TRADING UPDATES: Hilton Food seals raise; Hochschild's Aclara floats

(Alliance News) - The following is a round-up of updates by London-listed companies, issued on Friday and not separately reported by Alliance News:

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Hilton Food Group PLC - Cambridgeshire-based food packaging company - Raises GBP75 million from placing of 6.6 million shares at 1,140 pence each. Will partly fund acquisition of smoked salmon producer Dutch Seafood Co BV.

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Hochschild Mining PLC - Americas-focused gold miner - Seals Aclara Resources Inc demerger, following Aclara's listing in Toronto. Sanjay Sarma steps down from Hochschild board as a result. Sarma, who held non-executive position, will join Aclara board. In addition, Hochschild Chief Financial Officer Ramon Barua steps down to become CEO of Aclara.

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Panther Metals PLC - Malaysia-based company focused on mineral exploration in Canada and Australia - Says Panther Metals Ltd successfully lists on Australian Securities Exchange. Panther Metals Ltd is an Australia focused mineral explorer. Panther Metals PLC retains a 37% stake in the newly-listed ASX firm.

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Ariana Resources PLC - exploration firm with interests in Turkey - Also notes Panther Metals Ltd successfully lists ASX. Says Asgard Metals Fund holds 3.2% stake in Panther Metals Ltd. "The successful listing of Panther Metals marks a key pivot point of our ambitions as an exploration and development company, which now spans three continents, and represents an important stage in the realisation of value through the Asgard Metals Fund," Ariana Managing Director Kerim Sener says.

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Ncondezi Energy Ltd - coal-fired power project in Mozambique - Says transmission integration study for power project in Tete, Mozambique submitted for review and approval to watchdog Electricidade de Mocambique. On Tuesday, Ncondezi said it repaid a director's bridge loan following completion of sale of renewable energy subsidiary Mozambique Green Power, to Green Energy PLC for USD1.3 million in cash.

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UK Oil & Gas PLC - onshore exploration and production in UK and Turkey - Says "good progress made" by Viking Geophysical Services in acquiring a 2D seismic programme at Basur-Resan area in Turkey. "The company's geophysicist visited the VGS operation for over a week and continues regular in-person oversight of the acquisition. VGS' acquisition programme is also being overseen by the company's UK-based expert acquisition quality control consultant to ensure the best data possible is acquired," company adds. At B-3S, also in Turkey, initial talks for drilling completed with rig contractors. "It is planned that the well will commence upon receipt and interpretation of the fast-track seismic processing," company says.

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Southern Energy Corp - North American gas-weighted producer focused on growth - Contracts Energy Drilling Co's rig number 15 for programme at Gwinville asset in central Mississippi. "Southern has received drilling permits for three horizontal wells," company says. In addition, company expects trading of shares on post-consolidation basis to begin on or around December 22.

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Aquila European Renewables Income Fund PLC - renewable energy infrastructure investor - Says all 72 wind turbines at The Rock fully erected. Aquila labels this an "important milestone for the project". "The majority of the turbines are energised with the remaining wind farm expected to be fully energised by the end of December 2021," company adds. Also says three more power purchase agreements at Benfica III asset sealed.

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Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust PLC - invests in companies with a market capitalisation of less than USD5 billion at the time of first investment - Says net asset value per share at October 31 year end rises to 331.03 pence from 279.90 a year prior. Like last year, no dividend is being paid.

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JPMorgan Japanese Investment Trust PLC - invests in Japanese companies "across the market cap spectrum" in high-growth industries - Net asset value per share at September 30 year end up 9.6% to 735.5 pence from 670.8p a year earlier. Ups final payout to 5.3p per share from 5.1p.

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CATCo Reinsurance Opportunities Fund Ltd - invests in catastrophe reinsurance risks - Says hearing in respect to proposed Markel CATCo Reinsurance Fund Ltd buyout concluded on Wednesday. Notes court has no fixed date for delivery of judgment, though company does not expect this to occur until January.

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By Eric Cunha; ericcunha@alliancenews.com

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