UK SMALLCAP ROUNDUP: Kefi Minerals Clinches Two Saudi Exploration Licenses

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KEFI MINERALS PLC (KEFI.LN), a gold and copper miner, said Wednesday it has been granted two exploration licenses in Saudi Arabia through the Gold & Minerals joint venture, in which it has a 40% interest.

The Hikyrin and Hikyrin South licenses are located in the Central Arabian gold region of Saudi Arabia and have been granted for five years. The company said it would immediately commence surface exploration programs on both areas.

At 0903 GMT shares +0.08 pence, or 1.9%, at 4.125 pence.

VERNALIS PLC (VER.LN), a U.K. drug developer, said it has signed a drug discovery collaboration with Roche Holding AG's (ROG.VX) unit Genentech.

The company didn't give any financial details of the collaboration which will use Vernalis' drug discovery platform against an undisclosed target.

Shares +1 pence, or 5.1%, at 20.75 pence.

DS SMITH PLC (SMDS.LN), a recycled packaging firm, said that Chairman Peter Johnson has decided to retire and has resigned from the board of the company with immediate effect.

DS Smith said Johnson will be replaced on a permanent basis by Gareth Davis, who has been acting chairman since October. Davis was previously chief executive at Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and is current chairman of both Wolseley PLC (WOS.LN) and William Hill PLC (WMH.LN).

Shares -4.3 pence, or 2.1%, at 201.8 pence.

DOMINO'S PIZZA UK & IRL PLC (DOM.LN), the pizza delivery firm, said its sales increased by 9.5% in the last quarter of 2011 compared with the same period last year, reflecting continued growth in online sales, notably from mobile devices.

The company said the strong fourth-quarter sales performance meant it would deliver full-year results in line with market expectations. In December, a survey of seven analysts forecast a 2011 pretax profit of GBP42.1 million, according to FactSet.

Shares +14.8 pence, or 3.6%, at 428.6 pence.

AVANTI COMMUNICATIONS GROUP PLC (AVN.LN), a broadband-by-satellite provider, said it is on course to sell out the capacity on its second satellite within its five-year target as it announced a further $7.3 million five-year contract.

Avanti has sold the capacity on the HYLAS 2 satellite, which is due to launch in the second quarter of 2012 and will provide coverage to high-growth markets in the Middle East and Africa to Insat GmbH.

Shares +13.5 pence, or 4.5%, at 315 pence.

BBA AVIATION PLC (BBA.LN), a flight services provider, said it has bought Alabama, U.S.-based airport operator Azalea Aviation for as much as $27.3 million in cash.

BBA also said it has bought 95% of flight services firm Arrindell Aviation, based in St. Maarten, Caribbean, for $7.8 million in cash.

Shares -0.3 pence, or 0.2%, at180.4 pence.

FTSE Small-Cap -0.2%

AIM +0.03%

-By Peter Evans and Tommy Stubbington, Dow Jones Newswires; [phone]; [e-mail]