Welcome to Tuesday. ASX futures were up 19 points (0.26 per cent) near 8:30 am AEDT, implying the ASX will rise.
Another strong session for the US with the S&P 500 up 0.74 per cent and the NASDAQ lifting 1.13 per cent.
The NASDAQ surged as Microsoft shares hit record highs. The culprit?
The company hired OpenAI’s Sam Altman to lead its internal AI division after OpenAI fired Altman late last week.
Why exactly that happened remains unclear, but the once non-profit-touting ethical handwringer clearly has no qualms moving into a for-profit tech giant.
Then again, who wouldn’t?
Today in Australia we get a speech from RBA Governor Michele Bullock as well as meeting minutes from the November rates call.
We also get a look at monthly employee earnings in Australia for September and the national accounts – state accounts data series for FY23.
Here’s what stock traders are watching this morning:
The Calmer Co (ASX:CCO) has executed a deal with Coles to sell its Taki Mai Kava Shot in part of Australia’s retail duopoly.
Taki Mai kava-shots and FijiKava 150g will be available on the shelves from Jan 2024.
Calmer Co says this is the first ready to drink kava product to hit Australia.
Shares last traded at 0.6 cents.
In the materials space, Barton Gold (ASX:BGD) has released an update on drilling at Southern 223.
The company has extended strike by 300 metres to the southern end of the target with one 55 metre intersection grading at 1.52g/t god.
A review of the existing JORC for 223 is underway.
Shares last traded at 24 cents.
Nickelsearch (ASX:NIS) has reported finding lithium pegmatites.
The outcropping was discovered within the Carlingup tenement package.
A previous rock chip sample from a key area of interest has turned up a grade of over 5 per cent lithium (though this isn’t unusual for rock chips).
Shares last traded at 13.5 cents.
Latin Resources (ASX:LRS) has flagged its subsidiary ESG Minerals will buy a halloysite-kaolin project off of Oar Resources (ASX:OAR).
The materials are used in ceramics and the building industry. ESG is paying $0.5m for the entire project.
Shares last traded at 20.5 cents.
And Hazer Group (ASX:HZR) has issued word that CDP commissioning is underway.
The Commercial Demonstration Plant (CDP) has seen a reactor successfully installed.
The much-hyped company expects to produce both hydrogen and graphitic carbon before CY2024.
Shares last traded at 57 cents.