Yet another day passes and still AIM-listed Advanced Oncotherapy (AVO) has not answered my questions, and so I ask again – now for the seventh time. At this rate Jeremy Paxman’s score of 12 (against Michael Howard) is in danger. I have had it pointed out to me that Paxo asked the questions face to face, and in that regard I can’t match him. But at least (now) Lord Howard had to reply – even if he evaded the actual question. Anyway, here we go again:

Today I have a new exclusive on the shambles that is the administration of Beaufort Securities where 14,000 clients are having their savings pissed away by fat cat administrators PWC. This will shock you.

I do not always agree with Richard Jennings of Align Research. In fact he can be 100% wrong on certain matters. But on Pathfinder Minerals (PFP) he is bang on the money in trying to oust its useless board. In that battle he has today writting to NED Sir Henry Bellend MP of 3DM infamy. Over to Jennings who flags up a new dirty track Bellend and £170,000 a year CEO Nick "Not for the Many but for the " Trew are trying to play:: 

Mr Bellingham

Engineering and Technology recruitment company Gattaca (GATC) has announced results for its half year ended 31st January 2018. These follow particularly a trading update on 7th February, so no surprises then… Er, the shares are currently more than 20% lower on the day, at around 150p!…

Back in the dim and distant past, when the issue of the prevailing weather and the stock market came up the stock that would be uppermost in the minds of institutional fund managers was that consumer behemoth Unilever (ULVR) and its significant - and volatile - ice cream division. Unilever still does ice creams (Carte D'Or, Cornetto, Magnum, Solero, Twister, Choc Ice, Super Split, Fat Frog, Feast, Brunch, Viennetta...take your pick) and no doubt it is coining it in today on the hottest day of the year so far, but that is not as influential as it used to be.

Just before Christmas, I asked the question whether Woodford-backed Xeros Technology Group (XSG) would be this year’s RM2 International (RM2) in dropping from a £200m+ valuation to something close to 10% of that. Today’s results confirm that it is well on track.

I wonder if Julie Meyer's lawyers will be sending a missive to The Times to bully it after a devestating piece appeared today. It really does beg massive questions although Meyer says she has done nothing wrong. Having already chatted to a couple of creditors and investors in her companies today I am not sure that her opinion is universally shared.

A “Share Price Movement and Interim Funding” announcement from India online fashion retailer Koovs (KOOV). Hmmm, “interim funding” hey…

Hello, Share Cats. The rise of the internet has had some unintended consequences all right. One is the horde of eating places which are popping up all over the place. This is because you can’t buy your dinner online unless it's a boring takeaway. Therefore, I am swapping a bit of my share allegiance to restaurants. Though not the posher kind, as wages are still pretty stagnant, despite this week’s slightly more encouraging news.

Obtala (OBT) has updated on forestry developments which see it consider “it is clearly prudent for us to minimise risk by deploying financial resources towards expanding capacity at our production facilities in Gabon rather than Mozambique”.

Yet another day passes and still AIM-listed Advanced Oncotherapy (AVO) has not answered my questions, and so I ask again – now for the seventh time. At this rate Jeremy Paxman’s score of 12 (against Michael Howard) is in danger.

A trading update from marketing services group, System1 (SYS1) including noting trading during year ended 31st March 2018 “has been disappointing”. The shares are though currently approaching 7% higher, at 320p…

My old (and terrible) tip from the 2015 New Year of AIM-listed Scancell (SCLP) has announced a placing. And there I was thinking that things were finally turning around, with the shares back up to 17.5p. The 12p placing and open offer is, on the face of it, at a huge discount of 31%. No doubt broker Panmure Gordon will rise to the incredibly difficult task of placing the shares out and earning its commission.

Do not worry it is not all macro babble in today's podcast but I reflect on why Sterling is roofing it and why this also makes the Paul Scott thesis on retailers and consumer facing stocks wrong - more of that on Saturday no doubt! I look at Amur Minerals (AMC) with the 1 question its dumb shareholders need to ask. I intrude on the private grief at Somerville towers regarding Scancell (SCLP) and suggest that there is more to come for poor Nigel. And I look at perennial dog Iofina and what it is NOT saying. If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 - THIS SATURDAY - one of many highlights will be a live bearcast with myself and Paul Scott. Make sure you book a free ticket HERE using the promotional code WINNIFRITH. ORDER NOW - LAST POSTING TODAY

A recommended offer has now been made for “mobile financial services and digital customer engagement solutions provider”, Vipera (VIP) – this following it announced last month that Banca Sella was, “following recent discussions… contemplating making an offer”…

Well it has taken a few months but the sentiment I expressed back in December that Hammerson's (HMSO) proposed takeover of Intu (INTU) was 'shopping centre madness' has finally been agreed with - the former walking away from its bid. The reasons, however, are truly fascinating with the regulatory statement from Hammerson blaming that easy punchbag 'the equity market':

After 16 years of missing targets and ongoing dilution, AIM listed Amur Minerals (AMC) is still nowhere near actually building its mine in Eastern Russia and still does not have a single institutional shareholder. The only folks who still believe in this stock are mug punter private investors and that means the only funding available is via bucket shops or death spirals. Right now it is the latter and hence the shares are in a steady retreat - right now just 4.5p to sell. At this rate, losing 1p a month, the shares will be trending towards zero by the summer so its time to panic and go into mega spoof.

Ascent Resources (AST) has hardly exactly lived up to its name in recent times, as it has been on a steady downwards trajectory for some time now. There's now been an RNS advising of a strategic review and a formal sale process for the company being initiated. Given its situation, I certainly wasn’t expecting the market to take the news particularly well - but the share price rocketed and even as I write this, it is currently 1.1p to buy - up more than 22% on the prior close.

Previously writing on Dialight (DIA) on the back of 2017 results with the shares at 532p, I concluded that the valuation in conjunction with manufacturing issues saw me continue to avoid. The shares previously closed at 524p and there’s now an AGM trading update…

Hello, Share Minders. I predict I'm not the only one still shocked by the news that administrators of Beaufort Securities may, if necessary, be able to arrange for some of the assets in ring-fenced accounts to service a shortfall in costs. It seems odd that the assets of innocent third parties could be forfeit to pay for the failure of others. Perhaps I've misread the email. At least the wording suggests that little has been finalised yet.