In afternoon trade the S&P/ASX 200 index is on course to follow the lead of U.S. markets and drop lower. At the time of writing the benchmark index is down 0.2% to 6,716.5 points.
Four shares that have not let that hold them back are listed below. Here's why they are pushing higher:
The a2 Milk Company Ltd (ASX: A2M) share price is up over 2% to $14.26. The infant formula and fresh milk company's shares have recovered slightly after being sold off on Monday following the surprise exit of its CEO. The catalyst for today's gain may have been a positive broker note out of UBS. Its analysts have held firm with their buy rating and the NZ$17.00 (A$16.31) price target on its shares.
The Orocobre Limited (ASX: ORE) share price is racing 4.5% higher to $2.55. This is despite there being no news out of the lithium miner this week. However, the battery-making ingredient was given a boost overnight by the winner of the Nobel Prize for chemistry, Akira Yoshino. In his acceptance speech, Yoshino said he believes lithium-ion batteries will play key role in achieving a sustainable society.
The Select Harvests Limited (ASX: SHV) share price is up 3% to $8.70 following the release of its ASX Connect presentation. In the presentation the almond producer spoke positively about the future and suggested that it is well-positioned for growth. This is thanks to its investment in almond orchards and the positive industry macro.
The Starpharma Holdings Limited (ASX: SPL) share price has jumped 5% to $1.29. This morning the dendrimer products developer revealed positive results from its phase 1 trial of DEP cabazitaxel. DEP cabazitaxel is a patented, detergent free, nanoparticle version of the cancer drug, Jevtana. According to today's release, the phase 1 trial of DEP cabazitaxel met its objective of evaluating safety, tolerability and preliminary efficacy data. It will now be advanced to a phase 2 trial.
