ADVFN UK Market News

Author: Fiona Craig

  • Big Technologies H1 Revenue Reaches £26.9 Million as Adjusted EBITDA Rises 14%

    Big Technologies H1 Revenue Reaches £26.9 Million as Adjusted EBITDA Rises 14%

    Big Technologies (LSE:BIG) reported first-half 2026 revenue of £26.9 million, representing an increase of 6% on a constant-currency basis, while annual recurring revenue rose 5% to £53.2 million.

    Adjusted EBITDA increased 14% to £14.2 million, while adjusted free cash flow reached £9.6 million.

    The electronic monitoring technology provider ended the period with £67.1 million in cash after making initial payments related to the Buddi litigation settlement.

    Chile Contract Valued at Around $26 Million

    During the period, Big Technologies secured a seven-year contract with Chile’s Gendarmerie valued at approximately $26 million.

    The company also reported contract renewals and new business across Latin America, including a three-year renewal in Guatemala.

    In the US, Big Technologies secured six new contracts, alongside a statewide renewal in Tennessee.

    Alcohol Monitoring Products Add to Portfolio

    Big Technologies operates in the electronic monitoring sector through its Buddi brand, providing hardware and software used primarily by government and public-sector customers in criminal justice settings.

    Its product portfolio includes GPS-based electronic monitoring technology and alcohol monitoring products including AlcoTag and AlcoBreath.

    Management said contract wins and renewals are expected to contribute to performance during the second half and indicated that full-year results are expected to be slightly ahead of previous expectations.

    The group’s business is based largely on recurring subscription revenue from electronic monitoring deployments across multiple international markets.

  • ECR Minerals Begins Decline Development at Maddens Ahead of Planned Gold Production

    ECR Minerals Begins Decline Development at Maddens Ahead of Planned Gold Production

    ECR Minerals (LSE:ECR) said decline development has started at the Maddens Underground Mine in North Queensland, with the company targeting the start of gold production during the fourth quarter of 2026.

    ECR holds a 50% interest in the Maddens hard-rock mining project, which forms part of the wider Maddens Flat Group of Mines.

    Development of the underground decline is taking place alongside enabling works and upgrades to the mine’s ventilation infrastructure.

    Processing Plant Refurbishment Underway

    ECR is also progressing refurbishment of the processing plant, including the installation of a 20-inch Knelson concentrator.

    The company expects initial processing of surface stockpiles to begin by late September 2026.

    The work forms part of ECR’s plans to establish Maddens as a producing hard-rock gold operation. The timing of first underground gold production remains targeted for the fourth quarter.

    ECR Maintains Australian Gold Portfolio

    ECR Minerals is a London-listed exploration and development company with gold interests across Queensland, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia.

    Alongside its 50% interest in the Maddens Flat Group of Mines, the company’s portfolio includes interests in the Salt Bush shallow open-cut project and the Tuckanarra exploration project.

    ECR also owns the Bailieston, Creswick and Tambo gold projects in Victoria and holds additional alluvial and exploration licences in Queensland.

  • Iofina Plans Two New Oklahoma IOsorb Plants as It Targets Higher Iodine Output

    Iofina Plans Two New Oklahoma IOsorb Plants as It Targets Higher Iodine Output

    Iofina plc (LSE:IOF) said it has signed agreements with an existing brine supply partner to develop two additional IOsorb iodine production plants in central Oklahoma.

    The new facilities, designated IO#13 and IO#14, will be constructed concurrently and represent the company’s largest project in its core central Oklahoma operating area to date.

    Groundwork is expected to begin shortly, with both plants preliminarily scheduled to commence operations before the end of the first half of 2027.

    IO#12 Commissioning Expected This Month

    The announcement follows progress on Iofina’s IO#12 plant, which is due to be commissioned by the end of the month.

    The addition of IO#13 and IO#14 is expected by the company to increase its crystalline iodine production capacity as the new facilities enter operation.

    Iofina said the concurrent construction programme is consistent with its production plans for the coming years.

    Iofina Targets 2,000 Tonnes of Annual Production

    The company is targeting annual iodine production of 2,000 metric tonnes as it expands its network of IOsorb facilities.

    Through Iofina Resources, the group develops, constructs, owns and operates iodine extraction plants in Oklahoma using its WET IOsorb technology.

    Iofina also operates Iofina Chemical, which manufactures halogen-based specialty chemicals using iodine and other raw materials.

  • Strategic Minerals Reports Tungsten and Copper-Tin Intercepts at Redmoor

    Strategic Minerals Reports Tungsten and Copper-Tin Intercepts at Redmoor

    Strategic Minerals (LSE:SML) reported initial assay results from its resource infill drilling programme at the Redmoor tungsten-tin-copper project in Cornwall, UK.

    The drilling returned multiple mineralised intercepts within the Redmoor Sheeted Vein System, including tungsten grades that the company said were among the highest recorded at the project, as well as copper-bearing intervals.

    According to Strategic Minerals, the results are consistent with the existing mineral resource model and provide additional information on the continuity of mineralisation and grades within the deposit.

    New Copper-Tin Mineralisation Identified

    The drilling also identified a style of copper-tin mineralisation that is not included in the existing geological model.

    Strategic Minerals said the mineralisation occurs in flat-lying aplitic bodies beneath the currently defined Redmoor Sheeted Vein System. The company plans further geological and metallurgical testing to assess the newly identified zone.

    Three Drill Rigs Operating at Redmoor

    Three drill rigs are operating at the project as Strategic Minerals continues its resource infill programme.

    Samples from the drilling are also being used for metallurgical and geotechnical work intended to support planned prefeasibility and feasibility studies.

    The company said results from the programme may also contribute to future updates to the Redmoor mineral resource estimate.

    Strategic Minerals is a mineral exploration and production company focused on the Redmoor tungsten-tin-copper project in Cornwall. The project contains tungsten, tin and copper mineralisation, with the company continuing drilling and technical studies as part of its development programme.

  • Avacta Appoints Mats Blom to Board as Audit Committee Chair

    Avacta Appoints Mats Blom to Board as Audit Committee Chair

    Avacta Group plc (LSE:AVCT) said Mats Blom has been appointed to its Board of Directors and will serve as Chair of the Audit Committee.

    Blom succeeds Paul Fry, who is due to step down from the board at the end of September.

    The company said Blom has experience as a chief financial officer and board member across European and US life sciences companies.

    Appointment Comes as Clinical Pipeline Advances

    The board change comes as Avacta Therapeutics continues development of its oncology pipeline and its proprietary pre|CISION platform.

    The platform uses fibroblast activation protein, or FAP, to activate therapeutic payloads within the tumour microenvironment. According to the company, the approach is designed to concentrate cancer treatments in tumours while reducing systemic exposure and toxicity.

    Avacta’s lead clinical programme is faridoxorubicin, also known as AVA6000, a FAP-enabled version of the chemotherapy drug doxorubicin.

    The company has reported preliminary activity with AVA6000 in doxorubicin-sensitive tumour types, including salivary gland cancer and soft tissue sarcoma.

    Avacta Focuses on Oncology Development

    Avacta Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical business within Avacta Group focused on oncology.

    The company is developing its pre|CISION technology as a tumour-activated payload delivery platform, with AVA6000 representing its lead clinical programme.

  • GlobalData H1 Revenue Rises 4% to £162.9 Million as AI Investment Increases

    GlobalData H1 Revenue Rises 4% to £162.9 Million as AI Investment Increases

    GlobalData (LSE:DATA) reported a 4% increase in revenue to £162.9 million for the six months ended 30 June 2026, while underlying revenue growth was 1%.

    Adjusted EBITDA increased 5% during the period, with the company reporting an improvement in margins. Profit before tax declined, reflecting higher finance charges.

    GlobalData said it continued to transition its operations towards an end-market divisional structure, designed to place leadership closer to customers and support decisions on capital allocation.

    Consumer Division Records 7% Underlying Growth

    The Consumer division recorded underlying revenue growth of 7% during the first half.

    GlobalData identified its Healthcare division as an example of the operating model it is introducing across the wider business.

    The company provides subscription-based proprietary data, analytics and content to corporate and institutional customers, with operations spanning healthcare and other end markets.

    AI Investment to Affect Near-Term Margins

    Management expects full-year revenue performance to be broadly in line with the first half.

    The company also expects margins to remain subdued as it increases investment in AI-native workflows, proprietary data and sales capabilities.

    GlobalData said its progress towards a 40% EBITDA margin is now expected to be more gradual as these investments continue.

    M&A and Capital Returns Remain Part of Strategy

    The group plans to continue considering selective acquisitions, with healthcare among its areas of focus, alongside capital returns to shareholders.

    GlobalData is a UK-listed data, insight and technology company providing an intelligence and productivity platform to corporate and institutional clients. Its operations are based on subscription access to proprietary data, analytics and content, with an increasing focus on AI-enabled workflows and sector-specific products.

  • Arcontech Annual Revenue Falls 11.5% as Net Cash Rises to £7.52 Million

    Arcontech Annual Revenue Falls 11.5% as Net Cash Rises to £7.52 Million

    Arcontech (LSE:ARC) reported an 11.5% decline in annual revenue to £2.75 million, reflecting the loss of a long-standing customer and lower one-off sales during the period.

    Pre-tax profit decreased 10.7% to £881,170. Recurring revenue accounted for 99% of total sales, while the company’s net cash position increased to £7.52 million.

    Arcontech maintained its dividend at 4.0 pence per share.

    European Customer Wins

    During the financial year, Arcontech secured a new major European bank as a customer. The company also added another European customer following the end of the reporting period.

    Arcontech said its sales pipeline has expanded and includes opportunities for longer-term contracts.

    Product Suite Expanded

    The company continued development of its market data software, including a central bank contribution system and an entitlement platform designed to help customers manage data usage across different vendors.

    Management said rising market data costs and demand for alternatives to vendor-specific infrastructure are contributing to opportunities for its products, although the extent to which these opportunities result in new contracts remains dependent on customer decisions.

    Arcontech Group is a UK-based provider of software and services used to manage real-time financial market data. Its customers include banks and other financial institutions, with its products focused on vendor-agnostic market data management and subscription-based services.

  • AstraZeneca’s Etcamah Misses Primary Endpoint in Phase III SERENA-4 Trial

    AstraZeneca’s Etcamah Misses Primary Endpoint in Phase III SERENA-4 Trial

    AstraZeneca (LSE:AZN) said its Phase III SERENA-4 trial evaluating Etcamah, or camizestrant, in combination with palbociclib did not meet its primary endpoint in patients with ER-positive, HER2-negative advanced breast cancer.

    The trial assessed Etcamah plus the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib as a first-line treatment against anastrozole plus palbociclib.

    AstraZeneca said the Etcamah combination showed a numerical improvement in progression-free survival compared with the anastrozole regimen, but the difference was not statistically significant.

    Safety Profile Consistent With Existing Data

    According to the company, the safety profile observed with Etcamah and palbociclib was consistent with existing data for the treatments.

    The SERENA-4 result does not affect Etcamah’s currently approved use in patients with ESR1-mutated disease, which is based on findings from the SERENA-6 programme.

    Early Breast Cancer Trials Continue

    AstraZeneca said it will focus on the currently approved use of Etcamah in ESR1-mutated disease while continuing its clinical development programme for the drug.

    This includes the CAMBRIA-1 and CAMBRIA-2 trials, which are evaluating Etcamah in early breast cancer.

    AstraZeneca is a Cambridge, UK-headquartered biopharmaceutical company developing and commercialising prescription medicines across oncology, rare diseases and other biopharmaceutical areas, including cardiovascular, renal, metabolism, respiratory and immunology. Its medicines are sold in more than 125 countries.

  • Touchstone Exploration Advances Trinidad Drilling as Production Holds Around 4,400 boe/d

    Touchstone Exploration Advances Trinidad Drilling as Production Holds Around 4,400 boe/d

    Touchstone Exploration (LSE:TXP) reported progress across its WD-4, Ortoire and Central blocks in Trinidad and Tobago, with group production averaging approximately 4,400 barrels of oil equivalent per day during July and August 2026.

    At WD-4, the company is progressing a two-well drilling programme. Under the arrangement for the second well, the contractor is covering the turnkey drilling costs.

    Cascadura Operations and Gas Sales

    At the Cascadura field, Touchstone carried out solvent treatments and reported improved compressor uptime as part of its efforts to optimise gas and liquids production.

    The company is also changing the commercial arrangements for some of its Central block production. Condensate pricing has moved to a Brent-linked basis, while Central block natural gas volumes are being redirected to higher-priced Atlantic LNG contracts.

    CR-3 Well to Target Karamat Sands

    Touchstone is modifying its plans for the CR-3 well following performance below the company’s expectations. The well will be reconfigured to target the Karamat sands as the company evaluates additional production opportunities.

    Touchstone is an upstream oil and gas company headquartered in Calgary, Canada, with operations focused primarily on onshore petroleum and natural gas assets in Trinidad and Tobago.

  • Central Asia Metals Awaits Kazakh Approval for Cygnus Metals Acquisition

    Central Asia Metals Awaits Kazakh Approval for Cygnus Metals Acquisition

    Central Asia Metals (LSE:CAML) said several conditions relating to its proposed acquisition of Cygnus Metals have been satisfied, with regulatory consent in Kazakhstan among the remaining approvals required for the transaction.

    The acquisition is being pursued through an Australian Scheme of Arrangement and would result in Cygnus shareholders receiving newly issued CAML shares if the transaction completes.

    Conditions already addressed include a favourable independent expert opinion, shareholder approval for the issuance of new shares, merger clearance in North Macedonia and conditional approval from the Toronto Stock Exchange for the listing of the new CAML shares.

    Kazakh Consent Has October Deadline

    CAML is awaiting consent from the relevant authorities in Kazakhstan for the issuance of the new shares. The statutory deadline for that decision is 1 October 2026.

    The timing of the Kazakh approval could affect the timetable for the scheme, including the second court hearing. CAML and Cygnus said they are not aware of any specific reason why the Kazakh consent or other outstanding conditions would not be obtained in the ordinary course.

    If necessary, Cygnus may seek to defer the second court hearing or potentially treat the Kazakh consent as a condition to be satisfied after completion.

    Acquisition Would Add Chibougamau Project

    If completed, the transaction would add Cygnus Metals’ Chibougamau copper-gold project in Québec, Canada, to CAML’s portfolio and result in Cygnus shareholders becoming shareholders in the enlarged group.

    Central Asia Metals is an AIM-quoted mining company whose existing operations include the Kounrad SX-EW copper operation in Kazakhstan and the Sasa zinc-lead mine in North Macedonia.

    The company also holds majority interests in exploration subsidiaries focused on Kazakhstan and a stake in Aberdeen Minerals, which is developing base metals projects in northeast Scotland.