In one way or another, China has come to dominate the conversation in financial markets.Whether it's insatiable Chinese demand for everything from steel to corn to luxury handbags, or its never-ending ding-dong with the US, or whether or not you believe its GDP figures, China seems to be a big part of most stories in the financial world.And that seems to be the way its leaders like it. A...

A swathe of distribution deals could finally set Starcom (STAR:AIM) on a path back to profit after three years of losses. The Israeli GPS tracking and security kit designer has signed a supply and support agreement with Pinnacle Systems, a leading road safety and fleet management company based in Kenya.The deal (3 Dec) will see Pinnacle commit to purchase several thousand Helios units,...

Enter the DragonAs consolidation in the oil and gas sector steps up (see Cover Story) Emirates National Oil Company is bidding to buy out minority shareholders in Dragon Oil (DGO). The latter trades at 687.5p after the 735p cash bid from the 54% shareholder which tried the same trick at 455p in 2009. (TS)Takeover hopes dashedBuyout hopes surrounding Publishing Technology (PTO:AIM) are left in...

Ebola threat to cocoaCocoa prices, already at three-and-a-half year highs, could quickly escalate if the current unprecedented outbreak of Ebola in West Africa spreads from neighbouring countries to major producer Ivory Coast. Long exposure to the crop is possible through ETFS Cocoa (COCO) at $3.87. (TS)Victoria's turnaroundKeep an eye on the impressive turnaround being weaved at design-led...

RESULTS ? Monday 31 March ? Finals ? Starcom (STAR:AIM)Political unrest in Ukraine could well scupper a $1 million order for tracking technology specialist Starcom (STAR:AIM). Its Ukrainian distribution partner had agreed to buy 4,000 WatchLock units from the £15 million cap but the ongoing political instability has cast doubt on whether the order can be fulfilled. Starcom may provide...

Cambria hits top gearSwindon-headquartered Cambria Automobiles (CAMB:AIM) looks an interesting momentum trade ahead of April's half-time results. The £49 million cap is thriving in a buoyant new car market and a healthy acquisition pipeline should turbo-charge conservative forecasts. (JC)High fibre dietFibre network operator hopeful CityFibre will be worth watching as it joins Aim this week....

Starcom (STAR:AIM) 19.6p Gain to date: 4.6% It is a big deal for a microcap to go through the flotation process but it is still a touch disappointing to see Starcom (STAR:AIM) stumble on its sales execution. Valuable deals for its Helios vehicle tracking kit are behind schedule and the firm's WatchLock and Triton products are feeling the effects of a lack of focus. Fortunately, these problems...

Genus croppedAnimal genetics specialist Genus (GNS) lost 10% of its value when its pre-tax profits dropped 30% to £38.1 million in the year to July. A 10% dividend rise to 16.1p per share highlights management's confidence in rising demand fuelled by good harvests. (MD)Fluid MycelxWater technology specialist Mycelx (MYX:AIM) could be in demand following next week's interims (16 Aug). Shares...

Global positioning system (GPS) tracking technology microcap Starcom (STAR:AIM) has the scope to more than double in six-to-nine months, with the downside capped by a dismally low rating. New products and reseller partners could help catapult the share price from 18.75p to 40p and perhaps higher still.The Israeli £13 million cap joined Aim in February, when it raised £2.7 million with bold...

It could be worth taking the time to hunt down a stake in Aim's newest member, Starcom (STAR:AIM), at 17.5p for exposure to some exciting tracking and locking technology systems.Helios is a fairly straight forward GPS-based vehicle tracking system sold to fleet operators and the source of the vast majority of 2012's $8 million (£5.3 million) in revenues. Of greater interest are a range of new...