Small caps outperform FTSE 350 as AIM 100 and AIM All-Share post weekly gains

Small caps performed better than blue chips this week as the FTSE AIM 100 index climbed 0.8% and the FTSE AIM All-Share index added 0.4%.

Clarity Commerce Solutions (LON:CCS) has re-acquired Middlesex-based IT help-desk specialists Cyntergy Services Ltd in a deal worth up to £150,000. According to Clarity, the addition of the previously-owned business unit is expected to significantly enhance Clarity’s prospects in future customer bid processes, and support its growing support the company’s recent new contract wins.

Imperial Innovations Group (LON:IVO) has sold its portfolio company Respivert to Centocor Ortho Biotech for £9.5 million, thus achieving a 4.7x return on Innovations’ three-year investment (ROI).

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Invocas Group (LON:INVO) has announced that it no longer desires to be listed on AIM, blaming its decision on the combination of low liquidity in its shares and the high cost to maintain its status as a PLC.

Plant Impact (LON:PIM) has signed a distribution agreement for its InCa calcium delivery product, with Arysta LifeScience’s Mexico-based subsidiary. The 10-year deal gives Arysta exclusive distribution rights for sales and marketing of InCa in Mexico, Guatemala, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Panama, Belize and parts of the Caribbean.

Managed hosting and cloud computing services company iomart (LON:IOM) declared it was now more established with more recognition of its presence in the market after its revenues for the year to 31 March jumped 55% to help it swing to profits of £3.1 million after making a loss of £0.3 million last year, while also announcing a new £10 million acquisition facility from Lloyds Banking Group (LON:LLOY) that demonstrated its “appetite for growth.”

Antennas manufacturer Sarantel Group (LON:SLG) has signed a letter of intent with Elcoteq SE to outsource its assembly, test and supply chain processes, expecting to generate savings of £0.5 million.

TEG Group (LON:TEG) has agreed to acquire six composting sites of Midlands Simpro for up to £6 million after raising £6.8 million via a share issue to fund the deal, which will boost the number of its operating sites in the UK to ten and increase processing capacity from 115,000 tpa (tonnes per annum) to 295,000 tpa.

Specialist engineering outfit Redhall Group (LON:RHL) reported that its order book had risen to £130 million in the first half of 2010 (six months to 31 March) from £110 million a year earlier.

Rurelec (LON:RUR) called 2009 a year of solid progress after its annual output rose to 2,100 GWh, while revenues jumped 19.5% to £36.16 million, which, however, was overshadowed by the recent nationalisation of its Bolivian assets, leaving the company with an interest in Argentina operating subsidiary Energia del Sur.

Medical technology group, Oxeco (LON:OXE) has agreed the terms of a conditional acquisition of Tissue Regenix in a share-based deal valued at £12 million. According to Oxeco Chairman, Michael Bretherton, the deal represents an exciting new start for the company.

In its preliminary results, Specialist vehicle distributor, Eco City Vehicles (AIM:ECV) told investors that strong demand for its co-developed Mercedes Vito taxis has driven a 30% increase in revenues to £24.7m (2008: £19m). As the company closed the year with the sale of its 500th Vito taxi - selling 398 units in 2009 - Eco City decided to up production at its Coventry manufacturing base in 2010.

Cancer focused biotechnology company, Antisoma (LON:ASM, OTC: ATSMY) told investors that its novel leukaemia treatment – the AS1413 DNA intercalator – has been granted a Fast Track designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

University commercialisation specialist, the IP Group’s (LSE:IPO) portfolio company Tissue Regenix has agreed a reverse takeover with medical technology group Oxeco (AIM: OXE).

Allocate Software (LON:ALL) has won a A$6 million (£3.3m) contract with the State Government of New South Wales (NSW), Australia to supply its Healthroster software across the state public health system, which covers more than 90,000 members of staff.

Interactive gaming company NetPlay TV (LON:NPT) said the “pivotal” 2009 saw its transformation from a “small opportunistic gaming company” into a “fully fledged media business” after regulator Ofcom opened up a potentially huge market by allowing terrestrial broadcasters to air transactional gaming shows.

Innovision Research & Technology (LON:INN) has signed its second significant new contract for its GEM NFC Intellectual Property in the current financial year, reaching an agreement with another major global semiconductor corporation over chips that it said were targeted at high volume markets for mobile handsets and other consumer electronic products incorporating wireless communications.

Penna Consulting (LON:PNA) called 2009/10 a “very successful year,” which saw revenues soar 72% as profits jumped 22%, yet a repeat is unlikely this year due to a recently announced freeze in public sector hiring. Despite the strong financial results shares in the company tumbled 40%.

South Africa operating power producer IPSA Group (LON:IPSA) said it was making progress since its last results announcement and that its interim results for the period to 31 March were broadly in line with expectations after the net losses shrank to £0.83 million from £3.4 million.

Helius Energy (LON:HEGY) has appointed founder and chairman of integrated waste management company Specialist Waste Recycling Ltd Angus MacDonald to the board as a non-executive director and as a member of the company’s audit and remuneration committees.