S&P/ASX 200 slips, weighed down by financials, health care stocks

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) has slipped for a second successive session as investors continue to gauge the spread of the COVID cluster in Sydney. The index was trading 0.22% lower at 7,282 points by about 1 pm as financials, energy and healthcare stocks continued to weigh while materials and IT were in the green. The Sydney cluster grew by another 11 with five new cases in the last 24 hours to 8 pm and six new cases identified after the official cut-off, which will be included in tomorrow’s numbers. Afterpay (ASX:APT) gained 6.9% and was trading at its highest in four months after launching a digital card strategy that opens itself to a range of US retail giants. Household wealth jumps New data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows household wealth in Australia jumped by 4.3% or $518 billion, to a record $12,664.5 billion in the March quarter. On a per-capita basis, each Australian now has $492,055 in wealth. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Alicanto Minerals Ltd (ASX:AQI) (+13.04%), Ioneer Ltd (ASX:INR) (+9.09%), Meteoric Resources NL (ASX:MEI) (+12.50%), Montem Resources Corp (ASX:MR1) (+24.14%), Suda Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:SUD) (+10.00%), Valor Resources Ltd (ASX:VAL) (+11.11%) and Walkabout Resources Ltd (ASX:WKT) (+7.69%). Proactive news headlines: Kazia Therapeutics lands key manufacturing patents for paxalisib in US and India Kazia Therapeutics Ltd (ASX:KZA) (NASDAQ:KZIA) has secured manufacturing patents for its paxalisib cancer treatment candidate in key territories, extending its patent protection out until 2036. Latin Resources unveils positive initial gold results from Peep O’Day sampling at Yarara Project Latin Resources Ltd (ASX:LRS) (FRA:XL5) is highly encouraged by positive results from a first-pass reconnaissance rock chip sampling program at Peep O’Day Gold Prospect within the Yarara Joint Venture (JV) Project in the prolific Lachlan Fold Belt of NSW. Meteoric Resources intersects shallow 200-metre thick zone of disseminated sulphides at Juruena in Brazil, shares up Meteoric Resources NL (ASX:MEI) (FRA:RNF) is trading higher after intersecting a shallow, 200-metre thick zone of disseminated sulphides in diamond drilling at the Juruena Copper-Gold Project in Brazil. TNT Mines says "Eureka" on delivering major increase in gold resource to 112,000 ounces TNT Mines Ltd (ASX:TIN) has substantially upgraded the mineral resource of its WA-based Eureka Project, with gold resources soaring past the 100,000-ounce mark. Kin Mining's phase-3 drilling enhances geological understanding of underexplored Eastern Corridor at Cardinia Gold Project Kin Mining NL (ASX:KIN) (FRA:8KM) continues to enhance geological understanding of the underexplored Eastern Corridor at its 1.23-million-ounce Cardinia Gold Project (CGP) in Western Australia with follow-up reverse circulation (RC) and diamond drilling completed at key targets. Pilbara Minerals delivers further strong lithium results from Pilgangoora Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX:PLS) has received strong assay results from an exploration and resource extension drilling program underway at its 100%-owned Pilgangoora Lithium Project in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Firefinch in trading halt with capital raising announcement pending Firefinch Ltd (ASX:FFX) has been granted a trading halt by the ASX ahead of a capital raising announcement. Lotus Resources set to begin exploration drilling at Kayelekera Uranium Project Lotus Resources Ltd (ASX:LOT) (OTCMKTS:LTSRF) is set to begin a reverse circulation (RC) drilling program of around 5,000 metres within days at the Kayelekera Uranium Project in Malawi.