Australian shares traded higher at midday, with the S&P/ASX 200 gaining 0.6 per cent, to 9,161.7 at 12.10pm AEST. All 11 sectors were stronger after the RBA minutes showed policymakers viewed monetary policy as sufficiently restrictive to return inflation to target. Healthcare led the gains, with Ansell and CSL higher, while BHP reached a fresh record high amid optimism around copper. Rio Tinto and South32 also advanced, while financials strengthened as Suncorp and Insurance Australia rallied and ANZ and National Australia Bank moved higher.
In small cap company news,
Aureka reports high-grade gold at Comstock
Aureka (ASX:AKA) has reported high-grade gold and silver results from its St Arnaud-Comstock Project in Victoria. Drilling at the Comstock Shear returned 4.4 metres at 8.9 grams per tonne gold and 57.8 grams per tonne silver, including a high-grade interval of 0.3 metres at 65.3 grams per tonne gold. Further shallow high-grade results were recorded at the Walkers Zone, with the latest drilling expected to support a future review of the project’s current 56,000-ounce inferred gold resource.
Metal Hawk hits high-grade gold at Leinster South
Metal Hawk (ASX:MHK) has reported its strongest gold result to date from the Leinster South Project in Western Australia, with drilling at the Numbat lode returning 9 metres at 12.3 grams per tonne gold from 70 metres, including 5 metres at 20.7 grams per tonne. The results confirm shallow, high-grade gold mineralisation, which remains open at depth and along strike. Metal Hawk is preparing to restart drilling shortly.
Verbrec secures $16m in new energy contracts
Verbrec (ASX:VBC) has secured around $16 million in new energy security contracts across Australia, including a $6.8 million agreement to design and build inspection facilities for a Queensland gas pipeline. Other awards cover pipeline engineering, maintenance, compression, electrical systems and cyber security across Queensland, the Northern Territory, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. Together with previously announced work, Verbrec has secured more than $36 million in energy security projects since the start of the financial year.
Evion signs first binding graphite supply agreement
Evion Group (ASX:EVG) has secured the first binding sales commitment for its Maniry Graphite Project in Madagascar, signing a terms sheet with an established German graphite buyer. The agreement covers at least 10,000 tonnes of natural flake graphite concentrate a year for five years, representing around 26 per cent of planned Stage 1 production. The agreement also supports Evion’s project financing process ahead of a final investment decision.
Middle Island confirms large gold targets in Serbia
Middle Island Resources (ASX:MDI) has confirmed large gold targets at the Zabrnjica and Beli Potok prospects within its Priboj Project in Serbia. Soil sampling has outlined broad gold anomalies at both prospects, while rock chip results returned grades of up to 0.94 grams per tonne gold, supporting earlier results of up to 1.85 grams per tonne. Middle Island is planning initial drilling to test both targets.
