A mixed bag today, with news from a variety of sectors.
Away from the Tesco numbers, shares in growing life sciences firm Horizon Discovery (LON:HZD) nudged higher after it licensed in a cancer programme in a deal with French pharma firm Servier that could eventually be worth £50mln.
Horizon will deploy its technology platform, which uses specially modified cells, gene editing and high throughput screening, to identify which particular cancers Servier’s kinase inhibitors might be effective against.
In other news, Vietnam-focused fund manager VinaCapital (LON:VOF) hailed the progress recently on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact as potentially a major boost to the country.
Twelve countries including Vietnam reached a consensus on Monday over the terms of the agreement.
The US, Canada, Singapore, Brunei, Japan, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Mexico, Chile and Peru are the other signatories to the trade pact that will create a free trade zone making up 40% of the global economy and 30% of global trade.
Toronto-listed Tango Mining’s (CVE:TGV) bulk sampling programme at its Oena alluvial diamond project in South Africa is to restart, it said today.
The company recently suspended the work to allow it to assess progress and draw up a new operational plan; that assessment has now been completed and the bulk-sampling program will recommence within two weeks.
Oena consists of an 8,800-hectare mining right along the Orange River in the well-established alluvial diamond-mining province, which is known to produce high-quality and large-sized diamonds.
Elsewhere, cloud and mobile IT investment company Tern (LON:TERN) said it has won a claim which has been outstanding since 2013.
The company received £37,500 plus legal expenses, which will be accounted for as an extraordinary credit in its accounts.
SeaEnergy (LON:SEA) has been shortlisted as a finalist in the prestigious Oil & Gas UK Awards to be held in Aberdeen on 5th November. SeaEnergy was nominated under the "Business Innovation - SME" category.
Meanwhile, graphene provided by Haydale (LON:HAYD) is being used in a potentially ground breaking water filtration project involving Sellafield and the UK’s Centre for Process Innovation (CPI).
The collaboration project is led by G2O Water International, which has developed a graphene enabled self-cleaning membrane that could be used in new water filtration systems.
This early-stage technology uses layers of graphene oxide, a variant of the 2D nano-material, in such a way that only water molecules can pass through.
Turning to mining, good demand for coloured gemstones enabled Gemfields (LON:GEM) to hit another revenue record despite a difficult time for luxury arm Faberge.
Sales in the year to June rose 7% to US$171mln, with underlying profits 9% better at US$64.4mln. Pre-tax profits fell 28% to US$26.3mln.
The miner and marketing group said it had either met or exceeded production guidance at its Kagem emerald and Montepuez ruby mines, with record prices achieved at the six auctions held during the period.
Also, Royal Road Minerals (CVE:RYR) revealed it had struck a deal to acquire a Colombian gold mine, where it reckons it could define a high-grade resource of over a million ounces.
The Toronto-listed firm has entered an option agreement with Richard Ignacio Apraez Caicedo and Anastasio Ademelio Solarte Rodriguez to acquire 100% of La Golondrina, it said in a statement.
It plans to kick off work at the site, which is already producing on a small scale, by surveying all accessible underground workings, completing channel samples and defining targets for surface drilling as early as possible in 2016.
Finally, low cost carrier Fastjet (LON:FJET), has been granted an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in Zimbabwe, clearing the way for the low cost carrier to open a second base in Africa.
Fastjet Zimbabwe can now fly domestic and international routes within and from Zimbabwe and will be designated a Zimbabwean airline on international routes to a number of east and southern African countries.
Seats have gone on sale immediately for the first Fastjet Zimbabwe route, linking Harare to Victoria Falls initially three times a week.
Fares start at $20 exclusive of taxes for a one way flight.