Market Highlights and 5 ASX Small Caps to watch on Friday

Stock markets lower in global selloff

All three key US benchmarks fell overnight, as COVID cases increased around the world.

The Dow Jones was down by 0.75%, S&P 500 by 0.86%, while the Nasdaq fell by 0.72%.

All major European stock markets also fell overnight as bond yields extended its decline.

Treasury yields have now fallen for the eighth consecutive day, with the 10-year benchmark yield at 1.29% and at its lowest since February.

To cryptos, Bitcoin is currently trading at US$32,600 level at 8am AEST, from theUS$34,200 level on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Algorand is one of several blockchains hoping to unseat Ethereum as an all-purpose platform for smart contracts.

Algo is up 161 per cent year-to-date, and is currently the no. 38 crypto with an overall market cap of US$2.8 billion, on a 24-hour trading volume of US$176 million.

ASX 200 set to open lower on Friday

The ASX 200 looks set to open lower at the open this morning, with futures markets (September contracts) pointing down by 0.67 per cent at 8:30am AEST.

Yesterday, the index closed 0.20 per cent higher, with Energy and Utilities the two top under performers. Tech and Consumer Staples were the top performing sectors, rising by over 1% each.

5 ASX small caps to watch today

AML3D (ASX:AL3)
The 3D printing tech company will establish an R&D facility at the state-of-the-art ‘Factory of the Future’ under development by Flinders University and BAE Systems Maritime Australia at the Tonsley Innovation District in Adelaide. This will form the basis of its formal additive manufacturing facility at Tonsley.

FE Limited (ASX:FEL)
FEL has struck a deal with the Mid West Port Authority, the operator of Geraldton Port, to in-load and out-load 800,000 tonnes of iron ore from Geraldton Port’s Berth 5 for its JWD project.

Parenti (ASX:PRN)
The mining company said its subsidiary Barminco has finalised a $280 million contract with Panoramic Resources (ASX:PAN) for the development and production works at their Savannah Nickel Project in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Challenger Exploration (ASX:CEL)
CEL has completed an agreement to acquire 100% ownership of its flagship Hualilan Gold Project in San Juan Argentina. Hualilan is a compelling gold discovery with significant scale, demonstrated by results this year which include 15.6m at 71.7 g/t AuEq.

E&P Financial (ASX:EP1)
The company announced that its subsidiary, Dixon Advisory & Superannuation, has agreed to pay to the Commonwealth a penalty of $7.2 million to settle a legal claim from ASIC.