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After announcing a need to raise funds to slake its ‘significant working capital requirements’, Los Angeles-based Solar Integrated Technologies (SIT) lost 42 per cent on Friday to 93.5p. Earlier in the week, the solar-panel roofing systems provider flagged up a contract for what it believes to be ‘the world's largest building-integrated photovoltaic roof installation’ for Toyota’s New Jersey plant.

Better news came from elsewhere overseas as, first, Chinese orange plantation owner Asian Citrus (ACHL) gathered up six per cent to 200p on news the yield of ‘summer oranges’ has increased from around 61,000 tonnes to about 71,000 tonnes in the current year, an increase of 16 per cent.

And, although Croatian casino play Cubus Lux (CBX) made a half million pre-tax loss on £571,000 sales for the year to December, it has since been totally transformed by the reverse takeover of a company developing a marina on the Dalmatian island of Uglijan. Shares in the company, also looking into golf course development and expecting to turn a profit this year, climbed 17 per cent to 17p over the course of the week.

A sharp spike on Friday made for a ten-point weekly gain to 1,078 on AIM this week, as the FTSE 100 added 168 points to 5,860.2. Braving interest rate worries, the blue chip benchmark rebounded on comfort from Wall Street over the latter half of the week.

Computer Software buys again

Niche IT software consolidator Computer Software (CSG) has made a second acquisitive move into the legal sector through the £4.8 million acquisition of Laserform, a provider of documentation and practice management software. The market warmed to the news, sending the shares up by tuppence over the week to 98p.

Medical equipment maker Spacelabs (SLAB), which is 80 per cent owned by Nasdaq’s OSI Systems, is buying Del Mar Reynolds, the cardiac division of global medical business Ferraris, for £14 million. The deal is being funded through a senior credit line, so dilution won’t darken the apparently-earnings-enhancing deal.

Elsewhere, under-fire mobile phone and iPod repairer CRC (CCG) firmed 21 per cent to 34p on news of a potential bid. Management has expressed an interest in raising further funds towards restoring profits ‘in 2007’, following a period of disappointing trading.

Shares in mobile phone content provider Getmobile Europe (GETM) enjoyed a less fruitful week, collapsing 65 per cent to 7.5p on a warning profits for the current calendar year are likely to be ‘materially below current market expectations’ due to reduced demand for its products in Germany.

Debt Free delights

Debt Free Direct (DFD), which advises debt-laden individuals on the best way to recover from financial difficulties, delighted followers with another record set of figures for the year to April, showing pre-tax profits soared 177 per cent to £5.1 million, sending earnings per share racing 145 per cent ahead to 9.4p.

Supporta (SOR), the services venture run by ex-Capita director John Jasper, delivered a robust set of results on Monday for the year to March, hoisting pre-tax profits 228 per cent to £1.9 million. Later in the week the group completed its purchase of data archiving business DBS, which services the NHS and private healthcare sector, for up to £3.4 million in cash from banking facilities.