(Alliance News) – London’s FTSE 100 is called to open lower on Wednesday following the announcement of new further US tariffs on China, and global markets brace themselves for further turmoil. Asian markets were in the red on Wednesday alongside their US peers, while gold began to rebound following its retreat from a record high.
Comment: Given the total chaos in terms of tariffs, one could actually say the response on the downside is actually relatively muted. Perhaps it is a case of markets haven fallen too far, too fast, or hopes that there will be a resolution. However, nothing is yet in sight in this respect.
Critical Metals (CRTM), developer and operator of the Molulu Copper/Cobalt Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, provided an update to the key terms of the £1,603,000 unsecured CLNs issued by the Company on 9th April 2024. The Company announce that it has agreed with a majority of the holders of the CLNs to make a number of amendments to the terms of CLNs which were effective as at 8 April 2025.
Comment: Given recent events in DRC it would appear that CRTM needed the kind of positive RNS it has served up today.
Audioboom (BOOM), the leading global podcast company, provided a trading update for the quarter ended 31 March 2025. Q1 adjusted EBITDA(1) profit of US$0.7 million, up 10X on Q1 2024 (US$0.07 million), “highlighting the continued strong performance of the business model.”
Comment: The metrics of BOOM would be all fine and dandy if it were a company with a £10m market cap. However, the company is valued at £70m and there has already been a rebound in the stock since the turn of the year. This was perhaps not the big hockey stick performance jump some in the market were waiting for.
SkinBioTherapeutics (SBTX), a life science company focused on skin health, announces that, following the successful global launch of ZenakineTM by Croda Beauty at the in-cosmetics Global 2025 meeting in Amsterdam yesterday, management sees no reason for the reduction in share price on 8 April 2025. Stuart Ashman, CEO of SkinBioTherapeutics said: “The Croda Beauty team held a technical presentation to a completely full auditorium (standing room only) and presented on the cosmetic active ingredient and its benefits – as we had expected and so much more. The positive reception from the audience was very exciting to see.”
Comment: In current stock market conditions it is quite possible for the baby to be thrown out with the bathwater as far as small cap share prices and valuations, even without the intervention of the company in question.
Ondine Biomedical (OBI) announced that a new health economic analysis by the York Health Economics Consortium (YHEC) has confirmed that using Steriwave® nasal decolonization prior to major surgery delivers substantial net cost savings. YHEC has demonstrated that for every £1 spent on Steriwave to prevent surgical site infections (SSI), the NHS can save an average of £1.49 to £2.38 across major surgical specialties. With £38 to £107 net saving per operation, Steriwave has the potential to save the UK hospitals, including the NHS, up to £200 million annually.
Comment: As well as prevention of infection, which we have been made aware of from the start, it is also a positive to have the positive financials as far as the operation of Steriwave can deliver.
Jubilee (JLP), a diversified metals processor in Africa, with copper operations in Zambia and chrome and PGM operations in South Africa, is pleased to announce a joint partnership agreement for its surplus PGM feed stock (Agreement) at its operations in South Africa. The Company initiated the process to find a partner following the surplus surface stock of PGM bearing material created as a by-product on the back of a sharp increase in chrome production. In the six months to December 2024, Jubilee’s chrome concentrate production reached a record half year high, increasing by 35.7% to 974 659t (H1 FY2024: 718 189t), and is well on track to meet and exceed full year guidance of 1.65Mt.
Comment: The newsflow continues at pace with JLP, and given sentiment towards the company, it will be interesting to see what can finally move the dial in a positive way. Indeed, for any other company today’s chrome production news would be seen as a big plus.
Technology Minerals (TM1), the UK’s pioneering firm in establishing a circular economy for battery metals, announced that its 48.35% owned battery recycling business, Recyclus Group Ltd, has signed a 12-month contract with a global industrial group to recycle lithium-ion batteries. Under the terms of the agreement, end-of-life Li-ion batteries will be recycled at Recyclus’ industrial scale battery recycling plant in Wolverhampton. Recyclus will receive gate fees for receiving the Li-ion batteries and revenues from the sale of recovered material including black mass.
Comment: Although the company remains in the sights of the small cap area’s only shorting, psycho attacks, it is still able to carry on with business as usually, and perhaps even more frustratingly for those who want it to fail, build up positive contract momentum.
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.
