The ASX was on a winner this morning, with the S&P/ASX200 gaining 42.10 points or 0.58% to 7,248.60.
The index has lost 1.14% for the last five days, but has gained 10.04% over the year to date.
Top-performing stocks on the ASX 200 at the time of writing were Super Retail Group Limited up 7.3% and Collins Food Limited up 5.84%.
Admittedly it has been light volume today, but any gain is a good gain.
IT was the strongest sector, while Real Estate, Communications, Health Care, Consumer Discretionary and Financials also outperformed.
Afterpay was up 2.8%, Goodman gained 0.8%, Seek rose 3%, Sonic Health Care was up 2%, Wesfarmers gained 0.8%, NAB rose 1.2% and Macquarie gained 1.5%.
Resources brought things into line a little bit based on commodity falls with BHP down 0.4%, Whitehaven Coal down 7.5% and Fortescue Metals down 1.3%.
Vaccines for WA miners and BHP workers
BHP Group Ltd has now mandated vaccines for all staff, saying unvaccinated workers will have no access to its mines until February next year.
The mining giant has named January 31, 2022, as its deadline for staff to be fully vaccinated.
"The science is clear that widespread vaccination saves lives," BHP Minerals Australia boss Edgar Basto said.
"In line with Government guidance, we recognise the path forward is through widespread vaccination in Australia and we are looking at a range of practical ways to support that while protecting communities and workforces,”
BHP’s move follows the move by the West Australian Government to have FIFO and local workers on Western Australian mining and resources sites, and people who work in remote operations or run critical infrastructure including remote train and port control, get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine by December 1, 2021, and be fully vaccinated by January 1, 2022.
The WA Government has stated: “The mandate, based on the latest health advice, applies to any FIFO worker in WA, in mining, oil and gas and exploration, visitors to these operations, as well as all resources sector employees who work at regional and remote mine sites. It will also include workers at other mission-critical operational locations including remote operations, for example, a Perth-based remote operator of a Hedland mining train.
“Resources sector workers potentially come into contact with Aboriginal people from remote communities, which means there is a risk that COVID-19 could enter a community from an infected worker. The sector is also the largest employer of Aboriginal people in the regions."
The move to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for resources sector workers follows similar mandates
WA Premier Mark McGowan said, "WA has followed the health advice which has kept us safe and protected our family, friends and the WA community.
"We've worked with industry along the way and what is not lost on all of us is that because the resources sector was able to operate during the height of the pandemic, Western Australians have benefited and enjoyed freedoms other places in the country cannot.
"As a result of the resources sector being able to continue their operations safely this has created dividends for the entire nation.”
On the small cap front
Sunstone Metals Ltd (ASX:STM) is up a whopping 47.8% after confirming its El Palmar Project in Ecuador contains a gold-copper porphyry , with initial assays revealing extremely wide intersections and mineralisation runs from surface.
Kin Mining NL (ASX:KIN) is up 19.05% with plans to launch a $13 million entitlement offer to maintain the strong momentum built at the 100%-owned Cardinia Gold Project (CGP) near Leonora in Western Australia.
CV Check Ltd (ASX:CV1) is up 12.12% after registering record revenue of $6.3 million in the first quarter of FY22.
Global Energy Ventures Ltd (ASX:GEV) is up 6.17% on the appointment of key consultants and commencing a HyEnergy Export Feasibility Study on Province Resources Ltd’s HyEnergy Zero Carbon Hydrogen® Project.
Emyria Ltd (ASX:EMD) is up 4.88% having secured access to one of the world’s most sophisticated data platforms after joining Palantir’s Foundry Builders Program.
Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE, OTC:ARRXF) is up 3.45% having opened its Share Purchase Plan to eligible investors in a bid to raise $5 million via the SPP and $20 million overall.
CardieX Ltd (ASX:CDX) is up 3.03% after its subsidiary CONNEQT, Inc entered into a manufacturing and development partnership agreement with Fenda Technology Co.Ltd, a leading Chinese wireless solution provider and manufacturer of smart wearable products.
Miramar Resources Ltd (ASX:M2R) is up 2.56% on the back of positive gold results during aircore drilling at its 80%-owned Gidji Joint Venture (JV) Project in WA’s Eastern Goldfields.
Other small caps of note:
- ADN +3.45%
- ASN +4.55%
- AZY +4.26%
- ARE +7.69%
- ARO +10%
- AUN +2.63%
- AGC +4%
- BSX +2.22%
- BRK +2.08%
- CRL +3.7%
- CZN +3.12%
- CXO +2.56%
- ELT +4.17%
- EUR +2.06%
- FYI +8.54%
- FEX +3.49%
- GAL +2%
- HRZ +4.55%
- IMU +6.10%
- INF +4.76%
- INR +3.54%
- JRL +2.28%
- LCD +2.22%
- LIT +4.55%
- MKG +2.15%
- MEU +4.65%
- MZZ +2.77%
- MXR +6.25%
- MEI +4.17%
- MGV +3.23%
- NXM +2.78%
- NVA +2.38%
- OAR +4.17%
- OPN +3.23%
- PAM +2.44%
- PRU +3.45%
- POS +2.27%
- PDI +2.13%
- RED +11.11%
- SRJ +7.25%
- SNS +8%
- SOR +3.85%
- STK +3.33%
- SUD +2.22%
- TMT +4.17%
- VAL +3.57%
- XTE +5.54%
- ZLD +2.7%