London shares decline for the second day running, reacting to disappointing China inflation data and sparked by moderate profit taking. The benchmark FTSE 100 index slides around 50 points, or 0.8%, lower to 6,293, roughly matching falls on Wall Street and on Asian markets overnight.
In corporate news, a heavily-discounted share placing sends Sula Iron & Gold (SULA:AIM) falling 32% to 0.34p. It has secured £500,000 to fund drilling work at its Ferensola gold project in Sierra Leone.
Investors cheer news that Ferrum Crescent (FCR:AIM) has finally sorted out funding to complete a bankable feasibility study on an iron ore project in South Africa. It has partnered with investor BVI which will pay for the work in exchange for 43% stake in the mine’s holding company.
Domino's Pizza (DOM) surges 11% to 991p after reporting a 20.7% year-on-year rise in UK sales to £200 million for the 13 weeks to 27 September. Revenue through digital sales is 35% ahead of last year and more than 75% of delivered sales in the year-to-date have been online. Domino's expects full year results to be ahead of its expectations.
Kazakh hydrocarbons producer Tethys Petroleum (TPL) falls 25% to 3.3p as its former suitor Nostrum Oil & Gas (NOG) says it is in default on a $5 million loan agreed in August as part of the collapsed deal between the two companies.
North Sea E&P Independent Oil & Gas (IOG:AIM) rises 11.4% to 5.15p in relief as lender Darwin Strategic agrees to convert its debt into equity and to sell subscription shares associated with its financing of the company.
Specialist-fit fashion retailer N Brown (BWNG) gains 6.7% at 337p, despite reporting a drop in half-year profits as expected, with CEO Angela Spindler flagging a good start to the second half and assuring full-year forecasts will be achieved.
UAE-focused private healthcare company Al Noor Hospitals (ANH) leaps 13.6% to £11.30 on agreeing to merge with rival operator Mediclinic. The all-share deal creates a business that operates 73 hospitals where Mediclinic shareholders will own up to 93% of the business.
Veterinary drug-maker Animalcare (ANCR:AIM) gains 6.8% to 235p on generating 181% more cash in the year to 30 June at £4.5 million than it did a year earlier, while investors were also comforted by an upbeat outlook statement.
Futura Medical (FUM:AIM) advances 6.1% to 25.7p on licensing the manufacture and supply of erectile dysfunction treatment MED2002 to Quantum Pharma (QP.). Futura receives undisclosed royalties from the deal.
Deal-hungry car retailer Vertu Motors (VTU:AIM) clips ahead 3p (4.5%) to 69.75p after motoring in with record interim profits and cash flows and a bumper dividend increase, prompting analysts to upgrade full-year forecasts.
Luxury interior furnishings firm Walker Greenbank (WGB:AIM) strolls 3.5p higher to 206p on strong half-time figures including a near-26% dividend hike to 0.44p, as well as a positive current trading statement.
London-centric housebuilder Telford Homes (TEF:AIM) advances 2% to 428.5p after the £258.2 million cap told the market that profit before tax for the six months to 30 September 2015 is expected to more than double compared to £9.4 million in the equivalent period last year.
