Author: Fiona Craig

Haydale Graphene Industries PLC (LSE:HAYD) said it has agreed to acquire Intelligent Resource Management Limited, trading as SaveMoneyCutCarbon, as part of a strategy to build a graphene-enabled clean-technology platform with enhanced commercial reach. The acquisition is intended to provide Haydale with a nationwide customer acquisition channel and a scalable operating platform to support faster market penetration.

Alongside the transaction, the company plans to raise up to £6.41 million through a combination of placing, subscription, and retail offer. The proceeds are expected to fund the acquisition and support the group’s broader growth strategy, enabling Haydale to capitalise on new commercial opportunities within energy efficiency and decarbonisation markets. Both the acquisition and fundraising are subject to shareholder approval, and the company also intends to adopt a new name to reflect its expanded strategic focus.

More about Haydale Graphene Industries PLC

Haydale Graphene Industries PLC operates in the clean-technology sector, specialising in the development and commercialisation of graphene-based materials. The company’s patented materials platform underpins a range of energy-efficiency and sustainability solutions designed to deliver practical decarbonisation outcomes.

Tern Plc (LSE:TERN) said it has been issued approximately £230,000 of new unsecured convertible loan notes by Talking Medicines Limited, following the cancellation of around £180,000 of existing short-term loans. The transaction increases Tern’s total holding of convertible loan notes in Talking Medicines to roughly £0.52 million, while its equity interest remains unchanged at 23.8%.

Talking Medicines is seeking to raise up to £1.0 million through the issue of similar convertible loan notes, with the funding intended to support further development of its data science and artificial intelligence capabilities. The company is targeting growth opportunities within the healthcare advertising market, where it aims to deliver more effective, insight-driven engagement.

More about Tern Plc

Tern Plc is an investment company focused on backing early-stage, high-growth technology businesses, particularly those operating in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector.

Tribal Group plc (LSE:TRB) said it expects to report full-year results for the year ended December 2025 ahead of market expectations, supported by strong performance from its Student Information Solutions division and continued growth in its Etio platform. The company said both revenue and adjusted EBITDA are anticipated to exceed current forecasts.

The improved trading performance is expected to significantly strengthen the balance sheet, with Tribal moving from a net debt position of £3.2 million to net cash of at least £5 million. This financial flexibility has enabled the declaration of a special dividend and further progress in embedding its recurring revenue model, following the successful roll-out of subscription-based pricing across its higher education customer base. Management said these developments support the group’s transition towards a full-service SaaS model.

More about Tribal Group plc

Tribal Group plc is a global provider of education software and services, with a strategic focus on building a pure-play EdTech SaaS business. Its offering includes Student Information Systems, education services such as quality assurance and benchmarking, and student surveys. The group operates in more than 55 countries, supporting higher education, further and tertiary education institutions, schools, government organisations, training providers, and employers.

Blencowe Resources Plc (LSE:BRES) said drilling at the newly identified Iyan deposit within its Orom-Cross project has delivered encouraging results, with the first deep hole intersecting continuous high-grade graphite mineralisation from near surface to around 100 metres depth. The company said the findings point to meaningful upside potential for the overall resource.

Management noted that the Iyan discovery appears to link geologically with the nearby Northern Syncline, suggesting a broader mineralised system across the project area. The results support the long-term scale of Orom-Cross and may contribute to future updates of the project’s JORC-compliant resource, reinforcing its credentials as a globally significant graphite development.

More about Blencowe Resources Plc

Blencowe Resources Plc is a graphite exploration and development company focused on advancing the Orom-Cross project in Uganda. The project is recognised for its high-quality graphite, including a substantial proportion of large flake material. Blencowe holds a 21-year mining licence at Orom-Cross and has completed a Definitive Feasibility Study, positioning the project for progression towards first production.

Firering Strategic Minerals plc (LSE:FRG) said it has concluded a US$1 million settlement agreement with Ricca Resources after all related resolutions were approved at Ricca’s Extraordinary General Meeting. The agreement brings to an end all outstanding debts and claims owed by Ricca to Firering, which owns a 10.6% stake in the company.

As part of the outcome, Ricca is also expected to distribute net proceeds arising from the sale of a subsidiary asset. Firering may benefit from this distribution, potentially providing additional upside alongside the settlement. Management noted that the resolution is expected to strengthen Firering’s financial position and improve its standing within the sector.

More about Firering Strategic Minerals plc

Firering Strategic Minerals plc is an emerging quicklime producer and critical minerals explorer. The company is advancing production at the Limeco quicklime project in Zambia, supplying copper producers in the Central African Copperbelt and other regional markets. In parallel, Firering is developing the Atex lithium-tantalum project in Côte d’Ivoire, which offers exposure to lithium and tantalum-niobium, key materials supporting the global transition to clean energy technologies.

Roquefort Therapeutics PLC (LSE:ROQ) said it has amended its exclusive licensing agreement with Coiled Therapeutics, Inc. and A2A Pharmaceuticals, Inc. relating to its AO-252 programme, extending the long stop date to 16 March 2026. The revision follows continued progress in the ongoing Phase I clinical study.

The trial has been broadened to cover patients with all solid tumours, while placing particular emphasis on prostate cancer. Management said this prioritisation is underpinned by encouraging pre-clinical results and constructive engagement with potential commercial partners, reflecting growing interest in new oral treatment options for prostate cancer. The amended agreement provides additional time for upcoming clinical data readouts and includes revised commercial terms, notably an increase in the number of consideration shares, highlighting the perceived value of the AO-252 asset.

More about Roquefort Therapeutics PLC

Roquefort Therapeutics PLC is a biotechnology company listed on the Main Market and focused on the development of novel cancer therapies. Its pipeline is centred on oral, targeted treatments for solid tumours, with a strategic focus on prostate cancer.

Mindflair plc (LSE:MFAI) said its portfolio company Vizgard Limited has been accepted into NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA) 2026 cohort, following a highly competitive selection process that drew close to 4,000 applications. The appointment underscores the strength of Vizgard’s edge-to-cloud technology, which enables automated visual autonomy for defence and security use cases.

Through its participation in the DIANA programme, Vizgard will receive €100,000 in non-dilutive funding and gain access to NATO’s network of test centres and expert mentors. The programme also offers a clearer route into defence procurement channels, supporting Vizgard’s long-term commercial and strategic ambitions within the defence technology sector.

More about Mindflair plc

Mindflair plc is an AIM-listed investment company focused on building and scaling next-generation technology businesses with strong growth potential in artificial intelligence. Its portfolio spans a range of advanced technology areas, including the Internet of Things, cybersecurity, machine learning, immersive technologies, and big data, positioning the company to benefit from rising global demand for AI-driven solutions.

Ajax Resources PLC (AQSE:AJAX) has announced a major step in its growth strategy after signing Heads of Terms to acquire 100% of Pereira Velho Exploração S.A., owner of the Pereira Velho Gold Project in Alagoas, Brazil. The seller, Appian Capital Advisory Limited, is a leading mining-focused private equity group with roughly US$5 billion under management.

Upon completion, Appian will become a meaningful shareholder in Ajax, a move the company says underscores confidence in the project and its broader investment strategy.

The deal fits squarely within Ajax’s goal of securing undervalued natural resource assets with clear potential for near-term production. The Pereira Velho project is a near-surface, scalable gold system with an internal Appian estimate of 110,000 ounces across Measured, Indicated, and Inferred categories.

Acquisition Terms and Project Potential

Ajax will acquire the project for US$400,000 in shares and US$200,000 in cash, followed by a further US$1.5 million share-based payment once a JORC-compliant resource of at least 350,000 ounces at 0.20 g/t Au is published. The agreement also includes a 2.5% NSR royalty that only activates after two consecutive quarters with average gold prices above US$2,500/oz, as well as a buyback right priced at US$1.5 million within three years of production start.

Only 10% of the project area has been drilled to date, yet 6,363 meters of past drilling already confirm wide, shallow zones of oxidised, free-gold mineralisation—conditions that could support a low-cost open-pit, heap-leach operation. The project spans 14,596 hectares with a gold-in-soil anomaly extending more than 2.5 km.

Pereira Velho sits roughly 20 km from Appian’s former Serrote copper-gold mine, acquired for US$30 million in 2018 and sold for US$420 million in 2025, reinforcing the region’s strong geological potential.

Fundraise Secured Through Investor Backing

To support the acquisition and ongoing exploration, Ajax plans to raise up to £1 million through a new share issue. Appian will subscribe for the GBP equivalent of US$400,000 at the placing price.

Commitments from existing investors already total £600,000, with the Board contributing an additional £60,000, meaning the fundraising is effectively secured.

Proceeds will accelerate work at Pereira Velho, advance additional acquisition targets, and strengthen working capital.

Appian’s View

In a statement, Appian said: “Appian is pleased to back Ajax and its strategy of advancing high-quality gold and multi-commodity opportunities. We have strong confidence in the company’s management team, and its focus on identifying and developing underappreciated assets with unrealized potential closely aligns with our investment philosophy and commitment to long-term value creation.

This alignment is evident in the Pereira Velho project. In a robust gold price environment, we believe Pereira Velho offers compelling upside. The 6,363 metres of diamond drilling completed to date demonstrate strong exploration potential and reveal a mineralised system that warrants further exploration. Moreover, the project is situated in a highly prospective region where Appian successfully brought Mineração Vale Verde – an attractive mid-scale copper-gold open-pit operation – into production, further reinforcing our confidence in the area’s geological potential.

With this foundation, we look forward to supporting Ajax as it progresses Pereira Velho and other aligned opportunities.”

Comment from Ajax’s CEO

Ajax CEO Ippolito Ingo Cattaneo described the deal as transformational: “We are delighted that Appian, a leading global private equity investor with approximately US$5 billion in assets under management investing exclusively in metals, mining and related natural-resource companies, will become a significant shareholder in Ajax upon completion. This represents a transformational growth opportunity for the Company and an endorsement of our development strategy.

The Proposed Acquisition of Pereira Velho is a compelling, scalable gold production opportunity fully aligned with our strategy of acquiring assets with significant unrealised potential on advantageous terms. It has near-surface mineralisation, a strong recent drilling dataset underpinned by approximately US$5 million in historical expenditure, and a prospective resource base, of which only a small portion has been developed, resulting in an Appian in-house mineral resource estimate of approximately 110,000 ounces across the Measured, Indicated and Inferred categories.

Pereira Velho is in a proven mining district with strong geological prospectivity… With gold prices at or near record levels, we see a clear route for Pereira Velho to achieve its first milestone of 350,000 ounces… and the objective of progressing the Proposed Acquisition to a near-term open-pit gold operation with material resource scale growth potential.”

He added that the new partnership with Appian will open doors to future opportunities from Appian’s large portfolio of high-quality assets and strengthens Ajax’s long-term development pathway.

U.S. stock futures signaled a weaker start on Thursday, suggesting markets may surrender some of the gains notched in the previous session.

Oracle (NYSE:ORCL) is expected to be a major headwind at the open, with shares tumbling 13.1% in premarket trade after the tech firm delivered mixed quarterly results — earnings ahead of expectations but revenue coming up short.

The slide spilled over into other artificial intelligence–linked names. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:AMD) were both under pressure before the bell, hinting at renewed caution over lofty AI-related valuations.

Investors are also recalibrating expectations for interest rates following the Federal Reserve’s latest policy announcement. While the central bank cut rates by 25 basis points on Wednesday, as anticipated, policymakers were divided over the outlook for additional easing, injecting fresh uncertainty into the market.

Stocks drifted for much of Wednesday’s session before turning higher late in the afternoon after the Fed’s decision. All three major indices finished the day in positive territory, reversing Tuesday’s hesitant performance.

The Dow surged 497.46 points, or 1.1%, to 48,057.75. The S&P 500 gained 46.17 points, or 0.7%, to 6,886.68, while the Nasdaq advanced 77.67 points, or 0.3%, to close at 23,654.16.

Markets reacted to the Fed’s announcement that it had approved a third consecutive quarter-point rate cut, reducing the federal funds target range to 3.50%–3.75%. However, the decision exposed significant divisions on the Federal Open Market Committee — the first time three dissents have surfaced since September 2019.

Fed Governor Stephen Miran pushed for a 50-basis-point reduction, while Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee and Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid preferred to maintain current rates.

The Fed’s economic projections signaled similarly uneven views, with the median forecast calling for one more rate cut in 2026, but the so-called dot plot showing widely varied expectations — ranging from rates as low as 2.0%–2.25% to estimates above the current level.

Those contrasting viewpoints highlight the challenge the Fed faces in balancing its mandate for maximum employment and stable 2% inflation.

Despite the policy split, some traders are positioning for a more dovish environment ahead — particularly as markets anticipate a leadership shift under President Donald Trump.

“We’re not surprised to see near term optimism in the markets given that the Fed continues to cut rates even though the economy is growing,” said Chris Zaccarelli, Chief Investment Officer for Northlight Asset Management.

He continued, “However, we think the rose colored glasses may come off once investors realize that the path to lower interest rates may take longer – or may not materialize at all – to the extent that they believe it will.”

Rate-sensitive stocks jumped after the Fed’s announcement. Housing names rallied sharply, lifting the Philadelphia Housing Sector Index 3.1%. Transportation stocks also showed notable strength, with the Dow Jones Transportation Average rising 2.7%.

Banks, hardware makers, and pharmaceuticals also traded higher, while software names lagged and moved broadly lower.