DP Poland (DPP) has stated in a trading update that it is “delighted to see the strong sales performance in Q1 2022, with LFL System Sales up 21% over 2021, benefitting from a strong management focus towards increased order volumes in our stores. At the end of March 2022, Poland lifted the majority of COVID-19 restrictions and we have seen a further acceleration in sales growth, with LFL System Sales up 29% in March”. So what of a current share price response slightly lower to 7.75p?...

A bit over six months ago I observed that there were “so many reasons to keep on avoiding The Hut Group”, which we now know as THG (THG). Since I wrote then the shares have continued post IPO shocking performance and today sit at a circa one quid share price, having been over four quid back in October (and having had an original IPO price of 500p a year before that). So is there an opportunity to buy now or is the smartest view to keep on avoiding?

Previously writing on cybersecurity and IT automation software company Osirium Technologies (OSI), earlier this month I noted a “delighted” with performance trading update was ramptastic. Now a results announcement… and the shares currently more than 16.5% lower to 12.5p in response…

Hello Share Climbers. As this family is looking for a new gaff, we get to look at the way most folks furnish their rooms. We see very few older beds, wardrobes and chest of drawers that used to be widely inherited. Instead, nearly every house we view online has newish stuff. That’s good news for furniture designers and suppliers, like Made.com Group (MADE).

In today's Bearcast, I start with Guild ESports (GILD), and a collapsing party house of cards. I refer to the David Williams of Avanti infamy shocker - it is still a cracking short. Then I comment on Petropavlovsk (POG), where I am surprised no one has feigned offence at my earlier headline.  There is a bit on NightCap (NGHT), but most of this podcast covers Kefi Gold and Copper (KEFI). Matthew and his dog will be delighted by that section.

Shares in Flowtech Fluidpower (FLO) remain below levels of earlier this year despite recent results showing encouraging recovery and noting an encouraging start to this year, with there looking to be scope for further recovery in profitability and for the share price.

Describing itself as “a leading innovator in plant-based specialty polymers used as essential ingredients in everyday consumer products”, Itaconix (ITX) states that it “is pleased to update the market on current trading”. So what of the detail and a currently slightly higher to 5p share price?...

Previously writing on B2B media group Bonhill (BONH) I noted that it proposed to raise approximately £1.1 million at 5.5p per share via a placing and open offer it stated “for working capital purposes” but I suggested to avert cash crunch ahoy. Now further fundraising detail along with calendar year 2021 results.

Fully-listed Gold miner in Egypt, Centamin (CEY), offered up its Q1 report this morning and whilst there were a few corners to celebrate, there was bad news – at least temporarily – for shareholders as the company reported cashflow of MINUS $21.4 million on reduced sales as the business model changed to owner-mining and much-increased costs. As I write, the shares are down 7% on the news at 90p, capitalising the company at £1.05 billion. But are things as bad as they seem?

Security and surveillance systems company Synectics (SNX) has announced “trading in the first quarter of the new financial year was in line with the board's expectations… The company's consolidated order book as at 31 March 2022 was approximately £29.0 million (30 November 2021: £28.4 million) and the group's balance sheet remains strong with net cash of approximately £3.9 million at 31 March 2022”. So what of a current approaching 7% share price fall towards 116p?...

For Petropavlovsk (POG) – as I warned you all on March 4^th, here – things go from bad to worse. Its banker and sole purchaser of gold, GazpromBank, is sanctioned by the UK, so the AIM-listed miner cannot generate any revenues, or even pay interest on its debts. Today, the banksters have thus stated that the company is in default and called in the loans.

There was not too much to be excited about for Rio Tinto (RIO) shareholders today on the publication of its first quarter production results. I remain a big fan of the mining name as I noted a couple of months ago, and whilst its core iron ore business had negative growth this was largely expected and should improve as the year progresses. Apart from very firm metals prices versus historically, the other opportunity for the company over the 2020s remains everything else it is doing – or, as it put it in the update, “we made notable progress during the quarter with the commencement of underground mining at Oyu Tolgoi following a comprehensive agreement reached with the Government of Mongolia, completed the acquisition of the Rincon lithium project in Argentina, and signed a framework agreement at the Simandou iron ore project in Guinea”.

You can never keep a good man down. And, as for an absolute rotter like David Williams - who pumped satellite firm, Avanti Communications (AVN), before selling millions of pounds worth of shares, paid himself regular seven-figure stipends and then ran the company into the ground - it seems as if lightning will strike twice.  We defied the notoriously litigious bombastic prick, and highlighted numerous Avanti concerns on this website, as you can see HERE.

Hello Share Tempters. There are two very big British pharmas you could invest in. A long time ago I chose GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), rather than AstraZeneca (AZN). I sometimes regret that choice as AstraZeneca seems to have been the more dynamic company, including with a Covid vaccine for example. But I would not swap holdings now, as I think things are happening at GSK that could improve its share price.

The idea of announcing a death spiral - while pretending it is not a death spiral - at the same time as a bailout placing, is odd. Who would want to buy into a placing, when you know that, at some point, a blizzard of confetti will be dumped?

This has been the most stressful day in Greece for a long while; I really do need a holiday. I explain all.  Then I look at Sensyne (SENS); Chill Brands (FRAUD); Blue Star Capital (BLU) and an AGM shock that may trigger the collapse of the Bixby, Edwards, Frangos, Story and Peter Wall house of cards. Then it is onto Canadian Overseas Petroleum (COPL), where today's placing vindicates me. I argue that a 20.75p share price is a compelling shorting opportunity on a risk-reward basis. Matthew and his dog will enjoy that section, as Arthur Millholland, the snake oil salesman at Canadian, really is talking shite in today's release. I am so angry.

A “Trading Update” announcement from Cake Box Holdings (CBOX) commences that “the specialist retailer of fresh cream cakes, is pleased to announce a full year trading update for the 12 months ended 31 March 2022” and concludes that “with a strengthened team and investment in our operations and processes, we have all the right ingredients to continue to sustainably grow the Cake Box customer base, brand and Family”. So what of the announcement and a share price responding up to above 200p?...

Oh dear. How folks at ShareSoc must long for the stability of Globo fanboy, Roger Lawson. In its new era, under Sheryl Cuisia, who on February 4^th announced she was “spearheading an executive-led transformation process to prepare ShareSoc for its next phase of development” - which, natch, included a commitment to diversity, yadda, yadda, yadda - it is all change. Or maybe not..

IT services group IDE (IDE) has announced a £1 million loan to it “was not repaid and accordingly the short-term loan has now adopted the same terms as the loan notes announced on 10th January 2019”. What does that mean with the shares now at 1.20p?...

AIM-listed Haydale (HAYD) issued an RNS Reach this morning to announce that it is celebrating a double award win, with the Group picking up an award at the prestigious 2022 British Engineering Excellence Awards ('BEEAs') and named as a winner of the Kidney Research UK MedTech Competition respectively. But…..