Urals Energy Public Company Limited (LON:UEN) shares were up 8.3% at 97.5p in late-afternoon trading after the AIM-listed oiler confirmed a price of US$76.4 per barrel for its latest tanker shipment.
Once transport costs and taxes have been deducted Urals' net proceeds from the shipment will be approximately US$8.4mln.
This would be a net back of US$53.44 per barrel, an improvement of roughly US$16.46 per barrel when compared to the net average proceeds of the company's two shipments in 2017.
Elsewhere, Sirius Minerals PLC (LON:SXX) jumped 1.6% to 33.9p after it inked a new supply deal for the fertiliser that will be produced from the group’s new mine in Yorkshire.
Chinese customers Eiliseng and YSA have signed up for a long-term supply deal for a total of 2mln tonnes of the POLY4 product per year over a ten-year contract - the former will receive 1.2mln tonnes and the latter takes 800,000 tonnes.
The pricing terms are in line with its other similar agreements, Sirius told investors.
In the fallers, Experian PLC (LON:EXPN) shares slid 0.3% to 1,925p after news the UK competition regulator had given the firm a week to propose measures to ensure its takeover of ClearScore does not harm consumers or face a full competition inquiry.
In a statement on its website, the Competition and Markets Authority said it is concerned that the FTSE 100-listed credit checking firm’s £275mln takeover of its smaller rival could make the merged company less inclined to innovate to help people understand their finances.
1.00pm: 600 Group jumps as it reinstates final dividend
AIM-listed industrial products maker 600 Group PLC (LON:SIXH) saw its shares jump 10.6% to 18.2p in early afternoon trading as it reintroduced its final dividend after revenue grew significantly in its full-year results.
The firm proposed a dividend of 0.5p per share after reported revenue climbed 12% to US$66mln, however despite the rise, pre-tax profits fell 4.2% to US$3.9mln, affected by a fall in one-off gains during the period to US$817,000 from US$1.4mln the year before.
Elsewhere, FTSE 250-home maintenance company Homeserve PLC (LON:HSV) saw its shares lifted 1.3% to 983p after saying it continues to see “good prospects for growth” in 2019 and opportunities for potential acquisitions.
In a brief update for the period April 1 to July 19, the group said trading has been in line with expectations during a traditionally quieter period.
For the 2019 financial year, Homeserve expects continued strong organic growth in North America and a "potential for acquisitions to provide opportunities to further accelerate business development across the group".
Meanwhile, shares in Totally PLC (LON:TLY) ticked up 1.4% to 21.5p after its subsidiary, About Health Limited, secured a new contract as well as several extensions to existing contracts with a combined value of £1.7mln.
The AIM-listed out-of-hospital healthcare services provider said About Health had been awarded a one-year contract to provide referral management services to the Harrogate clinical commissioning group (CCG), with a total indicative value of £145,000.
Totally added that About Health had also secured an 18-month extension to its contract to provide community dermatology services to Preston, Chorley and South Ribble CCG, with a value of £1.2mln, as well as a 12-month extension to its community dermatology services provision contract with West Hampshire CCG, which carried a value of £400,000.
11.00am: TransGlobe Energy falls as North West Sitra exploration well is abandoned
TransGlobe Energy Corporation (LON:TGL) shares dropped 5.4% to 262.5p in mid-morning trading after an exploration well in North West Sitra in Egypt was abandoned.
The AIM-listed oil and gas producer said the NWS 9 exploration well did not encounter hydrocarbons in target zones and was abandoned, incurring around US$1mln in costs.
The firm added that the rig was now moving to the South Ghazalat concession to drill the first of two planned exploration wells.
Meanwhile, Beazley PLC (LON:BEZ) saw its shares fall 5.8% to 525p after it reported a 64% drop in half-year profit reflecting a plunge in investment income as its bond portfolio was hit by rising US interest rates, although the Lloyds of London insurer still managed to raise its interim dividend.
Posting results for the half-year ended 30 June 2018, the FTSE 250-listed firm saw its pre-tax profit fall to US$57.5mln, down from US$158.7mln a year earlier, with its net investment income dropping to US$8.0mln from US$79.4mln.
In the risers, shares in clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company PureTech Health PLC (LON:PRTC) surged 6.6% to 145p after it entered into a potentially highly-lucrative collaboration with Swiss drugs giant Roche.
The company is to receive up to US$36mln in upfront payments, research support, and early preclinical milestones from the Swiss company as the two work together to advance technology for the oral administration of Roche's anti-sense oligonucleotide platform.
PureTech, which has a market capitalisation of around £384mln, is eligible to potentially receive more than US$1bn in development milestones.
9.00am: PureHealth, Mosman and Midwich the stand-outs early doors
For the second time this week, shares in Mosman Oil And Gas Limited (LON:MSMN) were setting the early pace in London.
Earlier this week, the explorer got investors excited as it reported a sales revenue increase of 191% in the first half of 2018.
READ: Mosman Oil and Gas jumps as it reports a sales revenue increase of almost 200%
This morning, Mosman shot up almost 10% after it told investors that drilling on the Stanley-1 well began on Thursday and it expects the planned depth of 7,000 feet will be reached within the next two weeks.
The Stanley programme is the first well under the group’s recently agreed strategic alliance with Baja Oil and Gas.
Mosman Oil And Gas looks forward to new drilling https://t.co/dloI5Y65ZJ
— Free Oil Quote (@OilQuote) July 19, 2018
Shares in Midwich Group PLC (LON:MIDW) flew higher on Friday after an upbeat trading statement from the supplier of display technologies to trade shows.
The board said that after an “encouraging first-half performance”, it now expects the group will surpass the board's previous full-year expectations.
READ: Midwich Group raises full-year expectations
Shares in Midwich were up 5.7% at 700p.
Clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company PureTech Health PLC (LON:PRTC) is to receive up to US$36mln in upfront payments, research support, and early preclinical milestones from drugs giant Roche.
The company, which has a market capitalisation of around £384mln, is eligible to potentially receive more than US$1bn in development milestones.
The shares rose 11p to 147p on news of the collaboration.
Other Proactive news headlines:
Sirius Minerals PLC (LON:SXX) has inked a new supply deal for the fertiliser that will be produced from the group’s new mine in Yorkshire. Chinese customers Eiliseng and YSA have signed up for a long term supply deal for a total of 2mln tonnes of the POLY4 product per year over a ten-year contract - the former will receive 1.2mln tonnes and the latter takes 800,000 tonnes.
Bango PLC (LON:BGO), the mobile commerce company, said end user spend (EUS) this year has continued its trend of at least doubling every 12 months. The total EUS for the first half of 2018 was £220mln compared with £92mln in the first half of 2017 and £271mln for all of 2017. As in previous years, EUS in the second half of the year is expected to be significantly higher than in the first, Bango said.
Keywords Studios PLC (LON:KWS) has acquired Snowed In, a provider of engineering and co-development services for the video game industry based in Ottawa, Canada.
Employee benefits and insurance specialist Personal Group PLC (LON:PGH) saw first-half trading improve in all three of its divisions. Personal started to supply its own reward and recognition, retail discounts and cinema tickets, having previously used third parties, which raised revenues and improved margins across some offers, said Mark Scanlon, chief executive.
Providence Resources PLC (LON:PVR) has detailed encouraging technical insights regarding the large Dunquin South prospect, in the Porcupine basin, offshore Ireland. It follows the completion of the initial evaluation of new 3D seismic, shot last year, which has improved the explorer’s understanding of the area.
KEFI Minerals (LON:KEFI) said Harry Anagnostaras-Adams is relinquishing the role of executive chairman to become managing director. His deputy, and senior independent director, Mark Wellesley-Wood, is stepping up to the job.
David Crabb, the chief executive of Feedback PLC (LON:FDBK), is leaving the specialist medical imaging group with immediate effect.
PCG Entertainment (LON:PCGE) (AQSE:PCGE) has announced the re-appointment of Damson Communications as public relations and investor relations adviser with immediate effect. Damson had previously provided this service to the Company from the time of IPO until November 2016.