S&P/ASX 200 dives 2.53% as AstraZeneca pauses COVID-19 vaccine trial; oil tumbles 7.6%

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) fell 2.53% to 5,856 by 1.15 pm as a phase 3 clinical study testing a potential COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford was temporarily put on hold after a volunteer had an adverse reaction. British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca (LON:AZN), which is developing the vaccine alongside Oxford University, called it a routine pause due to an unexplained illness. Over in the US, shares tumbled overnight as technology shares extended their slide. Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares lost 21.1% after it failed to be included in the S&P 500 index. Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares fell 6.7% as analysts see the growth in Apple's services and wearables segments failing to offset slowing iPhone sales. COVID-19 update Victoria reported 76 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours. Unfortunately, 11 lives were also lost. There have been nine new cases in New South Wales in the last 24 hours. India on Monday surpassed Brazil to become the second worst-hit in the world by the pandemic as it recorded over 90,000 COVID-19 cases for the second day, taking the total tally to over 4.2 million. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Calima Energy Ltd (ASX:CE1) (+12.50%), Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX:AVL) (+15.38%), FAR Ltd (ASX:FAR) (+10.00%), Metro Mining Ltd (ASX:MMI) (+9.84%), Infinity Lithium Corporation Ltd (ASX:INF) (+20.00%) and Strategic Elements Ltd (ASX:SOR) (+20.63%). Proactive news headlines: Australian Vanadium higher on signing MOU for vanadium offtake with market leader of VRFB energy storage systems Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX:AVL) is higher after signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for potential offtake of vanadium products with Enerox GmbH, a global market leader of CellCube vanadium redox flow battery (VRFB) energy storage systems. Lithium Australia raises $4.5 million to accelerate energy metals strategy and become debt-free Lithium Australia NL (ASX:LIT) (OTCMKTS:LMMFF) (FRA:3MW) has raised $4.5 million in a strongly supported share purchase plan (SPP), more than double the initial $2 million target. Galileo Mining’s Lantern prospect shines as nickel-copper sulphides are intersected Galileo Mining Ltd (ASX:GAL) has intersected nickel-copper sulphide mineralisation in initial diamond drilling at Lantern prospect within the Fraser Range Nickel Belt of Western Australia. Marvel Gold consolidates position as leading Mali gold explorer with new tenement acquisition Marvel Gold Ltd (ASX:MVL) has signed a binding option agreement with Mali project vendor Société Minière et Commerciale (SOMICO) over the Sakaar Exploration Permit in western Mali. Kazia Therapeutics bringing a vetted drug class to the brain: Edison Kazia Therapeutics Ltd’s (ASX:KZA) (NASDAQ:KZIA) paxalisib treatment for malignant glioma (a type of tumour that occurs in the brain) was recently granted Orphan Drug Designation by the US FDA. St George Mining drilling at Mt Alexander reveals more indications of nickel-copper sulphides St George Mining Ltd (ASX:SGQ) has delivered more encouraging results from the flagship Mt Alexander Project in WA's north-eastern Goldfields with drilling intersecting further indications of nickel-copper sulphides.