The ASX Daily Monday, 20 April 2026

Top StoriesNXT — NEXTDC launches A$2.2bn capital plan backed by record 667MW contracted utilisation after 250MW AI-driven contract winsNEXTDC has announced a 250MW surge in contracted utilisation at its S4 data centre in Western Sydney, lifting pro forma contracted utilisation 60% to 667MW since December 2025, driven by accelerating AI infrastructure demand. The company is launching a fully underwritten 1-for-5.4 pro-rata accelerated non-renounceable entitlement offer as part of a broader A$2.2bn capital plan, with approximately A$1.5bn to be invested through to end of FY27. The pro forma Forward Order Book rose 83% to 544MW, expected to generate contracted EBITDA in excess of A$1.0bn — more than four times the midpoint of FY26 EBITDA guidance of A$235m. La Caisse de dépôt is committing A$1.7bn to the hybrid instrument alone, underlining the scale of institutional conviction behind this raise.PLY — PlaySide’s MOUSE: P.I. For Hire launches to 360,000 units sold and US$10.4M gross sales in opening weekendPlaySide Studios has reported a highly successful global launch of its original IP game MOUSE: P.I. For Hire across Steam, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch 2, selling an estimated 360,000 units and generating approximately US$10.4M in gross sales within the first few days. The title reached number two on Steam’s global best-selling paid chart on launch day and achieved an Overwhelmingly Positive 95% rating on Steam alongside an OpenCritic score of 83, placing it in the 90th percentile of all reviewed titles. Net revenue to PlaySide after platform fees is estimated at US$6.3M. This is a significant validation of PlaySide’s pivot from work-for-hire to self-published original IP — a commercial and critical double that doesn’t happen often.LDX — Lumos Diagnostics scores FDA CLIA waiver for FebriDx, unlocking 80M patient US market and US$5.5M in milestone paymentsLumos Diagnostics received US FDA 510(k) clearance with CLIA waiver for its FebriDx rapid diagnostic test, expanding its US addressable market 15-fold to over 80 million patients annually across 300,000+ locations. The clearance triggered US$5.0M and US$0.5M milestone payments from PHASE Scientific and BARDA respectively, materially strengthening the balance sheet alongside a completed A$20M placement. Quarterly product revenue surged 243% on the prior corresponding period, so this is not just a regulatory story — there is already real commercial momentum that the CLIA waiver should now accelerate. WellStreet Urgent Care is expanding the FebriDx program from one site to 44 locations, with a potential rollout across its remaining 119 urgent care sites over the next six to twelve months.NAB — NAB takes $706M credit charge and $1.35bn software write-down, launches discounted DRP to raise up to $1.8bnNational Australia Bank has announced significant balance sheet adjustments ahead of its first half 2026 results, including a $706M credit impairment charge driven by Middle East conflict risks and a $1.347bn pre-tax accelerated software amortisation charge to be reported as a Large Notable Item. To strengthen its capital position, NAB will apply a 1.5% discount to its dividend reinvestment plan and partially underwrite it, expected to raise up to $1.8bn and add up to 40 basis points to its CET1 ratio. Management says the pro forma CET1 will remain above 12%, but the scale of the charges signals meaningful macro headwinds in NAB’s book — and the discounted DRP will be dilutive for shareholders who don’t participate. Full half-year results are due 4 May 2026.Mid-Tier MoversPEX — Peel Mining has entered a binding Scheme of Arrangement with Aeris Resources covering its South Cobar Copper Project, while simultaneously demerging its remaining precious and base metal assets — including the high-grade Southern Nights Complex (10.0Mt at 8.2% ZnEq) — into a new ASX-listed company called Spectre Metals via in-specie distribution. Existing Peel shareholders get both a stake in the enlarged Aeris group and continued exploration upside through Spectre. Strong infill drilling results, including 24m at 138g/t Ag from 141m, underscore the quality of assets heading into the new vehicle.4DX — 4DMedical has delivered a remarkable cluster of milestones in a single announcement: a commercial contract with GlaxoSmithKline for lung imaging analytics commencing 1 May 2026, UKCA certification in the UK, Health Canada clearance for its coronary calcium product, a new US Medicare reimbursement code worth US$15.50 per AI-enabled study, and inclusion in the S&P/ASX 200 Index effective today. ASX 200 inclusion alone will force index-tracking funds to buy the stock. This is a biotech story that has moved well beyond early-stage.L1G — L1 Group has successfully completed the IPO of L1 Gold Fund Limited (ASX: LGF), raising $950M with trading expected to commence on 24 April. The closure of the predecessor L1 Wholesale Gold Fund generated a roughly $79M performance fee and a $13M one-off gain for L1G. With a 1% management fee and 20% performance fee on a $950M base, the earnings tailwind for L1G shareholders is substantial.WOR — Worley has issued a profit warning, saying the Middle East conflict is causing project delays that will cut FY26 underlying EBITA by $30–40M, making it unlikely the company achieves EBITA growth this year on a constant currency basis. EBITA margin guidance of 9.0–9.5% is maintained and revenue growth is still expected, but this is a meaningful downgrade — and Qube flagged a similar headwind today, suggesting sector-wide exposure to the conflict’s ripple effects.VEA — A fire in the Alkylation Unit at Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery on 15 April has cut petrol output to approximately 60% of capacity and diesel and jet fuel to around 80%. No staff were injured and the company says customer supply is unaffected short-term, with production expected to be restored above 90% within a few weeks. Insurance covers property damage and business interruption — but with Australian fuel security already a hot-button political topic, this outage will attract close scrutiny.MPK — Many Peaks Minerals has defined a maiden 1.323 million ounce gold resource at its Ferké project in Côte d’Ivoire at a discovery cost of just A$11.25 per ounce — exceptionally low by industry standards — with 83% of the resource in the high-confidence Measured and Indicated categories. A Pre-Feasibility Study is targeted for Q4 2026 and ongoing drilling is chasing extensions across a 37-kilometre gold corridor, so this resource could grow materially before any development decision.MAY — Melbana Energy is set to regain 100% ownership of its Cuban Block 9 PSC after partner Sonangol defaulted on US$23.5M in cash calls and failed to remedy the breach — a significant ownership uplift achieved without paying a cent. New seismic data has clarified why the Amistad-2 well missed its target, and Amistad-1 is already producing around 20 barrels per day unassisted against a previously tested stabilised flow rate of 1,235 bopd.VHM — VHM has terminated its offtake agreement with China’s Shenghe Resources to pursue Western-aligned buyers, and simultaneously upgraded its Goschen rare earths project to full permitted capacity of 5 million tonnes per annum from day one — scrapping the slower staged ramp. With all major regulatory approvals in hand, a Final Investment Decision targeted for mid-2026, and binding offtake deals expected in Q2 ahead of FID, VHM is compressing its timeline to production at a moment when Western rare earth supply is a geopolitical priority.Rapid Fire* MCE — Matrix Composites has agreed to a $0.40 per share all-cash takeover by Advanced Innergy Holdings — a 66.7% premium to its undisturbed price — with the Matrix board unanimously recommending shareholders vote in favour ahead of an expected July 2026 implementation.* VUL — Vulcan Energy has signed a roughly €40M automation deal with Siemens AG, the final major supply agreement for its Lionheart lithium project in Germany, with construction already underway and a €2.2bn financing package secured.* BGD — Barton Gold has hit bonanza gold grades at its Challenger open pit in South Australia — including 1 metre at 170.7 grams per tonne — from previously unmodelled mineralisation that could provide high-grade feed for a planned mill restart.* NMR — Native Mineral Resources’ diamond drilling at Blackjack Mine in Queensland returned a best hit of 5.45 metres at 14.23 grams per tonne gold, including 0.62 metres at 98.93 grams per tonne — the highest grade ever recorded at the project — with mining and milling already underway.* CAV — Carnavale Resources confirmed bonanza grades up to 53.8 grams per tonne gold at its Kookynie project with tight infill drilling, keeping a Bankable Feasibility Study on track for early Q3 2026.* SRJ — SRJ Technologies’ UAE robotics subsidiary has won a US$4.4M three-year contract for robotic leak detection at a government-owned UAE oil and gas operator, with a two-year extension option providing potential for long-term recurring revenue.* LM1 — Leeuwin Metals has been granted its mining lease at the Evanston deposit, meaning all 342,300 ounces across its Marda Gold Project now sit on granted mining leases — a key de-risking milestone clearing the path to development planning.* EUR — The Greenland government has approved Critical Metals Corp taking full control of the Tanbreez rare earth mine — described as one of the world’s largest rare earth deposits — with European Lithium retaining a 7.5% minority stake.* MVF — The Monash IVF board has unanimously rejected a revised $0.90 per share takeover approach from a Genesis Capital and Soul Patts consortium, calling it a substantial discount to comparable Australian IVF deal multiples. The door remains open to a higher bid.* QUB — Qube Holdings has flagged a $13–25M FY26 earnings hit from Middle East conflict fuel costs and severe weather disruptions to agri and forestry exports, though it still expects underlying earnings growth for the year.ASX Daily Digest · Not financial advice · Price-sensitive announcements only This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit thelisteddigest.substack.com