S&P/ASX 200 soars 1.14% after Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine is over 90% effective

S&P/ASX 200 (INDEXASX:XJO) surged for a fourth straight day hitting a new eight-month high of 6438 earlier today and was last trading 1.14% higher at 6,371 by around 1.45 pm. This follows an overnight jump in Wall Street after pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) said its COVID-19 vaccine has proven to be 90% effective in trials. While all the sectors on the ASX are higher, names which fell most in recent months during the pandemic are some of today’s best gainers. This includes energy stocks, which have surged more than 8% following an 8.5% jump in oil prices overnight. Travel stocks are also surging, with Qantas (ASX:QAN) up 9.51%, Sydney Airport (ASX:SYD) rising 13.74% and Flight Centre (ASX:FLT) trading 13% higher. Top gainers Today’s top gainers on the ASX include Australian Vanadium Ltd (ASX:AVL) (+9.09%), Black Rock Mining Ltd (ASX:BKT) (+10.00%), Highfield Resources Ltd (ASX:HFR) (+8.65%), Eclipse Metals Ltd (ASX:EPM) (+10.00%), Rpm Automotive Group Ltd (ASX:RPM) (+7.14%) and Alicanto Minerals Ltd (ASX:AQI) (+7.14%). Proactive news headlines: Elementos intersects visible tin in diamond drilling at Oropesa Elementos Limited (ASX:ELT) (OTCMKTS:ELTLF) (FRA:9EM) has intersected visible mineralisation in four of the initial six diamond drill holes completed in 2020 exploration drilling at the flagship Oropesa Tin Project in Spain. Horizon Minerals Rose Hill drill results confirm open pit gold potential ahead of underground development Horizon Minerals Ltd (ASX:HRZ) has received further strong shallow high-grade drilling results from the Rose Hill Gold Project, near Coolgardie, 35 kilometres west of Kalgoorlie in Western Australia. Core Lithium accepted into European Commission’s newly-formed European Raw Materials Alliance Core Lithium Ltd (ASX:CXO) has achieved a key milestone through acceptance into the European Commission’s newly-formed European Raw Materials Alliance – an initiative launched in September 2020. Macarthur Minerals to be 'green iron ore company' with Lake Giles Project at fore of new global iron ore future Macarthur Minerals Ltd (ASX:MIO) (CVE:MMS) (OTCQB:MMSDF) is set to become ‘the green iron ore company’ with its Lake Giles Iron Project in Western Australia to be at the fore of a new global iron ore future that values more sustainable steel products derived from responsible mining practices. Alicanto Minerals hits chalcopyrite copper at second target within Greater Falun project in Sweden Alicanto Minerals Ltd (ASX:AQI) has hit chalcopyrite copper at Heden East prospect, the second regional target drilled within the Greater Falun Copper-Gold Project in Sweden and has repeated the success from the first target, Green Mile. Blackstone Minerals well-placed to drive Ta Khoa Nickel Project towards production Blackstone Minerals Ltd (ASX:BSX) continues its aggressive exploration program testing multiple massive sulphide vein (MSV) prospects throughout the Ta Khoa nickel sulphide district in northern Vietnam. Kin Mining kicks off maiden Cardinia Hill resource estimate after further thick high-grade drilling results Kin Mining NL (ASX:KIN) (FRA:8KM) has started a maiden mineral resource estimate for the Cardinia Hill deposit at the 100%-owned Cardinia Gold Project (CGP) near Leonora in Western Australia, following the receipt of further thick high-grade results from infill drilling. Artemis Resources strengthens financial capacity with further A$2.3 million in non-core asset disposals Artemis Resources Ltd (ASX:ARV) has yielded a further A$2.3 million in cash from its ongoing program of non-core asset disposals, with total cash generated since March of around A$9 million.