S&P/ASX 200 rises with heavyweights Commonwealth Bank and CSL leading gains

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) has gained 0.49% to 6,778 by about 1.56 pm with both consumer staples and discretionary, healthcare and IT advancing by more than 1% each. Commonwealth Bank (ASX:CBA) was one of the largest individual movers with a 1.39% gain and CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) rose 2.3%. Oil slips Energy stocks were underperforming the broader market following a 4% decline in global oil prices overnight. Brent crude futures dipped 4% to US$62.01 a barrel on Tuesday Commerzbank analysts said: “Continental Europe is tightening the coronavirus measures and thereby further restricting mobility. “This is likely to have a correspondingly negative impact on oil demand.” Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Auroch Minerals Ltd (ASX:AOU) (+18.60%), Carnavale Resources Limited (ASX:CAV) (+12.50%), Emmerson Resources Limited (ASX:ERM) (+29.41%), Tempest Minerals Ltd (ASX:TEM) (+9.09%), Tyranna Resources Ltd (ASX:TYX) (+14.29%) and Valor Resources Ltd (ASX:VAL) (+12.50%). Proactive news headlines: Kingwest Resources delivers positive open pit mining and toll treatment scoping study for Menzies Gold Project Kingwest Resources Ltd (ASX:KWR) has delivered a positive scoping study for the Menzies Gold Project (MGP) in Western Australia based on open pit mining and third-party toll treatment of resources. Alta Zinc raises $3.75 million in strongly supported placement to extend exploration drilling at Gorno Zinc Project Alta Zinc Ltd (ASX:AZI) (FRA:8EE) has raised $3.75 million in a strongly supported placement after receiving binding commitments from eligible professional and sophisticated investors, with funds to further advance drilling at the Gorno Zinc Project in northern Italy. PNX Metals receives first government approval for development of Fountain Head Gold Project PNX Metals Ltd (ASX:PNX) has received the green light from the Northern Territory Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade (DITT) to vary its Mine Management Plan (MMP) to allow dewatering of the pit at Fountain Head Gold Project. Cobalt Blue Holdings further de-risks Broken Hill Cobalt Project by securing groundwater allocation Cobalt Blue Holdings Limited (ASX:COB) (OTCMKTS:CBBHF) (FRA:COH) has further de-risked the potential development of the Broken Hill Cobalt Project (BHCP) in Far West New South Wales by securing the allocation of groundwater. Anson Resources’ independent PEA for Paradox Brine Project in Utah adds lithium carbonate production to Phase 1 Anson Resources Ltd’s (ASX:ASN) (FRA:9MY) independent third-party engineering company Millcreek Mining Group has included the production of lithium carbonate in its preliminary economic assessment (PEA) for the Paradox Brine Project in Utah, US. Silver Mines progresses towards development of Bowdens Silver Project with Mining Lease Application Silver Mines Limited (ASX:SVL) (OTCMKTS:SLVMF) (FRA:SWQ) has submitted its Mining Lease Application (MLA 601) for the development of the Bowdens Silver Project, the largest undeveloped silver deposit in Australia. Emmerson Resources surges on raising $2 million for alliance to reinvigorate Tennant Creek gold production Emmerson Resources Ltd (ASX:ERM) (FRA:42E) has raised $2 million with Tennant Consolidated Mining Group (TCMG) in a placement enabling the strategic alliance over the Northern Project Area (NPA) of Tennant Creeek Project in the Northern Territory to advance towards gold production. archTIS grows customer base with key global wins, renewals and expansion of existing customer licences archTIS Ltd (ASX:AR9) continues to grow its customer base having secured several key new customers wins along with some renewals and expansion of existing customer licences. Pan Asia Metals intersects wide pegmatite dyke swarms in all six diamond holes at Bang I Tum in Thailand Pan Asia Metals Ltd (ASX:PAM) has intersected pegmatite dyke swarms over substantial widths in all six diamond drill holes completed at Bang I Tum (BIT) prospect within the wider Reung Kiet Lithium Project (RKLP) in southern Thailand. Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers activates sprinklers to preserve logs in water storage Kangaroo Island Plantation Timbers Ltd (ASX:KPT) has activated sprinklers at the dam on its Macgill property where the company plans to store more than 100,000 tonnes of fire-damaged pine logs. Aurumin has high hopes for 2021 exploration plans at historical high-grade gold mines in WA Aurumin Limited (ASX:AUN) is confident that its exploration plans for 2021 will help spark a revival of the historical Mt Dimer and Mt Palmer gold projects in Western Australia.