Category: Market News

  • Helium One reports extension of Galactica-Pegasus helium offtake agreement

    Helium One reports extension of Galactica-Pegasus helium offtake agreement

    Helium One Global (LSE:HE1) said the operator of its Galactica-Pegasus joint venture in Colorado has extended an existing helium purchase and sales agreement covering all helium production from the Pinon Canyon Plant.

    The agreement has been extended through the end of the first quarter of 2027, with pricing fixed in line with current U.S. market conditions. The company did not provide specific pricing information in the supplied material.

    The extension provides an offtake arrangement for production during the period while discussions regarding a longer-term agreement continue.

    Additional helium tube trailers delivered

    Helium One also reported the delivery of a fourth helium tube trailer, while a fifth trailer is being filled.

    Initial wells at Galactica-Pegasus were connected for first gas in late 2025, and additional wells are being brought onstream for helium and CO2 production.

    Helium One holds a 50% interest in the Galactica-Pegasus project, providing the company with exposure to production from the Colorado development.

    Rukwa project holds granted mining licence

    Alongside its U.S. activities, Helium One is progressing its southern Rukwa Project in Tanzania.

    The project has received a mining licence following an extended well test, with the company advancing its activities from exploration and appraisal towards development.

    Helium One Global is a helium exploration and development company with projects in Tanzania and the United States. Its portfolio includes the southern Rukwa Project and its 50% interest in the Galactica-Pegasus project in Colorado.

  • Bunzl raises 2026 outlook and announces £500 million share buyback

    Bunzl raises 2026 outlook and announces £500 million share buyback

    Bunzl (LSE:BNZL) reported first-half 2026 revenue of £5.93 billion, an increase of 2.9% at constant exchange rates, while adjusted operating profit rose 8.0%.

    The international distribution and services group reported an operating margin of 7.3% for the period. Revenue growth was supported by volumes and inflation, particularly in North America, while all of the group’s regions recorded underlying revenue growth.

    Bunzl said warehouse efficiencies and increased use of digital channels also contributed to profitability during the period.

    Bunzl updates full-year guidance

    Following its first-half performance, Bunzl raised its outlook for 2026. The company now expects modest underlying revenue growth for the full year, with margins anticipated to be broadly unchanged compared with the previous year.

    The group also announced a £500 million share buyback, which it plans to fund from cash generation and its existing balance sheet capacity.

    Bunzl reported that leverage remains at a level that allows it to pursue its capital allocation plans.

    Acquisition activity expected to increase in second half

    Bunzl completed two acquisitions during the period and said it expects acquisition activity to increase during the second half of 2026.

    The group continues to prioritise bolt-on acquisitions as part of its capital allocation strategy, alongside dividends and share buybacks.

    Bunzl plc is an international distribution and services group supplying non-food consumables including packaging, cleaning and hygiene products, safety equipment and healthcare supplies.

    The company operates across North America, Europe, the UK and Ireland, and other international markets. Its activities include distribution, own-brand products and digital ordering services for business customers.

  • KEFI Gold and Copper appoints Danny Callow as independent non-executive director

    KEFI Gold and Copper appoints Danny Callow as independent non-executive director

    KEFI Gold and Copper (LSE:KEFI) has appointed Danny Callow as an independent non-executive director, filling a vacancy created by a recent board retirement.

    Callow has experience in the development of copper and gold mining projects in Africa. As part of his role, he will chair a newly established operations and physical risks committee.

    The committee will form part of KEFI’s governance arrangements as the company progresses development of its Tulu Kapi gold project.

    KEFI reorganises board committee structure

    KEFI is also changing its governance structure, with four independent non-executive directors each set to chair key board committees.

    The directors will additionally join subsidiary boards as part of the company’s arrangements for oversight and accountability across the group.

    The changes are being implemented as KEFI progresses from project development towards planned mining operations.

    Management succession planned around Tulu Kapi production

    KEFI has also outlined a management succession plan linked to the development of Tulu Kapi.

    The company plans to appoint a chief executive, while its current executive chairman is expected to transition to the position of non-executive chair around the start of production at Tulu Kapi.

    KEFI also intends to appoint a new finance director as the company moves from the development phase into operations.

    KEFI Gold and Copper is a London AIM-listed exploration and development company with gold and copper projects in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. The group is developing the Tulu Kapi gold project in Ethiopia through KME Minerals Ethiopia Holdings and Tulu Kapi Gold Mines, while its Saudi Arabian activities are conducted through Gold and Minerals Limited.

  • Michelmersh Brick reports higher gross margin as first-half revenue falls 9.5%

    Michelmersh Brick reports higher gross margin as first-half revenue falls 9.5%

    Michelmersh Brick Holdings (LSE:MBH) reported first-half 2026 revenue of £32.4 million, down 9.5%, as activity across the UK construction market remained below previous levels.

    Gross margin increased to 37.0% during the period, while adjusted EBITDA was slightly higher following integration and efficiency measures implemented across the business.

    UK industry brick despatch volumes were approximately 9% lower and remained more than 25% below their 2022 peak. Against this backdrop, Michelmersh increased its market share during the period.

    Capacity changes implemented across manufacturing operations

    Michelmersh has adjusted production capacity in response to current market conditions. Production at its Freshfield Lane operation was reduced by 30%, while manufacturing restarted at Romsey.

    The group also closed its Charnwood pre-fabricated facility and transferred the associated production lines to its core brick manufacturing sites.

    Management said order intake is currently running ahead of production, although ordering patterns remain volatile.

    Interim dividend maintained

    Michelmersh maintained its interim dividend and reported net debt of £5 million. The group also has access to a £20 million facility.

    The board expects full-year performance to remain within market expectations. However, it identified political uncertainty in the UK and the continuing conflict in the Middle East as factors that could affect consumer confidence and construction activity.

    Michelmersh Brick Holdings is a specialist brick manufacturer and brick fabricator serving the UK and northern European construction markets. The group supplies clay bricks and pre-fabricated brick products for new-build and refurbishment projects.

  • Renalytix signs multi-year Quest Diagnostics agreement for U.S. kidneyintelX.dkd rollout

    Renalytix signs multi-year Quest Diagnostics agreement for U.S. kidneyintelX.dkd rollout

    Renalytix (LSE:RENX) has signed a multi-year agreement with Quest Diagnostics to expand access to its kidneyintelX.dkd blood test across the United States.

    Under the agreement, physicians in the U.S. will be able to order kidneyintelX.dkd through Quest’s connectivity and specimen collection network. Renalytix will perform the assay at its laboratory in New York and will remain responsible for billing for the test.

    Availability through the Quest network is targeted for early 2027.

    Agreement includes potential in-licensing option

    The arrangement also gives Quest an option to in-license kidneyintelX.dkd after specified commercialisation milestones have been achieved.

    The supplied information does not specify the financial terms of the multi-year agreement or the commercialisation milestones associated with the licensing option.

    Renalytix said the partnership is intended to expand physician access to kidneyintelX.dkd by using Quest’s U.S. connectivity and collection infrastructure.

    KidneyintelX.dkd targets diabetic kidney disease

    KidneyintelX.dkd is a blood-based test developed to assess the risk of progressive kidney function decline in adults with type 2 diabetes and early-stage chronic kidney disease.

    The test has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorisation and Medicare reimbursement.

    Renalytix is an AI-enabled in vitro diagnostics company focused on precision medicine for kidney disease. Its KidneyIntelX technology uses data-driven analysis to assess the risk of progressive kidney function decline in patients with early-stage diabetic kidney disease.

  • Alien Metals partner West Coast Silver raises A$6 million for Elizabeth Hill exploration

    Alien Metals partner West Coast Silver raises A$6 million for Elizabeth Hill exploration

    Alien Metals’ (LSE:UFO) joint venture partner West Coast Silver has received firm commitments to raise A$6 million through a placement to institutional and professional investors.

    The proceeds are expected to fund additional exploration at the Elizabeth Hill Silver Project in Western Australia, including further drilling, technical studies and work towards an updated mineral resource.

    Alien Metals retains a 30% free-carried interest in Elizabeth Hill and holds an 8.7% equity interest in West Coast Silver. Under the free-carried arrangement, Alien is not required to contribute to the near-term exploration expenditure covered by its carried interest.

    Placement expected to complete in early September

    West Coast Silver’s placement was priced at a 13.8% discount to its 15-day volume-weighted average price.

    Participants include Admiralty Resource Fund, alongside other institutional and professional investors. Completion of the financing is expected in early September 2026.

    The funding will also allow West Coast Silver to bring forward exploration programmes at the Elizabeth Hill South and Elizabeth Hill West areas.

    Funding supports expanded exploration programme

    The A$6 million financing provides West Coast Silver with additional capital to undertake drilling and technical work across the Elizabeth Hill project while Alien maintains its joint venture and equity interests.

    Alien Metals Limited is a London AIM-quoted mineral exploration and development company with a portfolio of assets in Australia.

    Its interests include the Georgina Basin iron oxide copper-gold project in the Northern Territory and interests in the Munni Munni PGM system and Elizabeth Hill Silver Project in Western Australia. The company holds some of its project exposure through joint ventures and equity investments.

  • Futura Medical reports £1.62 million first-half revenue and appoints new U.S. Eroxon partner

    Futura Medical reports £1.62 million first-half revenue and appoints new U.S. Eroxon partner

    Futura Medical (LSE:FUM) reported revenue of £1.62 million for the first half of 2026, with a substantial portion generated by a settlement with former U.S. commercial partner Haleon.

    Underlying royalty income from Eroxon remained modest during the period. The company ended the first half with cash of £1.24 million, which it said provides an operational cash runway until approximately October 2026 without additional funding.

    Futura reduced its operating loss to £1.20 million during the period, while administrative expenses also declined following cost-reduction measures.

    Market Performance Group appointed as U.S. Eroxon partner

    Futura has revised its U.S. commercial arrangements for Eroxon by appointing Market Performance Group as its new partner in the market.

    The company has also secured additional patents in China and the U.S. and consolidated its global manufacturing arrangements.

    Futura is seeking additional funding and commercial partnerships as it develops its existing products and pipeline. Given its current cash position, the company will require further funding to extend operations beyond its stated runway.

    Eroxon Intense targets production from early 2027

    Futura reported positive home-user data for Eroxon Intense and has received clearance for an EU launch.

    The company is also targeting U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance for the product, while production is expected to begin in early 2027. FDA clearance has not yet been obtained based on the supplied information.

    Futura is separately developing WSD4000, a female sexual health product range. The company reported feasibility and consumer study results and has begun early-stage discussions with potential partners across several major regions.

    Futura Medical is a UK-based consumer healthcare company focused on sexual health products for men and women. Its portfolio includes Eroxon, an over-the-counter topical gel for erectile dysfunction, alongside the Eroxon Intense and WSD4000 development programmes.

  • MobilityOne expects £4.88 million 2025 loss as annual report remains delayed

    MobilityOne expects £4.88 million 2025 loss as annual report remains delayed

    MobilityOne (LSE:MBO) said it expects to publish its delayed audited annual report for 2025 in September as audit work relating to its 49%-owned associate Sincere Acres and its subsidiary Hati continues.

    The company expects to report unaudited revenue of approximately £236.1 million for 2025 and a post-tax loss of around £4.88 million.

    The anticipated loss includes an impairment of approximately £1.9 million relating to MobilityOne’s investment in Sincere Acres.

    Cash falls as secured borrowings increase

    MobilityOne expects to report cash of £3.43 million for 2025, while secured borrowings increased to £7.38 million.

    The company said the delay in completing its annual report resulted from extended work by Malaysian component auditors concerning Sincere Acres and Hati.

    MobilityOne’s AIM-listed shares remain suspended from trading pending publication of the audited accounts.

    Sincere payment deadline extended again

    MobilityOne also reported a further extension to the deadline for payment of the RM28 million second tranche relating to Sincere, together with accrued interest.

    The vendor has agreed that payment will now be due by the earlier of late October or shortly after Nasdaq approval of a merger involving MobilityOne’s joint-venture partner Super Apps.

    Under the revised arrangements, MobilityOne’s Malaysian subsidiary will pay additional accrued interest of RM470,502 in two instalments. It will also pay RM1.4 million of previously accrued interest by 31 October.

    The annual interest rate applied to outstanding amounts remains unchanged at 10%.

    MobilityOne provides payment infrastructure services

    MobilityOne Limited is a Malaysian e-commerce infrastructure and payment solutions provider offering mobile prepaid reload and bill payment services.

    The group connects with banks, telecommunications companies, utilities, government agencies and transport operators. Its services include mobile wallets, internet and terminal-based payments, remittances, lending and customised financial technology systems delivered through channels including e-commerce platforms, ATMs, kiosks and banking systems.

  • Tertiary Minerals reports silver-copper-zinc drill results from Mushima North

    Tertiary Minerals reports silver-copper-zinc drill results from Mushima North

    Tertiary Minerals (LSE:TYM) has reported initial certified laboratory results from five reverse circulation drill holes completed as part of its Phase 4 programme at the Discovery Zone, Target A1, within the Mushima North Project in Zambia.

    According to the company, the drilling confirmed thick, near-surface silver-copper-zinc mineralisation across the northern part of the target and provided further evidence of continuity within the mineralised zone.

    The results are consistent with the company’s previously stated exploration target of between 15 million and 30 million tonnes.

    Drilling identifies higher-grade zone at depth

    The programme also identified a higher-grade silver-copper zone at depth.

    Tertiary reported elevated concentrations of several other metals, including bismuth, cobalt and antimony. The potential economic contribution of these metals would depend on factors including their recoverability, which has not yet been established in the supplied information.

    Additional assay results from the drilling programme remain pending.

    Metallurgical testing underway ahead of resource work

    Tertiary has submitted samples for metallurgical testing as it continues technical work at Mushima North.

    The company is progressing towards preparation of a maiden mineral resource estimate for the project, with the outstanding assay results and metallurgical work expected to provide additional information for its evaluation.

    Tertiary Minerals plc is a UK-based mineral exploration company focused on polymetallic deposits, including silver, copper and zinc.

    Its Mushima North Project in Zambia is located within an Iron-Oxide-Copper-Gold belt and is being explored for near-surface polymetallic mineralisation.

  • Beeks signs multi-year Exchange Cloud agreement with Stock Exchange of Thailand

    Beeks signs multi-year Exchange Cloud agreement with Stock Exchange of Thailand

    Beeks Financial Cloud Group plc (LSE:BKS) has secured a multi-year agreement with the Stock Exchange of Thailand to deploy its Exchange Cloud platform as part of the exchange’s market infrastructure.

    Under the agreement, Exchange Cloud will provide connectivity, market data and co-location services through a single managed environment.

    The platform is expected to go live during the first half of Beeks’ FY27. The agreement will operate under a revenue-share model, providing Beeks with a source of recurring revenue over the term of the contract.

    Stock Exchange of Thailand becomes eighth Exchange Cloud customer

    The Stock Exchange of Thailand will become the eighth exchange to adopt Beeks’ Exchange Cloud offering.

    The contract also expands Beeks’ presence in the Asia-Pacific region, where the company is seeking to increase adoption of its infrastructure services among exchanges and other capital markets customers.

    Exchange Cloud provides on-premise cloud infrastructure designed for exchanges and trading venues, combining computing capacity, connectivity and related services.

    Beeks expands capital markets infrastructure business

    Beeks Financial Cloud Group plc is a UK-listed managed private infrastructure provider serving capital markets and financial institutions.

    The company provides Infrastructure-as-a-Service designed for low-latency computing, connectivity and analytics. Its services allow customers to deploy infrastructure and connect with exchanges, trading venues and public cloud environments through hybrid cloud configurations.

    Beeks was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Renfrew, Scotland. The company has more than 100 employees globally and is ISO 27001 certified.