12:30: Another bad day for Bagir Group Limited after latest warning
It is another bad day for Bagir Group Limited as the suit-maker cautioned that its sales book has slowed, existing orders will be delayed and said that trading conditions are likely to remain challenging.
Bagir shares slumped more than 20%, trading at 1.44p.
Elsewhere, positive interim results for women’s highstreet clothes retailer Bonmarche Holdings (LON:BON) boosted its share price, which advanced 9p or 10.2% to 98.1p.
Bonmarche revenue increased 5% to £97.8mln, and pre-tax profit was reported at £4.2mln. Analysts highlighted that the retailer has managed to grow its market share in what has been a tough trading environment.
10:45am: Thomas Cook Group Plc sees sunny start to otherwise gloomy November Monday
Thoughts of sunny holidays don’t usually come until after Christmas, but, thanks to an positive write up from the analysts at HSBC investors in Thomas Cook Group Plc (LON:TCG) had a bright start to Monday.
HSBC initiated coverage ahead of a key update from the tour operator, the bank reckons the holiday giant’s recovery “more to give”. It rates the shares ‘buy’ and values the stock at 140p.
Thomas Cook was flying high at 117.2p, up 5.3%.
Elsewhere, easyJet (LON:EZJ) was up 1.3% ahead of results due on Tuesday.
The corporate headlines were grabbed by British Gas’ decision to axe its controversial and sometimes punitive standard variable rate for bill payers coming off deals. It may have been politically and commercially expedient, but the concession did little for shares in the utility’s owner, Centrica (LON:CAN), which marked time in the first hour of trade.
9:30am: Mcgregor-Mayweather boosted William Hill plc but Aussie clamp-down keeps shares on the ropes
The Conor Mcgregor vs Floyd Mayweather boxing match was listed among the quarterly highlights for William Hill plc (LON:WMH), with the bookie banking bigger revenues in US thanks to August’s Las Vegas event, though investors held a high guard on Monday morning as the shares started in negative territory.
William Hill’s UK operation saw a rebound in revenues, thanks to better online and an uptick in the use of fixed odds betting terminals, however, a regulatory clampdown in Australia continues to impact negatively on the bookie.
Medical technology investor Feedback plc (LON:FDBK) shares rose more than 8% in early deals as it reached an important milestone, with its TexRAD Lung software receiving approval in the form of a European CE mark.
It means Feedback can now sell TexRAD Lung to hospitals satisfies the quality, safety and performance standards for medical devices in the European Union.
Elsewhere, separate news stories out of Morocco saw shares in SDX Energy Inc (LON:SDX) and Sound Energy PLC (LON:SOU) moving higher.
SDX has brought online its latest well at the Sebou project, with the latest addition delivering rates ahead of the company’s internal expectations. Sound, meanwhile, completed surveying activities which are expected to advance the planning for its next phase of exploration in the Tendrara, Matarka and Anoual exploration areas.
Proactive news headlines
Sunrise Resources Plc (LON:SRES) revealed that soil sampling has revealed that copper sulphide mineralisation related to pegmatites and quartz veins is evident at surface in numerous showings along a strike length of nearly 1,600 metres at the Junction project in Nevada.
The vanadium joint venture of Bushveld Minerals Limited (LON:BMN), Vametco Alloys, has delivered strong third quarter results, helped by improved vanadium prices. Bushveld acquired its 45% interest in Vametco in April.
Haydale Graphene Industries PLC (LON:HAYD) has filed a new patent application in the UK for its PATit anti-counterfeiting technology, which uses proprietary software codes and a specialty graphene-based, transparent conductive ink.
Wishbone Gold PLC (LON:WSBN) and D-Beta One have modified the equity sharing agreement announced on 18 August 2017, doubling the number of monthly repayments from 10 to 20.
Savannah Resources Plc (LON:SAV) has completed construction of a pilot plant that will undertake bulk sampling at the Mutamba mineral sands project in Mozambique. The results from the tests will be used to underpin plans for larger scale production.
Specialist medical imaging group Feedback plc (LON:FDBK) has finally received a CE mark for its TexRAD Lung technology. The company had previously expected the CE mark by the end of May but this date was pushed back after it came up with several enhancements that have improved the performance of TexRAD Lung.
Hummingbird Resources PLC (LON:HUM) remains on track for first gold production at Yanfolila by the end of this year. Testing of the ball mill is now complete, the water supply is in place, and the commissioning of the carbon-in-leach circuit is now underway.
Silence Therapeutics PLC (LON:SLN) has served its defence in the legal actions initiated against it by Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ALNY) and The Medicines Company.
Jubilee Platinum PLC (LON:JLP) delivered revenue growth in October as platinum production at the Hernic mine continued to ramp up. Revenue from the South Africa project rose 18% to £760,000 compared to a month ago on the back of a 22% month-on-month gain in production to 1,427 ounces of platinum (PGM).
SDX Energy Plc (LON:SDX) has told investors that the ongoing development drilling programme in Morocco continues to deliver results ahead of the company’s own expectations. The North Africa focussed oil and gas firm, in a stock market statement, confirmed that the KSR-14 well has measured an average production rate of 6.4mln cubic feet of gas per day during testing, and will remain on production for an extended period.
Shanta Gold (LON:SHG) has boosted its identified gold in Tanzania to more than 2mln ounces with a first published resource at the Singida prospect. Singida, in the centre of the country, now has an Australian standard JORC resource of 728,000oz stemming from 12.3mt at a grade of 1.84 g/t. The cut-off grade was 1.0 g/t.
Chaarat Gold Holdings Limited (LON:CGH) has completed its 2017 exploration programme at Tulkubash with 60% more metres drilled than originally expected. As a result, the indicative length of the proposed open pit has doubled to 2,200 metres as the current Tulkubash pit now connects with other previously drilled satellite pits.
Sound Energy PLC (LON:SOU) told investors that a survey of its acreage in Eastern Morocco has now been completed. The explorer conduction both airborne full tensor gravity gradiometry (FTG) and magnetic data acquisition programmes, with contractor AustinBridgeporth flying some 26,700 kilometres to cover a 22,800 square kilometre area including the Tendrara field and the Matarka and Anoual exploration areas.
BOS GLOBAL Holdings’s (LON:BOS) directors have agreed to stand down, but only if former chief executive Michael Travia also ends his attempt to be reinstated.
Higher metal prices helped Rambler Metals and Mining PLC (LON:RMM CVE:RAB) increase revenues in its latest quarter. Rises in the price of both copper and gold more than offset a drop in production of both metals.