Taking The Credit
Finally, someone on X has suggested that I do not get the credit or the acknowledgement that I deserve for the work I do on the stock market. This coincides with 25 years of doing what I do. As stated previously, I do not get the invites to events, asked to speak on market matters. I was going to attend Master Investor yesterday, but in the end thought that publishing an extra edition of Bulletin Board Heroes might be the way to go.
Clearly, when you have been around a long time, there are plenty of young pretenders to the stock market game, and my view is let them go ahead and make a living. In fact, rather than getting praise, there is a wall of silence, so one is effectively flying blind. There are a couple of possible reasons for the lack of praise. The first is that I am so ahead of the field that others feel intimated as far as reaching out. This alas, seems unlikely, but one would not wish to rule it out! The second is that the stock market is an ultra-competitive, dog eat dog area, and as such no one would wish to admit that there is a top dog making all the best calls, the best interviews and articles. Fortunately, at this stage of the proceedings, the last lap, such issues are not a concern. One simply gets on with the job, does one’s best, and continues to try and improve. Incidentally, as soon as the kind words were written by the X follower, someone came in with four letter words as a counter.
ADVFN
While many, and an increasing amount of companies are choosing to, or are forced to leave the stock market, the exit of ADVFN (AFN), a financial markets information provider is a stand out. It reminds us that for many companies with a sub £30m market cap it is simply not worth being listed, given the red tape, the cost and the incessant criticism and stress. What makes this even worse is that the nothing significant has arrived to turn the tide, despite some encouraging noises. Even if the new initiatives arrive they will be too late for the likes of ADVFN. But given that ADVFN is effectively an ambassador for the markets and trading, its exit is all the more significant. To borrow Sir Geoffrey Howe’s cricket analogy, AFN leaving the field is like the Captain not returning after tea.
This Week’s Risers On News
Leading the pack, and in the wake of a very volatile share price was Naked Wines (WINE). The market took to the announcement of a strategic plan unveiled on Thursday, and strategic plan materials revealed on Friday. The shares closed up 100% on the week on Friday, although this pales into insignificance as compared to the 800p plus the shares were trading at during the pandemic when we were all ordering alcohol by the barrel. Perhaps people will once again be driven to drink as the effects of the Labour government’s policies start to take hold from the new financial year starting next week.
Financial services group Alpha Growth (ALGW) has seen its shares plummet over the course of March, with the driver ironically being swinging to profit, and choosing to de-list. That said, the bears may have decided to cover their shorts ahead of a next week’s shareholder call arranged on the Engage Investor platform. I have never heard of this platform. Isn’t Investor Meet supposed to be the default box tick in this space? Apparently, there are few barriers to entry in this business.
Industrial inkjet maker Xaar (XAR) experienced a rise in its stock. Here losses have swelled to nearly £12m from £2.7m, but the company’s outlook has soothed investors, and the squeeze higher for the stock left it up 58% on the week. Independent oil and gas exploration and production group Tullow (TLW), announces its Full Year Results for the year ended 31 December 2024. Tripled profits and a $300m Gabon disposal left the shares up 22% on the week, although one could argue that this should have been much more.
A well received mid week interview left energy transition company EnergyPathways (EPP) up 37% on the week. But it was noticeable that the gloriously named Bogside Investments has reduced its stake in the company from 5% to under 3%, even though the company is moving to accelerate the flagship MESH project. It will be interesting to see how what is becoming the increasingly unpopular Net Zero initiative, that no one voted for pans out. The sizzle here is that EPP apparently does not need government funding or aid to get the company’s hydrogen and air storage solution technology over the line. Chart wise, it can be said that breaking recent 8p resistance should get the shares back to their highs and more.
Data science and machine learning group Insig AI (INSG) saw its shares rise by 29% as it forecast that it would achieve 70% growth in its fourth quarter. One presumes the shares will gradually ramp up further as the company outlines its tech and the edge it has in the market.
Stocks Rising On No New News
Although Capai (CPAI) rose last week off the back of Silicon Valley rock star Professor Ronjon Nag, the shares soared again this week, off the back of an interview. This has clearly finessed the good professor’s appointment, with the result being the stock was up another 181% this week. Two stocks rising off the back of absolutely no news were catching the eye, and cheering us up at the same time. Metals One (MET1) continued its recent stellar run after the previous week’s announcement of the acquisition of Finland copper projects. Remember, the bears were totally wrong after criticising the company’s fundraise in January. Indeed, so wrong that the stock is up 10x since then. The Bulletin Board Heroes charting video here on Zakstraderscafe. com highlighted the rebound potential just off the lows. An even more surprise rebound, but one which was also called up on a charting basis was Premier African Minerals (PREM). The advise to veteran CEO George Roach would be to resist the temptation to initiate a fundraise as long as possible, just to squeeze those bears a little longer, and allow the stock to rise more.
Another stock called up, in this case at 67p was Jersey Oil & Gas (JOG). The strange thing here with the stock now up to 119p in just a couple of weeks is that one would not think that in the current environment fossil fuel plays would soar. This is a case of where the technicals have led the fundamentals. Presumably, we shall find out soon the reason behind the rise?
