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...

Hello, Share Chums. Some of the great Warren Buffet’s famous investments wouldn’t succeed today. For example, he was an early supporter of Gillette. But as many more men are hairy, that would probably not work now. Though perhaps we should not throw away his great saying about share dealings, because they seem to be just as powerful today.

One of the signs that all is not well at a plc is when directors pile in for share purchases of a poxy amount to try to show confidence. And that brings me to Future plc (FUTR) which has been on the receiving end of a duffing up by our own Tom Winnifrith and the Dark Destroyer Matt Earl at Shadowfall. Of course, as Tom Winnifrith points out, Future’s response would have made the US fraudster-turned-fraudbuster Sam Antar proud: the report and criticisms were totally ignored.

In today's podcast I look at Victoria Oil & Gas (VOG), NMC Health (NMC) & Muddy Waters, Versarien (VRS), i3 Energy (i3E) & G3 Exploration (G3E). Have a good weekend and give a few quid to a good cause HERE!

Analyst John Roque argues that any important move in an asset class should have a long-base setup. Gold has built up an impressive base over several years, and this strongly suggests that it can push past its 2011 highs.

Yes i am calling out Versarien (VRS) for fraud and explain why. Feel free to take legal action Neill Ricketts, I shall see you bitchez in court and triumph. The meat of this podcast looks at the seven stages of madness and gref in the life of a Bulletin Board thread covering a Norfolk, with Versarien as my case study. Enjoy.

Shares in Cluff Natural Resources (CLNR) ended 2018 above 2p though had fallen to sub 1.4p by December 2019. They have since recovered a bit, but at a 1.50p offer price - giving a £20 million market cap - there looks the potential for much more…and soon!

A week ago, I demonstrated that by March 31 2020 Versarien (VRS) would be down to cash of £600,000 but net debt of £270,000. So, when is the day that it cannot pay its bills and goes bust? It is April 21, now just 11 weeks away!

The disposal of Market Access Ops Limited (“MAO”) whilst a great deal for uber dog St James House (SJH) which sells a loss-making company with net liabilities for a £1 after stripping out the business it wants to keep does not appear to make a lot of sense from the perspective of the buyer Mr John Botros. 

If you are an AIM listed company and want t tell lies via RNS your go to Nomad must be Bobbie Hilliam of Cannacord. Hilliam signed off on the RNS statements by Quindell that enabled Rob Terry to commit fraud. Now he is in charge of Versarien (VRS) which has also told repeated lies via RNS.

Early this year we showed the Shorted AIM shares at the start of 2020. How's the performance after the first month of the year? (those in bold remain from 2019)...

Hello Share Prinkers. The more imaginative sci-fi fans among us claim that water is the gold of the future. It will become such a valuable commodity because it’s going to get much scarcer. And while this notion may seem fanciful, that some areas will become more drought-prone is borne out by present-day facts. Consider California and Australia, for example. One company which I brought to your attention last year should benefit hugely from growing water scarcity...

I think Mark did the right thing at the Future (FUTR) AGM but do not know as my friend might be a former friend as he does not seem to be speaking to me. I cannot think why.  I discuss this and what next for Future. I announce a 4th Rogue Blogger for Woodlarks and as we hit 2% of target beg you to sponsor us HERE. I discuss the strange lack of news from the stricken Gervais Williams Smaller Companies Fund and what it means then look at Eurasia (EUA) en passant, Miriad (MIRI) in some detail and the horrible problem poor Bobbie Hilliam of Quindell (QPP) infamy faces with Versarien (VRS) after today's shocking expose. 

AIM-listed St James House (SJH), formerly Lord Razzell’s harikiri exercise Boxhill Technologies (BOX), has announced a proposed capitalisation of liabilities, the disposal of MAO for just £1 and new articles. What is immediately striking, however, is the double reward-for-failure for good old Lord Razzall – oh, and the doubling of approved shares capital available to be issued (Placing, anyone?)

Previously writing on recruitment software group Dillistone (DSG), last month with the shares moving higher - above 30p - I concluded there’s scheduled to be a full-year trading update on 6th February – and I’ll review that re. the above concerns. For now, my stance remains avoid / sell. Those concerns were particularly ‘GatedTalent’ financials and the overall balance sheet…

I seem to write about Hurricane Energy (HUR) every month but that’s because it’s an evolving situation where the information changes the investment case. Today’s RNS changed one aspect in a very material way for me.

As part of the ramp of Versarien (VRS) shares in the summer of 2018 ahead of the September bailout placing, the company announced a string of exciting deals. Hmmm.  Given that revenues from graphene are still negligible maybe it is worth hapless Nomad Bobbie Hilliam of Canaccord asking a few questions. He would not want to get caught with his trousers down as he did with the Quindell fraud would he? Take the 18 June 2018 RNS “Collaboration agreement with MediaDevil."

Previously writing on marketing services group System1 (SYS1), in November I concluded its stated upside potential is still very much to be proven and the shares only on the watchlist. Today “Trading Update and Planned Share Buyback”…

The AIM Casino, a.k.a. The World's Most successful Growth Market, has released its market statistics for the period to the end of January 2020 and this saw the number of companies reduce from 863 to 851, a net reduction of 12.  If you ignore Open Orphan (ORPH) which appears as both a new entry and a cancellation there was 1 readmission and 1 new admission raising a grand total of £7 million in new money.

AIM dog Catenae Innovations (CTEA ) spent the latter part of last week contacting creditors persuading them to swap sums owed for equity in a truly shite deal for those owed cash. What it did not say is that at least one creditor was given a far better deal. Some, it seems, are more equal than others.