Rise and Shine: Everything you need to know before the ASX opens

Good morning everyone, and welcome to August 22, 2024 – an important date in the history of making excellent career moves.

It was on this day in 573 that Georgius Florentius – known to his mates as Gorgeous – was consecrated as the Bishop of Tours in Rheims, after showing King Sigebert I of Austrasia and his wife Brunhilda around town for an hour, before leading them to a friend’s restaurant to be egregiously price-gouged and served sub-standard “local delicacies”.

Luckily for you, you won’t have to play tour guide around the ASX to get your hands on good pre-market info today.

That’s because – as always – we’ve worked super-hard to gather together lots of fiddly little things below, so you don’t need to go ferreting all over the internet for your ASX info this morning.

COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES

Gold: US$2,517.90/oz (+0.15%)

Silver: US$29.56/oz (+0.41%)

Nickel (3mth): US$16,587/t (+1.87%)

Copper (3mth): US$9,085/t (-0.62%)

Zinc: US$2,771/t (+0.94%)

Oil (WTI): US$73.07/bbl (-0.13%)

Oil (Brent): US$76.52/bbl (-0.86%)

Iron 62pc Fe: US$98.55/t (+3.28%)

AUD/USD: 0.6746 (+0.10%)

Bitcoin: US$59,668.40 (+1.09%)

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING

Oh hey! It’s Stockhead’s regular Health Stocks wrap – because nothing says “Health” like a suspiciously cheerful hipster makin’ it rain in Melbourne.

ASX Health Stocks: Amplia’s pancreatic cancer drug shows progress – Stockhead https://t.co/ozN5jKdH1f pic.twitter.com/tOnemKX6JL

— Stockhead (@StockheadAU) August 21, 2024

YESTERDAY’S 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	Name	Price	% Change	Volume	Market Cap
DUN	Dundas Minerals	0.058	142%	23,418,487	$2,031,073
MTM	MTM Critical Metals	0.060	62%	15,905,196	$10,400,953
RGT	Argent Biopharma Ltd	0.390	53%	61,171	$12,343,429
RR1	Reach Resources Ltd	0.017	42%	5,477,710	$10,493,176
EDE	Eden Inv Ltd	0.002	33%	77,539	$6,162,314
HLX	Helix Resources	0.004	33%	55,888,650	$9,792,581
MEL	Metgasco Ltd	0.004	33%	130,000	$4,342,760
TYX	Tyranna Res Ltd	0.004	33%	150,174	$9,863,776
HUM	Humm Group Limited	0.680	31%	7,588,205	$255,513,099
AAU	Antilles Gold Ltd	0.005	29%	31,876,397	$5,114,997
IMI	Infinitymining	0.019	27%	49,229	$1,781,301
LRV	Larvottoresources	0.335	26%	19,698,808	$81,607,932
UNT	Unith Ltd	0.024	26%	7,702,604	$23,324,478
88E	88 Energy Ltd	0.003	25%	198,456,432	$57,867,624
CZN	Corazon Ltd	0.005	25%	350,000	$2,671,622
PKO	Peako Limited	0.005	25%	1,221,860	$2,736,476
PUR	Pursuit Minerals	0.003	25%	110,000	$7,270,800
TAS	Tasman Resources Ltd	0.005	25%	479,839	$3,220,998
AAM	Aumegametals	0.055	25%	1,918,623	$23,147,069
M2R	Miramar	0.011	22%	22,693,399	$3,553,016
HCT	Holista CollTech Ltd	0.017	21%	1,319,244	$3,903,201
KME	Kip McGrath Edu.Cntr	0.405	21%	270,543	$19,042,243
CTQ	Careteq Limited	0.018	20%	146,666	$3,556,781
AGC	AGC Ltd	0.360	20%	1,034,537	$76,979,167
CL8	Carly Holdings Ltd	0.012	20%	293,906	$2,683,704

Yesterday’s Small Cap Winners included:

Dundas Minerals (ASX:DUN) went flying on news that it has drilled into high grade gold while exploring at the Windanya and Baden-Powell projects, located adjacent the Goldfields Highway ~60km north of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, with the highlight being an assay of 9.5g/t Au between 146m and 147m, with drilling to be extended to further test the depth of mineralisation.

Argent Biopharma (ASX:RGT) was up on news that the company has sealed a strategic collaboration with SINTEF, one of Europe’s largest independent research organisations, to address the critical and unmet clinical challenge of chronic wound management, through nano-formulations as part of the Company’s ongoing expansion into new therapeutic areas.

Metgasco (ASX:MEL) was up on news that work at its 25% owned Odin and Vali gas field is set to recommence after bad weather in July hampered progress. The company says that two wells, Odin-1 and Vali-1 continue to perform steadily, averaging production rates of 1.4 MMscf/d and 1.1 MMscf/d respectively, and work is underway to bring Odin-2 to productivity.

Kip McGrath Education Centres (ASX:KME) was up on the heels of the company’s earnings report, which delivered happy-ish news to shareholders. The company says revenue was up 21.0% to $32.4 million, delivering an EBITDA of $6.5 million (down 2.7%) and an NPAT of $1.3 million, down 31.5% on pcp.

MTM Critical Metals (ASX:MTM) was moving higher on news that the company has achieved a significant breakthrough in the development of its Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology, through which it was able to convert SC6 spodumene concentrate directly to lithium chloride (LiCl) in a single, acid-free unit operation.

Reach Resources (ASX:RR1) was up on news that the company has completed a heritage survey at its 100% owned Wabli Creek Project, in the Gascoyne region of WA with the Wajarri people and the Burringurrah Aboriginal Corporation, which has provided clearance for ground disturbing activities including a drilling program over the main target areas of the project.

Humm (ASX:HUM) released its results for FY24, and investors were happy. The company reported statutory net profit (after tax) of $7.1 million was up 145%, with the second half statutory net profit (after tax) of $13.1 million representing a turnaround of $19.1 million from the first half loss of $6.0 million. The company says it’s in good shape, with $125.1 million in unrestricted cash and $0.7 billion of warehouse headroom.

Comms Group (ASX:CCG) was up on news that the company’s revenue guidance was exceeded for the year with total revenue of $55.5 million, an increase of 7% year-on-year. Importantly, the company says, that growth in revenue is all organic and over 90% of revenue is recurring. As a result, Comms Group has announced its inaugural dividend, declaring $0.0025 per share, fully franked.

Bioxyne (ASX:BXN) was flying high on news that the company has produced its first commercial run of edible cannabis products, namely THC gummies, to fulfil an order that the company had taken a deposit for. The company says it is now scaling up its gummy manufacturing capabilities from 2 million single doses per month to 6 million to meet anticipated market demand.

Larvotto Resources (ASX:LRV) has been on a tear since last week on the back of China deciding to restrict exports of highly sought-after antimony – of which it currently dominates production. A 5250m RC drilling program is about to kick off at the Clarks Gully deposit at the explorer’s Hillgrove gold-antimony project in NSW to increase confidence in the current 266,000t antimony (Sb) and 2g/t gold (10.6g/t AuEq) resource.

Infill drilling at Antilles Gold (ASX:AAU)’s Cuban operation (that’s right, an ASX junior in Cuba) has revealed multiple 20m intercepts with 1.2-1.7% copper at its Nueva Sabana gold-copper deposit at the El Pilar gold project – a 50:50 JV with the Cuban government. Best hits for shallow gold mineralisation showed 2m at 25.26g/t gold from 38.5m, including 1m at 45.39g/t; and 25m at 1.76% copper from 52m, including 4m at 5.56%.

Silver Mines (ASX:SVL) says despite the NSW courts upholding the appeal by Bingman Catchment Landcare Group against the company, which challenged an administrative process against the impacts of a power line for its Bowdens project, it’s progressing a new development application. Bowdens is a 396Moz silver equivalent deposit with exploration upside and SVL is proposing the development of an open cut mine feeding a new 2Mtpa plant that will produce 66Moz silver, 130,000t zinc and 95,000t of lead across a 16.5-year mine life.

And, Amplia Therapeutics (ASX:ATX) jumped as hight as 11% yesterday morn after the company provided an update on its ACCENT trial for advanced pancreatic cancer. The trial, which tests a drug called narmafotinib combined with standard chemotherapy, has just hit a major milestone. Recently, a fifth patient in the trial showed a confirmed partial response, meaning their tumour size decreased by at least 30% and remained stable over two months, with no new tumours appearing. The trial started with 26 patients, and the goal was to see at least six of them achieve this level of tumour reduction before expanding to a second group of 24 patients. With five patients now meeting this target, only one more confirmed response is needed to proceed with the next phase of recruitment.

YESTERDAY’S ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS

Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks:

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

Code	Name	Price	% Change	Volume	Market Cap
ECT	Env Clean Tech Ltd.	0.002	-33%	884,421	$9,515,431
GGE	Grand Gulf Energy	0.004	-33%	2,098,337	$12,571,482
LSR	Lodestar Minerals	0.001	-33%	500,000	$3,901,170
ADN	Andromeda Metals Ltd	0.012	-25%	35,015,248	$49,764,335
YAR	Yari Minerals Ltd	0.003	-25%	1,292,000	$1,929,431
GBE	Globe Metals &Mining	0.035	-22%	760,177	$31,115,047
PLG	Pearlgullironlimited	0.011	-21%	12,001	$2,863,585
MEG	Megado Minerals Ltd	0.008	-20%	300,000	$2,544,556
MCM	Mc Mining Ltd	0.057	-20%	207,866	$29,394,948
BPH	BPH Energy Ltd	0.018	-18%	19,678,283	$26,520,581
PEC	Perpetual Res Ltd	0.009	-18%	3,572,031	$7,040,335
AQN	Aquirianlimited	0.175	-17%	31,229	$16,941,534
JPR	Jupiter Energy	0.025	-17%	81,370	$38,209,566
PSL	Paterson Resources	0.020	-17%	613,306	$10,944,909
FME	Future Metals NL	0.017	-15%	21,836	$11,500,810
CDT	Castle Minerals	0.003	-14%	20,000	$4,647,392
N1H	N1 Holdings Ltd	0.120	-14%	4,170	$12,327,780
SHN	Sunshine Metals Ltd	0.012	-14%	908,018	$22,227,027
THB	Thunderbird Resource	0.025	-14%	262,119	$9,339,595
ADG	Adelong Gold Limited	0.004	-13%	2,098,793	$4,471,956
AIV	Activex Limited	0.007	-13%	15	$1,724,021
BLZ	Blaze Minerals Ltd	0.004	-13%	794	$2,514,233
LCL	LCL Resources Ltd	0.007	-13%	400,000	$7,719,024

TRADING HALTS

Zimi (ASX: ZMM) – pending an announcement by Zimi in connection with an accelerated renounceable entitlement offer.

At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.