Companies: ASG    DOM    EPI    HDD    HVX    OHM    PROV    RPT    WHI    ZTR   

The markets enjoyed a good week, recovering from the recent nervousness about the terrorist incidents. The FTSE 100 rose 49.2 points to 5283.6, whilst the AIM Index improved 17.2 points to 1053.4.

A noticeable riser was Regal Petroleum (RPT), the beleaguered oil explorer, which parted company with chairman Frank Timis in June as one of its prospects in the Aegean proved dry. Regal's shares, which had hit 57p at their nadir, shot up 38 per cent to 181p as investors focused on the group's Ukrainian interests. The stock is still far below the 390p price at which Evolution raised £45 million in April.

Sellers continued to offload stakes in Offshore Hydrocarbon Mapping (OHM), down a further 30 per cent this week at 101p. The spin-out from Southampton University, backed by IP2IPO (IPO), last week admitted that it was in dispute with rival Statoil about a patent connected with the group's technology to locate offshore oil and gas deposits.

Huveaux snaps up Epic

After a flurry of rumours John van Kuffeler's acquisitive media concern Huveaux (HVX) finally made an offer for training outift Epic (EPI). The recommended £22.7 million cash and shares deal will give Epic shareholders 1.33 new Huveaux shares, along with 35p cash.

Van Kuffeler says the deal will enhance Huveaux's learning division, whilst Epic investors can realise a decent cash amount for their shares and harvest Huveaux's future growth. Huveaux surrendered 0.5p to 45p, while Epic sped 5p higher to 92p.

Technology commercialiser Flintstone (FLT) has entered the cleaning and coatings technology market through a £31 million reverse deal, that will give the group revenues. Chief executive David Chestnutt is reversing two Dutch businesses, Osprey and IMH, into the group, which will change its name to Proventec.

In the year to March, Flintstone nearly doubled pre-tax losses to £816,000 but net assets improved 10.7 per cent to £9.3 million. Realisations of investments have taken longer than expected, though Flintstone has a 31.5 per cent stake in AIM-quoted Hardide (HDD) valued at £4.6 million.

Domino's delivers

Pizza delivery play Domino's Pizza (DOM) served up spicy interims to 3 July, with pre-tax profits baking up 34.7 per cent to £5.5 million on sales ahead 16.6 per cent to £40.5 million. Like-for-like sales rose 8.4 per cent, a factor partly attributable to the launch of the Cheese Steak Melt pizza in the second quarter, as well as weaker comparables.

The half time dividend was raised 41 per cent to 3.1p a share. The cash-rich group has also bought back shares in quantity lately. Analysts' forecast profits of circa £10.5 million for the full year.

Confectionery and snack food consolidator Zetar (ZTR) zipped up 10p to 295p on well-received interim figures to April showing that Kinnerton, acquired earlier this year, lifted sales 19 per cent to £50.1 million last year.

Stockbroker WH Ireland (WHI) put on 3p to 141.5p as pre-tax profits sparked up 85 per cent to £1.9 million for the half to May.

Avanti Screenmedia (ASG) advanced 7p to 243.5p following a bullish update for the year to June - a strong final flourish meant results will match forecasts.

Anglo Asian joins AIM

Friday's new issues included Anglo Asian, a gold and copper developer with assets in Azerbaijan. Anglo Asian raised £20 million through a placing of 26 million shares at 77p via broker Numis, giving a debut market cap of £76.4 million. The placing was more than twice oversubscribed.

Fellow new entrant KP Renewables raked in £3.9 million. Chaired by John Bryant, the former president of utility Cinergy Global Power, KP Renewables will use the funds to invest on a discretionary basis, along with partners, in renewable energy projects.

It already has agreements enabling it to sell up to 520MW in aggregate of renewable energy on pre-agreed terms to British Gas, electricity and gas utility Scottish & Southern as well as low-cost business electricity supplier BizzEnergy.