Previously writing on security and surveillance systems company Synectics (SNX), last month with the shares at 133.5p I noted the company plans to reinstate guidance on future trading with half-year results on 13th July but I suggest that’s not going to be particularly positive for this year at least. How is it?…

Tharisa (THS) has announced “record quarterly chrome concentrate output and increased PGM production supported by stronger pricing” and the shares have nudged up to 130p.

Durable electronics company supplying commercial, industrial and military markets Solid State (SOLI) is “pleased to announce” results for its year ended 31st March 2021. The shares have though currently responded to 925p, 7.5% lower… so what’s the story?…

Analyst David Kranzler of Investment Research Dynamics starts with what to look for in the coming metals rally and why it’s challenging to pick tops and bottoms. Any experts that claim to be able to do so accurately are, he argues, questionable.

AIM-listed Gold (and Silver) producer in Turkey Ariana Resources (AAU) has announced a new venture in the form of a Discovery Fund, through which an initial A$ 2 million will be invested into discovery-stage mineral exploration in lumps of up to A$ 0.5 million at a time.

So England lost, Italy won and were the better side. Congratulations Italy – and manager Roberto Mancini – but England have progressed magnificently since the last world cup and once the dust has settled, we should look forward to the next one. Amid the disappointment on the morning after, however, we did – as predicted – have a fair crop of bad news between 7am and market open at 8am. Here are my highlights (or lowlights).

Hello, Share Shapers. Supermarkets are doing rather well at the mo, motivated I suspect by the take-over interest in Morrisons (MRW). However, I can see more reliable drivers for the online supermarket Ocado (OCDO), which has risen in prominence during the lockdowns. My brighter colleague Chris Bailey has already commented on this baby, but the situation is fascinating so allow me to put in my two bits worth.

Always spotless, green and neat, The smoothest woke spin gets them. I misquote, of course. But I am sure that the lead singer of the Undertones, who produced the classic My perfect cousin, now that we have a CD machine here, often playing this year at the Greek Hovel, will not object. These days Feargal spends his time campaigning on river quality. What else would an ageing punk do? The tweet below demonstrates the hypocrisy of big finance on ESG matters.

Vending services company Photo-Me International (PHTM) has announced results for its half-year ended 30th April 2021, arguing “a return to our fundamentals more quickly than previously expected” and the shares have currently responded up to 73.6p. What’s the detail?…

Fleet Street Legend Brian Basham was once a director of Vast Resources (VAST) but resigned in disgust at what he saw as blatant corporate malfeasance. He has been urging the Oxymorons at AIM Regulation and the woke dullards at the FCA to act, so far, without success. His latest missive to the FCA has fallen into the hands of Winnileaks and makes accusations that surely demand a response. It is shocking and it is below.

I start with swimming pool news then look at today’s shocking Vast Resources (VAST) expose HERE. Then onto Berkeley Energia (BKY) – another reason to be glad about Brexit – then onto Cineworld (CINE) and Nightcap (NGHT). I save my football take for my own website HERE.

Owner of premium drinks brands RedLeg Spiced Rum, Blackwoods Gin and Vodka, TRØVE Botanical Vodka, Blavod Black Vodka, Jago’s Cream Liqueur and Diva Vodka, Distil plc (DIS) “is pleased to provide an update on trading for the first quarter of its current financial year” and the shares have responded up to 2.4p. What does the value proposition look like from here?…

“Omni-channel fashion brand” company QUIZ plc (QUIZ) has made a trading update including noting “a £13.1m increase on the revenues generated during the comparable prior year period from 1 April to 30 June 2020” – and the shares have currently responded more than 20% higher to above 12p. Does this response to an around £15 million market cap look justified?…

Back in the year 2000 I remember looking at Tate & Lyle (TATE), the British-headquartered but globally focused company which aides its customers to ‘make food healthier and tastier’. Of course that might include you buying its vanilla syrup, salted caramel syrup or pumpkin spice syrup 750ml products at your local supermarket. After all, the company was founded in 1921 from a merger of two rival sugar refiners: Henry Tate & Sons and Abram Lyle & Sons. So just a little bit of history there.

I last wrote about Chariot Ltd (CHAR) last November prior to its name change from Chariot Oil and Gas twice last year.  I was rather hopeful the company had changed its ways, established over many years, of diluting shareholders by raising cash to drill holes in the ground often after saying it planned to farm out for funding. The company did this once again in May this year, significantly diluting shareholders via a placing. I was not best pleased.

Iconic (ICON) has had administrators appointed to it since 4 June at the hand of Toxic Dave and company’s shares have been suspended since 7 June.

Hello, Share Tasters. One of the most popular shops on the street is Primark. It’s had a hard time of the pandemic though, as it doesn’t do online trading. Never mind, its stores are opening now. And thanks mainly to that, its parent company Associated British Foods (ABF) has seen a surge in revenue. It’s currently up by nearly a half on last time, reaching £3.6 billion.

I believe there is a football game at 8pm later today (sorry Italy, but someone has to lose) but – helping to make sure the family has a range of nice things to eat and drink whilst watching the game – Ocado (OCDO) is dropping around at the house in a few hours time. It might describe itself as ‘a publicly-traded company that develops software, robotics, and automation systems for online retailers’, but specifically in the UK it has switched from working with Waitrose to now working with Marks & Spencer (MKS).  

I start with bad news from Olaf, then consider football before – at length – answering the question in the title.

We start in 1971 but also with football