The Times: Shares in Close Brothers, Lloyds, Barclays and Investec will be in sharp focus this morning after the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published details of a proposed redress scheme following the car loan mis-selling scandal.
The City regulator announced after the markets closed last night that it expected the total redress paid to consumers would amount to about £8.2 billion and cost lenders a further £2.8 billion to administer.
Comment: Another example of the regulator being asleep at the wheel, then getting those who delivered the scandal to pay back the consumer with compensation which will come from raising prices for the consumer for years.
Aptamer Group (APTA), the developer of next-generation synthetic binders for the life sciences industry, announced a major new development contract with a top 3 global pharmaceutical company and continued strong commercial progress in the first quarter of the financial year. The new £360,000 fee-for-service development contract is to develop Optimer® binders as targeted radiopharmaceuticals with potential applications in therapeutics. Aptamer retains rights for future licensing revenues upon commercialisation, positioning the Company for future downstream licensing and/or royalty revenue streams.
Comment: Although not the biggest deal in town, APTA consolidates its recent newsflow with the big boys and girls of global pharma, and has the reflected glory / credibility / validation of doing so.
Fusion Antibodies (FAB), specialists in pre-clinical antibody discovery, engineering and supply for both therapeutic drug and diagnostic applications, announced that it has been selected to proceed with a new multi-target Integrated Therapeutic Antibody Services project with the Antibody Centre of Excellence of a European-based global pharmaceutical company under a Master Service Agreement signed earlier in the year. The Project will include humanisation and supply elements. Work in relation to the Project is expected to be completed within the current financial year and the Company expects to generate revenues of not less than £175,000.
Comment: Although not the biggest deal in town, this kudos here could be enough to revive this summer’s breakout rally for FAB from 6p to 20p which was covered so diligently and correctly, here at Zakstraderscafe.com. Above the 50 day moving average at 15p the shares could still hit 20p by the end of the year.
Panthera (PAT) said it noted the recent speculation regarding the ongoing availability of the Company’s US$13.6 million Facility following LCM’s 1 October 2025 update on its ongoing strategic review. Panthera is pleased to inform its shareholders that LCM has reaffirmed that the AFA between the two companies remains unchanged and continues to be fully available. The Facility is approximately 50% drawn at this time. Panthera appreciates the proactive and timely re-confirmation by LCM in addition to its ongoing financial support of and interest in the case.
Comment: PAT may be noting speculation regarding its LCM facility, but its shares tell a different story. The shares have bounced well in the past couple of weeks, and above their 200 day line at 12p could head as high as the low 20p’s by the end of November.
Xeros Technology Group (XSG), the creator of technologies that reduce the impact of clothing on the planet, delighted to announce that it has signed a breakthrough launch agreement with a global leading washing machine manufacturer. Development and Product Launch Agreement signed with one of the world’s largest, branded washing machine manufacturers.
Comment: Go on, tell us which brand it is: Whirlpool, Hotpoint, Bosch? The suspense is just too much. LG, Samsung, Electrolux?
Oxford BioDynamics (OBD), a precision clinical diagnostics company bringing specific and sensitive tests to the practice of medicine based on its EpiSwitch® 3D genomics platform, announced the development of a new highly accurate blood test to diagnose Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), also known as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is a serious and often debilitating long-term illness characterised by extreme fatigue that affects 400,000 people in the UK and millions worldwide. It is poorly understood and has long lacked a reliable diagnostic test.
Comment: While the market waits on the edge of its seat for OBD to monetise its diagnostics, it comes up with another one. Now lets get some sales in.
Thalassa Holdings (THAL): Letter to Newmark Security (NWT) Shareholders:
Dear Fellow Shareholders I am writing to you on behalf of Thalassa Holdings Ltd., the largest (21.3%), but nonetheless, a concerned shareholder of Newmark Security (NWT). THAL has been a long-term holder of NWT, having held shares since 2019. We have corresponded and met with Messrs M and M-C Dwek on several occasions and expressed our increasing concerns regarding Excess Pay, Governance and Financial Performance (or rather lack thereof).
Comment: Ouch. But there may be a couple of salient points here. The first is that if one is an unhappy shareholder, one has the option to sell. The second is that ironically NWT has been starting to improve in terms of performance, at least in terms of HCM, and the share price towards multi-year highs.
Unite Students (UTG), the UK’s leading owner, manager and developer of student accommodation, today announces an update on current trading and quarterly property valuations for the Unite UK Student Accommodation Fund and the London Student Accommodation Joint Venture (‘LSAV’) as at 30 September 2025. 95.2% of beds sold for the 2025/26 academic year (2024/25: 97.5%). Sales to date deliver 4.0% rental growth for 2025/26 (2024/25 8.2%).
Comment: It would appear that the proliferation of useless degrees, and higher fee paying foreign students getting priority places continues, if not at the frenzy levels of recent years.
Cornish Metals Inc. (CUSN) announce that, in connection with its previously announced intention to re-domicile from Canada to the UK, it has today entered into an arrangement agreement with Cornish Metals plc pursuant to which Cornish Canada will be re-domiciled to the UK.
Comment: While everyone and their mother is working out how to leave Starmer’s Britain, we see CUSN heading the other way. One presumes that there is a serious financial incentive involved, over and above the desire to fly the flag, which is now classed as a Non-crime hate incident.
East Star Resources (EST), which is exploring for copper and gold in Kazakhstan, updated on recent exploration activities and future work plans in relation to its Snowy epithermal gold target. EST said “The latest mapping and rock chip geochemistry is delivering encouraging results at Snowy. This deposit type is characterised by geological similarities seen in notable deposits around the world, particularly in Nevada. We’re excited to continue testing this new model, which has the potential to host a large gold system.”
Comment: While most RNS updates from EST tend to gravitate towards copper, it is timely with gold hitting $4,000 a troy ounce to give the yellow metal a bit of an airing.
Marston’s (MARS), a leading UK hospitality business with an estate of more than 1,300 pubs, today announced a trading update for the 52-week period to 27 September 2025. All sales comparisons are to the same period in FY2024. Underlying profit before tax expected to be ahead of market expectations, marking a second consecutive year of significant profit growth following the 65% uplift delivered in FY2024.
Comment: While pubs are supposed to be and indeed, are dying by the day, it would appear that some people who actually know what they are doing are thriving in hospitality. Jeremy Clarkson at The Farmer’s Dog, take note.
Ariana Resources (AAU), the mineral exploration, development and production company with gold project interests in Africa and Europe, announced that final operational permitting for the Tavşan Heap-leach Project in Türkiye is complete and loading of ore onto the heap-leach pads has commenced.
Comment: While it could be argued that AAU does not abide by the fastest timelines, it may be the case that the company will get there in the end. Perhaps by that time gold will be $10,000 an ounce, rather than just $4,000?
Bloomsbury (BMY) bestselling author Katherine Rundell has announced a multi-film deal with Disney. Katherine Rundell has published two books in the bestselling Impossible Creatures series with three more to be published. Bloomsbury hold the print, ebook and audio rights exclusively in the UK, Europe and Commonwealth. We have published Rundell since 2015 and in 2024 she was awarded both ‘Author of The Year’ and ‘Children’s Book of The Year’ at The British Book Awards.
Comment: Presumably our Katherine, whose hobbies include tightrope walking and roof walking could be the next JK Rowling, but without the trans controversy. She is an over-achiever, having won everything possible in life to date.
Pantheon Resources (PANR), the oil and gas company developing the Kodiak and Ahpun projects immediately adjacent to pipeline and transportation infrastructure on Alaska’s North Slope, announced the successful completion of the hydraulic fracture stimulation on the Dubhe-1 well. PANR said, “We are extremely pleased with the success of the operations so far. The team did an excellent job executing this large and intricate operation safely and efficiently. The stimulation was performed as planned, increasing our confidence in achieving the objectives of the forthcoming flow testing programme.”
Comment: The rough and tumble of the exploration game has led to a rather volatile ride in PANR shares. But it looks as though the company has put such issues behind it, helped along by ample funding as raised by our friends at Oak Securities.
Fiinu (BANK), the fintech group and creator of the Plugin Overdraft®, provided the an operational update alongside confirmation of changes to its adviser arrangements. The Company confirms that, further to its notification on 22 September 2025, it has now fully drawn down the £2 million convertible loan facility agreed with Conister Bank Limited. Fiinu announced the appointment of Marex Financial as the Company’s Joint Broker with immediate effect. Oberon Capital remains as the Company’s other Joint Broker.
Comment: Interesting that Marex has been appointed joint broker for BANK, as perhaps some in the market would not be aware that the market maker could be a corporate broker?
Conroy Gold and Natural Resources (CGNR), the gold exploration and development company focused on Ireland and Finland, has received all funds from investors and closed its non-brokered private placement for a total of £1,728,700 at a price of 10 pence per share, the terms of which are set out in the Company’s announcement dated 12 September 2025. The participants in the Fundraise include both existing and new shareholders.
Comment: With gold through the roof, it is clearly a great time to raise money, whether there is gold in them there hills or not. A fresh leg towards 20p for CGNR shares by the end of next month is perfectly possible.
Sunda Energy (SNDA), the AIM-quoted company focused on gas in Southeast Asia, announced that it has been awarded non-operated interests in two Petroleum Service Contracts for offshore licence areas in the 1st Conventional Energy Bid Round of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (“BARMM”) in the Philippines. The successful licence awards are a direct result of the joint applications submitted by the bid group composed of Triangle Energy (Global) Limited (ASX: TEG), Sunda Energy, PXP Energy Corporation (PSE: PXP) and The Philodrill Corporation (PSE.OV,), as set out in the Company’s announcement of 28 August 2024 in connection with the licence round application.
Comment: A perennial and painful underperformer, it is to be hoped that today’s RNS represents something of a positive inflection point for the company.
Disclaimer & Declaration of Interest:
The information, investment views, and recommendations in this Zaks Traders Cafe interview are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing in this interview should be construed as a promotion or solicitation to buy or sell any financial product relating to any companies under discussion or referred to or to engage in or refrain from doing so or engage in any other transaction. Any opinions or comments are made to the best of the knowledge and belief of the commentator but no responsibility is accepted for actions based on such opinions or comments. The commentators may or may not hold investments in the companies under discussion.
