Mark Watson-Mitchell - 12.01.2026 Tomorrow morning, Tuesday 13 th January, will see the issue by the Gym Group (LON:GYM) of its Trading Update for year to end-December 2025. Its shares at 159p look ready for a strong uplift. In a Leisure Sector Digest report published early last month by brokers Panmure Liberum its analyst Anna Barnfather stated that: “We expect Gyms to continue to perform well in 2026, underpinned by rising participation rates and sustained membership gr

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 12.01.2026 We have been banging on about this little £241m-capitalised group for years, and now it is beginning to show some real strength, enough to be exciting new investors. Gulf Marine Services (LON:GMS) last week announced more good news on the contract front - reaction to which generated a good share price move back above the 20p level, last seen in early August 2025. GMS Executive Chairman, Mansour Al Alami, stated that: "This contract extension

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 09.01.2026 On Tuesday 20th January, the Kier Group (LON:KIE) , whose vision is to be the UK’s leading infrastructure services and construction company, will be reporting a Trading Update for the first-half of its current year. It should be more than positive and boasting of further growth in its Order Book – such news of which could help to boost still further the upward progress of its shares, now trading at 226p, up some 64% in the last year. The Busi

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 08.01.2026 Watch the shares of the £1.37bn capitalised electrical retail group Currys (LON:CURY) over the next few days. They closed at 130.70p after some 2.37m shares traded. In two weeks' time, we should see the group report its Trading Update for the Christmas/New Year period. Good First Half It was on Thursday, 18th December, that the group declared that its First Half business had shown a significant improvement in its financial performance for the

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 07.01.2026 Yesterday, the shares of SRT Marine Systems (LON:SRT) reached a new High, closing at 95p, following a heavier-than-normal trading volume. Regular readers will know by now just how keen I have been on this group’s shares, which have shown a clear 126% gain in the last year. Is it just a reflection of the general market's good mood, or is it possibly in anticipation of some further good news to be announced by the provider of maritime surveilla

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 07.01.2026 Well, I got that wrong. I recently wrote that I felt that the shares of EnSilica (LON:ENSI) could well fall back in price because I considered that the 'chipmaker' is needing a fund-raising for its future development. On Monday, 29th December, I stated that the then £38m-capitalised chipmaker's shares, then 39.50p, were being nudged higher ahead of a New Year new capital whip round. The group's shares were 32p a couple of days before Christm

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 06.01.2026 I was interested to note the sudden move this afternoon in the shares of my favourite infrastructure specialist the Costain Group (LON:COST) . As I write they are trading at 161.60p, valuing the whole group at just £431m, having risen 4p on the day. Now that may not sound like anything special in price moves, but they have not been this high since August. After the massive share buyback programme finished in the summer, with the shares hittin

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 06.01.2026 Last night the FTSE100, the UK Equity Market's official barometer of performance, closed at 10,004.57, up 53.43 points on the day. It had broken up to 10,046.30 on Intra Day dealings last Friday, but the close last night is considered the most important marker. Jason Hollands, Managing Director of online investment platform Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, stated that: “The UK’s FTSE 100 index of blue-chip companies today closed above 10,000 p

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 05.01.2026 This afternoon Fitzwalter Capital has issued a Statement regarding Auction Technology Group (LON:ATG) . FitzWalter Capital Limited, for and on behalf of funds and/or investment vehicles managed or advised by it, notes today's announcement by ATG regarding FitzWalter's potential offer to acquire the entire issued and to be issued share capital of the Company not already owned by it. FitzWalter confirms that it made an indicative offer of 360 p

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 05.01.2026 This morning Gulf Marine Services (LON:GMS) , a leading provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels to the offshore energy industry, has announced a two-year extension (comprising one year firm and one year option) to an existing contract for one of its mid-size vessels operating in the GCC. This extension relates to a separate contract and a different vessel from the contract extension announced last Tuesday. Management Commen

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 05.01.2026 It has been announced this morning that Auction Technology (LON:ATG) has rejected eleven unsolicited, conditional proposals from its largest shareholder, FitzWalter Capital Limited, with the most recent offer being 360p per share in cash, stating that these proposals fundamentally undervalue the company. The Group's shares, which closed at 270p on Friday night, could well trade above that possible Offer Price on the back of this morning's ne

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 02.02.2026 This morning, the FTSE100 Index broke convincingly through the 'magical' 10,000 level, rising to 10,046.25, before easing back to the current 9,980.76 on the back of some profit-taking. The FTSE's rise has shown that the performance of the Dow Jones Index has been somewhat laggardly, with suggestions that US players are confused over Trump's recent international moves. Undoubtedly, our market has the 'taste' currently and expectations are tha

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 30.12.2025 Yet another one bites the dust! The £543m cash bid by IPF Parent Holdings, a newly formed company in the same group as BasePoint Capital LLC, for International Personal Finance (LON:IPF) is worth 235p a share in cash for its shareholders. Plus an added 9p per share of dividend to be paid to holders in late February this year. IPF, which is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index, has seen its shares rise from 121p since last February - showing an

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 30.12.2025 As the current year draws to a close, it is more than encouraging to see that the FTSE100 Index, the UK market's official barometer, is edging ever closer to breaking the 'magical' 10,000 goal. Just 95 points in it now, with the FTSE100 standing at 9,905 as I write. It has been up to 9,907.81 at its best this morning, which was 41 points better on the day. It may well slip back from the current level, but it could well be encouraged by a more

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 30.12.2025 This morning Gulf Marine Services (LON:GMS) has announced a two-year contract extension for one of its Mid-size vessels operating in the GCC region, which includes one firm year and a one-year option, increasing the company's backlog to $607m. This extension is seen as a strong endorsement of the company's strategy and fleet performance, positioning GMS to deliver sustainable value with a robust backlog and a supportive industry outlook. The

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 29.12.2025 Still in a very early stage of development, the £38m-capitalised chipmaker is watching its shares edge higher, but on very little business. As I have suggested before, I believe the group needs more cash on hand to fund the company's progress as it seeks to win and book more contracts, especially within the 'space sector' - and I know it will happen! With the appointment, in early July this year, of Panmure Liberum as a Joint Broker alongsi

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 29.12.2025 After having peaked at 32.50p just three weeks ago, the shares of SolGold (LON:SOLG) are now trading at 25.65p. However, the £772m-capitalised mining group has now confirmed agreement with Jiangxi Copper for a £867m cash bid of 28p a share. My view is that holders should sell straight into the market as quickly as possible, with an immediate view to reinvest elsewhere. The group’s shares have been quite a performer this year, having risen

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 26.12.2025 I thought that you might like a moment of light relief, as I recall a story told to me some years ago by an amusing old broker friend of mine. Never short of a drink or two while standing at the bar, supporting it, of course, he recalled a tale from his distant past. Financial Planning explained by a very enterprising Irishman. Paddy bought a donkey from a farmer for £100. The farmer agreed to deliver the donkey the next day. In the morning,

Mark Watson-Mitchell - 24.12.2025 Following on from yesterday's contract news item, this morning, Gulf Marine Services (LON:GMS) , a leading provider of self-propelled, self-elevating support vessels to the offshore energy industry, has announced the award of a contract covering one of its Large-class vessels in the Middle East. The contract spans a total of two years including options. Management Comment Executive Chairman Mansour Al Alami stated that: "We are extremely happ

Mark Watson-Mitchell – 23.12.2025 Yesterday morning the Christie Group (LON:CTG) announced that it had sold off its loss-making subsidiary Vennersys – which was a signal of strong corporate management. This morning the company has issued a very positive Trading Update stating that it anticipates a stronger full-year performance than previously expected due to robust trading in the latter part of 2025, particularly in its Professional & Financial Services division. The compan