25 Years And Counting
I have been doing what I do now for over 25 years. After being a derivatives broker in the 1990s, it seemed to me that the arrival of the internet and financial websites there was an opportunity. It was that there were too many financial websites and not enough content. Especially from people who knew above the markets. It went well, I got a job at shares magazine, and after that worked freelance for the next 15 years. After that some of the companies that I wrote about asked me to provide public relations / investor relations. It worked well as unlike many in the space I had professional experience of the markets, and a following of my own.
Even now, with all the water under the bridge, and all the used car salesman in the PR/IR area, I still get companies asking me to interview them. This is despite the way that they may already have a (useless) PR company on a retainer. Indeed, as a massive supporter of small caps, I was a small cap CEO for four years, I know what it is like in the jungle of the low end of the stock market. And for some companies I like I even write about them, or interview them for free. Who does that? The answer is someone with a passion for the area, something I have had since the oil crisis of 1973, when just 7 years old. With all this experience one would perhaps imagine that I should have been a very successful investor.
It is perhaps ironic that I feel now as I approach the age of 60, my original idea of doing just that was the best. Rather than writing about or helping companies, just be an investor. In fact, some of my best friends are investors, and I could just copy what they do. It is even easier than that. I follow people on X who are consistently successful in their calls and trades. I would commend all to do the same, especially at a time when making money in the real world is becoming increasingly difficult. Under new Prime Minister Burnham, one can be sure this will be the case.
Orcadian Energy
Speaking of interviews, on Thursday I was contacted by Steve Brown, CEO of Orcadian Energy (ORCA). He was keen for an interview, and as it has been quite a while since we have spoken, I was up for it. It is also the case, that given the sorry state of the North Sea as far as the effective ban on production in favour of imports, I was all ears. What he said in the interview was actually rather more groundbreaking than I expected as we had the revelation of the “Earlham Gigagrid”.
This was something out of James Bond, in the sense that he was talking offshore data centres. He was also talking the Assessment Phase for the development of the Earlham and Orwell gas fields on its 100% owned licence, P2680. So all pretty transformational. It would appear that the market thought the same. The interview went out on Thursday at midday, and the shares nudged up a little off recent lows. However, on Friday ORCA was the top riser on the London market, with a 49% gain. My 7 year old self would be very pleased, as is my 59 year old manifestation. Job satisfaction, and I am sure that Steve Brown is pleased too.
Indeed, there could be more. The shares closed on Friday at 19p. From a charting perspective, above recent broken resistance at 18p we could see the stock hit an October resistance line project as high as 30p by the end of next month. Let’s see whether the momentum and traction for ORCA shares can continue after an extended quiet period.
Disclaimer & Declaration of Interest:
The information, investment views, and recommendations in this Zaks Traders Cafe interview are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing in this interview should be construed as a promotion or solicitation to buy or sell any financial product relating to any companies under discussion or referred to or to engage in or refrain from doing so or engage in any other transaction. Any opinions or comments are made to the best of the knowledge and belief of the commentator but no responsibility is accepted for actions based on such opinions or comments. The commentators may or may not hold investments in the companies under discussion.
