ASX small caps have finished the day flat while large caps have gained over half a per cent.

The ASX Emerging Companies Index dropped 0.02 per cent to 2,118.5. Meanwhile the ASX 200 gained 0.52 per cent, reaching 6,856.9 points and the ASX Small Ords rose 0.35 per cent to 3,211.

Most sectors were slightly in the green except industrials, dragged down by large cap engineering firm CIMIC Group (ASX:CIM) which dropped after financial results.

Leading the market was small cap graphite stock Blackearth Minerals (ASX:BEM) which closed up 123 per cent following a supply deal with German-based graphite marketing firm Luxcarbon.

Blackearth Minerals will take delivery of 25,000 tonnes per year of high-grade graphite concentrate from Luxcarbon, and sell the same amount of the ASX company’s products to European markets.

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Tech stock Houston We Have (ASX:HWH) formed a strategic alliance with Wipro (NYSE:WIT). The deal will see the former company’s solutions deployed to selected Wipro clients with the aim of improving customer retention and supporting improved digital marketing of products and services.

Gold microcap Victory Mines (ASX:VIC) unveiled more drilling results at its Coogee gold project. Intersections included one intersection 4m at 7.33g per tonne.

CV Check (ASX:CV1) announced it would be acquiring cloud-based workforce credentials and compliance software company Bright People Technologies for $15.3 million.

Medical imaging software stock Mach7 Technologies’ (ASX:M7T) gave shareholders an update on its project with the Hospital Authority of Hong Kong – revealing it received $4.2 million in orders this financial year to date.

Coal mine operator Bathurst Resources (ASX:BRL) announced it would be closing its smallest mine – the Canterbury coal mine in New Zealand. The company said the costs of regulatory processes outweighed the commercial benefit of continuing to operate.

 

TRADING HALTS

THURSDAY

Atrum Coal (ASX:ATU) – government coal policy response
Great Western Exploration (ASX:GTE) – capital raising
Bannerman Resources (ASX:BMN) – capital raising

FRIDAY

Sunshine Gold (ASX:SHN) – acquisition
EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) – capital raising
Challenger Exploration (ASX:CEL) – assay results
88 Energy (ASX:88E) – capital raising & board changes
Pilot Energy (ASX:PGY) – acquisition
Tyranna Resources (ASX:TYX) – price query