The ASX 200 traded sideways on Tuesday, closing the day flattish as gains in healthcare stocks were offset by losses in other sectors.<\/p>\n
Source: Market Index<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Healthcare gained after the Albanese government approved an increase in private heath insurance premiums of 3.03%, effective April 1. This will impact around 15 million Aussies who are paying for private health insurance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Stocks in the nation\u2019s largest private health funds, Medibank Private (ASX:MPL)<\/a><\/strong> and NIB Holdings (ASX:NHF)<\/a> <\/strong>jumped by 3% each.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Gold stocks also outperformed today as the shiny metal continues to edge toward all time highs,\u00a0 <\/span>amid expectations that\u00a0 <\/span>rate cuts in the US would come sooner than expected.<\/p>\n Iron ore heavyweights BHP (AX:BHP) <\/a>and\u00a0 <\/span>Fortescue (ASX:FMG)<\/a>as iron ore prices climbed by 2% overnight.<\/p>\n Meanwhile,\u00a0 <\/span>Australia\u2019s current account has returned to surplus. Data released by the ABS today showed that the ccurrent account balance increased by $10.5 billion to a surplus of $11.8 billion (seasonally adjusted, current prices) in the December quarter.<\/p>\n The market\u2019s focus now turn towards the GDP figures, which will be released tomorrow.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Bitcoin continues to rise and is trading at US$68,300 at this time of writing.<\/p>\n \u201cAs we approach the halving\u00a0 <\/span>every four years, there\u2019s a run-up. But you also have these ETFs which have recently been approved and a lot of inflows coming from that,\u201d said Ian Rodgers of Ledger.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In China, the government has today set\u00a0 <\/span>an ambitious 5% growth target despite a challenging economy hampered by a property slump.<\/p>\n Premier Li Qiang acknowledged it\u2019s now going to be\u00a0 <\/span>easy\u00a0 <\/span>to realise those targets, and that \u201cjoint efforts from all fronts\u201d are needed.<\/p>\n The announcement came as investors called for stronger action from the world\u2019s second-largest economy to shore up the economy.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Coles Group (ASX:COL)<\/a> is paying 36 cents fully franked \u00a0<\/p>\n Today\u2019s best performing small cap stocks:<\/p>\n Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort:<\/p>\n Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap JAV Javelin Minerals Ltd 0.20 100.00 256,000 $2,176,231 PRX Prodigy Gold NL 0.50 66.67 2,100,077 $5,253,323 AUQ Alara Resources Ltd 5.10 37.84 6,519,005 $26,569,239 PGC Paragon Care Limited 28.00 36.59 6,670,545 $136,912,977 AUH Austchina Holdings 0.40 33.33 9,634,087 $6,233,651 AUK Aumake Limited 0.40 33.33 1,785,300 $5,743,220 TRE Toubani Res Ltd 14.00 33.33 118,995 $14,055,895 DYM Dynamicmetalslimited 21.00 31.25 8,417,482 $5,760,000 FIN FIN Resources Ltd 1.90 26.67 720,944 $9,739,031 ARD Argent Minerals 1.20 26.32 3,519,273 $12,271,711 VBS Vectus Biosystems 25.00 25.00 10,000 $10,641,872 AL8 Alderan Resource Ltd 0.50 25.00 6,340,936 $4,427,445 EDE Eden Inv Ltd 0.25 25.00 1,000,000 $7,356,542 PUA Peak Minerals Ltd 0.25 25.00 200,448 $2,082,753 AI1 Adisyn Ltd 2.60 23.81 669,517 $3,703,341 WWI West Wits Mining Ltd 1.60 23.08 10,582,329 $31,595,091 CYL Catalyst Metals 60.50 21.00 766,915 $110,078,772 NHE Nobleheliumlimited 10.50 20.69 2,632,009 $31,848,243 FTC Fintech Chain Ltd 2.40 20.00 80,734 $13,015,392 GCM Green Critical Min 0.60 20.00 526,170 $5,682,925 AAR Astral Resources NL 6.10 19.61 601,898 $40,447,974 HTA Hutchison 3.10 19.23 28,554 $352,885,223 AWJ Auric Mining 16.50 17.86 3,454,323 $18,320,343 AVE Avecho Biotech Ltd 0.35 16.67 17,125 $9,507,891 TAR Taruga Minerals 0.70 16.67 449,969 $4,236,161 <\/p>\n WordPress Table Plugin<\/a><\/p>\n Alara Resources (ASX:AUQ)<\/a> has completed the commissioning and the commencement of concentrate production at its Wash-hi \u2013 Majaza Mine and copper concentrate plant in Oman.<\/p>\n AUQ says production will ramp up to full capacity over the next two to three months.<\/p>\n The sale of the first shipment \u2013 approximately 1000 dry metric tons of copper concentrate \u2013 to Trafigura is expected in April 2024.<\/p>\n Dynamic Metals (ASX:DYM)<\/a> has entered a lucrative farm-in and joint venture agreement with Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN)<\/a> over the lithium rights to its Widgiemooltha project in the WA Goldfields. The Chris Ellison-company is eligible to earn up to 80% of the tenements via a total exploration spend of $30 million, through to a decision to mine.<\/p>\n Fin Resources (ASX:FIN)<\/a> has been buoyed by a review of work carried out historically on its Ross project in Quebec which identified highly anomalous uranium<\/a> in soil sampling, including up to 1,486ppm U3O8 associated with low thorium.<\/p>\n Noble Helium (ASX:NHE)<\/a>\u00a0 says its plans to monetise the helium potential of its North Rukwa project in Tanzania have received a major boost after further detailed analysis and integration of well data indicates the probable free gas cap at Mbelele to be six times larger than originally mapped.<\/p>\n Telix Pharma (ASX:TLX)<\/a><\/strong> rose 2% after proposing to acquire Canada-based diagnostic imaging isotope specialist ARTMS for $US42.5M worth of TLX shares upfront, and a further $US15m in earnouts.<\/p>\n And Nova Eye Medical (ASX:EYE)<\/a> has reported a record sales month for February<\/a> with US$0.99 million (A$1.52 million) in the bank following improved uptake of its iTrack Advance glaucoma surgical devices.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Today\u2019s best performing small cap stocks:<\/p>\n Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort:<\/p>\n Code Name Price % Change Volume Market Cap MSG Mcs Services Limited 0.40 -55.56 3,730,162 $1,782,897 1MC Morella Corporation 0.30 -25.00 723,890 $24,715,198 AHN Athena Resources 0.30 -25.00 1,703,597 $4,281,870 IS3 I Synergy Group Ltd 0.60 -25.00 1,132,723 $2,432,643 MRQ Mrg Metals Limited 0.15 -25.00 89,550 $4,942,682 OPN Oppenneg 0.60 -25.00 1,246,633 $9,033,437 SUH Southern Hem Min 3.60 -23.40 150,000 $27,754,711 STM Sunstone Metals Ltd 1.00 -23.08 18,274,208 $45,508,470 X2M X2M Connect Limited 4.10 -21.15 259,018 $13,120,219 JPR Jupiter Energy 1.90 -20.83 90,830 $30,567,653 AN1 Anagenics Limited 1.20 -20.00 699,129 $6,286,993 CTO Citigold Corp Ltd 0.40 -20.00 3,962,224 $15,000,000 LRL Labyrinth Resources 0.40 -20.00 178,526 $5,937,719 NAE New Age Exploration 0.40 -20.00 135,856 $8,969,495 ROG Red Sky Energy. 0.40 -20.00 530,375 $27,111,136 SI6 SI6 Metals Limited 0.40 -20.00 7,414,996 $9,969,297 TMK TMK Energy Limited 0.40 -20.00 31,664 $30,612,897 ODY Odyssey Gold Ltd 1.70 -19.05 1,854,384 $18,876,294 NMR Native Mineral Res 2.20 -18.52 323,879 $5,663,264 CBY Canterbury Resources 2.70 -18.18 147,902 $5,667,450 HAL Halo Technologies 11.50 -17.86 23,150 $18,129,330 ABE Ausbondexchange 1.50 -16.67 234,641 $2,028,026 AQI Alicanto Min Ltd 3.00 -16.67 1,284,260 $22,152,125 HT8 Harris Technology Gl 1.00 -16.67 876,234 $3,589,626 JTL Jayex Technology Ltd 0.50 -16.67 1,489,300 $1,687,671 <\/p>\n WordPress Table Plugin<\/a><\/p>\n QEM (ASX:QEM)<\/a> has announced a slight update to the resource uneveiled yesterday for its Julia Creek project in North Queensland, now including a maiden 1C oil shale resource of 6.3 million barrels (MMbbls). This is on top of the 28% increase to the indicated vanadium resource<\/a> to 461Mt (2,406Mt remains in the inferred category) and 32% uplift in the 2C oil shale estimate to 94 MMbbls. Utilising a 90% recovery factor, a 3C oil shale resource of 654 MMbbls.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n PEY Capital has entered an arrangement with Magnis Energy Technologies (ASX:MNS)<\/a> to source the complete US$320 million in funding<\/a> needed for full development of the Nachu graphite project in Tanzania.<\/p>\n Magnetic Resources (ASX:MAU)<\/a> has increased the contained gold at its flagship Lady Julie 4 North deposit by 11% to 948,200oz<\/a>, lifting the overall precious metal inventory across its Laverton and Homeward Bound South projects to 24.9Mt @ 1.66g\/t gold, or 1.33Moz of contained gold.<\/p>\n Mako Gold (ASX:MKG)<\/a> is sending its top brass to the company\u2019s Napi\u00e9 project in C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire to evaluate two parallel artisanal mining sites named \u2018Double Zone\u2019 where rock chip samples returned up to 22.46g\/t gold<\/a>.<\/p>\n Ongoing work by Strickland Metals (ASX:STK)<\/a> has demonstrated the Bronco and Konik prospects in its Horse Well project area are actually part of the same structure and could represent a large bulk tonnage target<\/a>.<\/p>\n Charger Metals (ASX:CHR)<\/a> has intersected further high-grade stacked spodumene-bearing pegmatites, including lithium grades of up to 3.21%<\/a>, from deeper drilling into the Medcalf prospect within its Lake Johnston project.<\/p>\n Pantera Minerals (ASX:PFE)<\/a> now has another 3,553 acres (14.37km2) under its wing within the Smackover brine play in Arkansas, boosting its total footprint at the Superbird project to +17,000 acres.<\/p>\n Future Battery Minerals (ASX:FBM)<\/a> will soon begin the 3,000m Phase 4 RC drill program over the northern targets of its Kangaroo Hills lithium project in South Australia, including the Big Red prospect.<\/p>\n Strategic Energy Resources (ASX:SER)<\/a> has already started an infill magnetotelluric survey at the Mundi IOCG project<\/a> in New South Wales with plans to refine the location of the intense conductive anomaly identified at depths of up to 2,500m.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Austchina Holdings (ASX:AUH)<\/a> <\/strong>\u2013 pending announcement release<\/p>\n Prominence Energy (ASX:PRM)<\/a><\/strong> \u2013 requested extension of voluntary suspension pending a release\u00a0 <\/span>on project investment component<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While Charger Metals, Dynamic Metals, Fin Resources, Future Battery Minerals, Magnetic Resources, Magnis Energy Technologies, Mako Gold, Nova Eye Medical, Pantera Minerals, Strategic Energy Resources and Strickland Minerals are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.<\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The post Closing Bell: ASX goes missing as new premiums lift health stocks; Bitcoin at US$68k<\/a> appeared first on Stockhead<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"China sets 5pc GDP target<\/h2>\n
Ex-dividend stocks today include:<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nEndeavour Group (ASX:EDV)<\/a> is paying 14.3 cents fully franked
\nEmbark Education Group (ASX:EVO)<\/a> is paying 1.5 cents fully franked
\nHeartland Group (ASX:HGH) is paying 3.764 cents unfranked
\nIluka Resources (ASX:ILU)<\/a> is paying 4 cents fully franked
\nKina Securities (ASX:KSL)<\/a> is paying 5.1 cents unfranked
\nLynch Group (ASX:LGL)<\/a> is paying 4 cents fully franked
\nLovisa Holdings (ASX:LOV)<\/a> is paying 50 cents 30 per cent franked
\nOrora (ASX:ORA)<\/a> is paying 5 cents unfranked
\nOrigin Energy (ASX:ORG)<\/a> is paying 27.5 cents fully franked
\nPengana Capital Group (ASX:PCG)<\/a> is paying 1 cent fully franked
\nQualitas (ASX:QAL)<\/a> is paying 1.1285 cents unfranked
\nQube Logistics (ASX:QUB)<\/a> is paying 4 cents fully franked
\nSequoia Financial Group (ASX:SEQ)<\/a> is paying 2 cents fully franked
\nSG Fleet (ASX:SGF)<\/a> is paying 9.6 cents fully franked
\nVeem (ASX:VEE)<\/a> is paying 0.77 cents unfranked
\nWorley (ASX:WOR)<\/a> is paying 25 cents unfranked
\nWOTSO Property (ASX:WOT)<\/a> is paying 1 cent unfranked<\/p>\nASX SMALL CAP LEADERS<\/h2>\n
ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS<\/h2>\n
In Case You Missed It \u2013 PM Edition\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n
TRADING HALTS<\/h2>\n