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East Balkan Properties (EBP) posted narrowed full-year pre-tax losses, helped by cost cuts, and said its focus is now on maximising operational performance and exploiting opportunities to realise value from each of its assets. The property market investor reported on a pre-tax loss of 14.7 million euros (12.9 million pounds) for the 12-months ended 31st December 2010, which compares to a loss of 64.7 million euros (56.9 million pounds) a year earlier. Shares in East Balkan Properties rose 1.875p to 9.25p on Friday

RCG Holdings (RCG), the provider of integrated biometrics and RFID security solutions, is set to raise approximately 109.61 million Hong Kong dollars (8.62 million pounds) through a placing to finance the development of its solutions, projects, and services business segment. Shares in RCG, which has an aggressive growth strategy with a focus on developing new applications and revenue streams for global roll-out, were down 1.75p to 12p on the news.

Randall & Quilter Investment Holdings (RQIH), the non-life insurance investor, service provider and underwriting manager, announced that a long running dispute concerning the management of two US insurance companies - Seaton and Stonewall - has now been resolved. The group, which will receive damages claimed of over 2 million dollars (1.2 million pounds) and a recovery of its legal costs, said all claims against it have been entirely withdrawn. The shares climbed 5.5p to 114p on Friday

Expanding into the digital marketing arena, Next Fifteen Communications Group (NFC) has announced the acquisition of CMG Worldwide, trading as Bourne, a global, full-service digital agency, for an initial consideration of 1.95 million pounds. "All Next Fifteen's agencies are focused on delivering world class digital strategies and campaigns," commented Tim Dyson, chief executive of Next Fifteen. "Bourne significantly extends our digital marketing capabilities, enabling us to expand the services we sell to our current clients." The shares gained 1.5p to 84.5p on Friday

Xan - well they are performing nicely just now!

Trading in the first four months of this year has been strong at Spectris (SXS), the precision instruments and controls group announced, assisted by a healthy order book following the particularly good performance in the last months of 2010. The group added that it has made good progress throughout all segments, geographic regions and end markets. Shares in Spectris, whose products and technologies help customers to improve product quality and performance, moved ahead 60p to 1,551p on Friday

Shares in the London Stock Exchange (LSE) surged 8.5p to 827.5p on Friday after growth in the UK bourse's information and technology services led it to post better-than-expected full-year results. The LSE posted a pre-tax profit of 238.2 million pounds in the 12-months ended 31st March 2011, which compares with a profit of 144.3 million pounds a year earlier, as total income climbed 7% to 674.9 million pounds. Looking ahead, chief executive Xavier Rolet said: "We aim to develop the group further, with increasing international scale, together with extended reach and scope, to provide competitive services to global customers."

Stobart Group (STOB) has hit back at claims in the Daily Telegraph that the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is examining a deal which will see the British freight company buy a property portfolio from its chief executive. "The company believes the content of the article to be entirely false," the firm commented. "The company and its directors have not been contacted by any of the authorities referred to and is confident that there is no inquiry." Shares in Stobart dropped 7.7p to 128p on Friday

Arbuthnot initiated coverage on Alternative Networks (AN.), the business-to-business telecoms re-seller, with a "strong buy" and 300p target price. The broker notes management's track record of positioning the group to satisfy current market demands with cost-effective solutions, while, more importantly for investors, successfully commercialising their market presence. This has resulted in an almost unblemished financial track record for the group, Arbuthnot added, where it has only failed to grow revenues and enhance profitability in one out of the last ten financial years. The shares added 1p to 243.5p on Friday

Panmure Gordon initiated coverage of Gable Holdings (GAH), the European specialist commercial lines insurer, with a 36p target price. Although the business is currently small, the broker believes the organic growth forecasted, combined with potential M&A opportunities arising from the introduction of Solvency II, will lead to a significant increase in the size of the business over the next few years. With that said, trading on a 2011 operating price-to-earnings ratio of 4.5 times, Panmure thinks the shares currently look "highly attractive". Gable shares increased 0.75p to 17.875p on Friday

Shore Capital retained its "sell" rating on Kesa Electricals (KESA). The broker notes the pre-close trading update from the electrical retailing group which indicated that pre-tax profits are now expected to be "in line with the average of current market expectations" at 92 million euros (81 million pounds). Looking ahead, Shore's view, which is based on the fundamentals of the company, remains that Kesa will struggle in difficult market conditions to turn around its under-performing business segments and that the outlook for Darty France is also uncertain in financial year 2012. The shares rallied 4.7p to 141p on Friday

William Hill yesterday suffered a major shareholder revolt over pay after a third of investors voted against the bookmaker’s remuneration report. A further 4.7% abstained from the vote as shareholders vented their fury after chief executive Ralph Topping enjoyed a 56% leap in his pay package, including bonuses, to £1.65m last year, the Daily Express writes.

British Airways (which is now owned by IAG) has finally thrashed out an agreement to end a bitter two-year battle with its cabin crew which cost the company £150million. The conflict, which lasted longer than the miners’ strike of the 1980s, saw the airline and its passengers hit by a total of 22 days of strikes since its start in February 2009. But a deal has been reached with the militant Unite union, the Daily Mail reports.

Some decent purchases after hours on Friday - Longterm holders ? or more likely they see a 5 - 10% gain in the near future - as this SP is prone to reasonably quick swings in either direction

Tullett Prebon tends to benefit in times of great volatility as the inter-dealer broker’s clients will trade more frequently. After a disappointing trading update yesterday, it could do with some more of that this year. While the numbers may have disappointed, the price of 9.8 times estimated full year earnings calculated by Charles Stanley analysts looks cheap. It trades at a discount to its peers and saw further weakness yesterday. Buy, says the Independent.

Yesterday’s near 7% jump in 3i shares was largely a sigh of relief after the private equity group failed to confirm the market’s worst fears. Back in early April, 3i’s shares fell heavily when the company warned that strong performance at Northern European companies would be “materially offset” by a small number of companies, mainly in the UK. The shares still trade at a hefty discount of about 26% to broker Oriel Securities’ NAV for September this year. We think this gap will be closed, either through a steady rerating or, perhaps, a takeover. Buy, says the Independent.

The concerns with industrial materials group Cookson are that its latest statement was insufficiently bullish to justify an earnings upgrade, and that rising commodities prices could have an impact on margins in the first half. Yesterday’s fall puts the shares on about ten times this year’s earnings. That looks like a buying opportunity, says the Times.

Jerry Buhlmann, chief executive of Aegis, says that in first-quarter revenue terms his company, showing growth of 9.1% and 10.1% from the core Aegis Media, has outperformed its peers in the advertising sector, such as WPP, Havas and Publicis. The shares have had a couple of downward lurches this spring along with the sector as markets worried about the impact of Japan and the Middle East, but at 140p still sell on more than 12 times this year’s earnings. Hold, says the Times.

There were no happy returns for Clinton Cards yesterday after the greetings card retailer said its decline in sales had accelerated. While shares in Clinton have tumbled since hitting 40p last June, they still trade on a 2012 earnings multiple of nearly 14, a premium to the sector. In addition, we still think Clinton has to shed substantial numbers of stores before we put a buy recommendation on its investment card. Hold, says the Independent.

Britain’s biggest commercial insurer RSA has tended to show a fleetness of foot when managing risk, stepping back from business lines and markets when the premium rates, and thus profits, look unattractive. The shares, which yield 6.6 per cent, trade on a relatively low P/E multiple of 9.9 times, compared with a sector average in the early to mid-teens. At the very least, a hold, says the Times.