Vincent Tchenguiz, the property entrepreneur, helped to lift the distressed share price of Econergy International, the developer of renewable power projects, up 5½p to 29p, by saying that he was considering taking the business private. It floated at 100p two years ago.

He also said that he might sell his 18 per cent stake, held through his Consensus vehicle, or buy assets from the company. Econergy said that it had received several approaches. Consensus is also the biggest shareholder in Humberts, the struggling estate agency, which was flat at 8p.

Anglo Asian Mining soared 3¼p to 13½p after receiving an extra $20 million (£10 million) loan from the International Bank of Azerbaijan. This added to a previously announced $5 million credit facility. Anglo Asian said that it now had the funds to begin work on its $40 million Gedabek goldmine project in Azerbaijan.

Niger Uranium gained 2¼p to 19½p after GCM, the coal explorer, down 1p to 103p, was granted uranium exploration in Niger, where it operates.

Silverjet, the business-class airline, rose 5¾p to 21p after receiving a bid approach. SciSys, the IT consultancy, added 9p to 46p as hopes continued to build for a bid from rival Microgen, up ½p to 47½p, which has built a near13 per cent stake.

Symphony Environmental Technologies added ½p to 2.625p after clinching a deal to supply biodegradable plastic bags to Tiger Brands, the South African food company.

Proteome Sciences jumped 6¾p to 44¼p after it won a deal with Thermo Fisher Scientific to supply it with its protein-tagging technology. Landsbanki said that the deal could add 24p to its 62p target.

Leed Petroleum climbed 2p to 41¾p after completing its well in the Gulf of Mexico. The well flowed at a rate that could double the company’s overall oil production. Matrix initiated coverage with a price target of 89p.

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