BPC.L Share News (BPC)

LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are amongst the biggest risers and fallers within the main London indices midday Monday.
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FTSE 100 WINNERS
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SABMiller, up 1.9%. A group of South American billionaires is understood to be considering making a GBP75 billion bid for the brewer, the Daily Mail's This is Money reported on Saturday. 3G Capital, a secretive investment firm run by a group of Brazilian investors, is also believed to have been studying whether it could be part of a consortium to bid for SABMiller which could include Anheuser-Busch InBev, the maker of Budweiser and Stella Artois, the Mail said, citing City sources. However, a note issued by Nomura says simply: "We are sceptical."
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FTSE 100 LOSERS
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AstraZeneca, down 1.4%. The pharmaceutical company said a US court has ruled its patent on its Pulmicort Repsules asthma treatment invalid, but said the decision will not impact its guidance for 2015. The group said the decision does not impact on the validity of its patents for the product in other countries.

Rolls-Royce Holdings, down 0.7%. The aerospace group has become embroiled in the multibillion-dollar bribery and kickback scandal involving Brazilian state-controlled oil company Petrobras, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Rolls-Royce, which makes gas turbines used in Petrobras's oil platforms, is alleged to have paid bribes via an agent in exchange for a USD100 million contract under a scheme believed to have been in operation for much of the past decade, the FT said, citing statements made by a former Petrobras executive.
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FTSE 250 WINNERS
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Jimmy Choo, up 5.5%. HSBC has raised the luxury shoemaker's rating to Overweight from Neutral, and its price target to 205 pence from 190p.

Melrose Industries, up 2.4%. Goldman has lifted its recommendation for the company to Conviction Buy from Neutral.
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FTSE 250 LOSERS
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Hunting, down 8.8%. The energy services group said it is possible that some its businesses will report growth in the year ahead, while others will be affected by the wider sector downturn. The energy services group said the early part of 2015 has seen the global energy industry reset its expenditure and profitability expectations in light of the anticipation of sustained lower prices for oil and gas. Expenditure estimates for the company's customers for the current year continue to evolve rapidly in light of changing oil prices, it said. "Hunting does not believe that it is appropriate at this stage to provide financial guidance for 2015," it said.

Fidessa Group, down 2.6%. The financial trading systems company reported a fall in profit for 2014, exacerbated by the strength of sterling, its reporting currency, but upped its annual dividend by 3% to 38.1 pence per share and kept its special dividend flat at 45.0 pence, while the group also said it expects a gradual increase in its growth rate in 2015.
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AIM ALL-SHARE WINNERS
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Red Emperor Resources, up 43%. The group said it is in advanced talks with a number of projects as more opportunities become available due to the fall in the price of oil. In a statement, Red Emperor said its current cash position is in excess of AUD10 million, following the sale of its direct equity investment in Highfield Resources Ltd.

Tri-Star Resources, up 27%. The company said Oman-based Strategic & Precious Metals Processing has signed a financing deal with local lender Bank Nizwa. Tri-Star owns a 40% stake in Strategic & Precious Metals Processing. The financing deal comprises a USD40 million Shariah-compliant facility which will back the Oman antimony roaster project which Strategic & Precious Metals Processing is heading.

Bahamas Petroleum Co, up 18%. The oil company said analysis on three historical wells in the Bahamas demonstrates the presence of an active petroleum system within the site and said its first exploration well has been re-engineered, cutting exploration costs substantially.

JQW, up 17%. The group said its revenue for 2014 will be ahead of market expectations. JQW said revenue for the year to the end of December was around CNY784 million, up from the CNY490 million reported a year earlier. Pretax profit for the year is expected to be around CNY212 million, up from CNY170 million last year.

Plant Impact, up 10%. The company, which makes speciality nutrition products for crops, said it has signed a further agreement with Bayer CropScience to develop yield enhancing technologies for soy cultivation. Under the deal, Bayer CropScience will make payments to Plant Impact of up to USD9 million, comprising an initial USD3 million payment and up to USD6 million based on a range of milestones being achieved.
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AIM ALL-SHARE LOSERS
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ANGLE, off 12% at 74.00p. The company's shares are down after it launched a discounted share placing to raise GBP7.3 million, along with a further share offer to raise another GBP1.5 million. ANGLE said it has raised GBP7.3 million via the placing of 10.3 million shares and a subscription for a further 901,000, both at 65 pence per share.

Mwana Africa, down 9.1%. The company reported drops in gold and nickel production in the final quarter of 2014. Mwana said its gold production at the Freda Rebecca project in Zimbabwe dropped 14% in the three months to the end of December, its financial third quarter, to 14,298 ounces from 16,555 ounces in the second quarter.

By Daniel Ruiz; danielruiz@alliancenews.com

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