Ariana Resources (AAU) is on the cusp of announcing the commencement of gold and silver production from its Kiziltepe mine, part of the Red Rabbit project in Turkey. But for recent extreme weather conditions it would be there already, but the signs are that the big news of final completion and the move to production are imminent and I expect the shares to react positively when the RNS is finally released containing the word “production”.

Oh dear the curse of ShareProphets today falls on Pirate Pete Landau, formerly boss of AIM dog Range Resources (RRL) and several other stockmarket hounds and a man who sent me a string of lawyer's letters because he did not like my investigative journalism. I now have an official document where the Pirate stands accused of theft, fraud and forgery, of half inching more than $2 million and much else. The victim is Citation Resources, an ASX company linked to Range and now in administration.

Fevertree Drinks (FEVR) is a company that I have admittedly been wrong about in the past – I like the product and way the business has grown, but thought the valuation was crazy!

In May 2016, I commented on the forthcoming IPO of a David Breith-connected business, Toople, which joined the Sub-Standard List raising £2 million at 8p (see HERE). It currently trades at 3.25p, a disappointing 60% drop in a mere eight months, but I thought I’d take a closer look at its recent maiden full year results to assess where it goes from here.

Those of us in the Cult of Apple (PBU Steve Jobs) may have lost Brexit, may have lost the United States, but at least we know our choice of computer platform is not just technically but actually morally superior to others. Therefore, when it was tantelising within our grasp to covert one of our most vocal heretics, one Tom Winnifrith, to our side, our ruliing body, the Council of Smug rejoiced.

Shares in AIM-listed Rurelec (RUR) sprang into life late yesterday after the company released news of a three-way deal which looks to have relieved at least some of the balance sheet pressure the company has been under of late. It is not out of the woods by any means, but shareholders have had two positive RNSs which suggest that all may not be lost.

I am still boondoggled by the way that Avanti Communications (AVN) managed to get a refinancing away. You will remember that the cash guzzling satellites business which misses every operational target going was set to run out of what little cash it had left. Amazingly it persuaded its bond holders to agree to accept stacks of interest on its bonds in new ( equally worthless) bonds. And it got the institutional mugs to sign up for more bonds.

I resisted the temptation to short Premier Oil (PMO) a year ago, along with Afren, Gulf Keystone and Petroceltic as it was never in the same basket case league as that lot. I even hitched a brief ride North as it became clear that a wipe out was not going to happen. (In case I come across as arrogant or smug I should declare that I was short Hurricane Energy at the time which more than did for the Premier rise) 

Concepta (CPT) has announced a deal that will enhance its fertility product MyLotus with an added stress test. Being stressed out can be a real issue when a chap is trying to get his Mrs up the duff.

You know that I am a massive supporter of Primary Bid as it gives ordinary punters the chance to take part on placings hitherto reserved either for fund managers or for bucket shops. The platform has now really come of age with news of a £3 million fund raise for Ascent Resources (AST), a stock I quite like. If you are not signed up you are MAD so do so here.

A contract announcement from national financial advisory group Lighthouse (LGT) sees me catch-up on progress of this former tip – we having banked more than 50%, less than 6 month, gains on the shares at 14p following an offer approach a bit less than a year ago…

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...

Hello Share Pitchers. You may have heard me say a few times that the drinks trade is worth a look - if only because people seem to be boozing more than ever these dark days. An easy way to cheer yourself up, you see.

If you had to bet the ranch on one share listed in London what would it be? I guess most of us would go for a FTSE 100 stock: Tesco, GlaxoSmithKline or maybe Shell. For the man known as Britain's Buffett, Nigel Wray, the answer is not a blue chip but a small cap. For that is how Wray has made his fortune taking large stakes in smaller companies such as Domino's Pizza when no-one had heard of them. 

There will be no bearcast today as I am fully engaged on Vlach hunting in the Pindus mountains. One tearful reunion is complete but the big one will happen soon. The internet is not fast enough to transmit back to the UK from the little village of Anelion but I shall try to post a podcast tomorrow before I travel the length of Greece down to the Mani. Pro tem I guess you were wondering if Cloudtag (CTAG) CEO Amit Ben Haim has got any balls.

Marketing and market research group BrainJuicer (BJU) has announced results emphasising “strong performance in the first half of 2016 continued over the second six months” and “we are pleased with the continued progress across the business and remain confident in its long-term potential”. However, the shares have responded lower to sub 700p…

I have been following the Monchhichi (MCC) story, or Mercom as was, since Calvet got involved last year (as can be seen HERE) and so today’s RNS announcing the completion of the promised placing was no great surprise although there were certain aspects that amused me.

Shares in Billington Holdings (BILN) are currently on the slide despite a trading update noting that full-year “results are anticipated to be in line with market expectations and the board is particularly pleased with the progress made at the new Shafton facility”. Hmmm…

By pure accident of timing AIM-listed China play Grand Group (GIPO) missed the cut-off for inclusion in  the ShareProphets AIM-China Filthy Forty. But it is littered with Red Flags and with the shares having collapsed from just shy of 60p a pop after a lack-of-accounts-induced suspension was lifted at the end of December to yesterday’s close at just 14.75p those Red Flags are fluttering brightly in the wind on the world’s most successful growth market. 

The thing about dodgy companies is that eventually the chickens come home to roost and this morning’s RNS from Boxhill Technologies (BOX) is testament to that fact. Nevertheless, I almost admire the chutzpah of the guys as it’s not holding them back from issuing more confetti in unknown directions in a further attempt to squeeze a few quid out of the mug punter!