Closing Bell: ASX defies Wall Street to close 0.86pc higher

Local appeared set for another down day after Omicron fears sparked jitters on global markets, but the ASX 200 defied expectations to post a 0.86% gain.

While both Wall Street and ASX futures were in the red, it was a solid day for the Australian bourse with most sectors gaining.

The best sectors were health (up 3.9%) and energy (up 1.62%) and the only sector in the red was property – by 0.37%

TODAY’S BIGGEST SMALL CAP WINNERS

(Stocks highlighted in yellow rose after making announcements during the trading day).

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort.

Code	Company	Price	%	Volume
MLS	Metals Australia	0.002	100	19031989
ALT	Analytica Limited	0.0015	50	1067414
ANL	Amani Gold Ltd	0.0015	50	31889332
NPM	Newpeak Metals	0.0015	50	500000
TTB	Total Brain Ltd	0.12	26	3231270
MMM	Marley Spoon	0.84	21	2210555
ARE	Argonaut Resources	0.006	20	2430017
ESH	Esports Mogul Ltd	0.006	20	176616
HFY	Hubify Ltd	0.064	19	312734
VR1	Vection Technologies	0.135	17	14570331
CLE	Cyclone Metals	0.0035	17	3549004
ZMM	Zimi Ltd	0.014	17	3156912
ATX	Amplia Therapeutics	0.155	15	155941
KLR	Kaili Resources Ltd	0.031	15	6784
ABE	Ausbondexchange	0.55	15	67529
FIJ	Fiji Kava Limited	0.079	14	287896
AUH	Austchina Holdings	0.008	14	1640746
MRD	Mount Ridley Mines	0.008	14	1227071
SIH	Sihayo Gold Limited	0.008	14	1903165
LIN	Lindian Resources	0.034	13	1716804
RXH	Rewardle Holding Ltd	0.017	13	1000000
TAS	Tasman Resources Ltd	0.026	13	481000
M2M	Mtmalcolmminesnl	0.13	13	95591

Total Brain (ASX:TTB) announced a license with Janssen Research and Development for a study looking into treatments for depression.

VR and metaverse software company Vection (ASX:VR1) rose off the back of a market update in which it tipped 2022 fiscal year revenue of $17-$19 million.

Marley Spoon (ASX:MMM) bounced off recent lows near 70c — off from its post-pandemic highs above $3.50 — after flagging plans to buy Australian ready-to-heat meal company Chefgood.

The deal involves a $21 million upfront payment for 100% of the equity in Chefgood, and additional earn-outs of up to ~$5.6 million over the next two and a half years based on revenue targets.

TODAY’S BIGGEST SMALL CAP LOSERS

(Stocks highlighted in yellow fell after making announcements during the trading day).

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort.

Code	Company	Price	%	Volume
WOO	Wooboard Tech Ltd	0.001	-50	25381
CGB	Cann Global Limited	0.002	-33	18837490
NXM	Nexus Minerals Ltd	0.355	-30	24616477
AFW	Applyflow Limited	0.004	-20	5537282
T3D	333D Limited	0.002	-20	1250000
ZBT	Zebit Inc.	0.245	-17	94552
GTG	Genetic Technologies	0.005	-17	19638581
MEB	Medibio Limited	0.005	-17	52712356
ROO	Roots Sustainable	0.005	-17	174826
GGE	Grand Gulf Energy	0.022	-15	3040747
DTI	DTI Group Ltd	0.028	-15	96537
SMS	Starmineralslimited	0.175	-15	20500
KFE	Kogi Iron Ltd	0.012	-14	1496448
LRV	Larvottoresources	0.12	-14	827226
THR	Thor Mining PLC	0.012	-14	26616100
CT1	Constellation Tech	0.007	-13	1379073
ICN	Icon Energy Limited	0.014	-13	4
RIM	Rimfire Pacific	0.007	-13	220561
TPD	Talon Energy Ltd	0.007	-13	6537968
FTC	Fintech Chain Ltd	0.05	-12	47837
TMS	Tennant Minerals Ltd	0.036	-12	13950020
CAG	Caperangeltd	0.22	-12	26000

Goldie Nexus Minerals (ASX:NXM) fell after an exploration update.

Despite announcing some positive drilling results, it recorded no significant intercepts in one particular hole which was drilled down a post mineralisation structure.

ANNOUNCEMENTS YOU MAY’VE MISSED

AMP (ASX:AMP) will remove itself from the NZX, effective in the first week of February next year. The company says the delisting reflects the lower level of AMP shareholders on the NZX following increased accessibility of the ASX to Kiwi shareholders and will simplify its shareholder administration ahead of the demerger of its private markets business.

Kirkland Lake Gold (ASX:KLA) will pay a dividend for the 19th quarter in a row. It will pay US$0.1875 per share on January 14 to all shareholders as at the close of business on December 31.

Artificial intelligence (AI) sensor technology company, SenSen Networks (ASX:SNS), has been hired by the Queensland Revenue Office to help it with automated number plate recognition. The company will earn a minimum of $192,000 over the initial 36 months of the contract starting in January 2022.

$2.29 billion biotech Telix (ASX:TLX) announced it dosed its first patient in a Phase I study of TLX250-CDx in patients with non-muscle invasive bladder cancer in France. It is the sixth most commonly occurring cancer in males and the tenth most common worldwide.

Financial wellness fintech Douugh (ASX:DOU) signed a partnership with Openmarkets Group to offer ASX share trading to Australian customers. It will form a part of Douugh’s new financial super app in 2022 which will replace the current ‘Goodments by Douugh’ app.

Semiconductor company Revasum (ASX:RVS) says it has a US$8.2 million backlog of orders and in 2022 now expects to generate US$25-$35 million in revenue. CEO Rebecca Shooter-Dodd said 2021 had been a solid year of progress for the company and the backlog remained strong.