Hello Share Fanciers. With markets closed, I venture to open a subject that might seem now't to do with shares and rather self-indulgent. But it is indirectly relevant to share shifters, so please bear with me. Brought up in a straight-laced home in the 1950's I never swear. But I don't object to it in others, like Uncle Tom, for instance.

I start with the warning of a three-day bearcast break in the summer, and explain why. And of how the cat has stolen all the Es. Then, it is onto the local elections, and a warning for complacent Tories about the thief in the night. Then, Cathie Wood and ARK, which really is going down the plughole.  I look at new Sub Standard List IPO, Kendrick Resources, and give it the Bird. I cover bitcoin; Argo Blockchain (ARB); McColls (MCLS); Kinovo (KINO) - where somebody should be sacked; Wildcat Petroleum (WCAT); and Powerhouse Energy (PHE) . I explain what Steve Moore should do on his weekend "lads break"in Skegness.  Oh to be young again.  Irony.  I forgot to say: thanks to all those who have now donated to Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks. I shall be training hard again this weekend, with a day of gardening and an 18-20 mile walk. Think of my suffering, and, if you have donated, I thank you. If you are among the 97%of listeners who have not, PLEASE DO SO HERE.

At 12.25 PM today, embattled retailer, McColls (MCLS) asked for trading to be suspended, after they gained 52% on the session, to 1.75p. Trades were going through close to that price, as “savvy” retail investors BOTFD. Crazy.  Minutes later, McColls announced it was going into administration. Only yesterday, the company warned about press speculation, noting:

After eleven weeks as the latest CEO of Powerhouse Energy (PHE) Paul Drennan-Durose felt the need to reassure the morons owning this stock. And he took as his inspiration the great Ronan Keating who, as I am sure you know, sang a song about the relationship between a penny stock promoter and his gullible investors.

Fusion Antibodies (FAB) has announced a trading update for its year ended 31st March 2022 and that “the number of customer enquiries being received for all of the company's services remains strong, and in H2 of FY2022 the company strengthened its commercial team”. So what of a current 67p share price?...

Over the last five years, £50 has been a regular share price for InterContinental Hotels Group plc (IHG).  Given the current challenges, I am surprised that the owner of Crowne Plaza, Holiday Inn, and Regent Hotels & Resorts, has seen its shares recover to their pre-Covid peak.  So, whilst they have “seen very positive trading conditions in the first quarter, with travel demand continuing to increase in almost all of our [their] key markets around the world”, they must also hope for “a return of business and group travel". 

BP (BP.) has announced a first quarter of the year $20.4 billion loss... though also reduced net debt to $27.5 billion, a maintained 5.46 cents per share dividend and a proposed further $2.5 billion share buyback. So what’s going on?

Surely, AIM Regulation must publicly censure Kinovo (KINO), and possibly its Nomad and broker, Canaccord Genuity. One - or both - of them has grotesquely misled investors to the tune of £8 million and rising, only fessing up to the scale of that deception today, which has sent the shares tumbling.

Packaging company DS Smith (SMDS) has announced year ending 30^th April “trading in line with management expectations… enter the next financial year with confidence”, helping the shares up to 325.6p.

When I suggested Shield Therapeutics (STX) was a nailed-down short, on the basis that it would face a cash crisis by May, my analysis was met with derision by Bulletin Board Morons. “He does not understand biotech, he does not understand Shield, he’s a failed fund manager, he is ALWAYS wrong, he works in a pizza store, he’s fleeing the UK to Greece to avoid jail”, were some of the more polite comments. It is now May, and the shares are just 17p to sell. So, what next?

Hello Share Dabblers. Let’s take a look at a firm that takes an interest in niche light engineering companies that may not be realising their true potential. Avingtrans (AVG) buys up such outfits and includes them in its subsidiaries. Then it turns them around, perhaps to sell on. It’s been doing that for ten years and has seen success along the way, rewarding its investors with some jolly dividends too.

Castings and engineering company Chamberlin (CMH) is “pleased to announce” it has exchanged contracts for a property sale and leaseback with £1.25 million of proceeds. What of a share price response up towards 5p?...

The reference is to the fact that there is only 1 candidate in the local elections where I live and he is a king sized dickhead. From that I move onto interest rates and why they should have been increased by more than 0.25%. Of course we should not be in this inflationary mess anyway. Then it is onto  Vast Resources (VAST), Trainline (TRN), Seraphime (BUMP),Parsley Box (MEAL) and musicMagpie (MMAG). I will try to complete my long promised share purchases tomorrow and to discuss them then.Thank you to all who have donated to Rogue Bloggers for Woodlarks.  We are now at 15% of target but still 97% of Bearcast listeners have yet to chip in. Come on, just a fiver or a tenner: please do donate now HERE. PS The reference to Kirstie Allsop and a podcast is about this one HERE. 

Producer and supplier of graphene nanoplatelets-based products Directa Plus (DCTA) has announced 2021 results emphasising “revenue and profitability which have exceeded consensus market expectations” and “a number of exciting opportunities in our targeted markets”. So what of a current 121.5p share price?...

If the FCA was not so bloody useless it would have closed down Alexander David Securities Limited (ADSL) for acting for overt frauds such as US Oil & Gas (USOP), helping them to con investors and raise money which they will never see again.  But no.. the FCA waited to act until June 29 2020 and it was not ADSL’s own crimes that landed it in the soup.

Some of those who know him say that Eenergy (EAAS) CEO Harvey Sinclair is arrogant and unpleasant. After the second profits warning of 2022 I supect that he is a bit less arrogant but as he ponders a looming funding crisis, probably more unpleasant. Advisers to this green energy play might be asking how I can suggest that there have been two warnings and why a bailout placing is almost inevitable. Here goes.

Previously writing on maternity and nursing wear group Seraphine (BUMP), in February with the shares down towards 70p I noted having listed little more than 7 months ago… a lack-of-profits warning AGAIN! concluding that the deteriorating balance sheet and track record since listing meant it remains Bargepole. Now a “Year End Trading Update”...

It is no surprise to see Mondi (MNDI) shares up over 6% today after its positive trading update out after the close yesterday. I am a bit of a fan of both Mondi and its rough peer DS Smith (SMDS) as mentioned about both of them back in March, but a FTSE 350 name I’ve not been a fan of is Trainline (TRN). So why has its full year numbers today pushed the shares up by nearly 5%?

Fresnillo (FRES) has announced first quarter of the year production including attributable silver production of 13.28 million ounces and gold production of 0.15 million ounces and that, despite challenges, “2022 guidance remains unchanged”.

Yesterday I flagged up that Arron Banks, the self styled Brexit bad boy – was tweeting about Iofina (IOF) where he had a disclosable stake.  Bankski teased “ I’ve Got plans for Iofina.” The shares ticked higher. Today a TR1.