Shares: Taking Stock

Greenwich Resources rose 2.25p to 21.5p after chairman Colin Phipps described its 20 per cent interest in Desire Petroleum as a "significant asset". Westmount, also with 20 per cent, gained 13p to 166.5p. Next month SG Securities intend to place shares in Desire which has the largest acreage off the Falkland Islands. Its off shore portfolio is equivalent to 30 North Sea blocks. Wells have yet to be drilled. The first of five is due in April or May. SG calculates a core value of pounds 45m for Desire.

Tricorder Technology, traded on Ofex, has attracted the support of the 3i investment group. It has a 13.98 per cent stake following a pounds 1.75m cash raising exercise. Amadeus Capital, which numbers Microsoft among its backers, has 4.19 per cent. Shares of the 3-D scanner developer were sold at 47p; they are now 42.5p.