What is it with small and mid caps on the London market and their inability to budget for tax bills? I start to wondser how many FD's out there received their training in such matters from the late Sir Ken Dodd or from Lester Piggott. Following on from the debacle at Conviviality (CVR) next up is Nature Group (NGR).

What a great day. Telit (TCM) is under investigation by the FCA and Eqtec (ETQ) has really screwed up although why can't its PRs tell the truth for once and admit that its change of strategy was because I caught them all with their pants down and exposed them? This scandal begs real questions of Nomad Northland - hey chaps have you handed back the £75,000 yet? I also look at Optibiotix (OPTI) where last week's share purchase looks all the more prescient after news today.  I look at Mosman Oil & Gas (MSMN) which is a dog whatever Zac Phillips is paid to say.  I comment on Quartix (QTX) - insider dealing or bad luck?  I comment on cash strapped SalVarx (SALV) - time for Jim Mellon to get his wallet out again methinks. And I look at Quadrise (QFI) where a placing looks inevitable after today's debacle. If you like bearcasts then remember that at UK Investor on April 21 one of many highlights will be a live bearcast with myself and Paul Scott. Make sure you book a free ticket HERE using the promotional code WINNIFRITH

A Trading Statement announcement from Quartix Holdings (QTX) commencing “the board reports that trading for the two-month period to 28 February 2018 was in line to deliver management's expectations for the full year. The company has made excellent progress in its core fleet business in the USA and France since the start of the year”. Sounds fine then, but what?... the shares currently more than 10% lower, at around 340p, in response? Hmmm…

Telit Communications (TCM) and its advisers, notably PR morons Adrian Duffield and Chantal Woolcock of Instinctif, really are fucktards of the highest order. They have had to correct a statement fessing up to an FCA investigation in a material way which changes its meaning. God help these clowns.

The word on the Street is that embattled Pathfinder Minerals (PFP) CEO Nick "not for the many but the " Trew is, via spiv bucket shop Keith Bayley Rogers trying to raise not £450,000 but just £200,000 at 0.6p. He is struggling to raise even that much because everyone knows he has been offered the same funds at a far less dilutive 1p but has rejected them. This placement is all about securing votes to win an EGM.

Hat tip to reader A for bringing my attention to an industrial tribunal which shows Amit Ben Haim, the CEO of the fraud Cloudtag (CTAG), which was booted off AIM last year, caught lying blatantly. Amit...your pants are on fire.

Further to my update piece last week, I’ve managed to take a closer look at the end-February portfolio of Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT) and I just can’t make the numbers work. I can only assume that Woodford has breached his investment policy; let me explain.

It is a private company but I am very interested to learn more about it. It has a long shareholder register so can I ask all readers a) are you a shareholder or b) have you been contacted by One asking for money. If the answer to either is yes please email tomat49@gmail.com with your phone number and a good time to call ASAP!

When it comes to AIM mining companies, the majority of them will fail dismally and won’t even come close to producing anything or selling on their ‘assets’, but occasionally one does come through which looks like it could really make it. Contrary to popular belief, there are actually a few decent mining outfits listed on AIM – including an old favourite of mine which I have covered here a few times in the past, Central Asia Metals (CAML) – and I believe that if it carries on delivering as it has done up until now, then Asiamet Resources (ARS) could soon join that select club.

Promotional and retail merchandising space seller SpaceandPeople (SAL) “is pleased to announce its preliminary results for the 12 months ended 31 December 2017”. The shares have responded 4.5% lower, at 32p. Hmmm…

Hello, Share Dazzlers. With all the hoo-hah about trade wars, world debt and high PE’s, one positive signal is creeping up on the rails. I refer to the galloping price of oil. Brent Crude is breaking recent records. As I write, Brent is nearly $71 a barrel. Last July I recall, it was around $40.

Union Jack Oil (UJO) has updated that “further to the announcement of 5 March 2017… pleased to announce that the company has signed a Farm-in Agreement for a further 10% licence interest in PEDL253 increasing the company's economic interest to 22%”…

Well here’s a blast from the past! I used to hold a few shares in AIM-listed Anglesey Mining (AYM) some years ago. What caught my eye was the 18% share price drop on no news – the last we heard being its interims to September 2017, released back on 30 November 2017 when we were told us that now is the opportune moment to move forward with the development of the Parys Mountain base metal project. Blimey - after all these years! But what with?

The Mrs thinks her dad was born in Chennai. I explain the relevance of this as I discuss Mercantile Ports & Logistics (MPL) and more evidence that has fallen into my hands suggesting that it is doomed. Elsewhere I look at Purplebricks (PURP), Angle (AGL) and the corruption of Fleet Street, Brokerman Dan again showing that he did not train as a journalist but as er..something else as he looks at Big Dish a stock where I have no knowledge or financial interest  I also look at the disgraceful news today from Nick "not for the many but the" Trew at Pathfinder Minerals (PFP) and at ITM Power (ITM)

With just 25 days to go to what is the country's largest and most spectacular one day event for those who want to make money from shares, the Global Group UK Investor Show, the last seats are being snapped up rapidly. More than 470 have gone in the past  8 days meaning that the event is now more than 85% booked out. Act NOW to make sure that you get a chance to join 3,500 other really serious investors in the QE2 Centre in London on April 21.

Earlier this month Nigel Somerville reviewed just how bad the financial position was at Sabien Technology (SNT). Today a 'Fundraise and appointment of sole broker' announcement…

In Greece in a couple of weeks they will celebrate Easter with real eggs dyed a range of bright colours. It was, as it happens how we used to celebrate here as well. I remember my mother preparing such eggs on our hippy dippy self sufficient homestead in 1970s Northants. We did it at Easter to celebrate the re-birth of Jesus, the idea of new life bursting out. Don't tell kids today but that is why we all have eggs at Easter.

The good news for Neil Woodford and the other saps who own Purplebricks (PURP) shares is that German media conglomerate Axel Springer has invested £125 million at 360p - a material premium to thge recent VWAP. But then there is the bad news...

Having last week announced a 7.5p per share possible offer for the company, mobile financial services provider Vipera (VIP) is now “pleased to announce a trading update in respect of the year ended 31 December 2017”. Hmmm, only doing this now, almost three months after the year-end? But at least “pleased to announce”, right?...

I do not agree with many things said by Richard Jennings of Align Research. But he is bang on the money on the merits of emigrating to Greece, on cats and on the desirability of removing hapless Nick Trew and Tory Toff Sir Henry Bellingham MP of 3DM infamy as directors of Pathfinder Minerals (PFP). Jennings has written to Trewly useless today and opines: