S&P/ASX 200 falls 0.92% as Australia’s population growth hits 13½-year low

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) halted its two-day run of gains with a 55 point or 0.92% fall to 5,936.5. While most sectors ended in the red, mining, retailing and communication stocks fell most. Only the utilities sector gained. Airliners struggled with Qantas (ASX:QAN) down 3.7% as Australia’s national carrier will cancel most international flight until October. Major miners declined with Fortescue Metals Group Limited (ASX:FMG) falling 4.24% and Northern Star Resources Ltd (ASX:NST) losing 1.96%. Population growth rate eases Australia’s population increased by 349,833 people during calendar 2019 to 25,522,169 people. Overall, Australia’s annual population growth rate eased from 1.43% to 1.39% - the slowest pace in 13½ years. Western Australia was an exception with mining activity luring more Aussies and overseas migrants to the region, helping the state post its strongest annual population growth rate in 5½ years. Top gainers It was another great day for Afterpay (ASX:APT) hitting record highs for the third day in a row. Other top gainers on the ASX include 9 Spokes International Ltd (ASX:9SP) (+27.27%), Volt Resources Ltd (ASX:VRC) (+5.26%), Ioneer Ltd (ASX:INR) (+5.00%) and Platina Resources Limited (ASX:PGM) (+4.35%). Proactive news headlines: PolarX prepares for Zackly East drilling following strongly supported $3.76 million placement PolarX Ltd (ASX:PXX) is preparing for a 3,000-metre drilling program at the Zackly East gold-copper skarn within its Alaska Range Project following a strongly supported $3.76 million placement. The company aims to begin the drilling in four weeks using two drill rigs with the program of 15-20 holes expected to take around six to eight weeks. Macarthur Minerals updating Lake Giles magnetite resource ahead of feasibility study Macarthur Minerals Limited (ASX:MIO) (CVE:MMS) enjoyed an active start to 2020 with the ongoing development of its flagship Lake Giles Iron Project in Western Australia. The impacts of COVID-19 travel restrictions on operations have been minimal and the goal going forwards is to complete a feasibility study for the project. Emperor Energy engages AGR to plan and design exploration well in Judith Gas Field offshore Victoria Emperor Energy Ltd (ASX:EMP) has engaged global well management company AGR to plan and design the Judith 2 Exploration Well in Judith Gas Field in the offshore Gippsland Basin, Victoria. Judith Gas Field, which is 100%-owned by EMP and hosts a P50 unrisked prospective resource of 1.2 Tcf and a 2C contingent resource of 150 Bcf, is strategically positioned to supply high-demand east-coast energy markets in Australia. Salt Lake Potash CEO and chairman participate in $20 million placement following shareholder approval Salt Lake Potash Ltd (ASX:SO4) (LON:SO4) (OTCMKTS:WHELF) chief executive officer Tony Swiericzuk and chairman Ian Middlemas have shown their confidence in the company's sulphate of potash (SOP) strategy through participation in a A$20 million placement. After receiving shareholder approval for their participation, on June 17 Swiericzuk acquired 505,833 ordinary shares valued at A$172,000 in a direct interest, increasing the total number held to more than 4.016 million. On the same day, Middlemas acquired 2.25 million shares worth A$765,000 in an indirect interest, increasing the number of securities held after the change to 14.25 million. Infinity Lithium doubles on key European partnership and investment deal Infinity Lithium Corporation Ltd (ASX:INF) (FRA:3PM) has further strengthened its European lithium supply strategy by executing binding agreements for a multi-staged funding and added services assistance package with European Union-based innovation initiative KIC InnoEnergy SE. Shares doubled to A$0.14 on the news which sees INF’s San José project in Spain become the first lithium project to secure European funding from EIT InnoEnergy, a recently launched platform created by the European Battery Alliance (EBA). archTIS secures first commercial Defence Industry contract with Northrop Grumman archTIS Ltd (ASX:AR9) has secured its first Defence Industry commercial contract with Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) to purchase an initial 50 licences of AR9’s Kojensi cloud platform to securely share information for its business development teams. This contract with the global US$53 billion Military System Integrator (MSI) has initial annual recurring revenue of $35,455 and demonstrates Kojensi’s diverse market sector application. TNT Mines investigates dual US listing following increased investor interest TNT Mines Ltd (ASX:TNT) is investigating the possibility of facilitating further trading liquidity and addressing offshore demand by seeking quotation to trade on the OTCQB Venture Market and/or OTCQX Best Market in North America. This move follows increasing levels of inbound international enquiry and investor interest from North America coinciding with the announcement on May 11, 2020, that TNT would acquire the high-grade East Canyon Uranium-Vanadium Project in Utah, USA. Kazia Therapeutics sees 2020 as crucial inflection point for oncology programs Kazia Therapeutics Ltd (ASX: KZA) is expecting multiple value-driving data read-outs from its clinical trials in 2020 and believes these may provide “high potential” for partnering with a big pharma. The company has six ongoing clinical trials across two of its assets – paxalisib (formerly GDC-0084) in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive form of primary brain cancer in adults, and Cantrixil for ovarian cancer. Paxalisib is expected to transition to a pivotal study in the second half of 2020. eSense-Lab teams with Wise Winery to produce ethanol sanitisers infused with terpenes eSense-Lab Ltd (ASX:ESE) has entered into a joint venture with Sassey Pty Ltd (the owner of Wise Winery), a family-owned wine company based in Eagle Bay in the northern Margaret River Wine region. In response to a nationwide short supply of ethanol-based sanitisers, Wise recently started producing surface and hand sanitiser products using ethanol distilled from its own Chardonnay wine at its Eagle Bay distillery.