In this ninth edition of the ShareProphets Radio podcast, sponsored by Yorkville Advisors, in order I  chat to Antony Laiker,a friend despite being my stockbroker, a dinosaur like myself and the boss of AIM listed Vela (VELA). You may need to turn up the violume on his ansswers. Then it is onto Carson Block of Muddy Waters discussing Burford (BUR) and much else in great detail. Carson does not pull his punches and, to my mind, explains convincingly why his latest target will crater.If you like this and can't wait seven days for more of the same you should listen to my Bearcast every day.

On 23rd July it was “Quixant (AIM: QXT), a leading provider of innovative, highly engineered technology products principally for the global gaming industry, is pleased to provide an update on trading for the six months ended 30 June 2019... H1 2019 was completed as we expected and reported in March, with the lower than anticipated consumption of some major customers improving as we enter the second half… a growing order book during H1 positions us well to deliver a strong second half to the year… The company's interim results for the six months ended 30 June 2019 are expected to be announced on 24 September 2019”. Now, 17th September, “Interim Results”. Hmmm…

I am grateful to Reg Hoare for prompting Begbies Traynor (BEG) to answer my questions and so save me from having to go to Manchester. But its response gets only 5 out of 10 and leaves me unconvinced. I look at Sirius Minerals (SXX) where things will only get more grim up North. I cover St James House (SJH) and also Watchstone (WTG), where I give credit where credit is due.

On 26th June “Trackwise Designs Plc (TWD), a leading provider of specialist products using printed circuit technology” updated including it “is currently trading in line with market expectations” and emphasising “operational progress and continued growth in customer numbers”. Its today-announced results for the first half of 2019 should be decent enough then – and indeed the company “is pleased to announce” them, with the statement including “Trackwise has made solid progress against its strategic objectives in the first half of the year” and “we continue to manage the resources of the business prudently”…

Yesterday the FTSE All-Share (Neil Woodford’s benchmark for his Equity Income and Income Focus funds) dropped by 0.63% but the funds’ NAV per unit only dropped by 0.4% and 0.48% respectively. On the face of it another day beating the benchmark, but one should note that with AIM-listed Eddie Stobart (ESL) currently suspended those figures don’t take account of yesterday’s calamitous news from that investment.

For Northern Nimbies ,like my first cousin once removed, who do not want a Potash Mine on the North York Moors  this is great news. For shareholders in Sirius Minerals (SXX) it is a disaster. This company is in real trouble and may not be able to open its act of environmental vandalism after all.

Once known as the journal of record, the Financial Times has seen its readership tumble for many years following a litany of editorial misjudgments. Today it plunges to a new low of crass stupidity.

Eco Atlantic (ECO) is a small scale exploration driller which would appear to be in the right place at the right time – Guyana. Two hits from two drills in the hottest place in oil expo land currently just cannot be ignored, but neither can a market cap of £320 million with no certified reserves. Gary Newman made a cracking buy call at 22p less than 2 years ago. At 175p as I type, is it worth buying or not?...

We have written extensively on the various related party deals at Tom Cross fiefdom Parkmead (PMG) but belated companies house filings now allow us to follow the complete money trail and this stinks. I really cannot see how Nomad Arden can tolerate this unless, of course, it is morally bankrupt and only cares about getting another retainer.

There seem to be a number of mid-sized oil producers which have fallen out of favour with investors for quite some time now, and I’d definitely have to include North Sea-focussed EnQuest (ENQ) high up on that list...

Hello Share Touslers. It’s hard to get my head round my present view of Ashtead (AHT), the massive tool hire company. The share price is often among the highest risers in the Footsie. And I confess I have made more money out of it than many of my winners. And yet I sold all my shares far too early, at 1800p. They’re now around 2300p...

Shares in Location Sciences Group (LSAI) have recently slid back below 3p, but are currently recovering above this on the back of a “Contract with Vicinity Media” announcement…

“Convertible Loan” news online marketing and operating company for the gaming industry, Veltyco (VLTY) “is pleased to announce” – with the announcement including “the convertible loan is convertible at any time by the noteholder at a price of 8p per new ordinary share… the convertible loan will automatically convert into ordinary shares if the closing mid-market price of an ordinary share is 15p or more for 25 consecutive business days”. Ooooh – 8p and 15p hey!, with the shares then 3.2p – they currently rising above 4.5p. However…

The old stockmarket adage that delayed news is always bad news held true this morning when AIM-listed Eddie Stobart Logistics (ESL) updated the market on its accounting review and the lack of interim results – which are still not ready. It is all bad news – and very bad news for Neil Woodford who holds about 23% of the equity: the dividend has been scrapped and we had the announcement of what amounts to a strategic review. Of course, strategic reviews are themselves a red flag of more bad news to come. It is grim.

Earlier this month Haydale Graphene (HAYD) released an announcement with the headline: Haydale Awarded Funding to Develop Airbus Approved Space Technology, in which a contract awarded by the European Space Agency was proudly proclaimed. The size of both the funding and the contract were not disclosed as is usually the case with these trifling disclosures and the Haydale share price (sub 2p) scarcely moved, leaving its market cap little changed at around £5 million. It struck me, however, that had Versarien (VRS) - market cap £167 million - made an identical RNS the market cap would probably have risen, at least temporarily, by several times that of Haydale’s total worth, such is the fervour that the company still inspires amongst its loyal retail following. But the point at which Versarien must start to deliver is approaching...

All will be revealed soon. Meanwhile I discuss Eddie Stobart (ESL), Circassia (CIR), Thomas Cook (TCG), Amur Minerals (AMC), Neil Woodford and Watchstone Group (WTG), Quindell as was.

“Alfa Financial Software Holdings PLC ('Alfa') provides the following update on trading, ahead of its interim results which will be released on Thursday 26 September”. Hmmm – why such an update so close to the results announcement? – and not ‘pleased to provide’ I immediately note…

I put my hands up and admit there are some companies about which I just cannot get my head around their share valuation. One of these is the London Stock Exchange (LSE) which - from the perspective of its share price appreciation over recent years - has performed rather well. Yes, I get the natural monopoly angle and some well-timed expansions into different markets and different products, but a x54 P/E and a measly 0.5% dividend yield are starting metrics that indicate...enthusiasm rather than value. And then, of course, there are the range of critiques that this website has highlighted for example, here. Anyhow, back to me and Vince…

Bluebird Merchant Ventures (BMV) “is pleased to announce that confirmation has been received that the ‘Permit to  Develop’ the Gubong Mine has been granted”…

The 10 stages of a property bubble and crash...