I note the comments made by Cynical Bear as he analysed the stonking collapse in the shares of AIM-listed Tern (TERN) and wondered if this would be the worst ever example of the death spiral. It seemed that there was little untoward in the disclosed details of the funding package, but there is one omission which leaves me thinking that the collapse is set to continue.

Hello, Share Scramblers. We’ve all found to our cost that just because a company is big enough to be in the Footsie, doesn’t mean it’s any more immune than the rest from disaster. But some shares still seem more reliable than others.

I’ve been wondering what comes next for Prof Richard Conroy’s AIM vehicles Karelian (KDR) and Conroy Gold and Natural Resources (CGNR). From my review of their financial results to May of this year (see HERE and HERE) it is clear that they are both in deep trouble – they are running out of money fast and the results to last May show that quite clearly. Lord knows how bad it is now.

I start with a look at whether some current assets are really current assets, taking my inspiration from my earlier analysis of Jim Mellon's flagship dog Regent Pacific. I explain why getting this right is so important in endeavouring proper company analysis. Then it is onto Friday's market sell off caused by what even ABC now admits was 100% fake news about Donald Trump. I look at the tax plans of POTUS which are inspirational and compare them with the rhetoric coming out of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party. I increasingly think Corbyn will win the next election and explain why that would be such a disaster. Tomorrow there may be no bearcast as I am travelling but I plan to do a double video share tip for paying subscribers only

Alliance Pharma (APH) has announced a $7.5 million acquisition from medical technology company Smith & Nephew, with CEO John Dawson emphasising “the acquisition will be immediately earnings enhancing, accretive to our underlying return on invested capital, and it fits well in our existing bedrock business operations”…

Apologists for Jim Mellon's Regent Pacific, which thanks to the all share takeover of Plethora (PLE) has many British investors, have reacted fiercely to my article last week on how it was slashing Fortacin prices by 80%. This prompts me into further work and the alarm bells really are now ringing loudly.

I was wondering what had happened to my old pal the uber posh convicted felon and cop beater, the Right Honourable "Champagne" Charlie Gibson. Well here the old boy is, interviewing Harry Adams of Kefi (KEFI) in which we own shares. Harry insists that all is on track and I think the shares are very cheap at a 2.8p bid having taken the sort of thrashing last week that Charlie thinks should be reserved for uppity members of the working classes. Finalise financing and approvals in Q1 2018 and they should race ahead. Anyhow, over to Harry and the UK's most upper class cop beater

The fortunes of London’s two most shorted companies, Carillion (CLLN) and Ocado (OCDO) have differed sharply of late.

An update last month from gold recovery and production company Goldplat (GDP) saw CEO Gerard Kisbey-Green emphasising “operational profitability achieved at all operations” and “good progress being made on our strategic objectives”. This has helped the shares up from just above 6p to a current 8p to buy, but the value and further progress potential suggest there could be much more to come - and soon!

Technical Analyst Jordan Roy-Byrne's latest research unearths some interesting similarities with gold stocks compared to historical three-year bear markets. He found three that compare well; they are the S&P 500 during the great depression, the housing market during the global financial crisis, and Thailand in the mid-1990’s which had a huge bust. He describes how all of the recoveries afterward seem to follow a specific pattern and he sees that behavior in gold stocks. Those patterns ended after 14-24 months with prices moving upwards by 133% to 200%.

This week, ShareProphets writers presented seven tips to buy for Christmas, including one from me. My original suggestion was vetoed by Tom as being 'not on AIM' and 'too weird.' But I'll share it with you now.

The publicity hungry, failing, fund manager Neil Woodford is all over the papers. On the markets he's right ( and bearish) but when discussing his own (failing) funds he is talking utter bollocks and I explain why. Brokerman Dan (Levi) has formed a shareholder action group on Ascent Resources (AST). I discuss his case against them and make a few suggestions to the company. I comment on R4E (R4E) on the disgraceful behaviour of Pathfinder Minerals (PFP), look at RM2 (RM2) and then finally at Sabien (SNT) which look either to be on the brink of a last gasp fundraise ( at a more than 99% discount to the IPO price) or of insolvency. In the same breath I mention Inspirit (INSP), another AIM boiler room dog that should be shot.

The big pharmaceutical companies have traditionally been a fairly safe bet for a steady source of income over the years, and through the peaks and troughs in the markets.

From the FCA's spreadsheet of short positions required to be disclosed to it, the following shows the shorted AIM shares with positions from 2016 and thus far in 2017 (by net short position %) - and if this position has increased (red), reduced (green) or remained unchanged (black) since last week...

I have not made any money on my Greene King (GNK) purchase of HERE a couple of months or so ago but I have not lost a fortune either and the super summary one-liner is that by the time next autumn rolls around, I think you have made good money on this one. I am relaxed because the interim results were not a shocker despite the 8% odd fall in operating profit and the use of the word 'challenging' in a semi-liberal fashion.

I must admit to having a slightly morbid fascination with the various death spiral variants. They all look so similar on the face of it but the devil is in the detail and although the one announced by Tern (TERN) on Thursday looks harmless enough, it could easily crucify the share price, much more so than has been seen already.

Fully listed Interserve plc (IRV) has announced the departure of its support services managing director, Mr Bruce Melizan. He has stepped down from the Board and will stick around until the end of January to effect a handover. A second announcement describes the severance package….I wish I had one of those!

A week ago, I noted that news was due from the disruptive pallet manufacturer, RM2 International (RM2) and doubted that it was going to be positive. Well, it finally came out yesterday and I wasn’t disappointed although assume Neil Woodford and the long suffering shareholders of this and his Patient Capital Trust (WPCT) probably were.

Hello, Share Twangers. You may have your suspicions if I return again to the subject of fair payment for the huge number of well-researched articles on this unique website. But I must at least try and save you from the possibilities of losing huge dollops of money.

Previously writing on Torotrak (TRK) in July I noted hopefully warnings heeded – it’s cash crunch ahoy!. The crunch was noted earlier this week (see HERE) - and now a further financial position update from the company…