Hello, Share Snackers. The building sector is an interesting one. And previously I've sounded optimism for building firms. After which, we've seen some big increases in share prices.

Well which fund manager do you think always knows far better than than the market? After dismal interims in September, only those who always know better than the market would have snapped up 5.02% of the company in early October...

CEO of online electrical retailer AO World (AO.), Steve Caunce, is “particularly pleased with the double digit sales growth in our UK business” and “pleased with the strong growth achieved” in Europe. Hmmm, what about the bottom-line and outlook though?...

My buy tip from last May, Frontier Smart Technologies (FST), has reached my target price of 200p earlier than anticipated having had a strong start to the year from a share price perspective, so I thought I should update on my current thoughts.

Last week I was cautious on Cambria Automobiles (CAMB) noting macro concerns, today there’s a pre-close statement from fellow AIM-listed Marshall Motor Holdings (MMH)…

I discuss the slew of retail trading statements. At a company level this podcast covers Card Factory (CARD), Lombard Risk Management (LRM) and Fishing Republic (FISH) where today's RNS is very er...fishy.

It was only yesterday on this site that I wrote: 'One of the hardest things for less experienced stock market participants to get their heads around is the expectations game. Numbers can be good (or bad) but if the teenage scribbler analyst, ‘professional’ fund managers and ‘the great unwashed’ in the form of other market participants broadly already think something, then confirmation of this event is not going to really change the share price needle. Of course as a consequence companies then start to try to become clever in managing expectations in order to 'beat' anticipated numbers...but that's for another time'. It is clear that Tesco (TSCO) either did not get the message or the animal spirits of those teenage scribbler analysts got the better of them…

Belatedly back at his desk after a long Christmas and New Year break, Andrew Monk of VSA Resources continues his sector reviews with a look at what he calls Batteries and Energy but, as he notes, it covers a multitude of sins really as there aren’t that many stocks that really fit this. Over to Monkey 

We are, again, asked to explain the announcement made by Optibiotix (OPTI) about a forthcoming GM. Okay here goes!

I can see why holders of Tri-Star Resources (TSTR) would be less than impressed with the recent open offer, especially given the huge discount to the share price prior to that. This isn’t a company which I have really followed closely in the past, but the recent large fundraising at a 92% discount to the previous share price, and subsequent approval at the general meeting this week, got my attention.

Following my questions about the RNS released last Friday at 4.31pm by AIM-listed Victoria Oil & Gas (VOG) which saw a 20% share price drop during the auction, I have had confirmation of what actually happened from a reliable source. It makes a mockery of AIM Rules and MAR.

We own these shares but Zac "The Knife" Phillips is the City's No 1 oil analyst so we have an excuse for flagging up his latest note. His employer, SP Angel, is also shop to Curzon (CZN) so even the great Zac cannot be deemed impartial. However, the leader of the free world has done another "beautiful" thing, slashing US tax rates. Zac opines:

Hello, Share Trudgers. Following my less-than-enthusiastic article on Morrisons (MRW) yesterday, I now turn a jaundiced eye on its rival Sainsbury (SBRY).

In this podcast I look at the FCA Report into CFD providers. It rightly slams themn. We have told ETX we will have nothing more to do with it and really I want no part of this industry. As a libertarian I look at an industry where 76% of customers lose money. Then I hail the King, that is the King of the spoofers, Mr Clem Chambers of Online Blockcrap (OBC) - as I also cover HERE. I look at Moss Bros (MOSB) and what its profits warning plus the problems at Byrons say about B2C stocks. I also comment on Sosandar (SOS), which we own, en passant. Finally I look at the IPO of Nuuvera on the TSXV ( a market that makes the AIM Casino look sober and well run) and what that means for FastForward (FFWD). I again explain why all cannabis stocks will not fly.

A “Christmas Trading Update” from Quiz plc (QUIZ) is headlined “Strong trading across the Group's omni-channel business model”, yet from a 161p per share July AIM listing and almost 190p re-reached in October, the shares are currently little changed at around 150p. Hmmm…

In the UK the former Dragon's Den star who is a fully paid up member of the great and the good, Julie "Praise be the Lord" Meyer MBE stands accused of fraud and theft as we revealed HERE. - this is a charge she vigorously denies see HERE The FCA has now said that it is looking in to her and her flagship company Ariadne is in administration. But what of her offshore bolt hole in Malta where she runs five companies and is, pro tem, regulated to run her fund?

Cyber security services group ECSC (ECSC) has updated, including that it “is pleased to announce that trading performance for the 12 months ended 31 December 2017 was in line with market expectations”. So why a current circa 20% share price decline, below 200p?...

After his (belated) return to his desk Andrew Monk of VSA Resources has sent out another big report today to those lucky enough to be on his private email list. This time it is mining stocks. Over to the Monkey... 

One of the hardest things for less experienced stock market participants to get their heads around is the expectations game. Numbers can be good (or bad) but if the teenage scribbler analyst, ‘professional’ fund managers and ‘the great unwashed’ in the form of other market participants broadly already think something, then confirmation of this event is not going to really change the share price needle. Of course as a consequence companies then start to try to become clever in managing expectations in order to 'beat' anticipated numbers...but that's for another time.

Andrew Monk of VSA is (belatedly) starting his 2018 this week with a seroes of sector reviews. In this one he looks at where oil is heading, at the majors and then concludes with the five oil juniors to buy. Over to the Monkey...