Gold rose on Friday to hit a new all-time high of US$1,970.81 per ounce as a sliding dollar and dire economic numbers sparked a rush to safety.<\/p>\n
S&P\/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) is marginally up 0.08% to 5933 points at 12.30 pm as financial and consumer discretionary sectors suffered losses but mining and health stocks helped the index keep its head above water.<\/p>\n
Limited () (+1.84%), BHP Group Ltd (ASX:BHP) (+1.44%) and Rio Tinto Limited (ASX:RIO) (+1.13%) all gained more than 1% while National Australia Bank Ltd () was down 3.28% and Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd () dipped 3.56%.<\/p>\n
Victorians are preparing for extreme new restrictions affecting businesses to be announced today, as another 429 COVID-19 cases were recorded in the last 24 hours.<\/p>\n
Premier Daniel Andrews has declared a state of disaster and imposed stage four restrictions, which include a daily curfew from 8pm to 5am for Melbourne residents until at least September 13.<\/p>\n
White House coronavirus task force leader Dr Deborah Birx said widespread COVID-19 infections in urban and rural America mark a new phase for the pandemic as she doubled down on calls to wear face masks and observe social distancing measures.<\/p>\n
Birx said on CNN: What we are seeing today is different from March and April. It is extraordinarily widespread.<\/p>\n
The US has the worlds biggest number of COVID-19 cases at 4.6 million, or one-quarter of the total, and 154,361 deaths.<\/p>\n
Todays top gainers on the ASX include () (+15.15%), Engage:BDR Ltd () (+14.29%), () (+7.50%), () (+4.88%) and (ASX:CPT) (+7.69%).<\/p>\n
() is advancing its Republic of Korea patent application for 12CQ quantum computing chip technology IP with the bid now undergoing substantive examination procedures.<\/p>\n
FYI Resources Ltd () has been as much as 28% higher after completing stage two production of high purity alumina (HPA) from its pilot plant facility in Welshpool, Western Australia.<\/p>\n
() has embarked on a capital raising exercise and intends to raise up to approximately $1,255,625 in a non-renounceable pro-rata entitlement offer and up to $300,000 in an options offer.<\/p>\n
Element 25 Ltd () has completed pump testing of a water production bore within a shallow (6-16 metre depth) aquifer at the Butcherbird Manganese Project in WA, confirming sufficient process water supply for planned production.<\/p>\n
() continued to make progress against its IPO goals, finishing its June 2020 quarter with record appointment volumes and the expansion of its Real World Evidence technology platform beyond cannabinoids.<\/p>\n
() is focused on expanding the resource base and life-of-mine at its Cape Ray Gold Project in Newfoundland, Canada as the June quarter comes to a close.<\/p>\n
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