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

Good morning, and Happy Monday! Here’s everything you need to know before the ASX  explodes into action.

Pic: Getty Images

Good morning everyone, and welcome to Monday, October 14, 2024 – an important date in the history of blowing stuff up.

That’s because this date is home to an extraordinary number of nuclear bomb tests over several decades, which are (in order):

1. 1958 - Great Britain performs nuclear test at Emu Field, Australia
2. 1958 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
3. 1962 - USSR performs nuclear test in northeast Kazakhstan
4. 1968 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya
5. 1970 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site
6. 1970 - USSR performs nuclear test at Novaya Zemlya
7. 1978 - China performs nuclear test at Lop Nor, PRC

I don’t know if that’s just a weird coincidence or what, but if it’s a statistical fluke I’d be very surprised.

Luckily for you, you won’t have to detonate a ridiculously large explosive device 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.

COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES

Gold: US$2,656.99/oz (+0.91%)

Silver: US$31.55/oz (+1.09%)

Iron Ore: US$105.95/t (+1.49%)

Nickel (3mth): US$17,612/t (+2.71%)

Copper (3mth): US$9,596/t (+0.94%)

Zinc: US$3,108/t (+3.03%)

Oil (WTI): US$75.50/bbl (-0.07%)

Oil (Brent): US$78.79/bbl (-0.64%)

AUD/USD: 0.6751 (+0.16%)

Bitcoin: US$62,638.85 (+3.37%)

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING

Gold forecasts continue to climb – with Argonaut and BMI raising this week – as analysts lag behind aggressive movements in gold prices.

Gold forecasts continue to climb – with Argonaut and BMI raising this week – as analysts lag behind aggressive movements in gold prices. $RRL $PRU $NEM $AZY -> https://t.co/4s7qjjX5BD pic.twitter.com/PQDqHrzJJp

— Stockhead (@StockheadAU) October 11, 2024

FRIDAY’S ASX SMALL CAP LEADERS

Here are the best-performing ASX small cap stocks:

Code	Name	Price	% Change	Volume	Market Cap
IR1	Iris Metals	0.300	67%	1,854,639	$25,039,797
NAG	Nagambie Resources	0.020	43%	7,422,844	$11,152,899
CSS	Clean Seas Ltd	0.220	38%	274,590	$32,210,125
NSM	Northstaw	0.019	36%	186,541	$2,250,861
CRB	Carbine Resources	0.004	33%	234,900	$1,655,213
EWC	Energy World Corpor.	0.012	33%	2,354,687	$27,710,291
88E	88 Energy Ltd	0.003	25%	213,473	$57,867,624
BYH	Bryah Resources Ltd	0.005	25%	379,173	$2,013,147
PUA	Peak Minerals Ltd	0.003	25%	4,000,000	$4,994,221
VML	Vital Metals Limited	0.003	25%	52,794	$11,790,134
CC9	Chariot Corporation	0.240	23%	606,503	$17,477,433
TGH	Terragen	0.049	23%	208,745	$14,763,245
LU7	Lithium Universe Ltd	0.017	21%	4,786,508	$8,314,790
1CG	One Click Group Ltd	0.012	20%	809,674	$7,747,935
AD1	AD1 Holdings Limited	0.006	20%	483,368	$5,486,742
FIN	FIN Resources Ltd	0.006	20%	81,816	$3,246,344
PUR	Pursuit Minerals	0.003	20%	100,000	$9,088,500
NIM	Nimyresourceslimited	0.071	18%	371,551	$10,410,816
FFG	Fatfish Group	0.013	18%	7,826,624	$15,472,303
PPY	Papyrus Australia	0.013	18%	762,374	$5,419,619
RMI	Resource Mining Corp	0.014	17%	50,000	$7,828,174
AUN	Aurumin	0.058	16%	1,626,623	$22,787,162
MTM	MTM Critical Metals	0.080	16%	9,439,905	$19,396,373

Friday’s small cap winners included:

Iris Metals (ASX:IR1) rose sharply on news that the company has successfully converted its spodumene concentrate to 99.5% battery grade lithium carbonate, using ore entirely sourced from its Beecher Project in South Dakota, USA. The conversion to lithium carbonate was done in the US, using “a domestic process and IP, marking a significant new capability in America’s efforts to secure domestic supply chains of critical minerals and IRIS’ role in that,” the company says.

Nagambie Resources (ASX:NAG) said it is set to restart diamond drilling at its high-grade gold-antimony orebody at the Nagambie Mine in early November. The company has secured a drilling rig to expand its JORC Resource, which currently stands at 415,000 tonnes, with an average grade of 3.6 g/t gold and 4.3% antimony. Chairman Kevin Perrin noted that both gold and antimony prices are at record highs, making the mine a prime target for exploration. The planned construction of a new antimony-sulphide processing plant will further enhance the project’s potential value.

Energy World Corporation (ASX:EWC) was up on news that it has agreed to sell its 51% stake in the Sengkang Production Sharing Contract (PSC) in Indonesia to PT EMP Energi Jaya for $35 million. This sale includes rights to explore and produce gas in the area, which has existing gas fields and significant potential.

FRIDAY’S ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS

Here are the worst-performing ASX small cap stocks:

Code	Name	Price	% Change	Volume	Market Cap
GMN	Gold Mountain Ltd	0.002	-33%	6,136,675	$11,722,420
RNE	Renu Energy Ltd	0.001	-33%	329,120	$1,267,868
NOV	Novatti Group Ltd	0.043	-26%	3,842,270	$20,811,401
MRQ	Mrg Metals Limited	0.003	-25%	5,165,077	$10,846,075
EXL	Elixinol Wellness	0.004	-20%	8,718,818	$7,800,356
TMK	TMK Energy Limited	0.002	-20%	633,034	$18,979,030
ERA	Energy Resources	0.009	-18%	2,761,072	$243,631,291
WYX	Western Yilgarn NL	0.027	-18%	24,050	$3,301,965
HXL	Hexima	0.014	-18%	330,902	$2,839,674
FHS	Freehill Mining Ltd.	0.005	-17%	2,600,000	$18,471,167
LPD	Lepidico Ltd	0.003	-17%	932,570	$25,767,375
SFG	Seafarms Group Ltd	0.003	-17%	353,529	$14,509,798
WML	Woomera Mining Ltd	0.003	-17%	11,500	$6,165,223
CGO	CPT Global Limited	0.071	-15%	1,200	$3,519,379
BXN	Bioxyne Ltd	0.011	-15%	4,495,451	$26,606,390
EXT	Excite Technology	0.011	-15%	12,025,237	$19,171,318
IRX	Inhalerx Limited	0.022	-15%	110,000	$5,023,506
COY	Coppermoly Limited	0.009	-15%	114,522	$7,076,574
HOR	Horseshoe Metals Ltd	0.006	-14%	250,000	$4,642,972
QXR	Qx Resources Limited	0.006	-14%	124,884	$7,770,545
NIS	Nickelsearch	0.016	-14%	4,776,602	$4,512,837

TRADING HALTS

Income Asset Management Group (ASX:IAM) – requested in connection with a capital raising.

Mayur Resources (ASX:MRL) – pending an announcement in relation to the finalisation of the funding structure for the Central Lime Project.

Embark Education Group (ASX:EVO) – ending the release of an ASX announcement regarding a proposed capital raise.

African Gold (ASX:A1G) – pending an announcement regarding exploration results.

Kincora Copper (ASX:KCC) – pending an announcement in connection with a capital raise.

Appen (ASX:APX) – pending an announcement to ASX in connection with a proposed capital raising.

Nanoveu (ASX:NVU) – pending an announcement regarding a material acquisition.

Chilwa Minerals (ASX:CHW) – pending the release of an announcement relating to a capital raising.

Respiri (ASX:RSH) –  pending an announcement regarding finalisation of a Strategic Fund Investment into the company.

Dubber Corp (ASX:DUB) – pending an announcement by the Company in relation to a capital raising.

At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. 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