It?s been a busy month in small-cap land with good news, bad news and downright weird news for investors to digest.First the good news, as the persistent undervaluation of UK companies ? and small caps in particular ? draws increasing numbers of corporate buyers.Financial services software provider Gresham Technologies (GHT) agreed a 163p per share cash offer from funds managed or advised by STG P

This year has brought some tentative optimism from investors linked to easing inflation and Chinese reopening. Corporate confidence is gradually recovering after the invasion of Ukraine brought fundraisings to a halt, with businesses beginning to tap the market for growth capital again.In this article, we outline why the year ahead should see a rebound in equity fundraisings and explain how retail

London share prices started lower on Tuesday, following market declines in the US and Asia and a dispiriting forecast that the UK economy will underperform all its peers this year.The two-day US Federal Open Market Committee policy meeting begins on Tuesday. The Federal Reserve will announce its latest interest rate decision on Wednesday. The Bank of England and the European Central Bank will foll

Stock prices in Europe and Asia were lower on Wednesday, as markets prepared for the largest US interest hike in over two decades, but Wall Street itself was more upbeat, pointed to open higher, having closed up on Tuesday.In the meantime, attention in London was on a batch of company updates, with Flutter Entertainment leading large-cap shares after hailing the success of its betting business in

Company updates dominated investor attention early Wednesday, particularly a sudden change of leadership at Aston Martin, but market focus later will switch back to central banks.The Federal Open Market Committee will conclude its two-day policy meeting on Wednesday and announce its decision at 1900 BST. This will be followed by a press conference with Fed Chair Jerome Powell at 1930 BST.Following

With markets and financial commentators seemingly obsessed with the notion of big companies getting bigger - Apple being a prime example, having doubled in value to a record-breaking $2 trillion just in the last two years - investors shouldn't overlook the long-term attraction of smaller companies.It's well established that small companies tend to grow faster than big companies. Partly this is dow

The FTSE 100 starts the week on the front foot, up 37.5 points to 7,701. This follows positive trading in Asia. Mining giant Glencore (GLEN) also aided the index with a 1.7% rise. The prospect of a no deal exit from the EU looming has plunged the pound to an 11 month low against the dollar, aiding those FTSE 100 companies earning their revenue overseas.Asset manager Standard Life Aberdeen (SLA) ti

The FTSE 100 is down 18.39 points to 7,769 although the index had reached dizzying heights this week as oil majors rallied. Trade war fears were stoked again with an escalation of rhetoric from President Donald Trump.Pharma giant AstraZeneca (AZN) retreats 3.1% to £51.80 as the company reports core operating profit is down 46% to $896m in its first quarter. The company did manage to increase prod

The FTSE 100 opens 17 points lower at 7,369.17, weighed down by weakness among utility and mining stocks.United Utilities (UU.) is the biggest faller among FTSE 100 stocks, down 3.4% to 806.25p. Severn Trent (SVT) drops 2% to £21.01.Media group Sky (SKY) is top riser on the FTSE 100 thanks to reports that two US companies want to buy 21st Century Fox's interest in the business.Reports suggest Com

Bookmaker Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) shares are down 4% despite revealing a healthy set of fist half to 30 June results. Revenue is up 9% to £827m with operating profit up 22% to £180m both on a year on year basis. The company is losing its influential chief executive Breon Corcoran soon, he says 'we continue to make substantial investments to position Paddy Power Betfair as a structural winner i

A trio of building service suppliers, T Clarke (CTO), Morgan Sindall (MGNS) and Carillion (CLLN), have all reported a rush of new order wins since the beginning of May.T Clarke upped 2017 revenue and profit guidance as it revealed that it was going to exceed the £400m mark in its order book for the first time. Morgan Sindall saw a 5% build in its order book in the first quarter while Carillion un

After securing new projects, building services provider T Clarke (CTO) reveals its order book now exceeds £400m. That's a new record for the company's book of future work, revealed in an AGM statement. But the cherry on top of investors is news that T Clarke expects to beat market expectations for revenue, profit before tax and earnings per share.The market is buoyed by the news, sending the shar

Lately-unloved learning company Pearson (PSON) rebounds 14.1% to 750.5p on an encouraging first quarter update. Full year operating profit guidance is unchanged at £570m-to-£630m, a relief following a series of profit warnings.The academic publisher also outlines well-received plans to further simplify the business, including the possible sale of its US schools publishing arm, reduce the cost ba

A continuing focus on operational improvement and margin growth are central to the increasingly optimistic outlook at building services outfit T Clarke (CTO).The £36.9 million cap?s robust AGM update on 6 May reinforced these positive trends and also helped alleviate fears over any impact from the upcoming European Union referendum on 23 June. Despite the upwards trajectory, the valuation continu

Analysts muse on WorldpayAnalysts' first take on payments specialist Worldpay (WPG), listed in October, are reasonably positive with price targets ranging from 269p to 340p. Cannacord Genuity's 269p price target, against a current share price of 293p, is derived after tweaking results from its proprietary cash flow analysis tool Quest, which valued the stock at 266p. Key forecast risks include Wor

Long-time Grafenia (GRA:AIM) chief executive Tony Rafferty is stepping down from the commercial printing provider, sending shares into a tail-spin this morning.Grafenia trades 22% lower at 15.8p on the announcement, which was published after the market closed last night.As well as the departure of Rafferty, Grafenia is selling its Dutch subsidiary for €2.35 million (£1.7 million).Selling pri

The ability of micro cap stocks to deliver super-sized returns in super quick time is exemplified by Catalyst Media (CMX:AIM).The £12.3 million cap's main asset is a 20.5% stake in provider of broadcasting services to bookies Satellite Information Services (SIS) and it is up 63.9% in the space of a week to 50p after SIS secured (23 Sep) a new five year deal with Racecourse Media commencing April

Online takeaway food ordering system Just Eat's (JE.) tasty run continues, the shares up another 3.5% on the proposed £445 million acquisition of Menulog, a market leading peer in Australia and New Zealand, to be funded through a placing and open offer. Earlier this week (5 May), Just Eat pleased investors with a positive first quarter trading update.Following the completion of a farm-out of its

Pay-TV giant British Sky Broadcasting (BSY) helps the FTSE 100 higher, the blue-chip index 30.92 points up at 6,708.44. The satellite group sees its shares rise 2.5p to 860.5p as investors give the group's acquisition of the Sky Italia and Sky Deutschland stakes the thumbs-up. Numis analyst Paul Richards tells clients, 'we can see the strategic rationale for the transaction, as it provides headroo

A profit warningputs an end to the 12-month share price rally in Braemar Shipping Services (BMS). The £118 million cap transport group falls 5.5% to 548p after revealing slower-than-expected contract awards from its US operations. Elsewhere in the business, its shipbroking division is doing well but performance has dipped at its logistics and environmental divisions.Oil major Royal Dutch Shell (R