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ONECLICKHR PLC (OCR.LN) Thursday posted a massive rise in first-half 2009 pretax profit as sales rose 20% following a number of new contract wins and product releases in the period.

In the first half ended June 30, the HR software, training services and solutions provider made a pretax profit of GBP356,000 on revenue of GBP3.26 million compared with profit of GBP23,000 a year earlier on revenue of GBP2.76 million.

At 1045 GMT, shares +1.38 pence, or 18%, at 8.88 pence.

PLAYTECH LTD. (PTEC.LN), an online gaming company, Thursday posted a sharp rise in first half earnings and said despite its joint venture with William Hill getting off to a slower start than expected, it will be a "big contributor" to future earnings.

The company lifted its interim dividend 17% as it a first half posted pretax profit of EUR32.8 million from EUR24 million a year earlier.

At 1045 GMT, shares +13.75 pence, or 4%, at 346.5 pence.

HMV Group PLC (HMV.LN), the U.K. entertainment retailer, Thursday posted a 1.8% fall in underlying sales across its business for the first 18 weeks of its fiscal 2010 but said future trading will be bolstered by a deal to strengthen its digital business.

Sales at HMV and Waterstone's bookshop stores open more than a year in the five countries it trades in fell 1.8% in the 18 weeks to Aug. 29. However, total sales at its U.K. and Ireland HMV stores rose 13% in the first quarter, helped by the demise of rivals Woolworths and Zavvi at the end of last year.

At 1045 GMT, shares -1.9 pence, or 1.66%, at 112.8 pence.

PREMIER FARNELL PLC (PFL.LN), an electronics distributor, Thursday posted a 40% drop in second-quarter pretax profit, but said group sales have improved in August and it continues to take market share in Europe and Asia.

Speaking to Dow Jones Newswires, Chief Executive Harriet Green said there were signs the firm has seen the bottom of the market and product developments should enable it to continue winning new business and grow market share.

At 1045 GMT, shares -12.2 pence, or 7%, at 150.8 pence.

KBC ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES PLC (KBC.LN), an oil consultancy group, upped its interim dividend despite a 48% drop in first-half pretax profit, pointing to "clear signs" of improving trading conditions at the end of June.

The company said it expects its new environmental services unit to break even this year as it benefits from increased environmental awareness in the U.S.

At 1045 GMT, shares -1.5 pence, or 3%, at 44.5 pence.

ABBEY PROTECTION PLC (ABB.LN), the legal and professional fees insurer, Thursday said it was sizing up acquisition targets and was optimistic about its second half based on robust demand for its services.

The firm Thursday upped its interim dividend as it posted a 10% rise in first-half pretax profit.

Chief Executive Colin Davison told Dow Jones: "We're looking for a complementary acquisition, probably in compliance consultancy and ideally in health and safety."

At 1045 GMT, shares +1.5 pence, or 2%, at 67 pence.

MCBRIDE PLC (MCB.LN) Thursday posted a 41% rise in fiscal-year pretax profit as sales were boosted by increased demand from shoppers for the cheaper own-brand household and personal care products it makes, adding it made a good start to the 2010 fiscal year.

At 1045 GMT, shares +6.2 pence, or 4%, at 160.5 pence.

SOFTWARE RADIO TECHNOLOGY PLC (SRT.LN), the radio technology developer, said it has received an $18 million order for its Automatic Identification System (AIS) Class B product from a customer based in Asia. The device is used to identify and track vessels and is used by some countries to improve the safety and security of their coastal and inland waterways.

At 1045 GMT, shares +1 pence, or 16.6%, at 7 pence.

WINCANTON PLC (WIN.LN), a logistics company, said it has been awarded several contracts by major U.K. retailer Marks & Spencer Group PLC (MKS.LN) to run parts of its supply chain, in a deal expected to generate GBP275 million of revenue.

At 1045 GMT, shares +4.75 pence, or 2%, at 219.75 pence.

FTSE SMALL CAP +0.34%

FTSE AIM +0.9%

-By Hannah Benjamin, Rachael Gormley & Zechariah Hemans, Dow Jones Newswires; 44 20 7842 9272; uksmallcaps@dowjones.com

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