Lunchtime small cap wrap: Who’s jumping higher so far today

Here are the key ASX small cap winners and losers at lunchtime Friday June 22.

The ASX Small Ords was down 18 points or 0.6 per cent to 2899 by 12.45pm AEST — though still near a 10-year high.

MOST TRADED

Cannabis stock Queensland Bauxite (ASX:QBL) today lost all the gains made after yesterday’s “company transformation announcement”.

QBL shareholders had been awaiting the announcement patiently during a seven-week trading halt — but today it looks like patience has run out for some investors.

The miner-turned-cannabis purveyor moved to full ownership of subsidiary Medical Cannabis Ltd and its legendary cannabis seed bank.

Yesterday QBL rose 35 per cent to an intraday high of 6.6c compared to its 4.9c closing price prior to the trading suspension.

Today it sank back to 4.7c by 1.20pm AEST — with more than 30 million shares changing hands.

GOING UP

SmartTrans (ASX:SMA) gained 33 per cent to 0.4c after starting a new business to transport people with disabilities and carers throughout Australia.

The service will start as a pilot in Brisbane next month under a new brand, Orcoda Healthcare Logistics.

First Graphene (ASX:FGR) which makes “wonder material” graphene — used in applications such as space-bound satellite components and fire-proof paint — made gains after launching a joint venture with Flinders University’s Institute for NanoScale Science and Technology.

The new 50-50 venture, called 2D Fluidics, aims to commercialise a technology called the Vortex Fluidic Device, invented  by Flinders professor Colin Raston.

The device is used to produce materials such as graphene and nanotubes without the toxic chemicals required for conventional graphene and nanotube production.

First Graphene shares gained 11 per cent to an intraday high of 18c in early Friday trade.

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West Australian oil explorer New Standard Energy (ASX:NSE) gained 50 per cent to 0.6c today after completing a $430,000 placement at 0.6 cents per share.

The money wil go towards “identifying new opportunities, complying with obligations to the Department of Mines and Petroleum and working capital”.

New Standard owns two exploration permits in the onshore Carnarvon Basin in Western Australia but is examining several new opportunities.

Microcap nickel explorer Caeneus Minerals (ASX:CAD) swung back after yesterday losing ground following a capital raising announcement.

The shares recovered from 0.1c to 0.2c in early Friday trade.

Here’s a snapshot of the best performing ASX small caps at 12.15pm AEST Friday Jun 22.

Swipe or scroll for full table. Click headings to sort data:

GOING DOWN

Billing software maker Hansen Technologies (ASX:HSN) lost ground after issuing an earnings downgrade.

EBITDA earnings for the year was now expected at $58 million — a margin of about 25 per cent compared to earlier guidance of “around the mid-point of our target range of 25%-30%”.

The “lower than previously anticipated” margin was due to a licence fee that pushed into next year, a restructuring charge and an underperforming call centre contract that had been terminated.

Meanwhile the outlook for next year was expected to be “slightly below” this year due to a $1.8 million revenue loss flowing on from the call centre contract termination.

Here’s a snapshot of the worst performing ASX small caps at 12.15pm AEST Friday Jun 22.

Swipe or scroll for full table. Click headings to sort data: