I was a little surprised by the abuse I copped from recommending Versarien (VRS) as a short at 80p last week. I had failed to spot that it now regularly occupies second place in the ADVFN bulletin board rankings behind charlatan oil promotion UK Oil & Gas (UKOG). (Thankfully I have heard that rumours of a name change to UK Oil and Blockchain are wide of the mark).

A 23rd October Trading Update from industrial LED lighting technology company Dialight (DIA) was an outsourced manufacturing issues profit warning, though included Chief Executive Michael Sutsko stating they “are being addressed over the coming months”. There’s now been a Trading Statement… at 1:36pm (and a broker update)…

Gold guru E.B. Tucker considers mining stocks to be bad investments as they are capital intensive and they often have operational problems. However when the price of gold moves these companies are some of the most exciting markets to be in. These are cyclical stocks and you want to own them when they begin to move higher. Most investors have no exposure to this sector.

Hello, Share Charmers. As so often happens, the Santa Rally is picking up speed. Let’s look at how it works and why it might not be a good idea to sell shares in the last few days to Christmas Day - and perhaps for the first few trading days afterwards.

I have pointed out earlier that Peterhouse Corporate Finance has real issues in trying to get away a placing at 0.25p or perhaps 0.1p in AIM dog BOS Global (BOS). With the shares at 0.7p bid some may be tempted but before they send cash over to broker Peterhouse they do know the broker cannot do a placing don't they? Er.. something else Peterhouse is not telling its clients maybe?

I am a bit puzzled by this announcement. ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty play Univision (UVEL) is obviously “pleased” with the results, and with profits reported 133% higher on the same period last year and a major long-term contract win in the bag, who would not be pleased. Until, that is, you turn to the cashflow statement…

“SDL plc (SDL), a leader in global content management and language translation software and services, is providing an update on the trading performance for year ending 31 December 2017. SDL's sales pipeline for the period is in line with expectations. However,”… Uh oh.

On 24th November CEO of LED lighting and portable power products and wiring accessories company Luceco (LUCE), John Hornby sold £4.69 million of shares at 234.53p each “principally to settle personal tax liabilities” - and “for further information” it was to “contact David Main, Chief Financial Officer”. Today, three weeks later, there’s a “Trading Update” announcement. All good then you’d presume.

Business recovery, financial advisory and property services group Begbies Traynor (BEG) has announced results for its half-year ended 31^st October 2017 and that “the group is in its strongest position for many years”...

With Milestone Group (MSG) still unable or unwilling to put out an announcement to its shareholders about its relationship with Lyin’ Larry Cummins, I thought I would keep the pressure on with a couple of snippets that I find amusing about the fraudulent front of the man. I mean he’s not a writer, gardener, ballet dancer or boxer from Boston but I still find it amusing.

Peterhouse Corporate Finance was yesterday sent a letter by me urging it to make potential placees aware of the massive regulatory risk directors of BOS Global (BOS) face from ASIC ahead of any fund raise. I am sad to say that Peterhouse appears to be ignoring my generous advice driven by the season of goodwill. Meanwhile the share price is slumping - now just 0.7p to sell - as the broker hits the phones.

Telit Communications (TCM), the AIM dog founded by Boston fraudster Uzi Katz and now run by insider dealer Yosi Fait has now clarified its most recent profits warning of 23 November. There is good news, bad news and very bad news indeed. And there is a lack of news on one front which is also bad news. In short this stinks.

Previously writing on LightwaveRF (LWRF) I noted, despite it stated on a £5 million discounted fundraising “the new funds will support further product development and bolster our sales and marketing activity, as we continue to scale up the business and strengthen our position as a leading player in the Smart Home market”, what about that it was seemingly cash crunch ahoy? The company has now announced results for its year ended 30th September 2017…

Hello, Share Skimmers. For the simple reason that the share keeps on rising and has just powered through its record high, I return to Photo-Me (PHTM).

Shares in BOS Global (BOS) a company teetering on the edge of insolvency and where the Nomad has already announced it is walking now trade at 0.85p-1p. Beware: broker Peterhouse is trying to do a placing at as little as 0.1p. I have written to Peterhouse in the spirit of the season as you can see below.

Another bad day at the office for Britain's most conceited fund manager Neil "nomates" Woodford. There is yet more bad news at Vernalis (VER) now 9p having collapsed again - Nomates has been a big cheerleader after all prior disasters saying Mr Market is wrong. Whatever. Then there is the issue of IP Group ( IPO).  Elsewhere I takje another look at IDOX (IDOX) where I am even more bearish and then at Tungsten (TUNG) which looks all wrong. I also comment on Dialight (DIA) , The People's Operator (TPOP), On Line (ONL), Milestone Group (MSG) and a chat with Mark Slater on a pub company which is just the wrong price. 

AIM-listed Minoan MIN) has issued a Trading & Financing Statement at 1.41pm. Happily, it does not look like a howler - good news there! Sadly there is no deal involving Cavo Sidero  - we will have to wait a bit longer for that. But we do get an update on its loan to Hillside and on trading at its travel agency, and we are told the preliminary results are expected to be in line with market expectation.

AIM-listed Tern plc (TERN) seems to be a good few steps ahead of fellow AIM-listed UK Oil and Gas (UKOG) in the self-inflicted terminal slide as a result of signing up to a death spiral funding package. Indeed , on the day Tern announced the deal the shares collapsed from over 5p to under 4p. They now languish at 2.625p mid: Impressive stuff – unless you are a shareholder.

Not just a contract win, but a “Significant Contract Win” announcement from Corero Network Security (CNS). Ooooh. With results for the first half of 2017 having shown an increased loss of $4.8 million on revenue only slightly higher to $4.8 million – and this following a more than $8 million loss, even on an adjusted basis, for the 2016 calendar year, what’s the “significant contract” detail?...

Previously writing on Safestyle UK (SFE) just over 3 months ago, it was hopefully my warnings were heeded as now a “material” profit warning. Despite slumping to below 170p, I concluded that until there are at least signs of some stability, I’ll certainly continue to avoid. Now a further Trading Update…