Rise and Shine: Everything you need to know about the ASX on Monday

It’s Monday on Stockhead.

To catch you up:

The ASX/200 fell again on Friday, making it a straight flush of retreats for the week. The benchmark did however, close April out ahead.

An explosive week lies ahead for global markets, featuring central bank decisions at home in the States, in Brazil and for the EU.

Economists expect The Fed to raise one last time, but they know nothing, do they Jon Snow?

Meantime, worldwide nickel exploration hit a decade high last year and it looks like M&A action is in the post with some mega pre-development resources outside the go to spots in Chinese-backed Indonesia.

Our Josh Chiat knows of some 20 companies, including ASX-listed players, that could make worthwhile takeover targets.

But first the day ahead.

TRADING HALTS

The following stocks went into trading halts Monday and are expected out in the coming days:

Alice Queen (ASX:AQX) – Capital raising

Coolabah Metals (ASX:CBH) – Capital raising and acquisition

Riedel Resources (ASX:RIE)– Capital raising

Vanadium Resources (ASX:VR8) – Pending announcement on increase in Steelpoordrift Vanadium Project interest

Alliance Nickel – (ASX:AXN) – Pending announcement on material transaction

WA1 Resources (ASX:WA1) – Release of exploration results

COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES

Gold: $US1983.53 (-0.34%)

Silver: $US24.01 (-0.25%)

Nickel (3mth): $US24,025/t (+2.02%)

Copper (3mth): $US9002.50/t (+0.27%)

Oil (WTI): $US74.48 (+0.55%)

Oil (Brent): $US78.11 (+0.24%)

Iron 62pc Fe: $US107.50/t (-0.94%)

AUD/USD: 0.6610 (+0.14%)

Bitcoin: $US29,100 (+0.24%)

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING?

Australian lithium in Europe… and in the Mid East.

With due diligence wrapped up, European Lithium says it is targeting a JV agreement with Obeikan Investment Group before May 31 for the co-development of a hydroxide plant in Saudi.https://t.co/9nR8AfEj9f #ad #ASX $EUR @EuropeanLithium

— Stockhead (@StockheadAU) April 28, 2023

Keep up to date with Stockhead coverage or you’ll miss gold like that EVERY DAY. Follow our Twitter page.

For all you crypto lovers Stockhead’s Coinhead Twitter is the place to share your views, insights, tips and ideas.

Also, be sure to check in preopen each day for ‘Market highlights and 5 ASX small caps to watch’, and 10.30am for our daily ‘10 at 10’ column — a live summary of winners & losers at the opening bell.

ASX SMALL CAP LEADERS

Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks:
Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort:

Code	Company	Price	%	Volume	Market Cap
GGX	Gas2Grid Limited	0.0015	50%	1,375,000	$4,077,102
MP1	Megaport Limited	5.62	41%	11,732,407	$630,525,928
CLE	Cyclone Metals	0.002	33%	500,000	$13,623,972
GCR	Golden Cross	0.004	33%	117,010	$3,291,768
LNU	Linius Tech Limited	0.004	33%	12,332,634	$9,689,239
RLC	Reedy Lagoon Corp	0.008	33%	9,699,674	$3,400,318
HT8	Harris Technology Gl	0.02	33%	155,421	$4,474,432
ROO	Roots Sustainable	0.012	33%	733,404	$779,416
TRT	Todd River Res Ltd	0.015	25%	604,638	$7,818,570
VTX	Vertexmin	0.125	25%	25,571	$4,572,500
AYT	Austin Metals Ltd	0.005	25%	4,560,975	$4,063,499
CAV	Carnavale Resources	0.0025	25%	1,813,060	$5,467,103
NES	Nelson Resources	0.005	25%	592,093	$2,354,377
CUF	Cufe Ltd	0.016	23%	625,960	$12,559,461
COD	Coda Minerals Ltd	0.295	23%	1,101,669	$34,031,460
WFL	Wellfully Limited	0.011	22%	293,121	$4,436,497
MMC	Mitre Mining	0.33	22%	268,672	$10,323,477
ENA	Ensurance Ltd	0.235	21%	160,234	$17,610,438
BTC	BTC Health Ltd	0.018	20%	451,636	$4,227,695
FFG	Fatfish Group	0.018	20%	5,451,249	$15,545,698
LRV	Larvottoresources	0.33	20%	2,750,322	$18,495,049
AVE	Avecho Biotech Ltd	0.006	20%	1,798,431	$9,189,347
OAU	Ora Gold Limited	0.003	20%	400,000	$9,842,313
WEL	Winchester Energy	0.006	20%	1,464,520	$5,102,110

Megaport (ASX:MP1) was the standout. Up 40%.

ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS

Here are the least best performing ASX small cap stocks:

Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort:

Code	Company	Price	%	Volume	Market Cap
MTB	Mount Burgess Mining	0.002	-33%	743	$2,649,513
FAU	First Au Ltd	0.004	-27%	25,021,388	$6,021,308
AHN	Athena Resources	0.003	-25%	449,884	$4,281,870
LRL	Labyrinth Resources	0.012	-20%	2,422,083	$14,392,310
KNM	Kneomedia Limited	0.008	-20%	615,749	$15,047,853
MCT	Metalicity Limited	0.002	-20%	298,160	$8,761,348
AN1	Anagenics Limited	0.021	-19%	108,365	$9,506,119
ATV	Active Port Group	0.15	-17%	431,986	$31,780,337
RML	Resolution Minerals	0.005	-17%	495,000	$6,478,477
SRX	Sierra Rutile	0.2225	-16%	36,374,629	$112,422,658
SNX	Sierra Nevada Gold	0.21	-16%	65,558	$10,406,966
KNB	Koonenberry Gold	0.042	-16%	2,201	$3,787,822
NCL	Netccentric Ltd	0.05	-15%	41,817	$16,697,688
OPA	Optima Technology	0.017	-15%	334,939	$4,969,516
SRN	Surefire Rescs NL	0.017	-15%	17,759,630	$31,627,270
TAR	Taruga Minerals	0.017	-15%	1,554,451	$14,120,536
NGY	Nuenergy Gas Ltd	0.029	-15%	389,071	$50,352,487
PNT	Panther Metals	0.09	-14%	407,470	$3,228,750
ADY	Admiralty Resources	0.006	-14%	2,620,006	$9,125,054
BPP	Babylon Pump & Power	0.006	-14%	50,000	$17,204,399
OAR	OAR Resources Ltd	0.003	-14%	2,250,000	$8,438,633
WSP	Whispir Limited	0.32	-14%	651,578	$43,731,252
HFY	Hubify Ltd	0.026	-13%	75,362	$14,884,089
DEM	De.Mem Ltd	0.135	-13%	94,763	$37,943,115
CPT	Cipherpoint Limited	0.007	-13%	3,210,963	$9,273,934

Law firm Slater & Gordon (ASX:SGH) checked out and officially delisted from the ASX after close of trade Friday following the acquisition of its remaining securities by Wright Nominee Co Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Allegro Funds Pty Ltd.

The board of SGH unanimously backed a takeover offer from Sydney-based Allegro Funds in February that saw it acquire 100% of the company for ~$78 million.

Under the off-market takeover offer, shareholders receive 55 cents per share held based on the 141 million shares currently on issue, the majority of which were held by a consortium led by Anchorage Capital Partners.