Global Ports Holdings PLC (LON:GPH) shares jumped 10.2% higher to 435p in late afternoon trading as the world's latest cruise ports operator reported a loss in 2017, but said it expects single-digit growth in revenue and adjusted earnings in 2018.
The company - which listed in London last May - swung to a pre-tax loss of US$10.5mln for 2017, from a profit of US$5.3mln in the prior year, due to currency translation to the dollar from euro and the cost of its initial public offering.
Global Ports 2017 revenue rose by 1.3% to US$116.4mln, as although Cruise revenue was down 6.3% to US$50.3mln that was more than offset by Commercial revenue growth of 7.9% to US$66.1mln
Meanwhile, Sirius Petroleum PLC (LON:SERP) shares rose 11.7% to 0.95p as the gas exploration and development company said it is looking forward to drilling at the Ororo field, in Nigeria, where location approval has now been given by the marine warranty surveyor.
The approval will allow drilling at the proposed Ororo-2 and Ororo-3 wells, with rig mobilisation operations now underway, and drilling is anticipated to start next month for Ororo-2.
And Gfinity Plc (LON:GFIN) shares gained 4.8% to 19.00p as the esports entertainment company signed a major agreement with Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB) for the exclusive global online streaming rights for the group's Gfinity Elite Series, excluding Australia, until the end of 2018.
The AIM-listed company said the exclusive digital broadcast agreement commences with immediate effect with the Gfinity Elite Series season three in the UK and also extends to new territories which are part of Gfinity's global expansion plans.
Virgin Money Holdings PLC's (LON:VM.) saw its shares drop 2.3% to 268.20p in lunchtime trading after Jefferies lowered its rating to 'hold' from 'buy' after cutting 2019-2021 pre-tax profit estimates by 13%.
The US broker's analysts concluded that Virgin Money's shares "will remain a value trap until the market sees proof of concept of the digital strategy, which is likely more than a year away."
Meanwhile Just Eat PLC (LON:JE. shares shed 3.5% to 760.60p as Deutsche Bank cut its rating to 'sell' from 'hold' and lowered its target price to 630p from 830p following recent results to reflect the group's plans to invest in a delivery business.
The German bank's analysts reduced their long-term underlying earnings (EBITDA) margin assumption for Just Eat to 33% for 2018-2020, down from 50% in 2017, stating that "delivery is fundamentally a lower-margin/lower-return business".
They added that "while we think this move is strategic to defend Just Eat's leadership position against increased competition, it will come at the expense of profitability".
But Cairn Energy PLC (LON:CNE) shares rose 3.8% to 203.8p as US investment bank Morgan Stanley upgraded the oil firm to 'overweight' from 'equal-weight' ahead of its full-year results due on Tuesday.
Morgan Stanley's new price target of 300p offers some 55% upside to the current price, though the bank also highlighted that the 'bull case' has a "path to 500p".
Its analysts also said that at the current share price, the market is only pricing in 60% of the Senegal project's value and doesn't factor in anything for the group's stake in Vedanta Resources PLC (LON:VED).
Realm Therapeutics PLC (LON:RLM) shares dropped in morning trading 32.63% to 32.00p as the biopharmaceutical company said it would discontinue the development of PR013, used for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis.
The company said in the Phase 2 study, PR013 did not demonstrate efficacy, therefore the further development of the programme was discontinued.
Meanwhile Draganfly Investment Ltd (LON:DRG) shares fell 20.8% to 0.28p as the investment company said it raised ?137.160 through a placing of 50.8mln shares at a price of 0.27p per share.
The AIM-listed firm said the net proceeds of the placing will be applied for general purposes and towards the costs of any such transactions.
Dragonfly said it is 'unlikely' that the company will make a transaction by the deadline of March 21, in which case, the shares would be suspended until the publication of an admission document setting out the details of such transaction.
And two UK drug companies have suffered a setback at the hands of the American regulator.
Generics giant Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (LON:HIK) shares fell 3.36% to 868.2p while inhaled medicines specialist Vectura Group PLC (LON:VEC) saw its shares fall 5.29% to 77.05p.
Hikma and Vectura are jointly developing a cheap version of GlaxoSmithKline PLC's (LON:GSK) top selling asthma treatment, Advair Diskus.
Hikma hit a roadblock after the US Food & Drug Administration said it needed to conduct an additional study.
Both Hikma and Vectura said they had prepared for this outcome with patient enrolment expected in the "coming weeks". New clinical data will be submitted "as early as possible in 2019".
Velocity Composites Ltd (LON:VEL) shares rose 8.39% to 84.00p in morning trading as the aerospace engineering firm announced it has received Nadcap Special Process accreditation for its advanced composite material kits.
The AIM-listed company said that the accreditation does not represent an increase in short-term income, but it does represent an enhanced ability to secure work on both Airbus and Boeing programmes around the world in the medium and long-term.
Stellar Diamonds PLC (LON:STEL) was another big gainer this morning, with shares rising 57.3% to 7.75p as the company's board recommended a merger with Australian company Newfield Resources Limited, which also operates in Sierra Leone.
The deal was flagged at the start of last month and the two companies have now agreed terms.
Newfield will offer 12.5p per Stellar share, which values the diamond miner at ?7.74mln.
The Aussie company will lend Stellar US$3mln to cover its immediate short-term cash needs, while undertaking an A$30mln rights issue to re-finance the enlarged group.
Meanwhile, Thruvision Group PLC (LON:THRU) shares jumped 21.8% to 12.00p as the people-screening technology group said it will return ?8mln to shareholders, a tender offer and share buy-back following the disposal of its video business.
Thruvision used to be known as Digital Barriers but changed its name when it sold the video business for ?27.5mln last October.
Shorn of video, the business is now focused on people screening and security at airports and other mass transit stations.
A record number of its people-screening units have been shipped in the current financial year to date, with Thrurvison claiming its technology is now able to spot concealed threats at distances up to 8m.