(Alliance News) – UK house price growth slowed in November, though monthly gains continued as the housing market showed resilience despite weaker consumer confidence and a softening labour market, according to Nationwide on Tuesday.
Annual growth eased to 1.8% in November from 2.4% in October, Nationwide said. It was milder than a deceleration to 1.4% that had been expected by the FXStreet-cited consensus. Prices rose 0.3% month-on-month in November after seasonal adjustment, slightly stronger than the 0.2% increase seen in October. The consensus was for no monthly change. The average UK house price stood at GBP272,998, up from GBP272,226 a month earlier.
Comment: Given the cost of carry, stamp duty, inheritance tax, rip off mortgage rates, home owners really need the housing Ponzi scheme to be rising by 5% annually. If only there was a way of creating fresh demand by bringing in new people into the country, and if only planning laws were so draconian that it is impossible to deliver new build quickly.
Hydrogen Utopia International (HUI), a company pioneering non-recyclable plastic waste-to-hydrogen technology, is delighted to announced significant progress in its strategic engagement with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Research, Development and Innovation Authority. This development follows ongoing cooperation between RDIA and the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Sector at the Ministry, under a national programme designed to localise advanced technologies within the Kingdom’s research, development and innovation ecosystem. Within this strategic context, RDIA considers Hydrogen Utopia International to be a company with activities in research, development and innovation that align with the objectives of KSA’s national objectives and framework.
Comment: It would appear that after a series of positive RNS updates, HUI seems set to do as well as Christian Ronaldo in KSA (or better), and appears to have ingratiated itself with the powers that be, as well. Indeed, it seems set to be one of the powers that be in its space. BTW, the rally must be really hurting market makers / shorters at current levels after the rise from 1.5p in October…
RC Fornax (RCFX), the UK-based consultancy delivering outcome-based engineering solutions to the defence sector’s most critical platforms – accredited, in-demand, and built to scale, is pleased to provide the following trading update. The Company has recorded a strong start to the financial year ending 31 August 2026, with total orders (new orders plus extensions) received for the first three months of approximately £2.5 million, an over 70% increase year-on-year. This performance is the result of both the increased customer engagement following the publication of the Strategic Defence Review and the operational improvements made by the Company in the last five months.
Comment: It is always good to highlight companies that hardly anyone has heard of, or knows what they do. Quite why one should do this of course remains a mystery. That said, RCFX deserves to be more in the spotlight than it is if only on the basis of its pipeline.
Metir plc (MET), the global provider of fast response mobile and point-of-use water and environmental testing technology, provided a trading update ahead of its financial year ended 31 December 2025. The Group has continued to build on the significant progress reported in its Interim Results on 30 September 2025. Demand is increasing, driven by growing international demand for Microtox® LX instruments, reagents and SRB sales. MET said “The Board considers 2026 as transformational and a pivotal year for growth. The Group retains the characteristics of an agile, entrepreneurial technology company, with world-class products and a pipeline of unique innovative technologies under development. The Group has invested in manufacturing growth and product development which includes use of proceeds of the successful June 2025 fund raise. Accordingly, EBITDA profitability is likely to be deferred until 2026 given our planned investment profile. Against a backdrop of tightening global regulation, rising water scarcity and increasing need for real-time monitoring, Metir is a global leader in fast-response environmental testing technologies.”
Comment: It is perhaps the case that if more people other than the writer of this article actually knew what MET does and what its prospects are, the shares might have done rather better in 2025 than merely just being flat. That said, deferring EBITDA profitability to 2026, is an explanation for the relative state of flux.
On the Beach Group (OTB) announced its final results for the year ended 30 September 2025. Record TTV for the fourth consecutive year, up 11% to £1.25bn (FY24: £1.1bn). Revenue increased 6% to £121.4m (FY24: £114.6m). Further margin improvement of 150 bps with Adjusted EBITDA margin at 33.2% (FY24: 31.7%). Adjusted profit before tax increased 20% to £35.0m (FY24: £29.2m). Winter ‘25/26 forward bookings are +15% YOY. Summer ‘26 momentum is building; YTD forward bookings for Summer ‘26 are +8% YOY and OTB is confident in delivering another record summer. The Board is confident in delivering FY26 Adjusted PBT in the range of £39m-£43m, in line with market expectations. The Group remains on track with its Medium Term Ambition; TTV of £2.5bn, EBITDA of £100m, Adjusted PBT of £85m and EPS of 38.7p.
Comment: Although from recent events one might get the impression that Brits are more keen on making one way trips abroad, rather than having the cash to splash out on package holidays, it would appear that despite the alleged cost of living crisis there is still plenty of money to take a couple of weeks off in the sun. Perhaps it is just people on benefits?
Fulcrum Metals plc (FMET), a company pioneering the use of innovative cyanide-free technology to recover precious and critical metals from mine waste, provided preliminary gold and silver recovery results and an update on the phase 3 detailed metallurgical work with Extrakt Process Solutions LLC at the Teck-Hughes mine tailings project at Kirkland Lake, Ontario. Preliminary results achieved gold and silver recoveries of >70%, with the leach programme now extended to assess final recoveries and potential extraction of other metals such as gallium and tellurium. The final results from the phase 3 metallurgical testing, which optimises leach recoveries, reagent recycling, mass flow, dewatering, and upscaling parameters, are expected in Q1 2026.
Comment: 2025 is likely to be regarded as a turnaround year for FMET, not only in terms of the share price since the summer, but the market’s appreciation of the company’s strategy and prospects.
The Smarter Web Company (AQUIS: SWC), a London-listed technology company and the UK’s largest publicly traded company holding Bitcoin on its balance sheet, announced that it will be holding a live in-person presentation to investors at today’s GM to be held at John James Theatre, Aerospace Bristol, Hayes Way, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5BZ at 11.00 a.m. The Company will progress an acquisition strategy targeting other businesses with a view to growing its number of clients and / or recurring revenue. The Smarter Web Company will only make acquisitions where the Directors believe the timing and opportunity is appropriate.
Comment: One would love to be an inquisitive fly on the wall at the GM, if only to ask how it was expected that repeatedly diluting shareholders to buy BTC was going to get the share price up, how the company is going to deliver a proportionate business as per Aquis rules to the hope for the best Treasury Strategy, and whether SWC has enough cash without selling some BTC to buy other businesses. That said, going all the way to Bristol for a fly or anyone else feels like a big ask with the shares down at 42p from over 600p.
Topps Tiles Plc (TPT), the UK’s leading tile specialist, announces its unaudited consolidated annual financial results for the 52 weeks ended 27 September 2025.
Market beating performance with clear progress towards our goal of ‘Mission 365’ – new record year of sales at £295.8 million and 40% of revenue growth goal achieved. Strong strategic progress against five key areas of growth – category expansion, Topps Tiles trader digital experience, business-to-business, Pro Tiler, and Tile Warehouse. Trade growth of 28.3% year-on-year (+14.3% excluding CTD), trade sales now approximately 75% of Group sales. Group digital penetration (excluding CTD) of 21.1%, up from 18.5% in FY24.
Comment: Eagle-eyed stock market observers (me), will have noticed the share price of TPT stir positively yesterday, and it would appear those who successfully guessed, or were told about today’s positive results were on the right track. Of particular interest is the group digital penetration metric, something which one is sure would be something fully appreciated by the market.
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.
