Category: Market News

Itaconix (LSE:ITX) said trading during FY2026 remains on track with management expectations after delivering record results in FY2025. The company expects to achieve another record first-half performance while maintaining stable gross margins.

The business continues to benefit from disruptions affecting suppliers of fossil fuel-derived specialty chemicals, creating opportunities to win market share. According to the company, customers are increasingly valuing the reliability of supply and sustainability credentials offered by its plant-based ingredient portfolio, which could support further revenue growth.

New Product Initiatives and Market Expansion Efforts

To accelerate growth, Itaconix is investing in product innovation and market development. Among its latest initiatives is the launch of deeperclean.com, a platform aimed at North American detergent brands that showcases a plant-based dishwashing tablet and is expected to support future consumer testing programs.

The company is also broadening the application of its technologies beyond its core markets. Development work is underway with a specialist partner to create paints incorporating BIO*Asterix technology, while agricultural field trials are being conducted using BioVail GRZ 200L crop treatments. Initial findings are expected following harvest, with longer-term data anticipated over multiple growing seasons.

Profitability Challenges Continue Despite Operational Progress

While operational momentum remains positive, Itaconix continues to face financial headwinds. The company remains loss-making and continues to consume cash, factors that weigh on its overall outlook despite improvements in margins and a manageable debt position.

Technical indicators also remain weak, with the share price trading below key moving averages and a negative MACD signal suggesting continued downward momentum. From a valuation perspective, the absence of earnings profitability results in a negative price-to-earnings ratio, while the lack of dividend support further limits valuation appeal.

More About Itaconix

Itaconix PLC is a specialty chemicals company focused on the development and manufacture of high-performance polymers derived from renewable plant-based materials.

Its Itaconix Performance Ingredients division supplies ingredients primarily for detergent formulations, including technologies designed for scale control and odour neutralisation. The company targets consumer and industrial brands seeking sustainable alternatives to traditional fossil-based specialty chemical ingredients.

Fulcrum Metals (LSE:FMET) has outlined a significant gold exploration target at its Big Bear project in Ontario following encouraging soil sampling results. The company has delineated a 2km by 2km gold target area within a broader 3km-long mineralized corridor that remains open in several directions.

Soil sampling returned peak gold values of 1.46g/t, while 51 samples recorded highly anomalous results exceeding 30ppb gold. Rock sampling also highlighted the project’s high-grade potential, delivering values of up to 139g/t gold. The findings support the presence of a robust gold system, reinforced by geophysical surveys, structural interpretation and field mapping.

Multiple Drill Targets Ready for Testing

The latest exploration work, combined with VTEM survey data and geological mapping, has generated several drill-ready prospects as well as a broader pipeline of exploration targets. Fulcrum has already secured permits covering up to 30 drill pads across priority areas of the project.

The company said the work has elevated Big Bear to a key drill-ready asset within its portfolio and further demonstrates its exploration capabilities. Fulcrum is also assessing potential partnership opportunities that could provide funding and accelerate project advancement as part of its wider development strategy.

More About Fulcrum Metals Plc

Fulcrum Metals Plc is an AIM-listed mining company focused on the recovery of precious and critical metals through proprietary cyanide-free processing technologies designed for mine waste reprocessing.

In addition to its technology-led recovery business, the company owns a portfolio of exploration assets in Canada, including gold and uranium projects. This combination provides exposure to both resource development and innovative mineral processing opportunities.

Legalities didn’t stop the U.S. campaign against Iran. Trump simply declared that a ceasefire between the two countries had been in place since April 7, 2026, effectively arguing that no Congressional authorization is needed to continue military operations.

Following the same logic, recent strikes on Iranian radar installations and drone command centers in Goruk and on Qeshm Island shouldn’t reset the clock simply by being justified as retaliation for Iran’s “aggressive actions,” including the downing of a U.S. MQ-1 drone over international waters.

What matters is that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, and while investors celebrate record highs in the S&P 500 and Nasdaq, the economic costs of the conflict continue to accumulate.

Starting with inflation, headline PCE inflation accelerated to 3.8% year-over-year in April from 3.5% previously, while core PCE remained stuck at 3.3% — still far above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Thus, even with Kevin Warsh leading the Fed, hopes for meaningful rate cuts look increasingly misplaced.

Could the good news, then, be that the growth picture is also weakening, as the weaker the employment figures are this week, the stronger the case for eventual monetary easing in the name of preserving full employment becomes?

Under normal circumstances, yes. The problem now is that if the conflict drags on and the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, oil prices could move dramatically higher. Strategic petroleum reserves are finite, spare production capacity is limited, and there is still no realistic substitute for oil at the scale required by the global economy.

Should that happen, inflationary pressures could intensify further, forcing regulators to raise interest rates — something financial markets would find much harder to ignore. And with reports that Iran has suspended talks with the U.S. amid the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon, this no longer appears to be an unlikely scenario.

ProBiotix Health PLC (AQSE:PBX) has entered into a new commercial partnership in Slovakia, extending the international footprint of its proprietary LPLDL® probiotic ingredient through a collaboration with Slovak probiotics specialist iProbio.

Under the agreement, ProBiotix will supply its patented LPLDL® strain for use in CARDIObiom+®, a newly launched food supplement developed by iProbio, the consumer health brand of PerBiotiX s.r.o. The product is designed to support cardiovascular and metabolic health and marks iProbio’s entry into the growing cardiometabolic wellness market.

New Product Targets Significant Cardiovascular Health Needs

The launch comes against a backdrop of elevated cardiovascular health concerns in Slovakia. According to data from the European Society of Cardiology, cardiovascular disease mortality in the country is estimated to be around 50% above the European Union average, while nearly half of Slovak adults are believed to suffer from hypercholesterolaemia.

CARDIObiom+® was introduced to the market to coincide with World Hypertension Day and a broader international campaign focused on cardiovascular health awareness.

LPLDL® Selected Following Clinical Review

iProbio said it chose ProBiotix’s LPLDL® strain following an extensive assessment of clinically supported ingredients aimed at improving cardiometabolic health.

The new supplement combines LPLDL® with a standardized extract of lemon verbena (Aloysia citrodora) and hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa), alongside vitamins D3 and B1. The formulation is delivered through a dual-capsule daily regimen designed to support cholesterol management, lipid and glucose metabolism, and overall metabolic wellbeing.

Distribution to Begin in Slovakia with Regional Expansion Planned

The product will initially be sold through iProbio’s online sales platform before expanding into pharmacies, health food retailers and distribution partners across Slovakia.

While ProBiotix will provide the LPLDL® active ingredient, iProbio will oversee manufacturing, packaging and commercialization of the product.

The companies also expect to broaden distribution into the Czech Republic and other Central European markets as the partnership develops.

ProBiotix Highlights Growing Commercial Scale

Commenting on the agreement, ProBiotix Chief Executive Steen Andersen said the deal reflects increasing demand for the company’s probiotic technology.

“Our partnership with iProbio to supply our unique LPLDL® strain to be used in their new CARDIObiom+® product is further validation of the growing scalability of our business.

“Increasing awareness of the need to focus on cardiovascular health is critical, and with this partnership agreement we are very pleased that we can help advance further awareness and increase sales in new geographic territories.”

iProbio Sees Opportunity in Cardiometabolic Health Market

iProbio Chief Executive Martin Haranta said the new product represents a strategic expansion of the company’s probiotics portfolio.

“CARDIObiom+® represents a natural next step for iProbio. After more than 40 years of microbiome research, we wanted to expand our targeted probiotic portfolio into the field of cardiometabolic health – a segment where there is strong scientific evidence as well as a clear consumer need.

“LPLDL® is a probiotic strain with clinically validated effects supporting cholesterol metabolism, and our partnership with ProBiotix Health has provided us with confidence both in the scientific foundation and in supply reliability. The product launch on World Hypertension Day also allowed us to naturally connect with the ongoing conversation among Slovak consumers about heart health and metabolic balance. We look forward to further developing this collaboration.”

Oil prices moved sharply higher on Monday after renewed military action between the United States and Iran, combined with expanded Israeli operations in Lebanon, raised concerns over the stability of energy supplies from the Middle East.

By 07:01 GMT, U.S. crude futures had advanced $2.88, or 3.3%, to $90.24 per barrel, while Brent crude futures gained $2.78, or 3.05%, to trade at $93.90 per barrel.

Market Optimism Over a Ceasefire Extension Fades

The latest outbreak of hostilities weakened expectations that Washington and Tehran could soon announce an extension to their existing ceasefire agreement.

Investor sentiment had improved at the end of last week following diplomatic initiatives, including U.S.-brokered discussions between Israel and Lebanon on Friday. Those developments helped push Brent and WTI prices lower by 1.8% and 1.7%, respectively, in the previous session.

However, the renewed military confrontation has once again shifted attention toward geopolitical risks and the possibility of prolonged instability in the region.

Washington and Tehran Exchange Military Responses

The United States confirmed on Sunday that it had launched “self-defence strikes” against radar facilities and drone-command infrastructure located in Iran’s Goruk area and on Qeshm Island.

U.S. officials said the action was taken in response to what they described as “aggressive” behaviour from Tehran.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps responded on Monday, announcing that its aerospace forces had targeted an air base allegedly connected to a U.S. strike on a telecommunications facility on Sirik Island.

The exchange marked another escalation in tensions between the two countries and reinforced concerns over the wider regional conflict.

Negotiations Continue Despite Ongoing Tensions

President Donald Trump said on Friday that he was reviewing a proposed agreement that could prolong the ceasefire first announced in early April.

The proposal is intended to create additional time for negotiators to work toward a lasting settlement and address the long-running dispute surrounding Iran’s nuclear programme.

Any eventual agreement is expected to require support from Israel, while Iranian officials have repeatedly maintained that Hezbollah must also be included in any broader arrangement.

According to a U.S. official, Washington has put forward a “gradual de-escalation” proposal under which Hezbollah would suspend attacks on Israel in return for Israel avoiding further military escalation in Beirut.

Hormuz Supply Risks Remain in Focus

Developments in the Strait of Hormuz continue to be closely watched by energy traders and investors.

Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG, noted that growing concerns over naval mines in the strategic waterway could slow efforts to fully restore shipping traffic, even if a diplomatic agreement is eventually reached.

“Even if an agreement is reached, it won’t deliver a flood of supply,” Sycamore said.

Reports suggest that Iran deployed additional mines in the strait earlier in the week. An Axios journalist reported on X that the move came shortly after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that laying further mines would breach the ceasefire arrangement.

The Strait of Hormuz carries roughly 20% of global oil and natural gas shipments and has faced significant disruption since the conflict intensified following U.S. and Israeli strikes on February 28.

Chinese Economic Weakness Overshadowed by Supply Concerns

Oil markets largely ignored disappointing economic indicators from China, which pointed to continued weakness in manufacturing activity.

The data added to concerns that the world’s second-largest economy is losing momentum amid weaker exports and ongoing cost pressures on businesses.

Nevertheless, worries about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East outweighed concerns about softer demand, allowing oil prices to move higher despite the weaker economic backdrop.

Goldman Sachs Warns of Demand-Driven Downside Risks

Goldman Sachs analysts said on Sunday that slower-than-expected oil consumption in both China and Europe could pose a meaningful downside risk to the bank’s current price forecasts.

The investment bank expects Brent crude to average $90 per barrel during the fourth quarter and forecasts WTI at an average of $83 per barrel.

However, the analysts also noted that further disruptions to energy exports from the Middle East could still drive crude prices above those projected levels.