Ebiquity PLC (LON:EBQ) shares gained after the media and marketing firm completed the disposal of its advertising intelligence business to Nielsen Media Research for £26mln.
The completion of the sale follows approval by the UK Competition and Markets Authority in November.
Ebiquity said the deal will allow to have a “more operationally-aligned, streamlined business and to better respond to clients' needs in areas of growing importance”.
“We are now fully focussed on seizing the significant market opportunities in our growing Media, Analytics and Tech practices, which we will enhance through our ability to invest in these services,” said chief executive Michael Karg.
Shares rose 3.8% to 67.5p.
MX Oil PLC (LON:MXO) shares jumped 33% to 0.08p as it announced the resignation of chief operating offer Nigel McKim.
The group said its technical requirements would be “more than ably” covered by technical consultant, Wim Burgers.
“Also, given our focus on cost reduction, this change will enable us to trim costs further which is important at this stage of our development,” said chief executive Stefan Oliver.
Spectra Systems shares advance as it lands Chinese tobacco deal
Spectra Systems Corporation (LON:SPSY) shares rose 13.5% to 119.8p after it revealed its first production order in China for its smartphone authentication product, TruBrand, with two tobacco companies signing up.
It will see TruBrand incorporated into some 6-8mln cigarette packs to be sold in China.
Upland Resources Ltd (LON:UPL) was up around 8%, to 3.9p, following a stock market statement informing investors that a £3.5mln convertible loan facility lapsed unused on 31 December.
It is almost the opposite story for PetroNeft (LON:PTR) which today told investors that a fully drawn US$2mln loan matured on 31 December, but, it is in talks over a possible extension and increase to the facility.
9:20am: Amerisur Resources boosted by bumper well results in Colombia
Amerisur Resources Plc (LON:AMER) advanced nearly 9%, to trade at 16.8p, thanks to more positive well news, following on from December’s discovery in Colombia.
On Wednesday, it revealed that the Indico-1 well – which last month cut a large oil column spanning 209 feet – has now flowed at a rate above 4,500 barrels of oil per day in testing. At the same time, the company confirmed it is fully funded for four wells, with the next one (Calao-1) set to spud later this month.
Israel’s Matomy Media Group Ltd (LON:MTMY) saw its share price jump some 62% as it posted quarterly results, for the three months ended 30 September 2018, and, said it is “working closely with stakeholders to resolve concerns”. It also released a new presentation in relation to its proposed plan, alongside its ongoing talks with bondholders.
It was a positive start to Jan, for Jangada Mines Plc (LON:JAN) which was up 11% without discernable news – most recently, in mid-December, the company announced a maiden JORC nickel resource for its project in Brazil.
Metals Exploration Plc (LON:MTL) were again on the back foot this morning, following on from the New Year’s Eve admission that it is in default of short-term loans agreement which required debt consolidation. On Monday, the company said it was awaiting communication from its lenders after it requested an extension.
8:16 am: Ophir Energy soars as it confirms takeover talks
Ophir Energy PLC (LON:OPHR) shares initially shot up around 40% in early morning trading as the London-listed oil and gas firm revealed it is in talks with a subsidiary of PT Medco Energi Internasional over a possible cash offer for the UK firm.
As is customary for such statements, Ophir cautioned that there can be no certainty that any offer will be made, or as to the terms on which any offer might be made.
In early deals, Ophir shares were changing hands at 50p, up 14.3p or 40.36% - it comes after the price climbed from a starting point of 34p over the Christmas period.
Gaming software group Playtech Plc (LON:PTEC) saw its shares lower, with the news that it will pay an additional tax of approximately €28mln for the years 2008 to 2017 after reaching an agreement with the Israeli tax authorities.
In a brief statement, the FTSE 250-listed gaming software firm said the agreement follows a civil tax audit covering the ten fiscal years to 2017 in which the Israeli tax authorities made transfer pricing adjustments in relation to certain functions performed by the Playtech group in the country during the period.
Elsewhere, metals explorer SolGold Plc (LON:SOLG) shares started on the front foot after it announced a copper-gold discovery at the Porvenir project in southern Ecuador.
Proactive news headlines:
ECR Minerals PLC (LON:ECR) has submitted nine new exploration licence applications covering 523 square kilometres of potentially gold-rich land in the Yilgarn region of Western Australia.
Highlands Natural Resources PLC (LON:HNR) has told investors that it has successfully concluded well completion operations for the six recently drilled wells at the East Denver project in Colorado. Flowback has so far commenced in three of the six wells and is expected in the remainder over the next two weeks.
Victoria Oil & Gas PLC (LON:VOG) confirmed it has now formally secured its 75% ownership stake in the Matanda PSC, which lies adjacent to the company’s flagship Logbaba concession.
Richland Resources Ltd (LON:RLD) has extended the maturity date for its convertible loan facility as the gemstones developer continued discussions over the Capricorn sapphire mine in Queensland.
Avacta Group PLC (LON:AVCT), the developer of Affimer® biotherapeutics and reagents, said its chief financial officer, Tony Gardiner, on 31 December 2018, purchased 8,196 ordinary shares in the company at a price of 30.5p each. Following this transaction, the group said, Gardiner's total beneficial interest in the company is 8,196 ordinary shares, representing less than 0.1% of Avacta's issued share capital.
Base Resources Limited (LON:BSE) (ASX:BSE) has advised that 61,425,061 options with an exercise price of A$0.40 per share lapsed unexercised following their expiry on 31 December 2018.
Caledonia Mining Corporation PLC (LON:CMCL) announced that it has declared a quarterly dividend of US$0.06875 on each of the company's common shares.
hVIVO PLC (LON:HVO) confirmed that, as previously announced, Graham Yeatman ceased to be a Director of the company with effect from 31 December 2018.