The Canadian economy is continuing to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interest rates and the dollar both saw steady increases in the first week of May.
The Canadian dollar has been steadily climbing over the past year since its drop to US$0.69/C$1.00 in March of last year, soaring to a near 5-year high of US$0.82/C$1.00 this week with rates not seen since September 2017.
The Bank of Canada’s key interest rate has held steady, peaking at 0.18 per cent this week, up from a 0.17 per cent high in the last week of April.
This week’s TMH trending stories featured companies in the healthcare, mining, and renewable energy sectors, including:
- Datametrex AI Limited (TSXV:DM);
- Therma Bright (TSXV:THRM);
- Northstar Gold Corp. (CSE:NSG);
- Tocvan Ventures (CSE:TOC); and
- Xebec Adsorption (TSX:XBC)
Here is a closer look at what our investor audience was reading.
Datametrex AI (TSXV:DM) reports over $12.3M in revenue in 2020 up 264 per cent from 2019
On Monday (May 3), Datametrex announced its consolidated financial statements and analysis for the 2020 fiscal year.
The company reported record revenue of over C$12 million, up 264 per cent year-over-year, and ended the year with a cash balance of nearly $2 million compared to a cash balance of $119,675 in 2019.
“The company has made significant progress in strengthening its balance sheet and positioning Datametrex for incredible market growth anticipated by shifting health policy and regulation,” Marshall Gunter, CEO of Datametrex, commented in a release from the company.
Despite a significant market slowdown due to the pandemic, Datametrex continued to improve its core business revenue in 2020, focusing its resources on expanding and improving its AI business.
Shares of Datametrex fell 2.08 per cent over the course of the week to $0.235 per share as of 1:24 pm ET on Friday (May 7).
Therma Bright (TSXV:THRM) to distribute 15 minute COVID-19 antibody test
Also in healthcare, Therma Bright announced on Thursday (May 6) that it had entered into an agreement to white label and distribute a 15 minute COVID-19 antibody test.
The test uses a small amount of blood and has a 96.6 per cent sensitivity to individuals currently infected or who have previously been infected but went undiagnosed.
“The world is realizing the benefits and challenges with these COVID-19 vaccines, and this antibody test solution will aid in helping our global citizens understand if they have the SARS-CoV-2 antibodies to help them better fight the virus,” Rob Fia, CEO of Therma Bright, commented in the press release.
Shares in Therma Bright reached a high of $2.45 per share on Monday, but were trending down 2.44 per cent at $0.40 per share as of 2:12 pm ET on Friday.
Northstar (CSE:NSG) intersects near-surface high-grade gold at Miller Gold Property
In mining news, Northstar Gold Corp. announced on Tuesday (May 4) that a drilling program at its Miller Gold Property intersected high-grade visible gold samples.
“While we won’t know the full implications of these intercepts until all assay results are received,” remarked Brian Fowler, Northstar’s President and CEO, in a release, “our hope is that these reported high grades occur within confirmed broader intervals that will ultimately be as good or better than last year’s results from nearby holes.”
Nearby holes MG20-47 and MG20-49 reported gold grades of 1.2 g/t Au over 107.3m and 1.4 g/t Au over 118.5m, respectively.
Shares of Northstar rose to a high of $0.255 per share on Friday, and were down 2.00 per cent trading at $0.245 per share as of 12:22 pm ET.
Tocvan Ventures (CSE:TOC) reports 92% recovery of gold from preliminary metallurgical results
Also in mining, Tocvan Ventures announced the results of ongoing metallurgical work at its flagship Pilar Gold-Silver Project in Sonora, Mexico.
Preliminary results have been received from two composite samples taken from a previously released drill hole. The samples consisted of a low-grade (0.63 g/t Au) and a medium-grade (1.2 g/t Au) composite.
Tocvan’s VP of Exploration Brodie Sutherland commented in a release that “With our Phase II drill program well underway we will continue to evaluate the potential of Pilar with continued exploration and metallurgical studies leading towards a bulk sample later this year.”
A minimum of 14 drill holes totalling 2,400 meters is planned for the initial stage of the Phase II drill program, which will commence in mid-May.
Shares of Tocvan Ventures were up 1.12 per cent over the weekly trading period to $0.90 as of 2:02 pm ET on Friday.
Xebec (TSX:XBC) expands U.S. footprint with Nortec acquisition
Xebec Adsorption closes out our top stories of the week, making news in the renewable energy and industrial sectors when it announced on Monday that it had acquired Nortec, a Tennessee-based company.
With the acquisition, Xebec expands its manufacturing footprint with an 18,500 sq. foot facility in Maryville, Tennessee, as well as with key personnel that compliments its compressed air dryers, renewable natural gas dryers, hydrogen dryers and Cleantech Service Network.
“Nortec is a strategic acquisition for us because it will immediately increase our manufacturing capacity. Given the increasing importance of local sourcing and servicing, we are glad to have a manufacturing setup in the United States,” commented Xebec chairman and president Kurt Scorschak in a release.
Over the five-day trading period, shares of Xebec were up 1.45 per cent at $4.20 per share as of 2:30 pm ET on Friday.
