S&P/ASX 200 breaks above 6,800 for the first time since late February 2020

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) is rising for a third consecutive day with the index 0.68% higher at 6,816 points by 1.51 pm and breaking above the 6,800 point mark for the first time since late February 2020. This followed a positive lead from Wall Street where the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit all-time highs on Wednesday after the inauguration of Joe Biden as 46th President of the United States. Locally, the gains have been broad-based with most sectors higher. Technology stocks were the biggest gainers rising 2.62% with financials, consumer discretionary and staples also among the big improvers. Afterpay (ASX:APT) continued its record-breaking rise with the buy-now-pay-later provider hitting a new all-time high of $149.20 earlier today, making it the fourth record high in the past five sessions. Unemployment rate drops Australia’s unemployment rate came in at 6.6% in December, according to seasonally adjusted estimates released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics. That compared against expectations for a 6.7% reading in a Reuters poll and November’s unemployment rate of 6.8%. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE) (+15.23%), Alta Zinc Ltd (ASX:AZI) (+20.00%), Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX:COB) (+13.51%), Elementos Limited (ASX:ELT) (+22.22%), Cirralto Ltd (ASX:CRO) (+15.15%), Astro Resources N.L. (ASX:ARO) (+25.00%) and Comet Resources Limited (ASX:CRL) (+10.00%). Proactive news headlines: Bardoc Gold wide intersections point to growth in gold resources at Zorastrian and Excelsior Bardoc Gold Ltd (ASX:BDC) has received wide gold intersections from recent infill and exploration drilling at the Zorastrian and Excelsior deposits in Western Australia that point to growth in the 3.3-million-ounce resource at Bardoc Gold Project. Artemis Resources buoyed by assays from Carlow Castle Gold-Copper-Cobalt Project Artemis Resources Ltd (ASX:ARV) (OTCMKTS:ARTTF) (FRA:ATY) has received strong gold, copper and cobalt assay results from ongoing drilling at its 100%-owned Carlow Castle Gold Copper Cobalt Project in the West Pilbara region of Western Australia. Cipherpoint to buy cyber-security services platform Brace168 Cipherpoint Ltd (ASX:CPT) has entered into a binding term sheet to acquire 100% of the issued capital in cybersecurity services platform Brace168 Pty Ltd for cash and shares in the company. Tempest Minerals gears up for drilling at Messenger Project next month Tempest Minerals Ltd (ASX:TEM) (FRA:LIF) aims to begin drilling at its 100%-owned Messenger Project in WA in February after exploration targets were highlighted in data analysis. Rimfire Pacific starts diamond core drilling at Sorpresa Development Project earn-in with GPR Rimfire Pacific Mining NL (ASX:RIM) has started diamond core drilling at the Sorpresa Development Project earn-in with Golden Plains Resources (GPR) within the Lachlan Fold Belt of central New South Wales. Westar Resources confirms gold potential of high priority targets at Coolaloo ahead of maiden drilling Westar Resources Ltd (ASX:WSR) is encouraged by results from a recently completed auger sampling program over two first-pass exploration areas at the Coolaloo Gold Project, 25 kilometres south of Mt Magnet in Western Australia. Australian Potash Lake Wells Gold JV partner St Barbara confirms potential for large gold deposit Australian Potash Ltd’s (ASX:APC) earn-in joint venture (EIJV) partner St Barbara Ltd (ASX:SBM) has continued to expand the footprint and tenor of gold mineralisation at the Lake Wells Gold Project, with aircore results confirming the strong potential for the project to host a large gold deposit. Chase Mining share placement to fund exploration at Canadian projects Chase Mining Corporation Ltd (ASX:CML) has received firm commitments to raise around A$821,000 through a placement to sophisticated investors and directors at A$0.016 per share. Mako Gold increases Côte d’lvoire footprint on grant of Ouangolodougou Permit near Barrick’s Tongon mine Mako Gold Ltd (ASX:MKG) has increased its footprint in Côte d’lvoire after a decree from the country’s Ministry of Mines granting the Ouangolodougou Permit, which covers 111 square kilometres of prospective tenure within 15 kilometres of Barrick Gold Corp’s (NYSE:GOLD) (TSE:ABX) (FRA:ABR) 4.9-million-ounce Tongon Gold Mine. Torrens Mining confirms prospective gold structures at Mt Piper in central Victoria Torrens Mining Ltd’s (ASX:TRN) reprocessing and re-interpretation of historic geophysical data has shown the potential for known gold mineralising structures to extend into the Mt Piper Gold Project in central Victoria. Lithium Australia granted key European patent for VSPC nano-powder production Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) (FRA:3MW) (OTCMKTS:LMMFF) subsidiary VSPC Ltd has been granted a patent by the European Patent Officer for its process of producing nanostructured metal-oxide products simply and efficiently.