Daily Special: NH3 Clean Energy, Impact Minerals, Synertec Corporation, Kuniko

The S&P/ASX 200 is down 0.6% at 12:30pm AEST, falling 52.50 points to 8,644.6 and hitting a five-week low, with eight of 11 sectors weaker as investors position ahead of a widely expected RBA rate increase. Bond markets are pricing around an 80% chance of a 25 basis point hike to 4.35%, with at least one further increase expected later this year, keeping sentiment cautious.

Energy is the only sector higher, supported by oil holding near US$114 a barrel after renewed tensions in the Middle East. Gold has eased towards US$4,540 an ounce, with gold miners weaker. Financials are broadly lower, while in company moves Vault Minerals rises after agreeing to merge with Regis Resources, and Westpac declines despite reporting half-year profit of $3.5 billion, up 0.1% from a year earlier.

In other company news,

NH3 Clean Energy (ASX: NH3) has been awarded Federal Major Project Status for its WAH2 clean ammonia project for an initial three-year period. The designation provides access to the Major Projects Facilitation Agency to support approvals and coordination across government. The status supports development timelines, with a final investment decision targeted by end-2026 and first production expected by 2029, as the project advances toward supplying low-emissions ammonia into Asia-Pacific markets.

Impact Minerals (ASX: IPT) has reported a new high-grade discovery at the Silica Hill prospect within its Commonwealth project in New South Wales, with drilling returning grades of up to 20,603 g/t silver and 27 g/t gold. The results extend mineralisation beyond the current resource envelope and indicate the system remains open at depth, with a second-phase drilling program scheduled to begin in June targeting further extensions.

Synertec Corporation (ASX: SOP) has entered a memorandum of understanding with Hitachi Energy to collaborate on battery energy storage and microgrid projects across Australia. The agreement outlines joint development of projects combining Hitachi’s power conversion technology with Synertec’s Powerhouse platform, targeting applications across energy, mining, data centres and critical infrastructure sectors.

Kuniko Limited (ASX: KNI) has reported further drilling results from the Commonwealth–Silica Hill project, confirming high-grade gold and silver mineralisation beyond previously defined zones. Step-out drilling intersected broad mineralised zones and high-grade veins, supporting the interpretation of a larger hydrothermal system, with additional assay results pending and follow-up drilling planned.