ASX Small Cap Winners Apr 13-20
There was a lot of fracking excitement in the Northern Territory this week when the government reversed its ban on the unconventional gas exploration technique.
Fracking or hydraulic fracturing is the process of injecting special fluids into cracks to force them to open further, making oil and gas easier and cheaper to extract.
Opponents say it wastes water and causes environmental damage and even earth tremors.
The Territory banned fracking in September 2016 while it weighed up the risks. (Several other States retain bans).
The benefits flowed immediately to shareholders of several NT-focused gas juniors.
Empire Energy Group (ASX:EEG) more than doubled in price to 4.5c after the announcement. The shares closed at 3.3c on Friday — a gain of 94 per cent for the week.
Empire owns permits for 59,000 sq km in the Territory’s McArthur and Beetaloo Basins, “both of which are considered highly prospective for large shale oil and gas resources” the company says.
Empire plans to “proactively engage with the appropriate government department and traditional owner groups to define areas which are appropriate for continued development”.
Another Territory-focused gas explorer Baraka Energy (ASX:BKP) confirmed it would restart its search for a fracking partner to resume gas exploration.
Baraka owns a gas project called EP127 in the Territory’s Southern Georgina Basin which laid idle during the ban.
The stock tripled to 0.3c on a handful of trades Wednesday — its highest point since August 2014.
At least two other Territory-focused gas frackers — Blue Energy (ASX:BUL) and Armour Energy (ASX:AJQ) — have yet to comment publicly since the ban was lifted.
The other big theme of the week was a jump in nickel prices.
The price hike was partly driven by speculation that one of the world’s biggest nickel producers, Russia’s Norilsk Nickel, might be hit by US sanctions against Russia.
A bunch of small cap nickel stocks made gains on the news.
Resource Mining (ASX:RMI) led the way with a 43 per cent gain for the week, closing Friday at 2c.
The explorer’s key focus is the Wowo Gap project in the south-east of Papua New Guinea, where it’s looking for nickel laterite to feed Chinese demand.
Other notable nickel gainers included Great Western Exploration (ASX:GTE) which pushed up 14 per cent to 1.6c. Ardea Resources (ASX:ARL) and Hannans (ASX:HNR) made strong gains on the day but have since slipped back.
Elsewhere this week, palm oil producer Sterling Plantations (ASX:SBI) made a spectacular jump from 1c to 10c — without any news.
The spike inevitably promoted a “please explain” from the ASX. Sterling said it had nothing to share.
Sterling is developing an 45 sq km oil palm plantation in Malaysia and had $745,000 left in the kitty at the end of December.
- Bookmark this link for small cap breaking news
- Discuss small cap news in our Facebook group
- Follow us on Facebook or Twitter
- Subscribe to our daily newsletter
Former energy stock Petratherm (ASX:PTR) relisted on the ASX this week after it was kicked out last year.
The shares closed at 4.3c on Friday — a 79 per cent jump on its last traded price of 1.2c in May 2017.
The former energy stock is turning into a gold explorer, after raising $4.8 million at 4c a share to buy two tenements in the north-east of South Australia for $50,000.
Petratherm had a “hot rocks” energy project in the far north of South Australia but had to shelve it in 2014 after running out of money.
Gas minnow Interpose (ASX:IHS) has its hands on a new project in Zimbabwe and investors are excited.
The shares pushed to a new 52-week high on Wednesday — hitting 5.7c, a gain of 97 per cent on the previous day.
The stock closed Friday at 4.5c — up 55 per cent for the week.
Interpose told investors it was acquiring an 80 per cent stake in “potentially the largest, seismically defined, undrilled hydrocarbon structure onshore Africa”.
Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for Apr 6-13:
Scroll to reveal the full table. Best viewed on a laptop or desktop:
| ASX Code | Name | Weekly price change (Apr 13-20) | Price Apr 20 | Price Apr 13 | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BKP | BARAKA ENERGY | 2 | 0.003 | 0.001 | 7.0M |
| SBI | STERLING PLANTATIONS | 1.5 | 0.025 | 0.01 | 2.6M |
| KGD | KULA GOLD | 1.46153846154 | 0.032 | 0.013 | 12.0M |
| FCR | FERRUM CRESCENT | 1 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 4.6M |
| EER | EAST ENERGY | 1 | 0.004 | 0.002 | 1.4M |
| BPH | BPH ENERGY | 1 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 1.9M |
| BDI | BLINA MINERALS | 1 | 0.002 | 0.001 | 4.3M |
| EEG | EMPIRE ENERGY | 0.941176470588 | 0.033 | 0.017 | 43.0M |
| PTR | PETRATHERM | 0.791666666667 | 0.043 | 0.024 | 7.4M |
| AIY | AUTHORISED INVESTMENTS | 0.774193548387 | 0.165 | 0.093 | 29.4M |
| MYQ | MYFIZIQ | 0.661538461538 | 0.54 | 0.325 | 39.5M |
| CUX | CROSSLAND STRATEGY | 0.6 | 0.008 | 0.005 | 7.1M |
| IHS | INTERPOSE | 0.551724137931 | 0.045 | 0.029 | 6.2M |
| CMD | CASSIUS MINING | 0.531914893617 | 0.072 | 0.047 | 18.8M |
| VPR | VOLT POWER GROUP | 0.5 | 0.003 | 0.002 | 20.6M |
| BMG | BMG RESOURCES | 0.5 | 0.018 | 0.012 | 6.9M |
| ANS | AUSTSINO RESOURCES | 0.5 | 0.018 | 0.012 | 92.9M |
| BIQ | BUILDINGIQ | 0.45 | 0.087 | 0.06 | 18.8M |
| RMI | RESOURCE MINING | 0.428571428571 | 0.02 | 0.014 | 5.9M |
| CLA | CELSIUS RESOURCES | 0.40625 | 0.225 | 0.16 | 134.4M |
| XTD | XTD | 0.392857142857 | 0.039 | 0.028 | 5.2M |
| LNY | LANEWAY RESOURCES | 0.333333333333 | 0.004 | 0.003 | 11.7M |
| ODM | ODIN METALS | 0.315789473684 | 0.25 | 0.19 | 38.4M |
| QBL | QUEENSLAND BAUXITE | 0.3 | 0.052 | 0.04 | 86.1M |
| ANW | AUS TIN MINING | 0.294117647059 | 0.022 | 0.017 | 33.4M |
| ICT | ICOLLEGE | 0.285714285714 | 0.045 | 0.035 | 21.9M |
| CNX | CARBON ENERGY | 0.28 | 0.16 | 0.125 | 9.7M |
| BSR | BASSARI RESOURCES | 0.277777777778 | 0.023 | 0.018 | 49.0M |
| LCD | LATITUDE | 0.272727272727 | 0.042 | 0.033 | 5.8M |
| SMI | SANTANA MINERALS | 0.266666666667 | 0.019 | 0.015 | 5.7M |
ASX Small Cap Losers Apr 13-20
After five months of suspension mobile game maker iCandy Interactive returned to trading this week — and fell 57 per cent.
That was despite offering shareholders a loyalty bonus if they refrained from selling.
The mobile game maker went into suspension in November as it unsuccessfully sought to take over another company, then remained suspended thanks to ASX rules around share issues.
To keep frustrated shareholders sweet iCandy (ASX:ICI) is offering one loyalty option at a “nominal” price for every two shares owned.
The offer briefly pushed iCandy’s shares up almost 10 per cent on Monday morning — but they soon fell back.
Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks for Apr 13-20:
Scroll to reveal the full table. Best viewed on a laptop or desktop:
| ASX Code | Name | Weekly price change (Apr 13-20) | Price Apr 20 | Price Apr 13 | Market Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ICI | ICANDY INTERACTIVE | -0.56875 | 0.069 | 0.16 | 19.1M |
| MEM | MEMPHASYS | -0.5 | 0.001 | 0.002 | 4.5M |
| DMC | DIGIMATIC GROUP | -0.473684210526 | 0.5 | 0.95 | 41.4M |
| GCR | GOLDEN CROSS | -0.4 | 0.012 | 0.02 | 1.2M |
| ESR | ESTRELLA | -0.394736842105 | 0.023 | 0.038 | 12.0M |
| BRB | BREAKER RESOURCES | -0.382352941176 | 0.315 | 0.51 | 46.4M |
| KKL | KOLLAKORN CORP | -0.363636363636 | 0.007 | 0.011 | 1.3M |
| ZYB | ZYBER | -0.357142857143 | 0.009 | 0.014 | 6.5M |
| BLA | BLUE SKY ALTERNANATIVE | -0.339694656489 | 3.46 | 5.24 | 281.2M |
| PRL | PETREL ENERGY | -0.333333333333 | 0.002 | 0.003 | 5.2M |
| NCR | NUCOAL RESOURCES | -0.315789473684 | 0.013 | 0.019 | 13.1M |
| CHP | CHAPMANS | -0.3 | 0.007 | 0.01 | 10.7M |
| AAU | ADCORP AUSTRALIA | -0.3 | 0.007 | 0.01 | 1.3M |
| EGS | EASTERN GOLDFIELDS | -0.297872340426 | 0.165 | 0.235 | 121.4M |
| BUD | BUDDY PLATFORM | -0.294117647059 | 0.12 | 0.17 | 128.6M |
| OVL | ORO VERDE | -0.285714285714 | 0.005 | 0.007 | 6.1M |
| MJP | MARTIN AIRCRAFT | -0.285714285714 | 0.01 | 0.014 | 4.0M |
| SBR | SABRE RESOURCES | -0.272727272727 | 0.016 | 0.022 | 4.2M |
| AHL | AHALIFE | -0.266666666667 | 0.022 | 0.03 | 12.8M |
| SGC | SACGASCO | -0.260869565217 | 0.051 | 0.069 | 11.6M |
| WSI | WESTSTAR | -0.25 | 0.018 | 0.024 | 7.4M |
| VPC | VELPIC | -0.25 | 0.006 | 0.008 | 6.8M |
| MNB | MINBOS RESOURCES | -0.25 | 0.003 | 0.004 | 7.4M |
| TZL | TZ | -0.25 | 0.165 | 0.22 | 11.6M |
| IVX | INVION | -0.25 | 0.027 | 0.036 | 152.7M |
| NVO | NVOI | -0.24 | 0.019 | 0.025 | 9.1M |
| LTR | LIONTOWN RESOURCES | -0.235294117647 | 0.026 | 0.034 | 27.8M |
| BGH | BLIGH RESOURCES | -0.230769230769 | 0.03 | 0.039 | 8.6M |
| CGO | CPT GLOBAL | -0.21875 | 0.125 | 0.16 | 4.7M |
| NAG | NAGAMBIE RESOURCES | -0.217391304348 | 0.18 | 0.23 | 70.7M |