Hello, Share Finders. There are times when the figures are so encouraging that the urge to buy the shares is almost irresistible. I would suggest that is perhaps the case with Merlin Entertainments (MERL).

Early this year we showed the ten top shorted London-listed shares at the start of 2018. After the latest month, how's performance?...

Despite changing its name from blur Group (BLUR) to Maistro (MAIS) at the start of the year, it is hard to see much of a change when it comes to the fortunes of the company. Basically, it offers businesses a platform for the procurement of business services, including marketing and human resources, and on its website it boasts that it has been in the business for over a decade. With that in mind, it doesn’t exactly look great that the company is still racking up heavy losses each year, and looks like it is going to continue doing so for the foreseeable future.

I have long been critical of Sir Bradley Wiggins and his fellow British cyclists whether in the Tour de Drugs or elsewhere and comment on what today's report says about our double standards and lack of standards. I comment on your comments on the airlines in the wake of my nightmare with EasyJet (EZJ). I look at Interserve (IRV), Feedback (FDBK), King of the spiv tweets UK Oil & Gas (UKOG), Metminco (MNC), Union Jack Oil & Gas (UJO), Fusion Antibody (FAB) and Andalas (ADL) which MUST make a statement ASAP after yesterday's shock revelation HERE.

The world is on the brink of the most dramatic trade confrontation of modern times after President Donald Trump openly threatened “trade wars” as a tool of US policy, prompting warnings of full retaliation by major powers across the world. The world powers have been at cyber war for years, but this new chapter opens up a new front, who’s impact on you will be much worse than a slow internet connection to your favorite social media feed.

Having recovered somewhat from lows in the summer to end 2017 approaching 80p, shares in marketing services company St Ives (SIV) had slid to a last close of 66.8p. However, they are currently back above 70p on the back of a “Disposal” announcement…

Bluebird Merchant Ventures (BMV) has updated including “there is little doubt that the programme for Kochang has been accelerated in the past week and that the potential to complete the transition to a Joint Venture could be completed within the next six months resulting in a decision to move into construction of the mine. This also allows the company to expand its programme on the far larger project at Gubong which still has the potential for a company maker”.

Over the weekend the extraordinary tweet below was sent by UK Oil & Gas (UKOG). Was it approved by its poltroon of a Nomad James Joyce of WH Ireland? Methinks not. In light of its content a responsible Nomad would be resigning or at the least forcing a statement. But not this one.

I have been a long term bear of Mothercare (MTC) on the simple basis that I do not see it as having a USP any more. It is a pointless dinosaur like Toys R' Us. The latter is already toast as of last week, the most recent trading statement from Mothercare indicates that it will go the same way.

Even though the event is still more than 7 weeks away on April 21, the Global Group UK Investor Show is now more than 60% booked out - we have never seen demand like this in 17 years. 

Hello, Share Tickers. Search the financial pages as I might, I could find no mention that Beaufort Securities has fallen into liquidation. It seems that to the press, the BBC et al, the fact that a broker with 20,000 private clients goes bust doesn’t count for anything.

Thanks to our Winnileaks service we can bring you a letter sent to AIM Regulation this week regarding Andalas Energy (ADL) the AIM listed POS which is almost certainly insolvent. The letter is detailed and is below:

Either iii readers are thick and so sent in the daftest softest questions to Neil Woodford or thiis just another blow job paid for interview. Where are the tough questions about disastrous performance, investing in companies that need to break the laws of phsyics, Capita, Provident Financial, The AA, related party deals, RM2, the list goes on and on. If successful fund management is a balance between arraogance and humility it, perhaps, explains why smug Nomates Neil is doing so badly. Get the sick bag ready and watch below...

I see that today’s Telegraph is reporting that Emerald Investment Partners (and the man behind it, Alan McIntosh) in emerging as a key player in the refinancing discussion of fully-listed Interserve (IRV). We are told that Emerald has pledged to back the refinancing, which is very good news. The last thing we want to see is another Carillion-style collapse. 

I start with one reason I am thinking of quitting running businesses: folks who say that they will do something and then don't do it, letting you down. I have had two this weekend and it is just poor behaviour, very tiring and something that bores me. Then it is onto discussing a crap headline article in the Sunday Telegraph on Interserve (IURV) and another on Carillion (CLLN) before my main subject - my 22 hour trip home from Greece. EazyJet you are bastards and this is why I loathe, despite and pity you for being lying scumbags.

Following the sad demise of Beaufort Securities yesterday one chap looking for a new job is Gavin Burnell, the man who brought the fraud Globo to market and made a killing as one of its NEDS, the man who brought you uber dog Magnolia and whose CV is a resume of shareholder value destruction. Natch he was an obvious candidate to work in corporate broking at a place like Belfort but where will shamed Burnell go next? You can win a bottle of champagne in our new prize contest.

I dropped Tom a note immediately upon seeing the great looking Ipsos funding deal with Big Sofa Technologies (BST) on Friday morning saying that it looked like good news. He followed up immediately with a demand for a grovelling apology. Being a reasonable sort, I thought I had better do the decent thing and give him as fulsome a one as I can muster from the bottom of the heart.

Almost exactly three years ago, Kibo Mining (KIBO) raised funds from Hume Capital, a couple of weeks before it went into administration still holding the placing proceeds. Somewhat unbelievably, history has repeated itself with Beaufort Securities going into insolvency on Friday. It looks like a right old mess.

I see that Cynical Bear is wallowing in his own apologies today. I’m sorry too – and much sorrier that Cynical - for the update on my 5 shorts is a week late. Still, better late than never.