The Hour-Long Project We Never Would've Started
By Andrew Rice, Partner and Portfolio Manager We may often come off as skeptical about AI in our newsletter. Our skepticism is primarily centered on the AI capital spend and AI company valuations rather than the AI tools themselves, which we have found both useful and exciting.
Creo Medical Group to raise £5.5m and advance partial divestment
Creo Medical Group PLC (AIM:CREO, FRA:1RC, OTC:CMEOF) announced plans to raise approximately £5.5 million through a placing as the medical device company moves to strengthen its balance sheet while pursuing the sale of its remaining stake in Creo Medical Europe. The AIM-listed group said it intends to issue around 36.7 million new shares at 15p each, a 31.9% premium to Thursday's closing mid-market price of 11.4p.
88 Energy says Augusta-1 exploration well is on track for Q1 2027
88 Energy Ltd (AIM:88E, ASX:88E, OTCQB:EEENF, FRA:POQ) has told investors that its planned Augusta-1 exploration well at South Prudhoe on Alaska's North Slope remains on track for a first-quarter 2027 spud, as the company advances permitting, logistics and farm-out discussions. The AIM and ASX-listed explorer said Augusta-1 is designed to test up to 133.7 million barrels of gross unrisked 2U prospective resources, or 111.4 million barrels net to 88 Energy, across stacked Ivishak, Kuparuk and Brookian reservoir targets.
Europa Oil & Gas drops as North Yorkshire refuses planning for potential gas drilling
Europa Oil & Gas (Holdings) Plc (AIM:EOG, FRA:EGN) shares fell 8.3% to 1.33p after North Yorkshire Council refused planning permission for the Cloughton gas appraisal well in North Yorkshire. The AIM-listed oil and gas group said the decision went against the recommendation of the council's own planning officers, who had advised the local planning authority to approve the application following reviews by 13 independent experts.
Sintana Energy raises $11.5m to support exploration plans in Namibia
Sintana Energy Inc (TSX-V:SEI, OTCQB:SEUSF, FRA:3ZX1, AIM:SEI) has conditionally raised US$11.5 million to back a busy exploration programme, including drilling on the Chevron-operated Nabba-1 well in Namibia's PEL 90. The fundraise was priced at 22.5p per new common share on AIM and C$0.41 on the TSX-V, with the company set to issue 38.0 million new shares.
CelLBxHealth strikes US clinical collaboration with AdventHealth cancer studies
CelLBxHealth PLC (AIM:CLBX, FRA:DWV), the AIM-listed circulating tumour cell (CTC) diagnostics company, has secured a collaboration with AdventHealth, one of the largest faith-based health systems in the United States, to deploy its Parsortix platform in two clinical cancer studies. The trials, titled ACTION and SUNRISE, will use CelLBxHealth's technology to isolate and analyse CTCs from blood samples taken from patients undergoing treatment for colon, gastrointestinal and lung cancers.
Union Jack Oil says Crossroads well drilled on-budget, production testing due to start in June
Union Jack Oil PLC (AIM:UJO, OTCQB:UJOGF, FRA:1UJ0) told investors that its Crossroads well in Garvin County, Oklahoma, has been drilled on budget to a target depth of 4,600 feet, with evaluation and testing scheduled to begin in mid-June. The AIM-listed onshore hydrocarbons company, which has a 43% interest in the well, said electric logs have been acquired and several zones of interest and test intervals identified.
OptiBiotix shares surge 13.5% as company plans SweetBiotix showcase for investors
OptiBiotix Health PLC (AIM:OPTI, OTCQB:OPTBF), the AIM-listed life sciences company developing gut microbiome products and healthy sugar substitutes, saw its shares jump 13.5% to 5.68p after announcing plans to demonstrate its SweetBiotix products to shareholders at a London event in June. The company reported a breakthrough in the manufacture of SweetBiotix in November 2025, achieving higher yields of a purer, more concentrated and better-tasting product with lower ingredient and production costs.
Jersey Oil and Gas well placed to unlock value - broker
Cavendish sees more than fivefold upside in Jersey Oil and Gas PLC (AIM:JOG, OTC:JYOGF), arguing that the AIM-listed North Sea developer remains well placed to unlock value from its Greater Buchan Area interests. The stockbroker, in a note, repeated a ‘Buy' recommendation and a 537p target price, implying a 407% premium to the current 106p share price.
Bullish broker tips 88 Energy for substantial upside
Cavendish sees huge upside (more than thirteenfold) for 88 Energy Ltd (AIM:88E, ASX:88E, OTCQB:EEENF, FRA:POQ), with the bullish house-broker highlighting that the explorer has reshaped its Namibia farm-in agreement, stripping out US$15 million of anticipated funding exposure while retaining a 20% stake in frontier acreage. The broker reiterated its Buy rating and 19.8p target price on the AIM-listed company, implying 1,366% upside from a 1.4p share price.
88 Energy amends Namibia venture agreement as it focusses on Alaska
88 Energy Ltd (AIM:88E, ASX:88E, OTCQB:EEENF, FRA:POQ) announced it has secured its 20% working interest in Namibia's PEL 93 on an unconditional basis while cutting about US$15 million of minimum future funding exposure under an amended farm-in agreement. The AIM- and ASX-listed explorer said the revised deal with operator Monitor Exploration cancels Stage 2 and Stage 3 farm-in obligations, removes reassignment risk and simplifies the original commercial structure.
Active Energy Group advances digital infrastructure push in the UAE
Active Energy Group PLC (AIM:AEG, OTCID:AEUSF) told investors that its digital infrastructure push in the UAE has moved a step forward after its subsidiary signed an agreement aimed at supporting licensing, power access and site development for crypto mining operations. The AIM-listed company said Active Mining Group has entered into a services and facilitation agreement with the Private Office of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Ahmed bin Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, with Black Road Investment Group and affiliated companies acting as liaison partner.
