Category: Market News

ECR Minerals (LSE:ECR) has reported soil sampling results from its 100%-owned Lolworth gold project in North Queensland, including 31 samples containing more than 100 parts per billion gold and a peak result of 608 ppb gold.

The company said the results have provided additional information on the structural controls of mineralisation at Lolworth and indicate that previously identified gold-bearing structures extend beyond areas tested during the project’s maiden drilling programme.

ECR’s geological interpretation identifies a principal north-northwest-trending gold-bearing structural system, as well as a second parallel gold trend to the northeast of the Uncle Terry prospect.

The sampling also identified northeast-trending silver-bearing shear structures. ECR said the new anomalies, together with gold and silver intercepts from previous shallow drilling, will be used to refine targets for further exploration.

The company is planning a larger diamond core drilling programme to test the identified structural trends and other priority targets.

ECR’s geologists also interpret the principal gold trend as potentially extending south towards Gorge Creek West. Further exploration will be required to assess the continuity and extent of mineralisation across the area.

More about ECR Minerals

ECR Minerals PLC is an AIM-listed mineral exploration and development company focused on gold projects in Australia.

Its portfolio includes the Lolworth Project in North Queensland, which covers approximately 946 square kilometres. Exploration at the project is targeting silver and gold mineralisation associated with identified structural trends.

ECR uses exploration techniques including soil geochemistry, reverse circulation drilling and diamond core drilling to identify and evaluate mineralised structures and prospective targets.

Reabold Resources (LSE:RBD) said preparatory work for the recompletion, stimulation and testing of the West Newton A-2 well in East Yorkshire is expected to begin shortly.

Rathlin Energy, the operator of West Newton, has notified Reabold that authorities for expenditure have been issued covering access road works and key long-lead items required for the programme.

The total gross cost of the planned work is estimated at approximately £2.5 million. Reabold holds an economic interest in West Newton through its investment in Rathlin Energy and a direct interest in the associated licence.

The programme is intended to generate additional data on the West Newton project. Reabold said it expects the results to assist with further assessment of the field and its potential development.

Reabold raised £4.16 million through an equity placing earlier in 2026, providing funding as work on the project progresses.

Separately, a feasibility study is examining the potential for co-located power generation and data centre infrastructure using natural gas from West Newton. The study is assessing whether gas produced from the field could be used for power generation serving data centre operations. No decision to proceed with such a development was disclosed in the supplied update.

Rathlin also plans to establish a community benefit fund associated with the West Newton project.

More about Reabold Resources

Reabold Resources is a UK-based upstream oil and gas investment company with interests in gas projects in the UK and continental Europe.

Its portfolio includes West Newton in East Yorkshire, where it has exposure through interests in operator Rathlin Energy and the project licence.

The company’s strategy involves investing in undeveloped hydrocarbon discoveries and pursuing potential routes to development and monetisation, while allocating proceeds from asset sales between reinvestment and shareholder returns.

James Cropper plc (LSE:CRPR) reported growth in its Paper & Packaging division during the 22 weeks ended 28 August 2026, while revenue from Advanced Materials was broadly unchanged year-on-year.

The AIM-listed company said its performance during the opening months of the financial year reflected the continued implementation of its strategy and changes in performance across the group.

Paper & Packaging recorded revenue growth during the period, supported by demand from existing customers and new business wins. No specific revenue figures or growth rates for the division were provided in the supplied trading update.

Advanced Materials, which supplies specialist nonwoven materials and electrochemical coatings, reported revenue broadly in line with the comparable period of the previous year.

Based on trading to date, the board expects the group’s full-year performance to be in line with current market expectations.

James Cropper is scheduled to report its interim results in November 2026.

More about James Cropper

James Cropper plc is an AIM-listed manufacturer operating through its Advanced Materials and Paper & Packaging businesses.

Advanced Materials produces specialist nonwoven materials and electrochemical coatings for applications in sectors including aerospace, clean energy and defence. Paper & Packaging manufactures creative papers and moulded fibre packaging, including products incorporating recycled fibres.

The group is headquartered in Burneside, UK, and also operates manufacturing facilities in Crewe and Launceston in the UK and Schenectady in the United States.

ASA International (LSE:ASAI) reported net profit of USD 45.6 million for the first half of 2026, an increase of 70% from the prior-year period, while underlying profit rose 42%.

Gross outstanding loans increased 12% year-on-year to USD 603.9 million. The group reported portfolio at risk for loans more than 30 days overdue of 2.4%, while its number of clients increased 6%.

ASA International continued to reduce its exposure to India during the period, while management highlighted activity in Pakistan, Uganda, Kenya and the broader East African region.

Equity increased 41% to USD 192.6 million, while total funding rose 13% to USD 751.8 million. The group also reported a funding pipeline of USD 305 million.

ASA International increased its interim dividend by 43% compared with the prior-year period.

Management said it expects full-year 2026 profit to be slightly ahead of current market expectations, while continuing to target growth across its operating markets.

More about ASA International Group PLC

ASA International Group plc is a London-listed international microfinance institution serving approximately 2.7 million clients across 13 countries in East and West Africa, South Asia and Southeast Asia.

The group provides small working-capital loans, primarily to underserved entrepreneurs, through a branch-based operating model. It is reducing its exposure to India while expanding activities in markets including Pakistan, Uganda and Kenya.

ASA International finances its operations through a combination of equity, deposits and debt. Its strategy also includes digitalisation and a planned consolidation of its Asian regional reporting from 2027.

Corero Network Security (LSE:CNS) reported revenue of $15.5 million for the first half of 2026, an increase of 42% from the prior-year period, as the company recorded new customer wins and contract expansions.

EBITDA was $2.6 million, compared with a loss of $1.4 million a year earlier. Annualised recurring revenue increased 12% to $24.1 million, while order intake rose 14% to $14.3 million.

Customer retention was 96% during the period.

Corero, which provides distributed denial-of-service protection technology, reported contract extensions and new multi-year agreements with Tier-1 telecommunications providers in the U.S. and U.K., as well as a NeoCloud operator.

The company has also expanded its product portfolio to include web application security offerings as part of its broader cyber-security services.

Management said trading during the second half of the year had started positively and cited its sales pipeline and channel partnerships. Corero now expects full-year 2026 revenue and EBITDA to exceed current market consensus.

The company said demand for its services is being supported by developments in DDoS attacks and regulatory requirements relating to cyber resilience.

More about Corero Network Security

Corero Network Security plc provides distributed denial-of-service protection technology designed for automated detection and mitigation of attacks.

Its products include the SmartWallONE platform and CORE resiliency ecosystem, which are deployed across inline, edge and hybrid cloud environments. Customers include data centres, telecommunications operators, NeoCloud providers and AI data centres.

Corero is headquartered in Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Edinburgh and is listed on London’s AIM market and the U.S. OTCQX market.

GreenRoc Strategic Materials (LSE:GROC) has reported preliminary results from Phase III drilling at its Amitsoq graphite project in South Greenland, extending known graphite mineralisation approximately 100 to 150 metres north of previous resource drilling.

The company said the drilling confirmed continuity of the Lower Graphite Layer in the newly tested area and could support an expansion of the project’s existing resource base. The results are preliminary, and no updated resource estimate was provided in the supplied announcement.

The Phase III programme is also collecting geological, geotechnical and hydrogeological information for future project studies. This work includes the installation of groundwater monitoring equipment.

GreenRoc plans to use data from the programme in a prefeasibility study and mine design work, which it expects to begin by the end of 2026.

Separately, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighted Amitsoq as a critical raw materials project within a €200 million EU-Greenland Global Gateway Partnership package covering areas including hydropower and critical raw materials.

Amitsoq has been designated an EU Strategic Project under the Critical Raw Materials Act. The European Union is also financing advisory services for the project through the European Investment Bank.

GreenRoc said management plans to engage with investors and industry participants at upcoming European battery and innovation finance conferences.

More about GreenRoc Strategic Materials Plc

GreenRoc Strategic Materials Plc is an AIM-listed mining company focused on developing critical mineral projects in Greenland.

Its principal project is the Amitsoq graphite project in South Greenland. The company is seeking to develop graphite production for markets including European battery and electrification supply chains.

Sunrise Resources (LSE:SRES) has announced plans to raise capital through an issue of securities to fund exploration activities across its portfolio of precious and base-metal projects.

The fundraising is being arranged by broker AlbR Capital. Sunrise said the proceeds will be used for geophysical work and permitting at its Lake and Reese Ridge projects.

Depending on the amount raised, the company also intends to use the proceeds to drill priority exploration targets in Nevada and potentially undertake drilling at the Bakers Gold Project in Australia.

In connection with the fundraising, Sunrise will use AIM’s new Capital Access Window facility, resulting in a temporary halt in trading of its shares from 7.30 a.m. on 9 September 2026.

According to the company, the voluntary trading pause is intended to stabilise the share price during the capital-raising process. The amount to be raised and the terms of the securities issue were not specified in the supplied announcement.

More about Sunrise Resources

Sunrise Resources Plc is an AIM-listed mineral exploration company with projects targeting precious and base metals including copper, silver, gold, zinc and lead.

Its portfolio includes the Lake Copper-Silver-Gold Project and Reese Ridge Zinc-Silver-Lead Project in Nevada, United States, as well as the Bakers Gold Project in Australia.

The company’s exploration activities include geophysical surveys, permitting and drilling of identified targets.

Energean Israel Limited (LSE:ENOG) reported revenue of $481.3 million for the six months ended 30 June 2026, broadly unchanged from the prior-year period, while gross profit increased to $231.5 million.

Net profit for the period was $101.0 million, compared with $100.5 million a year earlier. Total comprehensive income declined to $98.0 million, primarily reflecting a change to a loss on cash flow hedges.

Total assets increased to $3.85 billion at the end of the period, with the rise driven by higher property, plant and equipment. Cash and cash equivalents increased to $213.8 million, nearly double the prior comparative level.

Cash generated from operating activities was $314.3 million during the first half.

Total equity increased to $465.3 million as retained earnings rose during the period. Energean Israel also paid a dividend of $39.0 million.

Borrowings stood at $2.77 billion at 30 June 2026, reflecting the financing associated with the company’s operations and infrastructure.

More about Energean Israel

Energean Israel Limited is a subsidiary of Energean PLC focused on the exploration, production and commercialisation of natural gas and hydrocarbon liquids.

Its operations are concentrated in Israel’s offshore energy sector and are conducted through an Israeli branch. The company was incorporated in Cyprus in 2014 and has subsequently become tax resident in the UK.

Energean Israel’s asset base includes property, plant and equipment and infrastructure associated with its offshore natural gas operations.

Henderson High Income Trust (LSE:HHI) reported a net asset value total return of 6.3% for the first half of 2026, marginally ahead of its benchmark, while its share price total return was 8.7%.

The difference between the two returns reflected a narrowing of the trust’s discount to net asset value during the period. Net assets stood at £351.8 million, while the dividend yield was 5.6% and gearing remained broadly stable.

The portfolio continued to have a higher allocation to equities than bonds. Holdings including Schroders, DCC Energy, Texas Instruments and Engie contributed positively to performance, while Dunelm, Michael Page and Imperial Brands detracted.

The board said it remained confident in the trust’s income prospects. Henderson High Income Trust also announced plans for a change of chair in 2027 and confirmed the appointment of Andrew Jones as deputy fund manager.

The trust cited geopolitical developments, conditions affecting UK housebuilders and increased takeover activity involving UK-listed companies among factors affecting the investment environment during the period.

More about Henderson High Income Trust PLC

Henderson High Income Trust PLC is a UK-listed investment trust investing in a portfolio of equities and fixed-income securities with the objective of generating dividend income alongside capital growth.

The portfolio typically has approximately 90% of its assets invested in UK and overseas equities and around 10% in fixed income.

The trust is managed by Janus Henderson and uses a composite benchmark comprising 80% of the FTSE All-Share Index and 20% of the ICE BofA Sterling Non-Gilts Index. It also uses gearing as part of its investment strategy.