AIM-listed gold producer in Turkey, Ariana Resources (AAU), announced yesterday news of big developments at its 37.5% owned, rising to 50% later this year, investee Venus Minerals. Venus is on the cusp of signing up to a joint venture to bring the Apliki copper mine into production and plans to get its own listing in London for its shares by year-end – news of all of which was a pleasant surprise to me.

Hello Share Tasters. The house building sector is perky. And that’s jolly news for Ibstock (IBST), the leading Leicester company that makes bricks. Trouble is raw materials are getting more expensive and transport costs are going up. However, if the house building market continues to strengthen, then customers for bricks aren’t going to mind paying extra.

Once again I am let down by the bloody Welsh and the childcare nightmare continues. I start with that and a few choice snobbish remarks. Then I look at Hummingbird Resources (HUM), Salt Lake Potash (S04), MyHealthChecked (MHC) and Diversified Energy (DEC), formerly Diversified Gas & Oil (DGOC).

Previously writing on UK neighbourhood retailer with over 1,200 stores McColl’s (MCLS), in August with the shares falling below 30p I noted confirms “a potential capital raise” though how much will there be left after sufficiently strengthening the balance sheet? (strongest performance from Morrisons Daily stores – there only 31 at 29th November 2020). Today a “opens 100th Morrisons Daily store” announcement, so what of the shares now around 23p?…

To lose one NED might be understandable but to lose four, a chairman and a CEO within a year issurely an indication of more than carelessness?

I wrote about Orcadian Energy (ORCA) when it first listed on the AIM market in the summer. It has substantial 2P reserves in the Pilot field and significant 2C in the surrounding acreage. It’s looking to farm out a secondary asset for others to input the time and cost to move it forward, leaving the company to focus on core projects. In my opinion this outline deal is a smart move.

Afentra (AET) is a company I covered a few months back as being worth a look, and it now looks as though it could finally be on the verge of securing an asset with its cash pile.

The oil price is panning out largely as I expected when I last drafted on this matter back in March. We are now at $84 as I type, compared to the $67 when I last commented. I saw a high probability of $100 by year end, and so far, I see little to change my mind. Oil and Gas equity prices lag the commodity prices, and oil lags gas. I see real opportunity here, but not without some downside risk.

Maestrano (MNO) has announced results for its year ended 30th June 2021 and that it is “confident of continuing our current growth trend in FY22”. So why have the shares responded more than 5% further lower to 13.5p?…

Today we are told via RNS Reach “New Briefing Note from SEAL” on MyHealthChecked (MHC).  Sadly it is SEAL Research not Seal the popular singer, otherwise known as Henry Olusegun Adeola Samuel, or a whiskered fellow from London zoo as both of the would have more credibility than the paid for rampers taking centre stage today. It is SEAL that has issued the release and this is another big sell signal for MyHealthChecked. It is a red flag and I am glad to be out.

Fox Marble (FOX) has announced half-year results and on its United Nations Commission on International Trade (UNCITRAL) arbitration proceedings against the Republic of Kosovo that it is “pleased to receive Mr Wordsworth QC’s opinion in support of our case”.

Hello, Share Smirkers. Though Uncle Tom ain’t a fan, I still like the look of medical pioneer Feedback (FDBK). It’s one of those companies with a blistering idea which has so far not brought in the sheaves (forgive the expression, but it is harvest festival time). Perhaps the times are a changing, though. The London company has this week agreed a memorandum of understanding with an artificial intelligence set-up called Quest Teleradiology. This is a India-based diagnostic service with healthcare clients across India, the UK and Africa.

To say that I am cross by today’s turn of events would be an understatement. Hence this podcast is short and late and somewhat bad tempered. It covers Asos (ASC), Anglo African (AAAP), Tirupati Graphite (TGR), and Orcadian (ORCA) with another comment on the oil price and oil shares.

Floorcoverings distributor Headlam (HEAD) has announced that Steve Wilson has “stepped down” as Chief Executive and from the company having “been instrumental in the company’s success throughout his 30 years with Headlam, the last five years as Chief Executive”. Bad news or time for a change?

Castillo Copper (CCZ) is pleased to announce that it has entered into a 90-day option agreement to acquire two granted lithium projects. The shares have responded further higher to 1.8p. Still further to go?

Previously writing on engineering and consulting group TP (TPG), last month with the shares at 5.65p I concluded including suggesting many still do not see it as well placed and that it is likely still up against it for the 1st October-scheduled General Meeting. That was with General Meeting requisitioner and largest shareholder Science Group (SAG) seeking to replace Andrew McCree and Jeremy Warner-Allen as directors with Science Group Chairman Martyn Ratcliffe and non-executive director Peter Bertram. Following the General Meeting, there’s now a further update from Science Group.

Another day and another RNS Reach from Bidstack (BIDS). An RNS Reach is an announcement that is not financially significant. But I wonder just how utterly insignificant it will prove to be.

Chancer Allesandro Zamboni likes to promise a lot but is always having to make excuses for the continual delays in inventory monetisation at the fraud Supply@ME Capital (SYME). In the AGM shareholder question and answer paper, the following question was raised about another FinTech business Taulia:

Previously writing on “digital identity, credential management and secure mobility” cybersecurity group Intercede (IGP), in July with the shares at 115p I questioned “Connect Partner Programme & Q1 Contract Wins” share price rise justified?. The shares last closed at 91.5p and are currently further lower at 87.5p on the back of a trading update.

Late last month I observed that boohoo (BOO) was uninteresting to me, but I was going to have a look at shares in ASOS (ASC) which was due to give a big update this Thursday…but it has come out early. I bet you cannot guess why!