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The ASX200 closed up nearly 0.95% at 8,203 points, amid China’s stimulus news and as iron ore rose to US$98.75 per tonne.
The big miners all tracked the rise and chalked up gains. Crude oil continues its recent decline and is now trading at US$68 per barrel.
Jobs data for the August quarter saw jobs vacancies decline 5.2%, with the greatest fall across the public sector at 7.5%.
Discretionary and Information Technology lead the market higher, up 2%, followed by Materials 1.7%. The weak oil price drove the Energy sector lower, down 1.1%.
In the Green
Brickworks (ASX:BKW) closed up 7.22% after releasing FY24 results.
NPAT declined to $61 million and EBITDA to $157 million as financials were affected by a property devaluation and non-cash impairment resulting in a statutory loss. However, EBITDA in building products increased.
The company increased its fully franked dividend by 2% to 43 cents per share.
Brickworks closed at $28.52.
PYC Therapeutics (ASX:PYC) closed up 16.13% after presenting at the E&P Healthcare Conference.
PYC is conducting multiple concurrent clinical trials in two blinding diseases of childhood. A third program targeting Polycystic Kidney Disease is anticipated to progress into human trials in early 2025.
The US FDA have previously indicated accelerated approval for gene therapies will become the norm.
PYC Therapeutics closed at 18 cents.
Western Mines Group (ASX:WMG) closed up 11.36% after posting an update on geochemical assay results on its four Phase 3 RC drill holes at the Mulga Tank Project, in WA’s Eastern Goldfields.
Western Mines Group closed at 24.5 cents.
In the Red
Woodside Energy (ASX:WDS) closed down 2.68% after crude oil dropped toward $69 per barrel – that’s 3% below the previous trading session.
Woodside closed at $24.70.
Rimfire Pacific Mining (ASX:RIM) closed down more than 26.58% after terminating the Fifield Project Earn-in Agreement and providing a funding update.
A change in ownership of funder Golden Plain Resources was the catalyst for the termination.
Meanwhile, the company has received binding agreements from options holders to raise $1.2 million and plans to use the funds to drill at Murga and Murga North next month
Rimfire Pacific Mining closed at 5.8 cents.
And Oil and gas producer ADX Energy (ASX:ADX) closed down 4.55% after an update on its testing program for the Welchau-1 well in Austria.
The company says its likely not a liquid rich gas discovery as hoped, but likely a light oil and associated gas discovery.
ADX Energy finished the session at 10.5 cents.
