Its second major discovery this year puts the shine on Petra Diamonds (PDL), up 3.4% to 182.8p after finding a massive 232 carat white diamond at its Cullinan mine in South Africa. For a reminder about the attractions of investing in the diamond space, read this article that we published in August.
European retail meat packing business Hilton Food (HFG) falls 9p (2%) to 451p after guiding towards flat year-on-year profits due to adverse currency movements, higher-than-expected start-up costs in the UK and Australia and constrained consumer spending. Half-year figures are respectable, showing year-on-year volume growth and profits up 1.8% to £10.2 million after absorbing a £500,000 foreign exchange hit.
Recently merged (7 Aug) electrical and telecommunications retailer Dixons Carphone (DC.) clips ahead 2.5p to 371.8p on a reassuring maiden trading statement. Set to join the FTSE 100 ranks later this month, the £2.2 billion cap flags a good start to the integration process and a strong UK and Ireland performance in electricals in the first quarter, though like-for-like sales in the mobile business are down due to strong prior year comparatives and tough trading in Spain.
Cash-rich Chinese e-commerce platform JQW (JQW:AIM) jumps 4.5% to 58.5p on strong interim results, revealing a 48% surge in profit before tax to RMB 105 million. News of a 5p special dividend, on top of a 0.2p interim payout, boosts demand for the stock.
A profit warning sends transport group Interbulk (INB:AIM) down 11.3% to 3.88p.
Superglass (SPGH:AIM) dives 12.5% to 21p on a gloomy trading statement and revelation of a number of takeover approaches for its main trading subsidiary. The company says the offers don't reflect the value of the business, invested capital or future potential, so would provide 'unacceptable returns' for shareholders.
African Potash (AFPO:AIM) jumps 17.6% to 3.38p on a favourable exploration update. Its first drill has intercepted potash mineralisation at the Lac Dinga project in the Republic of Congo.
Coal mining and trading company Hargreaves Services (HSP:AIM), which recently sold its haulage business Imperial Tankers for £26.9 million as part of an ongoing restructuring, falls 4.3% to 670p despite proposing an aggressive dividend hike for the year to end-May.
Blur (BLUR:AIM) advances 9.3% to 88.5p as half-year results reassure investors following earlier concerns about its pace of growth. It ended the period with $24.4 million of cash which house broker N+1 Singer reckons is enough to see it through to profitability, expected within two years.
Specialist engineer Corac (CRA:AIM) falls 10.3% to 6.5p as the surprise departure of finance director Jon Carter overshadows an indication alongside today's interims that full-year numbers will be ahead of expectations. The sell-off may also reflect some disappointment that there are not more tangible signs of progress with the group's downhole gas compressor (DGC) technology.
Structural steel and construction safety specialist Billington (BILN:AIM) bounces 18.3% higher to 177.5p after reporting a 132% surge in profit before tax for the six months to June 2014.
Life sciences research tool provider Abcam (ABC:AIM) gains 4.2% to 425.5p as it hikes the total dividend 10.1% to 7.75p, despite annual pre-tax profits remaining flat at £43 million, and issues a positive outlook statement.
Letting agency franchiser MartinCo (MCO:AIM) is marked down 1.5p to 118p on news of a 10% half-year pre-tax profits decline to £796,225.
Payments services provider SafeCharge (SCH:AIM) skips 3.5% higher to 224p on well-received maiden interims. The £324 million cap, which raised $125 million (£78 million) via an IPO in April, reports growth in processing volumes, revenue and profitability. Read our news analysis here.
Specialist IT recruiter InterQuest (ITQ:AIM) rises 2p to 120p as half-year figures show an 81% earnings per share advance to 4.9p, helped by an 'outstanding' performance by recent acquisition ECOM.
