Silver bugs always say that the market is a big con and one day it will crack. The Reddit crowd tried to crack it and failed. But might there be some truth in this particular conspiracy theory?

On 21 January, joke graphene company Versarien (VRS) published interim results which misled investors as to its net debt position by classifying a £1.96 million (illegal) Government loan as a trade payable not as a loan. Having deceived folks with this presentation, loathsome boss Neill Ricketts was again selling shares, this time 1.65 million of them.  Now, after I complained to the Oxymorons at AIM Regulation and hapless Nomad SP Angel of fraud MySquar infamy, Versarien has ‘fessed. But even so, it does so in a misleading and deceptive fashion reinforcing why its shares are so utterly uninvestable.

That will pay for a few month’s losses from his wife’s fashion chain. Cellular Goods (CBX), the cannabis skincare company, albeit without any products actually for sale yet, in which Becks invested on 28 January has got off to a flying stockmarket start. The whole thing is a farce.

Hello, Share Climbers. Though I’ve waffled quite a lot about Ceres Power (CWR), it may be useful to do so again as a buying opportunity seems to have arisen. Lately, the share has endured a decline, but I contend that this is temporary and that it can soon hit 1600p again.

There is a lot happening today, but three names strike me as worthy of comment. First some great rumours on one of my largest holdings DS Smith (SMDS), which I last wrote up HERE earlier in the month…

Quite often ShareProphets readers contact us asking for an opinion on a particular company, and I’m always happy to take a look – although there is no guarantee that the conclusions I come to will necessarily be what they wanted to hear about the company!

Online musical instruments and music equipment retailer Gear4music (G4M) has made a trading update including “both our UK and European operations have performed well post Brexit, helping to drive revenue growth and support margins that have exceeded our previous expectations”. But what of the shares, currently more than 10% higher in response, at around 800p?…

The called was prompted by Zoetic (ZOE) shareholders and I tell the story in full. It is the sort of harassment that is making me feel more and more that it is time to call it a day and write up my family history, 1805-1941.

Following the FCA’s decision to finally act on  FCA, trust Pilot,  (which owns Buy 2 Let Cars) a mere 485 days after I warned it was a financial car crash BOUND to happen, some retail investors have apparently rushed to its defence on Trust Pilot providing gushing reviews praising the fact that it has always paid on time in the past, provided great service and that the FCA is acting irresponsibly and destroying a great entrepreneurial business which the country needs more of (see link below for examples):

Bluebird Merchant Ventures (BMV) has published a further “Operational” update which includes that still its joint venture buyout settlement discussions are “ongoing”. So why a near 10% share price increase on the back of the announcement?

Perennial AIM casino disappointer TrakM8 (TRAK) started today’s statement with the good news: a modest contract win. But this company never fails to disappoint and so having hyped its H2 prospects before Christmas now we have the bad news.

Identity data intelligence group GB (GBG) has made a trading update commencing that “trading has been stronger than anticipated”. With the shares currently up 4% in response, they potentially interesting?…

Because it is coming sooner than you might think…

Hello, Share Strivers. I don’t think I’ve returned to Reckitt Benckiser (RB.) since the virus struck a year ago now. So let’s see if my commendation still holds. The full year figures are as encouraging as you’d expect from a company that does hygiene and health in such a big way. Like-for-like income rose by nearly 12% to £14 billion…

In today’s podcast I look at Fragrant Prosperity (FPP), Manolete (MANO), Metro Bank (MTRO), Angling Direct (ANG) and Chesterfield Resources (CHF).

A “Director/PDMR Share Purchase” announcement from Filtronic (FTC) and the shares are currently 12.5% higher at 9p, capitalising the company at more than £19 million. So a meaningfully positive management purchase?…

AIM-listed Haydale Graphene (HAYD) has offered up its interims to December 2020 today and whilst the company flags increased sales of functionalised inks graphene and points to falling admin costs and operating losses, these are on an adjusted basis. The unadjusted truth is that sales of £1.277 million were down from £1.347 million the previous year and the company lost £2 million in total comprehensive loss (although this is marked as being for the year – not that there was an cut’n’paste laziness!)

On 19 November 2020, the fraudsters at Zoetic International (ZOE) announced a big claim. Today we have another. Natch the shares are up but what those morons buying need to focus on is what is not said rather than what is said.

Gooch & Housego (GHH), a “photonic systems, components and instrumentation for applications in the Aerospace & Defence, Industrial, Life Sciences and Scientific Research sectors” company, has made a trading update noting “improved levels of demand” and “good progress streamlining our manufacturing sites”. So potentially interesting?…

This article from a team at Newcastle University does raise the question of the sheer pointlessness of the pursuit of bitcoin, especially by a generation that is keen on berating we oldies for ruining the planet. When will Greta Thunberg et al turn their fire on cryptocurrencies? It reads: