(Alliance News) The UK economy registered a surprise decline at the start of the year, numbers on Friday showed, with minor growth in the service sector more than offset by decline elsewhere. The Office for National Statistics said UK gross domestic product shrank by 0.1% in January from December, confounding FXStreet-cited market expectations of a 0.1% rise. In December, the UK economy had grown 0.4% from November. The ONS said the decline was “mainly caused by a fall in the production sector”.
Comment: Obviously the ONS was not going to say that the decline in the economy was “mainly caused by a fall in the production sector caused by a disastrous high tax Budget, and the fear of more to come in the next Budget.” Indeed, it was amazing that the decline in January was only 0.1%, from April we should go into freefall.
Sealand Capital Galaxy (SCGL), an IT, Social Media & Technology company focused on consolidating compelling technology opportunities in the global marketplace, is pleased to announce that the Company’s strategic investee & partner, EVOO AI plc, have appointed Gordon Radley to the Board of Directors. This appointment further strengthens and compliments the leadership team as the Company accelerates the rollout of SEA-VOO AI ASIA.
Comment: Who needs Hill Valley, when you have SCGL, and certainly the share price has moved in peaks and troughs in an eye watering fashion. That said, the arrival of Gordon, and an apparent basing of the stock, means that SCGL may attract fresh interest at current levels.
Agronomics (ANIC), a listed company in the field of clean food, announced its unaudited interim results for the six-month period ending 31 December 2024. ANIC said “Looking forward, Agronomics’ investment strategy will focus on helping its portfolio companies maximise the increasing number of opportunities available to them. 2025 is expected to be a transformative year for the portfolio, with a number of companies expected to receive regulatory approvals or reach commercialisation. Additionally, the build programme for Liberation Labs’ facilities is expected to complete before the end of this calendar year, which will bring much needed infrastructure capacity to the cultivated food industry.”
Comment: It is both clear that ANIC is more than just Meatly’s pet food, but it is a company attempting to transform agriculture, and the technology within it.
Thor Energy (THR) announced the Company’s results for the six months ended 31 December 2024. During the period the Company sought and received shareholder approval for its proposed acquisition of 80.2% of Go Exploration. To this end the Company retained RISC, a leading consultancy group to undertake an assessment of natural hydrogen and helium prospective resources across the Go Exploration granted licence in South Australia, PEL120. Post-period the Go Exploration transaction was completed and the Company looks forward to releasing the results of the prospective resource assessment once finalised.
Comment: What one thinks of THR is probably highly correlated to what one thinks of uranium, where the commodity could and should turn out to be the dark horse winner as we hurtle towards Net Zero. At the current share price, and with Go under its belt, THR is option money on uranium’s prospects.
Helium One Global (HE1), the primary helium explorer in Tanzania with a 50% working interest in the Galactica-Pegasus helium development project in Colorado, USA, provides an update following the Blue Star Helium announcement issued today regarding the Galactica Project: the Jackson-31 well flowed naturally during drilling and at total depth, demonstrating strong reservoir communication.
Comment: Having regular updates from Colorado is all very well and good. However, as the recent Tanzania announcement and its positive share price reaction underlined, that zone and its prospects is still the key to HE1’s future.
Atlantic Lithium (ALL) the Africa-focused lithium exploration and development company targeting the delivery of Ghana’s first lithium mine, announce its unaudited Interim Results for the half-year period ended 31 December 2024. ALL said “We await the ratification of the Ewoyaa Mining Lease, which represents the final step in the permitting process and which will enable us to advance towards a Project Final Investment Decision. Following the recent election of the new government in Ghana, we are confident that ratification will be forthcoming in line with due parliamentary process. In the meantime, we are busy engaging various funding providers to secure the necessary financing.”
Comment: While the market continues to grumble / obsess over the price of spodumene, it is still the case that ALL is and has been making solid operational progress. Clearly, the name of the game is when that funding arrives.
Rome Resources (RMR), the DRC-focused tin and base metals explorer, provides the following update in relation to its exploratory drilling programme in the Bisie North Permit area. Following completion of the last two exploratory holes, MADD024 and MADD026, the total metres drilled to date at the Bisie North Project is 2,181 metres from 10 holes at Mont Agoma and 2,264 metres from 18 holes at Kalayi. As noted in the Company’s announcement released on 13 March 2025, Rome has now temporarily paused its drilling operations in advance of undertaking a maiden inferred mineral resource estimate of both the Kalayi and Mont Agoma prospects.
Comment: The market has in general given RMR the “treat ‘em mean, keep ‘em keen approach” something that ignores the track record of the management, and the potential of Bisie North. This should mean that anything sub 0.3p and indeed 0.2p, is seen as a steal in week / months.
Empire Metals (EEE), the AIM-quoted resource exploration and development company, is pleased to announce that its Ordinary Shares have been approved to trade on the OTCQB Market in the United States of America and will commence trading at the market open today under the ticker symbol “EMPLF”. The cross-trading of Empire Metals’ ordinary shares on the OTCQB will provide significant benefits to investors, including enhanced access to trading for US-based investors and greater liquidity from a broader pool of potential investors globally.
Comment: Although trading on the OTCQB may not always be the Niagara of liquidity that companies are hoping for, it does offer alternative pricing to the market maker cartel here in the UK, and therefore can be seen as a useful exercise on this basis alone.
Roquefort Therapeutics (ROQ), the Main Market listed biotech company, announced that it has raised £236,000 by way of a private placing at a price of 1.5p, a discount of 6.25% to the closing price of 1.6p on 13 March 2025. In addition, the Company has received a notice to convert a total face value of £50,000 CLNs. The proceeds of the Placing will be used for general working capital purposes as the Company continues to work towards completion of the US$10.8 million Lyramid Pty Ltd and US$12 million Oncogeni Ltd transactions.
Comment: One presumes that with the prospect of $22m coming in through the door, not many observers of ROQ would have expected a fundraise at this stage. Presumably those getting involved now will be thinking that at 1.5p they have bagged a bargain.
genedrive (GDR), the point of care pharmacogenetic testing company, announce that the Genedrive® CYP2C19-ID Kit has been implemented into the Hyperacute and Acute Stroke Units of Peterborough City Hospital Acute Stroke Centre for routine clinical use. Hyperacute Stroke units and Acute Stroke Units are part of the UK’s Integrated Stroke Delivery Network, where care typically covers the first 72 hours after admission.
Comment: Given how long it take to get seen in A&E and then get a bed, the 72 hours covered here sounds ideal. We also see how GDR is finally making the real world progress its shareholders have been waiting on.
