Having seen its share price obliterated since January, due to investor concerns about unfavourable foreign exchange rates impacting its accounts which are reported in sterling and geopolitical worries due to exposure to the Ukraine and Russia, exhibitions group ITE (ITE) bounces back 2.2% to 194.4p after a reassuring trading update. N+1 Singer analyst Johnathan Barrett comments: 'ITE stock has a habit of overrunning on negative news flow and uncertainty. This is likely to dominate until there is some stabilisation of the political situation. '
Insurers have been hit by reports that the UK financial regulator is to investigate historical product mis-selling allegations. Resolution (RSL) falls 10% to 286.9p; Phoenix (PHNX) slips 6.5% to 689p; Legal & General (LGEN) is down 4.4% to 203p; and Aviva (AV.) declines 5.1% to 458.9p. We look at the situation in more detail here.
X-ray technology kit supplier Kromek (KMK:AIM) collapses after issuing a huge profit warning, the shares crashing 46% to 36.75p. This is particularly disastrous coming just six months after its £15 million IPOat 51p in October. Read our news analysis for more information on the company's problems.
Machine gun manufacturer Manroy (MAN:AIM) gains 8.8% to 81.6p as it agrees a £16 million takeoverby Belgian rival Herstal after months of negotiations. The news comes as resultsfor the year to 30 September reveal a significantly widened post-tax loss of £6.1 million.
Gas mask and dairy product maker Avon Rubber (AVON:AIM) gains 2.1% to 622.9p as it confirms first-half trading will be at the top end of expectations. The strong update prompts Investec to upgrade the stock from 'add' to 'buy' and up its price target from 660p to 680p.
Regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press (JPR) has reporteda return to underlying operating profit growth for the first time in seven years. Yet the shares fall 1% to 23.75p as investors are reminded that there could be a potential equity fundraising to help refinance the group's borrowings.
One of Shares' top picks for 2014, infrastructure services group Renew (RNWH:AIM), issues a solid trading update. It expects to report an increased forward order book and strong cash generation at half-year results in May. The shares rise 2.6% to 234p.
Optimal Payments (OPAY:AIM) reportsan 89% rise in EBITDA (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation) for 2013. Yet the strong performance was already flagged by the payment processor in an earlier trading update, leaving investors short of 'new' information to trigger a new wave of buying. The shares stay flat at 413.25p. We featured the group in our recent Aim 100 special edition of Shares - here's the relevant article.
Investors are gearing up for an update on the main market move of insurance claims outsourcer Quindell (QPP:AIM) on Monday. The shares rally 4% to 38p as investors look ahead to full-year results that should contain news. We flagged this likely market reaction in yesterday's Shares and Quindell remains a Play of the Week from January at 21.5p.
Rare and antiquarian books retailer Scholium (SCHO:AIM) slips 4.5% to 95.5p in debut Aim dealings, having raised £8 million to boost its inventories through a placing priced at 100p.
Stamp dealer Stanley Gibbons (SGI:AIM) gains 2.5p at 340p on strong interim figures. The retailer, which acquired rare coins specialist Noble Investments for £45 million last year, grew sales 16% to £24.3 million and trading profits 9% to £4.6 million in the six months to December.
A first order securedthrough a new channel partner peps up shares in work efficiency software specialist Outsourcery (OUT:AIM), run by the BBC's Dragon's Den panellist Piers Linney. The shares rise 2.3% to 112p, although that's still little progress on last May's 110p IPO. We interviewed Linney in yesterday's Shares.
