The Telegraph: Burnham allows Pc Harper’s killers to walk free early. Criminals guilty of manslaughter eligible for release halfway through sentence following PM’s review of scheme.
Comment: It has been reported that after just a couple of weeks in the job, Andy Burnham is going on holiday.
First Sentinel: The UK IPO market in H1 2026 was defined by selective activity, concentrated capital raising and continued focus on market reform. Across the UK public markets, there were 7 IPOs in total, down from 14 in H1 2025 and 21 in H2 2025. Total new listing capital came to £517 million, although one transaction accounted for the majority of that figure. That does not mean public markets activity stopped. It means the market has become more discriminating.
Comment: Fair play to First Sentinel for putting a brave face on the dearth of IPOs. But as I have found from personal experience, it would be easier to climb the north face for the Eiger for most normal people in terms of delivering an IPO, and that is just when the real “fun” begins.
The Times: Europe’s largest bank HSBC (HSBA) has announced plans to buy back up to $1 billion of its own shares alongside better-than-expected interim results — resuming a share buyback it suspended last October after its £10.7 billion acquisition of Hang Seng Bank. HSBC reported a pre-tax profit of $19.5 billion for the first six months of the year, up from $15.8 billion for the same period last year and higher than the $18.9 billion forecast by City analysts.
Comment: As nothing is being done about the Great British Banking Cartel, the only solution for long suffering customers would appear to be to copy what HSBA are doing, and buy the shares.
MedPal AI plc (MPAL), the AI-native digital health and pharmacy group, provided a trading update for July 2026, the first month in which the Group’s three revenue streams (NHS prescriptions, private prescriptions and SaaS software subscriptions) have all been in operation. From zero to £8.6 million in nine months. The Group’s dispensing operations started from zero in October 2025. The annualised run rate passed £5 million by 1 June 2026 and stands at approximately £8.6 million based on July 2026, growth achieved in just nine months from a standing start.
Comment: After being on the receiving end of the usual small cap slapping mudslinging that goes with the territory with listing on the London stock market, it would appear that the bears / defamation squad have gone quiet on MPAL. Indeed, after today’s update they will probably have to shut up and go long.
Vulcan Two Group (VUL), the Company building a leading regulated UK ePharmacy through buy and build, provided a trading update for the six months ended 30 June 2026. Since completing the acquisitions of CloudRx, Hyperdrug and Webmed on 19 March 2026, the Company has been encouraged by the potential of the acquired businesses and the progress made in integrating operations across the Group. The acquired businesses provide the Group with exposure to a range of product categories, customer channels and revenue streams, creating a diversified platform from which to support future growth.
Comment: It has been noted that while we know that VUL is in a fantastic area, we know that from Medpal (MPAL), there are no numbers in today’s update. Perhaps we could ask Spock to search for the revenue numbers? See what I did there? Of course you did. In the meantime the shares are down 15%. Maybe VUL could buy MPAL for the £8.6m revenues?
Synthomer (SYNT) announced its Interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2026. Strong H1 trading supported by strategic progress – FY expectations for profit and cash generation upgraded.
Comment: SYNT have been dithering in the 80p’s ahead of today’s update. But as we see from the interims, once again the London market has been too cautious on this supplier of high-performance, highly specialised polymers. Everyone loves a good polymer. It would now be disappointing if above the 50 day moving average at 93p the shares did not go on and re-test year highs through 120p by the end of next month.
Georgina Energy (GEX) has received notice to exercise 5,000,000 investor warrants at £0.05 which were issued as part of the fundraising announced on 1 May 2026. The gross proceeds of approximately £250,000 will be dedicated to our work programmes and general working capital.
Comment: Shares of GEX were incessantly and psychotically talked down (bears) during the spring (and through the whole of their life on the market), in the 3p-4p zone. The usual playbook about the company having nothing, school playground bullying regarding the board and running out of money. Therefore another £250k in the bank is all the more sweet, as is the share price on the right side of 10p.
KEFI(KEFI), the gold and copper exploration and development company focussed on the Arabian-Nubian Shield, with projects in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, announced operational updates on the Company’s Tulu Kapi Gold Project and its separate growth pipeline in Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. KEFI said “Following the successful assembly of the Tulu Kapi financing arrangements for the open pit and process plant, our focus is firmly on Project execution and on closing the debt drawdown processes. Progress across community resettlement, plant procurement and construction sub-contractor tendering is in line with schedule. We have developed strong working relationships with Government, local communities, and our international financing and contracting partners.”
Comment: Unfortunately, KEFI has been blighted by the distraction of crackpot commentary for most of the recent past, part clickbait, and part the usual psychotic personal antagonism. Nevertheless, to the company’s credit it has simply got on with the job. One would suspect the shares will consolidate and progress from the current 1p zone.
genedrive plc (GDR), the point of care pharmacogenetic testing company, announced that the Genedrive® MT-RNR1 ID Kit, its rapid pharmacogenetic test to prevent antibiotic-induced hearing loss (“AIHL”) in newborns, has been implemented at Erasmus MC University Medical Center in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, effective from 3 August 2026.
Comment: Although one presumes the science here is something that only five people in the country understand, it is noticeable that shares of GDR have been responding well to even non first tier newsflow – up 10% today.
Great Western Mining Corporation PLC (GWMO), a strategic minerals exploration and development company, provided an update on the upcoming drilling programme at the Defender Tungsten Project in Mineral County, Nevada, USA. GWMO said, “I am delighted to confirm that drilling at Defender is about to get under way. The preparatory work completed over recent months, including geophysics, geological mapping, trenching and drill pad construction, has given us invaluable information and the team is eager to build on this through drilling.”
Comment: It would appear that the smart money, about three people, are really ramping up GWMO as being the next Guardian Metal (GMET). I would actually go further, in the sense that there may be a better chance of this company actually producing minerals, rather than just proving up its assets, and talking a good game.
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.
