• Telix (ASX:TLX) share price lifts 7% on new distribution agreement

    Three Archer Materials scientists wearing white coats and blue gloves dance together in their lab after making a discovery

    The Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) share price is escalating today amid news of a Spanish partnership deal.

    At the time of writing, the biopharmaceutical company’s shares are up 7.39% trading at $7.41.

    Telix is a Melbourne-based diagnostic and therapeutic company with international operations in Belgium, Japan, Switzerland and the United States.

    What’s the deal?

    In today’s release, Telix announced it has formed an exclusive commercial agreement with Nucliber, based in Madrid. The Spanish company will distribute Telix’s prostate cancer imaging product Illuccix to the Spanish market.

    Illuccix is Telix’s lead product for prostate cancer imaging with approval from the Therapeutic Goods Administration. According to the company, prostate cancer was the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in Spain in 2020.

    Telix said it selected Nucliber due to its track record delivering gallium generators across Spain.

    Telix is also working on gaining market authorisation for the use of Illuccix in the United States, Canada and Europe.

    Comment from management

    Speaking on the announcement, Telix EMEA president Richard Valeix said:

    Nucliber is a leading nuclear medicine company in Spain and we are therefore pleased to have entered into this commercial distribution agreement as we prepare for the European launch of Illuccix.

    Collaborating with such an established and patient-centric leader in radiopharmaceuticals will help Telix to deliver on the promise of nuclear medicine with the ultimate aim to improve outcomes for Spanish men living with prostate cancer.

    Telix share price snapshot

    The Telix share price has been skyrocketing in 2021, up 96%. And in the past 52 weeks, it has gained 97%. For comparison, the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) has returned around 11% in the past year.

    Over the past month, Telix shares are up 27%.

    The post Telix (ASX:TLX) share price lifts 7% on new distribution agreement appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Telix Pharmaceuticals right now?

    Before you consider Telix Pharmaceuticals , you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Telix Pharmaceuticals wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Emmerson Resources (ASX:ERM) share price explodes 143% on ‘stunning’ copper results

    A woman's head literally explodes with goodness.

    The Emmerson Resources Limited (ASX: ERM) share price is off to the races today. Shares are up a stellar 143.24% at the time of writing, to 18 cents per share.

    Below we take a look at the ‘stunning’ copper results driving investor interest in the ASX junior resource explorer.

    What copper results did Emmerson report

    The Emmerson Resources share price is surging after the company reported ‘stunning’ copper results at its Hermitage Project. The Hermitage Project is located in Tennant Creek in the Northern Territory.

    According to the release, reverse circulation (RC) drill hole HERC003 intersected continuous mineralisation of 117 metres at 3.38% copper from 75 metres including:

    • 30m at 7.26% copper and 2.69 grams per tonne gold from 162m including:
      • 3m @ 14.91g/t gold and 4.24% copper to end of hole

    Likely also offering a boost to the Emmerson Resources share price today is the revelation that the RC drill hole was abandoned in mineralisation at a depth of 192 metres. Though, the miner said it will continue to drill deeper with a diamond tail in 2022.

    The company also reported positive gold and copper results from a second drill hole. Assays from a third hole are pending.

    Commenting on the results, Emmerson Resources managing director Rob Bills said:

    These results are some of the best seen in the Tennant Creek Mineral Field as they reflect very extensive, high-grade copper mineralisation, with intervals of high-grade gold and cobalt – all associated with iron-oxides of hematite and magnetite. Whilst it is still early days, the metal zonation and mineralisation in drill hole HERC003 displays increasing gold and copper grades with depth – the subject of future diamond drilling.

    Furthermore, noting that the Hermitage and Jasper Hills projects, which are in mining leases owned by Emmerson Resources, haven’t seen any modern exploration, Bills said the area is now a key priority for future exploration.

    Emmerson Resources share price snapshot

    The Emmerson Resources share price is up 127% in 2021. For context, that well outpaces the 12% gains posted by the All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO).

    Over the past month, the ASX microcap stock is also up 125%

    The post Emmerson Resources (ASX:ERM) share price explodes 143% on ‘stunning’ copper results appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Emmerson Resources right now?

    Before you consider Emmerson Resources, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Emmerson Resources wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Life360 (ASX:360) share price is leaping 12% today

    a group of office workers high five each other as they celebrate good news with a couple of workers sitting at theircomuter looking into the screen.

    It’s a good day on the ASX for the Life360 Inc (ASX: 360) share price after news broke that, if all goes to plan, the company will be added to the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) this month.

    Interestingly, the reason behind the location technology company’s expected inclusion is entirely out of its control.

    At the time of writing, the Life360 share price is $11.54, 11.71% higher than its previous close.

    Let’s take a closer look at the news driving the software development company’s stock higher today.

    Here’s why the Life360 share price is surging on Wednesday

    The Life360 share price is surging on news the company will benefit from the merger of energy giants Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) and Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH).

    S&P Dow Jones Indices announced Life360 will be taking the place of Oil Search on the ASX 200 when (and if) the planned merger is finalised.

    Oil Search shareholders gave the merger the go-ahead yesterday. More than 95% of those who voted were in favour of the transaction.

    Additionally, Santos announced the merger has been given the green light by the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission of Papua New Guinea this morning.

    There are still some conditions the transaction must clear before Life360 is given its place among the ASX giants. One is PNG court approval. However, it’s looking promising.

    S&P Dow Jones Indices is preparing to remove Oil Search from the ASX 200 on 13 December. That’s also when it’s expected to be delisted.

    If Life360 is admitted to the index as planned, it will be one of its smaller members. Though, the company has grown significantly this year.

    Right now, the Life360 share price is 203% higher than it was at the start of 2021.

    The post Here’s why the Life360 (ASX:360) share price is leaping 12% today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Life360 right now?

    Before you consider Life360, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Life360 wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Life360, Inc. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price rises on $5 billion new energy plan

    A green-caped superhero reveals their identity with a big dollar sign on their chest.

    The Woodside Petroleum Limited (ASX: WPL) share price is rising after the resources business revealed a plan to invest $5 billion in emerging new energy markets by 2030.

    Woodside wants to invest in new energy so that it’s an “early mover” in the market and support the decarbonisation goals of its customers.

    New energy

    In recent months, it has announced progress on four new energy projects: H2 Perth and H2TAS in Australia and Heliogen and H2OK in the US. Those projects are designed to be phased, starting small with the potential to build scale.

    H2Perth is targeting around 110,000 tpa of hydrogen production, with future capacity of up to 550,000 tpa of hydrogen for export (in the form of ammonia and liquid hydrogen).

    H2TAS is targeting 200,000 tpa of ammonia and a 300 MW electrolysis component. It has the potential to support up to 1.7 GW of electrolysis.

    H2OK is initially targeting around 33,000 tpa of liquid hydrogen with a future capacity of up to 65,000 tpa.

    Finally, Heliogen (which is “breakthrough” solar technology) is initially targeting 5MW. The concentrated solar energy system has the potential to deliver clean energy with nearly 24/7 availability.

    Each of those project locations have been chosen for specific reasons, preferably near available renewables or close to market, ensuring they are customer led.

    Woodside’s roadmap

    In today’s presentation at the investor day, Woodside talked about its plans for the 2020s as well as looking to 2030 and beyond.

    For the mid-2020s it talked about scaling up its carbon offset projects, scaling up carbon offset projects, exporting ammonia from Australia, developing carbon capture utilisation (CCU) opportunities and progressing its carbon capture and storage (CCS) opportunities.

    Woodside outlined that hydrogen for heavy vehicle transport is expected to play a key role in realising climate targets. Truck manufacturers are scaling up hydrogen fuel cell operations. The energy business said that there is “line of sight to diesel price parity”.

    Ammonia for power generation is another area of focus. Woodside said ammonia is transportable and it’s a price competitive option to reduce carbon emissions. The company is exploring opportunities with existing customers.

    In the 2030s, it’s targeting this new energy at scale. It will be exporting liquid hydrogen from Australia, scaling-up CCS activities and expanding production to match market scale.

    Other highlights from the presentation

    Woodside also highlighted its opportunities relating to its current resources and projects including Scarborough and Pluto Train 2 which have been approved and are expected to generate $26 billion of net cashflow.

    It also mentioned the merger with BHP Group Ltd (ASX: BHP) which is expected to deliver at least $400 million of estimated annual savings which is expected to be realised by the end of 2023.

    With the potential growth opportunities it’s going to prioritse the highest return options and with its exploration it’s going to focus on high-quality prospects.

    It will continue to maintain a dividend based on a target payout ratio of between 50% to 80%.

    Woodside share price snapshot

    The Woodside share price is currently up around 2.5% at the time of writing.

    However, over the last two months Woodside shares are still down around 11%.

    The post Woodside (ASX:WPL) share price rises on $5 billion new energy plan appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Woodside right now?

    Before you consider Woodside, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Woodside wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Tristan Harrison has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • What’s impacting the Aristocrat (ASX:ALL) share price today?

    Man sitting at poker machine celebrates a win by raising his arms straight up in the air

    Shares in gaming and casino management systems company Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL) are inching higher today and now trade at $45.16.

    Investors are opening long positions in Aristocrat following a set of company announcements advising on an upcoming acquisition and management restructure. Here are the details.

    What was announced?

    Aristocrat refers to a previously announced acquisition plan to purchase the world’s largest online gambling software provider, Playtech Plc.

    The acquisition was announced back in October where the pair recommended an all cash transaction of 680 British pence for each Playtech share.

    Rival bidder JKO Play Limited has also stepped into the race, and Aristocrat today notes an announcement by the UK Takeover Panel on the matter.

    The panel advised that the latest date by which time JKO Play must clarify its position on the deal is 5 pm on 5 January 2022.

    This date is seven days prior to the date of the Playtech shareholder meetings in relation to the Aristocrat offer on 12 January 2022, per the release.

    By this time, JKO must either announce its intention to make an offer for Playtech under the UK Takeover legislature or instead advise that it does not intend to make an offer for the company.

    What else did Aristocrat release?

    Aristocrat also advised that its Chief Financial Officer Julie Cameron-Doe has resigned after 8 years with the company, to take on a new venture as CFO of Wynn Resorts, Ltd.

    Cameron-Doe leaves the role after a tenure of 4 years and will continue on through her 6 month contractual notice period whilst facilitating a handover to the incoming CFO.

    Speaking on Cameron-Doe’s departure, Aristocrat’s CEO and managing director, Trevor Croker said:

    Julie has been an exceptional partner to me and the leadership group over the past four years, as Aristocrat’s scale, diversity, resilience and cultural growth has accelerated.” “I regret but fully respect Julie’s decision to seek a new opportunity at this time, for personal and family reasons, after many successful years with Aristocrat. I look forward to working through a smooth transition process with Julie in the coming months, and to providing an update on Julie’s successor in due course.

    Aristocrat share price summary

    In the past 12 months, the Aristocrat share price has gained 45% after rallying 46% this year to date.

    But, it has taken a backward step in the last month and is trading 6% lower in that time.

    The post What’s impacting the Aristocrat (ASX:ALL) share price today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Aristocrat Leisure right now?

    Before you consider Aristocrat Leisure, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Aristocrat Leisure wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    The author has no positions in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why Life360, Oil Search, Telix, and Zip shares are storming higher

    Businessman outside jumps in the air

    In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on course to record another strong gain. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 1.05% to 7,391.5 points.

    Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here’s why they are storming higher:

    Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

    The Life360 share price has jumped 11% to $11.46. There have been a couple of catalysts for this strong gain. One is a rebound by tech stocks today following a strong night on the tech-focused Nasdaq index. The other is news that the app maker’s shares will be added to the ASX 200 index at the quarterly rebalance later this month.

    Oil Search Ltd (ASX: OSH)

    The Oil Search share price is up 3% to $4.24. The reason Life360 is joining the ASX 200 is because Oil Search is leaving it. This is due to news that the company’s merger with Santos Ltd (ASX: STO) is going ahead. This follows a successful shareholder vote and approval from the Independent Consumer and Competition Commission of Papua New Guinea.

    Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX)

    The Telix share price is up 8.5% to $7.48. This morning the biopharmaceutical company announced an exclusive commercial distribution agreement with Madrid-based NUCLIBER for its prostate cancer investigational imaging product Illuccix in the Spanish market.

    Zip Co Ltd (ASX: Z1P)

    The Zip share price has jumped 10% to $5.26. This buy now pay later provider’s shares were given a boost today when analysts at UBS took their sell rating off the company. According to the note, the broker has upgraded Zip’s shares to a neutral rating with a $5.20 price target. While Zip’s total transaction value is tracking below its estimates, the broker saw a better risk/reward on offer with its shares to support a neutral rating.

    The post Why Life360, Oil Search, Telix, and Zip shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor James Mickleboro owns shares of Life360, Inc. and TELIXPHARM DEF SET. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Life360, Inc. and ZIPCOLTD FPO. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Here’s why the Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) share price is climbing today

    A medical specialist holds a red heart connected via technology and artificial intelligence (AI)

    The Race Oncology Ltd (ASX: RAC) share price is rising today after the company announced positive findings on its anti-cancer drug trials.

    At the time of writing, Race Oncology shares are in the green, up 4.47% trading at $3.27.

    Race Oncology is a Sydney-based company working on clinical development and commercialisation of the anti-cancer drug Zantrene.

    What did the company announce today?

    Race Oncology is investigating if Zantrene can protect the heart from damage by other drugs.

    In today’s release, the company said preclinical studies showed that Zantrene was able to “protect heart muscle cells from a new class of anti-cancer drug (Carfilzomib)-induced cell death” while also improving its ability to kill cancer cells.

    Race advised it has submitted a patent application “addressing the combination of Zantrene with carfilzomib for the protection of the heart of cancer patients”. If granted, the patent would cover the clinical use of the drug combination until 2041, it said.

    The company added that its findings opened up a potential for collaboration with other companies. Carfilzomib is owned by US pharmaceutical giant Amgen, Inc.

    Race Oncology advised its next steps included conducting animal studies early next year and performing more preclinical studies on other anti-cancer drugs.

    What did management say?

    Speaking about the news potentially driving the Race Oncology share price today, CEO Phillip Lynch said:

    This additional result further underscores the potential patient utility and commercial applicability for Zantrene.

    We will be allocating additional resources to ensure this discovery can be comprehensively addressed.

    Race Oncology share price snapshot

    The Race Oncology share price has surged this year to date, up 86%. It is also up almost 55% over the past 12 months.

    For comparison, the benchmark All Ordinaries Index (ASX: XAO) is up nearly 11% over the last year.

    The yearly high for the share price is $4.23, while the yearly low was $1.62.

    Based on its current price of $3.27, Race Oncology has a market capitalisation of around $489 million.

    The post Here’s why the Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) share price is climbing today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Race Oncology right now?

    Before you consider Race Oncology , you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Race Oncology wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why is the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price jumping 5% today?

    A young woman does her Christmas shopping online in her lounge room at home with a Christmas tree in the background.

    The Kogan.com Ltd (ASX: KGN) share price is rebounding on Wednesday from its recent 19-month low.

    At the time of writing, the online retailer’s shares are swapping hands for $8.03, up 5.38%. This comes after a prolonged period of downward pressure on the company’s shares as it contends with a slowdown in sales.

    The reprieve for Kogan shares follows a strong session for US-listed e-commerce companies overnight. In addition, ASX investors could be eyeing off businesses set to benefit from a Christmas spending spree.

    Why are Kogan shares rallying on the ASX today?

    The market is looking more fondly upon the ASX-listed Kogan share price today as it marches upwards. While there are no new announcements from the company today, investors could be getting excited about a potentially happy holiday period.

    As my colleague Brendon covered yesterday, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) released the results of its latest consumer survey. According to the CommBank Household Spending Intentions Index, retail spending intentions increased 9.6% in November compared to the previous month.

    Additionally, CBA noted the strong gain in November suggests a strong Christmas shopping period. Fuelling this year’s silly season is excessive household savings, which the major bank pegs at an estimated $240 billion.

    This further solidifies forecasts for pre-Christmas spending as published by the Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan. The joint report indicated pre-Christmas retail sales were likely to hit $58.8 billion. This figure is in line with the previous year. However, it represents an 11.3% increase compared to pre-pandemic spending.

    For ASX-listed Kogan, shareholders will be hoping the excess household savings will go towards bringing down the company’s high inventory levels. The unpredictability in supply and demand has bullied the Kogan share price since February this year.

    While the company noted it had resolved inventory pressures in its October update, it remains elevated from historical levels. The damage to the bottom line over the last year has led to Kogan being removed from the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO). This change will be effective from opening trade on 20 December 2021.

    The post Why is the Kogan (ASX:KGN) share price jumping 5% today? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Wondering where you should invest $1,000 right now?

    When investing expert Scott Phillips has a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the flagship Motley Fool Share Advisor newsletter he has run for more than eight years has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.*

    Scott just revealed what he believes could be the five best ASX stocks for investors to buy right now. These stocks are trading at near dirt-cheap prices and Scott thinks they could be great buys right now.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

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    Motley Fool contributor Mitchell Lawler owns shares of Kogan.com Ltd and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool Australia owns shares of and has recommended Kogan.com ltd. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Ionic Rare Earths (ASX:IXR) share price leaps 11% on acquisition news

    a man with a hard hat and high visibility vest stands with a clipboard and pen in front of a large pile of rock at a mining site.

    The Ionic Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: IXR) share price is taking off after the company announced its plan to acquire a rare earth technology developer.

    The company has entered into a binding term sheet to purchase Seren Technologies Limited (SerenTech). It is now undergoing due diligence for the acquisition.  

    At the time of writing, the Ionic Rare Earths share price is 4.55 cents, 10.98% higher than its previous close.

    Let’s take a closer look at the takeover offer.  

    Ionic Rare Earth share price soars on proposed acquisition

    The market’s bidding the Ionic Rare Earths share price higher after the company announced an acquisition set to cost upwards of US$2.5 million.

    SerenTech is a private company based in the United Kingdom. It has developed a unique rare earth separation technology.

    The technology uses multifunctional amide ionic liquids to separate and refine rare earth elements. The resulting products have had more than 99.99% rare earth oxide purity at pilot scale.

    Additionally, it can refine to high purity levels using mining ore concentrate or permanent magnet recycling.

    It has demonstrated it can separate magnet rare earths – neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium – for modest capital requirements.

    As a result, the company believes the technology will allow it to sell recycled magnetic rare earths to key markets in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

    Under the acquisition’s terms, the company will pay US$1 million cash to SerenTech’s owners.

    It will also provide them with 48 million new shares. If valued at 4.4 cents apiece, the shares are worth US$1.5 million.

    On top of that, the deal could see Ionic Rare Earths paying the sellers 2 milestone payments, together worth up to US$1.5 million.  

    The acquisition is conditional on Ionic Rare Earths completing its due diligence. It’s expected to go ahead in the second quarter of 2022.

    Right now, the Ionic Rare Earths share price is 170% higher than it was at the start of 2021.

    What did management say?

    Ionic Rare Earths managing director Tim Harrison commented on the technology:

    [SerenTech will advance] the company’s plan to unlock additional value from the unique critical and heavy rare earth basket to be produced at Makuutu.

    Importantly, there is immediate potential to roll out a strategy incorporating permanent magnet recycling into the near-term activities of the company, providing an interim step to help bridge the gap between production at Makuutu and going downstream with our own dedicated separation and refining asset.

    The post Ionic Rare Earths (ASX:IXR) share price leaps 11% on acquisition news appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

    Should you invest $1,000 in Ionic Rare Earths right now?

    Before you consider Ionic Rare Earths, you’ll want to hear this.

    Motley Fool Investing expert Scott Phillips just revealed what he believes are the 5 best stocks for investors to buy right now… and Ionic Rare Earths wasn’t one of them.

    The online investing service he’s run for nearly a decade, Motley Fool Share Advisor, has provided thousands of paying members with stock picks that have doubled, tripled or even more.* And right now, Scott thinks there are 5 stocks that are better buys.

    *Returns as of August 16th 2021

    More reading

    Motley Fool contributor Brooke Cooper has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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  • Why the RBA and Treasury are weighing up central crypto

    a pile of bitcoins with a bitcoin resting against it stands in front of an Australian flag.

    It wasn’t too long ago that most governments were dismissive of cryptos.

    Perhaps officials believed if they ignored the newly arrived digital currencies, they’d simply fade away.

    Of course, we know how that’s worked out.

    Combined crypto assets worth $3.5 trillion

    The combined crypto market cap now stands somewhere north of US$2.5 trillion (AU$3.5 trillion.) And in Australia approximately 17% of the residents currently hold crypto.

    With those figures in mind, the Aussie government is stepping up its efforts and pace to both regulate Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) and its fellow altcoins, as well as formulating plans to launch its own digital currency.

    As 9 News reported, “Treasurer Josh Frydenberg confirmed the Commonwealth and Reserve Bank were now working on the feasibility of a central cryptocurrency in Australia.”

    On 3 November, Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) became the first Aussie bank to offer crypto services to its customers.

    According to notes from the treasurer’s speech, delivered today and published by The Australian this morning, Frydenberg says that despite the disruption digital assets have created:

    The regulatory framework governing the payments system has remained largely unchanged over the last 25 years. Given the pace of change and those leading it, if we do not reform the current framework it will be Silicon Valley that determines the future of our payments system. Australia must retain its sovereignty over our payment system.

    The Treasury and Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) are looking into the possibility of launching an Aussie Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

    CDBCs are issued by central banks and the value is linked to the issuing nation’s fiat currency. In our case, that’s the Aussie dollar. One spruiked benefit is that it would simplify foreign exchange issues and international money transfers.

    RBA governor Philip Lowe is scheduled to speak at the Australian Payments Network summit tomorrow to shed more light on the government’s plans for an Australian issued CDBC.

    Industry consultation ‘critical’

    Jonathon Miller, managing director of crypto exchange Kraken Australia, welcomed the news of potential Australian issued CDBCs. But he noted that CDBCs and cryptos like Bitcoin are still “very different”.

    According to Miller:

    We are fully supportive of any developments, like CBDCs, that seek to remove intermediaries. This reduces costs, improves efficiency and most importantly places financial decision making in the hands of private individuals. Whilst allowing a direct relationship between a Central Bank and private individuals and enterprises would give rise to many efficiency gains, it’s still very different from the promise that cryptocurrencies are delivering.

    Miller also advised that regulators move with care in the nascent crypto world:

    We urge caution when developing licensing and custody frameworks for digital currency exchanges and custodians…

    It’s critical that the government consults with the industry so that best practice can be developed by looking at existing secure and trustworthy exchanges. The novel character of digital assets means there is no existing licensing regime that is appropriate.

    The post Why the RBA and Treasury are weighing up central crypto appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

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    The Motley Fool Australia’s parent company Motley Fool Holdings Inc. owns shares of and has recommended Bitcoin and Ethereum.  The Motley Fool Australia has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. This article contains general investment advice only (under AFSL 400691). Authorised by Bruce Jackson.

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