokers upgraded the stock.

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.

Despite the buoyant stock market so far in 2023, it's confusing to investors to know which ASX shares to pick up right now.

That's because much uncertainty still abounds. 

Regardless of the opinions you hear, no one truly knows how the economy, inflation, interest rates, geopolitics, and earnings will turn out this year.

In this environment, it might help to see where professional investors have their money parked.

The Firetrail Small Companies Fund this week revealed three S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) shares that it's "overweight" in, and the rationale behind the investments:

Outlook remains strong for this hammered stock

The Incitec Pivot Ltd (ASX: IPL) share price has started the year poorly, dropping more than 6% so far.

Firetrail analysts put this down to the "falling European gas price and rising Australian dollar". 

"An unusually warm European winter resulted in lower gas demand than expected," read their memo to clients.

"With the price of ammonia largely driven by the cost of marginal European production, the warm winter has been negative for global fertiliser companies."

But the team is happy to buy up Incitec shares while they're cheap, as "energy-exposed" businesses are a favoured theme at the moment.

"We view these [headwinds] as temporary. The medium-term outlook for Incitec Pivot's fertiliser business remains strong."

Demand for EV materials will continue

Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares have risen more than 6% to kick off 2023, although they're still 12% down from a year ago.

The post-COVID reopening of the Chinese economy plus a positive performance update helped.

Businesses that produce materials that go towards electric vehicles are winners for the Firetrail team. As such, it will stick with its Lynas shares. 

"December quarter production of Lynas' main rare earth product NdPr [neodymium and praseodymium] improved 44% on the September quarter, as water outages in Malaysia were successfully rectified."

US housing downturn not as bad as first thought

Another theme Firetrail analysts currently like is "globally exposed cyclicals".

This rationale is behind its backing of plumbing equipment supplier Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC).

The stock has rocketed 17.5% up so far this year.

"Reliance Worldwide outperformed in January. US market sentiment improved following [US] Fed chair Jerome Powell's less hawkish comments at the January FOMC meeting."

The great tailwind for Reliance is that the duration and severity of a housing downturn in the US could be "less pronounced than expected". 

"Reliance Worldwide has 20% of revenue linked to new housing construction, and 80% linked to repair & replace (R&R) activity."

The post 3 ASX 200 shares Firetrail Small Companies fund is overweight in right now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) followed Tuesday's pop with an 1.06% drop on Wednesday, falling to close at 7,352.2 points.

It came amid a deluge of earnings from some of the market's biggest names including Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES), Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH), and Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX: FMG).

Weighing on the market today was the massive S&P/ASX 200 Financials Index (ASX: XFJ). It tumbled 3.4% as the big four banks weighed heavily, led by the CBA share price's 5.7% fall.

The S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Staples Index (ASX: XSJ) also had a rough session, dropping 1.4%.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) was among the top-performing sectors today, rising 0.5% with earnings from Wesfarmers and GUD Holdings Limited (ASX: GUD).

And I can tell you today's top-performing ASX 200 stock is at home on the consumer discretionary section. Let's take a look at what drove it sky-high on Wednesday.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's biggest gains came from casino operator Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR). Its share price rocketed 14.4% in a partial recovery from recent losses.

The stock dived 20.8% on Monday on the back of a disappointing earnings update. It followed that up with a 13.5% tumble yesterday.

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 United States has just been through one of the coldest cold snaps in its history, with the weather so extreme that dozens of people died.

Energy systems strained under high demand, leaving 1.8 million American homes and businesses without electricity on Christmas Eve. Thousands of flights during the busy holiday season were cancelled.

"Two-thirds of the country were under extreme weather alert as the 'bomb cyclone' brought blizzard-like conditions and temperatures as low as minus 45 degrees celsius to some states," read a Firetrail memo to clients.

Remarkably, out of this chaos, the team at Firetrail has picked out an ingenious stock investment idea:

This ASX company could be busy this year

Such a cold snap is a foreign concept to most Australians, who consider 15 degrees a "cold" day.

But Firetrail analysts noted that what the US has just been through puts a huge strain on infrastructure.

"A freeze event causes water in the pipes of home plumbing systems to expand, freeze and ultimately burst," read the memo.

"The upshot is that repair and maintenance work for plumbers will spike following the catastrophic event."

So what does this mean for ASX shares?

Firetrail reckons plumbing parts supplier Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) could rake it in from all the pipes that need fixing in the US.

"Back in 2021, Reliance Worldwide saw an incremental $42 million, or 8.5%, increase in sales driven by the [previous] freeze event."

The current forecast is for 3% revenue growth for the second half, but the Firetrail team suspects the company could beat this.

"We see upside to these expectations as the freeze event will clear any surplus inventory in the channel supporting demand into 2023," the memo read.

"We believe the market is underestimating the portion of Reliance Worldwide's sales that are linked to routine, nondiscretionary repair work."

Freezing weather is becoming more routine

Unfortunately, global warming means extreme weather is becoming a more regular phenomenon.

"Events like these are becoming more frequent as illustrated by the fact that the last major freeze event in the US occurred in only 2021."

To top it off, the Reliance share price is fairly cheap for anyone wanting to jump on the bandwagon right now.

That's despite a 14.5% climb already this month.

"At 12x one-year forward P/E, we believe Reliance Worldwide offers investors an attractive entry point to a quality growth stock."

The post ASX share to buy right now to cash in on a FREEZING American winter: Firetrail appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

ASX 200 expected to fall again

The Australian share market looks set to fall on Tuesday following another poor night of trade on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is poised to open the day 33 points or 0.5% lower. In late trade in the United States, the Dow Jones is down 0.9%, the S&P 500 is down 1.25%, and the NASDAQ has sunk 1.65%.

Reliance named as a buy

The Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) share price could be in the buy zone according to analysts at Goldman Sachs. This morning, the broker reiterated its buy rating on the plumbing parts company's shares with a $4.05 price target. It said: "YTD RWC's share price has underperformed the US homebuilder Index and UK peers/channel partners. Adjusting for EPS revisions RWC has also de-rated more than both cohorts. We believe RWC is oversold."

Oil prices rise

Energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good day after oil prices rose overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 1.9% to US$75.67 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price has risen 1.5% to US$80.24 a barrel. Optimism over the Chinese economy outweighed concerns over a global recession.

Bega rated as a sell

The Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) share price could be overvalued according to Goldman Sachs. This morning it has retained its sell rating with a $3.35 price target. It said: "We see BGA as strategically better placed than many of its Australian dairy competitors but the industry continues to face significant headwinds which we believe may not be fully reflected in the current share price."

Gold price falls

Gold shares Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) and Regis Resources Limited (ASX: RRL) could have a subdued day after the gold price edged lower overnight. According to CNBC, the spot gold price is down 0.2% to US$1,797.2 an ounce. Higher bond yields weighed on the precious metal.

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

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) spent a third consecutive day in the green on Thursday. The index closed 0.14% higher at 7,241.8 points.

Tech stocks led the way today, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) gaining 1.2%. It followed a good session on Wall Street overnight.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) rose 1% on Wednesday while the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI) lifted 0.3%, and the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX) gained 0.6%.

Back home, the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) also increased 0.9% on Thursday, led by gold stocks.

However, the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) underperformed, falling 1.8% as coal shares tumbled.

All in all, seven of the ASX 200's 11 sectors ended today's session in the green. But which share outperformed all others to take out today's crown? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares today

Thursday's best-performing ASX 200 share was gold miner St Barbara Ltd (ASX: SBM). It lifted 9% despite no price-sensitive news from 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.

The Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) share price has gone down the drain this year.

Like many other ASX 200 shares, Reliance Worldwide has been battling sharp cost inflation, supply chain bottlenecks, and logistics disruptions. 

But it's also been suffering from a turn in investor sentiment. As a plumbing parts company, the demand for its products is linked to repair, maintenance, and remodelling activity.

As a result, Reliance is exposed to consumer confidence, which is being threatened by rising interest rates and soaring inflation. 

So, the Reliance Worldwide share price is reeling this year. With shares last changing hands at $2.99, the Reliance Worldwide share price has tumbled 52% in the year to date.

This downward slide has only been continuing recently, with Reliance Worldwide shares retreating 15% in the past month to languish at 52-week lows.

The market didn't react kindly to the company's recent quarterly trading update, which showed earnings margins heading south.

Reliance Worldwide directors go on a buying spree 

The Reliance Worldwide share price isn't getting any love from investors. But the company's directors have seen this as an opportunity to pick up shares.

It appears as though these directors have banded together, with six of Reliance's eight directors purchasing shares on-market in recent weeks. The company's CEO, Heath Sharp, hasn't joined in.

As the great investor Peter Lynch once said, "insiders might sell their shares for any number of reasons, but they buy them for only one: they think the price will rise".

Non-executive chair Stuart Crosby kicked off the buying at the end of October, picking up 31,250 Reliance Worldwide shares for around $100,000. 

Non-executive director Christine Bartlett came to the table on 31 October. She bought up 20,000 Reliance Worldwide shares, splashing $64,000 in the process.

In the past week, four more non-executive directors have joined the buying party. They've each purchased parcels of between 15,000 and 27,000 shares, forking out between $45,000 and $83,000.  

Overall, these purchases are on the smaller end of the scale. And the directors' total holdings aren't sizeable either, with four of these directors owning 50,000 Reliance Worldwide shares or fewer after the transactions.

Nonetheless, these efforts can be seen as a vote of confidence and a positive signal for investors. 

What's next for Reliance Worldwide shares?

Reliance held its 2022 annual general meeting (AGM) at the end of last month.

Commenting on the outlook, CEO Heath Sharp noted that there continues to be a backlog of work in most of its markets. This is because demand has run ahead of the ability of contractors to satisfy it.

The company believes this backlog will underpin volumes in FY23.

What's more, Reliance believes its position in the market should help it weather some of the economic storm:

We continue to believe that our market orientation helps cushion us from any marked economic downturn should it eventuate. We are principally focussed on repair, maintenance and remodel activity, with lower exposure to cyclical construction markets. 

At the same time, the company acknowledged the risks of continued inflationary pressure, rising interest rates, geopolitical tensions, higher energy costs, and supply chain disruptions.

As it stands, Reliance commands a market capitalisation of nearly $2.4 billion. 

The company generated net profit after tax (NPAT) of US$137 million in FY22, down 3% from the prior year.

This means that Reliance Worldwide shares are currently trading on a trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of around 11x.

The post 4 directors have been buying up this ASX 200 share in the past week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

There's been plenty of insider buying going on among ASX shares lately, and many of the targets are trading at, or around, 52-week lows.

That suggests those in the know believe their company is trading at attractive prices. So much so, that they'll throw their hard-earned cash into the stocks.

Indeed, one S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) company has seen six directors buy its shares over the last fortnight.

Let's take a look at the 52-week lows apparently tempting ASX directors to buy into ASX shares lately.

5 ASX insiders buying shares at near 52-week lows

We can't talk about recent insider buying without mentioning Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC). The ASX 200 industrial share hit a new 52-week low of $2.96 on Tuesday.

Most of the company's board has been bolstering their holding in the company lately, with six of its directors forking out an approximate total of $385,000 for 123,250 shares. That saw them paying an average of around $3.12 per share.

The largest parcel was snapped up by chair Stuart Crosby, who bought 31,250 shares for $99,389.65 on 28 October.

Directors Sharon McCrohan, Darlene Knight, Christine Bartlett, Brad Soller, and Russell Chenu have also made recent purchases.

Meanwhile, Bega Cheese Ltd (ASX: BGA) deputy chair Peter Margin has taken a slice of the ASX 200 dairy favourite's shares. Margin bought 10,786 shares for $35,162.36 in late October, paying around $3.17 apiece.

The Bega share price hit a 52-week low of $3.12 on 21 October. It has since recovered 3.5% to trade at $3.23 today.

Shares in All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) biotechnology company Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX: SPL) are also both the subject of recent insider buying and trading near 52-week lows today. The stock hit its lowest point since 2015 earlier this week, falling to 49 cents.

Two of the company's leaders, chair Rob Thomas and CEO and director Dr Jackie Fairley, snapped up 50,000 shares, worth a combined $52,000, in the company in late October.

Thomas got the better deal, buying each share for 52 cents while Fairley paid 52.8 cents apiece.

The share price of All Ords construction materials and services company Wagners Holding Company Ltd (ASX: WGN) also hit a multi-year low earlier this week when it slumped to 73 cents.

But the company's chair and co-founder Denis Wagner seems to think the recent downturn has presented a buying opportunity. He bought 61,669 shares in the company in late October, paying nearly $50,000, or around 80 cents apiece.

The final ASX insider buying target trading at around 52-week lows is gold miner Red 5 Limited (ASX: RED). The stock hit a 52-week low of 15 cents in late October. It has since recovered to trade at 17.5 cents.

The company's managing director Mark Williams and director Ian MacPherson both recently bolstered their stake in the company. They did so through a share purchase plan, which offered shares for 16 cents apiece.

The post 5 ASX shares trading near 52-week lows that insiders have been buying appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Well, we can certainly do our own evaluation and decide if the potential opportunity is good value. But, we can also get an indication from leadership if they decide to buy shares of their own businesses.

Leadership can decide to sell for a number of different reasons – diversification, paying for tax, buying a home and so on.

But, there may be one key reason for buying – the director thinks the business has a good future and they believe that it's at a good price to buy.

Let's have a look at which ASX 200 shares have been getting a vote of confidence from their directors.

Wesfarmers Ltd (ASX: WES)

Wesfarmers is the parent business of a number of Australia's most recognisable retailers including Bunnings, Kmart, Officeworks, Priceline, Target and Catch. It also has a number of industrial businesses, as well as a lithium mining project.

Last week, it was announced by Wesfarmers that director Mike Roche bought 1,500 more Wesfarmers shares at a price of $44.94 per share. So, this investment has already made a small gain on the initial $67,000 purchase. It was an on-market trade.

The superannuation fund that this investment was for, now has a total holding of 4,560 shares. So, in percentage returns, it was a significant increase of the holding.

Corporate Travel Management Ltd (ASX: CTD)

Corporate Travel Management is one of the world's largest corporate travel companies, helping business people get where they need to be as efficiently as possible.

Director Marissa Peterson is the latest leadership figure to be involved with buying shares of the ASX 200 share.

She decided to buy a total of 10,000 Corporate Travel Management shares at a price of $18.10 per share. This means the total investment cost was $181,000. This investment represents her total holding. It was an on-market trade.

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

This business says that its portfolio of brands "transform performance and efficiency for plumbing and heating, smart homes and specialist industries around the world."

The latest director investment was by Darlene Knight who bought 27,000 shares for a total cost of $82,620, which works out to be a price of $3.06. This was an on-market trade.

That brought the total holding to 37,000 shares.

The post 3 ASX 200 directors buying up their company shares in the past week appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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

Ampol Ltd (ASX: ALD)

The Ampol share price is down 12% to $27.52. This morning this fuel retailer released its third quarter update. Although Ampol reported further strong earnings growth in FY 2022, it appears to have fallen short of expectations.

Cann Group Ltd (ASX: CAN)

The Cann share price is down 13% to 23.5 cents. This follows news that the cannabis company is seeking further funds from shareholders. The company has launched a share purchase plan to raise between $8 million and $10 million at an 18.8% discount of 22 cents per new share. Funds from the share purchase plan will contribute to the company's strategic investment in expanding GMP manufacturing capabilities at its Mildura operation.

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

The Reliance Worldwide share price has sunk over 13% to $3.11. Investors have been selling this plumbing parts company's shares following the release of a disappointing trading update. For the first quarter, Reliance reported sales of US$303.1 million. While this was up 23% over the prior corresponding period, this was due largely to a US$53.8 million contribution from the EZ-Flo acquisition. Excluding this acquisition, its sales growth was 6%. And due to margin weakness, normalised EBITDA fell 4% to $63.2 million.

South32 Ltd (ASX: S32)

The South32 share price is down over 1.5% to $3.59. This appears to have been driven by a lukewarm response to the miner's quarterly update on Monday. For example, this morning Goldman Sachs retained its neutral rating but trimmed its price target on the company's shares to $3.60.

The post Why Ampol, Cann, Reliance Worldwide, and South32 shares are dropping appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Reliance Worldwide shares are having a shocker. This ASX 200 share has suffered a 16.3% drop at the time of writing, putting the company down to $3 a share. That's right on a new 52-week low for Reliance.

Reliance Worldwide share price tanks 16% on quarterly update

It's not hard to see why investors have sent this company down by such a large margin this Tuesday. Reliance Worldwide put out a trading update this morning before market open. This covers the three months ending 30 September 2022.

It was something of a mixed bag for the quarter for Reliance. The company reported sales for the period of US$303.1 million, up 23% over the prior corresponding period (pcp). This includes US$53.8 million from EZ-Flo after the November 2021 acquisition. Excluding this acquisition, sales growth was 6%.

This was driven primarily by pricing increases from the company, which were implemented to offset the effects of inflation.

Meanwhile, operating earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) came in at US$76.8 million, an increase of 16% over the pcp. However, excluding synergies from EZ-Flo and the sale of surplus property in the United Kingdom, EBITDA was US$63.2 million. That represents a loss of 4% over the pcp.

EBITDA margins fell from 26.6% in the pcp to 21.4% over this quarter. According to Reliance, "lower
volumes and higher costs negatively impacted margins, while price rises implemented to recover
costs resulted in diluted margins".

Outlook

In terms of outlook, Reliance Worldwide said the following:

RWC's end market exposure, which is predominantly to repair and maintenance activity, should provide greater resilience to economic shocks compared with the more cyclical new residential construction market. Weaker global economic conditions and the risk of a downturn in RWC's key markets, however, mean the immediate outlook is uncertain.

RWC believes it is well placed with its local manufacturing operations and strong track record of class–leading customer service to navigate these challenges and respond to customer needs. We also expect our ongoing new product introductions will enable us to continue our long–standing track record of delivering above–market growth with quality margins.

So clearly ASX 200 investors haven't been too impressed with this quarterly update, judging by the share price reaction. It puts the Reliance Worldwide share price down 53.1% year to date.

The post Why is ASX 200 share Reliance Worldwide crashing 16% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) recovered some of last week's losses on Monday as materials shares soared. The index closed 1.54% higher at 6,779.4 points.

Its gain came after all three of the US' major indices closed Friday in the green. That helped the Dow Jones Industrial Average Index (DJX: .DJI), the S&P 500 Index (SP: .INX), and the Nasdaq Composite Index (NASDAQ: .IXIC) to each post their best week in around four months, over which they gained 4.9%, 4.7%, and 4.2% respectively.

The S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) started this week on the right foot, rocketing 2.5%. Its gains came amid news China's GDP lifted 3.9% year-on-year in the third quarter.

Monday also proved a good one for tech stocks, with the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ) jumping 2.2% after spending three consecutive sessions in the red.

It wasn't such a brilliant day for the S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ), however. It unperformed, gaining just 0.7% despite oil prices lifting modestly on Friday.

The Brent crude oil price lifted 1.2% to US$93.50 a barrel while the US Nymex crude oil price gained 0.6% to US$85.05 a barrel.

At the end of Monday's trade, all 11 of the ASX 200's sectors were in the green. But which share outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

The Novonix Ltd (ASX: NVX) posted the biggest gain of the day by far, rocketing 33% amid a broker upgrade.

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.

Top broker Macquarie says a "bear market rally" may have already started following yesterday's "dovish" interest rate increase along with weak US ISM Manufacturing data.

The S&P/ASX 200 (ASX: XJO) is up 1.56% at the time of writing after closing 3.75% higher yesterday.

That was the index's best performance in more than two years. Translation: The market loved the Reserve Bank of Australia's decision to raise rates by only 0.25% — not the 0.5% that the market expected.

Top broker names ASX 200 shares poised to outperform

In The Australian today, Macquarie's Australian equity strategist Matthew Brooks said a number of top 100 shares would likely outperform in a bear market rally.

The shares include ASX gold mining stocks and Australian real estate investment trusts (REITs).

The broker says these ASX 200 shares are the furthest below their long-term trend and are rated outperform.

• Newcrest Mining Ltd (ASX: NCM) — share price down 26% year to date
• Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN) — share price down 48% year to date
• Goodman Group (ASX: GMG) — share price down 35% year to date
• Dexus Property Group (ASX: DXS) — share price down 28% year to date
• GPT Group (ASX: GPT) — share price down 26% year to date
• James Hardie Industries plc (ASX: JHX) — share price down 39% year to date
• Ramsay Health Care Limited (ASX: RHC) — share price down 20% year to date
• ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX) — share price down 21% year to date
• ARB Corporation Limited (ASX: ARB) — share price down 46% year to date
• Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC) — share price down 44% year to date.

Brooks said:

We think these stocks are more likely to outperform in a bear market rally.

In terms of stocks that may lag, A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) is rated underperform, while Woodside Energy Group Ltd (ASX: WDS), Medibank Private Ltd (ASX: MPL), Brambles Limited (ASX: BXB), WiseTech Global Ltd (ASX: WTC) and Altium Limited (ASX: ALU) are rated neutral.

The post Macquarie reveals ASX 200 shares 'more likely to outperform in a bear market rally' appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) slumped lower on Friday, marking the end to what was likely a disappointing week for Australian investors. The index closed 1.4% lower at 6,747 points today.

That leaves the ASX 200 2.14% lower than it was at the end of last week, mostly due to Wednesday's disastrous session.

The S&P/ASX 200 Energy Index (ASX: XEJ) weighed heaviest today, falling 3%. The sector's suffering likely came on the back of falling oil prices.

The Brent crude oil price fell 3.5% to US$90.84 a barrel overnight while the US Nymex crude oil price dropped 3.8% to US$85.10 a barrel.

Mining giants also dragged on the market, with the S&P/ASX 200 Materials Index (ASX: XMJ) dumping 2.3%.

Gold futures slumped 1.9% to US$1,677.30 an ounce overnight while iron ore futures lifted 0.1% to US$100.58 a tonne. Meanwhile, the price of nickel fell 4.5% and that of copper slipped 0.6%.

Today's top performing sectors were the S&P/ASX 200 Utilities Index (ASX: XUJ) and the S&P/ASX 200 Information Technology Index (ASX: XIJ). They fell 0.4% and 0.6% respectively.

But which ASX 200 share outperformed all others? Keep reading to find out.

Top 10 ASX 200 shares countdown

Today's top performing ASX 200 share was Star Entertainment Group Ltd (ASX: SGR).

The company's interim chair Ben Heap responded to the findings of a review into its suitability to operate its Sydney casino, released earlier this week, yesterday afternoon.

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.

The S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is finishing Friday on a whimper as it's down 2.98% over the last five days and down 1.36% since the market opened this morning.

Some of the biggest shares listed on the ASX 200 are in a slump this afternoon, putting downward pressure on the index.

Some marquee names being painted with a red brush include BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) and Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA), down 2% and 0.79%, respectively, for the day.

But some shares refuse to be pushed down this afternoon. Let's cover some of the winners.

Tabcorp Holdings Limited (ASX: TAH)

Shares of TAB, a well-known gambling entertainment company, are up by a bit at a 3.46% gain.

Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200 Consumer Discretionary Index (ASX: XDJ) is down 0.44%.

There's no news today from ASX 200 share TAB to report on, but yesterday morning it published notice of its annual general meeting, which will take place on 26 October in Brisbane.

Shareholders can vote on the re-election and election of three non-executive directors, among other resolutions.

Computershare Limited (ASX: CPU)

ASX 200 tech share Computershare is up 3.47% for the day.

That's above the S&P/ASX 200 All Technology Index (ASX: XTX), as it has made a 0.97% loss so far on Friday.

On Wednesday, Computershare's shares made it to the top of the leaderboard of the ASX 200's top performers.

Computershare's resilience could be buoyed by its results in FY22. Notably, it expects an earnings per share (EPS) growth of 55% for FY23.

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

Reliance Worldwide is up the least of the three, but with a no less impressive 2.92% gain.

At the same time, the S&P/ASX 200 Industrials Index (ASX: XNJ) is struggling at a 2.17% loss.

Reliance Worldwide published an investor presentation yesterday that contained a trading update for its August group sales.

The update highlighted that all of its regional operating segments saw considerable growth from the previous corresponding period, including the America region, which saw sales lift from 33% to 62%.

The post 3 ASX 200 shares defying Friday's sell-off to surge higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The good news for investors is that the broker believes a few ASX shares are flying under the radar now and could be in the buy zone.

Two such ASX shares that Goldman rates highly post-earnings season are listed below. Here's what it is saying about them:

Cochlear Limited (ASX: COH)

Goldman Sachs was impressed with this hearing solutions company's performance in FY 2022. Particularly given the tough trading conditions it was facing. Looking ahead, the broker suspects Cochlear could hit the top of its guidance range in FY 2023. It commented:

In a highly challenging year Cochlear delivered +17% NPAT growth to reach the upper-half of the guided range. In our view, the backdrop for this year appears relatively more favourable, and we see clear scope for COH to deliver at the upper-end of another solid guidance (+8-13% to $290-305m, with further accretion possible from the Oticon Medical transaction, which is yet to close).

The broker has a buy rating and $247.00 price target on Cochlear's shares.

Reliance Worldwide Corporation Ltd (ASX: RWC)

Goldman highlights that this plumbing parts company's shares have fallen since its results. It feels this was due to its soft start to FY 2023. However, the broker sees this as a buying opportunity given its defensive qualities. It said:

RWC announced FY22 results in line with both GSe and Visible Alpha Consensus on 22nd of August. The company provided an update on July trading, with sales down -3% resulting in the share price falling 7% on the day and down 19% to date. We consider RWC as more defensive within the building materials sector as a high portion of its revenues are derived from repairs in the R&R sector.

Goldman Sachs currently has a buy rating and $4.85 price target on the Reliance Worldwide's shares.

The post Goldman Sachs says these ASX shares are flying under the radar post-results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.