Closing Bell: ASX hits record high as Bitcoin closes in on a personal best
Lithium stocks rocket as Chinese CATL mine shuts
BPH soars on valuable metals found in seaweed species
The Aussie bourse made a strong start to the week with the S&P/ASX 200 finishing Monday up 37.70 points, or 0.43%, to 8,844.80 today, hitting a fresh 100-day high.
Crypto has also joined the party with Bitcoin closing in on its all-time peak. It's currently purring around US$122,300, looking ready to rip higher and smash its record.
Meanwhile, the Aussie dollar has dipped slightly in the past 24 hours and is currently trading around 65 US cents.
Wall Street's record-breaking run on Friday helped lift the ASX higher. The real fireworks on the ASX today were in materials, which led the bourse higher, closing up 1.58%.
Lithium stocks rallied after reports a major Chinese mine was closing down. EV battery giant CATL has reportedly let a key mining permit lapse, which is a blow to one of of the country's biggest lithium sources.
The news triggered fears of a supply squeeze, sending traders into a frenzy.
Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) jumped ~18% and Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) leapt ~17% as the market surged on lithium-fuelled momentum.
Eight of 11 sectors were in the green today with staples the second strongest sector up 0.95% followed by healthcare rising 0.55%. Discretionary fell 1.62%, along with tech and utilities down 0.73% and 0.19% respectively.
RBA tipped to lower rates by 25 bps
Tomorrow all eyes will be on the Reserve Bank of Australia, which is widely tipped to announce its third cut in interest rates, after holding steady in July despite easing inflation.
A new Finder survey shows 91% of economists expect the RBA to cut the cash rate by 25 basis points from 3.85% to 3.60% after its two-day meeting starting today.
ASX leaders
Today's best performing stocks (including small caps):
Code Name Last % Change Volume Market Cap
BP8 BPH Global Ltd 0.002 100% 2,248,187 $1,050,985
ETM Energy Transition 0.1 82% 60,668,491 $85,327,477
PAB Patrys Limited 0.0015 50% 1,126,226 $2,365,810
EPM Eclipse Metals 0.03 36% 55,078,742 $65,981,352
PLC Premier1 Lithium 0.008 33% 16,259,214 $2,208,363
SRJ SRJ Technologies 0.008 33% 1,745,027 $6,242,115
UNT Unith Ltd 0.008 33% 5,806,636 $8,872,713
DAL Dalaroo Metals 0.032 28% 4,559,724 $6,491,298
AGY Argosy Minerals Ltd 0.037 28% 22,791,731 $44,541,707
MQR Marquee Resource Ltd 0.014 27% 5,956,893 $6,453,911
ELT Elementos Limited 0.175 25% 703,203 $41,313,176
BYH Bryah Resources Ltd 0.005 25% 5,675,146 $4,114,130
MRD Mount Ridley Mines 0.0025 25% 795,584 $1,556,978
LKY Locksley Resources 0.23 24% 15,675,809 $33,916,666
I88 Infini Resources Ltd 0.235 24% 968,960 $9,950,304
TM1 Terra Metals Limited 0.085 23% 8,442,443 $32,974,891
DGR DGR Global Ltd 0.0135 23% 763,485 $11,480,656
BCN Beacon Minerals 1.585 22% 400,584 $136,831,237
MPK Many Peaks Minerals 0.88 22% 1,213,271 $88,748,959
OKJ Oakajee Corp Ltd 0.05 22% 131,566 $3,749,287
EDE Eden Inv Ltd 0.046 21% 142,185 $7,808,824
ADY Admiralty Resources. 0.006 20% 295,279 $13,147,397
EMT Emetals Limited 0.006 20% 905,782 $4,250,000
PKO Peako Limited 0.003 20% 33,730,499 $3,719,355
SPQ Superior Resources 0.006 20% 4,794,499 $11,854,914
In the news...
Who would have guessed seaweed could hold precious and rare earth minerals? BPH Global (ASX:BP8) is up 100% today after announcing Temasek Innovation Holdings (TPIH) in collaboration with its Singapore-based R&D consultant Gaia Mariculture will undertake additional assays on naturally growing Sesuvium portulacastrum seaweed harvested from polluted waters in Johor, Malaysia.
The supplementary testing will examine the mineral content of gold, silver, and rare earths in the harvested biomass, and will be conducted at no cost to BPH Global. The work builds on recent findings that identified Sesuvium portulacastrum as a hyper-accumulator of valuable metals.
Dalaroo Metals (ASX:DAL) is up 28% today after completed a ~$900,000 placement of 35.1 million fully paid ordinary shares at 2.5 cents per share, along with issuing 11.7 million free attaching options, exercisable at 3.6 cents and expiring in August 2029.
Proceeds of the raise will be used to progress the next phase of Dalaroo's exploration strategy in Cote d'Ivoire and its Greenland and Western Australian projects, for working capital purposes and to identify and assess new complementary projects.
ASX laggards
Today's worst performing stocks (including small caps):
Code Name Last % Change Volume Market Cap
SNT Syntara Limited 0.028 -51% 75,888,847 $92,775,383
AOK Australian Oil 0.002 -33% 1,171,757 $3,113,349
MTL Mantle Minerals Ltd 0.001 -33% 2,400,655 $9,671,169
TKL Traka Resources 0.002 -33% 15,027,413 $7,266,417
TMX Terrain Minerals 0.002 -33% 12,543,127 $7,595,443
BUX Buxton Resources Ltd 0.029 -31% 9,746,094 $14,431,448
AQX Alice Queen Ltd 0.003 -25% 2,500 $5,538,785
HPC Thehydration 0.01 -23% 417,422 $5,600,412
OLH Oldfields Holdings 0.02 -23% 914,781 $5,539,537
AYM Australia United Min 0.002 -20% 500 $4,606,444
MSI Multistack Internat. 0.004 -20% 89,033 $681,520
OEL Otto Energy Limited 0.004 -20% 86,472 $23,975,049
RLG Roolife Group Ltd 0.0065 -19% 11,291,967 $12,742,250
PGY Pilot Energy Ltd 0.009 -18% 9,026,279 $23,745,260
NVQ Noviqtech Limited 0.035 -17% 2,982,947 $10,564,535
HTG Harvest Tech Grp Ltd 0.015 -17% 2,192,760 $16,362,330
EM2 Eagle Mountain 0.005 -17% 35,184 $6,810,224
RAN Range International 0.0025 -17% 142,000 $2,817,871
SHP South Harz Potash 0.0025 -17% 200,000 $4,415,170
VAR Variscan Mines Ltd 0.005 -17% 7,622,922 $4,697,146
CLA Celsius Resource Ltd 0.006 -14% 5,694,358 $21,948,419
TON Triton Min Ltd 0.006 -14% 300,000 $10,978,721
TSL Titanium Sands Ltd 0.006 -14% 460,166 $16,413,230
VKA Viking Mines Ltd 0.006 -14% 1,021,785 $9,407,641
PER Percheron 0.0095 -14% 3,267,727 $11,961,814
In the news...
Shares in cancer drug developer Syntara (ASX:SNT) lost almost half their value, after what investors viewed as unfavourable advice from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
Syntara announced that the FDA had provided guidance that a Phase II trial with a control arm be undertaken to acquire additional safety and efficacy data, focussing on improvements in symptoms and spleen volume reductions in order to optimise the design and efficiency of a subsequent pivotal Phase III trial.
"Over the coming period we will use the FDA guidance to refine our clinical development plan for amsulostat and continue discussions with partners based on the FDA recommended path forward," Syntara CEO Gary Phillips said in an announcement.
In case you missed it
Astral Resources (ASX:AAR) has enhanced plans to mine its Feysville gold project near Kalgoorlie after geotechnical drilling returned high-grade assays of up to 100.7g/t within the optimised pit shell and outside the pre-feasibility study areas.
Terra Metals (ASX:TM1) has defined a maiden 148Mt resource at Dante holding 14.8% titanium dioxide and significant levels of vanadium, copper, gold and platinum - confirming the West Australian project as a globally significant discovery with plenty of upside.
Vertex Minerals (ASX:VTX) has begun first underground blasting and will soon move to high-grade gold production with the start of underground mining at its super high-grade Reward gold mine in the East Lachlan Fold Belt of NSW.
Geopacific Resources (ASX:GPR) trenching work has confirmed more growth potential at its 1.67Moz Woodlark Project with high-grade gold at the Little MacKenzie prospect going up to 16.6g/t as a 30,000m drill campaign gets underway in Papua New Guinea.
A Victory Metals (ASX:VTM) resource upgrade at its North Stanmore flagship in WA has revealed ultra-high, heavy rare earth ratio zones of up to 83% with ratios of the prized heavy elements comparing favourably to other projects.
Buxton Resources (ASX:BUX) has wrapped up drilling at its Centurion IOCG target in WA and will now turn towards a fully funded maiden copper-gold campaign at a Madman project showing geological similarities to the 5.9Moz Havieron discovery.
A cornerstone GTI Energy (ASX:GTR) investor has completed its due diligence and confirmed its participation in a $4.5 million placement to advance GTR's Lo Herma in-situ recovery uranium project in Wyoming.
Rumble Resources (ASX:RTR) has delivered a maiden tungsten resource at its Western Queen project it says has highlighted the site's exceptional potential to become a significant West Australian critical minerals and gold operation.
The ongoing diamond drilling at Many Peaks Minerals' (ASX:MPK) Ferké gold project in Côte d'Ivoire has delivered hits to the tune of 75m at 6.11g/t gold and a new record share price to match.
Pure Hydrogen Corporation (ASX:PH2) has signed a sale agreement with Scott Lovatt Transport for supply of two Taurus Prime Movers and locked in more than $3 million in new orders from commercial transport operators for its leading fleet of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Arika Resources (ASX:ARI) 1300 Smiles (ASX:ONT) first results from a 10,000m drill campaign into the Yundamindra project have shown off thick, high-grade gold at the F1 Fault and pointed towards big upside surrounded by hungry mills southeast of Leonora.
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35 minutes ago
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Sydney waterfront dining: Felons Seafood restaurant at Manly Wharf serves four choices of fish and chips, mud crab and more
The views are stunning, the fish are jumping, but something's missing from this new waterside restaurant. August 12, 2025 , register or subscribe to save articles for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. 1 / 11 Felons Seafood's location, right on the water on Manly Wharf's East Esplanade, is an open invitation for a long lunch. Edwina Pickles 2 / 11 Northern Territory mud crab in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce. Edwina Pickles 3 / 11 Choose from four different fish for the traditional fish and chips. Edwina Pickles 4 / 11 Potato scallops are fancified with a cool, herby blue-swimmer crab remoulade. Edwina Pickles 5 / 11 Edwina Pickles 6 / 11 Felons Seafood is the next step in Manly Wharf domination for the Artemus Group. Edwina Pickles 7 / 11 Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven. Edwina Pickles 8 / 11 Buttermilk soft serve. Edwina Pickles 9 / 11 Edwina Pickles 10 / 11 Edwina Pickles 11 / 11 Edwina Pickles 13.5 /20 Seafood $$$ $ It's quite an undertaking for a brewery to step into the world of demi-fine dining, but here's Felons Seafood, the next step in Manly Wharf domination for the Artemus Group (the developers behind popular Brisbane dining precinct Howard Smith Wharves). It started with Felons Brewery – a fun, large-scale brewpub with views across the water on the West Esplanade, and continues with this restaurant, which opened in June and is overseen by chefs Corey Costelloe (owner of Marrickville neighbourhood bistro 20 Chapel) and Luke Bourke ( The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide 's current Young Chef of the Year). The pair, who spent a decade together working at Rockpool Bar & Grill in Sydney, have co-created a menu focused on responsibly caught fish, treated with respect and care. The location, right on the water on Manly Wharf's East Esplanade, is an open invitation for a long lunch. Inside, a dining room of neutrals and rattan, offset by touches of navy. Floor-to-ceiling wood-framed French windows wrap around the restaurant, waiting to be opened in warmer months to let in the sea breeze. Outside, tables hug the perimeter of the restaurant with big blue umbrellas up during the day, and gas heaters at night. Choose from four different fish for the traditional fish and chips. Edwina Pickles This is a deep dive into the seafood culture that once defined the Aussie coast, combined with strong Mediterranean sensibilities. Nothing is overly embellished, and the fish takes pride of plate. Potato scallops are fried to deeply golden and crisp, fancified with a cool, herby blue-swimmer crab remoulade. A bouncy Mooloolaba king prawn cocktail is served on a bed of shredded lettuce dressed in a classic Marie Rose sauce, served with a side of buttered brown bread. Fun with a tropical fruit-forward Galaxy Haze pale ale. There are a few menu items that make use of Felons' beer range, but it's more of a subtle taster than a schooner in your face. The traditional fish and chips feature a choice of four fish, including the classic dusky flathead and (my pick) spangled emperor. The goujon (or tail end) is fried in a crisp lager batter until strawberry-blonde and served on a bed of tallow-fried, skin-on chips with tartare sauce. Order the mignonette salad on the side, all sharp corners and mustard-bitey, or the green Greek salad – three types of cucumber, two types of capsicum, green olives, toasted sunflower seeds, soft feta and a dusting of oregano. A beautiful echo of a proper fishing town chipper. Northern Territory mud crab in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce. Edwina Pickles The food is good. Great, even, at times. Look at that delicate fillet of Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven, the skin seared until crisp and the flesh just-set. It's served simply with aioli, romesco sauce and a wedge of lemon. Then there's the Northern Territory mud crab bathing in a warm, South-East Asian-style black pepper sauce dotted with crisp-fried curry leaves, and a stack of flaky roti tucked in among the legs and claws. The technical prowess on the plate is undeniable. It's just a shame it's let down by inexperienced waitstaff who give the strong impression they'd rather be anywhere else on the planet than serving tables. Queensland coral trout cooked in the Josper oven. Edwina Pickles There's a lot of rushing about and plenty of staff, as far as I can see, but not a lot of friendliness or practical care when it comes to the basics. I'll probably go to my grave, for instance, wondering why our waitress chooses to place that $90 crab, not on the table, but on the spare chair on top of my coat and bag. Or why, on the same visit, we're seated outside at night in the middle of winter without asking where we might be comfortable. Sure, a few strong floor members are doing their best, but it's a big ship to steer when the majority of your crewmates are inexperienced. If you can see past the service, the food really is worth a look. Order a dozen pristine, fresh-shucked rock oysters with plenty of brine and a side of Baker Bleu bread and salty butter. Don't bother ordering anything by the glass (the danger of not being able to order a follow-up glass is clear and present), but do consider a bottle of crisp white wine like the Kir-Yianni Assyrtiko – just the right amount of crispness and pear fruitiness. Go hard on the whole fish and the snacks, and end by sharing the unapologetically tart buttermilk soft serve sweetened with a drizzle of bittersweet stout caramel. Consider walking, not running, and making some time for a long lunch during the warmer months. Atmosphere: Sunny, bougie-casual and family friendly Go-to dishes: Black pepper crab ($90); traditional fish and chips ($28-36); potato scallop ($28); buttermilk soft serve ($14) Drinks: A neat selection of Felons beers on tap and a surprisingly hefty wine selection for a restaurant opened by a brewery Cost: About $200 for two, excluding drinks Good Food reviews are booked anonymously and paid independently. A restaurant can't pay for a review or inclusion in the Good Food Guide. Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox. Sign up
