The ASX closed just 0.11% higher today but there were no shortage of small cap winners, led by Antiviral biotechnology stock Biotron (ASX:BIT).
It announced that its lead drug candidate — BIT225 — had been shown to be effective against COVID-19 in animals.
Despite the news out of Biotron, healthcare finished in the red as did financials and consumer staples. But after a dour week, tech rebounded gaining 1.99% and resources gained 0.99%.
Stocks elsewhere in Asia were mixed but virtually flat too as was the US which will not see trading tonight due to Thanksgiving.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIT | Biotron Limited | 0.1 | 96 | 161351267 |
| OVT | Ovato Limited | 0.003 | 50 | 204083 |
| VIC | Victory Mines Ltd | 0.002 | 33 | 6109461 |
| WCN | White Cliff Min Ltd | 0.016 | 33 | 24782334 |
| WOO | Wooboard Tech Ltd | 0.002 | 33 | 2543 |
| PKD | Parkd Ltd | 0.06 | 33 | 28073070 |
| EGR | Ecograf Limited | 0.845 | 32 | 9444980 |
| EML | EML Payments Ltd | 3.61 | 31 | 19701927 |
| ATC | Altech Chem Ltd | 0.14 | 27 | 32085391 |
| IDZ | Indoor Skydive Aust | 0.073 | 22 | 9499951 |
| ZAG | Zuleika Gold Ltd | 0.023 | 21 | 1152903 |
| XST | Xstate Resources | 0.006 | 20 | 51769944 |
| ASQ | Australian Silica | 0.205 | 17 | 2846022 |
| CM8 | Crowd Media Limited | 0.036 | 16 | 6249952 |
| KMT | Kopore Metals Ltd | 0.037 | 16 | 2945247 |
| BCI | BCI Minerals Ltd | 0.525 | 15 | 3389608 |
| GLA | Gladiator Resources | 0.031 | 15 | 4318012 |
| GRR | Grange Resources. | 0.67 | 14 | 6950527 |
| RNX | Renegade Exploration | 0.008 | 14 | 3000000 |
| EMD | Emyria Limited | 0.495 | 14 | 1482622 |
| GML | Gateway Mining | 0.017 | 13 | 3345841 |
| BGD | Bartongoldholdings | 0.215 | 13 | 414672 |
| PIQ | Proteomics Int Lab | 1.255 | 13 | 544632 |
Biotron (ASX:BIT) surged after telling share holders its oral drug BIT225 was effective against COVID-19 in animals – in that the drug reduced viral load in the subjects’ lungs and blood.
Parkd (ASX:PKD), a micro-cap stock that builds car parks, unveiled a new Heads of Agreement to build a carpark at the Kewdale Central shopping centre in Western Australia.
Battery tech stock Altech Chemicals (ASX:ATC) rose after being able to produce a series of LIB anode materials that have ~30% higher retention capacity compared to conventional LIB anode materials.
EML Payments (ASX:EML), which jumped more than 20% after providing an update on its regulatory issues with the Central Bank of Ireland. It says the CBI will now permit it to, whilst staying within the material growth restrictions, sign new customers and add programs through its subsidiary PFS Card Services (Ireland) Limited (PCSIL).
In resources, percentage gains were led by $6.2m nanocap White Cliff Minerals (ASX:WCN) which jumped after announcing binding commitments to raise $912,000 (before costs) through a placement at an issue price of 1.2c per share.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RAD | Radiopharm | 0.4 | -33 | 24061578 |
| OAK | Oakridge | 0.001 | -33 | 2378900 |
| OEX | Oilex Ltd | 0.003 | -25 | 18895 |
| AIB | Aurora Glb Trust | 0.115 | -23 | 167845 |
| NTL | New Talisman Gold | 0.002 | -20 | 15934279 |
| ACB | A-Cap Energy Ltd | 0.125 | -19 | 10205566 |
| BBL | Brisbane Broncos | 0.69 | -18 | 8336 |
| KNM | Kneomedia Limited | 0.018 | -18 | 3245720 |
| TTB | Total Brain Ltd | 0.115 | -18 | 247608 |
| CCG | Comms Group Ltd | 0.1 | -17 | 948967 |
| STM | Sunstone Metals Ltd | 0.093 | -15 | 55733068 |
| DOR | Doriemus PLC | 0.11 | -15 | 120001 |
| 4DS | 4Ds Memory Limited | 0.05 | -15 | 20238271 |
| PIL | Peppermint Inv Ltd | 0.017 | -15 | 20044350 |
| MRZ | Mont Royal Resources | 0.34 | -15 | 281394 |
| ICG | Inca Minerals Ltd | 0.099 | -14 | 2034486 |
| KOR | Korab Resources | 0.07 | -14 | 8287059 |
| MM8 | Medallion Metals. | 0.195 | -13 | 127328 |
| 1ST | 1St Group Ltd | 0.013 | -13 | 2388028 |
| AOA | Ausmon Resorces | 0.007 | -13 | 1507407 |
| TRT | Todd River Res Ltd | 0.105 | -13 | 1380833 |
| VAR | Variscan Mines Ltd | 0.042 | -13 | 951181 |
| IND | Industrialminerals | 0.25 | -12 | 338674 |
Radiopharm Theranostics (ASX:RAD), the latest biotech venture of Paul Hopper, plunged over 30% on its ASX debut.
New Talisman Gold Mines (ASX:NTL) announced the deal to buy the historic Broken Hills mine was now off, as was its plans to spin off its subsidiary Coromandel Gold.
ANNOUNCEMENTS YOU MAY’VE MISSED
Today the New Zealand Reserve Bank handed down a report into the risk governance of Westpac (ASX:WBC) which found “material shortcomings” in its board’s oversight of the bank. The company said it accepted the findings and was determined to lift its capabilities in this area.
Still with big banks, NAB (ASX:NAB) learnt this morning that the ACCC would not oppose the proposed acquisition of Citi’s Australian consumer business. The competition watchdog said it was unlikely to raise competition concerns in light of Citi’s minimal market share in the credit card market.
Petrol station operator Ampol (ASX:ALD) announced a heads of agreement to sell 20 freeheld sites to an unlisted property trust which would be 49% owned by Charter Hall (ASX:CHC) with Ampol holding the balance. Ampol says this deal will net $48 million in net proceeds, still give it strategic and operational control over the sites and would help fund the acquisition of Z Energy.
Adairs (ASX:ADH) announced it was buying fellow furniture retailer Focus on Furniture for an Enterprise Value of $80 million. CEO Mark Ronan said it would build out Adairs’ product offering in home furniture and increase its exposure to that market by almost three times.
Medtech Nuheara (ASX:NUH) told shareholders it had completed recruitment for its clinical trial to support its expansion into regulator approved hearing aids and that all candidates which had not begun would do so in the coming week. It is hoping to use the trial to gain FDA 510(k) approval and hopes to have a submission ready in the first quarter of next year.
Casual fashion outlet Universal Store (ASX:UNI) revealed that group sales in the first 20 weeks of FY22 were 14.1% lower than FY21 although 3.3% higher than FY20. Naturally the company’s figures were hit by store closures – and it tips the net earnings impact would be between $7 and $9 million – but the company claimed sales were growing again in November.
TRADING HALTS
Friday
HGL (ASX:HNG) – capital raising
Brainchip (ASX:BRN) – announcement
FBR (ASX:FBR) – capital raising
Serko (ASX:SKO) – capital raising
Monday
Matrix Composites & Engineering (ASX:MCE) – capital raising
Firstwave Cloud Technology (ASX:FCT) – acquisition and capital raising
Wide Open Agriculture (ASX:WOA) – capital raising
IXUP (ASX:IXU) – capital raising