Latest news with #Droneshield
News.com.au
31-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Closing Bell: Resources weigh heavy on ASX, down 0.16pc as tech rally fizzles
Copper prices crash 20pc Materials sector undercuts market, down 2.57pc Info tech rally not enough to push ASX into positive territory Tech rally fails to lift resources The ASX staged a steady recovery through the day to finish down just 0.16%, regaining ground on strength in the info tech and discretionary sectors. But, even with eight sectors scraping into the green the malaise in resources stocks was just too strong to lift. Between copper's dramatic plunge and another slide in gold prices last night, the ASX 200 Resources lost an eyewatering 2.26% today, and the ASX All Ords Gold 2.61%. Our tech movers and shakers for the day include Weebit Nano (ASX:WBT), up a very respectable 19% on some solid quarterly results. The semiconductor firm's ReRAM technology is on track to finish the qualification process with South Korean semiconductor manufacturer DB HiTek before the end of the year, which could lead to some lucrative contracts. Counter-drone technology company Droneshield (ASX:DRO) is also back in the good books, climbing 17% after taking a sharp hit to its share price just over a week ago. The company has now recovered to just 15c off its all-time high. Organisation technology specialist Atturra (ASX:ATA) added 6.8%, while cybersafety group Qoria (ASX:QOR) lifted 5.2%. On the other side of the balance sheet were our struggling resources stocks, joined by some equally out-of-favour energy companies. Champion Iron (ASX:CIA) slid 12%, Beach Energy (ASX:BPT) fell 9%, Mineral Resources (ASX:MIN) minimised by 7.9% and Pilbara Minerals (ASX:PLS) slumped 7.5%. ASX SMALL CAP LEADERS Today's best performing small cap stocks: Code Name Last % Change Volume Market Cap ASR Asra Minerals Ltd 0.002 100% 1647649 $4,000,198 WEL Winchester Energy 0.002 100% 6816666 $1,363,019 DMG Dragon Mountain Gold 0.006 50% 1331226 $1,578,687 PAB Patrys Limited 0.002 41% 845577 $3,358,031 I88 Infini Resources Ltd 0.17 36% 706766 $6,546,252 CR9 Corellares 0.004 33% 2793904 $3,021,809 EAT Entertainment 0.004 33% 100000 $3,926,358 MSG Mcs Services Limited 0.008 33% 10439676 $1,188,598 ALM Alma Metals Ltd 0.006 33% 1352499 $8,328,317 TOU Tlou Energy Ltd 0.024 33% 1826395 $23,374,518 1AD Adalta Limited 0.0025 25% 75962 $2,225,966 BIT Biotron Limited 0.0025 25% 200000 $2,654,492 BUY Bounty Oil & Gas NL 0.0025 25% 34611 $3,122,944 CZN Corazon Ltd 0.0025 25% 29873 $2,369,145 DDT DataDot Technology 0.005 25% 2368338 $4,843,811 DTM Dart Mining NL 0.0025 25% 886063 $2,396,111 GGE Grand Gulf Energy 0.0025 25% 539559 $5,640,850 MTB Mount Burgess Mining 0.005 25% 351392 $1,702,553 PKO Peako Limited 0.0025 25% 871167 $2,975,484 RAN Range International 0.0025 25% 2380188 $1,878,581 TMK TMK Energy Limited 0.0025 25% 1300000 $20,444,766 BDG Black Dragon Gold 0.086 23% 2374086 $22,257,624 IS3 I Synergy Group Ltd 0.011 22% 5454999 $15,356,699 SBR Sabre Resources 0.011 22% 38800 $3,550,157 IAM Income Asset 0.035 21% 9596256 $26,995,254 In the news… Winchester Energy (ASX:WEL) has been reinstated to the ASX after clearing a regulatory hurdle by appointing two more non-executive directors and filling out the required three-person roster. WEL is welcoming Jason Peterson, founder of CPS Capital Group, and David Wheeler, director and partner at boutique corporate advisory firm Pathways Corporate, to the board. The company is now seeking advice over a general meeting requirement. Alma Metals (ASX:ALM) upgraded its Briggs copper JV project resource this quarter, lifting it to 2Mt of copper, 73Mlb of molybdenum and 16.5Moz of silver. ALM has also had some metallurgical success, obtaining high copper recoveries of 95% from Briggs ore and refining high-grade concentrates of up to 29% copper with locked-cycle froth flotation methods, a technology with fairly low power consumption requirements. Patrys (ASX:PAB) had a solid quarter of corporate strategising, restructuring its board and actively pursuing partnering and licensing opportunities for both of its oncological cell therapy deoxymab assets. The biotech also raised just over $300k, continued the hunt for new assets to diversify its risk profile, and raked in an R&D rebate of $790k to bring its cash balance to $742k. Black Dragon Gold (ASX:BDG) has made positive progress toward a strategic investment in the Salave gold project by the Principality of Asturias, following introduction of new legislation in December 2024. A community consultation process has revealed the project is supported by about 63% of the local community, with many calling for investment in the region to generate job opportunities. BDG had CAD$1.085 million in the bank at the end of June. ASX SMALL CAP LAGGARDS Today's worst performing small cap stocks: Code Name Last % Change Volume Market Cap MHK Metalhawk. 0.175 -53% 4222178 $45,655,248 AQC Auspaccoal Ltd 0.008 -33% 14458499 $8,405,611 CYQ Cycliq Group Ltd 0.002 -33% 274297 $1,381,550 ECT Env Clean Tech Ltd. 0.002 -33% 76491887 $12,046,306 XPN Xpon Technologies 0.008 -27% 11918252 $4,556,785 CHM Chimeric Therapeutic 0.003 -25% 3775000 $12,996,494 MEL Metgasco Ltd 0.002 -20% 10000 $4,592,717 3DP Pointerra Limited 0.046 -19% 5829994 $45,889,377 AIV Activex Limited 0.013 -19% 160499 $3,448,041 GRE Greentechmetals 0.065 -19% 839637 $9,071,611 RR1 Reach Resources Ltd 0.009 -18% 739225 $9,618,745 IR1 Irismetals 0.09 -18% 2371209 $19,575,532 BNL Blue Star Helium Ltd 0.005 -17% 34852048 $16,169,312 NOX Noxopharm Limited 0.105 -16% 86455 $36,529,744 MQR Marquee Resource Ltd 0.011 -15% 8465110 $7,627,350 LM1 Leeuwin Metals Ltd 0.098 -15% 277188 $11,592,734 AUK Aumake Limited 0.003 -14% 11809835 $10,581,756 NWM Norwest Minerals 0.012 -14% 40425 $13,557,020 RDS Redstone Resources 0.003 -14% 4048334 $3,619,936 SER Strategic Energy 0.006 -14% 2187909 $4,697,233 SHP South Harz Potash 0.003 -14% 3127159 $4,490,717 IG6 Internationalgraphit 0.061 -14% 502816 $13,742,641 MAG Magmatic Resrce Ltd 0.044 -14% 611028 $22,554,786 IME Imexhs Limited 0.285 -14% 41772 $17,704,253 AKA Aureka Limited 0.091 -13% 797527 $13,235,280 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT Ramelius Resources (ASX:RMS) has completed the acquisition of Spartan Resources (ASX:SPR), gaining access to millions of gold ounces. Airtasker (ASX:ART) strengthened its cash and kept scaling this quarter without the need for fresh capital. Island Pharmaceuticals (ASX:ILA) has completed the acquisition of the promising Galidesivir anti-viral drug after finalising due diligence ahead of schedule. Perpetual Resources (ASX:PEC) is finalising plans for drilling to support a maiden JORC resource estimate at its Raptor rare earths project in Brazil. Geopacific Resources (ASX:GPR) is building momentum at its Woodlark Gold Project in PNG thanks to a sharp focus and near-term entrance of St Barbara. Taruga Minerals' (ASX:TAR) review of legacy datasets and airborne VTEM survey findings has confirmed the presence of a discrete conductor at Thowagee, which TAR has elevated to a priority target. Albion Resources (ASX:ALB) has entered a deal with Capricorn Metals (ASX:CMM) for its Mongers Lake gold project in the West Australian Murchison. Blue Star Helium (ASX:BNL) fields solid flow test results at Aloha Mula 12 ('Hello Money') helium well in Lincoln County, Colorado, as it moves toward an option exercise decision. Orange Minerals (ASX:OMX) has successfully listed on the OTCQB Venture Market as it plans to advance exploration across African and Australian projects. Harvest Technology Group (ASX:HTG) recorded a 135% YoY increase in quarterly revenue, reaching $1.1 million in Q4 FY25, and expects total revenue for the full year to exceed $3.5 million. Trading halts Activeport Group (ASX:ATV) – cap raise Babylon Pump & Power (ASX:BPP) – potential acquisition and debt funding Chilwa Minerals (ASX:CHW) – cap raise Enova Mining (ASX:ENV) – cap raise Firetail Resources (ASX:FTL) – cap raise HeraMED (ASX:HMD) – cap raise Imagion Biosystems (ASX:IBX) – cap raise Nyrada (ASX:NYR) – cap raise Papyrus Australia (ASX:PPY) – cap raise RemSense Technologies (ASX:RMN) – cap raise TG Metals (ASX:TGM) – cap raise At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While Weebit Nano is a Stockhead advertiser, it did not sponsor this article.
The Advertiser
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Local shares flat as Commonwealth Bank hits record high
The local share market has closed about where it started despite its biggest component heading further into uncharted territory, with Commonwealth Bank shares closing at more than $190 for the first time. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Wednesday finished up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 while the broader All Ordinaries gained 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9. A ceasefire in the Middle East was mostly holding, with Israel's military lifting emergency restrictions imposed during the 12-day conflict while Iran's president hailed the end of the war. Closer to home, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday that annual trimmed mean inflation fell from 2.8 per cent in April to 2.4 per cent in May - its lowest level since November 2021. "The better-than-expected inflation print should lock in a rate cut when the RBA next meets in July," said Ivy Yu, economic analyst for Oxford Economics Australia. HSBC analysts concurred, changing their call to predict that the Reserve Bank would cut rates on July 8 after previously forecasting the central bank would wait until August to do so. Seven of the ASX's 11 sectors finished lower on Wednesday, while property was flat and just three ended higher. But among them was the heavyweight financial sector, which rose 1.2 per cent as Commonwealth Bank continued to defy gravity - as well as critics that call it overvalued. CBA shares finished the day up 1.7 per cent at $191.40. They have gained 24.9 per cent so far in 2025 on top of a 37.1 per cent rise in 2024, and haven't had a losing year since 2018. Westpac rose 0.7 per cent to $34.54, NAB climbed 0.8 per cent to $40.05 and ANZ gained 1.8 per cent to $29.10. The materials sector was the biggest mover, falling 1.3 per cent after leading gainers on Tuesday. BHP retreated 1.0 per cent to $36.11, Fortescue lost 2.3 per cent to $14.88 and dipped 1.1 per cent 0.6 per cent to $104.30. Also, goldminer Northern Star dropped 2.6 per cent to $19.28 as the yellow metal changed hands at $US3,331, down almost $50 from Tuesday. Elsewhere, Droneshield soared 19.9 per cent to a one-year high of $2.14 after the defence contractor announced it had won $61.6 million from a European military customer. The contract is Droneshield's biggest ever - greater than its entire 2024 revenue. Xero was in a trading halt after the Kiwi cloud accounting software firm said it would hold a $1.9 billion capital raising to fund its $3.9 billion acquisition of US bill payment company Melio. The Australian dollar was back below 65 US cents, buying 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents on Tuesday. ON THE ASX: * The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Wednesday up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 * The broader All Ordinaries rose 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9 CURRENCY SNAPSHOT: One Australian dollar buys: * 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents at 5pm Tuesday * 94.42 Japanese yen, from 94.44 Japanese yen * 56.00 euro cents, from 56.08 euro cents * 47.71 British pence, from 47.92 pence * 107.87 NZ cents, from 107.96 NZ cents The local share market has closed about where it started despite its biggest component heading further into uncharted territory, with Commonwealth Bank shares closing at more than $190 for the first time. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Wednesday finished up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 while the broader All Ordinaries gained 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9. A ceasefire in the Middle East was mostly holding, with Israel's military lifting emergency restrictions imposed during the 12-day conflict while Iran's president hailed the end of the war. Closer to home, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday that annual trimmed mean inflation fell from 2.8 per cent in April to 2.4 per cent in May - its lowest level since November 2021. "The better-than-expected inflation print should lock in a rate cut when the RBA next meets in July," said Ivy Yu, economic analyst for Oxford Economics Australia. HSBC analysts concurred, changing their call to predict that the Reserve Bank would cut rates on July 8 after previously forecasting the central bank would wait until August to do so. Seven of the ASX's 11 sectors finished lower on Wednesday, while property was flat and just three ended higher. But among them was the heavyweight financial sector, which rose 1.2 per cent as Commonwealth Bank continued to defy gravity - as well as critics that call it overvalued. CBA shares finished the day up 1.7 per cent at $191.40. They have gained 24.9 per cent so far in 2025 on top of a 37.1 per cent rise in 2024, and haven't had a losing year since 2018. Westpac rose 0.7 per cent to $34.54, NAB climbed 0.8 per cent to $40.05 and ANZ gained 1.8 per cent to $29.10. The materials sector was the biggest mover, falling 1.3 per cent after leading gainers on Tuesday. BHP retreated 1.0 per cent to $36.11, Fortescue lost 2.3 per cent to $14.88 and dipped 1.1 per cent 0.6 per cent to $104.30. Also, goldminer Northern Star dropped 2.6 per cent to $19.28 as the yellow metal changed hands at $US3,331, down almost $50 from Tuesday. Elsewhere, Droneshield soared 19.9 per cent to a one-year high of $2.14 after the defence contractor announced it had won $61.6 million from a European military customer. The contract is Droneshield's biggest ever - greater than its entire 2024 revenue. Xero was in a trading halt after the Kiwi cloud accounting software firm said it would hold a $1.9 billion capital raising to fund its $3.9 billion acquisition of US bill payment company Melio. The Australian dollar was back below 65 US cents, buying 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents on Tuesday. ON THE ASX: * The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Wednesday up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 * The broader All Ordinaries rose 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9 CURRENCY SNAPSHOT: One Australian dollar buys: * 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents at 5pm Tuesday * 94.42 Japanese yen, from 94.44 Japanese yen * 56.00 euro cents, from 56.08 euro cents * 47.71 British pence, from 47.92 pence * 107.87 NZ cents, from 107.96 NZ cents The local share market has closed about where it started despite its biggest component heading further into uncharted territory, with Commonwealth Bank shares closing at more than $190 for the first time. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Wednesday finished up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 while the broader All Ordinaries gained 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9. A ceasefire in the Middle East was mostly holding, with Israel's military lifting emergency restrictions imposed during the 12-day conflict while Iran's president hailed the end of the war. Closer to home, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday that annual trimmed mean inflation fell from 2.8 per cent in April to 2.4 per cent in May - its lowest level since November 2021. "The better-than-expected inflation print should lock in a rate cut when the RBA next meets in July," said Ivy Yu, economic analyst for Oxford Economics Australia. HSBC analysts concurred, changing their call to predict that the Reserve Bank would cut rates on July 8 after previously forecasting the central bank would wait until August to do so. Seven of the ASX's 11 sectors finished lower on Wednesday, while property was flat and just three ended higher. But among them was the heavyweight financial sector, which rose 1.2 per cent as Commonwealth Bank continued to defy gravity - as well as critics that call it overvalued. CBA shares finished the day up 1.7 per cent at $191.40. They have gained 24.9 per cent so far in 2025 on top of a 37.1 per cent rise in 2024, and haven't had a losing year since 2018. Westpac rose 0.7 per cent to $34.54, NAB climbed 0.8 per cent to $40.05 and ANZ gained 1.8 per cent to $29.10. The materials sector was the biggest mover, falling 1.3 per cent after leading gainers on Tuesday. BHP retreated 1.0 per cent to $36.11, Fortescue lost 2.3 per cent to $14.88 and dipped 1.1 per cent 0.6 per cent to $104.30. Also, goldminer Northern Star dropped 2.6 per cent to $19.28 as the yellow metal changed hands at $US3,331, down almost $50 from Tuesday. Elsewhere, Droneshield soared 19.9 per cent to a one-year high of $2.14 after the defence contractor announced it had won $61.6 million from a European military customer. The contract is Droneshield's biggest ever - greater than its entire 2024 revenue. Xero was in a trading halt after the Kiwi cloud accounting software firm said it would hold a $1.9 billion capital raising to fund its $3.9 billion acquisition of US bill payment company Melio. The Australian dollar was back below 65 US cents, buying 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents on Tuesday. ON THE ASX: * The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Wednesday up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 * The broader All Ordinaries rose 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9 CURRENCY SNAPSHOT: One Australian dollar buys: * 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents at 5pm Tuesday * 94.42 Japanese yen, from 94.44 Japanese yen * 56.00 euro cents, from 56.08 euro cents * 47.71 British pence, from 47.92 pence * 107.87 NZ cents, from 107.96 NZ cents The local share market has closed about where it started despite its biggest component heading further into uncharted territory, with Commonwealth Bank shares closing at more than $190 for the first time. The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index on Wednesday finished up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 while the broader All Ordinaries gained 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9. A ceasefire in the Middle East was mostly holding, with Israel's military lifting emergency restrictions imposed during the 12-day conflict while Iran's president hailed the end of the war. Closer to home, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday that annual trimmed mean inflation fell from 2.8 per cent in April to 2.4 per cent in May - its lowest level since November 2021. "The better-than-expected inflation print should lock in a rate cut when the RBA next meets in July," said Ivy Yu, economic analyst for Oxford Economics Australia. HSBC analysts concurred, changing their call to predict that the Reserve Bank would cut rates on July 8 after previously forecasting the central bank would wait until August to do so. Seven of the ASX's 11 sectors finished lower on Wednesday, while property was flat and just three ended higher. But among them was the heavyweight financial sector, which rose 1.2 per cent as Commonwealth Bank continued to defy gravity - as well as critics that call it overvalued. CBA shares finished the day up 1.7 per cent at $191.40. They have gained 24.9 per cent so far in 2025 on top of a 37.1 per cent rise in 2024, and haven't had a losing year since 2018. Westpac rose 0.7 per cent to $34.54, NAB climbed 0.8 per cent to $40.05 and ANZ gained 1.8 per cent to $29.10. The materials sector was the biggest mover, falling 1.3 per cent after leading gainers on Tuesday. BHP retreated 1.0 per cent to $36.11, Fortescue lost 2.3 per cent to $14.88 and dipped 1.1 per cent 0.6 per cent to $104.30. Also, goldminer Northern Star dropped 2.6 per cent to $19.28 as the yellow metal changed hands at $US3,331, down almost $50 from Tuesday. Elsewhere, Droneshield soared 19.9 per cent to a one-year high of $2.14 after the defence contractor announced it had won $61.6 million from a European military customer. The contract is Droneshield's biggest ever - greater than its entire 2024 revenue. Xero was in a trading halt after the Kiwi cloud accounting software firm said it would hold a $1.9 billion capital raising to fund its $3.9 billion acquisition of US bill payment company Melio. The Australian dollar was back below 65 US cents, buying 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents on Tuesday. ON THE ASX: * The benchmark S&P/ASX200 index finished Wednesday up 3.7 points, or 0.04 per cent, at 8,559.2 * The broader All Ordinaries rose 5.1 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 8,779.9 CURRENCY SNAPSHOT: One Australian dollar buys: * 64.99 US cents, from 65.06 US cents at 5pm Tuesday * 94.42 Japanese yen, from 94.44 Japanese yen * 56.00 euro cents, from 56.08 euro cents * 47.71 British pence, from 47.92 pence * 107.87 NZ cents, from 107.96 NZ cents
Perth Now
25-06-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Aust shares flat as Commonwealth Bank hits new record
The local share market has been treading water even as Australia's biggest bank headed further into record territory. At noon AEST on Wednesday, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 2.6 points, or 0.03 per cent, at 8,557.7, while the broader All Ordinaries was up 1.3 points, or 0.01 per cent, to 8,776.1. Overseas, a ceasefire in the Middle East had mostly held, with Israel's military lifting emergency restrictions imposed during the 12-day conflict while Iran's president hailed the end of the war. Closer to home, the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported that annual trimmed mean inflation fell from 2.8 per cent in April to 2.4 per cent in May - its lowest level since November 2021. "The better-than-expected inflation print should lock in a rate cut when the RBA next meets in July," said Ivy Yu, economic analyst for Oxford Economics Australia. The ASX's 11 sectors were mixed at midday, with seven down and four up. Materials was the biggest mover, dropping 1.5 per cent after leading gainers on Tuesday. BHP had retreated 1.7 per cent, Fortescue had fallen 2.2 per cent and Rio Tinto had dipped 1.1 per cent. Also, goldminer Northern Star was down 3.1 per cent as the yellow metal changed hands at $US 3,330, down almost $50 from Tuesday. On the flip side, the heavyweight mining sector was up 0.8 per cent, with all the big four banks in the green. Commonwealth Bank had climbed 1.1 per cent to $190.15 - its first time above $190 ever - with its shares briefly trading as high as $192. CBA shares are up 24.1 per cent so far in 2025, following a 37.1 per cent gain in 2024. ANZ had climbed 1.4 per cent while Westpac and NAB had both gained 0.7 per cent. Droneshield soared 23.3 per cent to a one-year high of $2.20 after the defence contractor announced it had won $61.6 million from a European military customer. The contract is Droneshield's biggest ever - greater than its entire 2024 revenue. The Australian dollar was buying 65.03 US cents, from 65.06 US cents on Tuesday.
News.com.au
04-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
ASX April Tech Winners: Tech sector pulls off market gymnastic to land on its feet, with defence stocks and Harvest Tech on top
Tech gets its groove back with help from Wall Street and RBA Defence tech darlings like WhiteHawk and Elsight grab the spotlight Harvest Tech goes global, Droneshield fires again In April 2025, the ASX tech sector finally got its mojo back, punching out a near 6% gain and coming in just behind telcos for the month. It marked a significant rebound for tech stocks, especially when the sector had been the worst performer in March. Tech stocks managed to rally through the tariff chaos. Part of the lift also came from the RBA finally getting inflation back in the zone. With trimmed mean inflation dipping to 2.9% – the first time it's landed within the 2-3% target in almost four years – markets started whispering about rate cuts. ANZ thinks a 25bps this month is a near cert. And in that kind of setup, tech stocks usually shine. Lower rates are like oxygen for growth stocks, and suddenly investors are leaning back in. The US tech scene was lighting up too. Wall Street was rallying with the Nasdaq and S&P both ticking higher during the month, thanks to a fresh wave of optimism around the big global names after seeing off the worst of the post-Liberation Day sell off. Aussie tech tends to follow Wall Street's lead, and this time was no different. When the big dogs bark, the pack moves. The big bonus came when Donald Trump stepped in with some tariff relief, cutting a break for consumer tech gear like smartphones and chips, before winding back some of his rhetoric on China and the US' other trade partners. That took some pressure off and gave global tech a bit more breathing room, another tailwind that carried over to local players. Put all that together, and April found a sweet spot for ASX tech — a mix of cooling inflation, global momentum, and a bit of policy luck, giving the sector the boost it was hanging out for. ASX tech winners in April Code Name Price Month % Change Market Cap WHK Whitehawk Limited 0.015 88% $10,794,154 HTG Harvest Tech Grp Ltd 0.020 54% $17,918,935 BDT Birddog 0.049 53% $7,912,815 UBN Ltd 0.805 45% $51,929,748 DRO Droneshield Limited 1.340 41% $1,171,280,813 1TT Thrive Tribe Tech 0.002 33% $4,063,446 ELS Elsight Ltd 0.450 27% $81,716,045 ASB Austal Limited 5.310 26% $2,236,466,034 BRN Brainchip Ltd 0.270 26% $546,950,268 SNS Sensen Networks Ltd 0.028 22% $22,205,049 X2M X2M Connect Limited 0.020 18% $7,566,825 AVA AVA Risk Group Ltd 0.105 17% $30,499,563 KNO Knosys Limited 0.043 16% $9,293,964 CAT Catapult Grp Int Ltd 4.090 16% $1,110,124,675 EOL Energy One Limited 12.550 15% $393,196,307 DUB Dubber Corp Ltd 0.041 14% $107,558,066 EIQ Echoiq Ltd 0.330 14% $194,211,944 MP1 Megaport Limited 11.420 14% $1,835,759,096 AJX Alexium Int Group 0.009 13% $14,277,858 SPZ Smart Parking Ltd 0.865 12% $354,782,268 DTZ Dotz Nano Ltd 0.075 12% $42,817,322 FND Findi Limited 4.600 11% $284,285,617 WTC Wisetech Global Ltd 88.520 11% $29,615,314,049 HSN Hansen Technologies 5.410 10% $1,102,731,753 ESK Etherstack PLC 0.285 10% $37,669,021 DWG Dataworks Group 0.175 9% $17,889,208 KYP Kinatico Ltd 0.180 9% $77,776,557 BCC Beam Communications 0.099 8% $8,555,770 ATA Atturralimited 0.875 7% $333,959,567 FCL Fineos Corp Hold PLC 2.190 7% $741,314,266 AMO Ambertech Limited 0.160 7% $15,264,765 YOJ Yojee Limited 0.175 6% $55,975,125 FCT Firstwave Cloud Tech 0.018 6% $30,843,336 AT1 Atomo Diagnostics 0.018 6% $11,505,642 TNE Technology One 30.060 5% $9,840,698,342 XRO Xero Ltd 164.190 5% $25,222,482,282 360 Life360 Inc. 21.940 5% $3,862,333,002 TYR Tyro Payments 0.805 5% $425,319,795 SKO Serko 3.490 4% $429,711,021 DCC Digitalx Limited 0.052 4% $62,588,442 CF1 Complii Fintech Ltd 0.027 4% $15,427,628 VIG Victor Group Hldgs 0.062 3% $40,438,054 AR9 Archtis Limited 0.064 3% $18,429,898 OCL Objective Corp 15.650 3% $1,495,956,050 BTH Bigtincan Hldgs Ltd 0.215 2% $176,660,326 GTK Gentrack Group Ltd 10.800 2% $1,163,396,477 OEC Orbital Corp Limited 0.090 2% $14,830,175 CCR Credit Clear 0.235 2% $99,792,431 PPS Praemium Limited 0.745 2% $355,897,805 XYZ Block Inc 92.300 2% $5,191,834,942 QHL Quickstep Holdings 0.575 2% $41,242,573 DTL Data#3 Limited 7.280 2% $1,127,732,664 CPU Computershare Ltd 40.720 1% $23,804,505,004 NXT Nextdc Limited 11.830 1% $7,576,122,345 DSE Dropsuite Ltd 5.810 1% $412,442,372 WhiteHawk (ASX:WHK) Cybersecurity firm Whitehawk's shares soared after landing a major cyber deal in the US, teaming up with Knexus Research and a few big-name players on a government-wide contract worth up to US$920 million over 10 years. WHK is the only cyber partner on the team, which beat out 22 other groups to win the deal. The contract doesn't bring in cash straight away, it's task-based, so the dollars flow as the work gets handed out. But thanks to a White House order pushing more federal spending into deals like this, WhiteHawk reckons there's big recurring revenue potential ahead. WHK's role will be to roll out cyber risk tools to help US agencies fight fraud and foreign threats. Harvest Technology Group (ASX:HTG) During the month of April, Harvest listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange, giving it a foot in the door to Europe's massive capital markets without issuing new shares. The move is aimed at building visibility and drawing in more European investors across key sectors like defence, telco, aerospace, and maritime, where demand for its low-bandwidth, secure video tech is on the rise. The listing lines up with HTG's growing customer base in Europe, where its Nodestream platform is already making rapid traction. HTG is now planning a roadshow across the continent in June, catching up with customers and pitching to high-level investors. No dilution, low cost, and a shot at global growth, HTG reckons this move is right on target. Urbanise (ASX:UBN) During the month, Urbanise reported its performance year for FY24. The company tightened its focus and set itself up for longer-term growth. It brought in a new Chairman, Darc Rasmussen, who saw straight away that Urbanise could lead the way in strata and facilities management software. The company is now running hard on a three-part game plan: grow its customer base, deliver more value through smart features, and connect clients with service providers directly through its platform. Over the year, it locked in $1.04 million in new recurring revenue, added clever new tools like predictive analytics, and slashed operating costs by 14% thanks to better cash flow and fewer bespoke projects. The plan is to hit cash flow sustainability by FY25, and the company said it's laser-focused on making it happen. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) Droneshield rose after locking in five fresh defence contracts worth $32.2 million from a military customer in the Asia Pacific during April, via a big-name global reseller. The company will deliver counterdrone gear through Q2 and Q3 next year, with payments expected during that time. The new deals follow $12.3 million in previous orders from the same buyer, showing demand is ramping up as militaries move from trial runs to full rollouts. With gear that tackles next-gen drone threats, DroneShield reckons it's in the box seat as interest picks up across the region. Elsight (ASX:ELS) Elsight is entering a big new phase, locking in a $4.25 million deal with a European defence giant to deliver its technology over four months. CEO Yoav Amitai reckons it will not only give revenue a nice lift but also put Elsight firmly on the radar in the booming defence space. With war tensions driving up defence budgets across Europe and the US, Yoav says Elsight's drone comms gear is landing in the right place at the right time, giving unmanned systems stronger, smarter control. And even with global tariff noise around, the company said it's staying steady thanks to a spread-out manufacturing setup. Yoav said this recent deal in Europe just the beginning. ASX tech losers in April Code Name Price Month % Change Market Cap FBR FBR Ltd 0.006 -40% $33,813,791 ATV Activeportgroupltd 0.009 -36% $6,164,794 NVQ Noviqtech Limited 0.031 -34% $7,797,633 EPX Ept Global Limited 0.026 -33% $17,127,137 LNU Linius Tech Limited 0.001 -33% $6,151,216 VR1 Vection Technologies 0.018 -33% $27,549,994 IFG Infocusgroup Hldltd 0.007 -30% $1,754,886 3DP Pointerra Limited 0.060 -29% $48,304,608 SPX Spenda Limited 0.005 -29% $23,076,077 CT1 Constellation Tech 0.002 -25% $2,212,101 PIL Peppermint Inv Ltd 0.003 -25% $6,712,918 NXL Nuix Limited 2.430 -24% $803,681,994 GTI Gratifii 0.075 -22% $25,409,205 EXT Excite Technology 0.011 -21% $20,049,061 SP3 Specturltd 0.011 -21% $3,389,651 CGO CPT Global Limited 0.050 -21% $2,094,868 SEN Senetas Corporation 0.019 -20% $30,636,353 IOD Iodm Limited 0.145 -19% $89,401,807 ROC Rocketboots 0.081 -19% $11,795,694 FL1 First Lithium Ltd 0.065 -19% $5,177,484 OPL Opyl Limited 0.026 -19% $5,017,176 RDY Readytech Holdings 2.100 -19% $256,494,158 PRO Prophecy Internation 0.425 -18% $31,343,297 SLX Silex Systems 3.090 -18% $735,737,417 HCL Highcom Ltd 0.180 -16% $18,482,881 CYB Aucyber Limited 0.078 -16% $16,332,942 ASV Assetvisonco 0.032 -16% $23,659,570 XF1 Xref Limited 0.115 -15% $25,310,323 8CO 8Common Limited 0.018 -14% $4,033,708 EVS Envirosuite Ltd 0.072 -14% $104,306,666 W2V Way2Vatltd 0.006 -14% $5,604,001 WBT Weebit Nano Ltd 1.765 -14% $366,935,969 DTI DTI Group Ltd 0.007 -13% $3,139,860 EOS Electro Optic Sys. 1.225 -13% $236,366,321 XPN Xpon Technologies 0.007 -13% $2,537,090 LIS Lisenergylimited 0.110 -12% $70,422,025 OLL Openlearning 0.015 -12% $7,240,120 AXE Archer Materials 0.265 -12% $67,534,458 CXZ Connexion Mobility 0.027 -11% $22,174,299 NVX Novonix Limited 0.425 -11% $270,323,663 1CG One Click Group Ltd 0.008 -11% $9,423,039 BLG Bluglass Limited 0.016 -11% $29,448,965 HYD Hydrix Limited 0.016 -11% $4,364,302 SPA Spacetalk Ltd 0.205 -11% $14,926,476 VNL Vinyl Group Ltd 0.094 -10% $118,350,130 BEO Beonic Ltd 0.180 -10% $12,754,981 AI1 Adisyn Ltd 0.050 -9% $36,116,280 RKT Rocketdna Ltd. 0.010 -9% $9,155,232 RWL Rubicon Water 0.255 -9% $61,377,250 COS Cosol Limited 0.730 -9% $132,851,821 XRG Xreality Group Ltd 0.032 -9% $18,271,433 IFM Infomedia Ltd 1.240 -8% $469,240,416 SOR Strategic Elements 0.034 -8% $15,939,487 DUG DUG Tech 1.025 -8% $138,024,041 NOR Norwood Systems Ltd. 0.024 -8% $11,750,684 ODA Orcoda Limited 0.074 -8% $13,876,052 JCS Jcurve Solutions 0.025 -7% $8,258,586 5GN 5G Networks Limited 0.130 -7% $38,744,410 NVU Nanoveu Limited 0.039 -7% $28,954,779 QOR Qoria Limited 0.395 -7% $514,126,184 FLX Felix Group 0.200 -7% $40,899,943 IRI Integrated Research 0.410 -7% $72,714,610 MX1 Micro-X Limited 0.058 -6% $38,522,051 SMN Structural Monitor. 0.390 -6% $60,178,969 ACE Acusensus Limited 1.050 -5% $147,027,155 PPK PPK Group Limited 0.305 -5% $27,697,812 AD8 Audinate Group Ltd 6.140 -5% $511,815,627 ERD Eroad Limited 0.840 -4% $157,424,931 RUL Rpmglobal Hldgs Ltd 2.750 -4% $610,623,648 SMP Smartpay Holdings 0.770 -4% $186,296,467 NOV Novatti Group Ltd 0.027 -4% $14,657,783 4DS 4Ds Memory Limited 0.030 -3% $60,069,707 TZL TZ Limited 0.062 -3% $17,398,074 RKN Reckon Limited 0.480 -3% $54,381,519 JAN Janison Edu Group 0.165 -3% $42,881,562 DXN DXN Limited 0.034 -3% $10,155,924 IKE Ikegps Group Ltd 0.715 -3% $115,159,825 PHX Pharmx Technologies 0.077 -3% $46,085,023 BVS Bravura Solution Ltd 2.190 -2% $981,895,264 IRE IRESS Limited 7.950 -2% $1,484,976,318 CDA Codan Limited 15.750 -2% $2,859,740,762 EML EML Payments Ltd 0.975 -2% $372,343,316 VGL Vista Group Int Ltd 3.280 -1% $783,376,770 This story does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decision.
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
ASX Tech Quarterly Wrap: AI, semiconductor and counter-drone players in focus
Special Report: It's been a topsy-turvy start to 2025 for the ASX tech sector, weighed down by global geopolitical tensions, economic uncertainty and concerns over President Donald Trump's proposed Liberation Day tariffs. Markets see-sawed as investors turned risk-off in response to high initial tariffs on US trading partners and the threat of a trade war with China. After a strong start in January, the S&P/ASX Information Technology Index slumped through February and March, before regaining ground in April as Trump softened his stance on global tariffs and China. Against this backdrop, here's how some ASX tech stocks have advanced over the past quarter. DroneShield (ASX:DRO) DroneShield, which specialises in tech for drone detection and security, kicked off 2025 with a bang, delivering a record $33.5 million in revenue for the March quarter, more than double the amount it pulled in this time last year. That's already higher than any previous full year, and it's still early days. With $94.4 million already locked in through purchase orders for 2025 delivery, it's shaping up to be a bumper year for the company. Cash receipts hit $16.7 million in the quarter, also more than double year-on-year. And while some of that revenue hasn't landed in the bank just yet, due to timing of deliveries, it's in the pipe. SaaS revenue is climbing, too, up nearly 200% to $1.67m, as customers lean into DroneShield's AI-powered software upgrades for drone detection and response. A bunch of new subscription tools are also in the works to push recurring revenue even further. On the tech front, DroneShield is pouring cash into R&D and prepping its next-gen products for 2026. It's still betting big on radio frequency as the backbone of drone detection, and is bundling in other sensors as needed for clients who want the full kit in one clean package. The company rolled out new variants of its flagship DroneGun and RfPatrol kits in the quarter to meet rising demand. With $197 million in the bank and no debt, DroneShield's balance sheet is rock solid. The pipeline is quite fat, $1.6 billion worth of opportunities, with Europe, Asia and the US leading the charge. Defence spending across the globe is on the rise, especially in Europe with the €800 billion ReArm plan, and in the US under a new US$1 trillion defence budget. In April, which is after the quarter-end, Droneshield locked in five fresh defence contracts worth $32.2m from a military customer in the Asia Pacific via a big-name global reseller. DroneShield is also finding new legs in non-military markets, with growing demand from airports and police forces rolling out 'Drone as First Responder' systems. The company is sitting on $70m in inventory, ready to ship. Decidr Ai Industries (ASX:DAI) During Q3 FY25 the company formally changed its name from Live Verdure to Decidr AI. Decidr said the board believes the name change better communicates its core activities and long-term vision as an artificial intelligence (AI)-native business focused on building and commercialising horizontal Agentic AI technology across diverse industries. The name change followed the company's acquisition of a controlling 51% stake in Pty Ltd in December 2024. During the quarter Decidr secured several new multi-year subscriptions with Australian and US customers, across finance, manufacturing, advertising, and lending, which the company said showcased agility and scalability of its AI platform. Delivery of won contracts began in March 2025, resulting in annualised revenue of $1m, in Decidr's first full quarter of commercialisation. Global strategic partnerships were signed with BeeRoll, Go1 and Amazon Web Services (AWS), further expanding Decidr's embedded partnership commercial model complementing existing partnerships with CareerOne and ELMO Software. Decidr said while its partnership with CareerOne was not due for full launch until Q4 FY25, it delivered early revenue following the beta launch of ApplyPass, an AI-powered matching engine built using Decidr's core technology. ApplyPass forms the foundation for two upcoming products – the AI Recruiter for employers and the Talent Agent for jobseekers. Decidr's Edible Beauty business maintained its positive e-commerce trajectory with strong online sales during the quarter. The company reported e-commerce sales in Q3 grew 35% on prior corresponding period (pcp), driven by strong focus on new customer acquisition and increasing average order value. During March, the company raised capital of $11m from an oversubscribed institutional placement. It also raised ~$700,000 from the conversion of unlisted options, from existing, supportive shareholders. Decidr ended with the quarter with a cash position of $11.1m, which it said provided sufficient runway over the medium term. Adisyn (ASX:AI1) In early January, the ambitious player in the semiconductor industry completed its 100% acquisition of 2DG, which has developed a patented graphene process to facilitate smaller, faster, cooler, and more energy-efficient semiconductor devices. 2DG's innovative technology centres around the aim of improving the device performance by replacing the copper interconnect with graphene. Following the acquisition, Adisyn made several board and management changes to reflect its new strategic direction. Globally-recognised leader in the semiconductor industry Kevin Crofton was appointed chairman, while 2DG founder and CEO Arye Kohavi became a non-executive director. Australian-based technology entrepreneur Mr Dominic O'Hanlon appointed as non-executive director. During the quarter Adisyn entered a partnership deal with Jan Koum Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology at Tel Aviv University (TAU), which includes access to a Automic Layer Deposition Machine to accelerate the development of graphene-based interconnects for next generation semiconductors. The company also strengthened its balance sheet after completing a heavily oversubscribed $10m placement, supported by domestic and international institutional and sophisticated investors. Crofton demonstrated his confidence in Adisyn by participating in the placement and buying shares on market. The company also entered into a binding heads of agreement with Metacorp Developments Pty Ltd for the divestment of its Miner Hosting business, which provides infrastructure and services for clients to facilitate mining of cryptocurrency. It has been determined to be a non-core, immaterial part of the business. Commenting on activities completed during Q3 Crofton said Adisyn was entering a very exciting period for the company and semiconductor industry. "Our technology has the potential to revolutionise next-generation semiconductor manufacturing," he said. "By collaborating with partners on chip design, lithography, and advanced materials like graphene, we aim to extend Moore's Law and push the boundaries of performance and efficiency. The company ended the quarter with a cash position of $11.1m, which it said provided sufficient runway over the medium term. At Stockhead, we tell it like it is. While Decidr AI Industries and Adisyn are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.
