S&P/ASX 200 gains 1.27% as banks and consumer stocks lift

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) has surged 1.27% to 6,081 by 1 pm with all sectors currently in green and the financials out-performing, up 2.36%. National Australia Bank Ltd (ASX:NAB) and Australia and New Zealand Banking GrpLtd (ASX:ANZ) were each up by more than 2%, while Westpac Banking Corp (ASX:WBC) lifted 2.25%. Mesoblast was a star performer on the ASX 200 this morning, currently up 10%, followed by nearmap, up 5.6% per cent and News Corp (ASX:NWS), up 5.8%. Qantas Airways Limited (ASX:QAN) investors stayed away from the company’s share purchase plan, picking up just $71 million of the $500 million in new stock on offer. US unemployment benefits US President Donald Trump has taken executive action to provide economic aid to millions of Americans hit by the pandemic, saying he was forced to do so after talks at Congress broke down. Trump said the measures would provide up to US$400 per week in supplemental unemployment benefits to tens of millions of jobless Americans. This is less than the US$600 people had been receiving until July 31, when the benefit expired. COVID-19 update The US COVID-19 tally reached 5 million cases and 162,441 deaths on Sunday morning - both totals by far the highest of any country in the world. In Victoria, 19 have died of COVID-19 in the past day - making it the deadliest day of the pandemic so far. But the state recorded just 322 new cases - its lowest since July 24. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Emerald Clinics Ltd (ASX:EMD) (+72.09%), Jindalee Resources Limited (ASX:JRL) (17.39%), Cipherpoint Ltd (ASX:CPT) (+15.09%), Archtis Ltd (ASX:AR9) (+17.07%), Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE) (+20.51%), FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) (+15.71%). Proactive news headlines: Pantoro fields firm commitments for $50 million placement to advance Norseman Gold Project Pantoro Ltd (ASX:PNR) has received firm commitments from sophisticated and professional investors for a placement of fully paid ordinary shares at 24 cents per share to raise approximately $50 million before costs. Piedmont Lithium completes A$23.8 million capital raisings Piedmont Lithium Ltd (ASX:PLL) (NASDAQ:PLL) has completed a placement of 120 million shares to non-US institutional and sophisticated shareholders for gross proceeds of A$10.8 million. Archer Materials surges 33% on building quantum devices for qubit control Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE) (OTCMKTS:ARRXF) (FRA:38A) has surged 33% on a technological breakthrough with the building of quantum devices required for initial qubit control measurements. Bryah Resources achieves 94% gold recovery in Windalah test work Bryah Resources Ltd (ASX:BYH) achieved 94% gold recovery in test-work undertaken at Windalah gold prospect within the Bryah Basin Project near Meekatharra, Western Australia. Platina Resources completes placement to new resource focused merchant bank Palisades Goldcorp Platina Resources Ltd (ASX:PGM) has confirmed the allotment of 22.36 million shares to new Canadian resource focused merchant bank Palisades Goldcorp and another major shareholder, for total proceeds of A$894,400. Canyon Resources maiden Minim Martap bauxite reserve supports 20-year mine life Canyon Resources Ltd (ASX:CAY) maiden bauxite ore reserve of 97.3 million tonnes for the Minim Martap project in Cameroon will support a 20-year mine life with strong potential for further growth. Corazon Mining raises A$1.69 million to advance Lynn Lake Nickel Sulphide Project Corazon Mining Ltd's (ASX:CZN) pro-rata non-renounceable entitlement offer has raised almost $964,000 taking total capital raising proceeds to A$1.69 million with funds to advance the Lynn Lake Nickel Sulphide Project in Canada. Ora Banda Mining receives strong gold results from drilling at Riverina South Ora Banda Mining Ltd (ASX:OBM) has received further strong high-grade results of up to 12 metres at 6.4 g/t from 56 metres in reverse circulation (RC) drilling at Riverina South deposit of the Davyhurst Project in Western Australia.