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December 18, 2025

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S&P 500 Breaking Out Again: What This Means for Your Portfolio

The S&P 500 ($SPX) just logged its fifth straight trading box breakout, which means that, of the five trading ranges the index has experienced since the April lows, all have been resolved to the upside.

How much longer can this last? That’s been the biggest question since the massive April 9 rally. Instead of assuming the market is due to roll over, it’s been more productive to track price action and watch for potential changes along the way. So far, drawdowns have been minimal, and breakouts keep occurring. Nothing in the price action hints at a lasting change — yet.

While some are calling this rally “historic,” we have a recent precedent. Recall that from late 2023 through early 2024, the index had a strong start and gave way to a consistent, steady trend.

From late October 2023 through March 2024, the S&P 500 logged seven consecutive trading box breakouts. That streak finally paused with a pullback from late March to early April, which, as we now know, was only a temporary hiccup. Once the bid returned, the S&P 500 went right back to carving new boxes and climbing higher.

New 52-Week Highs Finally Picking Up

If there’s been one gripe about this rally, it’s that the number of new highs within the index has lagged. As we’ve discussed before, among all the internal breadth indicators available, new highs almost always lag — that’s normal. What we really want to see is whether the number of new highs begins to exceed prior peaks as the market continues to rise, which it has, as shown by the blue line in the chart below.

As of Wednesday’s close, 100 S&P 500 stocks were either at new 52-week highs or within 3% of them. That’s a strong base. We expect this number to continue rising as the market climbs, especially if positive earnings reactions persist across sectors.

Even when we get that first day with 100+ S&P 500 stocks making new 52-week highs, though, it might not be the best time to initiate new longs.

The above chart shows that much needs to align for that many stocks to peak in unison, which has historically led to at least a short-term consolidation, if not deeper pullbacks — as highlighted in yellow. Every time is different, of course, but this is something to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.

Trend Check: GoNoGo Still “Go”

The GoNoGo Trend remains in bullish mode, with the recent countertrend signals having yet to trigger a greater pullback.

Active Bullish Patterns

We still have two live bullish upside targets of 6,555 and 6,745, which could be with us for a while going forward. For the S&P 500 to get there, it will need to form new, smaller versions of the trading boxes.

Failed Bearish Patterns

In the chart below, you can view a rising wedge pattern on the recent price action, the third since April. The prior two wedges broke down briefly and did not lead to a major downturn. The largest pullbacks in each case occurred after the S&P 500 dipped below the lower trendline of the pattern.

The deepest drawdown so far is 3.5%, which is not exactly a game-changer. Without downside follow-through, a classic bearish pattern simply can’t be formed, let alone be broken down from.

We’ll continue to monitor these formations as they develop because, at some point, that will change.

Iris Secures Right to High-grade Tungsten Project, Montana USA and Update on Capital Raising

IRIS Metals Limited (ASX: IR1, “IRIS” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce it has executed a binding Heads of Agreement (HOA) with Finley Mining Inc for the exclusive right to farm-in to the Finley Basin Tungsten Project (Tungsten Project) located in Granite County, Montana, USA. This strategic farm-in opportunity further expands IRIS’ exposure to critical minerals beyond lithium, positioning the Company in a key tungsten district with historical production potential and untapped high-grade tungsten potential in a jurisdiction primed for revival under U.S. critical minerals policies.

HIGHLIGHTS

  • IRIS Metals has signed a binding Heads of Agreement with Finley Mining Inc and its shareholders, granting IRIS an exclusive right to farm-in to the high-grade Finley Basin Tungsten Project, located in Granite County, Montana, USA, subject to the execution of full form farm-in agreements to be negotiated in good faith on the agreed key terms within 40 business days (unless extended).
  • Due to the transaction materialising during a proposed capital raising program, the Company decided not to raise capital at this point in time, having regard to the strategic merits of the Tungsten acquisition.
  • Limited drilling undertaken by Union Carbide in the late 1970s–early 1980s resulted in a historical, non-JORC compliant tungsten reserve, 850,000 tons at an average grade of 0.68% WO₃1, which is considered high-grade relative to many global tungsten deposits.
  • The farm-in provides IRIS with exposure to tungsten, a critical mineral with strategic importance for defense, energy, and industrial applications, complementing IRIS’ existing critical minerals portfolio.
  • The farm-in structure allows IRIS to earn up to a 100% interest in the project through staged exploration expenditure of up to USD$2,000,000 over 4 years and delivery of a JORC- compliant Inferred Resource.
  • Exploration activities to commence at the Finley Basin Project in early 2026, focusing on resource definition, expansion, and development studies.
  • The transaction aligns with IRIS’ strategy to expand its critical minerals footprint in the USA, leveraging incentives for domestically sourced materials.
IRIS Metals Executive Chairman Peter Marks commented:

‘This binding agreement marks an exciting step for IRIS as we grow and diversify our critical minerals portfolio into tungsten, a vital component for the defense and technology industries. The Finley Basin Project offers significant upside with its prospective geology and location in a mining-friendly jurisdiction. Combined with our existing South Dakota portfolio, this positions IRIS to capitalise on significantly growing demand for US-sourced critical minerals.’

Montana Portfolio Expansion and Development

IRIS is actively evaluating additional critical mineral opportunities to complement its core South Dakota holdings. This farm-in to the Finley Basin Tungsten Project diversifies IRIS’ assets into tungsten, a critical mineral essential for military energetics, alloys, electronics, and renewable energy technologies, with U.S. demand surging amid defense initiatives and clean energy goals, yet vulnerable to geopolitical supply disruptions.

The expansion of IRIS’ mineral portfolio to tungsten was measured in approach with a number of projects reviewed and compared. The Company selected the Finley Basin Project due to its high-grade characteristics when compared other tungsten occurrences in the US2, historical exploration results, favourable jurisdiction, potential for expansion of known mineralisation, local milling capabilities, and reasonable proximity to the Company’s South Dakota operations.

IRIS’ primary focus remains on advancing its South Dakota lithium and rubidium projects toward near- term development under its “Hub & Spoke” strategy, which emphasises centralized processing across multiple sites.

Recent expansions, including the September 2025 acquisition of the Ingersoll Project from Rapid Critical Metals have significantly grown IRIS’ Black Hills footprint and private land holdings. IRIS is rapidly expanding mineral resources and progressing studies to support a multi-mine production model, with economic analysis targeted for 2026.

This strategic diversification importantly aligns with broader U.S. incentives for domestically sourced critical minerals and supports resilient supply chains under frameworks such as the Australia-U.S. Climate, Critical Minerals and Clean Energy Transformation Compact.

Click here for the full ASX Release

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Top 5 Uranium News Stories of 2025

Uranium prices stayed fairly steady in 2025, but experts agree its long-term outlook is compelling,

Demand picked up from reactor restarts, new nuclear construction projects and growing interest in small modular reactors. Meanwhile, supply constraints continued as miners faced issues ramping up.

1. Trump Admin Pushes for Uranium Stockpile Boost to Secure Nuclear Power Future

Publish date: September 16, 2025

In September, the Trump administration zeroed in on its plan to reduce uranium reliance on Russia.

A report by Bloomberg outlined that Russia still accounts for approximately a quarter of the fuel used in America’s 94 nuclear reactors, which generate roughly 20 percent of the nation’s electricity.

Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said that the Department of Energy was working to reduce that dependence by rebuilding domestic uranium and enrichment supply chains.

The concept of a federal uranium reserve dates back to 2020, when the first Trump administration sought US$150 million to begin direct purchases from US producers, though Congress approved only half the amount.

Supply concerns sharpened after Russia briefly restricted uranium exports to the US in late 2024, underscoring Washington’s exposure to geopolitical risks.

A law signed in May 2024 requires US utilities to phase out Russian uranium by 2028, with future stockpile levels expected to rise in line with new reactor construction, including small modular reactors.

“We’re moving to a place — and we’re not there yet — to no longer use Russian enriched uranium,” Wright said, adding that the US needs significantly more domestic uranium and enrichment capacity.

2. China Achieves World’s First Thorium-to-Uranium Conversion

Publish date: November 6, 2025

China marked a milestone in 2025 by converting thorium into uranium inside a working molten salt reactor.

The experimental thorium molten salt reactor, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics in the Gobi Desert, is the first in the world to demonstrate stable thorium-based fission.

The reactor has been operating since reaching first criticality in October 2023 and has now produced data confirming the conversion of thorium-232 into uranium-233, a fissile material capable of sustaining a nuclear chain reaction.

Unlike conventional reactors that use solid uranium fuel rods, the system relies on liquid fuel dissolved in molten fluoride salt, allowing continuous refueling and stable heat generation without shutting down operations.

3. Uranium Energy’s Sweetwater Project Fast Tracked Under Trump Initiative

Publish date: August 6, 2025

In August, Uranium Energy’s (NYSEAMERICAN:UEC) Sweetwater uranium complex in Wyoming was designated for expedited permitting under the Trump administration’s FAST-41 initiative. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to revitalize the US nuclear fuel supply chain and reduce reliance on imports from geopolitical rivals.

The Sweetwater complex, located in Wyoming’s Great Divide Basin, is anchored by a fully licensed conventional uranium mill with a capacity of 3,000 metric tons per day and annual output of 4.1 million pounds.

The site previously included several permitted mines — Sweetwater (Red Desert), Big Eagle and Jackpot (Green Mountain) — and will now be evaluated for in-situ recovery mining, a lower-impact extraction technique.

The new permitting push will allow the company to modify existing approvals to incorporate in-situ recovery capabilities both within and beyond the current mine boundary, including on adjacent federal lands.

Sweetwater is the second uranium project to receive fast-track treatment under the policy, following Anfield Energy’s (TSXV:AEC,NASDAQ:AEC) Velvet-Wood project in Utah, which received the status in May.

4. Denison Mines Moves Closer to Federal Approval for Phoenix ISR Uranium Project

Publish date: February 28, 2025

In February, Denison Mines (TSX:DML,NYSEAMERICAN:DNN) announced that the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) had scheduled public hearings for its Wheeler River uranium project in Saskatchewan.

The hearings were scheduled for October 8 and December 8 to 12, and according to the company would represent the final stage in the federal environmental assessment process. Denison holds an effective 95 percent interest in Wheeler River, the largest undeveloped uranium project in the Eastern Athabasca Basin. If approved, the company expects to begin site preparation and construction for its Phoenix in-situ recovery uranium project in early 2026.

In its Q3 report, released on November 6, Denison said the first part of the hearing was complete, and that it was expecting a decision from the CNSC in early 2026 after part two of the hearing.

5. Western Australia Reviews Uranium Mining Ban as Nuclear Energy Investment Grows

Publish date: October 2, 2025

Possibly the biggest uranium news in Australia in 2025 was Western Australia’s move to consider lifting its ban on new uranium licenses. In October, ahead of an energy-focused trade mission to China and Japan, Premier Roger Cook signaled the policy might be under review as part of broader strategic development considerations.

China, Western Australia’s largest trading partner, accounts for more than half of the state’s exports.

While the state’s three existing uranium mines continue to operate under previously approved permits, no new developments have been allowed since the ban was put in place in 2017. Cook emphasized that Western Australia intends to respect legal mining leases, while exploring future opportunities.

He also stressed that any change to the uranium policy would likely depend on a “significant shift” in global markets, while the state continues to monitor existing permit holders and potential future projects.

Securities Disclosure: I, Gabrielle de la Cruz, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com