A “Trading Update and Notice of Results” from “value-focused consumer goods” company UP Global Sourcing (UPGS). Particularly pertinent as “the majority of the group's manufacturing is based in China”…

I asked you to nominate the moron making the most moronic comments on twitter or the LSE, ADVFN and iii asylums last week and there were many fine entries as you can see HERE. But the winner is clear and was spotted by me so I win the non prize. From the ADVFN Asylum, Versarien thread

NMC Health (NMC) has announced highly preliminary approaches from Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and GK Investment Holding (GKI) regarding possible offers for the company. But in tandem, a second RNS from NMC suggests that Dr Shetty’s holdings and others’ may not be all they appeared to be. This was accompanied by an RNS from Finablr (FIN) suggesting similar shenanigans may be on the cards regarding the same people. Both companies are trying to get to the bottom of it, but from my perspective it all stinks and I would not be hanging around to find out what the true position actually is with either.

Versarien (VRS) has today issued an RNS which suggests that its Nomad, Bobbie Hilliam at Canaccord, has allowed it to drive a coach and horses through AIM Rules 10 and 11. I have written to the Oxymorons at AIM Regulation asking that Versarien and Hilliam be sanctioned and that it force the company to issue a clarifying RNS.

My pal Carson Block of Muddy Waters has savaged Burford (BUR) this moring with a savage report on recent results. His golden prose is below.

Jeepers I know that Bobbie Hilliam signed off on most of the fraudulent releases made by Quindell (QPP) but how on earth has he signed off from today’s cobblers from Versarien (VRS) which may impress the morons but should set alarm bells ringing.  The issue is cash.

Hello, Share Seekers. It’s not that often Tom and I have the same tips. He’s mostly a value investor who goes on fundamentals and balance sheets. Whereas I fix my sights on the future and dabble in pop psychology and the herd instinct. But we both picked Creightons (CRL), the maker of cosmetic and household fripperies. We were rewarded with big hikes in the share price last year...

Okay, I want to make Juicin happy so let us have another Bulletin Board Moron of the week contest. The deadline is midnight on Sunday 9^th February and all you have to do is find another comment from twitter or the ADFVN, iii or LSE Asylums which is more moronic than this one from mavfav on the ADVFN asylum, Versarien (VRS) thread. Entries in the comments section below

When forced to fess up on 21 January 2020 that its, much RNS vaunted,  US hub was in fact a serviced office with no staff, cash strapped Versarien (VRS) tried to sugar coat the pill by referring to discussions with a leading US tyre manufacturer. That rang a bell. For whom the bell tolls, etc, etc.

This week promises to be an exciting one for shareholders in Turkish gold-miner, AIM listed Ariana Resources (AAU). Quite apart from Q4 results from the Kiziltepe joint venture which are due shortly (though perhaps not this week) and news from the satellite gold deposits near Kiziltepe as well as further news from Salinbas to the east, all of which could drop at any time, there is the small matter of the proposed part-sale of the Salinbas and Kiziltepe projects and the announced deadline of the end of February to get shareholder approvals……if a final deal is struck. And I believe that means news this coming week.

With commodities being hit hard by concerns over coronavirus, and further weakness likely as deliveries of metals and hydrocarbons are starting to be put on hold by China, I’ve been looking towards opportunities in other sectors.

I write by a candle. I have no power here in Wales and am using my mobile to access the internet and it is dying. So I must be brief, it is Neil Woodford and fraud on the agenda today.

Another Sunday, another set of Intu Properties (INTU) stories.  I last wrote about the stock just under a month ago  concluding then that 'suffice to say the stock remains a massive avoid. 

Is there anything better than sitting back and reading a well-written article on a lazy Sunday? Every week ShareProphets features some long form journalism that you'll find of interest. Grab your cuppa and enjoy these five articles. 

This has nothing to do with shares or investing or anything. It's the end of the weekend and we've organised a quick pub quiz. Grab your own beer, there are no prizes, and for Pete's sake, no Googling! Only I get to do that. If you are so inclined, please enter your score in the comments. The highest score still won't get a prize.

Tom Winnifrith has already taken his sup from the ouzo bottle with regard to seeing David Sefton “resigned” from Iconic Labs (ICON) and called it insolvent. In a statement at 4.08pm on Friday – no-one-is-watching o’clock – which was littered with Red Flags, we were told that the company’s business is now generating revenues and starting to achieve real growth but it plans a capital restructuring and has agreed a new death spiral as it is not currently possible to raise conventional capital. So that’s alright then! And courtesy of ShareProphets Nomad Services I forecast a correction first thing tomorrow for it seems someone did rather too well at lunchtime on Friday.

Excluding ShareProphets radio 23, the most read non-Tom article this week is Hurricane Energy – More bad news by the new boy, Peter Brailey.He's on at a respectable #4 or #12 if you include Bearcasts. 

Only two subjects today. Firstly, and most importantly, my father and I were expecting to console ourselves with the thought that at least Olaf will be happy. But I am delighted to say we need no such consolation. I refer to Ireland's triumph today. Then Versarien (VRS)  and a stack more questions for multi millionare Neill Ricketts and a personal challenge to Neill...

I present the video below from Bucephalus Research Partnership with no comment other than to say I would not be gagging to buy shares in Cineworld (CINE) on the back of it. . Judge for yourself, it seems pretty compelling viewing to me. Hat tip PB.

I have a question for Finablr (FIN). Last month we learnt that BRS Investment Holdings 1 Limited, which is controlled by Finablr’s Co-Chairman Dr Shetty and holds 56% of the stock, had pledged its entire holding to cover bank loans on 10 January 2020. Of course, this suggested that all is not well with regard to BRS’ coffers and it left me wondering if the whole show was a house of cards at 95p. Indeed, the announcement saw the stock plummet by 27%. With the stock down again, to 70p, it sure is windy out there.