We are two days from the end of August and we’ve had diddly squat from ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty play Aquatic Foods (AFG) which is currently suspended pending accounts. In June it said they would be in July, and that directors were going to pony up to get enough bills paid to see the accounts signed. In July it hadn’t happened and there was no mention of it. Will the accounts appear this time?

Following short-term negativity right as the executive management team were trying to buy the company, there is now a further trading update from InterQuest (ITQ). This follows the offer closing earlier this month with 58.32% acceptances (that including the 32.36% interest of founder and Chairman Gary Ashworth) and the independent director, noting the intention statements made in the offer document, having reminded that AIM cancellation requires 75% approval…

Some folks appear to think that New World Oil & Gas (NEW) has been a failure for Adam Reynolds. Sure it got booted off AIM for failing to do an RTO but you still have a company and news is imminent.

A “Company Update” announcement from Real Good Food (RGD) commences; “The company announced on 1 August 2017 that it anticipated EBITDA for the year ended 31 March 2017 would be lower than market expectations at approximately £2.0m, subject to final audit. Since the announcement of 1 August, a review has been undertaken, under the guidance of the company's new Finance Director”… Uh oh…

In ways conscious and subconscious, we're becoming aware of the signs of growing instability around us. Like a flock of sheep catching the scent of an unseen predator, right now we’re collectively becoming increasingly nervous and stressed. People’s tempers are short with each other, criticisms fly easily, and stances are becoming hardened to ludicrous levels. Many don’t know why they're unhappy because they're unable to identify the source. Monetary printing experiments like those currently being run by the world’s central banks are the ultimate form of self-delusion. Money is the most potent form of social communication, underlying all contracts and agreements. Violate those sacred natural laws and eventually social cohesion and commercialism falls apart, as we are seeing happen in real-time in Venezuela right now.

Hello, Share Scratchers. There is often a bit of money to be made out of buying a share which has recently had a nasty accident. The selling, sometimes moved by mindless computer programmes, can be nervously overdone. This might be the case with Dixons Carphone (DC.) whose shares fell by a third at one stage after the well-known outfit issued a recent profit warning.

I got an email this morning from a man who I shall not name, for obvious reasons. It is heart breaking material. So here is his email and my reply.

Mercantile ports & Logistics (MPL) shares rocketed by 66% on Friday to 8.125p on the back of an upbeat statement from a company which we have exposed (see HERE) as serial liars.  Perhaps amid the celebrations I might offer a few thoughts on the most important part of the jackanory:

The last Adam Reynolds placing was Skinbiotherapeutics. The next one is Orogen Gold  (ORO)where the company is raising money ahead of an RTO which will see it become an online retailer. I already held shares but we are quadrupling the size of our holding in the next placing. We are in big time.

Unfortunately a lot of early stage media and technology companies can look to have huge potential but then fail to really live up to expectations, and I think that has definitely been the case with Gfinity (GFIN).

It is all very well saying that tiddly little companies like Advanced Oncotherapy (AVO) or Eden Research (EDEN) are worthless cash guzzling frauds heading for 0p but they are just very hard to short. That both stocks will hit zero is a given. In the end frauds always run out of other people's money. What you want are stocks you can short which look almost certain to collapse. And right now you need them badly as a hedge. A hedge against what?

Like the AIM Market itself, there are aways an array of losers to choose from in the Bulletin Board Moron of the week.  Well actualy (TW here) that is yet more fake news from Darren. It really is time to fire him again and so he can go make up stories with his fellow Trump hating money tree worshippers at The Guardian or the BBC. There were only two entries last week. Come on folks surely you can supply more this week? Tell you what i shall offer a prize. Anyhow last week's winner was: 

Spot gold has spent the past seven months in a tight trading range between $1,200 and $1,300 per ounce. Given the stored force inherent in such a trading pattern (Figure 1, below), history suggests a breakout, whether up or down, is likely to be characterized by steep slope.  The question remains, which direction will gold follow? Sprott analyst Try Reik reckons the major breakout will be on the upside and explains why in the detailed note below.

Having asked for readers tips for 2017 for the amazing prize of a meal with Tom Winnifrith (or the chance to fob it off on someone you don't like) HERE, the following is a monthly update on performance (to be eligible needed to have selected, on a per username basis, a buy & sell pick from the LSE or AIM Casino and the stocks not to have been suspended at the commencement of 2017)...

This week's Bulletin Board Moron contest is sponsored by the AIM Markets, the world's most successful growth market, now only slightly smaller than it was last year.

There is no doubt that ex Provident Financial (PFG) boss Peter Crook was a grossly overpaid and useless CEO. The £40 million he trousered in ten years is obscene given the share price collapse and nature of his departure last week. I have noted before that fat cat bosses give capitalism a bad name and allow those who seek to undermine the only way to make the world a better and more prosperous place to attack we capitalists. Idiots like Theresa May play to the gallery in joining in.

I certainly don’t wish to gloat at the recent misfortunes suffered by many of Neil Woodford’s investments, but the sorry spectacle provides some useful insights into the role of human nature in investing and business in general.

Genel Energy (GENL) has been one of a number of mid-tier oil and gas companies which really took a hit during the slump in oil prices over the past few years, and had seen its share price decimated as a result.

Following my piece back in January highlighting this sad tale for the shareholders of 365 Agile (365), I couldn’t let it leave AIM without an appropriate send-off despite, and actually because of, the fact that MXC Capital (MXCP) would much rather this whole debacle would fade away quietly into the night.

At the start of June I was highly critical of the opaque nonsense emanating from BOS Global (BOS), particularly around the Call Design deal (HERE). To its credit, it provided some answers and clarity at that time; however, since then my list of questions arising from the RNS’s has started to grow again so here’s my Bank Holiday weekend quiz for Michael Travia.