Hot Stocks: Immutep, Minerals 260, Pioneer Lithium

Wall Street closed sharply lower on Friday after US President Donald Trump threatened a “massive increase” in tariffs on China, accusing Beijing of using rare earth metals to hold the world “captive.” The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 878 points, or 1.9 per cent, the S&P 500 lost 2.7 per cent in its steepest daily drop since April, and the Nasdaq sank 3.6 per cent. Tech stocks bore the brunt of the sell-off, with Nvidia, AMD and Tesla all sliding, while the volatility index jumped above 22. Adding to the pressure, the US government shutdown entered its tenth day, with federal worker layoffs beginning as negotiations stalled.

In Australia, futures for the S&P/ASX 200 indicate a 0.9 per cent fall at Monday’s open, though strategists expect investors may treat the weakness as a buying opportunity. The week ahead brings quarterly results from major miners and financial firms including Paladin Energy, Rio Tinto, 29Metals, Evolution Mining, AMP, Challenger and Santos. Attention will also turn to labour force data on Thursday and speeches from Reserve Bank officials, while in the US, third-quarter earnings season continues with banks in focus.

In company news,

Immutep clears FDA hurdle, advances Phase III lung cancer trial

Immutep (ASX:IMM) announced successful completion of FDA Project Optimus requirements, securing agreement on a 30mg optimal biological dose for its lead immunotherapy, eftilagimod alfa (efti). This de-risks future development and supports potential Biologics License Applications. The Phase III TACTI-004 trial in first-line non-small cell lung cancer, in partnership with Merck’s KEYTRUDA, is now opening sites in the US. Efti is also being tested in other cancers, with Fast Track designation already granted by the FDA in NSCLC and head and neck cancer.

Minerals 260 delivers +95% gold recoveries at Bullabulling project

Minerals 260 (ASX:MI6) reported metallurgical test work from the 2.3Moz Bullabulling gold project in WA achieved recoveries above 95% across multiple grind sizes, far surpassing historical results of 87%. The results demonstrate strong potential to optimise project economics and will be factored into an updated Mineral Resource Estimate due December 2025 and a Pre-Feasibility Study in mid-2026. The project, near Coolgardie, offers exploration upside and is supported by historical production of 180,000 ounces.

Pioneer Lithium expands Idaho project near world-class Stibnite

Pioneer Lithium (ASX:PLN) has expanded its North Pine Project in Idaho, adding 192 new claims to lift its footprint to 234 claims (~18.8 km²). The expansion introduces three new prospects, Northman, Silver Cliffs, and Big Creek, prospective for antimony, tungsten, and polymetallic mineralisation, with geology comparable to Perpetua Resources’ world-class Stibnite project nearby. The company says the ground represents “the best” staked in the CEO’s career. Early field reconnaissance and sampling will follow, aligned with US priorities on securing domestic supplies of critical minerals.

Source: Finance News Network

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