Here’s what you might have missed on Stockhead this week, but everyone else didn’t, and liked the most.

#1 Dr Boreham’s Crucible: Recce Pharmaceuticals, the emerging superbug killer

Someone in the world dies from sepsis every two minutes. In the US it causes 270,000 deaths and costs the health system $US24 billion ($35 billion) a year.

Pumping patients with traditional antibiotics isn’t working, because the microscopic blighters have a habit of morphing and developing resistance.

$30m market cap Recce Pharmaceuticals (ASX:RCE) is tackling this a unfriendly condition with a synthetic broad-spectrum antibiotic called Recce-327 – and so far, results have proved promising.

Check out Dr Boreham’s forensic examination here.

 

#2 Here’s why potash stocks won’t stink in 2020

Potash is the stuff used to fertilise crops.

There hasn’t been much growth (hah) for the majority potash players over the past 12 months, but that could be about to change. Here’s why.

 

#3 Asian investors are targeting Aussie stocks. Here’s what they’re aiming for

What do average investors look for in Aussie stocks? Right now, E-sports, technology, biotech and primary producer stocks are all experiencing growing interest from Asian investors.

“Anything to do with e-sports generates good interest, even though there are only four listed entities on the ASX at the moment,” says Omar Taheri, the founder of Spark Plus.

“Any more listings here could see investor interest.”

But that’s not all; check it out.

 

#4 Hidden gems: These microsectors on the ASX have gained the most in 2019

Utilising a division method known as the GICS code, Stockhead identified five ASX micro-sectors – like the aerospace and defence goods, which is only 6 companies strong — that have performed really well in 2019.

Click here to drill a little deeper.

 

#5 Behind the scenes, hydrogen fuel tech is growing up fast

The $180m currently being invested in Aussie clean hydrogen tech pales in comparison to the billion-dollar numbers you see around lithium-ion battery production.

But still, this could be the beginnings of something pretty substantial. Big trials are already underway; across these projects, more than 2MW of renewablhydrogen production capacity will be installed.

Which isn’t mind-blowing if the typical coal fired plant is 600MW but remember — this is just the beginning.

 

#6 Barry FitzGerald: these two explorers aim to restore the high-grade Menzies goldfield to its former glory

Recently, a successful strategy for investors has been to follow ASX-listed explorers looking to revive old and forgotten high-grade goldfields.

At the historic Menzies goldfield in WA, a pair of ASX juniors are leading the charge – Resources & Energy (ASX:REZ) and Kingwest Resources (ASX:KWR).

Through recent acquisitions the pair have pretty much tied up the entire goldfield -and they are moving fast. Read Barry’s analysis here.

 

#7 Steady growth, but tighter funding: Insights from EY’s latest Australian fintech survey

The Aussie fintech space is growing up and cashing in.

Consulting firm EY has taken its latest gauge of the Australian fintech landscape, releasing results from its 2019 FinTech Australia Census.

It showed that while investors were tightening the purse strings, more Australian fintechs are moving from the pre-revenue stage to making revenues and profits.

 

#8 Interview: Next Science chairman George Savvides on what’s in store for the bacteria-killing biotech

Since listing in April, bacteria-fighting medical company Next Science (ASX:NXS) has been closely followed by investors.

After raising $35m at $1 a share, the stock ran hot to a high above $4.50 in mid-June, before easing back in the second half of the year.

Right now, it‘s all about company’s US-focused distribution strategy for Xbio — a product which attacks the biofilm protecting bacteria when it forms during surgery and wounds.

Stockhead  caught up with George Savvides, Next Science’s non-executive chairman, for a chat about the current outlook.

 

#9 Who’s hunting for the next big NWS oil and gas discovery?

Australia’s North West Shelf is the country’s premier oil and gas destination, home to some of world’s largest gas fields that feed major liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and large oil fields.

Here’s a bunch of ASX-listed small caps looking for the next company-making Dorado-3 discovery.

 

#10 Check it out: Nickel explorers are up 32% over the past three months

Not that surprising, really.

The nickel price has increased 75 per cent so far this year on the back of increasing demand from electric vehicle (EV) growth and a bigger than expected kick in stainless steel production.

And there could be more come for nickel small caps as retail investors wake from their ETF-induced slumber. Read about it here.

Have a great weekend.