Latest Underwriting News

The week was split between big earnings reactions and small-cap rocks-and-rigs rallies. Pro Medicus sank despite record numbers, while a handful of explorers jumped on fresh discoveries and policy wins.

Explorers led the Materials tape as fresh drill stories and new ground deals pulled buyers into small caps. Big miners still delivered, but the loudest moves came from companies offering investors a near-term catalyst.

Takeover chatter lit up Pepper Money, while Identitii ran hard after a regulator stepped in. At the other end, AMP slid despite higher profit, as investors weighed leadership change and legal costs.

Healthcare stocks split into two stories this week: big names sold off hard, while a few small caps ran on clear news. The biggest moves came from a sharp fall in Pro Medicus and Cochlear, while Noxopharm jumped after a top-tier journal publication.

Verity Resources Limited has announced a pro-rata entitlement issue to raise up to $2.05 million, partially underwritten by entities linked to its directors. The capital raise aims to fund exploration and technical studies across its key projects, including the Monument Gold Project.

Peel Mining has agreed to sell its South Cobar Copper Project to Aeris Resources in a $214 million transaction, while spinning off its remaining assets into a new ASX-listed company, NewCo. The deal offers Peel shareholders immediate value and ongoing exposure to a diversified metals portfolio.

Insurance Australia Group (IAG) reported a resilient first half of FY26 with an underlying insurance profit of $804 million and maintained its full-year guidance despite integration challenges from the RAC Insurance acquisition.

IAG’s 1H26 results reveal a 35% drop in net profit after tax due to severe weather costs from its RACQI acquisition, yet underlying insurance profit rose 7.6%, supported by solid premium growth and a $200 million share buyback.

Evolution Energy Minerals Limited has announced a renounceable pro-rata entitlement offer to raise up to $4.03 million, aiming to fund exploration and development of its Tanzanian copper and graphite assets. The offer includes free attaching options and is partially underwritten, reflecting both opportunity and risk amid regulatory challenges.

Evolution Energy Minerals has announced a $4 million renounceable entitlement offer priced at 1.5 cents per share, including free attaching options, with major shareholder Metals One Plc committing $1 million.

Cosmo Metals Limited has announced a fully underwritten entitlement offer to raise approximately $1.55 million, aimed at advancing drilling and exploration across its key gold and base metals projects. The offer includes new shares and attaching options, with funds earmarked for multiple projects in Western Australia and New South Wales.

The Takeovers Panel has declared unacceptable circumstances in Identitii Limited's recent rights issue, ordering supplementary disclosure and a reopening of the offer to protect shareholder interests and market integrity.