Ardent Leisure Group went into a trading halt on Tuesday after its shares jumped 29 per cent, pending an announcement that sources said related to support for the troubled Dreamworld theme park it was due to receive from the Queensland government in a stimulus package.

But Ardent could also be preparing to give further details about its US operations as the COVID-19 pandemic makes inroads into the market that as recently as last month it said was unlikely to be affected by what was widely regarded as a disease affecting overseas countries, mainly just China.