In afternoon trade, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is on track to end the week on a solid note. At the time of writing, the benchmark index is up 0.4% to 7,295.1 points.
Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are charging higher:
A2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M)
The A2 Milk share price is up 5% to $6.53. This appears to have been driven by a bullish broker note out of Bell Potter this morning. According to the note, the broker has retained its buy rating and $8.50 price target. It notes that a number of key data points are improving, which could be a sign that the company is over the worst of its issues. In other news, the company has appointed a new Chief Marketing Officer.
Chalice Mining Ltd (ASX: CHN)
The Chalice Mining share price has risen 3.5% to $7.22 following a drilling update at its Julimar nickel-copper-platinum element project. According to the release, more high-grade assay results from a step-out drilling program have been achieved, further defining the Julimar project's mineralisation.
IDP Education Ltd (ASX: IEL)
The IDP Education share price has rocketed 20% higher to $29.40. Investors have been fighting to get hold of the company's shares after it announced a new acquisition. The language testing company is acquiring 100% of the British Council's Indian International English Language Testing System operations for 130 million pounds (A$240 million). The deal will mean that IDP Education is the sole distributor of IELTS in the massive Indian market.
Imugene Limited (ASX: IMU)
The Imugene share price is up 4% to 36.5 cents. This morning the clinical stage immuno-oncology company provided an update on its oncolytic virotherapy candidate, CHECKvacc. According to the release, the City of Hope independent cancer research and treatment centre near Los Angeles has received US Food and Drug Administration Investigational New Drug approval to initiate a Phase I clinical trial of CHECKvacc. CHECKvacc is Imugene's novel chimeric orthopoxvirus with robust anti-cancer activity, including triple-negative breast cancer xenografts.
