Closing Bell: Stocks retreat, despite one of the best ASX IPO debuts of 2021

The hot debut of Evolution Energy Minerals (ASX:EV1) was not enough to save the ASX resources sector from falling today.

The ASX 200 finished 0.67% down at 7,420 points. All sectors were down except tech, which gained 0.18%.

In contrast, most other markets in the Asia-Pacific as well as US stock futures were up as investors welcome the signs of increasing co-operation between the US and China (in the event of the first summit between Presidents Joe Biden and Xi Jinping) as well as better than expected economic data out of the latter country this week.

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
EV1	Evolutionenergy	0.62	210	11269492
LCY	Legacy Iron Ore	0.034	79	181531105
IDZ	Indoor Skydive Aust	0.045	41	32321229
HAW	Hawthorn Resources	0.097	35	14569095
AUH	Austchina Holdings	0.012	33	84766699
MEM	Memphasys Ltd	0.096	33	2535271
TRM	Truscott Mining Corp	0.037	28	540762
AQD	Ausquest Limited	0.019	27	13988225
CCE	Carnegie Cln Energy	0.0025	25	64516519
LMG	Latrobe Magnesium	0.14	22	31165001
UUL	Ultima Utd Ltd	0.945	21	152432
AEI	Aeris Environmental	0.12	20	381856
CZL	Cons Zinc Ltd	0.039	18	995881
SIS	Simble Solutions	0.027	17	3452492
SIT	Site Group Int Ltd	0.007	17	716000
VPR	Volt Power Group	0.0035	17	1830018
FGL	Frugl Group Limited	0.029	16	549670
FNT	Frontier Resources	0.031	15	32662011
ROG	Red Sky Energy.	0.008	14	5019553
WRM	White Rock Min Ltd	0.32	14	606907
GLL	Galilee Energy Ltd	0.45	14	483481
MKL	Mighty Kingdom Ltd	0.165	14	781717
NC6	Nanollose Limited	0.125	14	1093482

Other than Evolution there were few winners with news.

One of them AusQuest (ASX:AQD) rose after extending its partnership with South32 (ASX:S32).

Latrobe Magnesium (ASX:LMG) climbed after completing a capital raising.

Among stocks without news Indoor Skydive Australia Group (ASX:IDZ) spiked for the second day in a row following an executive appointment. Shares are now up 80% this week.

TODAY’S BIGGEST SMALL CAP LOSERS

(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
NPM	Newpeak Metals	0.0015	-25	9271323
MRZ	Mont Royal Resources	0.35	-22	260656
ANL	Amani Gold Ltd	0.002	-20	73347578
ECT	Env Clean Tech Ltd.	0.063	-17	74715747
KOR	Korab Resources	0.083	-17	34904197
OVT	Ovato Limited	0.0025	-17	7088888
ENR	Encounter Resources	0.155	-16	1150776
SKN	Skin Elements Ltd	0.053	-16	561288
TTB	Total Brain Ltd	0.11	-15	353739
ARE	Argonaut Resources	0.006	-14	3586161
NCL	Netccentric Ltd	0.12	-14	15684
KAI	Kairos Minerals Ltd	0.031	-14	34412174
CAD	Caeneus Minerals	0.014	-13	5626470
EFE	Eastern Iron	0.078	-12	195262723
CPN	Caspin Resources	1.06	-12	1726657
IP1	Int Payment Tech Ltd	0.024	-11	2636807
S2R	S2 Resources	0.2	-11	2810025
DDD	3D Resources Limited	0.004	-11	2531350
GNM	Great Northern	0.008	-11	1807139
SIH	Sihayo Gold Limited	0.008	-11	1
AIM	Ai-Media Technologie	0.69	-11	7000102
CDR	Codrus Minerals Ltd	0.165	-11	192697
DCC	Digitalx Limited	0.125	-11	9744249

Mont Royal Resources (ASX:MRZ) fell off the back of a capital raising.

ANNOUNCEMENTS YOU MAY’VE MISSED

Secos (ASX:SES) was chosen by Officeworks to supply its certified compostable courier bags. The volumes will depend on Officeworks’ online sales but the first bags will ship out in the next four to six weeks.

SKS Technologies (ASX:SKS) told shareholders it was expecting $1.3 million in earnings for the first half of FY22 which was 25% more than anticipated. The company also said it expected a 112% increase in revenue which it credited to higher than expected work in demand.

Still with trading updates, WA home and land package seller Peet (ASX:PPC) tipped an operating profit for the first half of FY22 to be between $16 million and $19 million. This was well ahead of its profit for the prior corresponding period which was only $10.1 million.

Childcare operator G8 Education (ASX:GEM) told shareholders of a board overhaul with Chairman Mark Johnson retiring, ex-Suncorp CEO and existing director David Foster replacing him as well as two other director appointments – Debra Singh and Toni Thornton. The company also commented on transition subsidies announced by the Morrison government last week saying it welcomed them as part of the transition to a COVID-normal situation.

AiMedia (ASX:AIM) was forced to respond to a Morgan research report released last week. The report tipped FY22 revenues of $61.6 million and earnings of $0.6 million but the company clarified it had not published earnings guidance and had no reasonable basis to do so because it is still early in the financial year.

Fund manager Ennox Group (ASX:EXO) told shareholders the ASX consented to its plans to re-enter the bourse as a Listed Investment Company However the company has a deadline of February 8 next year to satisfy all requirements – otherwise it will be removed from the ASX after that date.