Australian shares moved higher around lunchtime on Tuesday, with the S&P/ASX 200 up 0.23 per cent to 8,752.1 at 12.08pm AEST. Seven of the 11 sectors traded higher, led by technology, following a strong session on Wall Street where the S&P 500 gained 1.5 per cent amid renewed enthusiasm for artificial intelligence stocks. Sentiment was also supported by lower oil prices and easing bond yields. Brent crude briefly fell below US$100 a barrel on hopes for diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war, while the US 10-year Treasury yield eased below 5 per cent to 4.95 per cent.
In small cap company news,
Etherstack secures first international defence contract secured for NATO radio technology
Etherstack (ASX:ESK) has secured its first international contract to supply its NATO Narrowband Waveform technology to an overseas defence wireless equipment manufacturer. The contract will allow the customer to evaluate the technology for potential use in its end-market applications. While the initial contract is below Etherstack’s materiality threshold, the company said a successful evaluation could lead to a larger future contract.
Waratah reports best gold intercept to date at Spur
Waratah Minerals (ASX:WTM) has reported its best drill intercept to date at the Spur Gold Discovery in New South Wales. Drilling returned 46 metres at 7.27 grams per tonne gold from 541 metres, including 10 metres at 28.93 grams per tonne and a 1.3-metre interval at 206 grams per tonne. The latest hole extended mineralisation by 70 metres to the north and 150 metres to the east, with the Consols Zone now traced over around 400 metres of strike and 400 metres vertically.
Ark Mines delivers major resource increase at Sandy Mitchell
Ark Mines (ASX:AHK) has substantially increased the Mineral Resource Estimate at its Sandy Mitchell Rare Earths and Heavy Minerals Project in North Queensland. The updated resource stands at 379.4 million tonnes at 5,430 parts per million monazite equivalent, with 97 per cent classified as Measured and Indicated. The company says the updated estimate represents a 428 per cent increase in tonnes compared with its October 2024 Measured Mineral Resource, although the grades are not directly comparable due to changes in the calculation and cut-off grade.
Narryer Metals to acquire high-grade Chile copper project
Narryer Metals (ASX:NYM) has agreed to acquire 100 per cent of the Redhill Copper Project in southern Chile, which hosts an existing JORC Resource of 4.3 million tonnes at 1.7 per cent copper, 33 grams per tonne silver and 0.3 grams per tonne gold. The transaction is also supported by a $1 million strategic investment from 29Metals at 10 cents per share. Narryer plans to target resource growth and test extensions along the project’s five-kilometre mineralised strike.
AML3D joins $3.9 million aerospace manufacturing project
AML3D (ASX:AL3) has joined a three-year advanced aerospace manufacturing research project alongside industry and research partners, including a global aerospace contractor. Participants will contribute around $3.89 million to the project, which aims to qualify AML3D’s metal 3D printing technology for aerospace tooling production. AML3D will contribute around $530,000 in cash and in-kind costs, with the project potentially opening a pathway to future commercial orders.
Catalina unlocks $1.29 million for exploration
Catalina Resources (ASX:CTN) is set to recover up to $1.29 million in rehabilitation security as it progresses the sale of its Nelson Bay River Iron Ore Project in Tasmania. An initial $827,200 is expected to be released before November, with the funds to support exploration at Catalina’s Mid-West projects in Western Australia. Drilling at Kirkalocka and Tallering is planned to begin from November, subject to heritage clearance.
To hear more from ASX listed companies Clever Culture Systems, Unity Metals, Cambium Bio, Latrobe Magnesium and Immutep, join us for the Uncovering Hidden Gems webinar on 30th Sept at 12:30pm AEST.
