Upstream Share Discussion Threads

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 22:27

Director dealings:
Cohort revealed on Friday that chief executive Andrew Thomis had disposed of 3,792 ordinary shares in the AIM-listed management consultant.

Thomis, who exercised options over 7,978 ordinary shares of 10.0p each earlier in the day, sold the shares on Thursday at an average price of 376.0p each, for a total value of £14,257.92 each.

As a result, Thomis' beneficial interest in shares of the company sits at 253,764, representing 0.61% of the total issued share capital of the company.

As of 1645 BST, Cohort shares were down 4.36% at 776.56p.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com

Top Director Buys

First Tin (1SN)

Director name: Brookes,Charles Cannon

Amount purchased: 1,450,000 @ 675.00p

Value: £9,787,500.00

Entain (ENT)

Director name: Sandler,Ricky

Amount purchased: 372,417 @ 785.00p

Value: £2,923,473.41

First Tin (1SN)

Director name: Scotting,Bill

Amount purchased: 300,000 @ 675.00p

Value: £2,025,000.00

Windar Photonics (WPHO)

Director name: Hodges,Paul

Amount purchased: 75,000 @ 42.00p

Value: £31,500.00



Top Director Sells

Entain (ENT)

Director name: Sandler,Ricky

Amount sold: 372,417 @ 785.00p

Value: £2,923,473.41

Cohort (CHRT)

Director name: Thomis,Andrew Stephen

Amount sold: 4,186 @ 376.00p

Value: £15,739.36

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 21:47

DOW

Finished well up with 450 points

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 17:12

House builders RISING HEAVILY on expectations of interest cut in the US

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 16:48

BREAKOUT

ZPHR 5.20p 0.30p

Has broken UP the last Intraday high at 5.05p, yesterday ready has done the job today
"Zephyr Energy in debt for equity swap

Zephyr Energy PLC - oil and gas company focused on resource development from carbon-neutral operations in the Rocky Mountains region in North America - Announces USD3.88 million debt for equity swap at a price of 4.85 pence per share. Further, says operations at the State 36-2 LNW-CC-R well are progressing as expected. Drilling operations have commenced and is planned to a total depth of 10,362 feet. Chief Executive Colin Harrington says: "We continue to make good progress on the drilling of the State 36-2R well and remain on track to complete the well within our forecast thirty-day period."

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 16:40

How the UPS are performing today





How the UPS are performing during last month

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 16:24

SDX Energy completes drilling operations in Rharb Basin

SDX Energy PLC - London-based energy company with exploration, development and production assets in Egypt and Morocco - Completes drilling operations on the BMK-2 well, located in the Rharb Basin, Morocco. "At 1,265 metres in the Guebbas formation, the well encountered a 9-metre interval, believed to be equivalent to the well's primary target, with strong gas shows up to approximately 100 times background gas readings.

The well was drilled to its total depth of 1,412 metres, and has been left temporarily suspended with a plug set to allow the well to be sidetracked, to the target formation at 1,265 metres, once the required equipment has been mobilised," says SDX.

Current stock price: 3.65 pence

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 16:06

Physiomics warns large contracts taken longer than expected

Physiomics PLC - Milton Park, England-based data science company, focused on new therapeutics and personalised medicine solutions - Warns several large contracts have taken longer than expected to be signed. It predicts total income for the year to June 30 will decline to a range of GBP600,000-GBP650,000 as a result.

It adds: "The company is in the final stages of negotiation for two projects (one with an existing client and one with a potential new client), the total value of which is expected to be, in aggregate, approximately GBP350,000. Whilst the board anticipates that the contracts for these two projects will be signed in FY24, the majority of the revenue is now expected be recognised in the company's next financial year ending 30 June 2025, and accordingly the board's expectations for FY25 revenues have been correspondingly increased."

Chief Executive Officer Pete Sargent says: "Whilst we are clearly disappointed that the execution of these two large contracts has been delayed, we have a high level of confidence that they will be signed before the end of this financial year."

Current stock price: 1.24 pence per share, down 17% Friday afternoon in London

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 14:52

DOW

Opening well up with 507 points

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 14:11

Argo Blockchain PLC April Operational Update
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM / ACCESSWIRE / May 3, 2024 / Argo Blockchain plc (LSE:ARB)(Nasdaq:ARBK), a global leader in cryptocurrency mining, is pleased to provide the following operational update for April 2024.

During the month of April, the Company mined 99 Bitcoin, or 3.3 Bitcoin per day (March 2024 - 103 Bitcoin). Daily Bitcoin production in April remained the same as the prior month despite the Bitcoin halving occurring on 19 April 2024. This is primarily due to a temporary but significant spike in transaction fees in the days immediately following the halving.

Mining revenue in April 2024 amounted to $6.6 million, a decrease of 6% compared to the prior month (March 2024: $7.0 million).

As of 30 April 2024, the Company held digital assets worth the equivalent of 12 Bitcoin.

Grant of Equity Awards

On 9 March 2024, the Company granted 7,372,184 Restricted Stock Units ("RSUs") to certain employees in accordance with the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan approved by shareholders at the Company's 2022 Annual General Meeting. The RSUs vest over a three-year period, with first vesting occurring six months from the date of grant (at which point 6/36ths vest) and, thereafter, the RSUs vest at a rate of 3/36th per quarter for the remainder of the vesting period subject to the continued employment of the grantee.

On 9 March 2024, the Company also granted 172,867 Performance Stock Units ("PSUs") to certain employees in accordance with the 2022 Equity Incentive Plan approved by shareholders at the Company's 2022 Annual General Meeting. The PSUs vest over a three-year period, with first vesting occurring six months from the date of grant (at which point 6/36ths vest) and, thereafter, the PSUs vest at a rate of 3/36th per quarter for the remainder of the vesting period subject to the continued employment of the grantee and satisfaction of the corresponding performance conditions.

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 09:18

This will be my last post this morning I am getting ready for a meeting.

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 09:01

MARKET REPORT
LONDON MARKET OPEN: Confident start before US jobs data

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London opened higher on Friday, on the rising conviction that the afternoon's US jobs report will be softer, cooling some hawkish Federal Reserve interest rate expectations.

The FTSE 100 index rose 20.31 points, 0.2%, at 8,192.46. The FTSE 250 edged up 14.81 points, 0.1%, to 20,067.14, and the AIM All-Share rose 1.54 points, 0.2%, at 769.65.

The Cboe UK 100 was up 0.2% at 818.09, the Cboe UK 250 added 0.2% to 17,375.23, and the Cboe Small Companies was up 0.1% at 15,796.01.

The CAC 40 in Paris rose 0.1%. The DAX 40 in Frankfurt added 0.3%.

The pound was quoted at USD1.2549 early Friday, up from USD1.2487 late Thursday. The euro stood at USD1.0732, rising from USD1.0690. Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JPY153.19, down from JPY154.05.

In Hong Kong on Friday, the Hang Seng was up 1.4% in late trade. The S&P/ASX 200 ended 0.6% higher. Financial markets in Shanghai and Tokyo were closed for public holidays.

In New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.9% on Thursday. The S&P 500 rose 0.9% also, while the Nasdaq Composite shot up 1.5%.

Friday's US jobs report is expected to show nonfarm payrolls rose 243,000 last month, according to FXStreet cited consensus, easing from 303,000 in March.

"This will be an important release for the Fed as well, since the resilience in the labour market has enabled them to keep the focus on inflation. Indeed, the March report showed nonfarm payrolls rise by a 10-month high of 303,000, whilst the three-month average growth was at a 12-month high of 276,000. However, even as the nonfarm payrolls numbers have been strong, other indicators have pointed to growing weakness in the labour market, and this week's JOLTS report for March showed that both job openings and the quits rate were down to their lowest in over three years," analysts at Deutsche Bank commented.

SPI Asset Management analyst Stephen Innes said Fed Chair Jerome Powell may have let the "NFP cat out of the bag" with his dovish post-decision press conference on Wednesday.

"Remember, folks, this is less about inflation and more about jobs after Chair Powell, in no uncertain terms, noted that a material weakening in the labour market could precipitate rate cuts even if inflation were to remain relatively sticky and moderately elevated," Innes added.

Apple shares rose 6.0% in after hours trade on Thursday, after the tech firm announced a new USD110 billion share buyback programme.

The Cupertino, California-based firm reported its second quarter results, ended March 30.

Net sales fell to USD90.75 billion from USD94.84 billion a year earlier. Net income fell to USD23.64 billion from USD24.16 billion.

Over the first six months of its financial year, net sales fell to USD210.33 billion from USD211.99 billion a year earlier. Net income rose to USD57.55 billion from USD54.16 billion.

On the back of the results, Apple declared a cash dividend of USD0.25 per share, up 4% annually. The company has also authorised a USD110 billion buyback programme.

In London, Trainline shares shot up 7.3%. It reported expectation-beating revenue, and said net ticket sales came in at the top end of its guidance range.

The travel ticketing platform also announced a new share buyback.

Revenue in the year ended February 29 rose 21% to GBP396.7 million, from GBP327.1 million. Revenue topped the "previous guidance range". Pretax profit jumped to GBP48.1 million from GBP22.1 million.

Net ticket sales were up 22% on-year to GBP5.30 billion, at the top end of its previous guidance range.

Chief Executive Officer Jody Ford commented: "New entrant carrier competition is revolutionising rail in Europe as more customers benefit from greater choice, lower prices and the opportunity to choose greener travel. We are becoming the aggregator of choice in the UK and internationally and are delivering strong growth, particularly in those markets liberalising fastest such as Spain."

For the new financial year, it predicts net ticket sales growth of 8%-12%, and revenue to rise between 7%-11%.

Trainline announced a GBP75.0 million share buyback programme. It recently completed a GBP50.0 million buyback which kicked off in September.

On AIM, chartered surveyor firm Fletcher King jumped 20%. It reported a "strong second half business performance", a turnaround from the more "cautionary business outlook" it gave back in December.

Revenue for the year ended April 30 "is now expected to be materially higher than management expectations". Pretax profit is expected to be between two and three times higher than the GBP192,000 it reported for the prior year.

Angle surged 16%. It said it has struck a deal with AstraZeneca to develop a "Parsortix-based androgen receptor" detection assay to be used in prostate cancer studies. Medical diagnostics provider Angle said the deal is worth GBP550,000.

"Assay development will take place in the Angle's UK laboratories, with project completion expected in Q1 2025. A successful development phase will demonstrate the importance of the Parsortix system in assessing the efficacy of prostate cancer therapeutics and offers the potential for long-term, ongoing business for the company supporting clinical studies," it said.

Parsortix is a liquid biopsy treatment.

Angle added: "Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men with 1.5 million new cases diagnosed globally each year and 5 million men living with prostate cancer (5-year prevalence). The androgen receptor plays a pivotal role in prostate cancer tumour growth and progression with anti-androgen therapy frequently given as first-line treatment."

Brent oil was quoted at USD83.99 a barrel early Friday, up from USD83.40 at the time of the London equities close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at USD2,299.63 an ounce, down from USD2,303.10.

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 08:57

Warpaint London raises £31.5m in upsized placing

(Sharecast News) - Warpaint London concluded an upsized placing of seven million shares on Friday, raising £31.5m in a bid to broaden its shareholder base and position it for future growth.

The AIM-traded cosmetics firm said the placing, at a price of 450p per share, was originally set at six million shares when announced on Thursday.

It was subsequently increased to seven million shares during the accelerated bookbuild to accommodate high demand.

The board said the placing shares now represented 9.06% of its current issued share capital.

Post-placing, chief executive officer Samuel Bazini and managing director Eoin Macleod would retain 20.64% of the company's issued share capital each, holding 15.95 million shares, subject to a lock-up period of 12 months following completion of the placing.

Warpaint said the move aimed to increase its free float and broaden its shareholder base, positioning it for future growth opportunities.

At 0803 BST, shares in Warpaint London were down 0.52% at 475p.

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 08:38

Something is not working in this country?
Something is wrong with the LSE? it looks like LSE has put the prices Companies pay for being on the main market, so the CO could ask to double his salary. Too many GREEDY B@stards in this World.....

[master rsi] 03/5/2024 08:25

FTSE

Another rise from the start with 25 points

[master rsi] 02/5/2024 23:42

GGP 5.85p -0.10p

It did not manage to break the downtrend on the last rise once again, so is on a retrace of 38.25 so far, the 50 or 61.8% Fibonacci is normal.

[master rsi] 02/5/2024 23:01

MARKET REPORT
LONDON MARKET CLOSE: FTSE 100 gets boost from StanChart, Smurfit Kappa

(Alliance News) - The FTSE 100 was firmly in the green on Thursday, with Standard Chartered and Smurfit Kappa leading the charge.

The FTSE 100 index closed up 50.91 points, 0.6%, at 8,172.15. The FTSE 250 ended up 125.74 points, 0.6%, at 20,052.33, and the AIM All-Share closed up 3.13 points, 0.4%, at 768.11.

The Cboe UK 100 ended up 0.6% at 816.16, the Cboe UK 250 closed up 0.7% at 17,347.81, and the Cboe Small Companies ended up 0.1% at 15,780.11.

In European equities on Thursday, the CAC 40 in Paris ended down 0.9%, while the DAX 40 in Frankfurt ended down 0.2%.

"The chair of the Federal Reserve Jerome Powell gave with one hand and took away with the other from a market perspective," said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.

The US central bank left interest rates unchanged on Wednesday, but flagged a "lack of progress" towards its inflation target. In a widely expected move, the Federal Reserve kept its benchmark borrowing rate in a targeted range between 5.25% to 5.50%.

Powell downplayed fears that the next move on interest rates could be upwards, suggesting policy will prove restrictive enough to lower inflation. However, he also dashed hopes for a near-term rate cut, noting it was taking longer to gain confidence that inflation was on track to hit the central bank's 2% target.

In economic news Thursday, US initial jobless claims were lower than expected in the week just gone, numbers showed.

According to the Department of Labor, initial claims for unemployment benefits in the week to April 27 amounted to 208,000, unchanged from a week prior. The prior reading was upwardly revised slightly from 207,000.

The latest figure was below the FXStreet cited consensus of 212,000.

Figures from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, meanwhile, showed the US goods and services trade deficit narrowed slightly in March. The deficit amounted to USD69.4 billion in March, easing slightly from USD69.5 billion in February.

Stocks in New York were higher at the London equities close, with the DJIA up 0.5%, the S&P 500 index up 0.4%, and the Nasdaq Composite up 0.7%.

The pound was quoted at USD1.2487 at the London equities close Thursday, unchanged from the close on Wednesday.

The euro stood at USD1.0690 at the European equities close Thursday, higher against USD1.0679 at the same time on Wednesday.

Against the yen, the dollar was trading at JPY154.05, down compared to JPY157.72 late Wednesday.

In the FTSE 100, Standard Chartered rose 8.8%.

The London-based, Asia-focused bank reported operating income of USD5.13 billion in the first quarter, a 13% increase from USD4.56 billion.

Pretax profit rose 5.9% to USD1.91 billion from USD1.81 billion, beating the company-compiled market consensus of USD1.39 billion.

The firm reaffirmed its previous guidance for 2024 as a whole. It plans to return "at least" USD5 billion to shareholders over 2024 to 2026, with its RoTE, or return on tangible equity, to "increase steadily" from 10% towards a 12% target by 2026.

Smurfit Kappa jumped 5.8%.

The Dublin-based packaging maker said revenue in the first quarter fell 10% to EUR2.7 billion from EUR3.00 billion a year prior.

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation fell 16% to EUR487 million from EUR579 million. Analysts at Jefferies said Ebitda was 12% ahead of its EUR433 million forecast.

In the FTSE 250, Moneysupermarket.com rose 4.8%, after it said it will change its corporate holding company name to Mony Group.

The Chester, England-based price comparison website said this reflects how the group has evolved in recent years to "become the UK's leading listed tech-based savings platform".

Amongst London's small-caps, Reach jumped 9.0%.

The newspaper, magazine and digital publisher said it is on track to deliver on its full-year expectations, despite revenue falling in the first quarter of 2024.

"We have set the business up to succeed - the decision to take cost action early, alongside the continued implementation of the customer value strategy is delivering a growing yield performance and driving results. This gives me confidence that we can continue to navigate current market conditions," said Chief Executive Officer Jim Mullen.

Brent oil was quoted at USD83.40 a barrel at the London equities close Thursday, down from USD83.78 late Wednesday.

Gold was quoted at USD2,303.10 an ounce at the London equities close Thursday, down against USD2,308.30 at the close on Wednesday.

In Friday's UK corporate calendar, there are full year results from Trainline. There are trading statements from InterContinental Hotels and Mondi.

The economic calendar for Friday has unemployment data from the eurozone

[master rsi] 02/5/2024 21:57

DOW

Finishing 322 points higher

[master rsi] 02/5/2024 16:39

How the UPS are performing today





How the UPS are performing during last month

[master rsi] 02/5/2024 16:14

International Personal Finance shares up as company starts 2024 strong

(Alliance News) - International Personal Finance PLC on Thursday said it was confident in its progress in the year so far, despite a downturn in Poland as the company adapts to changing lending regulations.

The Leeds-based financial services company said a "strong first quarter performance" had driven optimism that the company would deliver on its financial plan in 2024.

Customer lending growth reached 5% in the quarter, excluding Poland.

Closing net receivables excluding Poland grew 11% year-on-year to GBP865 million.

Lending and receivables in IPF's home credit and digital businesses in Poland saw a decline of 21% and 32%, respectively.

IPF said the downturn in Poland is the result of business restructuring efforts, in response to "the lower non-interest cap for instalment loans introduced in late 2022 as well as enhanced affordability regulations introduced in 2023".