A HotCopper-branded graphic image which reads "The HotList Top 10: This week's most watchlisted ASX stocks" in front of an ASX chart image faded in the background.
branded graphic image which reads "The HotList Top 10: This week's most watchlisted ASX stocks" in front of an ASX chart image faded in the background.
The Market Online
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Good afternoon, and welcome to the HotCopper HotList column. Every week, ASX companies of every shape and size go through the ups and downs that is the Australian trading rollercoaster. Fortunes made, and equity lost each time the bourse opens – which is why watching market trends is so key.

Listen to the HotCopper podcast for in-depth discussions and insights on all the biggest headlines from throughout the week. On Spotify, Apple, and more.

You certainly don’t have to go it alone, though: We’ve put together the “HotList,” the top ten ASX companies added to HotCopper watchlists in Week 12 — and this Friday, we’re starting with Northern Star Resources.

1. Northern Star Resources

Northern Star Resources (ASX:NST) has been the top watch on the HotList for HotCopper forum users in Week 12, and it’s mainly because of a terrible one-day selloff that shareholders haven’t seen since CY10.

The gold powerhouse started the month above $31/share, but thanks to a major dump through WK12 to the tune of -30.82%, it’s now at ~$18.50 today.

Northern Star has long had loyalists on the forums, and with a $12-a-pop value maybe there to be grabbed, it’s only collecting more followers.

There are some analysts and publications that have been advising traders to “buy the dip” on the gold producer, but this Market Link journalist has been left scratching his head a little about how quickly that “buy” call went out.

The company’s operational update included an indication that it may miss the lower end of its full-year forecast, with operational challenges in FY26. Total gold sales for January and February CY26 were at 220Koz, and FY26 production is now expected above 1.50Moz (previously guided higher).

If you like what you read there, then trust your gut, but I suspect most forum users who have been “HotListing” the company are more in the wait-and-watch camp, to see if Northern Star can save things at all.

At time of writing, NST shares are selling at $18.52/ea.

2. Immutep

Immutep (ASX:IMM) has been a fascinating company to watch in Weeks 11 and 12, and there’s no doubt it was always going to trend highly on the HotCopper HotList up to March 20 – mainly because forum users are always chasing value (and I don’t blame them), and there could well be some here.

Last week, Immutep’s cap tanked as much as -90%, down more than $500M in value, after the lung cancer therapy developer cancelled clinical trials.

Immutep had long touted its novel immunotherapy Efti as a potential blockbuster medication that would mean patients with lung cancer could live longer. It was a key part of its value prop, and its being dropped stung.

This week, however, investors see money being made after Immutep lost so much through WK11’s crash. That’s been helped on, too, by a TACTI-004 trial update that suggests the developer may have a new flagship.

There’s been hesitancy, of course, and IMM is only back up to 5.1cps today, but forum users are keeping an eye on the dial and whether it starts moving again.

If it does, it may take some time, but the HotList suggests many are watching.

3. Lodestar Minerals

The HotList podium this week has been rounded up by Lodestar Minerals (ASX:LSR), after the Aussie explorer picked up high-value heavy rare earths mineral xenotime at Virgin Mountain over in Arizona.

The discovery only kept LSR shares up +6.25% this week, but that’s still a mighty performance considering the bourse’s Thursday collapse.

“This is a great outcome for Lodestar and highlights the potential strategic value of our Virgin Mountain project in the U.S. Mineralogy reports have returned exactly what we are looking for from a HREE project,” Lodestar executive director and head of exploration, Coraline Blaud, said Thursday.

As for why HotCopper forum users are likely keeping a close eye: Lodestar is now working on preparations for eventual drilling and other ground-disturbing activities at Virgin Mountain. That work will start with geophysical data compilations, as well as an on-the-ground field trip planned for next month.

To lunchtime Friday, LSR shares are hovering at ~1.7c a pop.

Rounding out the HotList in Week 12 was:

  • Electro Optic Systems,
  • Woodside Energy,
  • Torque Metals,
  • Tetratherix,
  • Meeka Metals,
  • Racura Oncology,
  • And, EQ Resources

Finding the HotList page

To find HotCopper’s Hotlist, click on “My Account” and then “My Profile” on the HotCopper home page. Then, select “My Watchlist,” where you see all your followed stocks and scroll to the bottom. The HotList section is there.

Or, you can go straight through to the HotList section with this link right here.

Join the discussion: See what’s trending right now on Australia’s largest stock forum and be part of the conversations that move the markets.

The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. Viewers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult with a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions. For full disclaimer information, please click here.

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