On an otherwise happy Friyay, we kick off today’s lunch wrap with the latest on Australia’s slo-mo vaccine rollout.

The initial distribution was underpinned by plans for a mass rollout of Oxford’s AstraZeneca vaccine. But… blood clots.

NSW authorities have temporarily paused administering the vaccine to tweak its patient consent framework, with vaccinations for citizens aged over 50 expected to recommence later today.

Pfizer’s vaccine is still good to go, but there’s a lot less of that on Australian shores right now.

With the federal government under pressure over its execution on the matter, Clot Scott Morrison’s cabinet will meet later today to discuss the timeline around border closures amid vaccine rollout delays.

Over on markets, things are pretty calm to end the week with the ASX200 trading flat while the microcap Emerging Markets index outperformed into midday trade with a gain of around one per cent.

The Aussie dollar edged lower to around US76.4c, US stock futures are pointing slightly higher and gold is holding above $US1,750/oz for the first time since March 18.
 

WINNERS

Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Friday April 9:

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Stocks highlighted in yellow made market moving announcements
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Among stocks with announcements, medical diagnostics company Universal Biosensors (ASX:UBI) led the pack after announcing a new supply agreement with Lubris BioSystems.

The “exclusive, perpetual” supply deal will see Lubris supply its Lubricin (PRG4) coating for use in UBI’s strip-based diagnostic products, with a view to building out an improved commercial product that “enhances UBI’s detection limits by 1,000,000 times”, the company said.

Based on early proof-of-concept work, the integration of Lubris’ technology will allow UBI to expand its product range into “oncology, women’s health, environmental impurities and other areas”, the company said.

Also on the winner’s list was Pacific Nickel Mines (ASX:PNM), which jumped after announcing that it’s received approval to commence drilling at its Solomon Islands nickel project following “a positive outcome from awareness meetings recently conducted in the local villages”.
 

LOSERS

Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks at 12pm Friday April 9:

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