The Telegraph: Inflation eased back last month, paving the way for interest rate cuts next month in a boost for Rachel Reeves. Prices, as measured by the consumer prices index (CPI), rose by 2.6pc in the year to March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), down from 2.8pc in February. The drop is more than analysts’ expectations of a fall to 2.7pc.
Comment: Growth up, inflation down, the government’s burgeoning economic miracle continues to more into the UK becoming the new Singapore.
Bezant (BZT), the copper-gold exploration and development company, further to its announcement on 25 February 2025 regarding agreeing heads of terms for the sale of Puna Metals S.A. which holds the 12 licences comprising the Eureka Project located in the Republic of Argentina to Ajax Resources (AJAX), the Company announces that on 15 April 2025 it entered into a conditional share purchase agreement.
Comment: This deal appears to be a win-win for both parties, allowing BZT to focus on fewer projects, and giving AJAX a decent entry level project to get its teeth into after being a mining SPAC for some time.
Pri0r1ty Intelligence Group (PR1) is excited to announce Pri0r1ty Ai Ltd (the Company’s wholly owned subsidiary) has been accepted into the NVIDIA Connect Program. Acceptance into the NVIDIA Connect Program provides Pri0r1ty Ai with direct access to NVIDIA’s advanced AI acceleration tools, technical resources, and a robust network of innovators.
Comment: The market was apparently also just as excited as PR1, in that the shares started to rise yesterday, before the news with NVDA was announced.
Time To ACT (AQSE: TTA), an engineering-led group focused on technology for the energy transition supply chain, welcomes recent positive developments which reinforce an intent to build a world-leading hydrogen economy in the UK. The previous government’s 2023 Hydrogen Production Delivery Roadmap targeted 10GW of low-carbon hydrogen production for the UK by 2030.
Comment: The main reason for including TTA in the RNS Hotlist today was being safe and secure in the knowledge that no on else would give the company’s news today a mention.
Belluscura (BELL), a leading medical device developer focused on lightweight and portable oxygen enrichment technology, announces that Q1 2025 sales were $912,000 (Q1 2024: $166,000). Further to the statement issued on 8 April 2025, the Board anticipates that product sold in the US will be subject to a tariff production cost impact of up to 20%.
Comment: While BELL was in crisis mode even before the tariffs, it could ironically be a play on them being watered down, or even a complete U turn, for those with an appetite for such risk.
Great Southern Copper (GSCU), the company focused on copper-gold exploration in Chile, is pleased to report the results of scout reverse circulation drilling and ground exploration activities at its Viuda Prospect, part of GSC’s extensive Especularita Project, Chile. GSCU “The Phase II drilling programme at Mostaza is now complete. Whilst we begin the detailed work of evaluating all the drill results to this stage the proposed metallurgical test work and detailed exploration along trend will continue.”
Comment: GSCU has been one of the best 2025 small cap performers, on the basis of its high grade assets, something that most peers can only dream of. An ongoing re-rate for the shares beckons.
Sovereign Metals (SVML) announced that several geotechnical drilling programs are now underway at its Kasiya Rutile Graphite Project (Kasiya or the Project) in Malawi. The results of the programs will be used to support the infrastructure layout and engineering design for the Project’s Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) due in Q4 2025.
Comment: Fresh from its recent significant fundraise, we see SVML accelerating Kasiya, with it now not being long to the DFS towards the end of this year.
Beowulf (BEM) said it is conducting a capital raise comprising the Rights Issue, a conditional placing of 9,869,318 new ordinary shares of 5 pence each and a retail offer The new SDRs represent interests in ordinary shares in the Company and the Rights Issue will, if fully subscribed, amount to approximately SEK 38.2 million (approximately £3.0 million).
Comment: BEM is rather reminiscent of the recent history of Metals One, where the company finally bit the bullet and raised a proper amount of cash – subsequently causing the share price to rocket. Let’s see if history repeats itself.
Strategic Minerals (SML), an international mineral exploration and production company, announced its intention to raise gross proceeds of up to £1,000,000 by means of a placing of new Ordinary Shares to certain new and existing eligible investors at a price of 0.3 pence per share. The Placing Price represents a discount of approximately 25 per cent. to the Closing Price of 0.4 pence per Ordinary Share on 15 April 2025, being the latest practicable date prior to the publication of this Announcement.
Comment: Given how much SML has been trumpeting itself as a “producing” company, one has perhaps not been expecting a fundraise. But given the shares have finally broken out of their trading range, it was probably too much to resistance asking shareholders for cash.
Jubilee (JLP), a diversified metals producer with operations in South Africa and Zambia, today published its South Africa operational and project update for the third quarter ended 31 March 2025 (Q3 FY2025), reflecting a strong nine months to 31 March 2025, putting the division on track to exceed performance targets for the financial year to 30 June 2025. Chrome concentrate production for Q3 FY2025 up 10.7% to 452 561t (Q3 FY2024: 408 710t).
Comment: Although it would appear that of late there is hardly anything that can budge the JLP share price in a positive way, a decent and positive update today, may settle nerves.
discoverIE Group (DSCV), an international designer and manufacturer of customised electronics to industry, today issues a trading update for its financial year ended 31 March 2025, ahead of the announcement of its preliminary results on 4 June 2025. The Group expects to deliver another year of record profitability, continuing its growth in underlying operating profits and margins in each of the last ten years (in-line in the covid year. DSCV said “Our strategy of building a group of complementary, highly aligned, niche electronic engineering businesses continues to generate excellent results and resilience in volatile market conditions with underlying earnings for FY2024/25 expected to be slightly ahead of Board expectations.”
Comment: It would appear that DSCV is one of the better companies that no one has heard of, despite the £500m market cap.
Solvonis Therapeutics (SVNS) formerly Graft Polymer (UK) Plc, announced its final results for the year ended 31 December 2024. SVNS said “This past year has been a transformative year for our company-one defined by strategic reorientation, decisive leadership changes, and a sharpened focus on becoming a leading player in the mental health therapeutics space.”
Comment: Lots of rejigging and a name change has so far not been able to turn the tide as far as the SVNS share price. Some traditionalists may have preferred the old Graft Polymer days.
Harena (HREE) reported metallurgical test results from its 75% owned Ampasindava Rare Earths Project in Madagascar. The work confirms that ionic clay-hosted rare earth elements (REEs) from Ampasindava – including the strategically critical magnet metals Neodymium (Nd), Praseodymium (Pr), Dysprosium (Dy) and Terbium (Tb) – can be recovered efficiently using low-impact heap leach processes such as salt water or standard ammonium sulphate solutions. This result supports the Company’s goal of developing a technically robust, environmentally responsible, and geopolitically independent supply of magnet metals essential to the global defence, energy, and technology sectors.
Comment: HREE’s entrance to the stock market has been always perfect, not only in terms of today’s news, but also given the recently announced export ban by China on its rare earths.
Mosman Oil and Gas (MSMN) the helium, hydrogen and hydrocarbon exploration, development and production company, announces that historic gas sample data confirms helium and methane in the Leadville Formation at the Sagebrush Project, Colorado, USA (82.5% WI).
Comment: Given how well followed and speculated on MSMN is, it is not surprising that today’s news has led to an initial 10% share price rise. This is all the more interesting given that unlike many other helium plays, the company has actually found some of the stuff.
Oracle Power (ORCP), a developer of green hydrogen production confirmed that the strategic MOU with China Electric Power and Technology Co., Ltd which was previously signed and announced on 7 March 2023 and set to expire on 2 March 2025 to potentially develop, finance, construct, operate and maintain Oracle Energy’s Green Hydrogen Project in Thatta, Sindh Province, Pakistan has been renewed for an additional two years to 1 March 2027.
Comment: While there has been considerable progress in Australia for the company, this was always a sideshow to the projects the company has in Pakistan, and their importance going forward.
Barratt Redrow (BTRW) issued a trading update in respect of the 13-week period from 30 December 2024 to 30 March 2025. Comparatives are to the prior year equivalent period unless otherwise stated. BTRW “Our customer focus and unique offering across the Barratt, David Wilson and Redrow brands have continued to drive homebuyer demand and performance this quarter, leaving us well placed to deliver housing volumes in line with our full year guidance.”
Comment: While we mull on how the government is going to build millions of houses that we may or may not need and with demand nothing to do with migration, we see that BTWR is upbeat. Nevertheless, the shares are still well down on where they were last summer, with still high interest rates, stamp duty and the cost of living crisis clearly biting.
IXICO (IXI), the medical imaging advanced analytics company provided a trading update ahead of its interim results for the six months ended 31 March 2025. Revenues up 26% compared to the equivalent period in the prior year; expected to be £3.2m for six months to 31 March 2025 (H1 2024: £2.5m), putting the Company in a strong position to deliver or exceed guidance.
Comment: While the company is quite rightly blowing its own trumpet regarding revenues being up, the shares are in their fourth consecutive year of decline, so a lot is required here to turn the ship around.
Gear4music (G4M), the UK’s largest retailer of musical instruments and music equipment, announced that it has purchased stock with a cost value of £1.8 million, together with certain intangible assets including websites, trademarks, and commercial data, for a total consideration of £0.6 million. These assets are being purchased from the Administrators of GAK.co.uk Ltd.
Comment: Those familiar with the G4M segment of the market will know the name GAK, but perhaps not know of its demise. It would appear that G4M has made a canny purchase.
Cirata (CRTA) announced an unaudited trading update for the quarter ended 31 March 2025. Total Bookings $3.0m up 330% YoY. Strongest Q1 bookings since Q1FY19. Cash burn reduced to $1.4m (Q1FY24; $4.9m, Q1FY23; $11m).
Comment: Although the company’s “land and expand” strategy sounds cringeworthy, like something out of The Office, the key metric here may actually be the reduction in cash burn.
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.
