Welcome to one of the biggest weekend of sports in Australia. AFL, NFL, Cox Plate… oh my.

But first, we already have a loser – whoever’s idea it was to “put the G in the Gabba” ahead of Saturday’s final between Richmond and Geelong in Brisbane:

What you’re looking at there is a chunk of the MCG that was ripped up and taken by refrigerated truck to the Gabba, because Victorians just couldn’t bear to see an MCG-less Grand Final.

For the rest of Australia that lives in Reality World, here’s the important news you might have missed during the week.

 

1. Montu beats crowdfunding records with cannabis equity raising

Dope is dope again. If you thought the bud market bong had lost its bubble a bit, here’s a fast $1 million that says it’s back. The fastest $1 million in fact, to be reached in Australian crowdfunding history. It took all of 36 hours and 36 minutes for Montu to hit that magic mark when it kicked off its capital raise on Birchal last week.

Montu’s minimum target of $300,000 was hit in just under an hour.

So what makes Montu different? Relationships.

Montu essentially provides a matchmaking service for patients that need medicinal cannabis to doctors that will give it to them.

Studies show just about any doctor’s patient group hold 20-30 per cent that could be treated with medicinal cannabis. And currently in Australia, only around 5 per cent of GPs are prescribing medicinal cannabis…

 

2. Barry FitzGerald: Locked out of D&D, Tolga Kumova strikes his ‘own De Grey play’

Last week, we got some US election tips and ASX stock picks from VFS Group’s pro investor James Whelan. Among them:

“One of the easiest investment strategies with mining stocks is if you see Tolga (Kumova’s) name pop up on the registry, you probably want to own that stock,” he said.

“That’s a quick strategy if you want to invest with minimal thinking.”

Within seven days, those who listened to that sage advice had two options.

Locked out of Diggers and Dealers, and restricted to his home base in bayside Melbourne with nothing bu a garage gym and his new abs, Kumova told Garimpeiro he had made his “own De Grey play”, by wangling a potential 10 per cent of Raiden Resources (ASX:RDN). Raiden’s looking to add a Pilbara gold and nickel leg to its existing Balkans gold-copper exploration story.

And in the same week, Kumova liked progress at Firefly Resources (ASX: FFR) so much he upped his stake in a capital raise to 6.55 per cent. That makes him a substantial holder in the company that’s hoping to hit gold in untested historical high-grade mines in WA’s Yalgoo goldfield.

 

3. Story with BNPL in it

Make that, “stories” with BNPL in them, starting with an Afterpay (ASX: APT) announcement of an announcement to come that had excitable investors on the edge of their seats for days. When it dropped, on Tuesday, APT hit the $100 mark immediately.

Why? Because:

 

And you got it, with Westpac allowing Afterpay onto its new digital banking platform. That gives Afterpay users access to Westpac transaction and savings accounts and other cashflow management tools.

And Zip wasn’t to be outdone. On the same day it announced Zip users could “Tap and Zip” with their Visa cards. That sounds like a big green tick for Zip, but some analysts weren’t so sure.

Distribution is obviously excellent, but will it come at the cost of cannibalising the higher margins Zip’s been collecting on its own platform?

Whatever. The froth around all this type of tech money being thrown around is now rising high enough that biz journos are asking Afterpay co-founder Anthony Eisen if he could ever see the tech sector eclipsing mining to take the No 2 spot on the local bourse.

Eisen: Mebbe.

 

4. The Secret Broker: Send in the Crowns

There’s an inquiry into Crown Casino going on and it involves a bloke by the name of Aspinall. Cue any excuse for TSB to reminisce about the glory days of taking shameless advantage of inbred interns, Bond-level croupiers and doormen with the class to accept your left shoe as collateral.

They don’t call it the Good Old Days for nothing, you know.

 

5. Guy on Rocks: Biden for the win — all signs point to another gold price rise

The final US Presidential Debate has been run and … maybe halved. But Joe Biden is still real clear in the polls that matter, so we’re sticking with the theme of what happens to gold once Trump is shown the door?

Here’s Guy le Page, former geologist and experienced stockbroker, to tell you:

“There are only a few possible outcomes — there’s either going to be a lift in gold and a fall in the Australian dollar, there’s going to be exploration success, or a correction is coming up. I would suggest the most likely outcome is a rise in the gold price.”

There’s more here on the outlook for EV metals demand, as well as this week’s movers, shakers and hot stocks to watch.

 

6. High Voltage: Nickel moves to the fore on discoveries galore

But if you’re the kind of reader that needs 105 ASX stocks with exposure to lithium, cobalt, graphite, nickel, and vanadium on a table, Reuben Adams is there for you:

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort. Best viewed on a laptop:

CODE COMPANY 1 WEEK CHANGE % 1 MONTH CHANGE % 1 YEAR CHANGE % SHARE PRICE [INTRADAY TUES] MARKET CAP
ESR Estrella Resources 180 1669 1991 0.23 $ 116,970,408.54
AOU Auroch Minerals 67 96 112 0.155 $ 38,155,960.43
ADV Ardiden 65 43 1129 0.043 $ 98,356,283.55
PM1 Pure Minerals 37 105 141 0.041 $ 30,126,721.08
BAR Barra Resources 36 73 81 0.038 $ 24,960,499.74
HNR Hannans 33 14 -20 0.008 $ 15,903,636.31
PUR Pursuit Minerals 30 -7 18 0.013 $ 6,241,421.11
CWX Carawine Resources 27 27 27 0.31 $ 32,731,416.14
RFR Rafaella Resources 24 44 5 0.115 $ 10,869,068.52
AVZ AVZ Minerals 23 56 133 0.098 $ 269,657,358.26
NIC Nickel Mines 21 33 50 0.9475 $ 1,957,851,670.64
TLG Talga Resources 21 22 79 0.93 $ 239,027,237.98
SGQ St George Mining 19 9 -26 0.125 $ 65,460,638.88
GBR Great Boulder Resources 17 67 67 0.082 $ 12,600,004.59
CZN Corazon 17 40 45 0.0035 $ 11,386,757.01
COB Cobalt Blue 12 9 -19 0.105 $ 24,931,243.05
SYA Sayona Mining 11 11 14 0.01 $ 28,431,914.30
MOH Moho Resources 9 -4 50 0.12 $ 8,343,792.84
INF Infinity Lithium 9 10 50 0.099 $ 30,099,514.68
TNG TNG Limited 9 28 53 0.125 $ 129,322,689.26
AZS Azure Minerals 8 86 173 0.41 $ 104,142,825.31
RLC Reedy Lagoon 8 8 367 0.014 $ 6,576,272.98
BUX Buxton Resources 7 -25 18 0.09 $ 12,244,988.88
SVD Scandivanadium 7 -46 67 0.015 $ 6,724,598.66
SLZ Sultan Resources 7 10 243 0.23 $ 12,018,186.50
MLL Mali Lithium 5 26 135 0.195 $ 65,754,446.22
MLX Metals X 5 3 -56 0.081 $ 73,488,551.43
FGR First Graphene 5 26 -13 0.1575 $ 81,482,567.68
LKE Lake Resources 4 20 89 0.072 $ 53,072,617.81
AML Aeon Metals 4 -14 9 0.125 $ 81,308,367.24
POS Poseidon Nickel 4 43 57 0.077 $ 200,845,339.16
VMC Venus Metals 4 12 56 0.28 $ 43,057,424.66
CLA Celsius Resources 3 6 127 0.034 $ 26,527,414.75
PLS Pilbara Minerals 3 -1 35 0.385 $ 846,302,548.22
LPI Lithium Power International 3 -11 -32 0.195 $ 51,287,711.09
CLQ Clean Teq Holdings 2 2 15 0.31 $ 246,331,867.65
OZL OZ Minerals 0 1 56 14.72 $ 5,021,649,322.44
LTR Liontown Resources 0 38 176 0.27 $ 500,118,520.67
CXO Core Lithium 0 25 28 0.05 $ 49,716,516.05
ALY Alchemy Resources 0 11 65 0.021 $ 14,789,355.97
NMT Neometals 0 8 9 0.2 $ 109,070,253.20
RXL Rox Resources 0 2 148 0.062 $ 124,795,536.24
AJM Altura Mining 0 0 21 0.07 $ 209,037,029.25
ATM Aneka Tambang 0 0 0 1 $ 1,303,649.00
BSM Bass Metals 0 0 -63 0.003 $ 11,783,627.21
IPT Impact Minerals 0 0 178 0.025 $ 42,652,446.89
LML Lincoln Minerals 0 0 60 0.008 $ 4,599,869.49
MNS Magnis Energy Tech 0 0 25 0.2 $ 137,877,635.61
TON Triton Minerals 0 -2 33 0.052 $ 58,992,339.48
G88 Golden Mile Resources 0 -3 -4 0.067 $ 8,119,209.65
GAL Galileo Mining 0 -4 126 0.26 $ 35,775,301.25
QXR Qx Resources 0 -7 -18 0.014 $ 6,196,433.22
LPD Lepidico 0 -11 -57 0.008 $ 41,485,880.30
SBR Sabre Resources 0 -17 150 0.01 $ 12,506,462.58
AVL Australian Vanadium 0 -25 9 0.012 $ 35,081,588.27
VRC Volt Resources 0 -27 -15 0.011 $ 22,226,109.10
JRV Jervois Mining -1 -1 46 0.33 $ 209,109,077.13
GXY Galaxy Resources -1 -18 41 1.28 $ 515,943,965.88
MCR Mincor Resources -1 -7 38 0.88 $ 379,561,628.16
BHP BHP Group -2 -5 3 35.83 $ 107,523,575,881.00
MIN Mineral Resources -2 -4 95 24.73 $ 4,790,376,525.40
PGM Platina Resources -2 -26 150 0.05 $ 20,204,324.65
BEM Blackearth Minerals -2 20 -6 0.049 $ 6,819,331.25
GME GME Resources -2 -16 -32 0.042 $ 22,274,677.20
JRL Jindalee Resources -3 31 124 0.55 $ 23,491,006.00
ASN Anson Resources -3 84 13 0.035 $ 27,420,787.42
PNN PepinNini Minerals -3 23 -34 0.175 $ 3,205,492.50
AQD Ausquest -3 -3 107 0.029 $ 18,287,982.39
AUZ Australian Mines -3 -15 -50 0.0145 $ 55,460,353.90
GED Golden Deeps -3 -15 -46 0.0145 $ 7,538,169.79
S2R S2 Resources -3 16 84 0.285 $ 85,020,618.33
BKT Black Rock Mining -4 2 -12 0.054 $ 38,289,726.92
LEG Legend Mining -4 -16 193 0.135 $ 348,170,643.73
LIT Lithium Australia -4 -5 16 0.052 $ 41,990,073.41
SRI Sipa Resources -4 -4 -15 0.077 $ 13,337,051.10
AGY Argosy Minerals -4 -14 -22 0.051 $ 54,033,613.47
ESS Essential Metals -4 13 -27 0.11 $ 15,842,024.84
IGO IGO -5 -6 -25 4.32 $ 2,605,414,919.94
PAN Panoramic Resources -5 5 -56 0.105 $ 215,345,970.42
INR Ioneer -5 86 15 0.195 $ 336,431,482.80
STK Strickland Metals -5 52 276 0.094 $ 39,301,542.97
CNJ Conico -5 20 80 0.018 $ 11,173,818.34
MRC Mineral Commodities -5 -3 59 0.35 $ 154,731,134.14
ARL Ardea Resources -6 4 25 0.5 $ 61,281,879.36
TMT Technology Metals -6 23 110 0.325 $ 39,360,000.00
EMH European Metals -6 2 43 0.45 $ 50,118,776.43
VUL Vulcan Energy -6 31 609 1.17 $ 82,596,327.75
AXE Archer Materials -7 -4 257 0.5 $ 116,915,003.92
CTM Centaurus Metals -7 32 228 0.64 $ 216,695,011.40
VR8 Vanadium Resources -7 0 -40 0.028 $ 10,479,768.26
GLN Galan Lithium -7 -16 -27 0.135 $ 25,784,898.72
DEV Devex Resources -7 2 265 0.31 $ 79,967,498.00
ORE Orocobre -8 -5 13 2.66 $ 911,715,423.40
TKL Traka Resources -9 0 92 0.021 $ 10,635,766.43
RNU Renascor Resources -9 -17 -29 0.01 $ 16,473,792.12
EGR Ecograf -10 23 168 0.185 $ 65,517,618.24
CHN Chalice Gold Mines -10 81 1608 3.16 $ 963,001,946.40
MAN Mandrake Resources -13 -13 265 0.062 $ 18,688,894.31
EUR European Lithium -15 -32 -49 0.041 $ 32,320,345.55
BSX Blackstone Minerals -16 -6 238 0.405 $ 136,141,180.75
MLS Metals Australia -17 -17 25 0.0025 $ 7,296,705.55
PLL Piedmont Lithium -18 180 273 0.42 $ 485,234,486.52
BOA Boadicea Resources -24 2 34 0.235 $ 14,176,915.23
WKT Walkabout Resources -24 -24 -33 0.17 $ 68,081,060.78
PSC Prospect Resources -32 -28 0 0.13 $ 37,171,748.12
WSA Western Areas 2 -3 -24 2.3 $ 632,650,000.00
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Nickel investor sentiment in particular is currently flying — 11 of the top 20 battery metals stocks (55 per cent) over the past month have nickel exposure.

Among the standouts is Pure Minerals (ASX:PM1), which inked an offtake-potential project funding deal with the world’s biggest electric vehicle battery maker, LG Chem.

It’s not all about Tesla, you know.

 

7. A government report plugged these 200 critical minerals plays for potential investors

How’s your hafnium play working out for you?

Probably pretty good, especially if you have the first clue what hafnium actually is. Because you’d also be aware that it’s one of those critical minerals China’s trying to shore up by tightening its control on  exports.

Alarming: China accounts for 63 per cent of global rare earths production.

Interesting: Australia has 9 of the other 37 per cent.

But where is it all? Here, silly, in the Australian Critical Minerals Prospectus 2020 released on Wednesday. It lists 200 greenfield mining projects for 24 critical minerals found in Australia, clearly labelled for international investors to get a handle on and piece of.

Fill. Your. Boots.

Note: What doesn’t appear here – two million tonnes cabbage, of which is suddenly in massive demand in South Korea. Extreme weather has wiped out the crops of their favourite vegetable to pickle for kimchi.

 

8. Which cancer-fighting biotech will be the next Race Oncology?

2020 was never going to be the year where we could stop using the “still no cure for cancer” meme.

But it has shown itself to be an exciting time in the cancer-fighting biotech space. And by that we mean “an exciting time to be investing in the sector”.

If you’d jumped on Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) 16 months ago after its positive clinical trials of chemotherapy drug Bisantrene, you’d be up more than 16-fold right now.

No surprise then that there’s been a bit of a rush on to be – or find – the next Race Oncology. And the deals are eye-watering, such as the cool $US21 billion for Immunomedics (NASDAQ:IMMU), or the $US4.2 billion Merck & Co committed to Seattle Genetics (NASDAQ:SGEN).

Here are the cancer-fighting biotechs closer to home that a) you can actually afford, and b) are showing signs of riding the cancer-fighting wave.

 

9. Here’s why sophisticated investors use options to build their ASX portfolios

Making money off stocks is … hard. For starters, it’s arguably easier if you have a ton of money to lose. More than $2.5 million, in fact, or earning at least $250,000 a year. That will allow you get a Sophisticated Investor Certificate, which opens a few more doors into what you’re allowed to spend your money on.

Such as options. Options, for the uninitiated, give investors more flexible ways to construct their portfolios. It’s really, really interesting and clearly a great way to hedge against something horrifying such as the BNPL market tanking.

So here’s the essential one-minute breakdown from Sam Jacobs:

 

Actually, wait. Here’s the essential one-minute breakdown from Sam Jacobs.

 

10. Stockhead’s Grand Final Guide: Which ASX stocks are looking for a big kick this weekend?

OK, because you probably didn’t get down this far and Melbourne is unstoppable as ‘Most Ridiculous Thing’ this week, here’s our ropey list of stocks that might get a kick out of their loose association with the football grand finals this week.

Be nice. They at the very least need your help.

Have a great weekend, may the best team/horse win. And may no one blow their ankle out on that dodgy sideline at the ‘Gabba.

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