As things stand, Versarien (VRS) has drawn down the first 40% of a £5 million low interest loan from taxpayer-funded Innovate UK despite demonstrably being ineligible for what is the body’s biggest ever loan - indeed admitting in its own annual report that it breaches the eligibility criteria. That is a scandal. But I can now show why this scandal is far worse and suggests that Innovate UK hands out cash to favoured companies on an utterly indiscriminate and un-monitored manner which no assessment of whether its funding delivers any return or benefits for taxpayers. What follows is shocking. A co-conspirator has raised the issue of the illegitimate loan with Innovate UK and has this response from a Matthew Oswin:

Shares in Hummingbird Resources (HUM) have recovered some of previous gains having been hit by the military coup in Mali…

Hello, Share Takers. I’m beginning to feel like a hygiene nut, but here’s another company that should do well out of fighting the virus. And this time it’s one of the bigger British companies. Reckitt Benckiser (RB.), the Dettol king, is working hard to maximise its involvement with sanitation. For example, it’s set up a special department for helping big clients, like hotels and transport terminals, work out ways of cleaning out the virus from their premises. 

DFS Furniture (DFS) has updated that “after careful consideration, we have decided to sell Sofa Workshop to Halo… Following the disposal, the group will benefit from the reduction in the cash costs of funding Sofa Workshop’s operating losses, elimination of the potential volatility in the profitability generated and it will allow the group to focus on executing the significant value creation opportunities in its core activities”…

It is now only four days till my 7th wedding anniversary. Given my track record, I reckon that merits a round of applause. After you have finished the applause, I will apologise to Mr David Lenigas. If I have ever given the impression that he is a shameless ramper of worthless penny stocks, having considered his recent tweets on Wishbone Gold (WSBN) where my losses are now down to a mere £27,500, I would like to apologise. I now accept that Mr Lenigas provides quite brilliant and clear analysis of undervalued gold juniors and we should be profoundly grateful for his services. Elsewhere, I look at Avacta (AVCT), Novacyt (NCYT), Scancell (SCLP), Rurelec (RUR), and Amigo (AMGO).

You have to hand it to AIM-listed jam-tomorrow, sometime, never investment company Tern (TERN) – or, rather, its PR firm Newgate Communications – for today’s RNS which has polished a turd so well it looks like a multi-million pound diamond. But the deception is utterly shocking.

Marketing company M&C Saatchi (SAA) has updated commencing that it is “pleased to announce that the group has continued to trade well and profitably in the opening few weeks of the second half of 2020. New business remains strong” – and the shares are currently at 64.4p, more than 5.5% higher…

AIM-listed but BVI-registered URU Metals (URU), which as Cynical Bear put it, seems more interested in drilling shareholders’ pockets than the ground, has announced a ramptastic pre-placing RNS this morning. Of course, we all knew it was coming as by my maths this John Zorbas POS is still technically insolvent and the clue is hidden in today’s announcement.

In the last fifty days I have written about aerospace name Rolls-Royce (RR.) twice already before today. The first was to ask the question ‘when the money raising was coming?’ and the second was to appraise whether a selling activist shareholder was bonkers or rational. So finally – as previewed in both articles – what did the formal first half numbers say?…

AIM-listed Turkish gold-producer Ariana Resources (AAU) has released Q2 results from its first Turkish gold mine at Kiziltepe this morning, and the numbers look excellent. Of course, the real news I am awaiting is progress on the proposed corporate action to bring in Ozaltin and sell off chunks of its Turkish assets for $30 million, but this morning’s news does no harm to the proposition.

I note the comments from my colleagues on this site – Nigel Somerville most recently yesterday and Tom Winnifrith in bearcast yesterday on Inspirit Energy (INSP). I concur with the general thrust of the views expressed – crap management and sod all progress over many years. I also note the rebel shareholder and his background. I wish him well. But I suspect the whole idea is bonkers based on technicalities and politics…

I have commented on main market listed Nostrum Oil and Gas (NOG) back in October 2019 and it was a core holding in my Vomit list at the start of the year. I have been expecting a financial restructuring, most likely in the form of a debt for equity deal for some time. Yesterday’s RNS confirming the company is in default on its bond interest payments has come as no surprise. What has amused me is the line-up of advisers on each side. This is a re-run of the Afren refinancing in 2015 with much the same runners and riders!…

Hello, Share Trudgers. I’ve recently been commending Creightons (CRL) for its exposure to the burgeoning hand sanitiser market. That share seems to have stalled for the time being, as the company has delayed publishing its numbers. So let’s have a look at another outfit in this promising market…

Marketing and consulting company specialising in data science, Jaywing (JWNG) has updated including that it “is pleased to announce that it has appointed Caroline Ackroyd as Chief Financial Officer with effect from 7th September” and “has also continued to win new business and the April to June quarter has been profitable at EBITDA level” – and the shares have currently responded lower to 2.65p…

My main podcast today was a history lesson for the loathsome BBC HERE. In terms of bearcast, I am not so inspired today. I promise I shall be more on fire tomorrow but do comment on why Harry Adams of Kefi Gold & Copper (KEFI) is share dealing like a dervish. I also look at the rebel at Inspirit (INSP) and explain why I think he is doomed to fail and why anyone buying the shares needs their head examined.

“Vianet Group plc (AIM: VNET), the international provider of actionable data and business insight through devices connected to its Internet of Things platform, today provides an update on trading and the group’s current status regarding COVID-19” – and the shares have currently responded up to 96.5p…

AIM-listed boiler-room Inspirit Energy (INSP) has been a long-term non-performer on the Casino ever since the reversal of its technology (having failed as a private company) was reversed into Kleenair Systems in 2013. Almost anyone who has had the misfortune of investing here will be nursing very heavy losses, and the company seems to have little or nothing to show for the last 7 years as an AIM Casino chip. But now the company is under attack from 6.5% holder Chris Heminway, who launched a scathing attack late on Monday via the RNS system.

Jubilee Metals (JLP) has announced an ore supply and processing agreement which “not only significantly extends the life of the existing PGM resource but also offers the potential for Jubilee to significantly expand its Inyoni Operations”…

AIM-listed jam-tomorrow, some day, never investment company Tern (TERN) issued a very odd release this morning through the RNS system via the EQS Corporate News service, an investor communication service aimed at assisting listed and unlisted (including AIM quoted) companies to distribute media only/non-regulatory news releases such as marketing messages, corporate and product information into the public domain. We are further told that Information required to be notified under the AIM Rules for Companies, Market Abuse Regulation or other regulation would be disseminated as an RNS regulatory announcement and not on EQS Corporate News. In other words, it is the equivalent of an RNS Reach – and was not even signed off by Tern’s current Nomad, Allenby.

Analyst Nick Giambruno explains which assets are “hard assets” and so will fly when fiat is, as now, being debauched. There are key characteristics that make gold the best money, and other assets like silver and bitcoin share many of those features. Bitcoin fits this definition because it’s scarce, and its supply growth is similar to that of gold (gradually declining).