Kape Technologies PLC (LON:KAPE), the digital security and privacy software business, rose 21% to 142p after a non-executive director purchased shares.
The company, which announced a new US$70mln bank facility yesterday and well-received full-year results on Tuesday, said David Cotterell has purchased a total of 52,000 ordinary shares at a price of 111p per share.
His holding now stands at 140,544 shares, representing 0.09% of the current share capital of the company.
10.30am: IHG's decision to rescind dividend recommendation meets with approval
Intercontinental Hotels Group PLC (LON:IHG) recouped some recent heavy losses, rising 11% to 2,659p, after it announced plans to axe its recently announced dividend.
The hotels group said it expects its global revenue per available room (RevPAR) to plunge by 60% as demand is “at the lowest levels we've ever seen” as the coronavirus pandemic takes a grip.
In a business update, the FTSE 100 firm said that when coronavirus was mostly spread in China at the beginning of the year, global RevPAR dropped 6% in January and February, with a 90% crash in China.
9.30am: Virgin Money and Onesavings in relief rallies as Bank of England cancels annual stress tests
Virgin Money UK PLC (LON:VMUK) shares shot up 30% to 75.28p and Onesavings Bank PLC (LON:OSB) surged 26% to 251p in early trading on Friday after the Bank of England cancelled the annual stress tests for banks.
The BoE said the move was designed to enable banks and building societies to focus on providing lending during the period of the coronavirus crisis.
The Bank’s decision follows a similar move by the European Union to cancel its proposed temperature-taking of leading lenders.
The relief rallies by Virgin and Onesavings suggests the market had been severely worried about the balance sheet strength of both lenders.
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Bloomsbury Publishing PLC (LON:BMY) has acquired certain assets of Zed Books, the London-based academic and non-fiction publisher. Bloomsbury is to pay £1.75mln for the acquisition, of which £875,000 has been paid in cash upfront. Zed will operate within Bloomsbury's Academic & Professional division and is expected to contribute around £800,000 of revenue to Bloomsbury in its first year.
Pan African Resources plc (LON:PAF) told investors that it is adapting its business in reaction to the covid-19 coronavirus. The South Africa based gold producer said it has put in place a range of awareness, risk mitigation and prevention strategies have been rolled out across its business.
Greencoat UK Wind PLC (LON:UKW) said portfolio generation to date in 2020 has been strong and is roughly 20% ahead of budget. More than 30% of the 2020 generation budget has already been produced and forward power prices for the remainder of 2020 are relatively stable. The company's target dividend of 7.1 pence per share is expected to be well covered, the company added.
Faron Pharmaceuticals Oy (LON:FARN) (FIRSTNORTH:FARON) said that negotiations with potential partners for its lead immunotherapy were continuing as it reported its full-year 2019 results. The aim is to support the development of cancer treatment Clevegen, which is expected to be used in harness with other drugs. Turning to the financials, Faron lost €13.3mln in 2019, a busy year for research and development. It closed out the period with €7.1mln of cash.
Zoetic International PLC (LON:ZOE) has updated on its business amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, saying that, despite the volatility, its distribution partners “remain very supportive”. In an update, the maker of cannabidiol (CBD) products said it was continuing to generate interest from prospective retail partners in the UK for its Zoetic and Chill branded products, adding that the ongoing enthusiasm provided the firm with “optimism” that when the downturn passed its business model will “remain effective”.
Tissue Regenix Group PLC (LON:TRX) has announced that its executive chairman John Samuel is stepping down after 12 years with the company. Independent director Jonathan Glenn has stepped up to chair the business on an interim basis and in a non-executive role rather than the executive capacity of his predecessor. Glenn was formerly chief executive of Consort Medical before its £505mln sale to Recipharm recently.
Diversified Gas & Oil PLC (LON:DGOC), the US-based owner and operator of natural gas, natural gas liquids, and oil wells and midstream assets, announced that on 19 March 2020, its chairman, David Johnson acquired 25,000 ordinary shares in the company through the market at a price of 66.2p each. Following this purchase, the group noted, Johnson is now interested in 375,000 ordinary shares representing approximately 0.06% of the company's issued share capital.
Salt Lake Potash Ltd (LON:SO4) (ASX:SO4) chief executive officer Tony Swiericzuk has purchased shares worth $128,733 in on-market transactions. Swiericzuk acquired 363,053 shares increasing the number of securities he holds to more than 2.01mln.
Impax Asset Management Group PLC (LON:IPX) confirmed that at the company's Annual General Meeting held on Thursday all resolutions were duly passed.