Looks like the bathroom is not the place to shelter during a lightning storm.

Firefighters with the Okmulgee Fire Department in Oaklahoma were called to the scene of an incident at an apartment building where a bolt of lightning travelled through the exhaust vent and shattered a toilet.

No one was injured, but the toilet was severely damaged – and apparently this type of explosion isn’t entirely unheard of.

In 2019, lightning struck near a Florida couple’s septic tank, ignited the gases within, and caused one of their toilets to explode.

Note to self: when authorities say stay away from water during lightning storms, they mean all types of water.

To Markets …

 

The ASX 200 is also down the toilet again, dropping 126.20 points off at the pool (1.77%) at midday today to 6,994.50.

London’s FTSE 100 ended down 2.3% on Monday as caution ahead of US inflation data due on Wednesday rose. And China’s weak trade numbers also dampened the index.

“The stubborn pursuit by Chinese authorities of a zero-Covid-19 policy is raising concerns that it will have a chilling effect on the Chinese economy in the months ahead,” Michael Hewson, an analyst at CMC Markets, says in a note.

Plus, the prospect of a large interest-rate hike by the US Federal Reserve as well as the continuation of the war in Ukraine also piled the pressure on markets.

“Talk of recession is rife as markets really begin to price in a series of interest-rate rises,” says AJ Bell’s Danni Hewson. “If anyone was hoping a new week would bring a marked change in sentiment they were in for some serious disappointment,” she says in a note.

 

Could a recession be looming?

Few believe a recession is imminent. The US labour market has continued to add jobs at a rapid clip. Wages are climbing, and the unemployment rate remains near a 50-year low.

But economists say there is a growing probability of a slowdown in the coming year, with those surveyed by The Wall Street Journal estimating a 28% probability of a recession sometime in the next 12 months — up from 18% in January.

The outlook for the global economy also is looking increasingly murky, investors say. Supply chains already were snarled heading into this year.

 

US inflation figures and Aussie household spending data

Later this week, investors will get another read on inflation when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its consumer-price index. Economists are expecting data to show inflation fell from March’s level, which marked a four-decade high.

In Australia, the NAB business survey is released with retail trade, weekly consumer confidence and the CBA Household Spending Intentions report.

 

ASX SMALL CAP WINNERS

 

Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for May 10 [intraday]:

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

 

Code Company Price % Market Cap
AMD Arrow Minerals 0.004 33% $5,471,795.28
GTG Genetic Technologies 0.004 33% $27,701,895.43
CBR Carbon Revolution 0.55 22% $93,084,312.15
AYA Artryalimited 0.85 21% $43,845,984.00
PNV Polynovo Limited 1.1025 19% $615,369,880.92
REC Rechargemetals 0.325 18% $8,960,187.78
SRN Surefire Rescs NL 0.034 17% $34,730,714.10
BMT Beamtree Holdings 0.29 14% $62,280,282.00
COB Cobalt Blue Ltd 0.805 13% $229,190,530.86
G6M Group 6 Metals Ltd 0.195 11% $110,382,075.13
BIR BIR Financial Ltd 0.02 11% $2,815,851.01
CAV Carnavale Resources 0.01 11% $24,466,965.55
EQE Equus Mining Ltd 0.155 11% $24,370,773.56
QGL Quantum Graphite 0.37 10% $98,155,000.00
EQN Equinoxresources 0.16 10% $6,525,000.15
GME GME Resources Ltd 0.11 10% $59,399,076.20
KKO Kinetiko Energy Ltd 0.083 9% $47,593,444.74
OAU Ora Gold Limited 0.012 9% $10,806,901.26
BDX Bcaldiagnostics 0.097 9% $11,756,429.19
BET Betmakers Tech Group 0.5 9% $415,591,759.62
1AG Alterra Limited 0.013 8% $3,333,315.29
ERW Errawarra Resources 0.195 8% $7,122,797.10
ABY Adore Beauty 1.44 8% $125,185,581.01
IRX Inhalerx Limited 0.093 8% $14,488,158.30
EME Energy Metals Ltd 0.2 8% $38,791,412.72
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Carbon fibre wheel manufacturer Carbon Revolution (ASX:CBR) nabbed a $12m Commonwealth Modern Manufacturing Initiative Grant for its Mega-line project – which is expected to increase the company’s capacity to supply its carbon fibre wheels to the rapidly growing global EV market by 75,000 wheels to a total of 155,000 wheels per annum.

“We are proud to be generating opportunities for our skilled workforce in Geelong and working with local partners on delivering our Mega-line,” CEO Jake Dingle said.

“We thank the Commonwealth Government for their support of Australian advanced manufacturing.”

 

ASX SMALL CAP LOSERS

 

Code Company Price % Market Cap
EN1DA Engage:Bdr Limited 0.01 -60% $3,865,578.45
GGX Gas2Grid Limited 0.002 -33% $12,174,306.23
JAV Javelin Minerals Ltd 0.001 -33% $14,001,229.16
YPB YPB Group Ltd 0.001 -33% $9,176,750.55
CCE Carnegie Cln Energy 0.0015 -25% $30,205,147.42
IEC Intra Energy Corp 0.012 -25% $9,372,489.36
TGM Theta Gold Mines Ltd 0.099 -24% $71,529,553.81
VMC Venus Metals Cor Ltd 0.13 -24% $25,683,376.11
OLH Oldfields Holdings 0.05 -23% $10,900,924.26
IVO Invigor Group Ltd 0.031 -23% $6,127,994.64
POL Polymetals Resources 0.105 -22% $5,407,636.41
99L 99 Loyalty Ltd. 0.032 -22% $47,546,993.16
HYD Hydrix Limited 0.074 -21% $18,577,789.64
RAB Adrabbit Limited 0.03 -21% $7,060,455.37
ZAG Zuleika Gold Ltd 0.023 -21% $15,124,968.13
SCT Scout Security Ltd 0.031 -21% $5,982,391.35
GCR Golden Cross 0.1 -20% $13,715,701.38
TSN The Sust Nutri Grp 0.12 -20% $18,090,957.75
LNY Laneway Res Ltd 0.004 -20% $31,510,082.05
NZS New Zealand Coastal 0.004 -20% $5,135,025.16
WRM White Rock Min Ltd 0.1125 -20% $22,076,619.74
WGR Westerngoldresources 0.11 -19% $9,722,917.22
PBL Parabellumresources 0.18 -18% $7,260,000.22
MTR Metal Tiger 0.33 -18% $7,911,443.20
TG1 Techgen Metals Ltd 0.12 -17% $6,313,614.07
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