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

Here’s everything you need to know before the ASX opens today.

Pic: Getty Images.

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Thursday, September 19, 2024 – an important date in the history of Australian iconography.

That’s because it was on this day in 1912 wattle was declared Australia's national flower and incorporated into the Commonwealth Coat of Arms.

What many people don’t realise is that wattle only narrowly beat close rivals for the job, the bindi and “a eucalypt tree on fire”, mostly because having the coat of arms featuring a burning tree would look dumb.

Plus, Australians had the forethought to realise the bindi wasn’t needed, since the role of PM would be played by a number of small pricks in the decades to come.

Luckily for you, you won’t have to petition the government to change the national anthem to a song about a heavily depressed sheep thief in order 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.

Before you go... it's worth noting that today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day, so be sure to annoy your co-workers with as many questions about illegally downloading copyright material as you can.

COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES

Gold: US$2,567.68/oz (-0.09%)

Silver: US$30.40/oz (-1.17%)

Nickel (3mth): US$15,950/t (+0.08%)

Copper (3mth): US$9.241/t (-0.25%)

Zinc: US$2,883/t (-0.92%)

Oil (WTI): US$69.60/bbl (-2.14%)

Oil (Brent): US$73.32/bbl (-0.62%)

Iron 62pc Fe: US$90.35/t (-2.02%)

AUD/USD: 0.6752 (+0.04%)

Bitcoin: US$60,373.00 (+0.11%)

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING

In this episode of Break it Down, host Sarah Hughan tells all on Torque Metals' (ASX:TOR) maiden mineral resource estimate for its Paris Gold project in Western Australia’s Goldfields.

In this episode of Break it Down, host Sarah Hughan tells all on Torque Metals’ maiden mineral resource estimate for its Paris Gold project in Western Australia’s Goldfields. https://t.co/WrNHeuBP9i @Torque_Metals #ASX $TOR

— Stockhead (@StockheadAU) September 18, 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
BPM	BPM Minerals	0.093	86%	16,519,391	$3,356,111
88E	88 Energy Ltd	0.003	67%	97,040,983	$43,400,718
MHK	Metalhawk.	0.145	61%	958,436	$9,060,300
AL8	Alderan Resource Ltd	0.003	50%	667,000	$2,545,723
IVX	Invion Ltd	0.003	50%	30,016,580	$13,533,183
LSR	Lodestar Minerals	0.002	50%	1,614,667	$3,372,329
ERL	Empire Resources	0.004	33%	1,246,262	$4,451,740
SMM	Somerset Minerals	0.004	33%	36,116	$3,092,996
LRL	Labyrinth Resources	0.024	31%	3,162,422	$24,199,008
SNX	Sierra Nevada Gold	0.052	30%	7,705,816	$4,918,653
AQI	Alicanto Min Ltd	0.022	29%	806,955	$12,718,430
EP1	E&P Financial Group	0.465	27%	29,036	$86,753,233
PEB	Pacific Edge	0.145	26%	513,642	$93,370,337
GTR	Gti Energy Ltd	0.005	25%	4,064,367	$10,199,788
LPD	Lepidico Ltd	0.003	25%	3,352	$17,178,250
NAE	New Age Exploration	0.005	25%	600,000	$7,175,596
PUR	Pursuit Minerals	0.003	25%	10,000,000	$7,270,800
TEG	Triangle Energy Ltd	0.005	25%	3,951,911	$8,320,536
VML	Vital Metals Limited	0.003	25%	25,338	$11,790,134
WML	Woomera Mining Ltd	0.003	25%	2,669	$3,036,278
DKM	Duketon Mining	0.120	20%	338,061	$12,241,158
AOA	Ausmon Resorces	0.003	20%	1,000,351	$2,647,498
ASR	Asra Minerals Ltd	0.006	20%	1,293,333	$11,157,790
AVE	Avecho Biotech Ltd	0.003	20%	200,000	$7,923,243

Yesterday’s Small Cap Winners included:

BPM Minerals (ASX:BPM) was moving fast on Wednesday morning on news of high-grade initial drilling results from the second phase of drilling at the Louie Prospect, part of the Claw Gold Project in WA, where initial assays have returned 30m at 1.84g/t Au (from 25m) including 5m @ 7.12 g/t Au (from 35m).

88 Energy (ASX:88E) was up on news of a Significant Contingent Resource Update for Project Phoenix, with the Gross Best Estimate (2C) Contingent Resources increasing by over 50%, with an additional gross 128 million barrels of oil equivalent (MMBOE), 81 MMBOE Net Entitlement to 88E, added from the SMD-B and SFS reservoirs, comprising 115 million barrels (MMbbl) of Gross recoverable hydrocarbon liquids (oil and natural-gas liquids), 73 MMbbl Net Entitlement to 88 Energy; and 68 billion cubic feet (BCF) of Gross recoverable gas, 43 BCF Net Entitlement to 88 Energy.

Medtech Invion (ASX:IVX) was on the rise after it received a report authored by Scendea detailing a recently completed investigator-led Phase II prostate cancer trial using the photosensitiser INV043. The trial results showed that INV043 administered sublingually (under the tongue) has a solid safety profile and demonstrated promising efficacy signals three months post treatment, including 40% of patients showing a positive response as measured by the RECIST 1.1 standard, with 10% showing a complete response.

Metal Hawk (ASX:MHK) was up on news of an exploration update, with the company announcing that a UAV magnetic survey has been completed at Leinster South over prospective stratigraphy along the eastern limb of the Lawlers Anticline. But also, and probably more pertinently, resources influencer Tim Goyder emerged as a significant shareholder thanks to an ASX notice that revealed the Chalice and Liontown founder had accrued a 5.43% stake.

Hiremii (ASX:HMI) was rising on news that the company has received commitments from new professional and sophisticated investors to raise $600,000 (before costs) via a placement at $0.06 per share, a 33% premium to the company’s last closing price. The funds raised will be utilised for the continued development of the Hiremii AI driven recruitment platform, expansion of recruitment service and general working capital.

Paradigm Biopharmaceuticals (ASX:PAR) said it had received a detailed set of comments from the FDA following the Type D meeting response submitted in April 2024, which will progress its Phase 3 (PARA_OA_012) trial of iPPS for knee OA.

PAR said the regulatory body confirmed that its Phase 2 clinical data (PARA_005 and PARA_OA_008) supported the safety and tolerability of the twice-weekly 2 mg/kg dose, and that the clinical monitoring for adrenal effects would continue. The company said the FDA has also provided guidance on the use of the selected dosing regimen of 2 mg/kg iPPS, administered twice weekly.

Earlier, Sierra Nevada Gold (ASX:SNX) reported staking two additional areas prospective for high-grade silver-gold-copper-antimony near its Blackhawk Project, Nevada USA. Initial sampling has returned 1,880g/t Ag from a quartz stockwork zone at Crystal Peak and 31.2g/t Au from G Mine area associated with copper up to 4.94%, while outcropping quartz stockwork zone at Crystal Peak returned high-grade silver results of 1,880 g/t Ag, 752g/t Ag, 485g/t Ag, 427g/t Ag, 142g/t Ag & 141g/t Ag within a 60m x 30m densely quartz veined area.

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
FAU	First Au Ltd	0.001	-33%	300,000	$2,717,990
BNL	Blue Star Helium Ltd	0.003	-25%	7,771,128	$9,724,426
TMX	Terrain Minerals	0.003	-25%	61,750	$7,064,115
SRN	Surefire Rescs NL	0.006	-21%	2,317,083	$13,904,155
ADD	Adavale Resource Ltd	0.002	-20%	14,179	$3,059,413
FGH	Foresta Group	0.004	-20%	6,474,086	$11,776,895
NAE	New Age Exploration	0.004	-20%	950,200	$8,969,495
RGL	Riversgold	0.004	-20%	1,818,731	$6,637,313
TX3	Trinex Minerals Ltd	0.002	-20%	2,800	$4,571,631
VML	Vital Metals Limited	0.002	-20%	620,413	$14,737,667
AAJ	Aruma Resources Ltd	0.017	-19%	2,491,736	$4,663,222
AD1	AD1 Holdings Limited	0.005	-17%	1,349,910	$6,584,090
AHN	Athena Resources	0.005	-17%	400,000	$6,422,805
ASR	Asra Minerals Ltd	0.005	-17%	857,017	$13,389,348
DTR	Dateline Resources	0.005	-17%	1,318,077	$14,968,079
LPD	Lepidico Ltd	0.003	-17%	4,597,002	$25,767,375
PUR	Pursuit Minerals	0.003	-17%	36,491,832	$10,906,200
RLC	Reedy Lagoon Corp.	0.003	-17%	3,954,144	$1,858,622
DAL	Dalaroometalsltd	0.028	-15%	31,500	$8,196,375
ASV	Assetvisonco	0.023	-15%	1,071,105	$19,881,762
TMK	TMK Energy Limited	0.003	-14%	5,296,818	$24,225,642
NWF	Newfield Resources	0.086	-14%	9	$94,070,292

TRADING HALTS

Develop Global (ASX:DVP) – pending an announcement in relation to the execution of a material contract.

Trigg Minerals (ASX:TMG) – pending an announcement regarding a proposed acquisition.

Anson Resources (ASX:ASN) – pending the release of an announcement regarding a capital raising.

EBR Systems (ASX:EBR) – pending an announcement concerning a proposed capital raising.

At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While Torque Metals was a Stockhead advertiser at the time of writing, it did not sponsor this article.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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