Shares digital

Shares in semiconductor production equipment expert Bede (BED) slumped 26% to 0.65p after revealing July’s preliminary approach has yielded a bid below the firm’s market valuation. Bede also admitted its £1.1 million net debt position means the firm will require additional... READ MORE >>

Bid speculation surrounding property developer Minerva (MNR) was stoked up again last week when reports revealed New York-based real estate firm LeFrak has built a 2-3% stake in the company. Market sources have identified several potential suitors for Minerva, including LeFrak, which... READ MORE >>

A decision by Tate & Lyle (TATE) to offer only Fair trade sugar to its retail customers will please growers in Belize and the liberal chattering classes, but David Hallam of brokers Evolution believes the move to access a rapidly growing brand will not ‘make much of a... READ MORE >>

A widely anticipated counterbid for waste management group Biffa (BIFF) looks unlikely after the company confirmed that rival parties to the Montagu-led 350p per share offer had dropped plans for a competing bid. Shares in Biffa dropped 6% to 345.75p in response. Private equity group Terra... READ MORE >>

Staffing agency Robert Walters (RWA) has expanded into China and reported solid full-year results, but analysts remain cautious over a recruitment sector battling an economic downturn. The company is paying up to £1.4 million for a 70% stake in Talent Spotter, a Chinese staffing group... READ MORE >>

The announcement of a first dividend payment since 1999 is a sign of burgeoning confidence at broadband telecommunications equipment expert BATM Advanced Communications (BVC). A net cash pile of $64.8 million, breakthrough orders in Japan and Europe with telecoms giants NTT (NTT:NYSE) and... READ MORE >>

Shares in oil and gas exploration expert Tullow Oil (TLW) slipped 1% to 617.5p earlier this week when good news from Ghana was offset by investor disappointment with drilling delays in Uganda. Tullow has suspended work on the Ngassa-1 well due to technical problems. Drilling is unlikely to ... READ MORE >>

Cigarettes group British American Tobacco's (BATS) success in winning the auction for Turkish state tobacco company Tekel will propel the group into the second spot in the world’s eighth largest tobacco market. Although Tekel is currently loss making like many state-owned companies,... READ MORE >>

Oil & gas firms Portland Gas (PTG:AIM) and Egdon Resources (EDR:AIM) have enjoyed contrasting fortunes since their de-merger at the beginning of the year. The shares of Portland have soared by almost 50%. Its application for a £500 million gas storage project in South Dorset has... READ MORE >>

Shares in property development and consultancy firm Oak Holdings (OAH:AIM) shot up 18% to 33.5p following approval from Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council for a 250 year lease on its £350 million YES! Project. Oak will now focus on finding tenants for the project and on detailed... READ MORE >>

Energy regulator Ofgem this week slapped a £41.6 million fine on electricity and gas transmission firm National Grid (NG.) for what it termed a ‘serious breach of competition... READ MORE >>

Junior market energy firm Mediterranean Oil & Gas (MOG:AIM) has acquired JKX Oil & Gas’ (JKX) acreage in Italy. The e2 million deal will add onshore natural gas assets, including production, to its portfolio. ‘This represents an attractive opportunity to increase our... READ MORE >>

Ringo Francis, founder of cleaning products group Zenith Hygiene (ZHG:AIM), has been removed as chief executive and chairman after the company revealed the extent of overstated earnings for 2006 and admitted to misreporting subsequent accounts. Having already flagged errors in its 2006... READ MORE >>