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

On Stockhead today, video games stocks are finally profitable, tech stocks are back and even cash is king again.

But first … the day ahead.

Local shares are set to open higher today. At 8am AEDT, the ASX 200 August futures contract is pointing up by 1%.

TRADING HALTS

The following companies went into trading halts today and are expected out in the next few days:

MOQ (ASX:MOQ) – pending an announcement around the scheme of arrangement with Atturra (ASX:ATA) who’re also in a trading halt.

Calidus Resources (ASX:CAI) – pending a capital raising to fund ongoing lithium and gold exploration, plant expansion and general working capital.

Gratifii (ASX:GTI) – pending an announcement around a material acquisition and capital raise.

Austral Resources (ASX:AR1) – pending an announcement around a share placement.

88 Energy (ASX:88E) – pending a capital raising.

COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES

Gold: $US1,792.20 (-0.11%)

Silver: $US20.59 (+0.42%)

Nickel (3mth): $US22,415/t (+3.96%)

Copper (3mth): $US8,077.50/t (+1.18%)

Lithium Carbonate, China (Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, June 30): $US69,750/t

Lithium Hydroxide, China (Benchmark Minerals Intelligence, June 30): $US70,875/t

Oil (WTI): $US91.40 (+1.00%)

Oil (Brent): $US97.16 (+0.88%)

Iron 62pc Fe: $US109.63 (-0.22%)

AUD/USD: 0.7079 (+0.14%)

Bitcoin: $US23,853 (+3.29%)

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING YESTERDAY?

Why aren’t food stocks on the rise?

– Food prices around the world continue to surge on the back of a bleak global economic outlook
– How long will this last and why aren’t food stocks soaring in line with prices? https://t.co/Xh2S54RL8I $PHO $MTS $GNC

— Stockhead (@StockheadAU) August 10, 2022

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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.

YESTERDAY’s BIGGEST SMALL CAP WINNERS

(Stocks highlighted in yellow rose after making announcements during the trading day).

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort.

Consumer and insurance services firm iSelect (ASX:ISU) set the day on fire yesterday by entering into a Scheme Implementation Agreement (SIA) with Innovation Holdings Australia (IHA).

On the back of the news, iSelect’s share price sky-rocketed – well over 75%.

IHA is ISU’s biggest shareholder and after sitting on a 26% stake, decided it was time to go the full house, snapping up 100% of the company instead.

Up 30% was Meeka Metals (ASX:MEK) which wandered into an exceptionally high-grade gold situation after combing through a recent drill program at St Anne’s prospect within its Murchison gold project in WA.

MEK says assays from 38 holes drilled in the area and said the new results showed broad zones of high-grade gold at the northern end of St Anne’s.

Shallow aircore drilling has turned up highlights such as 32m @ 16.07g/t Au from 48m including 16m @ 28.59g/t Au, and 20m @ 20.74g/t Au from 48m including 16m @ 24.86g/t Au.

YESTERDAY’S BIGGEST SMALL CAP LOSERS

(Stocks highlighted in yellow fell after making announcements during the trading day).

Scroll or swipe to reveal table. Click headings to sort.