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Leading the fight back were two financial software plays. The Market Age, whose shares started the month at 149.5p, leapt up 30.4 per cent to 195p in two days. House broker Brewin Dolphin cited press comment as the reason for the rise, having given voice to rumours that the company was set to develop a new product for the retail market. The shares have since been pegged back to 182.5p. Another financial software play reacting well to media attention was AFA Systems. Having been recommended by a technology tip sheet, the group's shares leapt to 181p - a rise of 30.2 per cent. It was not all good news for the software sector, however, with Mondas and Rapid Technology both seeing their shares drop more than 20 per cent. This followed the uninspiring results each released in December.

Also having a good month was bus operator Southern Vectis. It successfully de-merged its environmental waste control arm Conder Environmental in mid-December and released a set of solid interim results sending its share price surging up to 42.5p - an increase of 32.8 per cent. Conder itself, meanwhile, has seen its shares slip from a placing price of 20p to their current 14.5p.

In what was an awful month for Aim's telecom stocks, two companies hit all-time lows and a third reached its lowest level for over a year. Eurotelecom Communications claimed the dubious honour of being Aim's biggest loser having seen its shares shed 51 per cent to 12p (24.5p). The share price fall comes on the back of a profits warning suggesting the company will record a loss for the year due to an increase in investment. Hot on the heels of Eurotelecom was Future Integrated Telephony, which saw its shares dip to a 52-week low of 61.5p. Advanced Technology also continued to move south, slipping 14.2 per cent.

Yet again Bizzbuild was one of Aim's major losers. Shares in the internet incubator - which seem determined to set an all-time low each month - once traded as high as 317.5p; they now stand at a lowly 14p. Finance director Ian Lees feels that the current unrest surrounding all things internet is a major factor in his company's woes. He also cites investor opinion that Bizzbuild may not have 'the funding to last for the next 20 years or so', as a factor in the tumbling share price, acknowledging 'we probably don't'. Corvus Capital was another company feeling the pinch despite its shares being rescued from an all-time low in December. Maiden interim results for the six months to 31 August had seen Corvus' share price clamber up to 42.5p. This good work has since been undone, however, as the shares returned to their low of 30.5p. At Netb2b2, meanwhile, the resignation of directors Bill Chamberlin and Iain Brown has seemingly unsettled investors - the shares slipped to 4.75p.

Two recent new issues to hit the heights were Burnden Leisure and European Diamonds. Burnden, which operates Bolton Wanderers football club, transferred from the Full List on 18 December and has since seen its shares leap 35.29 per cent to 11.5p. The rise reflects the team's performance in moving in to second place in Division One and therefore into position for a highly lucrative return to the Premier League. European Diamonds also moved to Aim in December and has seen its share price nudge up to 166p. This move seems to reflect the general theme of the mining sector as companies have either posted gains or remained stable. Other impressive performances in the mining sector came from Firestone Diamonds, up to 85.5p, and Brancote, which has leapt from 189.5p to 216p.

The best performing debutante of recent weeks was communications provider Offshore Telecom, which saw its shares rise to 12.25p from a placing price of 2.5p. Software developer Intercede was almost as impressive, its shares leaping from their placing price of 60p to stand at 80p.

One of the new companies looking to join Aim in the coming weeks is cash shell Innobox. The provider of specialist packaging and distribution solutions is hoping to raise £1 million through a placing of 10 million 10p shares. Innobox, advised by Brown Shipley, is expected to be valued at £1.25 million when it arrives.