Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

Brainchip Holdings Ltd (ASX: BRN)

The Brainchip share price is down 6% to 15.5 cents. Investors have been selling this semiconductor company's shares following the release of another disappointing quarterly update. Brainchip recorded cash receipts of just US$0.4 million for the three months ended 31 December. That's despite it entering the commercialisation stage a few years ago. And with its market capitalisation now at $350 million, it seems that some investors are finally recognising that this premium valuation is undeserved.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is down 13% to 40.7 cents. This morning, this lithium developer announced that it has received firm commitments from institutional and sophisticated investors for a $40 million placement at a discount of 41 cents per new share. The proceeds will be used to complete phase one construction activities, expand phase one production capacity from 4 ktpa LCE to 5.2 ktpa LCE, undertake exploration activities at Greenbushes South, and for working capital purposes. The company's managing director, Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega, commented: "An accelerated recovery in lithium prices has provided Galan with an opportunity to expand HMW Phase 1 production capacity by 30%."

Iluka Resources Ltd (ASX: ILU)

The Iluka Resources share price is down 13.5% to $5.58. Investors have been selling this mineral sands company's shares after it revealed that it would recognise $565 million in impairment charges in its upcoming first-half results. It advised: "The suspension [of the Cataby mine] was enacted given subdued demand for mineral sands and their associated downstream products, particularly pigment. The persistence of these demand conditions has impacted price expectations in the nearer term."

Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX: OBM)

The Ora Banda Mining share price is down 13% to $1.44. This morning, this gold miner released its quarterly update and revealed record gold production. However, looking further ahead, management is now guiding to the low end of its production guidance range and has increased its cost guidance meaningfully. Its FY 2026 all-in sustaining cost (AISC) is now expected to be $3,250 per ounce to $3,350 per ounce from $2,800 to $2,900 per ounce.

The post Why Brainchip, Galan Lithium, Iluka, and Ora Banda shares are tumbling today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Shares in the market's largest pure-play lithium producer, PLS Group Ltd (ASX: PLS) lifted 1.2% to a new 52-week high of $4.89 today.

The IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price rose 2.1% to a 52-week high of $8.95.

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares lifted 3.5% to a 52-week high of $2.10.

The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price rocketed 24% to a two-year high of 36 cents.

Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE) shares rose 14.3% to a 52-week high of 16 cents.

Elevra Lithium Ltd (ASX: ELV) shares increased 1.9% to a 52-week high of $9.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) shares rose 5.5% to a 52-week high of 38 cents.

The Delta Lithium Ltd (ASX: DLI) share price lifted 8.5% to a 52-week high of 25.5 cents.

Wildcat Resources Ltd (ASX: WC8) shares rose 10.3% to a 52-week high of 43 cents.

Pmet Resources CDI (ASX: PMT) shares rose 11.3% to a 52-week high of 69 cents.

The Winsome Resources Ltd (ASX: WR1) share price lifted 9.8% to a 52-week high of 56 cents.

Midas Minerals Ltd (ASX: MM1) shares rose 10% to a 52-week high of 66 cents.

Lithium prices have been steadily lifting since mid-2025 and leapt higher overnight.

Let's find out why.

Why are lithium prices rising again?

Trading Economics analysts say lithium prices are on the mend due to higher demand and lower supply worldwide.

The lithium carbonate price rose 3.75% overnight to a 19-month high of US$19,793 per tonne.

The Spodumene Concentrate Index (CIF China) Price lifted 1.69% to US$1,800 per tonne.

The Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide price rose 3.6% to US$16,213.76 per tonne.

There is greater demand globally for batteries and power infrastructure amid the green energy transition.

Additionally, sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in China are rising, with EVs outselling traditional cars for the first time last October.

Trading Economics reports that 'new energy vehicles' in China rose 20.6% annually to a record of 1.823 million units in November.

China has pledged to double EV charging capacity to 180 gigawatts by 2027.

Amid higher demand for lithium, China is also seeking to stabilise lithium prices by implementing measures to avoid over-capacity.

Analysts at Trading Economics said:

The Bureau of Natural Resources of Yichun, which includes the lithium mining hub in the Chinese Jiangxi province, stated it would cancel 27 mining permits early next year.

The move was consistent with the earlier suspension of activity in CATL's Jianxiawo lithium mine as the Chinese government aims to reduce capacity in many goods industries to prevent the ongoing race-to-the-bottom that has stirred deflationary pressures.

The post 12 ASX lithium shares rip to 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are falling more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are dropping:

ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX)

The ASX share price is down almost 7% to $53.03. Investors have been selling the stock exchange operator's shares after it committed to a strategic package of actions with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC). These commitments address the findings contained in an interim report from the expert ASIC Inquiry Panel and are designed to deliver confidence in ASX as a provider of critical market infrastructure. One action will be ASX accumulating an additional $150 million of capital above net tangible asset (NTA) value by 30 June 2027. This will then be in place until agreed milestones in the revised accelerate program are completed to the satisfaction of ASIC.

CSL Ltd (ASX: CSL)

The CSL share price is down over 2% to $179.77. This is likely to have been driven by a broker note out of Macquarie Group Ltd (ASX: MQG) on Monday. According to the note, the broker has downgraded the biotech giant's shares to a neutral rating with a reduced price target of $188.00. It said: "With the risk of share losses from CIs in CIDP, we downgrade CSL to Neutral (from Outperform). We also see risks to FY26 guidance, given it is in the second half club, noting significant headwinds in 1H26. Our TP declines -32% from A$275.20 to A$188.00 reflecting a shift away from DCF valuation (~A$228) given uncertainty in CSL's long-term earnings profits and towards PE valuation based on a basket of comps with similar EPS growth (~$175)."

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is down almost 2% to 26.5 cents. This is despite the release of a positive update on the progress of its phase 1 construction activities for Hombre Muerto West (HMW), as it advances towards its final stages. Galan's managing director, Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega, said: "The project is transitioning into an exciting final phase of construction and commissioning. The momentum being built across the team gives us confidence as we move toward becoming a producing lithium company." It is possible that profit taking from some investors is overshadowing the news. After all, its shares are up almost 70% since the start of November.

Nextdc Ltd (ASX: NXT)

The Nextdc share price is down almost 2% to $13.28. This appears to have been driven by weakness in the tech sector on Monday. Investors have been selling AI stocks following a selloff on the tech-focused Nasdaq index on Friday night.

The post Why ASX, CSL, Galan Lithium, and NextDC shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Meantime, the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) is falling heavily, down 1.38% to a four-month low of 8,516.9 points.

Lithium prices are on the rise, with the carbonate price reaching its highest level in 14 months overnight.

Here is what's happening with ASX lithium shares today.

ASX lithium shares up while ASX 200 falls heavily

The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price rose 5.6% to a new 52-week high of $4.18 this morning.

Lithium and nickel producer IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) ripped 8.2% to a 52-week peak of $7.35 per share.

The Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) share price lifted 7.5% to a 52-week high of $1.57.

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares are up 4.3% to a 52-week peak of 24 cents.

The Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE) share price lifted 12.5% to a 52-week high of 6.3 cents.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) shares are up 10% to a 52-week high of 22 cents.

Elevra Lithium (ASX: ELV) shares rose 10.8% to a 52-week high of $5.86.

Diversified miner Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) rose 5.4% to $51.25, not far off the 52-week high of $52.69 it set last week.

Where to next for lithium prices?

ASX lithium shares are rising as demand for lithium to power batteries and new infrastructure increases, and China provides new support to its electric vehicle industry amid higher sales in 2025.

The Spodumene Concentrate Index (CIF China) Price rose 1.79% to US$1,024 per tonne overnight, up more than 20% over the past month.

The Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide price rose 1.05% to US$9,606.73, up 5.8% over the past month.

The lithium carbonate price is US$12,120.57 per tonne, up 16.4% over the past month and now at its highest level in 14 months.

Macquarie is bullish on lithium prices and asserts that a new price cycle is underway.

In a new note, the broker says:

Our constructive lithium view has been confirmed; however major lithium equity names are outpacing underlying Li prices.

We see opportunities for spot spodumene price to attain US $1,200-1,300/t early next year, with hurdles for further increases.

We believe CATL restart newsflow presents near-term downside, promoting profit taking; however this may be a longer-term buy-the-dip opportunity.

CATL's Jiangxi mine, which produces 3% of the global lithium supply, is set to recommence production following a brief suspension.

Macquarie has an outperform rating on three ASX lithium shares: IGO, Elevra Lithium, and Pmet Resources CDI (ASX: PMT).

The broker warns that Pilbara Minerals and Mineral Resources shares are trading at above-market implied lithium prices today.

The post ASX lithium shares outperform as ASX 200 tumbles to four-month low appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

The Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) share price lifted 1.9% to a new 52-week high of $3.85 today.

The IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) share price rose 3% to a new 52-week high of $6.92.

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) shares ascended 3.5% to a 52-week high of $1.50.

The Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) share price climbed 15.8% to a 52-week high of 22 cents.

Lake Resources NL (ASX: LKE) shares rose 7.8% to a 52-week high of 5.5 cents.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) shares increased 5.3% to a 52-week high of 20 cents.

The ASX lithium shares are rising due to higher lithium prices, fueled by improving global demand for batteries and power infrastructure.

Let's find out more.

Lithium prices rise on renewed demand for batteries

The Spodumene Concentrate Index (CIF China) Price rose 1.73% overnight to US$1,001 per tonne, up about 21% over the past month.

The Battery-Grade Lithium Hydroxide price rose 0.26% overnight to US$9,453.92 per tonne, up about 4.2% over the past month.

The lithium carbonate price increased to a three-month high of US$11,859 per tonne, up 1.3% overnight and up 16% over the past month.

That's the highest lithium carbonate price since it cracked a new 52-week high above US$12,000 per tonne in late August.

Analysts at Trading Economics explained the increase in lithium prices:

China signaled its latest support to the electric vehicle industry and lithium-rich energy storage systems with compensation mechanisms for power storage infrastructure, doubling EV charging capacity to 180 gigawatts by 2027.

Also, output of new energy vehicles in China rose by 33.1% in the first ten months of the year, with October sales reflecting 51.6% of the market share, the first majority for new energy vehicles on record.

What else is happening with these ASX lithium shares?

Core Lithium held its annual general meeting this morning, where chair Greg English said:

… there have been some recent signs of improvement in sentiment towards lithium which we would like to see continue.

The junior producer also released a revised restart plan and ore reserve estimate for Grants at its flagship Finniss Project this week.

English added:

Delivery of the Restart Study outcomes will make Finniss more insulated from the lithium price cycle.

Liontown Resources announced it has partnered with Metalshub to launch its first spodumene concentrate auction.

The move will streamline and digitalise spot sales of spodumene concentrate from its Kathleen Valley Project to global customers.

Bell Potter reaffirmed its buy rating on Liontown shares following the announcement and raised its 12-month price target from $1.30 to $1.52.

Lake Resources gave a presentation at the Noosa Mining Investor Conference this week.

The company said:

Lithium demand [is] expected to double between 2025 and 2035, driven by continued strong EV demand in Asia and Europe, Middle East BESS boom and additional policy actions.

Pilbara Minerals and IGO had no news updates for investors this week.

Bell Potter has a sell rating on Pilbara Minerals with a $2.65 price target, and a hold rating on IGO shares.

Christopher Watt from Bell Potter commented on IGO shares:

Guidance moving forward is cautious, and full integration of recent acquisitions is pending. While the theme appeals, the earnings outlook needs more clarity to warrant a re-rating.

Galan Lithium also delivered a presentation at the Noosa Mining Investor Conference.

The post 6 ASX lithium shares streak to new 52-week highs appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX lithium share is down 17% to 12.5 cents.

Why is this ASX lithium share sinking?

Investors have been selling the lithium developer's shares this morning after it released an update on takeover speculation.

In response to media speculation, Galan Lithium revealed that it has not received a takeover bid but has received an unsolicited, confidential, conditional, non-binding indicative proposal from Energy Exploration Technologies, Inc. (EnergyX) in relation to a potential acquisition of its Argentinian lithium assets.

According to the release, EnergyX's proposal is to acquire assets and real property held by Galan related to its holdings in Salar del Hombre Muerto and Candelas for US$50 million in cash and US$50 million in EnergyX shares.

It would also receive a 10% gross revenue royalty for 10 years starting from commercial production.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) and a consortium led by South Korean conglomerate Posco Holdings are investors in EnergyX.

What is Galan Lithium?

Galan Lithium's flagship assets are lithium brine projects, Hombre Muerto West (HMW) and Candelas. These are located on the Hombre Muerto Salar in Argentina, within South America's lithium triangle.

Hombre Muerto is known to host lithium brine deposition of the highest grade and lowest impurity levels within Argentina. It is home to the established El Fenix and Sal de Vida lithium operations owned by Arcadium Lithium (ASX: LTM) and the Sal de Oro project owned by POSCO.

Galan Lithium is also exploring at Greenbushes South in Western Australia, just south of the tier one Greenbushes Lithium Mine.

Offer response

Galan Lithium has not made a decision on the proposal at this point and warned there's no certainty that it will lead to anything concrete. It commented:

The Proposal is conditional on, amongst other things, completion of satisfactory due diligence and negotiation and execution of definitive, binding transaction documentation. The Proposal remains subject to consideration by Galan's board, and given the early stage nature of discussions and its conditionality, there is no certainty a transaction will eventuate. Given the Proposal contemplates the disposition of Galan's main undertaking, Galan shareholder approval would be a necessary condition to completion under a binding agreement, if such an agreement were to eventuate.

The post Guess which ASX lithium share is sinking 17% on takeover disappointment appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

After all, a 77% share price plunge arguably indicates that either the market views the stock as exceptionally overvalued or else in terminal decline.

That's exactly the scenario that investors in ASX lithium stock Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) are confronting today. Right now, the Galan Lithium share price is down a nasty 5% at 15.2 cents a share. At the start of 2024, those same shares were going for as much as 73 cents each, meaning that Galan Lithium is today down a painful 79.2% year to date.

Investors have also endured an 81.2% drop over the past 12 months and an even more dire 92.9% fall from 2022's all-time highs of over $2.15 a share.

Check that all out below for yourself:

So it goes without saying that investors in this ASX lithium stock would probably be a fairly dejected bunch today. However, those investors might be feeling a whole lot better today than they were this time last week.

That's because we just learned that one of Galan's insiders has made a large purchase of this company's shares.

ASX lithium stock insider buys up big

According to an ASX filing that was released last Friday morning, that insider was Galan non-executive director Terry Gardiner.

The filing shows that Gardiner purchased an additional 200,000 fully paid ordinary shares of Galan Lithium on 18 July last week, in addition to 100,000 listed options.

These purchases were made via on-market trades. Gardiner paid $30,668 for these 200,000 shares, and a further $6,083 for the options. That implies purchase prices of 15.33 cents each for the shares and 6.08 cents for the options.

These buys take Gardiner's stake in Galan to a total of 5,388,817 ordinary shares and 1,315,217 listed options. He also owns another 3 million performance rights for this ASX lithium stock.

Those ordinary shares in Galan would have a net value of approximately $819,100 at current pricing.

So no doubt Galan Lithium investors will appreciate this show of support from this ASX lithium stock's director last week. But we'll have to wait and see whether this turns out to be a savvy 'buy the dip' move for Gardiner.

The post This ASX lithium stock is down 79% in 2024, and a director just bought 300,000 shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market higher today are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO)

The Core Lithium share price is down 6% to 15.5 cents. This was despite the lithium miner announcing the appointment of its new CEO this morning. The company has appointed Paul Brown as CEO, effective 4 June 2024. The release notes that Mr Brown has a successful professional career spanning 25 years in the Australian resources industry. This includes as the current CEO of $49 million Hastings Technology Metals (ASX: HAS). The company said: "The Board's priorities in selecting a new CEO were identifying someone with lithium mining experience who will consider all options for the restart of mining operations to guide Core's activities in response to the low price lithium environment."

Duratec Ltd (ASX: DUR)

The Duratec share price is down 4% to $1.06. This has been driven by a guidance downgrade from the engineering, construction, and remediation contractor. It was targeting revenue of $570 million to $610 million and EBITDA of $45 million to $52 million in FY 2024. However, due to delays in expected project awards, Duratec now expects revenue of $550 million to $565 million and EBITDA of $46 million to $48 million.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is down 17% to 24 cents. This morning, this lithium developer announced firm commitments for an equity raising of $14 million to institutional, sophisticated, and professional investors. These funds will be raised at 23 cents per new share. This represents a 20.7% discount to where its shares last traded. The equity raising will provide working capital headroom and financial flexibility for the ongoing development of the Hombre Muerto West (HMW) Phase 1 construction.

Michael Hill International Ltd (ASX: MHJ)

The Michael Hill share price is down 19% to 49.5 cents. Investors have been hitting the sell button today in response to the release of a trading update from the jewellery retailer. It notes that the positive sales momentum it had been expecting through the second half has not materialised. As a result, second half sales are broadly in line with the first half and its margins remain under pressure. This led to its first half earnings being wiped out by a loss in the third quarter.

The post Why Core Lithium, Duratec, Galan Lithium, and Michael Hill shares are sinking today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

At one stage, the ASX All Ords lithium stock was down 24% to a 52-week low of 22 cents.

Its shares have since recovered slightly but remain down by over 18% at 23.7 cents.

Why is this ASX All Ords stock crashing?

The catalyst for this decline has been the company receiving firm commitments for an equity raising of $14 million to institutional, sophisticated, and professional investors.

According to the release, these funds will be raised at 23 cents per new share, which represents a 20.7% discount to where the ASX All Ords share last traded.

In addition, participants under the placement will receive one new unlisted option for every two shares subscribed. The new options will have an exercise price of 35 cents each and have an expiry date of two years from their issue date. However, the new options will be issued subject to shareholder approval at a general meeting to be held in early to mid-July 2024.

Why is it raising funds?

Management notes that the equity raising will provide working capital headroom and financial flexibility for the ongoing development of the Hombre Muerto West (HMW) Phase 1 construction. This is whilst it finalises negotiations of alternative funding solutions, which includes debt and prepayment facilities that will enable the completion of HMW Phase 1.

HMW is a ~16 km by 1-5 km region on the west coast of Hombre Muerto Salar neighbouring Arcadium Lithium (ASX: LTM) to the east. It is currently comprised of twenty one mining tenements. The company highlights that geophysics and drilling at HMW demonstrated significant potential of a deep basin.

A binding offtake and financing agreement (pending due diligence) for Phase 1 production has been signed with Glencore plc. (LSE: GLEN). In March 2024 an updated mineral resource estimate was delivered totalling 7.9Mt of LCE @ 883mg/l Li.

The ASX All Ords' lithium stock's managing director, Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega, was very pleased with the outcome of the capital raising. He commented:

We are delighted with the support for the Placement and welcome a number of new investors to the register. In addition, on behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to thank our shareholders for their ongoing support. Funds raised from the Placement will allow the Company to further progress negotiations to complete the already advanced development of its 100% owned Hombre Muerto West lithium brine project in Argentina. We look forward to putting investors funds to work.

The post Why did this ASX All Ords stock just crash 24%? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Investors will be wondering why shares in Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) are locked down again today. After all, the $153 million Argentinian lithium project developer was expected to resume trading this morning after entering a trading halt on Monday.

Shares are still frozen at 38 cents a pop. So, what's the go with the prolonged halt?

Permitting puts this ASX lithium stock on ice

On Monday, the company requested a trading halt until 17 April. The reason given to the market was a 'pending update on government permitting'.

As per ASX rules, a company must request a voluntary suspension when:

• It anticipates not being able to make an announcement to satisfy [continuous disclosure] obligations for a longer period than the maximum permitted duration of a trading halt (generally two trading days).

This explains why Galan Lithium made a request for a voluntary suspension today. However, the underlying reasoning given remains 'pending an update on government permitting'.

The ASX lithium stock is in the process of developing its lithium project Hombre Muerto West (HMW). The company noted full construction permits had been granted under phase 1 in its March Singapore investor presentation.

As such, some are speculating on whether the update could pertain to phase 2 permits.

At this stage, the specifics of the update are unknown. Shareholders are in the dark over whether the update will be positive or negative. All that's left to do is wait until the announcement is made.

The voluntary suspension will stay in place until Friday 19 April or until the announcement is released.

What else is happening?

Investors are digesting a sudden funding announcement made on Friday afternoon.

Released after market close, the ASX lithium stock revealed an at-the-market subscription deed with Acuity Capital. The deed gives Galan access to a maximum of $15 million of capital at its discretion.

No details were disclosed on why the company took action on the funding facility. Although Galan Lithium's cash on hand as of 31 December had declined to $15.87 million.

The ASX lithium stock is down 65% over the last 12 months.

The post Here's why this ASX lithium stock is in a trading halt appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Three broker buy ratings that you might want to know more about are summarised below. Here's why brokers think these ASX shares are in the buy zone:

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

According to a note out of Macquarie, its analysts have retained their outperform rating and 60 cents price target on this lithium developer's shares. The broker highlights that the company has recently raised funds, strengthening its balance sheet. It believes these funds will be sufficient while the company completes its financing facility negotiations with mining giant Glencore. The Galan Lithium share price is trading at 41 cents today.

Platinum Asset Management Ltd (ASX: PTM)

A note out of Bell Potter reveals that its analysts have upgraded this fund manager's shares to a buy rating with an improved price target of $1.20. The broker has been updating its estimates to reflect fund outflows and reductions in its cost base from its turnaround program. Bell Potter expects the latter to have a very positive impact on its earnings and has upgraded its estimates materially in FY 2025 and FY 2026. Overall, the broker believes the turnaround program means that the risk/reward has now shifted to the upside. The Platinum share price is fetching $1.08 this afternoon.

Premier Investments Limited (ASX: PMV)

Analysts at Citi have retained their buy rating and lifted their price target on this retail giant's shares to $36.00. This follows the release of a solid half-year result earlier this week which was ahead of guidance. Citi is also feeling positive about the outlook of Smiggle, noting plans for a store rollout in Indonesia. In addition, it sees the Peter Alexander expansion into the UK market as the first of many such expansions. The Premier Investments share price is trading at $32.40 on Thursday.

The post Brokers name 3 ASX shares to buy now appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

This is because insider buying is often regarded as a bullish indicator, as few people should know a company and its intrinsic value better than its own directors.

A number of ASX All Ords shares have reported meaningful insider buying this week. Here are a few that caught my eye:

ALS Ltd (ASX: ALQ)

This testing services company's non-executive director, Nigel Garrard, dipped into the market earlier this week. A change of director's interests notice reveals that Garrard picked up 3,150 ALS shares on-market at $12.85 per share on Tuesday. This represents a total consideration of $40,477.50.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

This lithium developer's CEO, Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega, and non-executive director, Terry Gardiner, have been taking advantage of a pullback to load up on shares. Vargas de la Vega bought 249,680 shares for $130,067 and Gardiner bought 200,000 shares for $102,058 through on-market trades.

Healius Ltd (ASX: HLS)

According to a change of director's interests notice, non-executive director Charles Taylor picked up 50,000 Healius shares through an on-market trade this week. Taylor paid $1.4963 per share, which equates to a total consideration of $74,815.

New Hope Corporation Ltd (ASX: NHC)

This coal miner's non-executive director, Jacqueline Elizabeth McGill AO, has added to her holding. On Friday, McGill picked up 10,000 shares through an on-market trade at $4.97 per share. This equates to a total consideration of $49,700 and lifts her holding to 80,000 shares.

PEXA Group Ltd (ASX: PXA)

Finally, this property settlements technology company revealed that independent non-executive director, Melanie Willis, has bought some shares on-market this month. On Friday, Ms Willis snapped up 4,000 shares for approximately $12.53 per share. This represents a total consideration of just over $50,000.

The post Insiders have been buying these 5 ASX All Ords shares appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that have failed to follow the market's lead are listed below. Here's why they are falling:

Evolution Mining Ltd (ASX: EVN)

The Evolution Mining share price is down 14% to $3.57. This has been driven by a combination of weakness in the gold sector and the completion of the institutional component of its capital raising. Evolution has raised $525 million via a fully underwritten institutional placement at $3.80 per new share. These funds will be used for the acquisition of an 80% interest in the Northparkes Copper-Gold Mine.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is down 3.5% to 55 cents. This is despite the release of an update on the development of its Hombre Muerto West (HMW) Phase 1 lithium brine project. Management revealed that construction is progressing to schedule and it expects to deliver lithium chloride production the first half of 2025.

Life360 Inc (ASX: 360)

The Life360 share price is down a further 3% to $7.35. Investors have been selling this location technology company's shares this week following some insider selling. According to the release, Life360 co-founder and CEO Chris Hulls has sold US$4 million (A$6 million) worth of shares. Hulls revealed that he plans to diversify his holdings over the next five years in line with US market norms.

Resolute Mining Ltd (ASX: RSG)

The Resolute share price is down over 1% to 43.5 cents. This follows weakness in the gold sector after a pullback in the spot gold price. This has led to the S&P/ASX All Ordinaries Gold index falling 2.2% this afternoon.

The post Why Evolution, Galan Lithium, Life360, and Resolute shares are dropping today appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are not letting that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Aristocrat Leisure Limited (ASX: ALL)

The Aristocrat share price is up 2.5% to $40.54. This appears to have been driven by a broker note out of Ord Minnett. Its analysts have upgraded the gaming technology company's shares to an accumulate rating with a $45 price target.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is up 11% to 77 cents. Investors have been buying this lithium developer's shares after it announced an offtake agreement with mining giant Glencore. In addition, Glencore has offered to provide or facilitate a secured financing prepayment facility for US$70 million to US$100 million, subject to conditions precedent being met.

Graincorp Ltd (ASX: GNC)

The Graincorp share price is up 3.5% to $7.67. This has been driven by the release of the grain exporter's full-year results. Although the company reported a 34% reduction in net profit after tax to $250 million, this didn't stop it from paying a special dividend and announcing an on-market share buy-back of $50 million.

Vulcan Energy Resources Ltd (ASX: VUL)

The Vulcan Energy share price is up 6% to $2.74. This follows the release of the lithium explorer's bridging study results for the Zero Carbon Lithium Project. Vulcan CEO, Cris Moreno, commented: "This Bridging phase has delivered significant value improvements including a reduction in CAPEX and OPEX, while also increasing and streamlining our project definition."

The post Why Aristocrat, Galan Lithium, Graincorp, and Vulcan Energy shares are storming higher appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

In morning trade, the ASX lithium stock was up over 30% to 91 cents.

Its shares have since pulled back but remain up 12% to 78 cents.

Why is the ASX lithium stock rocketing?

Investors have been buying the company's shares today after the lithium developer announced an agreement with one of the world's largest miners.

According to the release, Galan Lithium has signed a binding term sheet with Glencore for offtake of up to 100% of its premium lithium chloride concentrate from the Hombre Muerto West lithium project in Argentina.

In addition, Glencore has offered to provide or facilitate a secured financing prepayment facility for US$70 million to US$100 million, subject to conditions precedent being met.

Management believes the agreement endorses Galan's low-cost, low-risk lithium chloride development strategy to become the next lithium producer in Argentina.

It also revealed that discussions for the larger Phase 2 Hombre Muerto West development are open and well advanced.

But it will still be a little time until we see phase 2. As things stand, phase 1 is scheduled to commence production during the first half of 2025.

The ASX lithium stock's managing director, Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega, said:

We are very delighted to announce Galan's achievement of this very significant milestone on the path towards commencing commercial production at HMW in H1 2025. The agreement with Glencore is a validation of the quality our world class project and endorses the calibre and experience of Galan's team.

Our agreement with Glencore significantly de-risks our project and we are very well poised to secure finance for Phase 1 of the HMW Project. Importantly, Glencore's funding assistance via the prepayment facility endorses our lithium chloride concentration strategy to deliver the HMW project, and provide returns to shareholders, in a shorter time frame.

The post Guess which ASX lithium stock surged 30% on news of a deal with one of the world's largest miners appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

That's according to top broker Macquarie, which has slapped an outperform rating on 16 stocks.

Let's review.

Why buy ASX lithium shares today?

Lithium stocks have fallen over the past year alongside declining lithium prices.

In The Australian this week, Macquarie said today's weaker prices for lithium stocks have created a buying opportunity and now is the time to snap them up for long-term investment.

The broker said:

We believe this is a buying opportunity for investors, especially the ones who look past short-term volatilities, to increase their exposure to a critical mineral at an attractive price level.

Despite a softer market sentiment, we see value in lithium developers underpinned by resource quality and/or favourable jurisdictions.

The short-term market trough creates an opportunity for strategic investors which could unlock value through business consolidation or offtake agreements.

The 16 stocks to buy

Macquarie says its favourite lithium stock today is Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS).

The Pilbara Minerals share price closed on Friday at $4.30, down 5.7% over the past 12 months.

The other 15 lithium stocks earning an outperform rating from Macquarie are as follows:

• Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX: AGY) shares (down 62% in 12 months)
• Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) shares (down 62% in 12 months)
• Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) shares (down 61% in 12 months)
• Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) shares (down 45% in 12 months)
• Global Lithium Resources Ltd (ASX: GL1) shares (down 38% in 12 months)
• Piedmont Lithium Inc (ASX: PLL) shares (down 26% in 12 months)
• Atlantic Lithium Ltd (ASX: A11) shares (down 26% in 12 months)
• Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) shares (down 15% in 12 months)
• Iluka Resources Limited (ASX: ILU) shares (down 15% in 12 months)
• Leo Lithium Ltd (ASX: LLL) shares (down 10% in 12 months)
• Lynas Rare Earths Ltd (ASX: LYC) shares (down 10% in 12 months)
• IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO) shares (down 8% in 12 months)
• Patriot Battery Metals Inc. CDI (ASX: PMT) shares (down 2% in 12 months)
• Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN) shares (up 3% in 12 months)
• Meteoric Resources NL (ASX: MEI) shares (up 2,150% in 12 months)

What did the broker say about these ASX shares?

Macquarie says Piedmont Lithium shares have a potential upside of more than 200% from today's price level.

Macquarie says Pilbara Minerals, Allkem, and Mineral Resources offer 100% to 160% upside.

It notes that Allkem offers "unique exposure to both lithium brine in South America and spodumene production in Australia".

Several other brokers also say Allkem shares are a buy right now. The Allkem share price closed on Friday at $11.76, up 2.1% for the day.

Macquarie said Patriot Battery Metals presents "the greatest upside on exploration over the near term", and that Global Lithium Resources "also offers great near-term exploration upside …".

The post Macquarie says these 16 beaten-up ASX lithium shares represent a buying opportunity appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Surprisingly, enthusiasm for lithium miners is in abundance despite prices for the electrifying commodity remaining near 52-week lows. According to Trading Economics, the going rate for lithium carbonate is approximately US$22,810 per tonne, more than 70% below the high set in November 2022.

The pre-eminent ASX index is up 0.52% as we sprint toward the close. However, several lithium companies are touting gains in excess of 5% today. So, what is driving the unmatched excitement toward this basket of critical commodity suppliers?

Promising signs for lithium shares

Before we delve into what could be behind the impressive performance across lithium companies today, here are a handful of names putting the ASX index to shame:

• Core Lithium Ltd (ASX: CXO) up 23.5%
• Latin Resources Ltd (ASX: LRS) up 6.5%
• Argosy Minerals Ltd (ASX: AGY) up 7.9%
• Sayona Mining Ltd (ASX: SYA) up 6.3%
• Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN) up 10.3%

The best performer among the bunch is Core Lithium, rocketing higher after releasing its FY2023 results this morning.

Until today, Core had failed to produce a profit while the company was in its exploration stage. However, that all changed with its latest full-year results. In FY23, Core Lithium generated $50.6 million in revenue and $10.8 million in net profit after tax after successfully reaching production.

Core managed to sell 5,432 tonnes of spodumene concentrate at an average realised price of US$4,163 per tonne. For context, Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS) achieved an average realised price of US$4,447 per tonne during FY23.

Today's widespread positivity toward the lithium sector could partly be a result of Core Lithium's ability to reach production and turn a profit. Additionally, investors might be taking on board recent optimistic comments from Macquarie analysts.

The broker rattled off several lithium shares it currently sees value in amid suppressed share prices. Some of these included Piedmont Lithium Inc (ASX: PLL), Mineral Resources Ltd (ASX: MIN), and IGO Ltd (ASX: IGO), among many others.

Liontown Resources Ltd (ASX: LTR) was one lithium miner not considered as a possible outperformer by Macquarie. Ironically, the takeover target is one of few companies in the sector seeing its share price fall on Friday after disclosing increased project costs.

What portion of the ASX 200 index is exposed to lithium?

You might think the strength in ASX lithium shares would be reflected in a more impressive gain on the benchmark today. While it certainly doesn't hurt, the sector's impact on the ASX 200 is minimal.

If you were curious how much weighting the main ASX index has toward lithium, look no further.

Based on market capitalisation, lithium companies currently make up 1% of the entire ASX 200. Hence, even significant rises in companies like Allkem Ltd (ASX: AKE) and Core Lithium fail to really move the needle.

The post Why are lithium shares dominating the ASX index on Friday? appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is up 6% to 71 cents. This follows the release of an update on the company's flagship Hombre Muerto West lithium brine project in Argentina. According to the release, the company has achieved impressive grades and flow rates at the project following the construction of all wells required to support the phase 1 production.

Helloworld Travel Ltd (ASX: HLO)

The Helloworld Travel share price is up 7.5% to $3.23. Investors have been buying this travel company's shares following the release of its FY 2023 results. Helloworld reported a 139.5% increase in revenue to $165.9 million and a profit after tax of $19.2 million. The latter is up from a loss of $28.8 million in FY 2022.

Infomedia Limited (ASX: IFM)

The Infomedia share price is up over 4% to $1.71. This morning, this automotive industry software company released its FY 2023 results and reported an 11% increase in recurring revenue to $128.1 million and a 16% jump in net profit after tax to $9.6 million.

Melbana Energy Ltd (ASX: MAY)

The Melbana Energy share price is up almost 44% to 8.9 cents. This follows news that the company has finally had some success with its Alameda-2 appraisal well. Melbana reported peak flow to surface of 1,903 barrels of oil per day from Unit 1B. Positively, the oil was significantly lighter and had lower viscosity compared to other units in the Amistad Formation.

The post Why Galan Lithium, Helloworld, Infomedia, and Melbana Energy shares are rising appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

It's pretty much always a good sign when company directors spend their own money buying more shares in the businesses they run.

It signals their confidence in the future of the business — and they'd know better than us, right?

So, let's take a look at a couple of recent purchases made by these ASX mining directors.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

According to a notice lodged with the ASX, Galan Lithium managing director Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega has been buying more stock in the ASX lithium miner.

He bought 115,000 shares on-market for a total sum of $104,556 on 14 July.

So, using a rough average estimate, he paid about 90.9 cents per share for his new Galan stock.

Galan Lithium shares fell 4.62% on Thursday to close at 82.5 cents.

The ASX mining stock is down 20% in 2023 so far.

Genesis Minerals Ltd (ASX: GMD)

The non-executive chair of Genesis Minerals, Anthony Kiernan (AM), has also been buying his company's shares.

An ASX lodgement shows Kiernan bought 75,000 Genesis Minerals shares on-market on 7 July.

He paid $89,232 for the shares, indicating a rough average price of $1.19.

The Genesis Minerals share price closed at $1.44 on Thursday, up 7.87%.

The ASX mining share is up 12.6% in the year to date.

The post 2 ASX mining directors buying their company shares in the past fortnight appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.

Four ASX shares that are climbing more than most today are listed below. Here's why they are rising:

Argosy Minerals Limited (ASX: AGY)

The Argosy Minerals share price is up over 6% to 41.5 cents. This morning, this lithium developer revealed that its 2,000tpa operation commissioning works have advanced to a 24-hour trial of continuous operations. This has led to the production of ~20 tonnes of battery-quality lithium carbonate product, with product quality of 99.79%.

Galan Lithium Ltd (ASX: GLN)

The Galan Lithium share price is up 8% to 94 cents. This follows the release of the phase one definitive feasibility study (DFS) of the Hombre Muerto West (HMW) project. Management advised that the DFS delivers compelling economics from an initial 5.37ktpa LCE operation at HMW, targeting a high-quality 6% concentrated lithium chloride product in the first half of 2025. Phase 1 has an estimated post-tax net present value of US$460 million with an internal rate of return of 36% and free cash flow of US$54 million per year.

Pilbara Minerals Ltd (ASX: PLS)

The Pilbara Minerals share price is up 4% to $5.09. Investors have been buying this lithium miner's shares following the release of an update on its mid-stream plans. Management advised that it has made significant progress in the detailed front-end engineering and design (FEED) of a proposed mid-stream demonstration plant. A final investment decision is expected in the very near future.

United Malt Group Ltd (ASX: UMG)

The United Malt share price is up 9% to $4.79. This morning, this maltster announced that it has entered into a scheme implementation deed with Malteries Soufflet. This will see the French maltster acquire United Malt by way of a scheme of arrangement. United Malt shareholders will receive $5.00 per share in cash.

The post Why Argosy Minerals, Galan Lithium, Pilbara Minerals, and United Malt shares are rising appeared first on The Motley Fool Australia.