HotCopper Highlights wraps up Week 35, another busy stretch on Australia's largest stock forum, where AI, gold, lithium and biotech stocks dominated the boards. Here is a look at the stocks that had investors talking.

Among the most watched stocks, X2M Connect (ASX: X2M) drew significant attention after signing a binding agreement for its first AI-enabled data centre project, valued at more than $250 million. The deal follows the creation of a dedicated data centre subsidiary earlier in the week, and the key question on the boards is whether this marks the beginning of X2M converting its broader data centre pipeline into actual projects. The move positions the company within one of the most heavily pursued themes in global infrastructure, as surging demand for AI computing capacity drives data centre investment worldwide.

AnteoTech (ASX: ADO) was also closely watched after reporting that leads generated at a major diagnostics conference significantly expanded its Life Sciences sales pipeline. The update came shortly after its strategic deal with South Korea's Xerabrid, and HotCopper investors are focused on whether these partnerships and new leads can translate into commercial orders and revenue. For a company long weighed down by the gap between its diagnostic technology platform and its commercial bottom line, the coming quarters of lead conversion will be a key measure of progress.

Brightstar (ASX: BTR) sits in the spotlight after a strong week on the exploration front, with drilling at Two Mile Hill producing broad, high-grade gold results. The latest results have intensified discussion, with investors debating the scale of the mineralised system and what further drilling could add to the company's broader gold story. The results land amid a period of sustained strength in gold prices, which has sharpened retail interest in explorers reporting meaningful intercepts across Western Australia's gold belts.

Turning to the most discussed names, Liontown (ASX: LTR) remains one of the hottest lithium stocks on the boards, with investors dissecting the latest Kathleen Valley performance and what FY27 could look like as the operation ramps up. Kathleen Valley, located north of Leinster in Western Australia, is one of the larger new lithium spodumene operations to reach production globally, and its ramp-up is closely tracked as a bellwether for the sector. The conversation has also been fuelled by an improving lithium backdrop, with plenty of debate around whether the recent rally can continue and what it means for Liontown's valuation.

BrainChip (ASX: BRN) has prompted debate around its latest technology developments, particularly the new Akida integration with IBM's Symphony Community Edition. Akida is BrainChip's neuromorphic, event-based processor technology, designed for edge AI workloads where low power consumption is critical, and integrations with major enterprise platforms are among the ways the company demonstrates real-world applicability. Investors continue to ask one question: when does the technology translate into meaningful commercial revenue?

Finally, Mesoblast (ASX: MSB) was again a major talking point following its FY26 results and operational update, with Ryoncil now firmly at the centre of the investment story. Ryoncil, Mesoblast's allogeneic cell therapy, became the first mesenchymal stromal cell therapy approved by the US FDA when it secured approval for paediatric steroid-refractory acute graft-versus-host disease, marking the company's transition from a development-stage story to one built around commercialising an approved product.

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The material provided in this article is for information only and should not be treated as investment advice. Readers are encouraged to conduct their own research and consult a certified financial advisor before making any investment decisions.