Shearwater an early riser on the back of contract win

CyanConnode Holdings PLC (LON:CYAN) slipped 5% to 8.5p in the afternoon after a non-executive director increased his stake.

David Johns-Powell now owns 10.22% of the tech firm, from 9.61% previously.

He joined the board in July 2018 and is also a professional investor.

2.50pm: Gaming Realms in demand after securing provisional supplier licence in Michigan

Gaming Realms PLC (LON:GMR) motored 23% higher to 27.4p after it was awarded a provisional iGaming supplier licence in the US as it focuses on efforts to expand its presence in the country.

The licence will allow the developer and licensor of mobile bingo games to provide its Slingo Originals game content to online casino operators in Michigan once iGaming is approved to go live by the authorities, which is expected to happen imminently.

“We are delighted to have obtained our provisional iGaming license in Michigan, which presents a larger player market than New Jersey, where the group operates at present”, executive chairman Michael Buckley said in a statement.

11.55am: Tremor International a touch lower after progressing with share buyback programme

Tremor International Ltd (LON:TRMR) shed 5% to 367.12p at midday after announcing it bought back 25,060 shares at a market price of 377.3p on Tuesday.

It was a 1% premium to Monday’s closing price.

The advertising-technology company said the shares acquired through the buyback programme will be reclassified as dormant shares under the Israeli Companies Law (without any rights attached thereon) and will be held in treasury.

11am: Rockfire Resources in demand after doubling potential copper resources at fully-owned Australian project

Rockfire Resources PLC (LON:ROCK) surged 12% to 1.06p in late morning after a recent survey doubled the footprint of potential copper mineralisation at the Copperhead project in Australia.

Planned work at Copperhead, which is entirely owned by Rockfire, over the next six months includes detailed prospect-scale mapping and soil/rock sampling within the expanded target area, with subsequent drilling.

The miner noted that the price of copper has rocketed 72% in the last nine months, reaching US$7,964 per tonne in December.

9.45am: Microsaic Systems tumbles after noting share price movement

Microsaic Systems PLC (LON:MSYS) tumbled 23% to 0.25p in mid-morning after noting the increase in its share price during recent trading.

The mass spectrometry instruments firm said there is no new information required to be disclosed since the announcement last month, when it said that KRE Corporate Recovery Limited was appointed to explore options to maximise value for creditors and potentially other stakeholders.

“As stated in that announcement, there can be no certainty of any transaction being concluded nor as to the terms on which any form of transaction would occur,” the company said.

In the retail sector, Topps Tiles PLC (LON:TPT) dipped 1% to 57p after admitting that sales will be hit during the new lockdown, while trading margins will be under pressure due to the extra costs of delivering online orders.

Tiles and associated products are building materials so can continue to be sold under the building supplies exemption, but stores will have to remain closed for browsing, so customers can only access the trade counter or buy online.

As of December 26, 2020, Topps had adjusted net cash of GBP28.5mln after repaying GBP5mln loaned by the government, so now it is debt-free.

8.45am: Shearwater an early riser on the back of contract win

Shearwater Group PLC (LON:SWG) rose 3% to 159p in early trading on Wednesday after its group company Brookcourt Solutions secured a five-year supply agreement with a global fashion retailer, headquartered in New York.

Brookcourt will deliver a secure ID-authenticated printing solution as well as a 12 month maintenance and service contract, for use within ten European countries across 17 sites.

The value of the first contract is GBP860,000, of which the majority is expected to be recognised in the current full year.

Elsewhere, Seeing Machines Limited (LON:SEE) advanced 7% to 7.36p after signing a licence agreement for its Occula neural processing unit with digital imaging solutions firm OmniVision Technologies.

The AIM-listed firm, which designs artificial intelligence-powered operator monitoring systems, said the agreement represents the first execution of a silicon licence for Occula, which allows the development of low-cost, high-performance edge-AI to power future human-machine interfaces.

Seeing Machines will work with OmniVision to deliver “optimised, highly integrated solutions to the global Driver and Occupant Monitoring System markets, leveraging existing and new customers globally”.

Proactive news headlines:

Gaming Realms PLC (LON:GMR) said it has been awarded a provisional iGaming supplier licence by the Michigan Gaming Control Board (GCB) as it focuses on efforts to expand its presence in the US. The developer and licensor of mobile bingo games said the licence will allow it to provide its Slingo Originals game content to online casino operators in the state once iGaming is approved to go live by the GCB, which is expected to happen imminently.

88 Energy Ltd (LON:88E) has told investors it is advancing “full steam ahead” towards the spudding of the planned Merlin exploration well in the Project Peregrine project area, Alaska. The explorer confirmed the completion of a snow road and said that rig construction is now underway. Spudding is on track to take place in ‘mid to late February’.

Seeing Machines Limited (LON:SEE) said it has signed a licence agreement for its Occula neural processing unit with digital imaging solutions firm OmniVision Technologies. The AIM-listed firm, which designs artificial intelligence-powered operator monitoring systems, said the agreement represents the first execution of a silicon licence for Occula, which allows the development of low-cost, high-performance edge-AI to power future human-machine interfaces. Seeing Machines added that it will work with OmniVision to deliver “optimised, highly integrated solutions to the global Driver and Occupant Monitoring System markets, leveraging existing and new customers globally”.

TomCo Energy PLC (LON:TOM) has told investors that operations are now underway for the Greenfield Energy venture’s POSP restart project. The company confirmed that the mining operation started on January 4, 2021, and oil sand baring ore will start being processed at the POSP facility by the end of this week. It noted that the POSP will be ramped-up during January and February, meanwhile, all other elements of the project remain as previously announced.

Bahamas Petroleum Company PLC (LON:BPC) has been cleared to continue drilling the Perseverance-1 exploration well offshore Bahamas. The company noted that in a court hearing Justice Petra Hanna-Weekes refused to grant any orders that would affect Bahamas Petroleum’s current operations. At the same time, she granted the application by environmentalists which seek leave to bring judicial review proceedings in respect of various decisions taken by the Government of The Bahamas in relation to Bahamas Petroleum’s licences. Bahamas Petroleum chief executive Simon Potter described it as a “very positive outcome” for the company.

Advanced Oncotherapy PLC (LON:AVO) has entered into a financing agreement that is designed to ensure its cancer therapy is more widely available as it looks to ‘democratise’ the proton beam treatment. A deal with vendor financing specialist DiaMedCare covering projects in Europe and the US will provide smaller clinics with the option of acquiring the technology on flexible terms. DiaMedCare will acquire AVO’s LIGHT systems and lease them back to customers that are commissioning the new compact LIGHT systems. It will also be able to bridge manufacturing costs until delivery to customers, Advanced Oncotherapy added.

Clipper Logistics PLC (LON:CLG) said it experienced “unprecedented levels of activity” in its logistics operations in both the UK and continental Europe over the Black Friday and Christmas trading periods. In a trading update, the firm said that over November and December revenues for its logistics business were 50% higher year-on-year, with “strong growth” in both its e-commerce and non e-fulfilment services, continuing what Clipper said was a strong performance in the first half of its financial year. The company also noted that it has fulfilled its one-billionth item of personal protective equipment (PPE) ordered online through a portal established with eBay in spring last year, adding that the service has now been beyond local health care providers including GP surgeries and nursing homes to educational and other communal establishments.

Open Orphan PLC (LON:ORPH) said a top-three global pharmaceuticals company has renewed its contract with the group’s Venn Life Sciences division until the end of the year. The team in the Breda office, in the Netherlands, will provide chemistry, manufacturing and control consultancy (CMC) services to one of the client’s vaccine development programmes.

Silence Therapeutics PLC (LON:SLN) (NASDAQ:SLN) has announced the appointment of Craig Tooman as the company’s chief financial officer (CFO) and member of the Executive Leadership Team, effective immediately. The company, a leader in the discovery, development and delivery of novel short interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) therapeutics for the treatment of diseases with significant unmet medical need, noted that Tooman has a successful career in the biopharmaceutical industry spanning more than 30 years, including 15 years of experience as a public company CFO. Most recently, he was CFO and COO at Vyome Therapeutics, and prior to this was CFO and then CEO of Aratana Therapeutics where he successfully negotiated a merger with Elanco. In a separate statement, Silence Therapeutics also announced that Dr Michael H. Davidson has joined its board as a non-executive director.

Destiny Pharma PLC (LON:DEST) has announced the appointment of Dr Stephanie Bewick as its chief business officer. The clinical-stage innovative biotechnology company, which is focused on the development of novel medicines that can prevent life-threatening infections, noted that Dr Bewick brings 20 years’ experience in business development at public and private biotech companies as well as mid-sized pharma, both in-house and as a consultant. Most recently, she was vice president, Business Development at Summit Therapeutics, a NASDAQ-listed infectious disease company, leading the out-licensing and in-licensing activities, pipeline positioning and technology valuation. She holds a BSc (Hons) Neuroscience from the University of Edinburgh and a PhD from the University of Bristol.

Personal Group Holdings PLC (LON:PGH) said it has appointed interim chief financial officer Sarah Mace to the position on a permanent basis with immediate effect. Mace was appointed as interim CFO of the employee services group in October after joining the firm as financial controller and company secretary in 2014.

Power Metal Resources PLC (LON:POW), the AIM-listed metals exploration and development company announced that it has received notices to exercise warrants over 15,747,400 new ordinary shares of 0.1p each at an exercise price of 1.0p per ordinary share; the exercise of 6,250,000 warrants at an exercise price of 0.7p per ordinary share; and the exercise of 5,500,000 warrants at an exercise price of 0.75p per ordinary share. Subscription monies of GBP124,974 have been received by Power Metal in respect of these exercises.

Oracle Power PLC (LON:ORCP), the AIM-listed natural resources and power project developer, announced that it has received a conversion notice from the investors in respect of a further GBP100,000 of the GBP1.5mln share subscription announced on the 9 July 2020. Accordingly, under the conversion, the company will issue, in aggregate, 21,820,720 new ordinary shares of 0.1p each in the capital of the company to the Investors. Following the conversion, GBP700,000 remains outstanding for conversion under the share subscription.

Jubilee Metals Group PLC (LON:JLP), the AIM and Altx traded metals processing company announced that it has received notification from a holder to exercise 19 417 476 existing warrants of the company, representing 0.9 % of the enlarged issued share capital of Jubilee at a price of 3.375p (68.92 rand cents) each. The exercise of warrant shares amounts, in aggregate, to a cash value of GBP655,340 (13,382,039 rand).

European Metals Holdings Limited (LON:EMH) (ASX:EMH) (NASDAQ:ERPNF) said it has issued 1,463,734 new ordinary shares (represented by Depository Interests or DI’s) in the company at a price of AS72.42 cents per DI in relation to the full drawdown of the fund facility agreement with 6466 Investments Pty Ltd as announced on December 31, 2020. The funds will be used to assist in funding new initiatives and ongoing operations.

Primary Health Properties PLC (LON:PHP) said that, further to its announcement on January 4, 2021, in relation to the general meeting to approve a proposed management internalisation, the company has announced that the transaction has completed. Accordingly, Harry Hyman (formerly managing director) has been appointed as chief executive officer, Richard Howell (formerly finance director) has been appointed as chief financial officer, and Paul Wright has been appointed as company secretary in place of Nexus Management Services Limited.

ReNeuron Group PLC (LON:RENE), a UK-based global leader in the development of cell-based therapeutics, said it would host a conference call for analysts at 10.00am GMT on Wednesday, January 6, 2021, to discuss the company’s recent half-year results, fundraising and outlook for the year ahead. A recorded webcast of the analyst conference call, including investor presentation slides, will be made available during the afternoon of January 6, 2021, at this link: https://webcasting.buchanan.uk.com/broadcast/5fd23c59ca22cd76f9d3c662. The recorded webcast will also be made available at the investor centre of ReNeuron’s website: http://www.reneuron.com/investors/investor-centre/.

Crossword Cybersecurity PLC (LON:CCS), the technology commercialisation company focused on cybersecurity and risk management, has announced that its first webinar panel discussion for 2021, following the success of its 2020 series, will take place on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at 3.00pm GMT. “Cyber Security: skills shortage, automation deficit or poor hiring practices – what’s the reality?” will bring together academics, customers and industry professionals to discuss one of the biggest challenges in the industry. The discussion will be chaired by Dr Robert Nowill, executive chair of the board at The Cyber Security Challenge, with a panel including Amanda Finch, CEO at The Chartered Institute of Information Security; Darren Argyle, CISRO at Standard Chartered Bank; and Stuart Jubb, managing director for Crossword Cybersecurity’s consulting division. Investors can register for this informative and lively webinar here: https://app.livestorm.co/crossword-cybersecurity-plc/cyber-security-skills-shortage-or-automation-deficit-whats-the-reality

Amryt Limited (LON:AMYT) (NASDAQ:AMYT), a global, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing and commercializing novel therapeutics to treat patients suffering from serious and life-threatening rare diseases said it will participate in the virtual H.C. Wainwright BioConnect 2021 Conference to be held January 11-14, 2021. A webcast of Amryt’s presentation will be available on-demand from 6.00am EST on Monday, January 11, 2021, and can be accessed via the following link: https://journey.ct.events/view/15a39863-6e27-42a0-b9b8-d659b8c751c6