LONDON (Alliance News) - The following stocks are the leading risers and fallers within the main London indices midday Monday.
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FTSE 100 - LOSERS
Royal Bank of Scotland, down 2.2%, and Barclays, down 1.2%. The UK banks have been hit after Deutsche Bank unexpectedly announced a fourth quarter loss on the back of hefty legal and restructuring costs. Deutsche posted a pretax loss of EUR1.15 billion in the final three months of 2013 after it was forced to set aside EUR528 million for legal costs - bringing the total bill for the year to EUR2.5 billion. Shore Capital believes the poor trading update reflects a weak performance from its fixed income, currencies and commodities trading, which saw income fall by 31% year-on-year. The brokerage expects FICC income to represent 20% and 15% of Barclays and RBS's total 2013 income, respectively.
Royal Dutch Shell, down 0.8%. The major energy company said it has agreed to sell its interests in the Australian Wheatstone projects. The company, which issued a profit warning on Friday, said it will sell its 8% equity interest in the Wheatstone-Lago joint venture and 6.4% interest in the 8.9 million tonnes per year Wheatstone liquefied natural gas project in Western Australia for a cash consideration of USD1.14 billion.
Tesco, down 0.3%. The food retailer is weighing up a surprise swoop for Mothercare PLC, the troubled baby products chain, as part of its wider campaign to reinvigorate its British hypermarkets, The Sunday Times reported, citing sources in London's financial district. Mothercare is up 4.8%.
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FTSE 250- LOSERS
ICAP, down 2%. The interdealer broker has been weighed upon by Deutsche Bank's poor FICC trading performance.
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AIM - WINNERS
Oilex, up 16%. The company has reported that the Essar LR-4 drilling rig to drill its Cambay 77H site in India has arrived in Mumbai and been cleared through customs.
InternetQ, up 12%. The company said it had seen revenues increase by nearly 40% to over EUR100 million during the year ended December 31, 2013 and said profit margins improved in the second-half. The company said the improved margin had driven annual adjusted EBITDA to over EUR16.1 million, in line with expectations.
EKF Diagnostics Holdings, up 9.9%. The company has reported positive test results using its PointMan technology to analyse blood in cancer patients to identify gene mutations associated with a response to treatment.
Ariana Resources, up 9.5%. The copper, gold and silver exploration and development company said it has received positive results from the 2013 drill programme at the Eldorado Gold Corporation joint venture in Turkey. Ariana also said it found deep high-grade intercepts at the Ardala site.
TyraTech, up 9.1%. The biotechnology company has announced that its head-lice shampoo Vamousse is now listed with the US Food and Drug Administration and will be available for sale in the US from the end of the first quarter of 2014.
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AIM - LOSERS
Verdes Management, off 13%. The company has issued 163.3 million shares to cover the conversion notice it got from Westminster Asset Managament Ltd last week and said it had got a conversion notice from Newick Developments Sunday. The company said Newick had given it notice in relation to the outstanding balance of GBP125,000 on a loan Newick made to the company. Verdes will issue 227.3 million shares Monday January 27 to meet the conversion notice.
Max Petroleum, down 10%. The company said drilling at its SAGW-11 appraisal well has failed to encounter sufficient levels of hydrocarbons. It said the site was drilled to a total depth of 1,429 metres without finding commercial levels of oil and will now be plugged and abandoned.
Ortac Resources, down 9.7%. The company said it has raised gross proceeds of GBP500,000 by placing 200 million new shares at 0.25 pence each. Ortac said it will use the funds to strengthen its cash position and advance projects in Solvakia and Eritrea.
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By James Kemp; jameskemp@alliancenews.com; @jamespkemp
Copyright 2014 Alliance News Limited. All Rights Reserved.
20 Jan 2014 08:21
Max Petroleum Fails To Find Commercial Oil At SAGW-11 Well In Kazakhstan
LONDON (Alliance News) - Max Petroleum PLC Monday said drilling at its SAGW-11 appraisal well has failed to encounter sufficient levels of hydrocarbons. The oil and gas production firm focused on Kazakhstan said the site was drilled to a total depth of 1,429 metres without finding commercia
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