| The Markets Shares across Europe raced higher as European Central Bank president Mario Draghi said he was ready to add more stimulus to the Eurozone economy if required. Despite this, the Eurozone base rate was maintained at 1% and speculation that banks across the region would receive another round of three-year funding was ruled out. Meanwhile, Spanish economy minister Luis de Guindos said that a decision about a potential bailout for his country would happen after an audit of its banks were completed at the end of this month, dampening rumours than Spain would imminently be requesting a bailout. At the London close the Dow Jones was up by 200.83 points at 12,328.78 and the Nasdaq was up by 48.59 points at 2,536.09.
In London the FTSE 100 rose by 123.92 points to 5,384.11; the FTSE 250 finished 237.05 points ahead at 10,583.76; the FTSE All-Share gained 64.50 points to 2,797.15; and the FTSE AIM Index climbed by 4.87 points to 685.35. 
Broker Notes Daniel Stewart reiterated its "buy" recommendation for Stellar Diamonds (STEL) with a 27p target price, it seeing 800% potential upside. The precious gem miner raised 2 million pounds through a placing and the broker believes this will allow the group to continue the development of its Drojba Kimbelrite Pipe in Guinea and the Tongo Fissure in Sierra Leone. Daniel Stewart estimated that the firm may be able to increase its global resource base to 5.16 million carats, from 3.17 million carats, with a net asset value of 135.2 million dollars (87.3 million pounds). The shares jumped by 0.13p to 3.13p. Panmure Gordon maintained its "sell" rating for Thomas Cook (TCG) with a target price of 10p. The broker lowered its 2012 earnings forecasts from 2.56p to 1.33p after noting weak sales for corporate Olympic games packages. As a result, Panmure believes the holiday company will have to focus more on the consumer market which offers much lower profits. On the revised forecasts, the shares trade at a 90% premium to peer TUI Travel (TT.), which the broker feels is highly unjustifiable. Thomas Cook shares were unchanged at 17.5p. ADVERTISEMENT Latest small cap tip out now on WatsHot.com
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Just GBP73 for a year's membership by direct debit (GBP87.60 by card/cheque/Paypal) Click here to join WatsHot.com now Nomura Code retained its "buy" stance on First Derivatives (FDP) with an increased target price of 830p, from 760p. The financial software developer has invested over 11 million pounds in development over the last four years and the broker believes that the market has not fairly recognised this. Nomura added that the group's growing greater focus on generating recurring revenues should help draw investor attention. The broker forecasts pre-tax profits of 10 million pounds for the year ending February 2013, rising to 11.7 million pounds in 2014. The shares stayed flat at 487.5p. Canaccord Genuity kept its "buy" recommendation for Moneysupermarket.com (MONY) with a 147p target price. The broker said the price comparison website's acquisition of MoneySavingsExpert, for up to 87 million pounds, will provide it with a larger technology platform and improve its search engine. Canaccord believes that the firm secured an attractive price of 7.9 times EBITDA, adding that the purchase can be offset against tax, saving 20 million pounds from 2012 to 2016. Shares in Moneysupermarket advanced by 3.6p to 119.6p. Blue-Chips Vodafone (VOD) said that it has entered talks with the aim of acquiring New Zealand based mobile and internet company TelstraClear. The deal is rumored to be worth between 200 and 250 million pounds and would increase the telecommunications provider presence outside the struggling European market. Separately, Vodafone announced that it had increased its holding in mobile coupon provider Vouchercloud to 57%, from its 21% stake acquired in May 2011. The shares declined by 4.7p to 168.95p. As it looks to reduce non-core assets, Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY) announced that it will sell its Australian corporate real estate loan portfolio for 388 million pounds in cash. The portfolio has assets of 809 million pounds, but in the year ended 31st December 2011 made a lost of 183 million pounds. The bank noted that the deal would have no material impact due to provisions already taken, adding that the proceeds will be used to reduce its debt. Shares in Lloyds leapt by 1.33p to 27.05p. Aggreko (AGK) has won a contract to build a 107 megawatt power plant on the border between South Africa and Mozambique, worth 250 million dollars (161.7 million pounds) over the next two years. The plant will provide electricity to South African power utility firm Eskom and Mozambique based company Electricidade de Mocambique, in what is believed to be the first cross-border deal of its kind in southern Africa. The shares gained 50p to 2,177p. Over in the US Facebook shares continue to struggle, them falling below the $26 mark for the first time in yesterday's trading. They have now lost 35% of their value since IPO last month. One commentator over at the Telegraph predicted "I would expect that the share price is going to climb quite substantially and probably stay at quite a good level for a few years" Click here for the video. The team at UK-Analyst however were calling Facebook shares a screaming sell as early as February. To read why Tom Winnifrith thinks the shares are worth just $7.30 read his blog HERE on ShareCrazy.com. Mid-Caps India focused Essar Energy (ESSR) has completed its optimisation project at the Vadinar oil refinery, increasing capacity to 20 million tonnes per annum, 10% of total capacity in the country. The group noted that the project was completed four months ahead of schedule and that capital costs were half the global average, at 12,746 dollars (8,231.7 pounds) per barrel and operating costs near global lows at 3 dollars (1.9 pounds) per barrel. Essar shares climbed by 2p to 130.1p. Domino Printing Sciences (DNO) has acquired digital inkjet equipment manufacturer Graph-Tech for 18.63 million Swiss francs (12.4 million pounds), with an additional consideration of up to 10 million francs (6.7 million pounds) based on performance. The printing company had a long standing relationship with the target, which supplies it with a number of products, including the new N600i digital label press. The shares rose by 16p to 561p. The Carnaby exploration well in the UK North Sea, in which Premier Oil (PMO) and Cairn Energy (CNE) have a 50% and 15% stake respectively, encountered 51 feet of net oil pay in "excellent quality" sandstone, having drilled a total depth of 4,695 feet. The data will be used to analyse the size of the overall Catcher development and the well will be plugged and abandoned as the rig moves on to the high risk Coaster prospect. Premier Oil shares swelled by 24.2p to 353.2p, while those of Cairn grew by 13.8p to 289.7p. Small Caps, AIM and PLUS Amerisur Resources (AMER) shares surged 4.75p to 25.25p on news the oil and gas development company had encountered an 85 foot interval of oil in the Platanillo-3 well, Colombia. The well is now flowing at a natural rate of 2,340 barrels of oil per day, while producing next to zero water. Amerisur now intends to move the Serinco rig to drill the second well of the programme, approximately 600 metres south of Plantanillo- 3, which it hopes will yield similar results. Semiconducter wafer manufacturer IQE (IQE) is to acquire the in-house manufacturing unit of NASDAQ-listed semiconducter supplier RF Micro Devices (RFMD), and has also secured a long-term supply agreement for the provision of RFMD's molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) wafers. The deal significantly strengthen's IQE's position in the wireless industry, and in exchange for the transfer of assets IQE will be committed to purchasing a minimum of 55 million dollars of MBE water products from RFMD over the next two years. Management added that the 'landmark agreement' will be immediately revenue and earnings enhancing for the company. IQE shares jumped 2.75p to 26.5p. Kazakstan-focused gold miner Hambledon Mining* (HMB) has met all the conditions for the first tranche of its 15 million dollar loan from the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development, giving the go ahead for further work to commence at its Sekisovskoye prospect. Hambledon will receive the first tranche of 10 million dollars within the coming weeks, with the second tranche payable upon the achievement of certain production targets. The firm added that is has just received 1.2 million dollars from the liquidation proceeds of Ognevka as previously announced in April. Hambledon shares rose 0.05p to 1.75p. PLUS-quoted Circle Opportunities (CIRP) saw pre-tax losses more than halve to 198,500 pounds in the six months to February as the investment company took a number of steps to reduce administrative costs. The revenue-less firm said that sales of Truevibe had been slower than anticipated due to 'the general decline in economic activity' but that it was actively seeking distribution partners for the fitness equipment. Circle added it was currently looking at other opportunities with the leisure sector and that it will also need to raise funds for general working capital purposes in the near-term, which it will provide an update on in due course. The shares closed unchanged at 1.25p. Finally, it was an action packed trading session for The TEG Group (TEG) as the organic waste technology firm issued final results for the year to December, unveiled a new contract and announced the termination of its formal sale process. Revenues for the year came in 13.8% lower at 18.87 million pounds following significant delays on the projects side of the business, while pre-tax losses widened from 628,000 pounds to 8 million pounds on the back of a 6.2 million pound goodwill impairment. Meanwhile, subsidiary TEG Environmental announced it had been awarded a seven year contract by South Staffordshire District Council to process green waste at its Simpro Coven facility. The firm will process up to 15,000 tonnes of waste per annum which is expected to generated sales of up to 2 million pounds over the term of the contract. This was concluded by the news that having received several takeover proposals, the board did not believe a deal could be reached within a reasonable period of time which would lead to further shareholder uncertainty, and thus the firm would be resuming normal trading. TEG shares plummeted 3.5p, or just under 48% to 3.75p. * Hambledon Mining is a corporate client of Rivington Street Holdings, the ultimate owner of UK-Analyst. | 
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