Shares in education provider Malvern International PLC (LON:MLVN) jumped 3.4% in late-afternoon trading as it predicted a revenue increase of nearly 100% for the 2018 fiscal year.
In a trading update, the group said revenues from continuing operations would be over £8mln, while profits were expected to be in line with expectations having adjusted for a number of one-off and non-recurring costs.
The firm added that it expected 2019 trading to follow a similar seasonal pattern as 2018.
In the blue-chips, Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (LON:IHG) rose 1.5% to 4,524p after it acquired luxury hotel and spa operator Six Senses in a US$300mln cash deal with private equity firm Pegasus Capital Advisers.
The purchase, which included all of Six Senses' brands and operating companies but no real estate assets, would extend IHG’s reach into the segment and expand its portfolio of luxury hotels to 400 (108,000 rooms) globally.
In the fallers, Oncimmune Holdings PLC (LON:ONC) shares dropped 3.1% to 93.5p as the cancer diagnostics firm reported increased its first-half losses due to higher administration costs as it awaited results of the largest-ever randomised trial for the early detection of lung cancer using biomarkers in the UK.
In results for the six months to 30 November 2018, the AIM-listed firm posted a pre-tax loss of £3.85mln, up from a £2.83mln loss a year earlier, although revenues rose to £121,000 from £77,000.
The increased losses came as the group's total administrative expenses before share-based charges rose to £3.32mln, up from £2.39ln a year earlier with R&D costs rising to £690,000 from £450,000.
1.30pm: Prairie Mining in the hole as it confirms investment dispute with Polish government
Prairie Mining Limited (LON:PDZ) shares sank in mid-afternoon trading after the company confimred an “investment dispute” between itself and the Polish government.
Prairie, which is focused on the development of the Jan Karski and Debiensko mines in the country, said the government had breached the Energy Charter Treaty, a UK-Poland Bilateral Investment Treaty and the Australia-Poland Bilateral Investment Treaty, adding that it would take “all necessary actions” to protect its investment.
In the risers, Cerillion PLC (LON:CER) shares jumped 4.4% to 155p as the firm signed a new contract with a US-based telecoms provider, worth an initial $6.8mln and a total of $8.3mln over three years.
The deal, one of the largest wins for the software solutions provider, covered the supply and installation, as well as support and maintenance of Cerillion’s end-to-end solution for billing, charging and customer management.
A midcap riser was Dunelm Group PLC (LON:DNLM), which was up 3.4% at 741.5p after it hiked its interim dividend on the back of an improved half year.
For the first half, Dunelm reported pre-tax profits of £70mln, up from £60mln a year ago, while like-for-like (LFL) revenues rose to £506.7mln from £473.9mln.
Gross margins had also risen in the period to 50.3% from 48.6% while net debt had fallen to £72.9mln from £134.3mln.
11.15am: MYCELX Technologies soars on record-breaking 2018
MYCELX Technologies Corporation (LON:MYX) share soared 15% to 230p in late-morning after the group forecast record breaking numbers for 2018.
In a trading update for the year, the oil removal specialist said it had achieved “record revenue, EBITDA and net profit in 2018” ahead of the full results release in May.
The group added that revenues had exceeded its previous guidance of US$21.5mln-US$22.5mln to come in at US$26.95mln, while EBITDA and net profits were expected to be US$5.59mln and US$3mln respectively.
In the FTSE 250, housebuilder Galliford Try plc (LON:GFRD) surged 6.5% to 766.5p after posting a record profit for the first half of its financial year.
The firm brushed aside a stagnating housing market to report a record pre-tax profit of £84.2mln in the six months ended 31 December, a year-on-year rise of 4% (H1 17/18: £81.3mln).
Revenue fell 5% to £1.42bn (H1 17/18: £1.50bn) in the first six months, driven by a dip in volumes and selling prices as Galliford becomes more selective and moves away from London, which has borne most of the Brexit uncertainty.
But that was more than offset by a pick-up in margins, which rose to 19.6% in the period (H1 17/18: 18.5%).
Meanwhile, shares in recruiter Norman Broadbent Plc (LON:NBB) were also boosted 6% to 12.7p after it posted its highest revenues for a decade as net fee income hit a record.
Turnover in 2018 was up 40% at £9.2mln while losses were more than halved at £900,000.
9.30am: Bagir shares look smart as it clinches equipment deal with Chinese textiles partner
Shares in tailoring firm Bagir Group Ltd (LON:BAGR) were up 3.7% at 1.4p in early deals after its strategic partner, Chinese textiles firm Shandong Ruyi, said it would provide suit jacket manufacturing equipment to the firm for use at its Ethiopian manufacturing facility for a nil consideration.
The deal adds to a previous investment agreement by Shandong to pump US$16.5mln into Bagir, with the equipment itself estimated to be worth around US$1.3mln.
Speaking of deals, Clinigen Group PLC (LON:CLIN) surged 13% to 833.5p after it struck a deal that will cost it up to US$210mln to acquire the US rights for a cancer drug from Swiss giant Novartis.
The nuts and bolts of the deal will see Clinigen pay an initial US$120mln for the product, which is used to treat the most pernicious forms of melanoma and renal cell carcinoma.
Meanwhile, Pan African Resources plc (LON:PAF) jumped 3.2% to 11p after it expected its earnings per share (EPS) for the second half of 2018 to be higher year-on-year.
In a trading update for the six months ended 31 December, the gold miner said its EPS and headline EPS (HEPS) from continuing operations were expected to range between 3% to 13% higher than the 0.36p per share reported a year ago, resulting in an EPS and HEPS range of between 0.37p and 0.41p.
In the fallers, FTSE 250 firm Hochschild Mining PLC (LON:HOC) slipped 1.2% to 188p after it suspended operations at its Arcata precious metal mine in south-west Peru, saying a low silver price had left it no choice but to halt production.
The gold and silver miner, which operates three mines in southern Peru and one in southern Argentina, said the mine would be on "full care and maintenance" status by the second quarter of 2019.
Proactive news headlines:
Anglo African Oil & Gas PLC (LON:AAOG) told investors it plans to start production in April from the TLP-103C well, at the Tilapia licence in the Republic of the Congo. The company, in a statement, explained that it aims to begin production from TLP-103C’s upper reservoirs through comingling the R2 and the Mengo intervals, through a double completion in the well.
Recruiter Norman Broadbent Plc (LON:NBB) posted its highest revenues for a decade as net fee income hit a record. Turnover in 2018 was up 40% at £9.2mln while losses were more than halved at £900,000.
MTI Wireless Edge Ltd (LON:MWE) announced that Ginat Wave India Private, its offset manufacturing company in India, has secured its first large scale orders, with two contracts, totalling US$900,000, from two different customers. The AIM-listed technology group said the contracts are for the supply of antenna and cable harness.
ECR Minerals PLC (LON:ECR) has started drilling at the Black Cat target within the Bailieston gold project area in the state of Victoria, Australia.
OptiBiotix Health plc (LON:OPTI) has seen significant commercial traction for its innovative new products to tackle obesity, heart disease and diabetes. The latest trading statement revealed the company signed 18 deals in the 12 months ended last November, eight more than it did the year before. And 2019 has started with a flurry of new tie-ups around the globe.
Bacanora Lithium PLC (LON:BCN) chief executive Peter Secker highlighted the rapid progress as it continues to advance the Sonora mine development project in Mexico. The company, in its interim results statement today, highlighted that in the second half it expects to finalise its financing package for the Sonora project whilst also bring forward its second lithium project, Zinnwald, where a feasibility study is anticipated.
Pan African Resources plc (LON:PAF) said it expects its earnings per share (EPS) for the second half of 2018 to be higher year-on-year.
Greencoat UK Wind PLC (LON:UKW) said it raised gross issue proceeds of £131mln from the share placing it announced on 1 February 2019 in combination with plans to acquire stakes in the Stronelairg and Dunmaglass wind farms from FTSE 100-listed utilities group SSE PLC (LON:SSE).
NQ Minerals PLC (LON:NQMI) (OTCQB:NQMLF), the mineral processing, exploration and mining company has raised £54,000 for working capital purposes from the issue of 490,909 new ordinary shares at a price equivalent to 11p each.