As Australia remains in lockdown, the Morrison government is gathering today to discuss the next phase of domestic containment measures.
And the question of what to do with the country’s student population will be at the top of the agenda.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has indicated that formulating a plan to get kids back into the classroom is now a government priority.
Earlier this morning, Home Affairs minister Peter Dutton told the Today show on Channel Nine that medical advice suggests it’s now safe for students to return to school — excluding sick kids and teachers aged over 60.
Elsewhere, US lawmakers agreed to pass an additional $US484 billion ($750bn) stimulus package aimed largely at small business, after the initial $US350bn ($550bn) Paycheck Protection Program was drained in record time.
On local markets, the ASX edged higher this morning following a flat lead from US stocks. In line with the cautious tone, gold remains elevated comfortably above $US1,700 an ounce (~$2,710/oz thanks to the exchange rate).
WINNERS
Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Friday April 24:
Swipe or scroll to reveal the full table. Click headings to sort.
CODE COMPANY PRICE % CHANGE MARKET CAP IGN Ignite 0.055 450.00% $5.1M CLZ Classic Minerals Ltd 0.002 100.00% $7.4M BOT Botanix Pharma 0.056 64.71% $59.7M UUV UUV Aquabotix 0.002 50.00% $741K CML Chase Mining 0.012 50.00% $2.5M AGE Alligator Energy Ltd 0.003 50.00% $4.3M ALT Analytica Ltd 0.003 50.00% $5.3M EMH European Metals Holdings 0.245 36.11% $27.3M CDX Cardiex 0.024 33.33% $18.1M ERL Empire Resources Ltd 0.012 33.33% $7.2M FPL Fremont Petroleum 0.004 33.33% $5.0M PMY Pacifico Minerals Ltd 0.004 33.33% $8.7M MSB Mesoblast 2.44 24.17% $1.0B JXT Jaxsta 0.045 25.00% $8.9M IMS Impelus 0.005 25.00% $4.0M TMX Terrain Minerals Ltd 0.005 25.00% $3.6M RLG Roolife Group Ltd 0.031 24.00% $10.9M EUC European Cobalt 0.017 21.43% $13.0M FSG Field Solutions 0.023 21.05% $10.3M HWK Hawkstone Mining 0.006 20.00% $6.1M GNM Great Northern Minerals 0.006 20.00% $2.6M MHC Manhattan 0.006 20.00% $6.8M GEV Global Energy Ventures 0.006 20.00% $22.4M
Recruitment company Ignite Ltd (ASX:IGN) turned heads in morning trade, gaining more than 400 per cent on no news before going into a trading halt at around 11am EST.
Over the past 12 months, the stock declined from above seven cents to below one cent, before surging back above five cents this morning.
Elsewhere, embattled biotech Botanix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:BOT) had some good news for shareholders, following two failed clinical trials in previous months.
Shares in the company rose more than 70 per cent this morning after its announced one of its other drug candidates, the cannabinoid-based antibacterial microbe BTX1801, was given a special status by the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
The treatment was named as a Qualified Infectious Disease Product (QIDP) for the prevention of post-surgical infections.
LOSERS
Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Friday April 24:
Swipe or scroll to reveal the full table. Click headings to sort.
| CODE | COMPANY | PRICE | % CHANGE | MARKET CAP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCY | Legacy Iron Ore | 0.001 | -50.00% | $6.3M |
| COY | Coppermoly Ltd | 0.008 | -27.27% | $17.0M |
| CFE | Cape Lambert Resources | 0.002 | -25.00% | $1.3M |
| PEN | Peninsula Energy | 0.17 | -22.73% | $69.3M |
| ELT | Elementos Ltd | 0.002 | -20.00% | $5.1M |
| VRC | Volt Resources | 0.005 | -16.67% | $8.7M |
| DXN | The Data Exchange Network | 0.01 | -16.67% | $4.6M |
| KAI | Kairos Minerals | 0.01 | -16.67% | $10.2M |
| GTG | Genetic Technologies Ltd | 0.005 | -16.67% | $25.6M |
| FGR | First Graphene | 0.13 | -16.13% | $61.8M |
| MTH | Mithril Resources | 0.006 | -14.29% | $2.9M |
| DLC | Delecta Ltd | 0.006 | -14.29% | $4.2M |
| A1G | African Gold Ltd | 0.099 | -13.91% | $5.8M |
| BRL | Bathurst Resources | 0.062 | -15.07% | $106.0M |
| MOH | Moho Resources | 0.073 | -13.10% | $3.6M |
| NCR | Nucoal Resources | 0.007 | -12.50% | $5.4M |
| CL8 | Collaborate Corporation Ltd | 0.007 | -12.50% | $8.1M |
| TAP | Tap Oil | 0.074 | -11.90% | $31.7M |