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SIME DARBY BHD. (4197.KU) plans to buy NEW BRITAIN PALM OIL LTD.
(NBPO.LN), a Papua New Guinea-based alternative fuel producer, in a
1.07 billion pound ($1.73 billion) deal that will strengthen the
Malaysian conglomerate's position as a palm oil supplier in
Europe.
At 1315 GMT, New Britain Palm Oil shares up 286 pence, or 74%,
at 672.5 pence.
GRESHAM COMPUTING PLC's (GHT.LN) shares fell up to 30% in early
trading Thursday after the company warned of an earnings shortfall,
despite assuring of a strong pipeline of business and recurring
revenue streams.
Shares down 30.5 pence, or 31%, at 66.5 pence.
KOFAX LTD. (KFX.LN) lowered its fiscal 2015 guidance, reflecting
delays in core-capture software license revenues, prompting its
shares to fall as much as 14% in early trading, before slipping
back.
Shares down 102.5 pence, or 22%, at 372.25 pence.
HAYS PLC (HAS.LN), a staffing company, reported an
earlier-than-expected return to growth in Australia and anticipates
this growth will accelerate during the rest of the year, its
finance director said.
Shares up 6.9 pence, or 5.84%, at 125.1 pence.
IMAGE SCAN HOLDINGS PLC (IGE.LN), a maker of X-ray imaging
systems, expects to report a widened full-year loss after
disappointing trading in the second half.
Shares down 0.25 pence, or 12%, at 1.88 pence.
N. BROWN GROUP PLC (BWNG.LN), a home-shopping business, lowered
its full-year guidance after the recent warm weather hit sales in
September. The company now expects 2014 pretax profit to be in the
range of 88 million pounds ($140.4 million) to GBP92 million,
before fair-value adjustments and reorganization and restructuring
costs estimated at GBP5 million.
Shares down 45.2 pence, or 13%, at 303 pence.
STELLAR DIAMONDS PLC (STEL.LN) said first diamonds have been
recovered from the commissioning of the mine plant at the Baoule
kimberlite pipe in Guinea with 54 carats recovered to date,
including a gem diamond of 1.37 carats as well as a 3.76 carat
lower quality stone.
Shares up 0.2 pence, or 1.85%, at 1.38 pence.
SIERRA RUTILE LTD. (SRX.LN) reduced its production guidance for
the year due to the Ebola virus, but said it still unaffected by
the disease and has taken measures to remain cash-positive despite
the outbreak. The miner, which operates in the southwest of Sierra
Leone, said its rutile and illmenite production fell 3% and 19%,
respectively, in the third quarter to 27,078 metric tons and 9,986
tons, compared with the second quarter.
Shares down 1.37 pence, or 6.4%, at 20.13 pence.
FTSE Small-Cap down 0.09%
AIM down 0.11%
Write to Jana Simmons, Ian Walker, Razak Musah Baba, Ed Ballard
and Alex MacDonald at uksmallcaps@wsj.com