News

Serica Energy announced that Peter Sadler has been appointed chief operating officer with immediate effect.

Shares in Aminex gushed ahead after the US-focused oil and gas producer said the first phase of testing at its Sunny Ernst-2 well in Texas exceeded expectations.

"The well is expected to transform Aminex's existing US production and to make a material and immediate contribution to cashflow," the firm said.

Shares in Platinum Australia also surged after the firm, which actually mines for the precious metal in South Africa, said it had completed resource definition drilling at the Kalahari project area.

"We believe the Kalplats project will be commercially viable even at the current depressed metal prices," managing director John Lewins said.

Aircraft component and car parts maker Hampson's US subsidiary Coast has received a further order worth $4.2m from plane maker Airbus to supply initial fuselage curing tools for the Airbus A350 XWB programme.

GNE Group, operator and developer of petrol retailing sites, said last night it has completed the sale of its major operating subsidiary, Petrol Express, for £51m.

The firm will now seek to make investments in, or buy petrol retailing companies located mainly in Europe.

Ultrasis, which provides computerised cognitive behavioural therapy for depression, anxiety, and other stress related conditions, has teamed up with the The Sun newspaper to offer readers access to its self-help programmes.

Sales rose 26% at security alarms specialist Visonic during the third quarter following increases across all major geographic markets and product lines.

The firm boasted sales of $22.4m for the three months ended 30 September and $67.2mfor the first three quarters of 2008, a 23% improvement on 2007's equivalent.

Document management software provider Invu has signed a distribution contract with Northamber, which will sell Invu's software that operates, amongst other things, with the Microsoft Sharepoint platform and Fujitsu scanners.

AIM investment company Starvest slumped into pre-tax losses of£ 3.7m from profits of £5m due to the turmoil of the world markets. Operating income fell to 16,700 from £5m before.

"By any measure, the declared trading loss is high and the net asset value has fallen by 78% since September 2007." said the group, adding that it has lowered its trading investments because of the depressed market.

Business communications service provider Spiritel has won a three year managed service contract with brewer Young and Co..

Spiritel will provide voice and data solutions across Young's pub network in London and the south east of England, as well as Young's head office.

Services will include Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), WiFi and network services.

Asian online advertising sales company Pixel Interactive Media has won exclusive advertising sales contracts with two media web sites.

The Hong Kong Economic Journal (HKEJ) and Media Prima web sites will integrate Pixel's proprietary advertisement serving and management tool, thus enabling advertisers to use a variety of targeting features while also benefiting from performance measurement statistics.