Cracking news this morning from AIM-listed Ariana Resources (AAU): the deal has finally been done to bring Ozaltin into the joint venture with Proccea and Ariana, subject to shareholder approvals at Ariana’s end and Turkish regulatory approvals. It has taken a fair old while, not helped by restrictions brought in as a result of Covid-19 but we are almost there now.

Hello, Share Shooters. Most of those Covid bandwagon jumpers could possibly see dips in share prices now that vaccines are on the way. So how will Creightons (CRL) fare in the virus’s dying days? Well, I expect to see the share price rise. And here’s why…

Standard-listed Australian Canadian gold explorer Panther Metals (PALM) – chaired by Kerim Sener of AIM-listed Ariana Resources (AAU) – has announced another small fundraise, this time £300,000 worth of new shares at 10p a pop to give the company funding “well into 2021” as it progresses its portfolio of gold assets.

I start with today’s Advent window and then turn to the issue of last minute talks with the EU regarding Brexit. As the grandson of a Bennite campaigner against the EU, I will have no Islington based fucktard lecture me about why I voted to leave. But I discuss the dire warnings in today’s papers about what may lie ahead. I also look at Novacyt (NCYT) and the pointlessness of debating with those whose starting point is not listening to what I have ever said, or reading what I have ever written, and then attacking me for what I have not said!

I waffled on a few weeks back about how the UK power grid was in long term trouble, with further problems as Boris pushed for more wind power and electric vehicle use. I questioned what would happen when the wind did not blow. Looks like we are now pushing that concern far harder, far sooner than I expected. With the UK demand sat at 40.3 GW as I type, the supply from wind is only 290MW. That is practically nothing, at less than 1% of demand.

Centamin (CEY) has updated on actions it is taking to ‘unlock its potential’…this has been a poor share tip from us but this is the cue to average down and buy

The Annual AIM awards were a virtual event this year. So there was no need for 1200 crony capitalists from the City to fork out £150 for a ticket, pour themselves into DJs and party frocks and head off to tell each other how wonderful they all were. The crony capitalists will have to spend cash ultimately leached from mug punter investors elsewhere. What good news for coke suppliers and hookers.

Here are five long reads that have nothing to do with shares. Put the kettle on, find a comfy chair. You have the time, don’t you? 

A few of m’learned friends amongst the ShareProphets readership are suggesting that perhaps Gold will not be the place to be for a few months. Longer dated treasury yields are rising, the equity market is still going bonkers (upwards) and, of course, we have a raft of Covid vaccines. But I’m not budging: I am hanging in there with my gold equities.

Welcome to the Sunday ShareProphets Pub Quiz. Find your own beer, sit in the most comfortable seat, and, under no circumstances, can you Google the answer. Only I can do that. There are no prizes but post your scores in the comments for bouquets and brickbats.

The most read non-Tom article this week is Centamin – Life of Asset review: can we now plan ahead? by Nigel Somerville (for an unheard-of eighth week in a row) at a terrific number two or at number six, including Bearcasts and Tom’s new shareshow.

But first, Covid, or rather lockdown, has screwed the poor

I discuss day 5 of Joshua’s Advent calendar, companies worth more than £100 million with no or sod all institutional investors and what that means: ref Sound Energy (SOU) before the collapse I oft predicted and Powerhouse Energy (PHE) where the collapse is yet to come, and finally Nigel’s 5 slam dunk sells for 2020 where I fear he will end the year looking like a schmuck.

There was a telling exchange in a Downing Street press Conference this week between Jonathan Van Tam and the deputy PM Boris Johnson. The real PM, Princess Nut Nuts, was elsewhere plotting the Long march to a full green revolution. Van Tam suggested that Covid restrictions such as face nappy wearing and social distancing might need to stay in place, essentially, forever. The deputy PM said that he was not so sure about that and it might be good to get back to normal at some point. Cue frosty glances.

Producer from precious metal recovery facilities in South Africa and Ghana, Goldplat* (GDP) has announced results for its year ended 30^th June 2020 and noted “a good platform to drive our strategic initiatives during the next period and to return value to shareholders again”…

From the FCA’s spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following shows the shorted AIM shares with positions from 2019 and thus far in 2020 (by net short position %, those in bold not on the list at the start of 2020) – and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since last week…

Analyst Alasdair Macleod believes, unlike our beloved Government, in sound money. As such he does not read too much into November’s gold slippage.

My five slam-dunk sells for 2020 have been all over the place. One headed for the exit as expected but as things stand two are still at bonkers valuations which will surely not last. Will gravity be defied to the end of the year?

Hello Share Shifters. You don’t hear of the fabled Santa Rally these days. After all, we do have more important virus-related issues to consider. However, there will be the usual Christmas boost to most shares and added to the joy of new vaccines that should see a bigger seasonal boost than ever to our shares. Though, as always, the opportunity to make money will be limited as the New Year should bring the usual market hangover.

I asked you to help raise £3500 for the Woodlarks Christmas Grotto appeal. You have been most generous. As you can see here, we have raised £5,185.15, with Gift aid £5,807.89. Nick Richards from Woodlarks and I would like to thank each and every one of you who chipped in. You are heroes. And I promise that, other than an en passant mention in Bearcast later, I shall not mention Woodlarks again until Christmas.  Nick says that the extra cash will go to even better presents for the online Grotto. Once again, I thank you.