The AOCE and WB have moderate overall forecasts for the metals in 2025 inline with IMF forecasts for a decline in economic growth and inflation, although we see the probability of a stagflationary scenario as still reasonably high.Read More

The past year was a difficult one overall for the metals, with the main standouts to the upside being a geopolitical risk-driven gain in gold, a China-driven rise in iron ore and a surge in uranium on broadening global support for nuclear power (Figure 1). A jump in global interest rates to near two-decade highs saw recession fears persist all year, and while one still did not actually eru...Read More

This year the post-global health crisis boom was brought to an end by a surge in inflation to forty-year highs, a major rise in global interest rates in an attempt to curb the rising prices and surging geopolitical risk after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. While precious metals held up reasonably well as markets turned to them as a risk hedge, by Q2/22 the higher interest rates put an end t...Read More

Chile is the world leader in copper production, at 28.5% of the total in 2020, and this looks set to continue, with the country having the largest global reserves, at 23.0% of total. It is also the global leader for molybdenum, which is often found along with copper, and is a major lithium player, holding 51.1% of global reserves. Read More

Newfoundland has become a gold exploration hotspot over the past few years, with the sector seeing some of its strongest activity ever. While the province remains a small contributor to Canadian gold production, it has a substantial mineral industry well supported by the government, focused on iron ore, copper and nickel, and the surge in exploration suggests that gold output from the...Read More

Nevada is the core of the U.S. gold output, accounting for by far the majority, at 75.4% on average for the past year. The state looks set to remain a dominant player in U.S. gold, as it accounts for 49% of total U.S. reserves, with Alaska slightly ahead with 51% of reserves, but just 8.6% of current production. The U.S. accounts for 6.1% of global gold output, making Nevada one of the largest gol...Read More

The Golden Triangle in northwestern British Columbia has historically been a major site of Canadian gold production, beginning as early as the mid 1800s. There was a wave of production in the 1990s which cooled as the gold price declined, but larger scale production resumed in 2017, and the area has seen surging exploration interest over the past year, given that the region has some of the largest...Read More

In this report we outline the Quebec gold mining industry, including its major producers, and a survey of many of the junior miners focused on the province. Quebec accounts for 34% of Canadian gold production (second to Ontario, with 44%) and remains a major focus for both producers and junior miners.Read More

Red Lake has been one of the most prolific gold mining districts in Canada and the world, with exploration having started in the 1920s, and production, which began in the 1930s, continuing to the present day. The district is known for the high grade of its gold, its infrastructure, and strong institutional support, given the long history of mining in the area.Read More

Pharmacy benefits provider Express Scripts Holding Company (NASDAQ:ESRX) has found new life since its mid-October bottom, rallying roughly 28% since to close at its highest point since March on Friday. In the process, the shares pushed through the $64 level, which is three times the 2009 low, and have broken out north of a trendline connecting lower highs since mid-2015. On the fundamental front,...Read More

Superstore stock Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE:WMT) is moving higher this morning, after Citigroup upgraded the shares to "buy" from "neutral," and raised its price target to $117 from $106. In a note to clients, Citi saidit was "a big mistake" to stay on the WMT sidelines in 2017, but thinks there's more upside to come in 2018, particularly with rivals like Costco (COST) and Home Depot (HD) tradi...Read More

Instinet downgraded Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to "neutral" from "buy" and lowered its price target to $175 from $185 -- a slight discount to last night's close at $176.42 -- citing expectations for limited upside to iPhone X sales. The brokerage firm also cut its full-year earnings per share estimates for both 2018 and 2019. In reaction, AAPL stock is 0.8% lower in pre-market trading.An Apple downg...Read More

U.S. stock futures are signaling another rally, putting the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and S&P 500 Index (SPX) on pace for another record-breaking session. The upbeat approach comes as Congress is expected to begin voting on tax reform as early as today, with the new tax bill now widely expected to pass. Meanwhile, traders are digesting November housing starts, which topped expectations,...Read More

From politically correct lies to government enforced silencing, and even insane public opinion, free speech is under attack.But sometimes, there is some good news coming out of the courts. Taking a case to the American court system is a bit like flipping a coin. Still, it is encouraging to see pro-free-speech rulings being handed down.The Right to Free TweetsDo Trump’s tweets make you feel s...Read More

From politically correct lies to government enforced silencing, and even insane public opinion, free speech is under attack.But sometimes, there is some good news coming out of the courts. Taking a case to the American court system is a bit like flipping a coin. Still, it is encouraging to see pro-free-speech rulings being handed down.The Right to Free TweetsDo Trump’s tweets make you feel s...Read More

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) finished over 140 points higher, securing its 70th record close of 2017 -- tying 1995 for the most all-time closing highs in a single year. Both the S&P 500 Index (SPX) and Nasdaq Composite (IXIC) followed suit, notching their own record highs, with the latter index topping 7,000 for the first time ever. Anticipation continues to build for the final Rep...Read More

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) is slated to take its late-season turn in the earnings confessional after tomorrow's close. The delivery giant has a history of positive post-earnings reactions, with the shares settling higher the next day in six of the past eight quarters, and averaging a gain of 4.4%. This time around, the options market is pricing in a single-session swing of 5.1% for Wednesday's t...Read More

Although the pace of earnings reports have drastically slowed, a few key companies are still making their way to the stage -- with one in particular being semiconductor powerhouse Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU). The company is expected to report fiscal first-quarter earnings after the close tomorrow, Dec. 19, and if past is precedent, MU stock's post-earnings reaction could be positive. At la...Read More

BMO boosted its price target on Freeport-McMoRan Inc (NYSE:FCX) to $18 from $17, sending the shares up 2.7% to trade at $17.44 -- and earlier to a two-year high of $17.46 -- bringing their year-to-date gain to 32.2%. Optimism toward the surging mining stock appears to be growing in the options pits, too, with calls trading at two times the average intraday pace this afternoon, and one trader raisi...Read More

The U.S. stock market is soaring to all-time highs again thanks to growing tax reform optimism. Among the names making big moves are financial services provider Longfin Corp (NASDAQ:LFIN), Chinese e-tailer JD.com Inc (NASDAQ:JD), and drug stock Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. (NYSE:VRX). Here's a quick look at what's moving shares of LFIN, JD, and VRX. LFIN Stock Surge ContinuesLongfin...Read More

The shares of healthcare insurer Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) are higher today, and are on the cusp of toppling the century level, thanks to some upbeat analyst attention. What's more, CNC stock could have even more gas in the tank, if past is prologue. Meanwhile, Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG) stock is down 0.2% at $369.09 today, but could also be headed for a bounce. Below, we'll explain why...Read More

The 20 stocks listed in the table below have attracted the highest weekly options volume during the past 10 trading days. Stocks highlighted in yellow are new entries to the list. Data is courtesy of Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White. Two names to note are streaming giant Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) and semiconductor stock Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC). Below, we'll break do...Read More

U.S. stocks are up this afternoon, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), Nasdaq Composite (IXIC), and S&P 500 Index (SPX) all scoring fresh record highs thanks to heightened optimism over the finalized Republican tax plan that is expected to be voted into law later this week. In fact, the Nasdaq topped 7,000 for the first time ever just moments ago, while a flurry of M&A activity is givi...Read More

Shares of cloud services provider Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM) are surging today thanks to news hedge fund Elliot Management has taken a 6.5% stake in the company. According to the hedge fund, AKAM stock is "significantly undervalued." So far today the security has jumped 14.2% to trade at $65.96, taking out a few key technical levels in the process. Specifically, the stock has barreled...Read More

Bitcoin futures began trading on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange today, sending shares of CME Group Inc (NASDAQ:CME) up 0.5% to trade at $151.77. This comes one week after the launch of the cryptocurrency's futures on the Cboe Global Markets (CBOE) -- and follows yesterday's news that TD Ameritrade (AMTD) will allow its customers to trade bitcoin futures on the CBOE. As the digital currency's plat...Read More

The fall of the retail sector in recent years has been well covered on Wall Street, but many of these stocks have found new life heading into the holiday season. Take for example the SPDR S&P Retail ETF (XRT), which has gained 14.5% since its Nov. 8 bottom. Three names that have also rallied during this time are Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS), and American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE:AEO). And...Read More

Drug stocks are in focus this morning, including Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:VRTX). Both CELG and VRTX received price-target boosts from Morgan Stanley this morning, but one outlook was decidedly more bullish than the other. Here's a look at how CELG and VRTX are reacting today.CELG Stock Extends Recovery from Post-Earnings LowsWhile Morgan Sta...Read More

Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) stock is up 5.1% to trade at $23.36, a new annual high, after the social media stock received an upgrade to "overweight" from "neutral" at J.P. Morgan Securities, as well as a price-target hike to $27 from $20 -- in territory not charted since late 2015. The analysts believe Twitter is on track for continued double-digit average user growth in 2018, and called it one of the...Read More

Shares of CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX) slumped 7.6% to settle at $52.93 on Friday following news the transportation company's CEO Hunter Harrison would take a medical leave. After Harrison's unexpected death over the weekend, CSX shares are down 1.9% in electronic trading -- set to test a key technical trendline again today.Specifically, CSX is poised to touch its 180-day moving average today -- a...Read More