The ASX200 has been up 0.5% at 8,445 points.
Just after the local bourse opened, Trump says the U.S. is seriously considering tariffs on China due to the alleged production and distribution of fentanyl.
IT has been the best performing sector, up 1.4%, followed by Discretionary and Real Estate, up 1.1%, and Financials, up 0.9%.
Materials has been the poorest performer, down 0.7%, and Energy, down 0.35%.
Company News
Paladin Energy (ASX:PDN) has been up 9.2% on the news uranium production from its Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia is continuing broadly in line with expectations. This is despite numbers slipping in the December quarter as the ramp-up of the project progresses.
Paladin Energy $9.12.
Battery Age Minerals (ASX:BM8) has been up 11.1% after confirming the presence of Germanium-76 (Ge76), a critical isotope for semiconductor technologies, at its Bleiberg exploration project in Austria.
Battery Age Minerals has been 10 cents.
Recce Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:RCE) has been up 2.1% after successfully dosing all 30 participants in its Phase II clinical trial of a gel to treat skin infections.