The FTSE 100 soaring by nearly 3.5%, adding to recent gains, has already enabled many a novice 2021 investor to feel that they have the skills of Warren Buffett / Mensa member. The feeling of euphoria has been added to by the soaring Bitcoin price, and commodities prices via ongoing fiscal splurge hopes, especially after the Democrat Senate win in the US.
Leading the way once again has been Argo Blockchain (ARB) with the crypto miner proving to be the year’s first 10 bagger for many holders. It was helped along towards 80p versus a $35,000 Bitcoin price, by comments by veteran value investor Bill Miller snubbing Warren Buffett’s accusation that Bitcoin is “rat poison” and arguing that crypto beats cash. So far though, Argo Blockchain has beaten crypto this week with a 42% rise on the day.
Not far behind Argo Blockchain on the leaderboard with a 38% share price rise was Online Blockchain (OBC). Here the company’s shares continued to soar – rather pleasingly – despite the New Year’s Eve “speeding ticket” RNS. Here it said that it intended to use the proceeds of a recent placing to fund the development and launch of crypto and blockchain based products. Investors were also promised the zeitgeist busting concept of DeFi – decentralized finance, with its Umbria product due for roll out in Q1 2021.
While there had already been a solid start to the week for Arkle Resources (ARK) the price action was given a definitive boost to the tune of a 44% rise in the wake of the latest results of the winter trenching programme at Inishowen, Co. Donegal. The company said that results at Inishowen match if not exceed its best expectations. It added that the discovery of new high grade gold veins eighty-five metres along strike from the initial 2016 drillholes, represented a watershed moment for its Inishowen Gold Project.
Technology investor Pires (PIRI) continued to soar ahead, with a 18% gain, as traders continued to appreciate the quality of the recent newsflow. This has not only included a topping up by serial entrepreneur Chris Akers of his stake last month up to 18%, a new TR1 investor at 4% in the form of Ashok Patel, and the latest investment in pooled sports betting platform, Low6. Once again, major Pires shareholder, Riverfort (RGO) saw its shares rise 5%.
Would be anti-viral face mask maker Remote Monitored Systems (RMS) – via its Pharm2farm subsidiary saw its shares rise another 3%. Investors are anticipating the arrival of the mask making machine on an apparently rather long and winding road from Spain by the end of the week. Although the shares were written off by some stock market cynics last month in the wake of a £5m fund raise, they have now more than doubled in recent sessions.
Another stock where there has been sweet anticipation is Dukemount Capital (DKE), where the run up to a possible deal making spree during 2021 saw the shares spike 14% to 0.8p. The long dated income play announced a new funding last month, something which was seen by some investors as being the forerunner of fresh contract news.
One of the noticeable omissions in the great post pandemic bull run for small caps has been the oil and gas sector. However, news that Saudi Arabia has pledged to cut oil production despite Russian increases gave a definite boost to many plays in the space. Of these the highlights were i3 Energy (I3E) with an 11% gain ahead of a likely Q1 2021 first dividend payout, along with Upland (UPL), Canadian Overseas (COPL), Coro (CORO) and Borders (BOR) all rising close to 20%.
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