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Week Ahead: NIFTY Stares At Crucial Support; RRG Hints At Defensive & Risk-Off Setups

In what can be called an indecisive week for the markets, the Nifty oscillated back and forth within a given range and ended the week on a flat note. Over the past five sessions, the Nifty largely remained within a defined range. While it continued resisting the crucial levels, it also failed to develop any definite directional bias throughout the week. The Nifty stayed and moved in the 585-point range. The volatility significantly declined. The India VIX came off by 15.77% to 13.69 on a weekly note. While trading below crucial levels, the headline index closed flat with a negligible weekly gain of 51.55 points (+0.22%).

A few important technical points must be noted as we approach the markets over the coming weeks. Both the 50-Day and 50-Week MA are in very close proximity to each other at 23754 and 23767, respectively. The Nifty has resisted to this point, and so long as it stays below this level, it will remain in the secondary corrective trend. For this secondary trend to reverse, the Nifty will have to move past the 23750-24000 zone, one of the critical market resistance areas. Until we trade below this zone, the best technical rebounds will face resistance here, and the markets will remain vulnerable to profit-taking bouts from higher levels. On the lower side, keeping the head above 23500 will be crucial; any breach of this level will make the markets weaker again.

Monday is likely to see a quiet start to the week; the levels of 23700 and 23960 will act as resistance levels. The supports come in at 23350 and 23000 levels.

The weekly RSI stands at 46.20. It remains neutral and does not show any divergence against the price. The weekly MACD is bearish and stays below its signal line. A Spinning Top occurred on the candles, reflecting the market participants’ indecisiveness.

The pattern analysis weekly charts show that after violating the 50-week MA, the Nifty suffered a corrective decline while forming the immediate swing low of 22800. The subsequent rebound has found resistance again at the 50-week MA at 23767, and the Nifty has retraced once again from that level. The zone of 23700-24000 is now the most immediate and major resistance area for the Nifty over the immediate short term.

Unless the Nifty crosses above the 23700-24000 zone, it will remain in a secondary downtrend. On the lower side, keeping head above the 23500 level will be crucial; any violation of this level will take Nifty towards the 23000 mark. The markets may continue to reflect risk-off sentiment overall. Given the current technical setup, remaining highly selective while making fresh purchases would be prudent. All technical rebounds should be used more to protect gains at higher levels. At the same time, staying invested in stocks with strong or at least improving relative strength while keeping overall leveraged exposures at modest levels is important. A cautious and selective approach is advised for the coming week.

Sector Analysis For The Coming Week

In our look at Relative Rotation Graphs®, we compared various sectors against CNX500 (NIFTY 500 Index), which represents over 95% of the free float market cap of all the stocks listed.

Relative Rotation Graphs (RRG) show defensive and risk-off setups building up in the markets. Nifty Bank, Midcap 100, and Realty Indices are inside the leading quadrant. But all these pockets show a sharp loss of relative momentum against the broader markets.

The Nifty Financial Services Index has slipped inside the weakening quadrant. The Nifty Services Sector and IT indices are inside the weakening quadrant. The Pharma Index is also inside this quadrant but is seen as attempting to improve its relative momentum.

The Nifty Media, Energy, and PSE indices are inside the lagging quadrant.

The Nifty FMCG, Consumption, and Commodities groups have rolled inside the improving quadrant, indicating a likely onset of the phase of relative outperformance. The Auto, Infrastructure, Metal, and PSU Bank indices are inside the improving quadrant. Among these groups, the PSU Bank Index is seen rapidly giving up on its relative momentum.

Important Note: RRG charts show the relative strength and momentum of a group of stocks. In the above Chart, they show relative performance against NIFTY500 Index (Broader Markets) and should not be used directly as buy or sell signals.  

Milan Vaishnav, CMT, MSTA

Consulting Technical Analyst

www.EquityResearch.asia | www.ChartWizard.ae

Even at $8M per Super Bowl commercial, ad executives say it’s still bang for your buck

Advertisers shelled out up to $8 million for a spot during Super Bowl 59. Ad industry executives still consider the price tag worth it, and argue it’s even a bang for their buck.

The NFL’s championship game between the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs will air this year on Fox Corp.’s broadcast network, as well as on Fox’s free streamer Tubi. It’ll likely be the biggest audience watching live television at the same time this year.

“The scale and buzz factor still delivers a punch,” said Amy Leifer, DirecTV’s chief advertising sales officer. “Where else can you get 100 million viewers at once, right? Especially in this fragmented landscape … there’s virtually few places you can go to get that type of scale.”

Last year more than 123 million people tuned into the Super Bowl. The 2024 game racked up estimated ad revenue of about $550 million for in-game placements, according to GroupM, WPP’s media investment group.

While advertisers have been spending more on digital, social media and streaming platforms, traditional TV is still considered the most “effective” form of advertising, meaning it has the biggest impact and results for brands due to the large audiences watching at once.

The ad market for traditional TV programming has slowed down as the cable bundle bleeds customers. Still, media companies with rights to live sports — as well as news and other live programming like awards shows — are able to nab a bigger chunk of ad dollars than peers without sports.

While it appears the ad market is stabilizing after a slowdown, networks and streamers with sports are sure to fare better than those without this year.

Sports have taken over the conversation at the advertising industry’s Upfronts presentations each spring, when media companies make their pitch to advertisers. Fox sold most of the ad inventory for this year’s Super Bowl during its Upfront last spring, CNBC previously reported.

The Super Bowl remains about three times as effective as the average primetime programming for advertisers, according to EDO, an advertising data company. The NFL’s big game last year was 224% more effective than average primetime programming, the data firm said.

EDO likened the audience and engagement that comes with a Super Bowl game to an advertiser buying hundreds of spots on primetime. Based on last year’s Super Bowl audience, EDO equated one ad during the big game to roughly 450 spots during primetime programming in terms of viewer engagement.

“It’s a fair and rational price based on our data, which is that this has been one of the most consistent performers over time,” said Kevin Krim, CEO of EDO. “And there’s room for the price to go up based on our data. But the important thing is, it matters a ton how a brand executes on their creative idea.”

For instance, when brands launch a new product during a Super Bowl commercial, consumers continue to engage with the brand via online searches or app visits even after the Super Bowl ad first aired, said Krim. He noted three recent brand launches during Super Bowl commercials — automaker Kia launching the EV6 in 2022, and Reese’s unveiling its Big Caramel Cup and Popeye’s promoting its new wings in 2024 — which led to a lift in engagement for each brand when the ads aired thereafter.

Even localized ads that are sold at a lower cost than national ads and only shown in certain markets experience a Super Bowl lift. Zeam, a hyperlocal streaming platform, aired a spot starring actor John Stamos in select markets last year.

The app had “millions of downloads” following the commercial, said Jack Perry, CEO of Zeam Media.

“It was good enough for us, and it’s not cheap for us to buy those available spots. There’s a very limited number of local spots during the game,” said Perry.

Zeam will run another commercial with Stamos this year.

The placement of a commercial during the game, sometimes as specific as what time during a certain quarter the ad is shown, can make a difference, too, according to Andre Banks, founder and CEO of NewWorld, an ad data firm.

“If a brand wants to drive high-impact results, they must align their spots with when their target audience is most engaged, not the spot that receives higher viewership,” said Banks.

He noted a portion of the Super Bowl audience each year tunes in specifically for the Halftime show, which this year features rapper Kendrick Lamar, and then turns their attentions away once the moment passes.

Banks also noted that social media plays a big role during the Super Bowl, with viewers turning to varying tech platforms during the game. Social media should be key for advertisers during the Super Bowl, too, he said.

“With so many viewers scrolling on social channels during the game, there’s also a massive opportunity for brands to optimize for second-screen engagement,” Banks added.

Ad spending on tech and social media platforms far eclipses traditional TV. GroupM estimates that ad revenue for “pure-play digital,” which excludes digital extensions of media companies like streaming, will grow 10% to $813.3 billion globally in 2025. By comparison, TV ad spend is expected to grow nearly 2% to $169.1 billion. Media companies have even recently come together to launch an ad platform with the aim of taking back share from tech players.

Some say brands’ focus on spending big on the Super Bowl and the idea that traditional TV is the most effective form of advertising may lie in the past.

“I don’t necessarily think when someone says it’s still the most effective, that’s what it is. I think what people are saying is it’s the only place left where there is a really large, captive broadcast audience watching something,” said Shoshana Winter, CEO of Converge, a performance marketing agency. “When it comes to this particular thing, we are holding on hard and fast.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Why Chappell Roan and other artists find themselves among the 25 million uninsured Americans

With a Grammy win for best new artist, Chappell Roan is at a career high. A few years ago, she was one of the millions of Americans without a job or health insurance.

“I told myself that if I ever won a Grammy and got to stand up here in front of the most powerful people in music, I would demand that labels, and the industry profiting millions of dollars off of artists, would offer a livable wage and health care, especially to developing artists,” she said at the Grammy awards show in Los Angeles on Feb. 2.

“When I got dropped, I had zero job experience under my belt. And like most people, I had a difficult time finding a job in the pandemic and could not afford health insurance,” she said in her acceptance speech.

“If my label would have prioritized artists’ health, I could’ve been provided care by a company I was giving everything to. So, record labels need to treat their artists as valuable employees with a livable wage and health insurance and protection.”

Roan, whose given name is Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, was released from her record label in 2020. That’s the same year a huge spike in unemployment resulted in an estimated 1.6 million to 3.3 million people losing coverage through their employers, according to the Health and Human Services Department.

At the time, coverage expansions put in place by the Affordable Care Act acted as a safety net for those experiencing coverage disruptions.

That government-backed aid significantly lowered the costs of coverage for people buying health insurance plans on the ACA marketplace. Those customers include anyone who doesn’t have access to a workplace plan, such as self-employed individuals like musicians, as well as students and the unemployed, among others.

Gains in Medicaid and marketplace coverage have contributed to significant declines in the uninsured rate, according to KFF, a nonprofit formerly known as the Kaiser Family Foundation. 

“With the Affordable Care Act, there’s a health care safety net for artists who previously had none,” said Larry Levitt, KFF’s executive vice president for health policy. The ACA also guarantees insurance for pre-existing conditions and subsidizes premiums based on income, he said.

Yet, there can still be challenges for artists in getting health insurance if their recording labels don’t provide it, according to Levitt.

“If income is volatile, premiums can fluctuate and be unpredictable because subsidies are based on actual income for the year,” Levitt said. “So an artist who has no income for a period of time can be left with no viable health insurance options.”

“It makes it really hard, especially for starving artists,” said Carolyn McClanahan, a physician and certified financial planner based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Jeff Rabhan, the former chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, said in a guest column in The Hollywood Reporter that “Roan’s call for record labels to pay artists a livable wage and provide health care was noble — but also wildly misinformed.”

In the column, published Feb. 5, Rabhan said “if labels are responsible for artists’ wages, health care and overall well-being, where does it end and personal responsibility begin?”

“Should artists have better health-care options? Absolutely,” Rabhan said in the column. “Sounds like a union thing to me. Most independent managers don’t have insurance, either — it’s a flaw in the industry at large, not just on the label side.”

Since those in the music industry are often paid as independent contractors, that makes it more likely they will forgo coverage, according to McClanahan, founder of Life Planning Partners and a member of the CNBC Financial Advisor Council.

“Unfortunately, many are not part of a union and are on their own in getting health insurance,” she said. “Sadly, many self-employed people don’t understand the Affordable Care Act and how to obtain insurance on their own.”

Even today, there are about 25 million uninsured Americans, KFF research shows.

“Most of the country is involved in [an] employer/employee relationship where the company is responsible for their wages, health care, and some care about your well-being. However, most artists don’t have this luxury and don’t understand they are basically running their own business,” McClanahan said.

“At least give them the tools.”

CNBC’s attempts to reach Roan for comment were not successful, but Roan responded to Rabhan on Instagram by saying she donated $25,000 to support “struggling dropped artists.”

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

Top 10 Charts to Watch for in February 2025

While the major equity averages are certainty up year-to-date, we’re detecting a growing number of signs of leadership rotation. As the Magnificent 7 stocks have begun to falter, with charts like Apple Inc. (AAPL) taking on a less-than-magnificent luster in February, we’ve identified ten key stocks and ETFs for mindful investors to monitor in the coming weeks.

VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH)

To be honest, the 2024 bull market was dominated by the AI theme, and the AI theme is dominated by semiconductors. At least, that was the prevailing narrative until news of Deepseek AI from China brought that entire thesis into question. From a technical perspective, semiconductors last made a new all-time high in July 2024, and in recent months has settled into a consolidation phase.

We can see the SMH rotating between support around $235 and resistance near $260, creating a rectangular consolidation period on the chart. The moving averages are almost completely flat, and the RSI has an almost perfectly neutral rating at 50. That is the definition of a sideways chart, from top to bottom.

The key with a consolidation phase is to either use swing trading techniques to play movements within that pattern, or just patiently wait for the price to finally break out of the well-established price range. I have alerts set for the SMH to break above $260 or break below $235, and, until one of those levels is finally broken, the chart is telling me to look elsewhere for opportunities.

Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST)

While groups like semiconductors have entered into a clear consolidation phase, big box retailers including Walmart Inc. (WMT) and Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) have shown a strong beginning to 2025 after a very successful bull run in 2024.

Regardless of what I think of the broad market conditions, I’m always going to want to own good charts that keep going higher. As I love to sign off my daily market recap show, “It’s always a good time to own good charts!”

So what is it that makes COST and other similar charts in the consumer staples sector so attractive from a technical analysis perspective? I think it starts with the trend, and COST has been pounding out a fairly consistent pattern of higher highs and higher lows for 18 months and counting.

What’s most encouraging as we enter the month of February is the improvement in relative strength. COST is making new highs while other charts, such as our next example, are pulling back from recent all-time highs. At a time when it feels like stocks are beginning to struggle, I’m always looking for charts like Costco that are continuing their uptrend phase with higher highs and higher lows.

Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL)

Our third chart highlights the reality of the Magnificent 7 stocks in early February, with more and more of these previous leadership names beginning to show clear signs of negativity. Earnings season has not been kind to companies like Alphabet, who, despite beating earnings estimates for the quarter, provided a less optimistic forward projection for future earnings growth.

GOOGL gapped lower on Wednesday after making a new all-time high into earnings on Tuesday. After initially finding support at the 50-day moving average, Alphabet broke below the 50-day on Friday’s trading session. The gap lower this week also accentuated a bearish momentum divergence, with GOOGL’s higher price highs in February marked by a decline in momentum. Higher prices and lower RSI are a common feature of a late stage bull market, when stocks are still moving higher but the momentum behind those gains has begun to wane.

While GOOGL still remains above an upward-sloping 200-day moving average, and still appears to be holding trendline support based on the September and November swing lows, this week’s drop on forward guidance certainly has investors wondering where assets could flow if they’re no longer supporting mega-cap growth stocks like GOOGL.

For the remaining seven stocks, along with lots more comments and insights on this market transition phase in February, head over to my YouTube channel!

RR#6,

Dave

P.S. Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

IT Breadth Momentum (ITBM) and IT Volume Momentum (ITVM) Top – Participation Draining

We are currently in a declining trend in the market and internals are telling us that this weakness will continue to be a problem. Our primary indicators in the short- and intermediate-term have topped with one exception. The Swenlin Trading Oscillators (STOs) started down on Thursday and the STO-B continued to fall Friday. The STO-V interestingly turned up, but we wouldn’t get too excited.

The intermediate-term indicators, the ITBM and ITVM, topped and are moving down. It was an eye test on the ITBM on Thursday as to whether it had indeed declined. We checked and it had. Just another reason to look for more market decline.

Participation is leaking from the market. As price has started to turn over, so has participation. We note that participation readings of stocks above key moving averages shows declining trends which confirm near-term weakness.

The Silver Cross Index measures how many stocks have a 20-day EMA above the 50-day EMA (a Silver Cross). It is trying to top right now. We have a declining trend from the October top. With participation sinking, it won’t be long before this indicator tops too.

The Golden Cross Index measures how many stocks have a 50-day EMA above the 200-day EMA (a Golden Cross). That indicator has stagnated and is currently in decline below its signal line. Deterioration is visible on this chart.

Conclusion: We have a short-term declining trend in the market and failing internals. The ITBM/ITVM are declining, along with the STO-B. It is going to be very difficult for price to move higher when fewer stocks are participating.

The DP Alert: Your First Stop to a Great Trade!

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Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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Chris Taylor Sets Sights on Gold, Antimony in France After Success at Great Bear

Chris Taylor, known for his success at Great Bear Resources, is now turning his attention to France.

Taylor has been appointed CEO of Aquitaine Metals, a Vancouver-based company focused on gold and antimony exploration in the Limousin Mining District, a historically significant mining region in Southwest France.

With a Phase 1 drill program set to begin in early 2025, Aquitaine Metals is looking to confirm historical high-grade gold zones and assess the antimony potential at its 100 percent owned Limousin project.

Under Taylor, Great Bear made a district-scale gold discovery at what was then known as the Dixie project in Red Lake, Ontario. The find led to the company’s C$1.8 billion acquisition by Kinross Gold (TSX:K,NYSE:KGC) in 2022.

He’s now bringing his experience to Europe, where France is seeking to revive its domestic mining sector.

Gold and antimony potential at Limousin

‘I was looking for something big,’ he explained during the conversation. “Great Bear was a great success story, and … if I was going to charge back into the fray and sit in the CEO chair again, I wanted to have something that would be significant — a significant project of size, something with clear tier-one potential.’

The Limousin project is located in Nouvelle-Aquitaine, about 40 kilometers south of Limoges. The area is known for its historical gold and antimony production, with mining activity dating back to 500 BCE.

The region hosts more than 900 ancient mining sites, indicating a long history of extraction.

Aquitaine Metals has access to a large historical database that includes a wide array of information, such as 222,000 meters of drilling, as well as over 66,000 drill core and 60,000 operational grade control assays.

Watch Taylor discuss Aquitaine Metals’ plans.

“It is the best potential gold project I have ever seen in a very, very long time — if not ever,” Taylor remarked.

Aquitaine Metals’ Phase 1 drill program will target high-grade gold zones at the Laurieras and Moulin de Cheni mines, focusing on the Pierrepinet and Douillac ore zones. The company aims to verify historical datasets and assess the economic viability of both gold and antimony extraction at the site.

Antimony, which often occurs alongside gold in stibnite form, is a critical mineral used in military applications, fire retardants and high-tech optics. With supply chains increasingly under scrutiny, the EU has identified antimony as a strategic raw material due to its economic importance and supply risks.

France’s mining industry revival

France has historically been a significant mining jurisdiction, with gold, silver and base metals extraction dating back to the Roman era. The Limousin Mining District has been one of the country’s primary gold-producing regions, with commercial mining activity continuing into the 20th century.

However, declining commodities prices and regulatory hurdles led to the closure of many operations.

Taylor explained that despite the country’s mining slowdown in the past century, its historical background in the space makes it a strong candidate for a production renaissance.

“Currently, there’s no real mining industry in France, but it is something that the government and the EU are very eager to get going again, because of the recent geopolitical changes,’ he said.

In recent years, Europe’s push for raw materials security has led France to reconsider its approach to domestic mining. The government has expressed support for projects that align with strategic resource independence, particularly in critical minerals like antimony. Moreover, the country has recently taken steps to streamline permitting and support domestic resource development to reduce reliance on foreign mineral imports.

In 2023, the French government implemented new policies to revive domestic mining and accelerate green energy projects, including plans to revive copper mining and fast track lithium and geothermal energy projects to reduce import dependency and meet climate targets. France, like other European nations, is increasingly viewing critical minerals as a matter of national security amid global geopolitical tensions and rising competition for resources.

As part of these efforts, France is considering cutting the permitting process in half for mining, geothermal energy and carbon dioxide storage projects. The country is also exploring the use of depleted oil and gas wells for carbon storage.

These policy shifts signal a broader commitment to revitalizing the country’s domestic resource sector — a trend that could benefit Aquitaine Metals and other companies seeking to develop new mining projects.

Next steps for Aquitaine Metals

With Taylor at the helm, Aquitaine Metals is preparing to begin drilling in early 2025.

As mentioned, the company’s strategy is to confirm high-grade mineralization identified in historical records and expand its understanding of the Limousin project’s gold and antimony potential.

If successful, the project could play a role in France’s broader efforts to establish a domestic mining industry capable of supporting both local and European demand for critical minerals.

For Taylor, this marks a new chapter — one that builds on his previous success in Canada, while bringing modern exploration methods to one of Europe’s most historically significant mining regions.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Top 5 Canadian Mining Stocks This Week: Orosur Jumps 92 Percent on Assays

On Monday (February 3), the United States reached agreements with Canada and Mexico that narrowly averted the start of a trade war as tariffs set to begin Tuesday (February 4) were paused for 30 days.

Both Canada and Mexico offered plans to increase security at their respective borders with the United States, some of which were already planned and underway. This aligned with US President Donald Trump’s stated goal with the tariffs of increased border monitoring as he claimed there were increasing numbers of illegal migrants and high volumes of fentanyl entering into the United States.

Both Canada and the US released upbeat job reports on Friday (February 7) indicating strong employment gains in both countries.

Statistics Canada reported that 76,000 jobs were added to the Canadian economy in January, the majority of which were in the private sector. Manufacturing contributed 33,000 new workers, and professional, scientific and technical services added 22,000.

This marks the third consecutive month of net gains following the addition of 91,000 jobs in December and 44,000 in November. The agency indicated that over the past three months, 147,000 full-time jobs were added, while part-time labor increased by 64,000.

The additional workers entering the labor force pushed the unemployment rate down by 0.1 percent from the previous month to 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, south of the border, the US Bureau of Labor Statistics released its employment situation summary, which indicated that 143,000 new jobs were added in January. Large gains were seen in healthcare with 44,000 new jobs during the month. Retail trade increased by 34,000 and social assistance jobs saw gains of 22,000 new workers.

Overall, the employment rate edged down to 4 percent from the 4.1 percent recorded in December, marking the lowest level since May 2024.

Markets and commodities react

While markets saw small losses on Friday, they were broadly positive over the past five days, with the S&P 500 (INDEXSP:INX) gaining 0.94 percent to end Friday at 6,025.98 while the Nasdaq 100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) gained 1.93 percent to 21,491.31. Meanwhile, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEXDJX:.DJI) was flat, gaining just 0.08 percent to 44,303.41.

In Canada, the S&P/TSX Venture Composite Index (INDEXTSI:JX) saw a 4.95 percent gain on the week to close at 639.28 on Friday (February 7). Meanwhile, the S&P/TSX Composite Index (INDEXTSI:OSPTX) posted a 1.21 percent increase to hit 25,442.91 and the CSE Composite Index (CSE:CSECOMP) jumped 3.47 percent to reach 135.64.

Gold saw further gains this week as it continued to set new all time highs. Overall, the gold price increased 2.26 percent during the week to close at US$2,861.49 per ounce on Friday at 5 p.m. EST. Silver performed strongly as well, closing the week up 1.61 percent at US$31.80.

In base metals, the copper price surged 7.67 percent for the week to close at US$4.63 per pound on the COMEX, and the S&P GSCI (INDEXSP:SPGSCI) was largely flat, posting a 0.24 percent gain to close at 563.24.

Top Canadian mining stocks this week

So how did mining stocks perform against this backdrop? We break down this week’s five best-performing Canadian mining stocks below.

Data for this article was retrieved at 4:00 p.m. EST on February 7, 2024, using TradingView’s stock screener. Only companies trading on the TSX, TSXV and CSE with market capitalizations greater than C$10 million are included. Companies within the non-energy minerals and energy minerals sectors were considered.

1. Orosur Mining (TSXV:OMI)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 91.67 percent
Market cap: C$45.19 million
Share price: C$0.23

Orosur Mining is an exploration company focused on the development of early to advanced-stage assets in South America.

Exploration has revealed multiple gold deposits at its flagship Anzá gold project in Colombia, which is located 50 kilometers west of Medellin and sits along Colombia’s primary gold belt.

Orosur also owns several early-stage projects, the El Pantano gold-silver project in Argentina, the Lithium West project in Nigeria and the Ariquemes project in Brazil, which is prospective for tin, niobium and rare earths.

The Anzá gold project was previously a 49/51 joint venture with Minera Monte Aguila (MMA), a corporation owned equally by Newmont (TSX:NGT,NYSE:NEM) and Agnico Eagle Mines (TSX:AEM,NYSE:AEM).

Orosur shares have seen significant gains since the end of November 2024 when the company announced that it had completed its acquisition of MMA, giving Orosur 100 percent indirect ownership of the Anzá gold project.

Following the transaction’s completion, exploration resumed at the project’s Pepas prospect in mid-November to test high-grade results from a 2022 drill program. The company announced its most recent drill results on Tuesday, saying it had encountered high-grade gold over long intervals beginning at surface. One highlighted intercept assayed up to 7.24 grams per metric ton (g/t) gold over 76.3 meters.

2. Almonty Industries (TSX:AII)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 64.1 percent
Market cap: C$480.52 million
Share price: C$1.92

Almonty Industries is a tungsten and molybdenum mining and development company focused with operations in Spain, Portugal and South Korea.

It is currently working on developing the Sangdong tungsten-molybdenum mine in South Korea, which hosts the largest tungsten deposit in the world. The mine is expected to begin production at the end of 2026 and has an anticipated mine life of 60 years. When fully ramped up the mine is projected to have an annual throughput of 640,000 metric tons, and will deliver 5,600 metric tons of molybdenum.

On January 29, Almonty announced it had entered into an offtake agreement with SeAH Group (KRX:058650) subsidiary SeAH M&S, a Korean metals company supplying the steel industry. SeAH M&S will purchase the entire production of molybdenum for the life of the Sangdong mine with a hard floor price of US$19 per pound.

Almonty also operates the Los Santos mine in Spain and the Panasqueira mine in Portugal, both producing high-grade tungsten concentrate.

In addition to the offtake agreement Almonty also announced on January 19 its intention to relocate its jurisdiction of incorporation from Canada to the US state of Delaware. It said it would maintain its listings on both the TSX and ASX.

Shares in Almonty began trading higherthis week after China announced on Tuesday it would be restricting metals exports, including tungsten and molybdenum, in response to US trade tariffs.

3. Blue Lagoon Resources (CSE:BLLG)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 89.29 percent
Market cap: C$20.58 million
Share price: C$0.265

Blue Lagoon Resources is an exploration and development company focused on advancing its gold and silver projects in British Columbia, Canada.

Its flagship Dome Mountain gold project, located near Smithers, BC, is a past-producing asset composed of 26 claims covering 21,000 hectares and hosts 15 known high-grade gold veins.

A February 2022 updated mineral resource estimate (MRE) from the site demonstrated measured resources of 45,000 ounces of gold and 250,000 ounces of silver from 136,000 metric tons with average grades of 10.32 g/t gold and 57.31 g/t silver. Additionally, the MRE reported indicated resources of 173,000 ounces of gold and 876,000 ounces of silver from 662,000 metric tons of ore grading 8.15 g/t gold and 41.19 g/t silver.

Blue Lagoon’s shares saw significant gains this week after the company announced on Thursday (February 6) that it had received the final mine permits and is preparing to begin mining operations as soon as July 2025.

“We are delivering to our shareholders one of only a handful of mining permits granted in British Columbia over the last decade,” Chief Geologist Bill Cronk said.

Once in operation, annual production will be limited to 55,000 metric tons of ore, from which the company expects to recover 15,000 ounces of gold.

4. Electric Metals USA (TSXV:EML)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 58.33 percent
Market cap: C$13.75 million
Share price: C$0.095

Electric Metals is a mineral development company focused on advancing its flagship Emily manganese project in Minnesota, US.

According to the company, the asset is North America’s highest-grade manganese resource. A May 2024 MRE shows Emily hosts an indicated resource of 6.23 million metric tons with grades of 19.27 percent manganese and 22.41 percent iron with an additional inferred resource of 4.91 million metric tons with grades of 17.5 percent manganese and 20.44 percent iron with a cut off of 10 percent manganese.

Shares in Electric Metals have seen recent gains after a January 28 news release when the company announced it was starting work on a preliminary economic assessment for the Emily manganese project. It expects the report to be completed during the second quarter of 2025.

5. Goldgroup Mining (TSX:GGA)

Company Profile

Weekly gain: 51.22 percent
Market cap: C$34.79 million
Share price: C$0.31

Goldgroup Mining is a gold production, development and exploration company working to advance its Cerro Prieto heap-leach gold mine.

The 4,335-hectare property, located in Sonora, Mexico, produces an annual average of 11,500 ounces of gold and has produced more than 120,000 ounces since its beginning in March 2013.

Goldgroup is currently working to double the capacity of the mine to more than 25,000 ounces per year. The last update on the progress came in October 2024, when it announced that it had installed the primary crusher with a 2,200 metric ton per day throughput. It also said it had expanded pumping and irrigation capacity.

Goldgroup’s most recent news came on February 6, when it announced that all shareholders holding share purchase warrants from financing rounds completed in September and November 2024 had informed the company they would exercise all outstanding warrants. The company had previously informed shareholders it was accelerating the warrants, changing the expiry date to February 9. Goldgroup will receive gross proceeds of C$1.87 million.

FAQs for Canadian mining stocks

What is the difference between the TSX and TSXV?

The TSX, or Toronto Stock Exchange, is used by senior companies with larger market caps, and the TSXV, or TSX Venture Exchange, is used by smaller-cap companies. Companies listed on the TSXV can graduate to the senior exchange.

How many companies are listed on the TSXV?

As of June 2024, there were 1,630 companies listed on the TSXV, 925 of which were mining companies. Comparatively, the TSX was home to 1,806 companies, with 188 of those being mining companies.

Together the TSX and TSXV host around 40 percent of the world’s public mining companies.

How much does it cost to list on the TSXV?

There are a variety of different fees that companies must pay to list on the TSXV, and according to the exchange, they can vary based on the transaction’s nature and complexity. The listing fee alone will most likely cost between C$10,000 to C$70,000. Accounting and auditing fees could rack up between C$25,000 and C$100,000, while legal fees are expected to be over C$75,000 and an underwriters’ commission may hit up to 12 percent.

The exchange lists a handful of other fees and expenses companies can expect, including but not limited to security commission and transfer agency fees, investor relations costs and director and officer liability insurance.

These are all just for the initial listing, of course. There are ongoing expenses once companies are trading, such as sustaining fees and additional listing fees, plus the costs associated with filing regular reports.

How do you trade on the TSXV?

Investors can trade on the TSXV the way they would trade stocks on any exchange. This means they can use a stock broker or an individual investment account to buy and sell shares of TSXV-listed companies during the exchange’s trading hours.

Article by Dean Belder; FAQs by Lauren Kelly.

Securities Disclosure: I, Dean Belder, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Lauren Kelly, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

Ethereum Sentiment Declines Amid Regulatory Concerns

Galaxy Digital CEO Mike Novogratz recently highlighted a significant decline in Ethereum sentiment, describing it as “unbelievably bearish.” He attributes this downturn primarily to increased regulatory scrutiny from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This heightened oversight has raised concerns among investors about Ethereum’s future in the cryptocurrency market.

Regulatory Challenges Impacting Ethereum

Novogratz points to the SEC’s actions, particularly under former Chairman Gary Gensler, as a major factor in Ethereum’s underperformance compared to Bitcoin and Solana. The SEC’s legal actions against ConsenSys and debates over whether Ether should be classified as a security have intensified uncertainty. This regulatory environment has led to a cautious approach among investors, contributing to the bearish sentiment surrounding Ethereum.

Ethereum’s Performance Lagging Behind Peers

In recent months, Ethereum has struggled to keep pace with its counterparts. As of February 2025, ETH was trading at approximately $2,700, reflecting a 15% increase over the past year. In contrast, Bitcoin and Solana have experienced over 100% growth during the same period. This disparity underscores the challenges Ethereum faces amid regulatory pressures and shifting market dynamics.

Shifting Narratives and Market Perception

Novogratz also discusses a shift in Ethereum’s narrative. Initially celebrated as a platform for Web3 technology, Ethereum is now viewed more as a store of value. This change has affected its appeal to investors seeking innovative blockchain solutions. The evolving narrative, coupled with regulatory challenges, has contributed to the current bearish sentiment.

Community Concerns and Future Outlook

Within the Ethereum community, there is growing fear, uncertainty, and doubt (FUD) regarding the protocol’s future. Critics have questioned the direction of the Ethereum Foundation and its leadership. Novogratz advises the foundation to focus on research and development, leaving advocacy to other entities like ConsenSys. Despite these challenges, Ethereum remains a significant player in the cryptocurrency space. However, its future trajectory will depend on how it navigates regulatory hurdles and adapts to changing market perceptions.

Conclusion

The bearish sentiment surrounding Ethereum highlights the impact of regulatory scrutiny and shifting market narratives. As the cryptocurrency landscape evolves, Ethereum’s ability to address these challenges will be crucial for its sustained relevance and growth.

The post Ethereum Sentiment Declines Amid Regulatory Concerns appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.

Tariff Tensions and Inflation Data Shake Global Markets

Global markets are facing increased volatility as inflation data and ongoing tariff tensions add uncertainty. As a result, investors are closely watching economic indicators, knowing they could impact interest rates, global trade, and market stability.

Inflation Data Report and Market Expectations

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) report is set to reveal how inflation trends are evolving. According to analysts, a 0.3% monthly increase is expected. However, a higher figure could raise concerns about rising costs.

  • If inflation remains high, the Federal Reserve may delay interest rate cuts. Consequently, this could slow down economic growth.
  • On the other hand, if inflation slows, it could signal economic stabilization, thereby boosting market confidence.

Market strategist Charlie Ripley from Allianz Investment Management stated,

“Inflation remains a wildcard. Its impact on interest rates will shape the economic outlook. Therefore, investors must stay cautious.”

Tariff Tensions Add Pressure

In addition to inflation worries, the global markets trade landscape is becoming increasingly uncertain. Recently, President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, intensifying trade tensions.

  • 25% tariffs on Canadian imports, excluding energy, which faces 10% duties.
  • 10% tariffs on all Chinese goods, impacting supply chains and businesses worldwide.

Meanwhile, China has challenged these tariffs at the World Trade Organization (WTO), arguing that they violate international trade laws. As a consequence, these disputes could increase costs for businesses and consumers alike.

Market Reactions and Investment Strategies

Due to these economic shifts, investors are reacting cautiously. The stock market remains volatile, while currency markets adjust to these ongoing uncertainties.

  • Since inflation is rising, investor confidence is slowly decreasing.
  • Moreover, trade conflicts could lead to higher consumer prices and supply chain disruptions.
  • A weaker global economy could eventually slow business growth and affect corporate profits.

Conclusion

Given the current economic climate, the combination of inflation risks and trade uncertainties is shaping global market trends. For this reason, investors must stay informed and adaptable. In the coming weeks, market conditions will reveal whether economic stability is attainable or if further disruptions will occur.

The post Tariff Tensions and Inflation Data Shake Global Markets appeared first on FinanceBrokerage.

Southern California Edison acknowledges videos suggest link between equipment and Eaton fire

Southern California Edison acknowledged Thursday that videos have suggested a possible link between the utility’s equipment and the devastating Eaton Fire in Los Angeles.

But the company has not identified evidence to confirm this, according to a filing with the California Public Utilities Commission. The Eaton Fire, which is now contained, burned about 14,000 acres, destroyed thousands of buildings, killed at least 17 civilians and injured nine firefighters.

“SCE is undertaking a careful and thorough investigation and does not know what caused the ignition of the fire,” the utility said in its filing. The company has not found broken conductors, arch marks, or evidence of faults on energized lines in the area where the Eaton Fire started.

Southern California Edison believes its equipment may have sparked the smaller Hurst Fire, according to a separate filing with the commission. The Hurst blaze, which is also contained, burned about 800 acres. Two homes were damaged by the fire, according to the utility’s filing. No deaths have been reported.

Shares of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, were trading about 1% lower.

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