S&P/ASX 200 gains as IT, health care stocks outperform

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) gained 0.65% to 7,308.7 points by about 12.50 pm as high-growth technology and health care stocks rebounded from Tuesday’s selloff, outperforming the heavyweight banks, miners and retail giants. Buy now, pay later player Afterpay (ASX:APT) jumped 4% to $119.45 and rival Zip Co (ASX:Z1P) hained 4.3% to $7.56. Biotech major CSL Ltd (ASX:CSL) was up 1.43% while medical device manufacturer ResMed (ASX:RMD) surged 3.3% to $33.34. Uptick in COVID-19 cases New South Wales recorded 27 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night. After announcing the new cases, Premier Gladys Berejiklian warned that tomorrow’s figures would be even higher, with new cases concentrated in three LGAs - Fairfield, Canterbury-Bankstown and Liverpool. Berejiklian noted that restrictions could be tightened even further for more than 100 Sydney suburbs, after confirming the Greater Sydney lockdown would be extended until midnight on July 16. Top Gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Astro Resources N.L. (ASX:ARO) (+25.00%), Auroch Minerals Ltd (ASX:AOU) (+12.12%), Kingwest Resources Ltd (ASX:KWR) (+5.75%) and Montem Resources Corp (ASX:MR1) (+8.33%). Proactive news headlines: Auroch Minerals pinpoints high priority drill target following major survey at Nepean Nickel Project, shares rise Auroch Minerals Ltd’s (ASX:AOU) latest moving-loop electromagnetic (MLEM) survey has identified and delineated a strongly conductive body at its Nepean Nickel Project in Western Australia. Valor Resources further consolidates land position in Canada's uranium-rich Athabasca Basin Valor Resources Ltd (ASX:VAL) (FRA:LFY) has consolidated its position within the world-class Athabasca Basin of Canada by securing five highly prospective uranium projects. Aldoro Resources substantially increases lithium exposure with two highly prospective acquisitions Aldoro Resources Ltd (ASX:ARN) has substantially increased its exposure to the highly sought-after battery metal lithium, acquiring two lithium-rich projects in Western Australia’s Mt Magnet region. Walkabout Resources completes entitlement offer, secures $7.6 million to drive Lindi Jumbo Graphite Mine toward production Walkabout Resources Ltd (ASX:WKT) is poised to bring in more than A$7.6 million in funding after closing its latest entitlement offer. TNT Mines completes first tranche of $5.25 million placement, raising more than $3.54 million TNT Mines Ltd (ASX:TIN) has completed the first tranche of its $5.25 million capital raising after raising $3,543,754.35 via the placement of 23,625,029 shares. Mineral Resources subsidiary secures rig for exploration gas drilling in Perth Basin Mineral Resources Limited’s (ASX: MIN) wholly-owned subsidiary Energy Resources Limited (ERL) has secured a rig to drill conventional gas exploration well Lockyer Deep 1 in the onshore Perth Basin, Western Australia. OliveX signs global gym technology deal with Gold’s Gym network OliveX Holdings Ltd (NSX:OLX) has signed a deal to join Gold’s Gym Global Vendor Program, making its Volution integrated enterprise technology platform available to the global health and fitness club’s gyms and franchise network. ioneer strengthens US operations team to take lithium-boron project to production ioneer Ltd (ASX:INR) has strengthened its US operations team by making three key appointments as it advances development of the Rhyolite Ridge Project in Nevada towards lithium and boron production.