Woodford Patient Capital Trust (WPCT) held, as at 30 September, 4.95% of its gross funds in unlisted healthcare stock Immumocore. I say gross funds because WPCT has taken on rather a lot of debt over the last while – presumably because Woodford ran out of cash and still had too many hungry mouths to feed. If the entire portfolio goes a load higher then of course being leveraged is a good thing. Unfortunately, it is a bad thing if the portfolio keeps of falling in value.

What are your Sunday rituals? The most reliable one of mine is a phone call from Tom demanding to know where this column is.

I will not take the populist path of kicking Luke just becuase he is down. Firstly he is my friend and I don't abandon pals just because they are not flavour of the month right now and secondly, and more importantly, much of the criticism is pure bollocks by folks who could not run a whelk stall and do not know what they are talking about. I also look at what makes a dead cat bounce ref Photonstar Led (PSL), Urals Energy (UEN) and Inspirit Energy (INSP).

Bluebird Merchant Ventures (BMV) has updated that it “has completed required Kochang expenditure for JV” and “locates and finds accessible open mining areas at the Kochang silver mine adjoining the gold workings which were in a good condition”…

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...

Tipster sentiment spiked as tipsters saw buying opportunities in the wake of an October sell-off. Earlier this month Roland Head at the Motley Fool   wrote “we’re interested in gaining an advantage over the market, not following the crowd”, and as key UK indices dropped over 5% this month tipsters were drawn to undervalued companies.

The London Stock Exchange has just published its October 2018 AIM Statistics bulletin and the figures are again shocking. AIM is down from 942 members last month to just 928 now – and with Northland set to lose its Nomad license in a few days’ time that number is going to fall further as yet more companies have to search out a new Nomad that might not want them on their books.

Hello, Share Plunderers. As shares have fallen recently, it’s likely that the usual rush to buy shares in the run-up to Christmas will be stronger this year. This is the fabled Santa Rally. And because shares have been off the boil this autumn, we may have an even better buying opportunity.

The country’s, easily, largest and certainly, most exciting, one day event for those who want to make more money from shares, The Global Group UK Investor Show, is still almost six months away but already the all-star main stage speaker line-up is almost finalized. And this week we announced a big new name.

I have been greatly distracted today. In part by some ludicrous piffle from Brokerman Dan, I explain why he is deluded. More importantly there is the growing sex and physical abuse scandal at my old school Warwick as I explained earlier today HERE. Today I have spoken to a second sexual abuse victim and been contacted by the new Head Master. Maybe something will happen. On the markets I look at First Derivatives (FDP), Angus Energy (ANGS), Purplebrocks (PURP) Totally (TLY) where Stevie Wonder could see that it is placing ahoy and Goldplat (GDP)

Fully listed BT (BT.A) is the largest holding in my small collection of dividend munchers by value, although for the purposes of the portfolio it is marked as one unit, along with Centrica (CNA) and ITV (ITV). Vodafone, the fourth member, is half a unit – thank goodness! Yesterday’s interims went down very well with the market, which marked the shares up to around 267p at the peak, and closed at around 260. The shares haven’t been this high since last January and you have to go back to last October before you see an extended period of higher prices than that.

Marketing services group System1 (SYS1) has announced results for its half year ended 30th September 2018 including emphasising “26% growth in diluted earnings per share to 5.3p” and “we are excited about our new Ad Ratings service”. The shares have currently responded circa 8% higher, but a still sub 200p share price compares to almost 400p early in 2018…

ProPhotonix (PPIX), “a high technology designer and manufacturer of LED illumination systems and laser diode modules, with operations in Ireland and the United Kingdom, today announces a trading update for the 2018 fiscal year. Trading conditions remain positive”… So good news then?...

Thin old pickings in today's larger cap regulatory news disclosures but I did read a trading update from Anglo-Irish betting company Paddy Power Betfair (PPB) where it bemoaned recent retail store and Australian performance...but loved up online and the US of A. Well quelle surprise. If there is anything I know about gambling sector stocks it is that (1) most are horribly regressive and it is the relatively poor who are the sources of most of the profits and; (2) there is a big switch from retail to online as with many other areas in life…

In July consultancy services and staffing group Parity (PTY) was emphasising “an encouraging sales pipeline from both existing and new customers, gives us confidence”, in September it was “we are experiencing a short-term client-side delay on one large contract… Without any further delays, we expect a stronger second half, in line with the group's traditional seasonality, and to deliver on current expectations for the year as a whole”. Today a further “Trading Update”…

Northland yesterday ‘fessed up that it would be surrendering its Nomad license on 1^st February. If you think that this “surrender” is a voluntary act you are the sort of person Nigerian Generals dream of adding to their email list. So 28 clients need to find a new Nomad to take them on and complete due diligence PDQ as DD takes a while and the Christmas holidays beckon. No new Nomad and the companies below will be slung off AIM.

Digital media and technology provider, Catenae Innovation (CTEA) “is pleased to announce” the raising of £524,945 through the issue of new shares at 0.12p each, with CEO Tony Sanders emphasising “the company is at an interesting stage of its development underlined by the support of the senior management and directors. Furthermore, we are pleased to complete this placing at a premium and welcome the support from the large UK based institutional investor, specialising in Tech companies, who has taken a significant stake in the business”...

I am contacted on twitter, as you can see below, by a man claiming to live in Spain who opposes Berkeley Energia (BKY) and its plans to create thousands of jobs at Salamanca. I do not wish to deny the poor the dignity of work this chap does. Follow the thread for it ends with a clear threat - I should stay away from the project...

Hello, Share Monkeys. Writers like me take a big risk when they commend a share the day before a big trading update comes along. But in the case of Biome Technologies (BIOM) I was happily vindicated. The numbers are exciting and as a result the shares soared as high as 12.5%. That attracted some profit taking, but the share price is still up by 9% as I write.

The rumour swirling round the City is that following an FCA visit 2 weeks ago the SFO called in on a well known firm today. Various names have been mentioned but to be clear I have on the record denials from both Novum and Optiva. It was not them. Was there a raid at all? I don't know but in the current climate folks are prepared to believe the worst. I discuss why the number of AIM Casino listed companies will plunge from c930 today to sub 800 within 18 months if the bear market in small caps continues or, indeed, accelerates. I think it could.