OptiBiotix Health (OPTI) has announced the opening of an online shop on Tmall.com for its Go-Figure products and that it has launched GoFigure shakes containing patented weight management aid SlimBiome on Tmall China. What of this and of a share price edging up to 19p to buy?

UK hospitality business comprising cocktail-led bar and restaurant brand '63rd+1st', fast casual dining brand 'Fridays and Go' and American-themed 'Fridays', Hostmore (MORE) has announced “a major new marketing campaign for its Fridays brand”, emphasising “in an environment where consumers are putting more thought into where they spend their money, we recognise the importance of elevating our positioning”. Really?

Secondary lender PCF Group (PCF) was an AIM sewer high-flier with its shares trading at above 40p just over 4 years ago. Today after news that it was winding down its loan book and delisting the shares are just 0.56p and the man who is to blame for the chain of events that led to today’s bombshell  is David Bull, until August chairing Eight Capital Partners (ECP) and running the Audit Committee as a NED as its bastard big brother the fraud Supply@ME Capital (SYME). Is he the most toxic bean counter in the small cap world?

Previously writing on laboratory services company SourceBio International (SBI), last year with the shares at 137.5p I concluded to avoid with changes to travel PCR testing expected to impact. The shares last closed at 111p and today a “Trading Update and Proposed Cancellation”-titled announcement.

It must be because I spend too much of my time dealing with the global quarterly corporate earnings season that when I see a bunch of UK corporate “trading update” announcements, I know that they will leave more questions unanswered than dealt with. To give the Americans or the Europeans their due, at least every three months any reasonable market cap company will punch out a good quarterly update and a conference call. However, among FTSE 350 names in the UK, good luck hoping for this.

Previously writing on Gym Group (GYM), last year with the shares around 282p I concluded that it looked to need to deliver very impressively to justify the valuation. The shares last closed at 123.6p and are further down today on the back of a “trading update”, so what’s going on now?

Ithaca Energy (ITH) has IPO’d today at 250p giving it a market cap of £2.5 billion making it the biggest London IPO of the year to date. Well done Goldman Sachs. There is a big push to get Joe Retail buying in the after market. But is that a smart move? Top analyst Ashley Kelty of Panmure Gordon thinks not and in an email, below, sent today has savaged the issue.

Hello Share Gatherers. This old punter is lucky in still being pretty nippy in the walking department, but a look around your neighbourhood will show you an increasing number of older folks have difficulty getting around. That’s including with there a huge backlog in the replacement of knees and hips and here’s a company that will benefit from this worrying situation.

Specialist retailer of fresh cream cakes Cake Box Holdings (CBOX) states that it “is pleased to announce the appointment of Liberum Capital Limited as joint corporate broker to the company with immediate effect”. With the shares currently down, to 108p, in response, why might the market not be pleased?

I am no longer tipping Red Rock Resources (RRR) as, I feel that its failure to monetize assts and thus prove what they are claimed to be worth has gone on for too long. Why can't it monetize even one asset? The failure to do so means more fund raisings and that, to me explians why the shares I still own after almost three years have been such a duff investment for me. But boss Andrew Bell has another excuse...

Maybe I shall save the celebratory ouzos for tonight and double up as I watch liberal tears as we see a Red Wave in the mid terms. I discuss that briefly then go on to look at Applied Graphene (AGM) and what it is like running a company facing corporate death as well as the ethics of my scoop last night. I look at Online Blockchain (OBC), Mello destroying its brand c/o Zamaz (ZAMZ), Argo Blockchain (ARB) and a couple of points about Seraphine (BUMP) from an accounting perspective and in terms of changing consumer behaviour and also how as a bear one can do non financial DD.

UK online electrical retailer Marks Electrical Group (MRK) has announced results for its half-year ended 30th September 2022, emphasising “Continued trading momentum, resilient profit performance and strong market share gains” and that “acceleration of revenue growth in October and strong start to November leave us well positioned to achieve our full year targets”. So what’s the detail and what of a current 72.5p share price?

Young Steve Moore and I have repeatedly warned you about Seraphine (BUMP) another disastrous 2021 IPO. Today came another warning but before we deal with the abject numbers I suggest you all have a butcher’s at its website HERE. And as a reminder…

Previously writing on beauty and personal care products group Brand Architekts (BAR), in July with the shares at around 50p I concluded that there was still a noted c£11.3 million net cash position but, with the cash backing falling and integration and further external environment challenges looking ahead, I stayed on the sidelines. The shares last closed at 31.5p, and are currently further lower on the back of full-year results.

You really cannot say that you were not warned over and over again by this website that Argo Blockchain (ARB) would make rich knaves such as CEO Peter Wall, disgraced broker Andy Frangos, paid share ramper (sorry “journalist”) Zak Mir and proven  liar and rule breaker John Story richer while screwing ordinary shareholders. The game is almost up. The Fat Lady is gargling. Today’s October update is a disaster.

As quite a boring investor, I really like lengthy adjusted operating profit, earnings per share, dividend and free cash flow analysis. And by “lengthy”, I mean nicely more than a couple of decades of data as it gives you a good insight as at least there have been a few (proper) cycles. It certainly does not mean that changes cannot happen, as nicely shown by the shift and evolution of FTSE 100 or Dow Jones Index members over time, but it is certainly better to have a lot more information rather than a lot less. And this brings us to the pass-through business DCC plc (DCC).

At 9.07 PM last night I revealed here that Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) was working on a placing, trying ( I stress trying) to raise £3 million at just 2p as against a 10p bid price. I flagged my piece up to the PR bunnies at Hudson Sandler and so ensured they all had a late night as today there is a response to comment on “an article published on the ShareProphets website on the evening of 7 November 2022 regarding a possible equity raise.” Timber!

Still there are fools who think that Cineworld (CINE) shares have value. They do not. This looks like a slam dunk zero after documents published late last night in the latest round US Chapter 11 hearings. What follows is an idiots guide as to why any holders should sell and anyone who wants a free Christmas bonus should add to/open a short at 6p. Here goes:

Such is the terrible track record of Applied Graphene Materials (AGM) - minus 97.8% from peak - and such is the severity of the bear market in small caps that what follows should not be that shocking but it is still shocking. Since last week Applied has been on a dog and pony show with its broker. The aim was to raise £3 million. However, the details are horrific:

Kefi Gold & Copper (KEFI) has announced that it “is extremely pleased to note the announcement of a permanent end to hostilities in Northern Ethiopia and expresses its determination to do whatever is possible within its business mandate to contribute to the economic recovery plans set by the Ethiopian Government”. We suggest the news bodes very well for near-term progress of the Tulu Kapi gold project for the company.