K3 Business Technology Group Share News (KBT)

Cruise operator All Leisure Group pointed to the recession, currency movements and fuel costs as it posted a fall in pre-tax profits in the year to October 2009 to £2.6m from £9.1m the previous year as revenues climbed to £73.6m from £67.5m.Shares in Archial jumped after the UK and Asia-focused architect said it looks forward to the future with confidence despite a tough 2009. Revenue for 2009 will be about £33m, a year-on-year decrease of about 20%, but strong compared with the broader sector, the firm said.Recycling container supplier Straight said it expects to post a pre-tax profit in line with expectations for 2009 after seeing an 11% increase in revenues.Shares in Fijian gold producer Vatukoula shone after it said drilling at its exploration programme had identified multiple mineralised structures. Leni Gas & Oil saw production drop in December as planned development works in both Spain and the Gulf of Mexico restricted full production capacity by 60%.Direct and indirect monthly production totalled 10,125 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) at an average 338boe per day, down from November’s 12,001 boe and 401 boepd average. But executive chairman David Lenigas said January production should be higher than last month.IT solutions groups K3 that trading for the 12 months to 31 December was in line with market expectations, supported by high levels of predictable income from software licence renewals and maintenance income. It also says the level of new business wins has been ‘very encouraging’, with both the retail software division and manufacturing software unit closing a ‘significant’ number of contracts.Oil and gas firm Oilex tumbled Monday after it found no commercial oil at the Lolotoe-1 well in the Timor Sea between northwest Australia and Indonesia. But the group has over 20 further prospects in the JPDA 06-103 contract area with the potential to host significant oil reserves.Tests have shown that optimum recoveries of 90% at Shanta Gold’s Chunya project in southern Tanzania. It added that a recently discovered surface rubble zone at the Luika site within the Chuya orebody is estimated to contain 17,000 ounces of gold with a maximum leach recovery of 93%.Shares in toy maker Cassidy Brothers jumped by a quarter as it doubled its to 2p per share and reported good sales in the run-up to Christmas. Sales in the six months to end October jumped 46% to £3.03m, with interim profits up from £274,000 to £335,000. The result has been achieved by a general increase in UK sales across the range, and the purchase of the toy Kenwood food mixer by De Longhi Appliances SRL as a European promotional sales incentive, Cassidy said. The UK toy market has seen some significant sales increases from the independent regional stores, cash and carry's, and smaller retailers, supplied very often by wholesalers. The sales from our wholesale group customers have seen an increase of over 50%, it added.Ceramic Fuel Cells has sold its first BlueGen power and heating units in Europe, to leading German utility EWE, which has ordered three BlueGen units for delivery in Q2 and Q3 2010. EWE will install and operate the BlueGen units in EWE facilities and family homes in the North West of Germany. Scientific Digital Imaging lifted sales by 7% to £3.42m (2008: £3.19m) in the six months to 31 October 2009, despite the gloomy economic environment. Operating profit reduced to £75,000(2008: £270,000); the reduction was a consequence of currency exchange movements between the periods of £142,000 and increased investment in the group's future. Basic earnings per share were 0.69p and fully diluted 0.60p (2008: 1.37p in both cases). Hardy Oil & Gas has recommenced production at its PY-3 field on the CY-OS 90/1 block in the Cauvery Basin in India, having completed repairs on the loading hose.‘We now plan to embark on the full field development of the PY-3 field to enhance production and realise the field's full potential, subject to partner approval, by the first quarter of 2011,’ said Yogeshwar Sharma, chief operating officer of Hardy.Oakley Capital Investments saw net asset value per share end 2009 in the range of 137p t o142p, an increase of 26% on the year.The company, which was established to provide investors with access to the investment strategy being pursued by Oakley Capital Private Equity Limited Partnership, had net assets of around £175m to £182m.‘The LP’s [limited partnership’s] portfolio has extremely low leverage and we are very pleased with its performance,’ said Peter Dubens, a director of Oakley Capital Investments.