Having last week announced a 7.5p per share possible offer for the company, mobile financial services provider Vipera (VIP) is now “pleased to announce a trading update in respect of the year ended 31 December 2017”. Hmmm, only doing this now, almost three months after the year-end? But at least “pleased to announce”, right?...

I do not agree with many things said by Richard Jennings of Align Research. But he is bang on the money on the merits of emigrating to Greece, on cats and on the desirability of removing hapless Nick Trew and Tory Toff Sir Henry Bellingham MP of 3DM infamy as directors of Pathfinder Minerals (PFP). Jennings has written to Trewly useless today and opines:

The pretend trade war of the last year is over. President Donald Trump has signed into law tariffs on Chinese goods. These are “The first of many,” he said with defiant satisfaction as he signed off on the most dramatic trade sanctions since the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930. The dispute centres as much on who will control the technology life-blood of the 21st century as it does on China’s $375bn (£265bn) trade surplus with the US.

Hello, Share Pranksters. Ever since my more astute colleague, Cynical Bear drew my attention to it, Biome (BIOM) has been in my bag. It was a few years earlier, too, but I sold out then at a big profit, heartened to see it dip soon afterwards.

I look at a Winnifrith Rule AIM must introduce for board outsing EGMs ref Pathfinder (PFP), Magnolia (MAGP) and Conroy (CGNR) and I look at why we are in a bear market but why I'm not panicked. If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 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

Having blotted his AIM CV in a big way with his involvement in the £65 million AIM fraud 3DM - even after its first bollocking from the FSA, the FCA as was, the toff Tory MP Sir Henry Bellingham has now been reported to AIM Regulation over seedy plans for a discounted placing at Pathfinder Minerals (PFP)  which he is set to waive through to save his well paid job.

Willem Middlekoop spoke at one of our shows a couple of years ago and is an inveterate gold bug. But this week his call is a gutsy one.  Willem discusses how the Bretton Woods system created our current financial system and how that system is nearing its end. Many countries around the world like China are preparing for a new world monetary system. Precious metals futures markets have a lot of paper manipulation occurring. Both China and the United States have a vested interest in low gold prices. The Chinese like low prices because they are accumulating and the U.S. Government prefers it because it makes the dollar look acceptable.

A few things seem to be happening all at the same time which, for a bear, look as though markets may be set to reward those of a more negative persuasion. This week saw the Dow sliding below 24,000 again, gold spurted higher to just under $1350, Donald Trump looks set to cause a trade war, the EU and Russia’s Vladimir Putin are at loggerheads and at home it seems bumper pay increases for the public sector, which we can’t afford, are the order of the day. All this against a backdrop of threats to raise interest rates.

Blenheim Natural Resources (BNR) has always been one of the more popular shares on the AIM market, but given its performance to date it is hard to see why that is.

I'm pleased that  UK Oil & Gas - the photo that demands a statement now! is the #1 story of the week, it certainly made me laugh on the day. To wit: a photo was taken of a lorry being loaded up with equipment to take away from the UKOG site at Broadford Bridge.

Nine share tips, giving in a tax-efficient way, don't count Trump out. And much more...

As we approach the end on March it is once again time to look at my portfolio of shares to sell. Of course, it is now down to four after Tern plc (TERN) ditched its death spiral so we’ll need to find a replacement for that one.

That raraity, a credible technical analyst, Jordan Roy-Byrne accepts that gold has been quite subdued of late. He is not predicting an imminent breakout although one should be looking to take advantage of the value out there. Juniors are unlikely to get much cheaper than where they are now, so there is minimal downside risk. Her argues that the market will improve it’s just a matter of timing. There is still a bit of time before we make the run up to $1375. Now is the time to do your research and find the best companies.

Though down from 16p+ in 2016, shares in Grafenia (GRA) had recovered from circa 7p in the summer to above 12p before a latest Trading Statement…

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following shows the shorted AIM shares with positions from 2017 and thus far in 2018 (by net short position %) - and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since last week...

In today's podcast I look at why some folks really don't get it. If I want to stop risking my capital and working ball-breakingly long weeks and retire that is not selfish as one poster suggested when I said why I was planning on doing just that HERE. I look at market falls and why I expect more and at UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) and where the shares go now. What does David Lenigas say & what will happen? Finally House of Fraser is joining retailageddon. If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 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 - Oh and Big Dave will also be there on a panel discussion covering Uk onshore oil & gas!

Hello, Share Moochers. The biggest cliche in the book is the markets hate uncertainty. And there’s oodles of uncertainty about the trade war that’s building between the USA and China. But aside from the clash of the Titans, how will the issue affect shareholders here in Blighty?

Nigel Wray is the man known as Britain's Buffett. He does not punt on resources stocks or high risk biotech wheezes. Instead he makes his millions buying shares in smaller growth companies that make profits, pay dividends and generate cash. That is value investing. He was one of the early investors in Domino's and made tens of millions from Telecom Plus as well. There was property giant Burford, just an £8 million capitalised penny share when he got involved and the list of winners goes on and on

On 6th December I said that a token share purchase by Jim Mellon of shares on Condor Gold (CNR) was a spoof as it was so small for Jim. Moreover Condor was running out of cash and would do a placing within months. Mellon's PR man chewed my ear off. Well hey ho today there was a placing.  A pattern of such spoofs and a subsequent placing has continued. Will I get an apology?  I also look at lessons from Flybe (FLYB) and the non bid, at Fevertree (FEVR) director share sales, at UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) which is also spoofing, 13 Energy (13E) - "you say it best when you say nothing at all " - R Keating.  Then I look at uber dog Golden Saint Resources (GSR) which is leaving AIM and says it wants to go to the Standard List. Lucky Standard List. I also mention our share purchase of more Optibiotix (OPTI). If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 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

Shares in Sprue Aegis (SPRP) are currently down 25% on the day, at 142.5p, to capitalise the company at sub £65.5 million, on the back of a “DA Termination Notice and Update re final results” announcement…