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

On Stockhead today, eight stocks to kick off your lithium portfolio, can gold break through $2K, and a new 3D imager enters the ASX.

But first…

The day ahead

The All Ordinaries index of ASX shares managed to stay over 7,000 points in Thursday trade, but it finished 11 points lower on day at 7,122.

Trading volumes were lower in regional stock markets in Asia because of the Lunar New Year holiday.

Gold miner Newcrest (ASX:NCM) was one of the ASX market’s standout performers Thursday, rising 4 per cent on an increased dividend and well-received first half-year results.

And another rise in iron ore prices to back over $US160 per tonne buoyed producers of the metal ore.

TRADING HALTS

The following companies are in trading halts and are expected to exit over the next two trading days:

FRIDAY

Sunshine Gold (ASX:SHN) – acquisition
EcoGraf (ASX:EGR) – capital raising
Challenger Exploration (ASX:CEL) – assay results
88 Energy (ASX:88E) – capital raising & board changes
Pilot Energy (ASX:PGY) – acquisition
Tyranna Resources (ASX:TYX) – price query

MONDAY

Silver Mines (ASX:SVL) – capital raising
Consolidated Zinc (ASX:CZL) – capital raising
Nearmap (ASX:NEA) – short seller response

MARKETS

Gold: $US1,823.79 ($2,352.56) (-1.00%)

Silver: $US26.99 ($34.82) (0.00%)

Oil (WTI): $US57.91 (-1.31%)

Oil (Brent): $US60.82 (-1.06%)

Coal: $US81.50 (-0.49%)

Iron 62pc Fe: $US160.08 (+0.21%)

AUD/USD: $US0.7752 (+0.40%)

Bitcoin: $US48,204.31 (+7.07%)

What got you talking yesterday

Stockhead readers were enamoured to learn more about the strong performance of cannabis stocks on the ASX, and to get more detail on the top performing resources stocks.

They also wanted to know which ASX stocks currently have the most short trading positions against them.

(Hint, think travel and tourism).

To keep up to date with Stockhead coverage, follow our Twitter page or sign up to our members-only Facebook group here.

Also, be sure to check in at 10.20am each day for our daily 10 at 10 column — a live summary of winners & losers at the opening bell.

Yesterday’s winners

Stocks highlighted in yellow made market moving announcements

Code	Company	Price	%	Volume
BD1	Bard1 Life Sciences	1.6	114	17503826
TMH	The Market Herald	0.78	86	448015
GGX	Gas2Grid	0.013	63	94713615
A3D	Aurora Labs	0.21	35	7972509
JXT	Jaxstaltd	0.105	35	4720629
PCL	Pancontinental Oil	0.002	33	2180000
LCT	Living Cell Tech.	0.024	33	8577458
GLL	Galilee Energy	0.81	32	3252536
IOU	Ioupay	0.285	30	60351918
EVZ	EVZ	0.135	29	483931
PRM	Prominence Energy NL	0.015	25	55174429
BPM	BPM Minerals	0.325	25	1384979
WOO	Wooboard Tech	0.005	25	274192706
DM1	Desert Metals	0.62	24	465206
N1H	N1 Holdings	0.105	24	33775
MYQ	Myfiziq	1.76	23	2654197
MNB	Minbos Resources	0.09	20	11670945
EN1	Engage:Bdr	0.006	20	55575999
FFG	Fatfish Group	0.043	19	22931485
AQC	Auspaccoal	0.155	19	15524
AQD	Ausquest	0.026	18	7578323
GMR	Golden Rim Resources	0.013	18	54831910

Yesterday’s losers

Stocks highlighted in yellow made market moving announcements

Code	Company	Price	%	Volume
TYX	Tyranna Res	0.007	-33	32044151
ANL	Amani Gold	0.001	-33	16328556
ANW	Aus Tin Mining	0.001	-33	15953136
CLZ	Classic Min	0.001	-33	5661458
VTG	Vita Group	0.815	-28	7902255
XST	Xstate Resources	0.016	-24	197266357
PIN	Pinchme.Com	0.033	-23	4000
ARO	Astro Resources NL	0.004	-20	380050
BPH	BPH Energy	0.12	-17	35710214
EWC	Energy World Corpor.	0.12	-17	2308643
BRK	Brookside Energy	0.01	-17	71650106
SHE	Stonehorse Energy	0.021	-16	5217299
MRL	Mayur Resources	0.295	-16	55000
KTE	K2 Energy	0.059	-16	4768557
RGI	Roto-Gro Intl	0.06	-15	12111098
JHL	Jayex Healthcare	0.045	-15	703073
TKL	Traka Resources	0.017	-15	2080470
ALT	Analytica	0.003	-14	400000
TMK	Tamaska Oil Gas	0.012	-14	3341246
HWH	Houston We Have	0.056	-14	1832843
VTI	Vision Tech	0.019	14	1602401