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Peel blames a cutback in government spending, as well as increased energy costs and the rise in VAT to 20%

The real problem though is "gearing" or the debt Peel has taken on to finance its hotel chain. When revenue drops, even by a small amount, it has a big impact on profits. Profit before interest payments fell 54% on the prior year to £0.598m from £1.3m, resulting in a loss before tax of £228,000.

Peel Hotels, which owns a network of nine hotels around the UK, had a shocker in the 12 months to February 5th as it failed to pass on the increasing costs of food and drink to customers. In what the Chairman, Robert Peel, described as the toughest year in the firm's history, turnover fell 4% to £14.65m from £15.26m in the previous year.

The Executive Chairman of Wasabi Energy, John Byrne, explained that "through our licensing agreements, Wasabi Energy receives one-off licence payments of between $50,000 and $150,000 per installed MW, depending on the licensor and the particular industry."

Wasabi Energy has reported that its Kalina Cycle licencee, FLSmidth, has secured a contract to install its second power plant using waste heat from a major cement plant. The plant will be installed in the second quarter of 2013 at a cement plant owned by Star Cement in United Arab Emirates. Wasabi Energy will receive a one-off licence fee based on the gross power output of the Kalina Cycle plant.

African Copper, a producer and exploration company, has secured an additional loan of $6.0m from its controlling shareholder ZCI (84.19% ownership), which will be used to provide the company with further working capital for its Mowana Mine facilities, partially to cover the funding gap caused by the failure of the Ball Mill pinion shaft in May 2012. The loan is a secured loan facility with an annual interest rate of 7.0%, repayable on 31 March 2014. The facility is convertible into ordinary shares of 1p each in African Copper at a conversion price of 2.40p per share, with a maximum of just over 163m shares. If this occurred, ZCI would own 91.09% of African Copper.

Eros had hoped to de-list from AIM simultaneously to listing on Wall Street but now says, for the time being, it will stay on the London Stock Exchange.

The Indian film producer and distributor, Eros International, has opted to delay its listing in the US, sending its stock price sharply downward. The firm blames equity market conditions for its decision

Design and engineering consultancy group WS Atkins (ATK) said recently that full-year results would be in line with market expectations despite some headwinds. The group forecast an improvement in earnings in the current year, due largely to geographic and sector diversification. Even the UK region has ended the year well despite a delay in contract awards for the rail signalling business. However, the April update marked the immediate aftermath of the 2012 peak for the stock above 800p, so Atkins has everything to prove in the wake of the forthcoming finals.

Mobile phone retailer Carphone Warehouse (CPW) is due to update the market on the extent of the damage from the unfolding crisis in Spain and Greece. Observers will be keen to see the likely impact on full year performance even though the last call from the company at the beginning of last month was that guidance would be maintained in the face of like for like sales down 5.5%. Indeed, turning this around or another reiteration of the same full year profits estimate could result in a minor re rating for the share price.

12% bounce for AUK group ● Aukett Fitzroy Robinson Group returned to profitability in the six months to the end of March. ● The international practice of architects and interior designers grew revenue by 81%. ● All geographical operating segments were in profit.

Analysts also see the company making a further sizeable distribution to shareholders sooner rather than later. For the year to June, Investec Securities sees Dunelm delivering a 9% improvement in taxable profits to £91.5 million and a 12% increase in earnings per share to 32.8p. By 2013, the broker reckons £100 million profits are possible and EPS of 36.5p achievable. Progressive and well-covered dividend payments of 13p and 14.5p are pencilled in for this year and next. A 2013 price/earnings ratio of 13.5 times and is attractive given the profit growth and cashflow on offer

Dunelm Mill-branded superstores. Management also intends to raise Dunelm's game in multi-channel retailing, source of just 2% of sales at present, as well as enhance margins by increasing the proportion of product sourced directly from overseas suppliers

Out-of-town specialist homewares retailer Dunelm (DNLM) is one of the few sector constituents forecast to deliver double-digit earnings growth both this year and next. The £984 million cap, which sells a wide range of bedding, cushions, quilts, furniture and rugs is benefiting not only from the breadth of its product offering, but also from its 'Simply Value for Money' proposition. The FTSE 250 firm is deploying its strong free cashfl

Consensus estimates for 2013 point to £99.4 million profits, earnings of 27.7p and a 13.6p dividend, leaving the shares selling on a lowly forward price earnings (PE) multiple of 8.4. A chunky dividend yield of more than 5.8% should also offer support. For 2014, investors should look for £105 million profits, 29.4p of earnings and a 14.6p shareholder payout

The owner of brands for larger consumers including Simply Be and Jacamo, as well as the recently-acquired High & Mighty and Figleaves, is successfully driving online penetration across all of its brands. Last month's (1 May) full-year figures revealed e-commerce sales rose 16% to £377 million to represent more than 50% of total sales for the first time. Despite rising input prices, discounting and falling consumer disposable income levels, the Manchester-based firm still managed to generate a 2.5% taxable profits increase to £96.9 million last year. Meanwhile, N Brown made good progress with the turnaround of Figleaves, which made its first ever profit in 13 years, and High & Mighty, where losses were significantly reduced.

Internet and catalogue home shopping company N Brown (BWNG) is benefiting from the expanding waistlines of an ageing population as well as the structural shift to the web.

With all its international markets performing strongly and the £1.3 billion cap now the second most visited apparel site on the planet on a daily basis, ASOS' goal of reaching £1 billion sales by 2015 looks increasingly achievable. Panmure Gordon's Jean Roche, with a £19.85 published price target for a company which continues to invest in technology, returns and delivery, forecasts an impressive three-year EPS compound annual growth rate of 37.8%. Such momentum justifies the meaty rating, as ASOS trades on a forward PE of 34.7 times for March 2013.

Last month's (24 May) consensus-beating finals to March showcased the firm's rapid and profitable international growth and careful margin expansion under the stewardship of chief executive officer (CEO) Nick Robertson. Taxable profits before exceptional items increased 43% to £40.9 million and ASOS cheered with news of an impressive 49% retail sales rise to almost £482 million.

Online fashion store ASOS (ASC:AIM) continues to strut its stuff on the international stage as 'fashion forward twenty-somethings' around the globe continue to splash out on its 50,000 plus product lines spanning accessories, jewellery, womenswear and menswear.