ASX Runners of the Week: XPON, Locksley, DY6 | Australian Markets

We shouldn’t have been shocked to see a modicum of profit-taking this week after final week’s efforts, which noticed the United States broad-ranging S&P 500 stock market index go up for 9 days in a row to post its longest every day profitable streak in 20 years, coupled with the ASX 200 index ending a 12-day profitable streak.

US financial knowledge added a recent twist to market jitters for the week, with first-quarter GDP dipping by 0.3 per cent – a headline drop that in the first place look regarded like a pink flag. Scratch beneath the floor and a completely different story emerges.

This wasn’t about an financial system slowing down – it was about companies going into overdrive, racing to import a flood of items earlier than new US President Donald Trump’s trade tariffs kick in. The outcome was a 50.9 per cent surge in imports that technically dragged GDP decrease, due to how the quantity crunchers calculate growth.

Amazingly, for all the hand wringing and wailing that got here off the back of Trump’s ‘liberation day’ blockbuster tariff announcement at the begin of final month, the key Australian index closed out the week at 8231. This was 285 factors or 3.4 per cent larger than its close previous to the fateful announcement and the S&P is, by and enormous, unchanged.

With a rollercoaster week got here but more glory for gold, which hit a high price of $3438 an ounce on Wednesday on the back of a resumption of hostilities between Pakistan and India – two nuclear powers with age-old claims on the disputed state of Kashmir.

XPON TECHNOLOGIES GROUP LTD (ASX: XPN)

up 400% (0.6c – 3.0c)

This week’s Bulls N’ Bears ASX Runner of the Week is artificial intelligence and technology options supplier XPON Technologies Group, which noticed its share price rocket on Monday after it introduced a binding settlement to snap up main Australian digital advertising outfit Alpha Digital Design Consultants.

XPON’s acquisition of Alpha Digital, a long-term channel companion with a crack staff of 25 digital advertising specialists, is a savvy attempt to supercharge its income growth. The deal is set to usher in an extra $4.6 million in income and a $0.7M EBITDA based mostly on final yr’s financials – plus a cool $1M money in the bank.

XPON’s share price screamed up 400 per cent on Monday from a Friday close of 0.6 cents to an intraday high of 3c. Punters piled in, with trading volumes lighting up the ASX boards as traders guess large on this AI-meets-marketing mashup.

XPON says Alpha isn’t simply a bolt-on, like-for-like addition, it’s a turbo increase for XPON’s journey to constructive money move and profitability.

Management says Alpha Digital’s experience in efficiency advertising, web optimization and analytics meshes effectively with XPON’s AI-powered options. The combo guarantees juicy income synergies, offering purchasers a one-stop store for built-in applied sciences and advertising wizardry.

The deal will see Alpha Digital keep its branding and operate independently, making certain its market mojo stays intact whereas it faucets into XPON’s tech muscle.

XPON’s share price went ballistic on Monday to scream up 400 per cent from a Friday close of 0.6 cents to an intraday high of 3c. Punters piled in, with trading volumes lighting up the ASX boards as traders guess large on this AI-meets-marketing mashup.

With digital advertising hotter than a summer time barbie and AI driving the subsequent wave of innovation, XPON’s transfer positions it to gobble up market share. If the company can harness these synergies and keep the money flowing, this acquisition may very well be the spark that lights its fire for years to return.

LOCKSLEY RESOURCES LTD (ASX: LKY)

up 160% (2.2c – 5.7c)

Taking home the Runners silver medal this week is essential minerals explorer Locksley Resources, which noticed its share price erupt on Thursday after the company dropped a strategic replace on its Mojave project in California.

Locksley’s Mojave project is in prime real estate for essential minerals, because it sits simply 1.4 kilometres northeast of Mountain Pass – the globally important and solely US uncommon earths mine.

Locksley’s share price went ballistic on the news to skyrocket 159 per cent to a high of 5.7c on Thursday from a close of 2.2c final week. A jaw-dropping 187 million shares traded palms – more than the company’s whole 147 million shares on challenge – making it the ASX’s wildest trip this week.

The company has formally lodged drilling permits with the US Bureau of Land Management. Trump’s govt order pushing for home-grown essential minerals appears to have positioned Lockyer’s project to develop into a severe home lithium provider.

A essential minerals increase is effectively underway in the US, as the nation makes an attempt to shortly counter China’s uncommon earths stranglehold, and the markets can scent blood.

Rock chips from Mojave’s Desert antimony mine are already screaming with grades up to 46 per cent antimony and 1022 grams per tonne (g/t) silver. Its close by El Campo prospect is shelling out 12.1 per cent whole uncommon earth oxides (TREO), together with 3.19 per cent all-important neodymium-praseodymium parts.

Locksley’s timing couldn’t be higher. The bureau has additionally given a thumbs-up to ASX-listed Dateline Resources’ close by Colosseum project to discover and extract gold and uncommon earth parts – which Trump then touted in a weekly replace on his Truth Social community. The developments signal that Mojave is open for business.

With the US authorities determined to secure a provide of uncommon earths and antimony, Locksley’s Mojave project is like a shiny new toy in a essential minerals sweet store. If the drill rigs hit the jackpot, this may very well be the type of project that offers traders a fabled black swan occasion.

DY6 METALS LTD (ASX: DY6)

up 109% (6.7c – 14c)

Stepping up to the Runners podium for the second time in as many weeks is uncommon earth parts and heavy minerals exploration company DY6 Metals.

This week’s feeding frenzy continued following the company’s earlier bombshell revelation that historic drilling at its Tundulu uncommon earths project in Malawi had uncovered some critically spicy gallium grades. Gallium is now a red-hot essential mineral.

The share price volatility, nevertheless, was not for the faint hearted, dropping virtually 65 per cent from final week’s highs of 18.5 cent at one level earlier than regaining its composure.

The headline numbers included 74 metres grading 93.3g/t gallium oxide with 1.56 per cent TREO from 72m, and 53m at 72.8g/t gallium with 1.02 per cent TREO.

The outcomes pushed the stock’s price up 340 per cent to a peak of 18.5c in a single hour final week, earlier than the enjoyable police at the ASX stepped in with a screeching halt to demand more paperwork.

The gallium discover is very well timed. China, which controls 94 per cent of world provide, is tightening its export controls whereas world demand is hovering for the semiconductor-critical metallic.

Intriguingly, DY6’s gallium mineralisation reveals up in floor saprolite and deeper recent rock, with the system nonetheless open at depth. Only 40 per cent of the 91.5 sq. kilometre project has been drill-tested.

Following the juicy findings, the company will shortly kick off metallurgical take a look at work on a bulk pattern to find out the prospect’s financial viability. With recent gallium in the combine, Tundulu’s uncommon earth basket might now ship a entire lot more bang for buck.

Arizona Lithium (ASX: AZL)

up 85% (0.07c – 1.3c)

Taking out the closing spot and prize for the most curious share price run this week is Arizona Lithium. Extreme volumes of practically 205 million shares have been traded throughout the week, whereas equally large licks have been being mopped up on the US-based OTC market.

Although the company hasn’t launched any news, it does maintain an intriguing land package deal, the Big Sandy lithium project, which is simply a stone’s throw from….you guessed it, the Mountain Pass uncommon earths mine.

Big Sandy’s declare to fame is a huge sedimentary lithium deposit, which comprises an indicated useful resource of 14.6 million tonnes grading 1940 components per million for 150,900 tonnes of lithium carbonate equal. Adding to the stock, the deposit additionally holds 17.9Mt in the inferred class for a additional 169,900t lithium carbonate equal.

Whether Arizona’s share price run is on the back of its lithium or just a piece of good, old style nearology is anybody’s guess. Until the motive behind the transfer turns into public information, harsher critics would possibly counsel everyone seems to be getting on board as a result of… everyone seems to be getting on board. For now, the social gathering is in full swing and the champagne corks are flying.

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