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

On Stockhead today, Dr Boreham’s End-of-Year ASX report card, who’s riding momentum into ’24, and biotechs with catalysts looking to pop.

But first, the day ahead.

COMMODITY/FOREX/CRYPTO MARKET PRICES

Gold: US$2,063.53 (+0.51%)

Silver: US$24.38 (+0.91%)

Nickel (3mth): US$16,854/t (+0.64%)

Copper (3mth): US$8,582.50/t (-0.13%)

Oil (WTI): US$73.68 (+0.17%)

Oil (Brent): US$79.30 (+0.32%)

Iron 62pc Fe: US$141/t (+0.11%)

AUD/USD: 0.6806 (+0.15%)

Bitcoin: US$42,659 (-1.99%)

WHAT GOT YOU TALKING OVER XMAS?

CNBC’s Jim Cramer has a bit of a rep for his not-always-on-the-money calls. So when he says ‘take profits’ …

https://t.co/nMRecSalhW pic.twitter.com/RyQUbAAZ5s

— Graham Stephan (@GrahamStephan) December 26, 2023

Keep up to date with Stockhead coverage or you’ll miss gold like that EVERY DAY. Follow our Twitter page.

Also, be sure to check in at preopen each day for ‘Market Highlights and 5 ASX Small Caps to Watch’, and 10.30am for our daily ‘10 at 10’ column — a live summary of winners & losers at the opening bell.

FRIDAY’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 Company Price % Volume Market Cap AGR Aguia Res Ltd 0.018 100% 20,232,343 $4,549,328 MIL Millennium Grp Ltd 1.075 73% 3,540,706 $29,241,221 AYM Australia United Min 0.003 50% 3,741,991 $3,685,155 NGY Nuenergy Gas Ltd 0.03 36% 382,186 $32,581,021 AHN Athena Resources 0.004 33% 952,124 $3,211,403 AVW Avira Resources Ltd 0.002 33% 80,305 $3,200,685 LSR Lodestar Minerals 0.004 33% 1,292,718 $6,070,192 ENV Enova Mining Limited 0.017 31% 31,507,470 $8,332,081 G6M Group 6 Metals Ltd 0.08 27% 2,731,942 $63,215,757 ICN Icon Energy Limited 0.005 25% 2,240,021 $3,072,055 JAY Jayride Group 0.04 25% 3,838 $7,501,092 AWJ Auric Mining 0.099 24% 2,126,388 $10,468,767 FLX Felix Group 0.16 23% 83,240 $26,584,963 A2B A2B Australia Ltd 2.15 20% 1,810,630 $218,279,209 CUS Coppersearchlimited 0.12 20% 108,155 $9,228,541 CTO Citigold Corp Ltd 0.006 20% 3,040,697 $14,368,295 FHS Freehill Mining Ltd. 0.006 20% 14,666,073 $14,249,172 ADR Adherium Ltd 0.067 20% 300,812 $18,672,639 NYR Nyrada Inc. 0.025 19% 329,786 $3,276,183 HAL Halo Technologies 0.19 19% 179,900 $20,719,234 SLM Solismineralsltd 0.16 19% 298,933 $10,597,055 SER Strategic Energy 0.013 18% 648,620 $5,343,967 GTGDA Genetic Technologies 0.175 17% 15,606 $17,312,487 ADY Admiralty Resources. 0.007 17% 19,100 $7,821,475 CCO The Calmer Co Int 0.007 17% 2,857,843 $5,144,971

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Phosphate co Aguia Resources (ASX:AGR) wants to acquire private South American gold hunter Andean Mining and its portfolio of advanced projects in an all share offer.

Far East Capital analyst and AGR/Andean chair Warwick Grigor calls the deal “a game changer”.

“The main asset of Andean, the Santa Barbara gold mine, stands out for the very high-grade gold that will make it one of the lowest cost gold mines in the world,” he says.

Cleaning and security services stock Millennium Group (ASX:MIL) could be acquired by SoftBank Robotics Singapore for $1.15/sh – a big 85% premium to the last closing price.

The MIL board recommends the deal.

Tassie tungsten play Group 6 Metals (ASX:G6M) has overcome processing plant dramas to achieve a new daily ore processing record — 1,000t of high-grade ore over 24 hours — marking a steady climb towards nameplate production capacity.

The company will also get a $14.1m R&D tax refund in January.

A2B (ASX:A2B) will declare a 60c/sh divvy – above previous guidance — after raising $105m via the sale of some properties.

The board have also given the thumbs up to a $1.45/sh acquisition of A2B by shareholder ComfortDelGro Corporation. This cash offer is on top of the 60c divvy.

FRIDAY’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 Company Price % Volume Market Cap KNM Kneomedia Limited 0.002 -33% 1,200,013 $4,599,814 GES Genesis Resources 0.005 -29% 36,293 $5,479,889 FAU First Au Ltd 0.003 -25% 668,875 $6,647,973 ME1 Melodiol Glb Health 0.0015 -25% 2,813,889 $9,457,648 NVQ Noviqtech Limited 0.003 -25% 32,969 $5,237,781 PXX Polarx Limited 0.006 -25% 2,241,789 $13,116,934 CXO Core Lithium 0.2625 -20% 72,760,528 $705,188,730 RC1 Redcastle Resources 0.012 -20% 936,154 $4,924,262 CGO CPT Global Limited 0.16 -20% 60,896 $8,379,473 ECT Env Clean Tech Ltd. 0.005 -17% 12,541 $17,185,862 RIL Redivium Limited 0.005 -17% 127,107 $16,385,129 SFG Seafarms Group Ltd 0.005 -17% 1,035,515 $29,019,595 PLG Pearlgullironlimited 0.031 -16% 338,854 $7,568,046 POD Podium Minerals 0.028 -15% 3,927,774 $12,023,108 BFC Beston Global Ltd 0.0085 -15% 4,317,428 $19,970,469 AML Aeon Metals Ltd. 0.009 -14% 7,000 $11,512,207 COD Coda Minerals Ltd 0.15 -14% 34,649 $24,914,990 ATH Alterity Therap Ltd 0.006 -14% 1,628,571 $19,616,523 CCZ Castillo Copper Ltd 0.006 -14% 61,000 $9,096,537 ION Iondrive Limited 0.012 -14% 43,500 $6,807,994 PRX Prodigy Gold NL 0.006 -14% 2,000 $12,257,755 PUA Peak Minerals Ltd 0.003 -14% 200,000 $3,644,818 VMS Venture Minerals 0.006 -14% 5,106,909 $13,650,091 VKA Viking Mines Ltd 0.013 -13% 500,000 $15,378,876 5EA 5Eadvanced 0.2 -13% 292,005 $70,761,839

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Redcastle Resources (ASX:RC1) reported a handful of high grade but thin (~1m) gold intercepts from the historical Queen Alexandra prospect, part of its namesake project in WA.

High cost lithium miner Core (ASX:CXO) says plummeting spodumene prices have prompted the dreaded “strategic review” of operations at the Finniss project in the NT.

“The price of spodumene concentrate has declined more than 80% year to date, including by more than 40% since the end of October 2023,” it says.

“The review will prioritise preserving business value and future options.

“Given the difficulties associated with mining and construction in the wet season and the focus on reducing expenditure, BP33 [underground mine] early works have been suspended.”

READ: Lithium players survive contagion in Core fallout

TRADING HALTS

Orion Equities (ASX:OEQ) – company’s entitlement to a royalty on production from the Paulsens East iron ore project owned by Strike Resources (ASX:SRK)

Strike Resources (ASX:SRK) – corporate transaction over Paulsens East iron ore project and Apurimac iron ore project

European Lithium (ASX:EUR) – effectiveness of the NASDAQ merger transaction

Novatti (ASX:NOV) – capital raising

Aurumin (ASX:AUN) – transaction with Beacon Minerals involving the sale Mt Dimer mining tenements, and transactions associated with the Convertible Note

Black Mountain Energy (ASX:BME) – application to be removed from the official list of the ASX

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