BrandShield Systems (BRSD), the cybersecurity solutions group, announced new data regarding the rise of e-commerce fraud ahead of another potentially record-breaking Black Friday shopping event, which saw consumers spend over $9 billion online during 2020. BrandShield’s report analysed the top products across popular consumer categories including apparel, luxury goods and electronics leading up to the holiday season.
By Zak MirÂ
Seraphim Space Investment Trust (SSIT), the listed fund focused on SpaceTech, continues to splash the cash. It announced that it has made a new $12.5m investment into Astroscale Holdings Inc., the market leader in satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability across all orbits. Astroscale closed a $109m series F round which was led by THE FUND Limited Partnership in Japan and backed by a group of investors including Seraphim Space, Japan Growth Capital Investment Corporation and AXA Life Insurance Co. Ltd.
Oberon Investments Group (OBE), the boutique investment management group, announced its unaudited results for the six months ended 30 September 2021. Funds under management and administration increased 141% to £765m as at 30 September 2021 (2020: £317m). Revenue increased by 186% to £3.4m (2020: £1.2m) with growth across all areas of business. Oberon expects to launch a number of funds and new products for clients in 2022, which will further add to its service offering and generate new revenue opportunities.
Premier African Minerals (PREM) provided an interim update on drilling progress at Premier’s Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project. The company said that whilst it waits for assay results and modelling, it is most encouraging to note the pegmatite intersections encountered in a zone not previously included in any of our exploration target assessments or in the existing resource estimate. Together with preliminary results from exploration activities in the wider Exclusive Prospecting Area, this continues to support the view that Zulu is likely to emerge as one of the more substantial hard rock lithium rich regions in Zimbabwe.
Hummingbird Resources (HUM) provided an updated JORC-compliant Company Reserve statement, which includes a maiden reserve for the Kouroussa mine in Guinea. Hummingbird’s updated reserves total 1.12 million ounces of gold, a 438,600 oz increase to the previous company reserve statement in October 2019 of 672,000 oz.
Hochschild Mining (HOC) said it welcomes the announcement issued yesterday from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers in Peru. In particular, the company notes the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and that its express recognition of the continued rights of mining companies to request extensions and modifications of existing permits for mining and exploration activities. The company’s operations in southern Ayacucho, Pallancata and Inmaculada will continue to operate under the existing legal framework.
Omega (ODX), the specialist medical diagnostics company, announces its unaudited interim results for the six months ended 30 September 2021. Omega said has substantial growth opportunities in the areas of Food Sensitivity, CD4 testing for the management of people living with HIV, and COVID-19 antibody and antigen testing. Revenue increased by 81% to £5.73m (H1 ’20: £3.16m). The company said it expects to see an improved sales performance across the Group for the full year and to see losses reduced in the second half.
Castillo Copper (CCZ), a base metal explorer primarily focused on copper across Australia and Zambia, said it has advised the Vendor Group that it will be extending the 90-day option to acquire the Picasso and Litchfield Lithium Projects in prime regions in Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT) respectively. This is primarily due to processing delays at the laboratories, due to the huge demand to process samples, which is extending timelines significantly.
Serica Energy (SQZ), a British independent upstream oil and gas company, updated on its Columbus field, located in the Central North Sea. The company said that first production has been achieved from Columbus. Hydrocarbons from the C1z development well started flowing into the Arran subsea system on 24 November.
Poolbeg Pharma (POLB), a clinical stage infectious disease pharmaceutical company has appointed Professor Daniel Hoft to its Scientific Advisory Board. Prof Hoft, M.D., Ph.D. is the Dianna and J. Joseph Adorjan Endowed Chair of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, and Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Allergy & Immunology at Saint Louis University (SLU) School of Medicine.
Cizzle Biotechnology (CIZ) said that it has executed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Co-Innovation Centre for Advanced Medical Technology and Shenzhen Intelliphecy Life Technologies Co., Ltd. to develop and market the Company’s proprietary early lung cancer diagnostic tests based on the CIZ1B cancer biomarker in China. Cizzle said the MOU is non-binding, but it is intended that a full commercial contract will be entered into in due course. The MOU envisages that iCCAMT and Intelliphecy will fund the activities in China and Cizzle Biotechnology will receive payment for monoclonal antibodies and reagents produced, together with royalties on any sales of products and services in China.