The Times: Britain’s economy has undergone a silent “productivity boom” in the past two years, according to new research by the Resolution Foundation — which suggests that official statistics have masked a dramatic improvement in output. The think tank has claimed this morning that UK productivity has been expanding by 1.1 per cent a year since late 2024, far above the official estimate of 0.2 per cent from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Comment: Apparently, Winston Churchill was wrong – these days on many things, as he has been cancelled. But according to the Resolution Foundation the UK has managed to tax its way to prosperity. Of course, one would always want to know whether there is a political bias at this think-tank which described itself as being “independent”. One would therefore presume that it is centre-left, which is perfectly ok.
London BTC Company (BTC), the London Stock Exchange main market-listed company, announced its intention to have expanded boots on the ground in the US over the coming weeks to advance its growing portfolio of gold, silver and critical minerals projects in Nevada and continue with the staking of a targeted pipeline of new projects in Nevada, Arizona and Texas. BTC said “This is an exciting time for London BTC. We believe that we are currently operating at the intersection of three of the most powerful themes in global markets today: Bitcoin, precious metals and America’s drive to secure domestic supplies of critical minerals. With Bitcoin strengthening, gold and silver at elevated levels, and strategic minerals such as antimony and tungsten becoming increasingly important to the US supply, we believe the opportunity in front of us has never been greater.”
Comment: BTC shares have been boosted by both barrels – gold and bitcoin, over the past week. Therefore one should expect the latest re-rate to have rather more backing than companies who have only one of these aspects as their focus. One should also not discount the critical minerals angle, which in the US could actually overtake gold and even bitcoin in significance given the geopolitical disasters we currently have running. April resistance towards 2.7p should therefore be on its way as soon as the end of next month.
EDX Medical Group (EDX), which develops and supplies innovative digital diagnostic products and services to improve the early detection and treatment of major diseases, announced that it has raised approximately £2.7m through a subscription at a price of 14p. Each Subscription Share subscribed for entitles the subscriber to warrants over 2 ordinary shares in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of 3p per Warrant, exercisable from 20 July 2028 to 19 July 2029.
The net proceeds of the Fundraising will be used to support the expansion of the Company’s new employee health screening service. This service comprises a package of comprehensive biomarker testing panels, general health and family history checks. The service also offers a bespoke follow-up service which includes the provision of highly accurate advanced diagnostic tests if required.
Comment: The fact that EDX shares have spiked this morning off the back of the latest well received “premium” fundraise (let’s not mention the warrants at 3p) suggests that the market is confident in its wake that the company can take itself to the next level. The employees health screening service could be a company maker, especially if it can be made as comprehensive as the company is hinting.
GEO Exploration Limited (GEO) announced highly encouraging laboratory assay results from the trial soil geochemistry programme completed at the Gorge Project in Western Australia, including an exceptional peak result of 7.74 g/t Au (7,739 ppb Au) at the Gorge Mine target. The programme was designed and interpreted by Mr Callum Baxter, who has extensive experience in the application of multi-element geochemistry to gold exploration and the identification of priority exploration targets.
Comment: GEO has been delivering the good news on a frequent basis, something which makes it all the more frustrating, perhaps until now. It could very well be that today’s news is significant enough to move the dial as far as the share price, helped along by the latest bounce for the gold price. That said, it may still take some work to get the shares back to where they were in June at 0.15p.
Tap Global Group plc (TAP), the innovative digital finance hub that brings money, payments and crypto settlement services together in a single user-friendly app, announced the adoption of a Digital Asset Income Strategy (“DAIS”): a yield-earning reserve of digital assets, deployed through the Group’s established proprietary Tap Earn programme. TAP said “The Board believes this is the point in the cycle at which a long-term reserve should be built: accumulating at a significant discount to the peak, with income from the first deployment. This sets Tap apart from most UK digital asset treasury companies which were created in 2025, as Bitcoin climbed towards its October 2025 record high of US$126,198. Passive treasury vehicles that rushed to accumulate in a rising market have underperformed: many trade below the value of their own holdings, and several, including UK-listed vehicles, have been forced into asset sales or wind-downs. With no income, a passive treasury becomes working capital in a drawdown. An income-generating treasury does not. With a proven income-generating product and a disciplined funding model, Tap aims to build the UK’s largest income-generating digital asset treasury alongside an established digital finance platform.”
Comment: TAP has recognised the issue with most bitcoin treasury companies in that they are essentially passive investors hoping for the best. This is perhaps the reason that the history of most of them has been rather sub par for most investors. The Holy Grail is clearly income, something which the company is addressing, over and above the day job of having a trading app. All of this does however make it disappointing that the shares remain anywhere near the 1p zone as is still the case.
Georgina Energy plc (GEX), announce that it has successfully raised £1.25m through the issue of 10,000,000 new ordinary shares at a placing price of 12.5 pence per share. The Company will issue investors with one warrant per one placing share at an exercise price of 14 pence expiring 5 years from Admission. The net proceeds of the Placing will be used for the Hussar drilling programme and general working capital.
Comment: It must be so disappointing for the bears that the company has managed another fundraise, meaning that it is now above the clouds as far as all the bad mouthing it has received for no other reason that spurious victimisation, largely made for purely personal reasons – as is normally the case.
Tracsis (TRCS), a leading transport technology provider, provided a trading update for the year ended 31 July 2026 and confirm completion of its acquisition of Mistral Data Limited. Group revenue is expected to be c.£85.5m (2025: £81.9m), with adjusted EBITDA* expected to be c.£13.5m (2025: £12.6m). In both cases, this includes the full-year contribution from the Events business that was sold on 31 July 2026, as previously announced. Year-end cash stood at £19.4m (2025: £23.4m). This excludes the cash proceeds from the sale of the Events business, that were received on 3 August 2026.
Comment: Although TRCS is not exactly in the frontline as far as investor awareness, the shares have been in a rising trend channel since the beginning of the year. If there is decent follow through on today’s news, we could be treated to a top of the range target up to 370p by the end of next month.
MS INTERNATIONAL (MSI) announced that its wholly owned subsidiary, MSI Defence Systems Limited, based in Norwich, UK, has been awarded a €19.4m contract by a NATO nation to supply three MSI-DS naval gun systems. The systems will provide Counter-Uncrewed Aerial System protection alongside the MSI-DS system’s established naval capability. The MSI-DS 30mm gun systems will be supplied with radar and optical detection capability, together with the MSI-DS Fire Control System. This integrated configuration will provide the vessels with protection against surface, semi-submersible and aerial threats at a time when adaptable weapon systems are increasingly required. Delivery of the systems is expected to begin towards the end of 2027, in line with the overall programme requirements.
Comment: There is, and certainly should be, a feeding frenzy for aerospace / defence stocks given that we appear to be either heading or according to some even in, WWIII. Today’s chunky contract for MSI should be highly supportive to the stock for the longest time.
Zephyr Energy plc (ZPHR) provided an update on current activity on its project in the Paradox Basin, Utah, U.S. ZPHR said “The successful completion of the Enbridge in-line inspection provided the Board with confidence that the up-rating of operating pressures required for the pipeline to accept Zephyr’s increasing gas volumes will not result in any further operational hurdles. ZPHR said “The Board has also gained confidence that the Enbridge-led regulatory approval process will conclude in a satisfactory manner. The Board has therefore approved an allocation of funding for additional engineering (related to gas processing) and well work operations, with a goal to increase initial processing capacity up to 15 mmscf/d – a significant increase over earlier base case estimates of 5 mmscf/d. This work will be fully funded from the Company’s existing cash resources.”
Comment: After being something of a stock market darling, we have seen ZPHR rather fall off the radar as far as stock market awareness. At least during this time we have seen the company continue to consolidate its position at Paradox, and it would appear to be slowly paying off for shareholders.
Cora Gold Limited (CORA), the West African focused gold company, announced that at a meeting of the Government of the Republic of Mali’s Council of Ministers, held on 21 August 2026, the first interim renewal of the Sanankoro II exploration permit (south Mali) was approved. CORA said “”The renewal of the Sanankoro II exploration permit is a part of an ongoing permit reshaping exercise, needed to get all mining infrastructure under one mining permit area, and a significant step towards being awarded a mining permit for Sanankoro. The next stage in this process is the renewal of each of the Bokoro II and Kodiou exploration permits which were not completed before the November 2022 moratorium came into effect. These renewals will then enable the reshaping exercise to be completed and Cora’s application for a proposed 100 sq km mining permit at Sanankoro to be progressed. We will continue to work closely with the Government to transition to be fully permitted as quickly as possible to enable the construction of the Sanankoro Gold Mine to commence.”
Comment: One can think of few jurisdictions more problematic anywhere in the world as Mali, for a gold company, apart perhaps for an oil company in the North Sea. To be fair, the company has been fighting the good fight as well as can be expected, Given that the shares are now half of their April peak, such slings and arrows, look to be factored into the price.
Hydrogen Utopia International PLC (HUI), a pioneering company transforming non-recyclable waste plastic into hydrogen, clean fuels and advanced materials, announced that the Board has approved the issue of new share options to our hard-working and loyal employees and consultants of the Company. HUI said, “The grant of options reflects the ongoing commitment of the Company’s employees and consultants, who have forgone pay rises, bonuses and fees over the last years in order to preserve the Company’s cash resources as it continues to advance its waste-to-hydrogen and, most importantly, waste-to-SAF strategy. The Board considers that the issue of these options is an appropriate and cost-effective way to recognise and incentivise the team responsible for delivering the Company’s growth.”
Comment: Apart from being a case of Christmas coming early for the main protagonists at HUI, the impression here is that this move is anticipating good news to come in the near term, especially from the company’s foray into the sustainable aviation fuel area. Certainly, at just over 2p and after the recent fundraise, the bull argument appears good to go.
