The stock market this week is waiting eagerly for Australia's latest inflation figures.
If it comes down more than what the Reserve Bank last forecast, then consumers, businesses and investors alike will breathe a sigh of relief.
That's because the chances of an interest rate pause next week will firm considerably.
However, there are just some ASX shares that are well set for future gains regardless of what economic manoeuvring happens over the next few days.
They have their own thing going on.
Here are three such examples that experts are recommending to buy right now:
Overnight fame after 112 years of anonymity
Pharmaceutical wholesaler Sigma Healthcare Ltd (ASX: SIG) was hardly a household name for ordinary investors for much of its 112-year-old existence.
That all changed last month when it announced it would merge with ubiquitous retail chain Chemist Warehouse.
In just a fortnight, the Sigma share price jumped more than 50%.
Morgans investment advisor Jabin Hallihan reckons it's not too late to get a piece of this action.
"A merge will create a healthcare wholesaler, distributor and retail pharmacy franchisor," Hallihan told The Bull.
"The proposed merger may unlock significant efficiencies and generate cost synergies."
Remembering that the reverse listing is pending regulatory approval, Hallihan is calling Sigma a buy.
"We suggest it may be a good time for investors to start building a position in Sigma Healthcare. The merger prospects support our recommendation."
93% drop? No worries at all
In contrast, the Firefly Metals Ltd (ASX: FFM) share price has remained flat since completing its corporate deal in December.
Argonaut dealer Harrison Massey apparently isn't too worried.
"FireFly, formerly known as AuTECO Minerals, completed the acquisition of the Green Bay Copper-Gold project in Newfoundland, Canada, in October 2023.
"The asset includes a significant ready-to-go underground copper deposit, which, in our view, offers considerable upscale potential amid a history of high-grade copper production."
The deal also included existing infrastructure.
"The recent resource is 39.2 million tonnes at 1.83% copper and 0.5 grams a tonne of gold."
It seems he's not the only one bullish on Firefly.
According to CMC Invest, three other trading houses also rate the stock as a strong buy.
The ASX shares going at 'a significant discount"
Fellow miner South32 Ltd (ASX: S32) has also had its issues with its valuation.
The stock has lost 28.8% over the last 12 months, and recorded a 6.6% drop over the past fortnight.
Hallihan attributed this to "a soft operational result in the 2023 December quarter", but is still bullish on the multinational resources company over the longer run.
"We believe the share price was recently trading at a significant discount to its valuation," he said.
"We expect a stronger performance to follow an anticipated recovery in Chinese and global growth and metal prices."
He has plenty of peers that agree, with 10 out of 15 analysts currently recommending South32 as a buy, as surveyed on CMC Invest.
