Equity Insights: December Issue

Welcome to the second edition of Equity Insights, our newsletter showcasing updates from ASX-listed companies, expert insights, and market trends. In this edition, we're excited to share our latest ESG Masterclass, expert advice on navigating AGM season, and updates from our team training day. We also highlight recent presentations and webinars from our clients, media coverage, and provide insights into the biotech sector and the growing momentum of Generative AI.

Thank you for reading, and we look forward to sharing more insights with you.

Wishing you and yours all the best for a very safe and happy holiday season.

All the best,
The IR Department team

ESG Masterclass

We’re pleased to announce that we recently launched our ESG Board Competency Masterclass which provides directors with practical tools to strengthen their approach to environmental, social, and governance challenges. It’s an essential step for boards aiming to stay ahead in an ESG-conscious world. These sessions are directed toward your specific board and company type. Contact us for more info on what this could look like for your Board.

Navigating AGM season

Our Managing Director, Jane Lowe shared some expert advice recently on AGM season. Here she breaks down the key strategies companies can use to navigate this critical period with confidence. From crafting resolutions that resonate to fostering meaningful dialogue with shareholders, Jane provides clear, actionable insights to help businesses make the most of their Annual General Meetings and strengthen stakeholder relationships.

Listen to Jane’s interview with Andrew Musgrave on the ASX Briefs podcast here, where she also talks about her career and how she landed in Investor Relations.

Training day: ESG Updates

Our recent team training day brought together expert insights and practical knowledge to enhance our skills and strategic capabilities. One highlight was a session led by our own ESG specialist, Ilona Marchetta, who discussed the implications of new ESG management and auditing standards for Australian listed companies. For a deeper understanding of how these evolving ESG standards could impact your business, we invite you to read Ilona's full article. 

PRESENTATIONS & WEBINARS

Island Pharmaceuticals: Dr. David Foster, CEO of Island Pharmaceuticals, discusses recent excellent news from the Phase 2a component of its Phase 2a/b PROTECT clinical trial for lead asset, ISLA-101. A safety review committee confirmed that the drug was safe and also showed anti-dengue activity. It recommended that the trial should progress to Phase 2b. We are proud to be involved with this important program, which has the potential to change the game in fighting dengue and other mosquito-borne diseases.

Race Oncology: The 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Race Oncology (ASX: RAC) was held on 25 November 2024. Chaired by Executive Chair, Dr Peter Smith, the meeting recapped the major achievements in FY24, including key advancements in the company’s RC220 bisantrene clinical program, new board appointments, including Dr. Serge Scrofani as Non-Executive Director, and key milestones for the year ahead.

RECENT MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS

In the media spotlight, here are some notable coverage highlights achieved for clients recently:

The Australian for Island Pharmaceuticals: Island Pharmaceuticals’ two-pronged plan to put the mozz on dengue fever

Proactive for Race Oncology: Proactive: Race Oncology advances RNA epigenetics with FTO drug discovery at Monash

The Australian for Celosia: Macquarie Uni spin-out nabs $16.8m to advance ALS treatment

The Australian for Haemalogix: Blood cancer hopeful pursues 2025 ASX listing

Dermhealth.co podcast for Biomiq: Transforming Skincare with Microbiome Science with Dr Rebekka Williams, Head of Operations at Biomic ➡️ Apple Podcasts | Spotify

The Australian for IR Department: HealthInvest 2024: The biotech sector looks in rude health, judging by these five ASX innovators

MARKET TIDBITS

To wrap it up, here are some bite-sized updates on market trends and other interesting news.

Market spotlight: Biotech sector gains momentum

The biotech sector is experiencing a resurgence, driven by a series of positive announcements that are expected to boost investor sentiment in the new year. Notably, some of the sector's slower-moving companies are starting to catch up with their faster-paced peers, often driven by modest yet promising news.

At 1pm (AEDT) on Friday, December 6, the S&P/ASX 200 Health Care index (XHJ) declined 1.2% over the past five trading days, while the broader S&P/ASX 200 (XJO) index slipped 0.2% over the same period.

However, Healthcare and Life Sciences expert Scott Power, who has been a senior analyst with Morgans Financial for 26 years, is still confident of a strong run into Christmas.

“We’ve had a couple of capital raisings and IPOs recently,” Power said. “Money is being deployed and particularly at the more growth or speculative end of the market which is an indication of confidence.”

These developments suggest a promising outlook for the biotech sector, with potential for further growth and innovation in the coming year.

GenAI revolution gains momentum

The adoption of Generative AI (GenAI) is transforming industries, with pioneers like Nvidia, PayPal, and Adobe at the forefront. Bloomberg's AI Index reveals varied sector performance, but experts predict broader growth in 2025, particularly in fintech and cloud computing.

As highlighted at Bloomberg Intelligence's recent conference, "GenAI: Will It Deliver on the Productivity Promise?", tech leaders and innovators are harnessing AI to reshape industries, from finance to healthcare. According to JPMorgan's insights, AI's transformative potential is poised to create new opportunities for investors. Read on here.

Ranked: Top 20 Countries by Average vs. Median Wealth 

Check out this graphic by the Visual Capitalist as they visualise the top 20 countries according to two rankings: average (mean) wealth and median wealth.