Fiinu Plc (BANK), the fintech group and creator of the Plugin Overdraft®, announced an operational update in respect of continued progress on its Plugin Overdraft® white-label partnership with Conister Bank Limited, a subsidiary of Manx Financial Group Plc, and additional white-label engagement and platform testing in Europe. BANK said “We continue to make steady and constructive progress with Conister Bank on the development of the Plugin Overdraft® as a white-label solution, with a number of important milestones now achieved, including regulatory approval and commencement of user acceptance testing in our production environment. While there remain defined deliverables to complete ahead of launch, including third-party dependencies, both teams remain fully engaged and aligned on the path forward.”
Comment: A serious CEO here, and a serious strategy in terms of overdrafts, which targets a significant international addressable market. Anything under 10p, where we are now appears too cheap given the prospects.
Quantum Helium Limited (QHE) provided a year-end operational update following a highly active period across its Colorado portfolio. QHE said “This month has been exceptionally productive for Quantum, with a number of major milestones all achieved within days of each other. Finishing the Sagebrush 3D seismic, finalising the Sproule ERCE report on Coyote Wash, and completing the Irrevocable Letter of Credit collectively move us a significant step closer to flow testing Sagebrush-1 and progressing the wider development plan. The Letter of Credit has now been finalised, with all required funds transferred, and we expect the formal document to be issued shortly. Once received, it will be delivered immediately to the Tribe and the BIA with the accompanying authorisations. Subject to their availability, we anticipate sign-off shortly thereafter.”
Comment: Another day, another RNS from QHE, underlining the recent positive transformation at the company. There is obviously a desire here to not only catch up with its helium exploration peers, but overtake them as soon as possible.
Sintana Energy Inc (SEI) announced the admission of its common shares represented by depositary interests (“Common Shares”) to trading on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange. Dealings will commence at 8:00am on Tuesday 23 December 2025, under the ticker “SEI” (ISIN: CA82938H1073) and with an expected market capitalisation of circa. £128 million.
Comment: Presumably as SEI is American and is not familiar with, or would not believe what a turkey being listed on AIM is, the company is coming to market to London with high hopes. At least with a market cap of £128m we presume it can afford this particular brand of vanity / money wasting.
OPG (OPG), the developer and operator of power generation assets in India, announces that, following the cancellation of its admission to trading on AIM with effect from 24 December 2025, the Company intends to continue keeping shareholders informed of its progress and statutory financial information through updates published on its website.
Comment: Those in the know regarding OPG were always mindful of the undervalue in the company leading to it deciding to head for the exit as far as being on AIM. When taken with the arrival of SEI today, AIM seems to be enjoying the kind of one in, one out phenomena that the government’s illegal mass migration policy would appreciate.
Oriole Resources PLC (ORR), the AIM quoted gold exploration company focused on West and Central Africa, is pleased to provide a progress report on the maiden drilling programme at its MB01-N gold prospect, as announced on 24 November 2025. The drilling is progressing well and has already passed 30% completion of the planned 2,950m total programme. We look forward to reporting the first batch of drill hole assay results in the New Year.
Comment: It has been an up and down year for ORR, despite the way that the macro environment currently puts companies like it as being in right in the box seat as far as market sentiment is concerned. We just need the newsflow to continue being positive in the manner of today’s update.
Huddled Group plc (HUD), the circular economy e-commerce group, provided an operational update. Group revenue circa £19m for FY 2025[1], a circa 47% increase compared to FY 2024. Discount Dragon and Nutricircle Basket Margin increased significantly in H2 2025 vs H1 2025. All brands now fully transitioned to THG Fulfil, our new 3PL robotic fulfilment partner. Soft launch of KwikSales.com. HUD said “The transition to THG has brought with it some predictable short-term issues, but the improvements are demonstrably worth it. The opportunities, through additional channels, now available to us are significant, allowing us to showcase offerings to much larger audiences.”
Comment: While some may quibble regarding HUD not yet being at adjusted EBITDA profitability across all three trading divisions, it seems right to regard such a feat as being only a matter of time, and something which will soon be factored into the share price rout we have seen from 4.6p to 1.65p since April.
Aptamer Group plc (APTA), the developer of next-generation synthetic binders for the life sciences industry, and Alphazyme LLC (Alphazyme), a Maravai LifeSciences (NASDAQ: MRVI) company and global provider of specialty enzymes used in the life sciences sector, have entered into a licensing agreement for a developed Optimer® for use in hot-start PCR applications. This binder acts as a precise molecular control mechanism in hot-start DNA amplification.
Comment: Everyone is into hot-start DNA amplification, especially this time of year. The sizzle here for those who do not have a clue what this is comes in the form of another decent US counterparty for APTA.
First Class Metals PLC (FCM) the UK listed company focused on the discovery of economic metal deposits across its exploration properties in Ontario, Canada, is pleased to announce the successful completion of the maiden drilling programme on the North Hemlo property. FCM said “The successful completion of our maiden drill programme on the Dead Otter trend represents an important milestone for First Class Metals at North Hemlo. Ten drill holes were completed over approximately three kilometres of the trend, testing multiple priority targets within a structurally complex system.”
Comment: FCM has been saved by the bell in terms of the boom in the explorer / develop space this year. Indeed, given the current drilling activity we should be treated to the re-rate in the shares that loyal shareholders have waitedon so long.
Rome Resources plc (RMR), the DRC-focused tin and copper explorer, announced the commencement of the next phase of drilling operations at its Bisie North project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (“DRC”), located just 8 km from the world-class Alphamin Mpama tin mine complex, together with an operational progress review of 2025.
Comment: Recent director share buying has underlined the way that near to o,2p the shares of RMR are on the cheap side. Strong noises from the company today should ensure we are at the bottom of the trading range. Further newsflow such as today’s should underpin turnaround prospects.
KEFI Gold and Copper (KEFI), the gold and copper exploration and development company with projects in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, provided an update on its Fundraise, further to the announcements made yesterday. The retail offer via RetailBook successfully completed and has now closed. From the RetailBook Offer, the Company has raised gross proceeds of £774,245.63 at the Placing Price of 1.3 pence. The Fundraise is therefore expected to raise gross cash proceeds of approximately £6.9 million through the Placing and the Retail Offer and is expected to settle approximately £8.9 million of outstanding liabilities through the Subscription.
Comment: Although the company has been hit by crackpot and personal abuse laden commentary over the years, it can be seen that it has risen above the clouds regarding both its messaging, and the prospect of the big project funding the market has been waiting on. Today we see the company ensuring it is well funded ahead of the big denouement.
Oracle Power PLC (ORCP), an international project developer, announced that it and its JV partner, Riversgold Limited have now executed a Deed for Grant of Mining Tenement and a Land Use Agreement with the Marlinyu Ghoorlie Native Title Claimant Group. These agreements relate to tenements M25/389 and P25/2848 that cover the ground over the Company’s Kalgoorlie Gold Project. ORCP said “We are very pleased to have signed this very important set of agreements with the Marlinyu Ghoorlie. These landmark agreements reflect the Northern Zone Gold Project’s owners’ commitment to working in partnership with the Marlinyu Ghoorlie people in a spirit of goodwill and mutual respect. This is a major milestone towards the advancement of the project and a key part of what is needed to convert the tenements to a Mining Lease and our moves to open up Northern Zone to gold production in 2026 with MEGA.”
Comment: It is always pleasing when a company gets a win that perhaps too many shareholder were not aware it was going for in the first place. At the same time if the natives are so keen on getting their share of a project, why do they not just buy one and develop it themselves rather than goal-hanging someone else’s work?
Cindrigo Holdings Limited (CINH), an integrated renewable energy producer and developer, announced that it has reviewed its strategy for the commencement of its Finnish operations and has decided this can best be achieved by taking a more direct role in the biomass value chain through Kaipolan Energia Oy, the Group’s majority-owned operating company for the Kaipola 110 MW biomass combined heat and power (“CHP”) plant in Finland. It is hoped that this will also reduce reliance on individual third-party off-takers and enhance the scale, resilience and earnings visibility of the Group’s Finnish biomass operations.
Comment: For a burgeoning company that is new to the market CINH remains surprising off the radar. That said, a few more mentions in the RNS Hotlist, and this will no longer be the case. The aftermath of today’s share price decline should be the first opportunity for bottom fishers to have a nibble.
Ariana Resources plc (AAU), the mineral exploration, development and production company with gold project interests in Africa and Europe, announced new assay results from its ongoing exploration drilling at its 100% held Dokwe Gold Project in Zimbabwe, focusing on near-term potential resource growth opportunities at Dokwe. “We believe that Dokwe has the potential to increase in scale, and less than two months into our first exploration drilling campaign, we have shown that the Dokwe Central deposit is richly mineralised for a considerable distance beyond the current resource envelope. Other drilling undertaken in the vicinity has also confirmed our understanding of the geology, and we await further drilling results to determine the potential for further extensions.”
Comment: Given the way that gold is soaring, and AAU is stepping up the momentum on its newsflow, it should be the case that even this company starts attracting the proper investment interest it deserves after all these years.
Christie Group plc (CTG) advised that following stronger than anticipated trading, particularly during the last three months of 2025, it now expects to report a stronger full year performance from its continuing operations than previously envisaged. The Group has seen encouraging activity levels across its Professional & Financial Services division maintained throughout the second half, with particularly strong invoicing now expected to be achieved in Q4. Christie & Co will once again have advised on the sale or purchase of over 1,000 businesses in the UK, but at markedly improved levels of average fee compared to 2024, and its international brokerage operations will also deliver strong year-on-year growth in revenues.
Comment: The market has been somewhat churlish regarding its view and especially its rating of CTG, something which has been corrected at least partially with a 20% rebound since the market opened yesterday. Strangely, it was almost as if someone knew yesterday that today’s update would be a decent one.
Blencowe Resources Plc (BRES) report the first deep-hole assay results from the newly identified Beehive Deposit, located approximately 3kms from the existing Northern Syncline and Camp Lode deposits at the Orom-Cross graphite project in Uganda. Along with these other deposits Beehive sits within the existing Mining License (ML1959). The Company is pleased to announce an exceptional drilling result from Beehive Deposit where early indications of a strong system have now been materially exceeded by the latest assay results from Hole L238B.
Comment: Shares of BRES are recovering well after its £3m fundraise earlier this month, and so they should considering the newsflow both before and since has been top notch. While we know how significant Orom-Cross is, getting regular reminders such as today’s, does no harm whatsoever.
Gulf Marine Services (GMS), a leading provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels to the offshore energy industry, is pleased to announce the award of a contract covering two of its Large-class vessels in Europe. The contract spans a total of 985 days and will see the vessels continue to support offshore operations across the region. Following this award, GMS’s contracted backlog increases to USD 540 million.
Comment: In terms of the ratio of the £200m market cap to the $540m backlog, one still gets the feeling that GMS is on the cheap side. This is helped along by the way that the company seems to be a contract award magnet on an ongoing basis.
Helix Exploration (HEX), the helium exploration and development company with near-term production assets within the ‘Montana Helium Fairway’, updated on its flagship Rudyard Project as it progresses towards first helium gas production. HEX said “We are excited to soon become the first helium producer in the State of Montana & the opportunities that production will present for the Company. The team remain laser focused on maintaining the momentum built up since the IPO and I look forward to updating the market on the anticipated production milestone.”
Comment: Being the first helium producer in the State of Montana, has to be up there with landing on the moon or splitting the atom, if you are in the helium business. It has not been totally clear as to whether HEX was looking to prove up assets, or produce. Now we appear to have our answer.
Tavistock (TAVI) announced its unaudited interim results for the six-month period ended 30 September 2025, and increased dividend. This results announcement comes in the context of a period of transition for the Company as it undertakes a significant strategic realignment to become a fintech business. Integral to this is making extensive but appropriate use of AI to provide cost-effective financial advice and investment management services to all UK adults, regardless of their income levels or wealth.
Comment: If I had just made a disposal for £36m and my market cap was £18m, I think I would be somewhat miffed at the stock market’s reaction, and ongoing nonplussedness – if that is a word which it would appear according to spellcheck, it is not. You wonder why companies either stay private, or leave the stock market.Az
Premier African Minerals Limited (PREM) updated regarding the notice of demand received from JR Goddard Contracting, which sought payment of US$2.3 million prior to enforcing a previously stayed judgment of US$2.5 million, as announced on 10 December 2025. The Creditor has now issued a Writ of Execution for Movable Property at the Zulu Lithium and Tantalum Project in the High Court of Zimbabwe (“Writ”), seeking to realise an amount of approximately US$2.2 million. Communication between the parties remains open and ongoing and the Company believes that, subject to the financial position at Zulu Lithium, any movable property attached pursuant to the Writ may be recovered through the agreement and implementation of further payment arrangements with the Creditor.
Comment: With RNS updates like this one almost feels like saying come back George Roach, all is forgiven. At least one appreciates what a tough gig PREM is for any CEO.
Author
