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...

You probably read in the last day or so that the emerging markets have formally entered bear market territory, down 20% from the highs of late January. The reasons for this are inevitably multifarious but simplify down to the hassles of higher interest rates (led by the US) and a firmer dollar plus, of course, trade war fears. All of these have helped expose cracks in emerging market domestic policy - such as the unsustainable economic policies of Argentina and Turkey.

Previously writing on - then blur Group - Maistro (MAIS), I concluded the company’s track record suggests otherwise re. the company expecting a springboard for value creation. A “Business Update” announcement though sees the shares currently back up to 5p…

Hello Share Ticklers. It’s a fair bet that not many journalists will be writing about paving slabs at the mo. So allow me to redress that situation. Marshalls (MSLH) makes them and has done since Queen Vic’s reign. The latest set of figures is encouraging, with sales and profits up by 12.5%. Though operating margins were only slightly ahead.

I covered this matter in bearcast the other day. Frontera (FRR) is working hard to mislead punters as it endeavours to get away another bailout placing. I'm not short but the great Waseem Shakoor is and he opines: 

Corero Network Security (CNS) has updated including it “has delivered excellent operational gains in the first half of the year, which, coupled with its new business pipeline and developing go-to-market partnerships, gives the board confidence in the company's prospects”. Currently at sub 8.5p though, the shares remain comfortably below 11p they approached in May and 20p of a couple of years ago…

I cover Conroy (CGNR) elsewhere but its the sort of seedy waste of space nonsense that makes me despair of AIM. And so i turn to a follower of JC, Archbishop Justin Welby. The JC I refer to is of course Jezza not Jesus. Welby's comments yesterday are so utterly wide of the mark, no wonder he leads a failing organisation.

In May I warned on shares in Brave Bison (BBSN) at 3.55p; shares in loss-maker soar on RNS Reach ramparoonie, with a new broker recently appointed. Hmmm!. They closed yesterday at 1.5p, but are currently again heading towards 3p on the back of another RNS Reach!...

A “Procurement and capital estimate update” announcement from Sirius Minerals (SXX) sees CEO Chris Fraser commencing comment by emphasising “the signing of the contracts for the remaining tunnel drives and the materials handling facility at Wilton are significant steps forward for the business with almost all procurement now complete”. However, the shares have responded currently circa 10% lower, to around 30p. How’s that capital estimate then?...

Share Talk is a website that takes money from, usually, crap companies. It does not appear discerning. If you are a PLC with a cheque book come on down! It does not disclose its business model and it then provides what it terms “the Independent voice across social media” or what you and I would term sordid share ramping. Shares in Conroy Gold (CGNR) are up 30% today to 13p to sell thanks to such ramping. But before you get too carried away….

I last commented on AIM-listed Trafalgar Property Group (TRAF) back in July 2015, after it snuck out its results at 5.23pm on a Friday, announcing losses for its year to March 2015 but saying it was seeking a return to profitability in 2016 and 2017. So how has it done?

Time to talk about three badboys who are reporting today. I say 'badboys', but there is only one stock I would not touch out of the three...but more on that in a few paragraphs time...

‘Fast fashion’ company Quiz plc (QUIZ) has updated including it is “particularly pleased with the positive customer response to QUIZ's product range over the summer” and “continued growth across each of our channels”. The shares have though responded lower, towards 160p. Hmmm…

Hello, Share Squeezers. I wonder if you might fancy investing in an advertising firm listed on AIM? Doesn't sound over-attractive, does it? But you might want to take a further look at Taptica International (TAP).

Xaar (XAR) has announced results for the first half of 2018, including “the long term opportunity for Xaar remains very significant, but trading continues to be impacted by the aggressive decline in our Ceramics business, and the unpredictability of the adoption of our new products”. Hmmm…

I start with a few thoughts on just how wonderful it is up here at the Greek Hovel, truly it is peaceful and heavenly. Then a thank you for your kind emails and comments on poor Oakley. Then this podcast takes an in depth look at Telit (TCM), run by insider dealer Yosi Fait, after its interims yesterday and at Tesla (TSLA) run by nutso market abuser Elon Musk after his latest outburst. 

“PCI-PAL PLC (AIM: PCIP), a leading world-wide provider of Payment Card Industry compliance solutions for contact centres, is pleased to announce full year results for the year ended 30 June 2018”. The shares have responded... er, currently circa 15% lower, at 26.5p...

And you thought the pantomime was over… now unlisted and registered in the BVI the latest developments at Sefton Resources (SER) are, predictably amusing. When Sefton was booted off AIM it had 4.8 billion shares in issue. Until the other day it appears to have had almost 9 billion pieces of confetti in issue. But that is set to change.

Africa forestry and agriculture company Obtala (OBT) has announced results for the first half of 2018, emphasising “having grown by more than 13x in 2017, year on year revenues are on track to deliver further growth in 2018 having achieved 80% of 2017's total turnover within the first 6 months” - though, on revenue of $6.6 million, even on an adjusted basis there was still a loss of $3.7 million…

A “Directorate Changes” announcement from Velocity Composites (VEL), including “as a founder of the company Jon is fully committed to Velocity and feels it is the right time to hand over the CEO responsibilities”. Hmmm…