Five weeks in and the man who demanded we bring this contest back, Juicin Drumroll, is the runner up in this week’s contest but the photo of a semi I naked Thirsty Paul Scott goes instead to Putneywill – but there were numerous cracking entries, mainly posts by shareholders in UK Oil & Gas (UKOG) who – as you can see HERE – really are true morons.

A flurry of activity last week saw shares in AIM-listed Minoan (MIN) propelled from 5p to almost 6p, with bulk of the rise on Friday. We know that news on the sale of the travel and leisure business is expected “imminently” and that news on the Cavo Sidero project in Crete could come soon. So does the market know something?

On today's Bearcast I look at debt, it is like crack but after the highs it always ends badly. I talk with reference to 2008 and the next correction. Then onto Kier (KIE), the spin and the red flags and finally to Nike and its self-inflicted PC own goal. 

It was a few days in the old country this week. Bundled up in layers, running the heater at night even thought it is still Summer, code switching from London English to a completely different way of speaking. No, I wasn't back in Canada, I was in Scotland.

Having demanded we bring back this contest, once again, Juicin Drumroll failed to win last week and so for the fourth time the semi naked photo of Britain's top share blogger before lunchtime, thirsty Paul Scott, went elsewhere. Come on Juicin this contest is for you please try harder....if you don't win this week we are dropping it.

First I look at m ore evidence of naughtiness at Tesla (TSLA) as the pithead Elon Musk struggles to make good on his pledge to be Q3 cashflow positive. Then I discuss insider dealing. I think I was an insider but am not sure but could have made a killing on one stock over the past fortnight but I sense others have been less scrupulous than I have been. I discuss how this all happens and and why it is not a victimless crime and what should be done.

RedT Energy (RED) has announced results for the first half of 2018, with CEO Scott McGregor emphasising that the company “has validated its commercial and grid scale energy storage solutions with the recent deals in Germany and with Anglian Water and the UK public sector confirming the suitability of redT's technology for both ‘mega projects’ at grid level and as a long-term infrastructure solution for the Commercial and Industrial sector”…

Debenhams (DEB) and Dunelm Group (DNLM) both featured heavily in the financial press this week and while both had some disappointing news to share, both broker and tipster outlook about the future of both companies was vastly different. This week, we take a look at the respective performances of each, and how tipster sentiment has shifted over time.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following shows the shorted AIM shares with positions from 2017 and thus far in 2018 (by net short position %) - and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since last week...

Hello, Share Rippers. I stick by my general support of High Street banks, believing they’ll claw back at least some of their slashed share prices over the last ten years. But if you’re still smarting over your bank disasters and simply don't trust your dough to them, you might have a look at the much smaller challenger banks.

A “Trading Statement and Production Update” from Pan African Resources (PAF) sees CEO Cobus Loots emphasise “issues, as well as the definitive remedial actions we implemented, were well disseminated to the market” and “we are well on track to deliver into our 2019 targets and look forward to the year ahead”. The shares have though currently responded around 9% lower, below 8p…

Most of what was in yesterday's bearcast on Angus Energy (ANGS) stands. The ramping is sordid and the company MUST come clean on Tidswell-Pretorious and his sordid share dealings. But I do not believe there is a placing at 6p. I was played and discuss that. Project Fear cheerleader Mark Carney says a no deal Brexit could cause house prices to fall by 35%. I explain why he is talking total cock (again). I look at Amur Minerals (AMC), Pan African Resources (PAF), Obtala (OBT), Online Blockchain (OBC) and ADVFN (AFN). I did not ask how ADVFN is affected by the new EU article 13 on copyright breaches? I cannot think that it will be a good thing for it. 

In April with shares in toys, games and giftware group Character (CCT) down at 470p, I concluded that there looked reason for optimism, making a small purchase for the recovery understandable but that I awaited further evidence of recovery before I'd be comfortable with more than a small, speculative buy. Today a “Trading Update”…

Having filed patents and announced the start of the technology programme last year, Cambridge Cognition (COG) has now announced its “first voice-based cognitive assessments are available for use in its core pharmaceutical and biotechnology clinical trial channels”…

I’ve been cautious on X-ray screening systems company Image Scan Holdings (IGE) this year – and note the shares currently leading the fallers today on the back of a “Trading Update”…

Following the poor trading update last week from RM2 International (RM2) that I covered HERE, its interims were issued this morning and are largely as expected but still worth a quick look and it’s time to place your bets as to whether Mr Woodford is going to throw another $17 million in to the pot.

Note to prat Jamie Oliver. Insult 52% of us over Brexit and you lose custom and shutter your disgustingly overpriced outlets, tell the truth as Tim Martin of JD Wetherspoon (JDW) has and you might report cracking numbers as Tim has done (again) today. The great man has also debunked a stack of Brexit myths, noting:

AIM-listed jam-tomorrow investment company Tern (TERN) has announced, as predicted HERE, yet another loan to its principal investee company, Device Authority (DA) – this time for $525,000 (around £400,000) which, we are told, is repayable on 31 December 2018 or convertible into shares if DA ever gets a fundraising away.

Shares in Jaywing (JWNG) are recovering to comfortably above 20p following an update including “recovery is building momentum and anticipates that full year results will be in line with expectations”. What’s the recovery from and what are the expectations it anticipates being in line with?...

Hello, Share Markers. The big story of the week has not had much publicity. It’s the fact that Brent Crude reached a new high of $80 a barrel. Not an all-time record, of course, as it has traded at $140. But it could reach $100 in my view before it begins to fall again.