5 things to watch on the ASX 200 on Wednesday

The Motley Fool · 2d ago

On Tuesday, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) had a disappointing session and dropped deep into the red. The benchmark index fell 0.9% to 8,672.5 points.

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

ASX 200 to rise

The Australian share market looks set for a better session on Wednesday despite a poor night on Wall Street. According to the latest SPI futures, the ASX 200 is expected to open the day 31 points or 0.35% higher. In the United States, the Dow Jones fell 0.6%, the S&P 500 dropped 0.45%, and the Nasdaq was 0.8% lower.

Oil prices jump

ASX 200 energy shares Beach Energy Ltd (ASX: BPT) and Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) could have a good session on Wednesday after oil prices jumped overnight. According to Bloomberg, the WTI crude oil price is up 4% to US$105.48 a barrel and the Brent crude oil price is up 2.65% to US$108.48 a barrel. This follows reports that Saudi Arabia has been forced to cancel some crude cargoes.

Lovisa shares upgraded

Bell Potter thinks that Lovisa Holdings Ltd (ASX: LOV) shares are attractively priced. This morning, the broker has upgraded the fashion jewellery retailer's shares to a buy rating (from hold) with a steady price target of $27.00. It said: "Our TP remains unchanged at $27.00 given we make no changes to our forecasts while our target P/E multiple remains unchanged at ~29x on a blended FY27/28e basis. Post the market sell-off, we think the current valuation at ~22x FY27e P/E (BPe) which is a ~20% discount to LOV's recent mid-cycle P/E as BPe of 28.5x appears attractive, and we upgrade our recommendation to BUY."

Gold price falls

ASX 200 gold shares Westgold Resources Ltd (ASX: WGX) and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX: NST) could have a subdued session on Wednesday after the gold price pulled back again. According to CNBC, the gold futures price is down 0.45% to US$4,333.4 an ounce. Traders are betting on inflation spiking due to high oil prices.

Buy Netwealth shares

Bell Potter is also recommending Netwealth Group Ltd (ASX: NWL) shares to clients today. In response to its deal to acquire Paradino, the broker has retained its buy rating with a trimmed price target of $30.00. It said: "The impact from Paradino is limited. There is 10% adviser growth straight away and the price tag is fair for what could be a transformational strategic move. Trading on 33x, NWL continues to offer strong revenue growth potential at a discount to its prior TTC valuations. Buy."

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

The Motley Fool's purpose is to help the world invest, better. Click here now for your free subscription to Take Stock, The Motley Fool's free investing newsletter. Packed with stock ideas and investing advice, it is essential reading for anyone looking to build and grow their wealth in the years ahead. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson. 2026