Canaccord Genuity raises target price on Touchstone Exploration

Analysts at Canaccord Genuity raised their target price on mining outfit Touchstone Exploration from 180.0p to 200.0p on Friday following the firm's "surprise, but upbeat" announcement of an oil test in its Royston-1 well.

Canaccord said following Touchstone's analyst presentation and third-quarter results, it was now possible to add "a little more flesh to the bones" of the well test result.

The Canadian bank said its initial view that the oil discovery was "an important step forward" had been confirmed, though it also recognised that there was still "plenty to be done" to fully evaluate the scope of the commercial potential at Royston and the surrounding Ortoire licence.

Canaccord, which reiterated its 'speculative buy' rating on the stock, said the tested zone, the first and deepest of three planned, looked the least promising in terms of reservoir rock properties, yet the test also produced light sweet crude despite the equipment used being designed for gas flow.

"We think the information provided so far provides the foundation for thinking that Royston could be both a gas/wet gas (to be confirmed following two tests expected to be completed before YE21) and an oil development. Furthermore, the discovery of oil in the deepest levels of Royston-1 adds support to the possibility of oil in the nearby but deeper Krakken prospect," said Canaccord.