Small caps round-up: Minco, DQ Entertainment, Ark Therapeutics...

18th May 2009 09:59

Shares in Minco surged after the mining firm reported 'excellent' drilling results at its Pallas Green zinc-lead exploration project in Limerick, Ireland.Minco said a hole at the project returned one of the highest zinc and lead assay values received to date.Animation group DQ Entertainment expects full-year profits to meet forecasts but said sales will be marginally lower. The group said its business continues to remain buoyant driven by a strong pipeline of contracts with leading production houses.Specialist healthcare group Ark Therapeutics said it remains well-funded to make continued progress in its lead clinical and pre-clinical programmes. "Ark has made good progress in building its business. This is particularly evident with our gene-based products where we are pioneering breakthrough biomedicines for areas of high unmet medical need," said chief executive Nigel Parker."It is clear that Ark has strengthened its product portfolio as well as its unique manufacturing asset. We remain very focused on using our resources in a way which will enable us to deliver shareholder value," he added.Degradable plastics and waste-to-energy outfit Symphony Environmental Technologies has launched d2w oxo-biodegradable products in Lebanon.The move follows completion of a 15-year tri-party sub-distribution agreement with Ghanem Development & Trading. Deliveries of d2w product have already started.Hampden Underwriting, set up last year to provide investors with a limited liability direct investment into the Lloyd's insurance market, lost £48,000 in 2008 on revenue of £3m."It is encouraging that at this stage, albeit with the account still very much on risk, early forecasts suggest a profitable outcome for both Hampden Corporate Member and Nameco (No. 365) Limited, our two underwriting subsidiaries," said chairman Michael Oliver.