Volatile times as also shown earlier this week in the United States, with the shares of two huge retailers, Walmart and Target, having their worst days since the stock market volatility of 1987. Interesting times out there. And it is a busy day in the UK market too, with three of my holdings giving an update…

Each January, AIM-listed Verditek (VDTK) - chaired by Tory toff, Lord David Willetts - would issue a trading statement, covering the calendar year. It was never anything to write home about, as, despite announcing huge orders ahead of a discounted placing, none would turn into actual er….orders. So, this was typically a January confessional. But in 2022, there was no trading statement.

The Greek Hovel is now, after eight years, complete. No longer a hovel, it is a luxury eco palace, with a pool operational from early June until the end of September, a massive library and all mod cons. The thick stone walls keep it cool in the summer and warm in the winter. If you fancy splendid isolation in the Paddy Leigh Fermor land of the Mani, it is the place to be. And it is now available for rent, as you can see below.

Hello Share Fans. Methinks it’s time to look again at the admirable Creightons (CRL) as it has endured a prolonged price drop for no pressing reason that I can see. Only last autumn the shares were above 130p but this Spring have been as low as 50p. Well, maybe above 130p was a bit optimistic but this is a company which makes popular stuff. And it does it cheaply.

Medical technology group Deltex (DEMG) has updated on its AGM that “there are encouraging signs that the group's revenues in the UK and USA are beginning to recover”. So what of a current 1.10p share price?...

In today's podcast, I suggest 3 questions you should ask of a certain speaker at UK Investor, and I shall be very proud of anyone who has the nerve to do so! I look at Eurasia Mining (EUA); Kavango Resources (KAV), run by flip-flop, Ben Turney; Strip Tinning (STG); Deepverge (DVRG); Audioboom (BOOM); and Nanosynth (NNN), where I slash my target price to 0.1p. 95% of you have yet to donate to Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks. Come on, I am sure you can spare a tenner - please do give HERE.

On 16th February Strip Tinning Holdings (STG), describing itself as “a leading supplier of specialist connectors to the automotive sector”, was “pleased to announce the admission… to trading on AIM… £11.5 million of gross proceeds have been raised… at a price of 185 pence per ordinary share… £8.0 million for the company and £3.5 million for certain selling shareholders… The directors believe the placing and admission will enable the company to accelerate its growth plans and underpin its early mover advantage in the EV battery sector, further enhance its profile in the markets in which it operates and assist with attracting, retaining and incentivising high calibre employees”. So what of now a “trading update” little over three months later?...

Bitcoin did not crash during Q1; that happened later. As such, today's Q1 numbers are irrelevant. Even so, as you would expect from the scallywags who run this company, Argo serves up a masterclass in the study of what a “profit” is. It is, of course, just a matter of opinion.

As I observed back in January I am “not a global fashionista nor a chav...but still a Burberry (BRBY) shares fan”. With events since, unsurprisingly the share is down but I can live with that as - at various points over the last few years - I have bought the stock at an average price below the current sub 16 quid share price level. But what do today’s full year numbers to the start of April tell me about both recent and upcoming trading realities?

First, there was Atlas' pledge not to dump any more shares - which it immediately did. Then came the idea that it had cleared its death spiral debt, with the buried-deep-in-the-release admission that it had taken out another. Spoof two! Today, Vast Resources (VAST) becomes a hat-trick hero in the AIM sewer hall of infamy.

Jubilee Metals (JLP) has announced a performance update of its new and expanded fully integrated South African Inyoni PGM and chrome operations and its Zambian southern copper strategy. So what’s the situation, with the shares having responded up to 15.4p?

Wishbone Gold (WSBN) has announced it has signed a drilling contract for its Wishbone II gold-copper project in Northern Queensland, Australia and that deployment for drilling is dependent only on weather in the area improving.

Thanks to Yair Tauman, he is no longer able to draw a £300,000 salary and an even bigger expense account at ADVFN (AFN), so what now for Clem Chambrs? There was the hilarious attempt to stag the disastrous IPO of Lift Global Ventures, but a man needs more in life. So as you can see below Clem is now a celebrated artist with his work showing later this week in a "flash" exhibition in Paris. In case you are in Frogland I also bring you a couple of Clem's masterpieces. They don't float my boat but maybe you have a "different" taste?

Hello Share Marchers. Though it seemed likely it would rise, the share price of BT Group (BT.A) continues to underwhelm. You would think all those home worker signing up to its powerful broadband would send its income soaring. But latest number shows underlying revenue of £20.8 billion. That sounds a lot but it was 2% down, though underlying EBITDA inched up by 2% to £7.6 billion.

On Monday 16 May at 7.40 AM, shares in AIM listed Bulletin board darling Eurasia Mining (EUA) were temporarily suspended at just under 8p “pending an announcement.” At 6.18PM on Tuesday 17^th  (today) came that announcement. Eurasia “confirms it has no material new developments to notify” and so trading will resume on Wednesday 18^th. So the shares were suspended for two days for an announcement that nothing had changed. That is insane. It gets more insane.

Lucian Miers’ (the bear raider) top three UK short positions are:

A “Trading Update - FY22 in line with expectations”-titled announcement from tissue converter group Accrol (ACRL) sounds good given the current macro climate. So what of a current 26p share price?...

In today's podcast, I look at: Vast Resources (VAST) and the bogus bear squeeze; Eurasia Mining (EUA); Powerhouse Energy (PHE); Kinovo (KINO) and the fallout from my scoop yesterday, which is now confirmed; Made.com (MADE); and why Petropavlovsk (POG) is a zero. Also, do grab a (free) ticket to UK Investor on Saturday; tomorrow, I shall give the question you must ask one of the presenters. The Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks have now raised 21% of their target. To the 95% of listeners yet to donate, please do so HERE.

As a lifelong non-smoker it is a bit ridiculous how much of an investment fan I am of Imperial Brands (IMB) shares, which are up over 8% today after the company’s first half numbers. But if everything that was potentially bad for you was not allowed and taxed then investors in a bunch of other consumer, defence, industrial, commodity and other areas would not be allowed. Given the world’s stock markets do tend to have to figure out over time if a sector and/or company is justifiable or not, my view is that all adults - and pension funds - can figure out whether they want to invest somewhere or not.

Online bathroom retailer group Victorian Plumbing (VIC) has announced results for its half year ended 31st March with founder and CEO Mark Radcliffe emphasising “relentless focus on investing in quality and innovation has resulted in revenue growing 39% on a two-year basis”. Having only though listed in June last year, what about on a one year basis and what’s the financial impact of its “investing”?...