Hot Stocks: Amplia Therapeutics, Barton Gold, Nanoveu

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US stocks closed lower on Tuesday as investors digested weak economic data and renewed tariff threats from President Donald Trump. The S&P 500 fell 0.49%, the Nasdaq lost 0.65%, and the Dow slipped 0.14%, erasing part of Monday’s sharp rebound. Sentiment soured after the ISM Services index posted a tepid 50.1 reading for July—its weakest since early 2023—raising concerns about stagflation as employment in the sector contracted and input prices surged. Adding to inflation fears, Trump signalled new tariffs on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals were imminent, aiming to bring production back to the US.

Looking ahead in Australia, the local market is poised for a modest rise, with SPI 200 futures up 11 points. Investors will be focused on earnings results from AMP, News Corp, and REA Group, while overseas developments may influence broader sentiment.

Amplia’s cancer drug shows strong mid-trial results

Amplia Therapeutics (ASX:ATX) released positive topline data from its ACCENT trial testing narmafotinib, a FAK inhibitor, combined with standard chemotherapy in pancreatic cancer. The interim data showed a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 7.6 months, a notable improvement over chemotherapy alone (5.5 months), and even over FOLFIRINOX (6.4 months), a more aggressive regimen. The objective response rate (ORR) hit 31%, with a disease control rate (DCR) of 73%. Safety data showed the combination had a tolerability profile similar to chemotherapy alone. With several patients still on trial and more mature data expected in Q1 2026, the company is preparing for a potential Phase 2b/3 trial later in 2026.

Barton secures precedent-setting gold tenements in SA

Barton Gold (ASX:BGD) has been granted five new exploration licences for its Wudinna Gold Project on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. The tenements were secured under recently updated state regulations allowing for subdivision of tenements—marking a precedent-setting M&A transaction. Barton will now complete the transfer process and issue A$800,000 in shares to Cobra Resources as part of the agreement. The acquisition bolsters Barton’s already significant South Australian platform, which includes the Challenger, Tarcoola, and Tunkillia projects, as well as the region’s only gold mill.

Nanoveu targets global AI chip market with 16nm design

Nanoveu (ASX:NVU) announced major progress toward commercialising its next-generation ECS-DoT edge-AI chip, developed using TSMC’s 16nm FinFET process. The chip is designed for ultra-low power and latency, with applications across wearables, IoT, robotics, and defence. A 24-person engineering team has been assembled in collaboration with the Center for Nanoelectronics and Devices, working across analog, digital, and embedded systems. The company is also expanding software operations in Egypt and Singapore and has already started commercialising an earlier 22nm version of the chip. Fabrication of the 16nm chip is expected in Q4 2025.