The S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX: XJO)(^AXJO) is expected to open slightly lower today, despite the USA’s S&P 500 Index (.INX) rising 0.70% on Monday.
Here are the data points:
Australian Dollar ($A) (AUDUSD): 71.48 US cents
Dow Jones (DJI): up 0.42%
Oil (WTI): $US48.66 per barrel
Gold: $US1,289 per ounce
Sharemarket News
In sharemarket news, biotechnology business Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX: TLX) announced that it is going to accelerate its prostate cancer therapy program after looking at the historical academic data for huJ591 from its recent acquired business, Atlab Pharma SAS.
Analysis of the data and independent monitoring by a third party, Clinical Research Organization, is strongly supportive of taking huJ591 into a Phase III study under certain dosing conditions called fractionated dosing, subject to regulatory approval. Telix is potentially able to accelerate its antibody-directed prostate cancer radiotherapy program by approximately two years.
Telix CEO Dr Christian Behrenbruch said: “Given the considerable momentum around prostate radiotherapy, we feel it is prudent to pursue a strategy that enables us to get to Phase III as soon as possible.”
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In other news, infant formula business Wattle Health Australia Ltd (ASX: WHA) has reported that Blend and Pack has successfully renewed its Certification and Accreditation Administration of the Peoples Republic of China (CNCA) for the manufacture of infant formula.
Blend and Pack is Australia’s largest independent manufacturer of nutritional dairy products and one of 15 CNCA accredited for infant formula in Australia. Wattle Health is a shareholder of B&P and has secured the first brand slot for accreditation.
RAIZ Invest Ltd (ASX: RZI), formerly known as Acorns in Australia, announced that its monthly active customers increased by 0.2% to 175,345 at the end of December 2018.
The micro-investment business allows users to round up their payments to add to their Raiz investment account.
Raiz reported that its total funds under management (FUM) decreased by 1.2% to $254 million during December due to falls in global markets.
Raiz Invest CEO George Lucas said: “We remain focused on our growth strategy, for which we remain well funded.”
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