• ASX slipped on Fed’s hawkish comments
  • Gold stocks jumped after bullion hit record highs again
  • Tension in the Middle East has escalated

The ASX200 slipped on Friday mainly on the back of remarks from US Fed members overnight. The benchmark index closed the day -0.4% lower, and is +0.2% higher for the week. 

Big US tech stocks continued their rally overnight despite hawkish comments from Fed Reserve Bank of Boston president Susan Collins and New York Fed president John Williams. 

Collins said it it may take more time than previously thought to begin cutting rates, which means fewer rate reductions this year.

“Overall, the recent data have not materially changed my outlook, but they do highlight uncertainties related to timing, and the need for patience …,” she said.

Williams echoed her comments, saying that US inflation still has ‘a ways’ to go to get to 2%. “There’s no clear need to adjust policy in the very near term,” he said.

On the ASX, the biggest losers today were the Discretionary and Staples sector, followed by Energy and Telco. Utilities and Tech sectors meanwhile led the winners.

Gold stocks mostly rose after the bullion price surged further in Asian hours today, with spot bullion trading at US$2,385.68 an ounce. 

 

Source: MarketIndex

 

Elsewhere today…

Oil prices resumed gains as tensions in the Middle East escalated once again. 

There are reports that Iran is planning an “imminent” attack on Israeli targets.  Penny Wong has urged Iran to show restraint.

At the time of writing, WTI is trading at US$84.98 a barrel.

 

ASX LARGE CAP WINNERS TODAY:

Code Name % Change Volume Market Cap
DYL Deep Yellow Limited 6% 5,103,840 $1,253,742,701
RRL Regis Resources 6% 5,744,925 $1,563,551,333
RED Red 5 Limited 6% 35,344,174 $1,402,839,222
BOE Boss Energy Ltd 5% 2,788,714 $1,953,358,200
IPH IPH Limited 4% 886,335 $1,461,654,914
SLX Silex Systems 4% 481,857 $1,209,252,281
RSG Resolute Mining 4% 10,304,531 $1,011,298,756
WAF West African Res Ltd 4% 1,598,697 $1,402,010,179
ADT Adriatic Metals 3% 598,414 $1,058,716,091
NWL Netwealth Group 3% 498,683 $4,700,099,424
GMD Genesis Minerals 3% 7,183,781 $2,148,502,338
PRU Perseus Mining Ltd 3% 1,978,429 $3,132,243,970
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ASX SMALL CAP LEADERS

Today’s best performing small cap stocks:

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Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap
NPM Newpeak Metals 0.025 127% 21,414,445 $1,099,469
CNJ Conico Ltd 0.002 100% 2,998,365 $1,805,095
SIX Sprintex Ltd 0.025 39% 4,574,761 $8,578,455
JAV Javelin Minerals Ltd 0.002 33% 840,847 $3,264,346
LNR Lanthanein Resources 0.004 33% 21,671,195 $5,864,727
E79 E79Goldmineslimited 0.040 33% 321,660 $2,440,022
FHS Freehill Mining Ltd. 0.009 29% 5,567,212 $20,970,911
BVR Bellavistaresources 0.140 27% 488,079 $5,457,207
CMO Cosmometalslimited 0.054 26% 817,865 $5,434,961
AMD Arrow Minerals 0.005 25% 4,647,814 $37,918,825
AVE Avecho Biotech Ltd 0.005 25% 340,267 $12,677,188
CTO Citigold Corp Ltd 0.005 25% 3,628,851 $12,000,000
EPM Eclipse Metals 0.010 25% 5,665,348 $17,677,244
RTG RTG Mining Inc. 0.032 23% 1,915,939 $28,213,497
CPO Culpeominerals 0.066 22% 12,349,165 $8,930,100
ORP Orpheus Uranium Ltd 0.110 21% 528,848 $17,275,023
SVG Savannah Goldfields 0.030 20% 570,098 $7,027,123
88E 88 Energy Ltd 0.006 20% 52,384,869 $125,620,313
BFC Beston Global Ltd 0.006 20% 1,995,260 $9,985,234
ESR Estrella Res Ltd 0.006 20% 1,701,500 $8,796,859
NTM Nt Minerals Limited 0.006 20% 100,674 $4,299,515
TAS Tasman Resources Ltd 0.006 20% 244,145 $3,563,346
ARV Artemis Resources 0.019 19% 1,548,207 $27,059,138
CY5 Cygnus Metals Ltd 0.076 19% 3,068,234 $18,659,785
SRZ Stellar Resources 0.019 19% 4,840,056 $22,980,529
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Defence manufacturer HighCom (ASX:HCL) receives a new order of ballistic products from a military customer worth $4.7m. Good news for HCL, which suffered a $13.4m loss in the December half “mainly due to the company not securing several large international orders in the Middle East”.

NewPeak Metals (ASX:NPM) finalises the sale of its share in a Finland gold project to a soon-to-be-listed Canadian company. NPM receives CAD$500,000 cash, CAD$1m in shares of the listed company, and a milestone payment of CAD$1.5m in cash or shares on reporting of a 500,000oz gold resource.

Estrella Resources (ASX:ESR) was also on the move, after announcing it had uncovered a manganese host rock over 27km of strike at the Lautém project in Timor-Leste.

The company says that it has managed to secure a site in the city of Dili for its team to work with the samples that are being collected in the field, in a small office that has a sample preparation area established.

Meanwhile, larger gold stocks surged alongside a new record high spot price, led by RED 5 (ASX:RED), Regis (ASX:RRL), Resolute (ASX:RSG), and Bellevue (ASX:BGL).

Lunnon Metals (ASX:LM8) reported the results of a recent reverse circulation (RC) drilling program at the Baker nickel deposit, the company’s cornerstone asset at its Kambalda nickel project. Extensional drilling program has delivered growth potential up-dip. Results include 9.0m @ 5.29% Ni, 6.0m @ 4.99% Ni, 7.0m @ 3.99% Ni and 3.0m @ 8.14% Ni. Mineral Resource Estimate will be updated in due course.

FBR (ASX:FBR) says its ordinary shares have commenced trading on the OTCQB Venture Market under the ticker “FBRKF”. The OTCQB Venture Market is a US trading platform operated by OTC Markets Group in New York. FBR says the listing will increase exposure to, and generate increased interest from, US domiciled retail and institutional investors in its shares.

Oncosil Medical (ASX:OSL)’s clinical strategy continues to progress, with the first patient treatment using the OncoSil device occurring in the UK for the TRIPP-FXX clinical study. The TRIPP-FXX study will assess the safety and efficacy of the OncoSil device when given with standard FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy for treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

Sierra Rutile (ASX:SRX) announced the results of the Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) for the Sembehun Project in Sierra Leone. Highlights include: Expected mine life of 14 years, no change to previous Sembehun Ore Reserve of 173.7 Mt @ 1.46% rutile, and an average of 175ktpa of rutile production projected from 2028 to 2038. Capex estimate is reduced by 11% to $301 million, or a $36 million reduction on the 2022 Preliminary Feasibility Study (PFS). Expected payback is within 55 months from project commencement.

 

ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS

Today’s best performing small cap stocks:

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Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap
MRD Mount Ridley Mines 0.001 -50% 653,013 $15,569,766
MHC Manhattan Corp Ltd 0.002 -33% 2,310,000 $8,810,939
SIT Site Group Int Ltd 0.002 -33% 4,413,500 $7,807,471
AHN Athena Resources 0.003 -25% 411,005 $4,281,870
AXP AXP Energy Ltd 0.002 -25% 146,926 $11,649,361
MRQ Mrg Metals Limited 0.002 -25% 3,357,637 $5,050,237
MTL Mantle Minerals Ltd 0.002 -25% 360,000 $12,394,892
CMB Cambium Bio Limited 0.010 -23% 654,039 $9,959,200
EMP Emperor Energy Ltd 0.012 -20% 1,348,000 $5,111,062
3PL 3P Learning Ltd 1.005 -20% 7,142 $343,217,168
HTA Hutchison 0.030 -19% 40,000 $502,182,817
DGR DGR Global Ltd 0.014 -18% 556,456 $17,742,789
FNR Far Northern Res 0.165 -18% 116,234 $7,149,165
CVR Cavalierresources 0.175 -17% 17,421 $6,684,072
KTA Krakatoa Resources 0.015 -17% 5,866,506 $8,497,930
OAU Ora Gold Limited 0.005 -17% 557,450 $34,836,005
FEG Far East Gold 0.135 -16% 378,614 $41,213,894
AVH Avita Medical 3.360 -16% 1,537,056 $239,574,986
TTI Traffic Technologies 0.006 -14% 1,000,000 $6,099,245
G11 G11 Resources Ltd 0.026 -13% 164,680 $22,473,663
MRZ Mont Royal Resources 0.067 -13% 50,000 $6,547,294
GGE Grand Gulf Energy 0.007 -13% 585,500 $16,761,976
VN8 Vonex Limited. 0.014 -13% 724 $5,789,258
NWF Newfield Resources 0.110 -12% 94,652 $113,837,865
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IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

You haven’t missed a thing, apparently.

 

TRADING HALTS

Alvo Minerals (ASX:ALV) – pending an announcement regarding a capital raising.

New World Resources (ASX:NWC) – pending the release of an announcement in relation to a capital raising.

Amplia (ASX:ATX) – halt requested to allow Amplia to undertake an entitlement offer process.

Titanium Sands (ASX:TSL) – pending an announcement regarding a material capital raising.

Kin Mining (ASX:KIN) – pending the release of an update regarding a potential transaction between Kin Mining and PNX Metals.

PNX Metals (ASX:PNX) – pending the release of an update regarding a potential transaction between PNX Metals and Kin Mining.

Genex Power (ASX:GNX) – pending a material announcement regarding a non-binding, indicative and conditional proposal that Genex received from Electric Power Development Co.