Gold finished the week at a sickly $1748, down from last week’s more hopeful $1804. Gold stocks have again gone into reverse and the Fed is talking about hiking rates further. It is all grim for Gold bulls…..or is it?

Here are five long reads that have nothing to do with shares. Put the kettle on, find a comfy chair. You have the time, don’t you? 
 

Whilst I’m generally wary of investing in small oil and gas companies, occasionally one comes along that appears to be in the right place, at the right time, and with the right assets and management team.

Last week’s quiz went pear shaped. I don’t know why but many people could not get past question number six. Sorry about that – and it was was a really great quiz, all inspired by my 10th Wedding Anniversary. You should still try it. I expect this week’s quiz to work much better.. Write your score in the comments, there are no prizes, and most important of all – no Googling! 
 

These are the most-read articles and most listened-to Bearcasts of the week. The most read non-Tom article is Me and “The Millionaire Next Door” by Chris Bailey at number 7 or number 13 if you include Bearcasts.

I discussed Cineworld (CINE) and some lessons folks can learn in bearcast earlier. But the post below from a bloke who has lost everything is sad and instructive. And I start by saying that even if those chap has posted vile things about me as a leading critic of Cineworld (CINE) I really hope he does not end his own life. Suicide is no joking matter in my family, as folks like Julie Meyer keep reminding you all, and he should talk to someone. I am sure he has friends, if not he can reach out to me and I will happily have a chat.

Last year I forced the sacking of Ron Pilbeam as a director of Predator Oil & Gas (PRD) after I exposed his dodgy share dealings. You'd have thought his fellow directors would have learned. But this week I exposed the share dealings of chairman Paul Griffiths and the company's financial adviser Peterhouse quit as a result of this matter. It would not act for a company whose chairman sold shares PA at 9p knowing that a placing (which was at 5.5p) HAD to happen within weeks to fund drilling commitments made but which investiors were unaware of. This looks an open and shut case.

I start by revealing the latest speaker at ShareStock and if you are thinking of coming please do book ASAP so I can order the right number of chairs, pizzas etc. You can book HERE. Then it is onto Cineworld (CINE), what should have happened on Friday but did not and what happens next. Then I discuss whether Marston's (MARS) is another Cineworld in waiting.

A spokesman for Ironveld Resources (IRON) denied to me yesterday that sitting on price sensitive information for at least 6 weeks during which time the share price slumped by 30% as some folks “miraculously” knew the bad news, is not doing anything wrong. “The company does not believe that it has done anything wrong”. Neither do 90% of the inmates of Wormwood Scrubs. Whatever you say Giles Clarke and Martin Eales.

Undertaking an analysis of Supply@ME Capital’s (SYME) share register is made much simpler by the use of the platform Simply Wall St.  This is an online app which is free to use for a limited number of companies.  You can obtain the following summary for the apparent current shareholders in Supply derived from public sources by Simply Wall St.  The summary analysis prepared is set out below.

As we moved into 2022, I provided two share tips of the year. Both have had recent news – one good and one not good. So what’s the situation now?

Bear raider Miles Dyson and I chatted the other day. Lucian Miers says that - apart from me - Miles is his new best buddy. His work on Audioboom (BOOM) suggesting fabricated user numbers is compelling as you can see here. But last night he unearthed a hammer blow which, as I shall explain below, will have devastating consequences for the share price.

Hello Share Mashers. As my grandpappy used to say, it ain’t what you win on shares that makes you a millionaire. It’s what you avoid losing. That’s why it’s so important to listen to bear raiders. The brave souls who speculate not that companies will succeed, but that they will fail. This is so difficult. Much harder than picking the winners I try to do. 

I end with a few words on Sharestock as I prepare the jam tomorrow. Tickets and details of our latest speaker can be found HERE.  Then onto Cineworld (CINE), Revolution Beauty (REVB) which is already making Mahmud Kamani of Boohoo (BOO) look like a prat. Again! And then Chill Brands (CHLL). Tomorrow I report another two corporate bosses tgo the regulators. That is my weekend treat!

Previously writing on company which describes itself as “a leading supplier of specialist connectors to the automotive sector”, Strip Tinning Holdings (STG), last month with the shares up to 105p I questioned just how “significant” is the new ‘nomination’? and concluded I certainly continued to avoid. The shares most recently closed at 97.5p... and now a “Contract Update” announcement.

Two days ago it fessed to considering a debt for equity swap that would see shareholders almost wiped out. Today it could, as I warned,  be even worse than that.

We have not had any hard sales data from Chill Brands (CHLL) for an eternity. We had interims to 6 months 30 September 2021 then an admission that much of the H1 revenues booked may have to be backed out when FY to March 31 numbers are eventually released. In early May there was an admission that offline sales through retailers were essentially zippo and a claim that online sales via Chill.com were up by 30% in the three months prior. 130% of SFA is still SFA.

I explained yesterday how the curse of value destroying loathsome ex Tory MP Tony Baldry was about to strike again and that Westminster Group (WSG), where his chairmanship has seen a 5 year 90% share price collapse, was set to do another bailout placing. On reflection, the numbers presented are misleading and the merde in which this company is drowning is far greater than folks realise. Let me explain.

The financial adviser to Predator Oil & Gas (PRD), Peterhouse Capital has already resigned because of the share dealings by Mr Griffiths and it may well have contacted the FCA – as the regulator ( no sniggering at the back) of the Standard List and the guardian against financial crime ( STOP sniggering!) about the matter. Just in case it has not, I have written today.

The real problem Advanced Oncotherapy (AVO) faces, as I explained here, is that there is not enough demand for its Harley Street proton centre to make a profit even when its LIGHT system is up and running. But for now, LIGHT is not up and running, the company is guzzling cash and that brings us to today’s latest keep the LIGHTs on fund raise. Advance really is taking the piss with its excuses.