In today's bearcast I look at the writings of Ian Cowie in the Sunday papers and his cunning scheme to avoid IHT by losing all your money and his patronising view that journalists know better and can be trusted. A bit like Estate Agents and MPs then? I then discuss Luke Johnson's view that we are celebrating the business woes of Jamie Oliver because we envy him. Luke is not all wrong but overlooks the fact that Oliver is a patronising A grade A'hole.

Heck, even semi-pro Adam Reynolds baiter Cynical Bear seems to be warming to Optibiotix (OPTI) as you can see HERE. And there are fundamental reasons for this. We noted last week:

If you believe certain prize Bulletin Board loons the demise of Worthington PLC (WRN) was all my fault. Moreover since the company had massive asset backing I should be hung drawn and quartered. Well sorry to break the news to you chaps but the Liquidator has published his first report. The news ain't good....

It’s time for my monthly look at this motley selection of AIM wannabes. A few positive pointers but they all remain resolutely out of reach for the time being; although after a false start at Vast Resources, I sense the wonder VR app at EVR Holdings is taking the lead.

Thanks for all the entries – I’m pleased to be able to say “entries” this time - to my Woodford Cheltenham Festival (HERE). I’m calling it a day early as the result is clear. Read on for the winner and the choice of Cheltenham runners on which I am placing the winner’s free bet.

Dear readers of Notes from Underground, prepare to invest in my new venture, Blockchain Cannabis Bioceuticals Plc,

Obviously all that matters today is the rugby, the countdown to Ireland vs Scotland is now underway.  After that I discuss crazy Labour plans to tax auto-checkouts at supermarkets and how one should react to change. Then it is onto the straw that is breaking my back as a camel and that of many other entrepreneurs - 6.5% pay rises for fat cat GPs on £100,000 a year for a 35 hour week. Then I reveal the real Eqtec (EQT) scandal, the appalling COI at disgraced Nomad Northland.

Prostate cancer lies twentieth in the ‘league table’ of annual cancer research spend. It kills slightly more men than breast cancer kills women but it gets half the funding. That’s why treatment lags ten years behind breast cancer and many years behind some other forms of cancer. Brian Basham is a legend among journalists

Begbies Traynor (BEG) has said that third quarter trading was in line and it is confident. It has also announced the purchase of small corporate finance boutique Springbord Corporate Finance. Its all good, the market loves it and the shares have raced ahead to 74.2p bid.

When a company issues an RNS which involves an unnamed third party, investors should run for the hills. In the case of BNN Technology this is problematic as the shares have been de-listed from AIM because the last NOMAD Strand Hanson resigned and no one else was prepared to take it on (not a good sign when you consider the depths that most NOMADs are prepared to plumb for ready money).

Fund manager Jamie Carrasco likes looking at the finances of the world from a geopolitical perspective. He says, “The Chinese use two symbols for danger, one signifies danger and the other can indicate wealth. We are on the cusp of some massive changes and the birth of a new system.” 

Having in end-January results stated “confidence for both achieving current year board expectations, as well as the group's longer-term performance”, a 3:07pm “Trading update” from Conviviality (CVR)…

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following shows the shorted AIM shares with positions from 2017 and thus far in 2018 (by net short position %) - and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since last week...

Hello, Share Chisellers. Mostly I suggest you look at small-cap and penny shares. But every portfolio needs a few ’safer’ stalwarts to keep an even keel. One such company for me is Legal & General (LGEN). Now, most insurance companies have seen their share prices bloat in the last year or so and that happy trend continues.

Even though the event is still almost 7 weeks away on April 21, the Global Group UK Investor Show is now more than two thirds booked out - A highlight of the show is the tale of the two fund managers below: Mark Slater & Neil Woodford. Slater is the UK's most successful fund manager of the past decade. He will give the final speech of the day explaining where he sees the market, what shares he is buying, what he is selling and why. If there is a man to follow it is Mark. Neil Woodford is perhaps the country's highest profile fund manager and makes millions for himself. 

I see that AIM-listed Milestone Group (MSG) has had its shares marked down below their nominal price of 0.1p today: they are now 0.09 – 0.1p bid to offer. Given that the company has a desperate need for cash, that’s a problem – especially when it passed on the opportunity to put resolutions for a capital reorganisation to its forthcoming AGM.

Previously writing on The Real Greek and Franco Manca operator Fulham Shore (FUL) in September it was ANOTHER restaurant group profit warning. Yesterday afternoon (3:36pm) saw a “Trading Statement” announcement from the company. Uh oh…

I am a bear of Pantheon Resources (PANR) as explained again in today's bearcast. The City's No 1 oil analyst Zac "the knife" Phillips of SP Angel does not seem to be much of a fan either. In his morning email he opines: 

Writing on industrial chains and related power transmission products supplier Renold (RNO) in October it was Again “Trading Update” = Profit Warning. Now another “Trading Update” announcement…

It’s amazing what can be done when one’s back is against the wall. For the third month running, the guys at RM2 International (RM2) have found some cash from behind the sofa and can put some money in the meter. Its RNS this morning is its most upbeat in a while although I'm not sure it will alter the long-term outcome.