ASX Small Cap Lunch Wrap: Who’s about to confess their sins?

The ASX 200 slumped by 1.75 per cent in broad-brush sell off at lunch today, following similar downward moves in Wall Street overnight.

All of the 11 ASX sectors fell, with Energy falling the most by 2.8 per cent.

The standout was fintech EML Payments (ASX:EML), plunging by 38 per cent after saying that its Irish subsidiary, PFS Card Services, has received a letter from the Central Bank of Ireland (CBI) citing concerns about money laundering breaches.

Forensics data company Nuix (ASX:NXL) has bounced back 5 per cent on dip buying, after its shares had lost 30 per cent in the past one month.

The company has been grappling with issues, mainly reported by the media, relating to its corporate governance and stock options paid to founder, Dr Tony Castagna. The company has responded and denied all of the allegations in an ASX release two days ago.

Other bigger caps to rise today include Appen (ASX:APX) and United Malt (ASX:UMG).

Appen closed 12 per cent higher at lunch, after announcing an organisational structure relating to its client-facing businesses, and reaffirming that full year EBITDA will meet forecast as per announced in February.

Brewer United Malt meanwhile has risen by 3 per cent, even after reporting a 22 per cent drop in its half year NPAT to $13.2m.

WINNERS

Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Wednesday May 19:

Swipe or scroll to reveal the full table. Click headings to sort.

BPM Minerals (ASX:BPM) was the clear winner in small caps trading this morning, rising by 140 per cent after announcing that it will acquire three projects in the Earaheedy Basin, a lead and zinc exploration hot spot after the recent Rumble Resources (ASX:RTR) discovery. 

Two biotech winners today were Paradigm Biotech (ASX:PAR) and BARD1 (ASX:BD1), both rising by around 5 per cent.

Paradigm reported its first ever revenue, on the back of Zilosul sales, a drug used to treat patients with chronic arthralgia.

BARD1 presented its new technology, EXO-NET, to a research community conference this morning. The EXO-NET technology is set to disrupt the exosomes market, having the ability to capture exosomes from bodily fluids in under 15 minutes.

LOSERS

Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Wednesday May 19:

Swipe or scroll to reveal the full table. Click headings to sort.

BNPL play LayBuy (ASX:LBY) sank 16 per cent, after announcing a $35m placement to fund growth in the UK. The shares are being sold to funds at 50c, with the share price closing yesterday at 68c.