I have to thank Malcolm for being the contributor on this website writing most recently on the oil/energy services name Wood Group (WG.) back in July. His musings seem very akin to my own earlier in the year that 'if you have a decent stake like me then chill and write down the circa five quid level to add another slug'. That latter musing has been an unprofitable call to date but today's first half numbers have reiterated my faith in the name…

Another day, another round of bad news. This morning Neil Woodford will be reading the half-year results of Non-Standard Finance (NSF) – which he put his weight behind in its takeover battle with the rather larger Provident Financial (PFG), which he also owns. But NSF lost that battle and this morning Neil learns that the whole exercise cost it £12.7 million. But hey, its only other peoples’ money…..

In this fifth edition of the ShareProphets Radio podcast sponsored by Riverfort Global Capital, this week, in order I discuss the morality of short selling or writing bearish articles, I interview a saint ( well in stockmarket terms) Malcolm Stacey who though a moral man is highly opininiated and has a tip or two, then I discuss Burford (BUR) then it is part two of the Sam Antar interview in which the king of the fraudsters looks at today's fraudsters, Elon Musk & Tesla, AliBaba, we cover Burford and useless accountants and so much more. Enjoy. If you like this and can't wait seven days for more of the same you should listen to my Bearcast every day.

I was once a believer as shares in the satellite company Avanti Communications (AVN) soared to 800p+. But I saw the light many moons ago. Today they languish at 0.5p as the company has announced that it is to delist from the AIM Casino. For six years this website has been warning about this disaster in waiting now we are 100% vindicated. Are there lessons to be learned? You bet....

Hello, Share Jumpers. It’s hard to understand why companies pick names with obvious disadvantages. They can be hard to say, pronounce or remember. Take a company like ADVFN for example. What does it mean? Another instance is NVIDIA (OR1I). How is it said, what does it do?...

A “Director/PDMR Shareholding” announcement from Blue Prism Group (PRSM) which commences “Blue Prism (AIM: PRSM), a global leader in Robotic Process Automation today announces that Eric Verniaut has joined the company as Chief Operating Officer”. Eric purchased some shares in the company then?...

Steve Moore and I have been perma bears of software dog Corero (CNS) for many moons. Of course some folks knew better, notably City investors Miton which built up a stake of 15.89% across two of its funds. Then last week Corero issued a shocking warning which Steve covered HERE and I covered HERE.

I report on what the quack told me and consider a career change. I consider mattresses Eve (EVE), Simba, Nigel Wray and Neil Woodford. I look at Clear Leisure (CLP), First Derivatives (FDP), Thomas Cook (TCG), Dev Clever (DEV) and Verseon (VERS) and I comment on my interview with Kefi (KEFI) out later this week.

Having written a piece just three weeks ago about Highlands Natural Resources (HNR) and the likelihood of it needing more cash very soon, todays news of a placing didn’t really come as much of a surprise to me.

Previously writing on PHSC plc (PHSC), in June I questioned security technology proving diversification or ‘diworsification’? – concluding including “by mid-August”-expected results will be of particular interest. The company has now announced those results…

Analyst Chantelle Schieven says, “When no one wants to talk to you about gold, you know you’re at the bottom of the bear market.” When investors are attracted to other assets, then gold often gets overlooked. Gold is now becoming noticed again, and we see the change in the public interest.

We have a bond market in which a quarter of the universe trades at a negative yield. The long bond yield has gone negative in Germany. More than half of the world’s bond market is trading below the Fed funds rate. Investment grade yields, on average, are below zero in the euro area. This is completely abnormal because it reflects an abnormal economic, financial and political backdrop...

“IXICO plc (AIM: IXI), the data analytics company delivering insights in neuroscience, is pleased to announce that the company has continued to see strong growth in revenue in the second half of the year… anticipates that the results for the full year ending 30 September 2019 will be materially ahead of current market expectations” – and the shares have responded currently more than 20% higher to around 40p…

Shares in ConvaTec (CTEC) - whose products are used for advanced chronic and acute wound care, ostomy care, continence and critical care and infusion devices used in the treatment of diabetes and other conditions - have come a little more my way recently as I discussed here a couple of weeks ago. Today's regulatory news announcement by the company caused me - however - to raise my eyebrows slightly…

Hello, Share Scoopers. I still believe that the bigger oil companies are undervalued, given the price of Brent Crude. Yes, recently the oil price has fallen and attempts to revitalise have been thwarted by the general malaise. But that could be a buying opportunity for some oilers...

Back in March I mused about the Prudential (PRU) concluding that it was wise to snaffle 'a few (shares) now and at each new Pound below the current share price (£15 something a share, £14 something a share) is a suitable compromise between opportunity and the short-term perception vagaries towards the insurance space'.  Well in the five months or so since then the shares have undertaken a bit of a 'Grand Old Duke of York' moment and gone up the share price hill...and back down again.  Such is the insurance space...and the ups and downs of financial markets.  

Technical Analyst ( I know, groan) Tim Ord says he studies long-term market cycles, and there are 8 and 16-year cycles within precious metals. These cycles picked up the 2000 low and the 1987 low. Currently, both cycles are headed up and show a possible top around 2022-2023. That will likely be the next major point where gold consolidates. The trend is definitely upwards, and we will most likely test and possibly break all-time highs. He expects a powerful rally over a one to two-year time frame.

I start with Burford (BUR) and the questions it may or may not choose to ansswer from this weekend plus a look at its spinning and smearing via the PR cocksuckers at the Sunday Times. Then, as a financial journalist who has been warning about Neil Woodford since 2015 and explicitly hoisting red flag after red flag, I assiost Mr Luzio with an analysis of the flaws of the deadwood press and the low grade waste of space press release regurgitators such as him who staff it.

It never ceases to amaze me how willing many private investors are to forget past failures and accept that a complete change of direction in a business is suddenly going to bring success.

Drunken Sailor has made another point about AIM-listed Burford (BUR) in the comments boards – this time in response to my story about the recently announced corporate governance changes and listing of Burford which Muddy Waters attacked and Burford said there was nothing wrong. Except it now seems to think there was. Apart from the jibe of panic, Drunken Sailor seems to be wondering about insider trading. Let’s take a look at the facts.