INTERNATIONAL oil and gas explorer Circle Oil, which has a base in Limerick, has announced its Al Amir 1-ST2 well, originally drilled in 2008, has been tested for production.

TWO of the Irish mining and exploration companies chaired by businessman John Teeling are to merge under the new name, Clontarf Energy.

Preston are the latest club to be plunged into financial crisis after being hit with a winding up petition from Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs.

PAN ANDEAN, the Dublin-headquartered oil and gas exploration company, has reported its first losses in a decade, on the back of falling gas prices in the US.

DUBLIN-BASED Adwalker, which supplied wearable advertising, has been wound up and a liquidator has been appointed to the Ark Retail fashion group.

A media company co-founded by Bob Geldof is adding a Belfast-based TV current affairs production company to its stable, it was announced today.

CORK-based alternative energy company, Kedco has made the switch to public ownership, with its shares beginning trading on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) this morning.

IRISH financial spread-betting group, WorldSpreads, has announced that it will begin trading on Dublin’s IEX market next month.

Turnaround company Melrose today confirmed it had approached engineering group FKI about a possible takeover valuing the firm at around £412m (€550m).

Daily Sport co-founder David Sullivan looked set today to net £40m (€59m) after agreeing to the sale of the UK based newspaper group.

Shares in Zamano PLC, a company providing value-added mobile phone applications, began trading today on IEX, the Irish Stock Exchange’s specialist market for small to mid-sized companies.

Australian oil and gas exploration and production company Hardman Resources Limited has announced that the Federal Court of Australia today issued orders approving the scheme of arrangement relating to the proposed acquisition of Hardman by Tullow Oil.

The owner of amusement arcade chain Quicksilver plotted further expansion today after agreeing to a multi-million pound takeover from Australia.

Mobile data services company zamano has been listed today on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange.

Around 45,000 telephone users disconnected over a dispute between rival telecoms companies are to have their service restored, it emerged tonight.

Charlton’s proposed withdrawal from the Stock Exchange moved a step closer today when the club purchased 30,000 more of their own shares.

A gaming firm which displays luxury cars at airports luring holidaymakers to compete to win them began trading on the London stock market today.

A 70-year old nudist who set up Britain’s biggest naturist tour operator joined the millionaires’ club today after he sold the business he founded in 1971.

A new airline today announced plans to raise £25m (€36m) for the launch of a low-fares operation serving New York-bound business class travellers from the UK.

A crackdown on companies that have done nothing since raising money on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) today led to 38 stocks being suspended.

Investors in Britain placed their bets on the success of gaming software designer Playtech today as its shares rose strongly following a £548m (€794.4m) flotation.

A PHARMACEUTICAL company fronted by former Elan executives plans to raise over €40 million from a stock market flotation.

FRAN Rooney has resigned as chairman of the listed software company Vimio after less than a year in the job.

A company working on a hair cloning treatment to tackle baldness said today it was looking to raise £15m (22m) through a stock market flotation.

FRAN Rooney’s latest venture Vimio has reported its first financial results since listing on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) in September.

AGCERT shares jumped 12% yesterday after the greenhouse gas emissions specialist issued an upbeat trading statement.

FINANCIER Dermot Desmond has agreed to underwrite a fundraising issue at Glasgow Celtic football club.

SALLYNOGGIN-based first aid product developer Alltracel Pharmaceuticals has signed a major deal with the Yunnan Baiyao Group, China’s largest consumer wound care company.

VIMIO, a Dublin-based technology company chaired by the former Football Association of Ireland (FAI) chief executive Fran Rooney, plans to list on the London Stock Exchange.

EXPLORATION company Ormonde Mining had good news for shareholders yesterday when it published results from its latest drilling programme at a gold and copper site in southern Spain. The share price added 3% on the news.

FINANCIAL services firm Fexco is believed to be involved in takeover talks with the struggling online reservations group CNG Travel.

EiRx Therapeutics, the Cork Airport business park-based drug discovery company that floated on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) last year, has completed the acquisition of Auvation Ltd.

ELY Property will list on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) tomorrow, the Dublin-based property services group said yesterday.

TRADING in shares of Adwalker, the ‘wearable media’ company, begins on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM) tomorrow.

RESOURCE company Glencar Mining is to seek a listing on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

SHARES in CNG Travel dived 10% to new lows yesterday after the Kenmare-based travel reservation group’s chief executive resigned unexpectedly.

TONY O’REILLY is investing €3 million in Providence Resources as part of the exploration firm’s flotation on London’s Alternative Investment Market (AIM).

UK shop till group Torex Retail was today set to expand into the pub and restaurant sectors after unveiling a £73m (€109.1m) deal for a rival.

Lapp Plats plc has been admitted to the Irish Enterprise Exchange, the new market for small to mid-sized companies launched by the Irish Stock Exchange in April this year.

FLEDGLING pharmaceutical company Alltracel has reported positive news from tests of its m-doc product as a cholesterol-reducing agent in food.

EiRx Therapeutics, has reported losses of £593,000 (€859,000) for the six months to December.

Storage company Norish has announced pre-tax profits of £300,000 (€435,500) for 2004, compared to pre-tax losses of £400,000 (€581,000) after exceptional items of £600,000 (€871,000) for last year.