Blog

Flowtech Fluidpower (LSE:FLO) has announced plans for a conditional equity raise designed to generate up to £10 million in gross proceeds, combining a £9 million institutional placing with a separate UK retail offer of up to £1 million. The placing will involve the issue of as many as 16.98 million new shares at 53p each, representing a discount of roughly 11.5% to the previous closing price.

The capital raised is intended primarily to fund the proposed acquisition of the Dutch businesses Q Plus B.V. and Naili Europe B.V., while also reducing group debt and providing additional working capital. A capital reorganisation, including a reduction in the nominal value of the company’s shares, is planned to facilitate the issuance. Directors and senior executives have indicated their intention to participate in the fundraising, and the enlarged share capital is expected to be admitted to AIM on 9 February 2026. Alongside institutional demand, the retail offer will give UK private investors the opportunity to invest on the same terms.

From a trading perspective, Flowtech Fluidpower continues to face pressure on profitability and revenues, with valuation metrics reflecting these challenges. That said, management points to improving sales momentum and a strengthening pipeline, helped by recent strategic activity. While the absence of earnings and dividends remains a headwind, the latest initiatives suggest a more constructive medium-term outlook as the group seeks to rebuild financial resilience and expand its European footprint.

More about Flowtech Fluidpower

Flowtech Fluidpower is an AIM-listed provider of fluid power products and services, supplying hydraulic and pneumatic components along with related solutions. The group serves a broad base of industrial and engineering customers across the UK and mainland Europe, pursuing growth through distribution-led expansion and technical support for OEM and maintenance markets.

Investors face a shortened trading week, with U.S. equity markets closed on Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Attention is expected to intensify as the week unfolds, driven by fresh tariff threats from President Donald Trump, pivotal rulings pending at the U.S. Supreme Court, and earnings updates from major corporations including Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC). Markets may also gain more clarity on Trump’s housing affordability agenda as November’s midterm elections draw closer.

1. Europe braces for a response to Trump’s Greenland tariff threat

European officials are expected to hold talks later this week on how to respond to Trump’s proposed tariffs, with reports indicating that EU policymakers are weighing forceful countermeasures if the duties are implemented.

Over the weekend, Trump said the United States would impose 10% tariffs on imports from eight European countries — Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, Norway and the United Kingdom — unless Washington is allowed to purchase Greenland. He warned that the tariffs would increase to 25% in June should no agreement be reached over the semi-autonomous Danish territory.

Trump has justified the proposal on national security grounds, but European governments have pushed back strongly, describing the move as an act of coercion.

Ahead of an emergency EU summit scheduled for Thursday in Brussels, officials are reportedly preparing to discuss options including tariffs on €93 billion worth of U.S. goods. Another potential tool under consideration is the EU’s “Anti-Coercion Tool,” which could restrict U.S. access to investment, financial services and parts of the services trade.

Analysts say the situation underscores how uncertainty around Trump’s trade agenda — a recurring theme throughout 2025 — may worsen.

“If the past year has shown anything, it is that the macroeconomic effects of tariffs are both uncertain and non-linear,” said Neil Shearing, Group Chief Economist at Capital Economics.

Shearing expects the economic impact to be “modest,” trimming “a few tenths of a percentage point” from growth in the affected economies while adding a similar amount to U.S. inflation. However, he cautioned that the political fallout could be “far greater,” warning that any attempt by the U.S. to seize Greenland through force or pressure would cause “potentially irreparable damage” to NATO.

2. Supreme Court rulings loom large for markets

Trump’s latest tariff threat coincides with heightened focus on the U.S. Supreme Court, which is widely expected to rule soon on the legality of the president’s broad use of tariffs.

Investors largely anticipate that the court will strike down Trump’s reliance on a 1970s-era international emergency economic powers law to impose the levies. Data from betting platform Polymarket currently implies only a 31% chance that the justices will side with Trump.

Although the administration has signaled it may explore alternative legal avenues to impose tariffs, analysts warn that such moves would only deepen uncertainty around U.S. trade policy, including the newly proposed Greenland-related duties.

Separately, the Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on Wednesday in a case stemming from Trump’s attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Cook filed a lawsuit in August after Trump sought to dismiss her over alleged mortgage fraud, a move widely seen as an effort to undermine the Fed’s independence.

“[The Supreme Court] has been a relative friend of the Fed in terms of defending it from White House interference, and investors are hoping that remains the case during the Cook hearing,” analysts at Vital Knowledge said.

3. Netflix earnings take center stage

On the earnings front, Netflix is scheduled to report quarterly results after the U.S. market close on Tuesday.

Bloomberg consensus forecasts point to earnings per share of $0.55 on revenue of $11.96 billion. Still, investor focus may shift quickly to any commentary on Netflix’s reported interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Discovery — a bid that faces competition from Paramount Skydance.

The contest for Warner Bros. is expected to drag on for months and could face regulatory scrutiny in both the U.S. and Europe. Netflix has targeted the studio, which owns HBO Max and franchises such as “Harry Potter” and “Friends”, as a way to accelerate revenue growth. Despite successes like “Stranger Things” and recent moves into live sports, the company continues to face pressure to deliver returns on its heavy investments in advertising and gaming.

4. Intel reports as turnaround efforts continue

Intel is set to release its results after Wall Street closes on Thursday.

Under CEO Lip-Bu Tan, the chipmaker has focused on cost reductions and balance sheet repair as competition intensifies in the PC and server processor markets. Efforts to gain traction in the artificial intelligence chip space have so far yielded limited success.

Intel received a significant boost last year when Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA), SoftBank (USOTC:SFTBY) and the U.S. government invested in the company. Nvidia, notably, acquired $5 billion worth of Intel shares in December.

Earlier this month, Intel also introduced a new AI chip designed for laptops, aiming to reassure investors about products built using its next-generation manufacturing technology.

5. More details expected on Trump’s housing strategy

The Trump administration is expected to provide additional information on its plans to improve housing affordability, a key voter issue ahead of the midterm elections later this year.

High mortgage rates and elevated home prices have discouraged many Americans from entering the housing market. Last week, White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett said the administration plans to allow the use of retirement savings for down payments on homes. He added that Trump “will put the final plan out” during his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week.

Trump has also floated other cost-cutting measures, including restricting institutional investors from purchasing single-family homes, directing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to buy $200 billion in mortgage bonds, and imposing a cap on credit-card interest rates.

European luxury stocks moved sharply lower on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump raised the prospect of new import tariffs on European goods, reviving worries about renewed transatlantic trade tensions.

The luxury sector underperformed the broader market as investors grew cautious that higher U.S. duties could weigh on demand in one of the industry’s most important end markets. With luxury highly exposed to discretionary spending and global trade flows, the sector is particularly sensitive to policy uncertainty.

Shares in LVMH (EU:MC), the world’s largest luxury group, fell around 4%, while Hermès (EU:RMS) dropped roughly 3.1%. Kering slid close to 2.8% amid renewed concerns over export growth, as of 10:20 GMT. Eyewear specialist EssilorLuxottica (EU:EL) declined by about 1%.

In Switzerland, Richemont (BIT:1CFR) and Swatch Group (LSE:0QM4) traded between 2% and 3.7% lower. Italian luxury names were also under pressure, with Moncler (BIT:MONC) and Brunello Cucinelli (BIT:BC) down between 2.1% and 2.5%.

Elsewhere, Ferrari (BIT:RACE) slipped about 2.3%, while jewellery maker Pandora (TG:3P7) fell roughly 2.6%. In London, British luxury brand Burberry (LSE:BBRY) was down around 2.6%.

Trump said over the weekend that he was considering new tariffs on European imports, reigniting fears of a trade dispute at a time when the luxury industry is already facing uneven demand in China and a slowing global economy.

Analysts warned that tariff uncertainty could cloud earnings visibility for luxury groups, many of which derive a significant share of revenues from U.S. consumers and cross-border sales.

Adding to the pressure, Goldman Sachs downgraded LVMH to “equal-weight” from “overweight”, arguing that the stock’s valuation leaves limited scope for further upside despite improving brand momentum. The bank said stronger performance at Louis Vuitton and Dior should support better-than-expected fourth-quarter sales, but cautioned that currency movements, potential tariff headwinds and ongoing weakness in the wines and spirits division present downside risks to 2026 earnings expectations.

Falconedge (AQSE:EDGE) is stepping into the spotlight with the launch of its Bitcoin yield strategy designed to generate sustainable monthly returns while minimising volatility and counterparty risk. The strategy positions the firm at the intersection of traditional finance and Bitcoin-native innovation, creating a compounding yield on their balance sheet, accelerating the growth of Bitcoin on their balance sheet to benefit shareholders.

In a recent appearance on The Watch List, Falconedge CEO Roy Kashi joined host Ricki Lee to explain how the company’s Bitcoin treasury strategy complements its long-standing advisory business and strengthens shareholder value.

A Bitcoin Strategy Built on Institutional Experience

While newly established, Falconedge inherits a powerful know how and legacy from Falcon Investment Management, one of the UK’s pioneers in regulated crypto investing, An award-winning firm ranked first in Europe in 2025 by HFM for hedge fund infrastructure and digital asset regulatory hosting, Falcon Investment Management oversaw the 1^st regulated Crypto fund in the UK in 2018.

Falconedge offers advisory services to both traditional and crypto-focused managers, with 6 funds already signed up and several more under discussion.
Rather than treating Bitcoin as a speculative trading asset, Falconedge integrates it into its balance sheet in a structured, risk-aware way.

1.29% Monthly Yield

Falconedge recently reported a fully verified  1.29% net monthly Bitcoin yield, a figure that immediately caught attention. But according to Kashi, the real story is how that yield is expected to be compounded generated .

“This strategy reflects Falconedge’s disciplined approach to financial and capital efficiency, with a clear focus on long-term value creation. It underpins our broader objective to set new standards for responsible, transparent, and regulated cryptocurrency yield generation.”

Compounding Growth for Shareholders

Looking ahead, Falconedge expects the Bitcoin yield strategy to become a major contributor to revenue and earnings over time, especially as its Bitcoin balance sheet grows.

“As Bitcoin grows, and as we grow our Bitcoin balance sheet, that yield compounds,” Kashi said. “That creates a powerful short and long-term effect.”

The company also plans to accept in the future Bitcoins from external providers and DAT’s , offering them a yield on assets that would otherwise sit idle. The spread between what Falconedge earns and what it pays out is then reinvested into buying more Bitcoin for shareholders, reinforcing a flywheel of compounding value.

Bridging Traditional Finance and Digital Assets

Falconedge’s strategy reflects a broader shift in treasury management: Bitcoin is no longer just a speculative bet, it’s becoming a yield-generating treasury asset.

By combining institutional Advisory services with Bitcoin-native structures, whilst being able to run a very lean, cost effective operation,  Falconedge is positioning itself as a multi-income generating business, offering shareholders the opportunity to be part of a business that has the ability to grow, regardless of market conditions and sentiment in the Bitcoin universe.

As more companies holding Bitcoin in the balance sheet desperately look for reliable ways to generate income from digital assets, Falconedge’s model offers a glimpse into what the future of Bitcoin treasury management could look like.

Ajax Resources PLC (AQSE:AJAX) announced that drilling activities have commenced at the Eureka Gold and Copper Project, located in the Province of Jujuy, Argentina. The initial drilling programme will comprise of approximately 10 diamond drill holes for a total of 1,500 metres of diamond drilling.

Ippolito Cattaneo, CEO, said: “The commencement of drilling at Eureka represents an important milestone for Ajax. Opportunities to drill test a project with a 400-year history of copper and gold production that has never previously been drilled are uncommon.” Read more

Zentra Group Plc (AQSE:ZNT)has entered into a joint venture with property management professional, Connor Moylan, forming a new subsidiary, ZPAS Limited. The formation of ZPAS is intended to improve the scalability, operational focus and quality of the Group’s Assured Shorthold Tenancy lettings and management activities. Read more

Falconedge PLC (AQSE:EDGE) announced a 1.29% Bitcoin Yield for December, marking the first month of its Bitcoin Yield Strategy.

Roy Kashi, CEO, commented: “These impressive results from our first month of yield allocation, independently verified by NAV Consulting, demonstrate the strength of our treasury strategy and our commitment to disciplined balance sheet enhancement.” Read more

The Smarter Web Company Plc (AQSE:SWC) announced that it has raised gross proceeds of £1.67m in aggregate through the placing of subscription shares in accordance with the terms of the Subscription Agreement announced on 24 December 2025. Read more

Ethtry PLC (AQSE:ETHY) announced the equity investment and partnership with the Liechtenstein Trust Integrity Network (LTIN). LTIN’s delivers sovereign blockchain infrastructure, offering enterprises regulatory certainty, institutional-grade security and data sovereignty through GDPR-compliant data processing, while operating on 100% renewable energy.

Patrick Chopard, CEO, said: “By positioning Ethtry at the forefront of LTIN’s staking process, we will support the integration of advanced technologies and the development of cross-network capabilities that enhance interoperability.” Read more

Sulnox Group PLC (AQSE:SNOX) announced that it has secured a patent in Vietnam.

Ben Richardson, CEO, commented: “Backed by this timely addition to our intellectual property portfolio, we are excited to lend our expertise, experience and innovation to Vietnam’s green transition. This is a fast growing market within Asia, with a forward-thinking mindset.” Read more

For the latest news and updates from Aquis please visit – https://www.aquis.eu/news

Oil prices moved lower on Monday after gains in the previous session, as signs that unrest in Iran was subsiding reduced fears of a U.S. military response that could disrupt supplies from the key Middle Eastern producer.

Brent crude was trading at $63.85 a barrel at 0734 GMT, down 28 cents, or 0.44%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude for February slipped 36 cents, or 0.61%, to $59.08 a barrel. With the February contract expiring on Tuesday, the more actively traded March contract was down 24 cents, or 0.40%, at $59.10.

Protests in Iran sparked by economic hardship appear to have been brought under control following a violent crackdown that officials say left 5,000 people dead.

U.S. President Donald Trump appeared to soften his earlier stance on intervention, saying on social media that Iran had halted mass executions of protesters, although no such plans were officially announced by Tehran. The remarks helped ease concerns that Washington might launch military action capable of interrupting oil exports from Iran, the fourth-largest producer in OPEC.

The pullback signalled a further retreat from the multi-month highs reached last week, even though prices still ended higher on Friday. At the same time, the repositioning of U.S. military assets toward the Gulf continues to underline lingering geopolitical uncertainty.

“The pullback followed a swift unwind of the ‘Iran premium’ that had driven prices to 12-week highs, triggered by signs of easing in Iran’s crackdown on protesters,” IG market analyst Tony Sycamore said in a note.

He added that the decline was reinforced by U.S. inventory data showing a sizeable build in crude stocks, adding to bearish pressure on the supply side.

U.S. financial markets are closed on Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

Figures released last week by the Energy Information Administration showed U.S. crude inventories increased by 3.4 million barrels in the week ended January 9, compared with expectations in a Reuters poll for a 1.7 million-barrel draw.

Markets are also watching developments in Venezuela after Trump said the United States would take over the country’s oil industry following the capture of Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. energy secretary told Reuters on Friday that Washington is moving quickly to grant Chevron an expanded licence to produce in Venezuela.

However, investors remain cautious about the scope for a rapid ramp-up in Venezuelan output.

“Venezuela and Ukraine remain on the back burner,” said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis firm Vanda Insights.
“Expect rangebound movement for the rest of the day, with U.S. markets closed.”

Separately, government data released Monday showed China’s refinery throughput rose 4.1% year on year in 2025, while crude oil production increased 1.5% from 2024, with both reaching record levels.

Gold prices surged to new all-time highs in Asian trading on Monday, pushing close to $4,700 an ounce, as investors piled into defensive assets following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to impose fresh tariffs on several European countries over his push to gain control of Greenland.

Spot gold rose 1.6% to $4,667.33 an ounce by 02:26 ET (07:26 GMT), after earlier touching a record intraday high of $4,690.75. U.S. gold futures also set a new peak at $4,697.71 an ounce.

Tariff tensions and Fed rate outlook underpin rally

Gold extended last week’s strong advance after Trump said over the weekend that the United States would introduce new tariffs on eight European nations that have opposed Washington’s Greenland proposal.

Under the plan, a 10% tariff would be imposed from 1 February on goods from the affected countries, with the rate rising to 25% in June if no agreement is reached. The countries named include France, Germany and the United Kingdom, along with several Nordic and northern European states.

The announcement drew swift criticism from European officials and reignited fears of a wider transatlantic trade confrontation, prompting investors to seek safety in precious metals.

The geopolitical backdrop has added to a supportive environment for gold, which has already benefited in recent weeks from growing expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates later this year. Softer U.S. economic data and signs that inflation pressures are easing have reinforced bets on policy easing, lowering the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets such as gold.

Silver prices also surged, rising more than 4% to a fresh record high of $94.03 an ounce, buoyed by both safe-haven demand and its importance in industrial uses.

Platinum joined the rally, climbing over 1% to $2,358.69 an ounce, supported by increasing investor interest in physical commodities.

Copper advances on resilient China growth

In the industrial metals space, copper prices moved higher after data showed China’s economy met Beijing’s 5% growth target for 2025, easing concerns about demand from the world’s largest copper consumer.

Benchmark copper futures on the London Metal Exchange gained 0.6% to $12,881.0 a tonne. Copper has also been lifted by the broader rally in physical assets seen toward the end of 2025, as investors position for stronger long-term demand linked to expanding global investment in data centres.

Chinese figures showed that GDP growth in the December quarter came in slightly above expectations, reinforcing confidence in the economy’s resilience — a constructive signal for global copper demand.

However, the data also highlighted an uneven recovery, with exports remaining the primary growth driver while business investment and household spending lagged. This imbalance has kept hopes alive for further stimulus from Beijing, with the People’s Bank of China set to announce a key lending rate decision on Tuesday.