ASX stocks have closed for the Easter weekend on a high today in a result driven be tech and resources.

The ASX 200 finished at 6,829 points, which was 0.56 per cent higher than yesterday. Small caps did even better with the ASX Emerging Companies Index gaining 1.54 per cent – closing at 2,012 points.

The best performing sectors were the tech sector, which rose 2.45 per cent and materials which rose 1.48 per cent.

Most other sectors rose modestly although health lost 0.20 per cent.

The biggest gainer with news was Zoono (ASX:ZNO), which rose off the back of a company update.

Among other things it announced Microbe Shield has successfully tested in the US against Human Coronavirus 229E as well as a number of client wins including aircraft manufacturer Boeing.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Eden Innovations’ (ASX:EDE) concrete additive, EdenCrete, has been approved in Kansas. This is the 21st US state it has been improved in.

Alliance Aviation (ASX:AQZ) was given approval by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) to start operations with the Embraer E190 aircraft. The first services will start on April 10 and Qantas services will start on May 25.

Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers (ASX:KPT) has given the cold shoulder to an offer to purchase its land assets for $20 million. The company claims the assets are valued at $59.28 million – even after the 2019-20 summer’s bushfires – and consequently the offer was undervalued.

Carbine Resources (ASX:CRB) has signed a term sheet to acquire Ausco – a private silica sands explorer. This would involve picking up a project directly to the west of VRX Silica’s (ASX:VRX) Muchea project.

And speaking of acquisitions, cloud software company Rhipe (ASX:RHP) has snapped up cyber security distribution company emt. The company will pay $11 million up front for Australia and Asian operations with a conditional bonus later on and the price of Middle East operations to be disclosed after 30 June.

 

TRADING HALTS

Tuesday

Tietto Minerals (ASX:TIE) – pre-feasibility study
Xstate (ASX:XST) – drilling update
Sacgasco (ASX:SGC) – drilling update
Nova Minerals (ASX:NVA) – resource upgrade
Skyfii (ASX:SKF) – capital raising

Wednesday

Environmental Clean Technologies (ASX:ECT) – capital raising
Think Childcare (ASX:TNK) – acquisition proposal
Silver City Minerals (ASX:SCI) – capital raising
The GO2 People (ASX:GO2) – acquisition
Los Cerros (ASX:LCL) – assay results