♟️ Saturday 7 March 2026 Sat, 7 Mar 2026

One stock nearly doubled, another jumped more than 40%, and a finance heavyweight stayed elevated after a merger shock. In resources, the winners were mostly tied to “what was bought” or “what was funded”, while the laggards were often the ones where early optimism quickly turned into selling.

Fluorspar stole the week as OD6 ripped higher, while a fresh wave of trading halts and reopenings produced fast reversals. Rare earth processing deals, big funding packages and takeover timetables kept investors busy across small caps.

A dividend shock, a mega-merger and a fresh equity raise dominated ASX finance names this week. Magellan surged on its Barrenjoey plan, while Excelsior plunged despite confirming a large special payout.

Avecho and Chimeric both surged as traders chased near-term trial and funding catalysts, while Island Pharmaceuticals extended gains on a US biodefence partnership. Elsewhere, distribution and reimbursement wins supported smaller medtech names, and a cannabis merger plan kept Little Green Pharma in focus ahead of April’s vote.

A single trading halt lit a fire under one small-cap, while a string of fundraisings reminded investors how often growth still needs fresh cash. Elsewhere, “AI-first” is splitting into two camps: products that ship now, and stories that still need proof.