November was a record-breaking month for global markets.

The US election was held. Trump lost. Then, over a magical two week period, a number of vaccines were shown to work effectively against COVID-19.

There were winners everywhere.

Well, almost everywhere.

Gold – a hedge against economic volatility — slumped to five-month lows as the ASX energy sector bounced back with a 24 per cent gain.

China’s new construction boom sent prices for nickel to one-year highs, iron ore to six-year highs, and copper to seven-year highs.

In November, the US Dow Jones index rose by 11.8 per cent (its best gain since January 1987), the S&P 500 index gained 10.8 per cent and the Nasdaq index rose by 11.8 per cent.

In Europe, the German Dax index rose by 15 per cent and the UK FTSE lifted 12.4 per cent.

In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei index soared by 17.2 per cent, while Australia’s ASX 200 index gained 10 per cent — its best performance since March 1988. Whew.

HERE’S THE TOP 50 SMALL CAPS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER >>>

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

CODE COMPANY MONTHLY RETURN % PRICE MARKET CAP SECTOR
NRX Noronex 222 0.145 $ 17,378,460.25 Energy
MSE Metalsearch 213 0.047 $ 64,815,405.65 Resources
SKN Skin Elements 196 0.071 $ 23,129,501.87 Consumer
RHY Rhythm Biosciences 180 0.56 $ 112,837,654.16 Health
ANX Anax Metals 174 0.067 $ 18,592,930.54 Resources
GLN Galan Lithium 160 0.325 $ 67,569,050.90 Resources
AZS Azure Minerals 150 0.9 $ 219,863,355.30 Resources
NSX NSX Limited 148 0.36 $ 92,630,134.08 Financial
ATS Australis Oil & Gas 135 0.061 $ 60,143,784.36 Energy
PPY Papyrus Australia 130 0.062 $ 22,754,661.29 Resources
SPN Sparc Tech 115 0.43 $ 23,121,874.86 Energy
IMU Imugene 114 0.12 $ 539,018,840.16 Health
TLX Telix Pharmaceutical 114 3.58 $ 987,514,438.76 Health
EMN Euromanganese 113 0.48 $ 73,450,919.52 Resources
RAC Race Oncology 111 2.08 $ 266,570,460.00 Health
LRS Latin Resources 111 0.038 $ 38,301,128.00 Resources
CMD Cassius Mining 110 0.021 $ 6,032,174.19 Resources
AAP Australian Agri 107 0.029 $ 8,836,786.27 Consumer
APH AP Hemp 106 0.35 $ 19,629,797.60 Consumer
MCM MC Mining 105 0.205 $ 31,656,008.78 Energy
MEP Minotaur Exploration 103 0.16 $ 79,570,596.16 Resources
BAS Bass Oil 100 0.002 $ 6,684,280.19 Energy
AV1 Adveritas 98 0.19 $ 67,127,584.44 Tech
IBX Imagion Biosys 97 0.13 $ 129,096,404.97 Health
IPD ImpediMed B31 96 0.165 $ 177,638,351.55 Health
SYR Syrah Resources 96 0.89 $ 369,223,898.57 Resources
JHC Japara Healthcare 95 0.75 $ 200,435,496.00 Health
WCG Webcentral Group 94 0.3 $ 42,135,235.20 Tech
RVS Revasum 93 0.435 $ 14,446,219.94 Tech
AGR Aguia Resources 93 0.087 $ 24,130,765.18 Resources
CGN Crater Gold Mining 91 0.021 $ 25,777,413.21 Resources
EVO Evolve Education 89 0.17 $ 190,162,678.81 Consumer
VUL Vulcan Energy 87 2.32 $ 177,304,480.40 Resources
DCC Digitalx 85 0.1 $ 61,717,876.30 Tech
IBG Ironbark Zinc 85 0.024 $ 22,089,819.48 Resources
KKO Kinetiko Energy 83 0.165 $ 89,877,852.24 Energy
SHK Stone Resources 82 0.06 $ 26,145,045.84 Resources
MX1 Micro-X 81 0.335 $ 120,379,487.26 Health
ACP Audalia Resources 80 0.027 $ 18,147,677.16 Resources
MAN Mandrake Resources 79 0.1 $ 30,292,411.60 Resources
FGR First Graphene 79 0.25 $ 131,423,496.25 Resources
HLO Helloworld Travel 78 3.05 $ 472,834,927.25 Consumer
RCL Readcloud 76 0.705 $ 76,237,052.42 Tech
MEA McGrath 75 0.455 $ 75,916,720.43 Property
MPR Mpower Group 75 0.049 $ 7,783,474.38 Financial
PIN Pinchme.Com 75 0.07 $ 9,898,475.65 Tech
AUH Austchina Holdings 75 0.007 $ 11,438,870.53 Energy
E25 Element 25 75 1.46 $ 193,281,770.04 Resources
KZA Kazia Therapeutics 75 1.38 $ 174,109,444.32 Health
TLG Talga Group 74 1.95 $ 517,269,585.30 Resources
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Hey small caps — want easy gains? Just change your name and pick up a new project.

It worked for former coal play and #1 mover Lustrum, which reskinned and relisted as copper explorer Noronex (ASX:NRX).

It was a savvy move, and great timing. The stock rode positive investor sentiment – sparked by a surging copper price — to a 222 per cent gain.

#2 spot also goes to a rejuvenated small cap called Metalsearch, which changed its name to Zeotech (ASX:ZEO) to target the $2.6 billion global zeolite market.

No one knows what a zeolite is but it doesn’t matter. The stock was up 213 per cent for the month.

#5 went to newly relisted Pilbara explorer Anax (ASX:ANX) – formerly Aurora Minerals – which intersected significant near surface copper, zinc and lead sulphides at the Whim Creek farm-in.

Skin Elements (ASX:SKN) was the biggest gainer on no news. In a response to an ASX price query, the company noted that it had recently submitted an application for regulatory approval for its ‘Invisi Shield’ product as a natural disinfectant product.

And poo tester Rhythm Biosciences (ASX:RHY) got the runs after completing a prototype of its ColoSTAT rapid blood test to screen for colorectal cancer — a test the company hopes will replace the current faecal tests.