Dragon’s Den stat Piers Linney may be splashing the cash on the BBC2 programme but as co-founder of AIM listed Outsourcery (OUT) he might be a little concerned by the 79% fall in the company’s share price in the last year…

After the excitement of the failed Pfizer bid for Astra Zeneca and AbbVie’s successful deal with Shire, there was further interest for UK pharmaceutical businesses today from both GSK and Reckitt Benckiser.

The entry of Bacanora Minerals (BCN), the Canadian resources company with assets in Mexico, onto AIM yesterday was notable in that it was the first junior miner to list on the exchange for 3 years.

I wrote about the obscure and infamous social networking company, CYNK Technology, back in mid-July following its suspension by the US SEC.

Facebook proved the doubters wrong again with a very strong reported second-quarter profit of $791 million, or 30 cents a share, compared with a profit of $333 million, or 13 cents a share, for the year ago period, an increase of 138%.

Apple issued its latest earnings report after the Wall Street close last night with strong sales in China helping offset weakness in other markets.

A bit of head scratching this morning as Chariot Oil and Gas announce a surprise placing last night to raise $15 million. The shares are down 8.5% to 16p on the news.

After months of trouble and strife at the UK’s number one supermarket group, Tesco, under the leadership of 40 year veteran Philip Clarke it was one profit’s warning too many this morning with the news that Clarke is being replaced in October.

It’s the end of the road for FTSE 100 listed Shire Pharmaceuticals as an independent company with U.S. drug maker AbbVie’s £32 billion takeover being agreed today.

Gulf Keystone Petroleum have just announced, “Gulf Keystone Petroleum Limited (“Gulf Keystone” or the “Company”) announces that Todd Kozel has decided to stand down from the Board of Directors of the Company and not to accept the previously announced role of Executive Director upon retiring as Chief Executive Officer.