Hello, Share Bashers. Just as I was about to sell my shares in AFH Financial (AFHP) due to sluggishness, there comes a takeover bid. So instead of sitting on a 5% profit, I’m now up by 20%. Well, the offer isn’t ratified yet, so what should one do?…

I read in today's Sunday Times  that:  'An activist hedge fund has opened fire on the boss of Mr Kipling cakes maker Premier Foods (PFD), accusing him of leading the company into a "zombie-like state" through "five years of failure" '

Having tipped shares in red24 (REDT) two weeks ago, noting that the valuation, at a 19.75p offer price, looked undemanding for a company with a positive outlook and strong balance sheet a competitor business would seem to agree…

As I learned last year to my cost on three occasions, it is better to short a share after rather than before it is subject to a takeover bid. For this reason, I goodly waited until Friday’s announcement by Worldview Capital before selling Petroceltic short.

Old Getafix is dithering about whether he should accept the 750p per share takeover bid for Dragon Oil (DGO) from the Arabs at ENOC. In my view he should take the cash and run. Here’s why.

Even in its quietest periods there is always something happening in the stockmarket. Scandals, mergers, take-over bids (real or rumoured) and new flotations are ready to break up the tedium when shares are neither rising nor falling. And a nimble-witted investor can profit from almost any of these situations - if she jumps the right way. Here are some typical market 'stories’ with advice on how you may be able to exploit them.