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Russian authorities are expected to give Aim-listed Victoria Oil & Gas (VOG:AIM) the green light to move their Siberian gas project at West Medvezhye, into production. After retreating from a high of £2 to 10p there are signs that the company has reached a turning point. The stock... READ MORE >>

The board of Algerian-focused explorer First Calgary Petroleum (FPL:AIM) is urging shareholders to reject an attempt by a dissident shareholder to oust the current CEO. London-based Waterford Investments, headed by Russian financier Michael Kroupeev, has a 9.4% stake in First Calgary and... READ MORE >>

Two former chairmen of Southampton Football club owning 22.07% of the plc business have demanded to be reinstated. Michael Wilde and Rupert Lowe have called for an EGM of Southampton Leisure (SOO:AIM) shareholders to vote on the removal of several directors. They want current chairman Leon ... READ MORE >>

Under previous management trading updates by Northern Foods (NFDS) were all too often accompanied by profit warnings but its latest update, under the stewardship of new CEO Stefan Barden shows it is recovering cost increases. Other food producers have been suffering due to raw cost hikes but... READ MORE >>

Private client stockbroker Brewin Dolphin (BRW) is warning that its investment banking division will take a hit in the second half following fallout from the turbulent credit markets. The news prompted analysts at independent broker Numis to downgrade pre-tax profits for this year by 6% from... READ MORE >>

A 3i (III)-backed management buy-out of Civica (CIV:AIM) means another software and services sector stock has been snapped up, prompting further speculation about who could be next. Civica, which provides software, consulting and managed services to the public sector, had already been the... READ MORE >>

Last week Land of Leather (LAN:AIM) forecast that it would be 'marginally profitable' in the second half but this projection is already under threat after its chief concessionaire Sleep Depot, went into administration as we went to press. This could cost Land of Leather £1.6 million in... READ MORE >>

The owner of the UK’s electricity transmission network National Grid (NG.) has finally agreed the sale of one of its American assets, Ravenswood power station, a condition of the KeySpan acquisition made by the company in August last... READ MORE >>

Dividends across the retail sector are being slashed or axed altogether as the squeeze on consumer spending tightens. Within the past week or so DIY chain Kingfisher (KGF) halved its final payout, while furniture retailers ScS Upholstery (SUY) and Land of Leather (LAN) were both forced to... READ MORE >>

The contract to build two aircraft carriers will be signed off shortly by the Ministry of Defence after months of haggling with both the Treasury and contractors BAE Systems (BA.), VT Group (VTG) and Babcock International (BAB). Treasury cuts forced on to the MoD mean a ‘change of... READ MORE >>

Analysts are asking whether the £31 million Close Brothers (CBG) paid for property loans business Commercial Acceptances Group points to rival Davenham (DAV:AIM) being heavily undervalued. That £31 million equates to a 1.3 multiple of Commerical’s net assets, which stand at... READ MORE >>

Last week’s upbeat trading statement suggests Strategic Thought Group (STR:AIM) may finally be turning the corner after a torrid period, which saw four profit warnings and culminated in the departure of chief executive Richard Higgs last summer. Rising licence sales for the... READ MORE >>

Nightclub operator Luminar (LMR) could be facing a £3 million liability from regaining up to 15 leasehold properties originally offloaded within the management buyout of former subsidiary, Candu Entertainment, which has subsequently gone bust. The property costs of 35 units were £4.9 ... READ MORE >>

The shares of property group Mapeley (MAY) have been on a rollercoaster since it revealed that talks over a possible takeover have ended. There had been speculation that US hedge fund Fortress, which owns more than a 50% stake in Mapeley, had been planning to buy out the firm. Shares... READ MORE >>

The owner of up-market eateries Restaurant Bar & Grill and Piccolino has bucked a growing trend for leisure operators to report declining trade. Individual Restaurant Company (IRC:AIM) says strong sales growth seen last year has carried forward into 2008. ‘People are willing to... READ MORE >>

The shares in chip designer Wolfson Microelectronics (WLF) plunged 18% to 116p last week, after the Scottish firm admitted it has lost a key MP3 player design slot with an unnamed major customer, widely thought to be Apple (AAPL:NDQ). This is a three-year low for Wolfson’s stock,... READ MORE >>

The already tattered reputation of British Airways (BAY) has taken a severe battering over the past week, following the disastrous opening of Heathrow’s Terminal Five on 27 March, resulting in cancelled flights and lost luggage. Such events have long been linked with the UK’s... READ MORE >>

Shares in drug developer Plethora Solutions (PLE:AIM) shot up by 11% to 53p after it announced a $25 million agreement with Paul Capital Healthcare. In return Paul Capital will receive an interest in the revenues generated from its male health portfolio, which includes treatments for... READ MORE >>

Hedge fund manager Man Group (EMG) has come out of the recent market turmoil with its tail up. Unlike its long-only fund manager cousins, which are generally haemorrhaging assets, and in sharp contrast to the collapse of some of its highly leveraged contemporaries, Man continues to record... READ MORE >>