Previously writing on Coral Products (CRU) in June, I noted it stating “a much improved performance”, but warned on what happened when it was previously positive and concluded to avoid. At its AGM this October, Executive Chairman Joe Grimmond was “pleased to announce that trading for the group has continued its improvement from the final quarter of last year” and “we expect further sales and margin improvement over the remainder of the current financial period”. There’s now followed a Friday 2:48pm “Trading Update”…

Despite the scepticism previously exhibited on this stunning website, I would not be in a rush to sell shares in Versarien (VRS). Even though yesterday’s leap was approaching 35%. That’s normally a signal for this old punter to trouser the profits. But this is one of those mystery shares which could go either way, and I don’t welcome the pain of maybe selling too quickly.

Last week’s flotation of AIQ (AIQ) on the LSE’s standard list raised a lot of questions. For a start there was demand for the stock, but apparently no stock available to buy: it seems the registrar had yet to send out certificates and so the shares rocketed until they were suspended. But after much digging, there appears to be rather more to the story than the listing of a bare Cayman Islands shell. Where to start?

It only took 15 days but I have just received my first lawyer's letter of the year, via email. So here is a little quiz. Who sent the letter:

Previously writing on promotional and retail merchandising space-focused SpaceandPeople (SAL) in September with the shares at 35p, I concluded there is obvious risk – particularly with a clearly currently challenging retail backdrop and the recent past. However, the valuation and stated outlook could now tempt a small, speculative buy. I now update on the back of a trading update...

So yesterday saw Joshua go to his first proper football match - Brislington Ladies vs West Ham Ladies. A full photo report will follow later but the language from the Essex Girls in claret and blue was not very lady like. Listeners, I was shocked. On the markets I look in detail at Versarien (VRS), Greatland Gold (GGP), Velocys (VEL), RM2 (RM2)  and as well as Nomates Neil Woodford I also have some Julie Meyer news, I fear that "Praise Be the Lord" may be about to send me a letter.

So Carillion (CLLN) has gone tits up. You do rather feel for its 19,500 employees but as folks work out what happens next there is an orgy of recriminations. What lessons do you learn?

I previously wrote on Carclo (CAR) in late 2016 – noting the company stating some encouragement but that credibility needed to be regained. Today a trading update for its year ending 31st March 2018 and…

Clearly, the whole AIQ (AIQ) IPO was a farce the way it has been handled and having also been digging around, there is more to come but I will leave it in the excellent hands of Nigel to report further on the dodginess here. I will just turn my hand to a bit of poetry inspired by Monk’s defence this morning and by recent Twitter hilarity.

A hat tip to Waseem Shakoor for the graphic below. Carillion (CLLN) went bust today. Greatland Gold (GGP) has seen its shares halve as Newmont has pulled out of a jv. So what else do folks owning these two stocks own? See below.

To understand why 2018 will be a catastrophe, imagine a magnificent mansion built with the finest materials and craftsmanship and furnished with the most expensive furniture, carpets and decorated with finest art. Now imagine this mansion is built on quicksand. It will have a brief shining moment and then sink slowly before finally collapsing under its own weight.

Andrew Monk's VSA floated AIQ on the Standard List last week. Its shares soared 1000% and were suspended. As Andrew notes, through the passive investment vehicle RRR I own shares in AIQ (about £10 worth - CORRECTION I am told it is £1841 worth!). I will try to sell the lot as the valuation is insane. But Monk wants to defend his corner so before our writers really go to town - and I am on their side - here is Monkey in his private email to clients today...

Hello, Share Pilers. Even though you must be making dollops of money from shares, given the perky Footsie, some of you are still scrimping a few quid a month, by avoiding a life-saving subscription to this magnificent website. That makes no sense, as it will help you avoid making slips which could put you back to square one again.

Whenever a relatively small oil and gas company manages to raise a substantial amount of money it gets my attention, especially when you consider what the market has been like for this sector in recent times.

Value footwear retailer Shoe Zone (SHOE) has announced results for its year ended 30^th September 2017 and that “we are making good progress against our strategic objectives and the board remains positive about the outlook for the group for the remainder of the year”.

The woman branded borderline "hysterical" and accused of giving evidence that was "not credible" by a High Court Judge in 2016, Ms Julie "Praise The Lord" Meyer MBE has lashed out at the administrators of Taggstar Ltd accusing it of misleading folks over allegations made by Meyer's successor as sole director, in a report itr publishbed that Meyer is a thief and a fraudster. She is the victim, natch. Poor dear.

PowerHouse Energy (PHE) has updated on its progress in 2017 and what it is now looking to achieve – concluding “we enter the new year focused on delivering the commercialisation of our DMG technology during 2018, and we remain confident that hydrogen from waste plastic will emerge as a preferred fuel for road transport”…

We are way ahead on this October 0.07p offer share tip. There is more to come. Updating on Ferrum Crescent (FCR) in November, we were positive on the financial involvement of Colin Bird and certain of his associates. It’s now been announced that Bird has been appointed as Chairman along with a brief update on operational progress…

I love Warren Buffett’s quote that you only find out who has been swimming naked when the tide goes out and after Woodford’s annus horribilis in 2017, it certainly seems to be easier and easier to find examples of his commando-style investing (thanks also to the pointer from ‘alcira16247’). Next witness for the prosecution, M’Lud, is Industrial Heat, a business that is trying to invent a “cold fusion” machine, an area of physics that most sane scientists appear to think is something out of a science-fiction novel. Not Woodford though.

I've picked up this week's Private Eye and noted that they have chosen the Telit/Oozi Cats/Uzi Katz scandal for first place in their 2017 awards. And who do they credit for breaking the story? Quote: an Italian newspaper.