Market Talk
While today may be the moment to step back and rejoice — and be thankful that cool heads are now prevailing — market and stock watchers quietly contemplate the cornucopia of factors that may affect the coming economy and various stocks.
As Americans, we can be proud (and a bit relieved) that President Trump, his team, and a coalition with Israel and the Arab countries have worked to come to a day of peace in both the surrounding Arab and Israeli lands. It’s a very hopeful sign — one that may spread its vibes to other areas.
Yet here in America, many issues remain unresolved, such as the continuing government shutdown, with jobs under siege and lost. The Fed’s strategy of lowering borrowing rates seems intact for future rate cuts. Yet inflation remains sticky, and while GDP is projected to maintain levels above the recession mark, mixed signals persist about the ability of everyday Americans to keep up with the higher costs that tariffs and the ever-growing cost of living bring.
Today’s market started out buoyant and closed on optimism. One thing to note is how it ended last week — down over 800 on both the Dow and Nasdaq. The China threat of holding back critical rare-earth elements needed by industry in semiconductors, medical technology, and refined magnets used in high-end devices opens up negative repercussions in trade that both countries rely on to keep the wheels moving. The impact of how things may develop is yet to play out. Uncertainty can be a wall of worry to climb — or like an anchor yet to be lifted.
Stock Talk
Apart from the optimism of a return to a strong America working for more peaceful resolutions, market watchers may recall that Octobers have historically seen some tumultuous times. To stay balanced, it’s worth remembering that the worst market months have carried their share of shocks — from the crash of October 1929, to Black Monday in October 1987, and the banking crisis of October 2008.
Still, optimism can be a quiet strength. As the world steadies and the Fed hints at future easing, selective investors may find opportunity in sectors that thrive on rebuilding, innovation, and stability — while others may simply choose patience and preservation. The key, as always, is perspective.
So, let’s stop and think about a few notions. If you’ve been following this Jones Report, perhaps you’re now enjoying the fruit of your own due diligence and trading decisions. Several of the Jones stock picks have had tremendous gains — even outperforming most of the fancy-pants Wall Street hedge funds.
KGC & HL — The Metals Core
The two gold and silver mining stocks, Kinross Gold Corporation (KGC) and Hecla Mining (HL), remain steadfast hold-some positions. With gold now over $4,100 an ounce and silver at $50, KGC has nearly quadrupled in value since it was first suggested here in the single digits — but take a look at how the base price of gold itself has performed in a world where fiat-currency values are diminishing, not just in America but across the globe. Central world banks want in on gold, and the real-deal value of a hard asset looks like a fair bet to hold some.
Silver, on the other hand, continues to play both sides of the field — part precious metal, part industrial workhorse. Hecla Mining (HL) stands tall as America’s largest primary silver producer, with added strength from its gold, zinc, and lead by-products that help keep costs low. As AI data centers, solar, and electric-tech expansion continue to surge, each one quietly consumes more silver — giving HL a built-in tailwind that few analysts fully price in.
While the share prices have had hurdles at each leg, conditions appear to remain strong enough to keep both as a hold-some. How anybody trades it is up to them to decide according to their own strategy. This isn’t a pump-stocks site — we watch, and we stay aware.
For long-term holders, HL and KGC together seem to offer a rare combination: historical safety in uncertain times, and leverage to the future’s demand for real, tangible value.
Ramaco Resources (METC, METCB, METCI)
While we’re talking materials in gold and silver, let’s chat about Ramaco Resources. METC, METCB, and METCI.
Metallurgical coal remains the core of their operations, but as pointed out here when METC was in the single digits, the Brook Mine in Wyoming sits on vast acreage rich in both met coal and reported rare earth elements.
The Jones Report research has uncovered some facts the general public may not be fully aware of. For example, the Brook Mine property isn’t just a coal seam — it’s layered like a geological Oreo. Acres and acres of rolling land hold stratified regions of coal sandwiching between five to fifteen feet of rare earths. Think Oreo cookies stacked on top of each other — the met coal is the cookie, and the rare earths are the cream — fifteen feet deep, in multiple layers.
To mine this, Ramaco can readily use high-ton scooper trucks to strip the land in layers, loading the black met coal and the brown rare-earth clay into separate staging areas. It’s straightforward, efficient, and potentially transformational if processing and extraction align with the company’s plans. As a note, the ecological practice is to backfill the land to return to the rolling fields.
The potential is clear — America sorely needs a steady domestic supply of rare earths that China continues to use as a geopolitical pawn. These include critical magnetic elements such as neodymium, praseodymium, dysprosium, and terbium — the essential ingredients for high-performance magnets used in everything from EV motors and wind turbines to precision-guided defense systems.
The risk of extracting those rare earths has been mitigated by bringing on new, experienced staff like Mr. Van Wyck, yet the pilot separation plant is still unproven — and until it runs successfully, the market remains in “show-me” mode.
If the Brook Mine’s rare-earth content proves out at scale, it will be a game-changer for Ramaco. The METCB shares mirror progress on the rare-earth front, while METCI, with its 8.25 percent preferred dividend, offers income for those who like yield while waiting on development news. Between the three, Ramaco covers a wide field — coal cash flow, rare-earth potential, and steady income. The Jones view? Maybe some, maybe none — but the story bears watching as America looks for domestic rare-earth supply lines.
Ramaco remains in the speculative-stock category, though favored on the news of the day. One clear catalyst would be if the U.S. government formally recognizes the Brook Mine development as a critical resource and backs it. Thus, METC and METCB are garnering favor in market speculation. Will it continue favorably? Holding some from our single digits may be a way — with the key word: some.
All in all, while KGC and HL are still the real-deal stocks — with maybe some of the Ramaco issues, METC and METCB — being diversified into the tech growth side may be a consideration.
As long as the market cooperates and doesn’t correct too much, Intel (INTC) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) may see further emerging strength as Made-in-America semiconductor and data center plays. INTC remains the underdog on AI but is rebuilding from the ground up — new fabs, new chips, and a national security angle that keeps Washington involved. HPE, meanwhile, stays in the spotlight supplying the servers and infrastructure that power the expanding AI and cloud data centers. Together, they may not be the flashiest tech names, but they’re part of the backbone — steady plays in America’s quiet high-tech revival.
The Jones Report called LRCX trading in the 60s. LRCX is over double that today at 137 — you’re welcome. Play it your way — still holding some as “a long”? Ok then. LRCX remains the premier company in etching and deposition — the backbone of how all those chips are made, everywhere. Even in China. That’s a risk, sure, but with so many chips still to be built here in America, that’s a plus, puff daddies.
Let’s Talk Straight on a Few
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions (KTOS) was suggested back when it traded in the teens. Now it’s hovering around and over 100. Many of the bullish trends we observed back then still apply — and more. Their drones, radars, and test beds for the military are all lined up for big things in terms of revenues and earnings. And yet, it remains to be seen just when those numbers fully hit.
If you’re just joining the Jones Report, take this as a note of caution with KTOS. Maybe a dip would offer a good long-term buy-some entry point. But one thing — when buying into uncertainty, whatever you think may be a good buy-in, make it half that, and inch in where bulls can be turned into steers.
With the above preamble on KTOS, here’s the bottom-line view: KTOS had a nice ride to 100. Time, orders and sales, competition, and smart money management will determine the future — along with the market whims of the institutions that hold it. The Jones view: holding some KTOS for the long-haul prospects may be a way — but taking some gain off the table for opportunity or dry powder, with a wink? That’s up to you.
Other Spec Stocks — ONCY & FLY
Oncolytics Biotech (ONCY) continues to build on its immuno-oncology platform with Pelareorep, the naturally occurring reovirus therapy we’ve spotlighted before. It remains a spec hold in the biotech corner — not for the faint of heart, but for those who believe that science and persistence can one day collide with timing and partnership. In the near term, ONCY seems deal-dependent, with the new CEO brought on to make a partner or acquisition — much like the Ambrx sale to J&J. But where is it? Things take time to develop — or not. Therein lies the speculation, maybe the gamble too.
FLY (Firefly Aerospace) isn’t your typical launch company anymore. It’s evolving fast — from rockets to orbital transport, and now toward space defense. Firefly first made headlines in 2023 when it bought Spaceflight Inc., adding the capability to deliver and reposition satellites already in orbit. But the real pivot came with its 855 million dollar acquisition of SciTec — a defense-tech firm specializing in missile tracking, remote sensing, and command-and-control analytics.
That move takes Firefly into a whole new league. It positions them not just to launch rockets but to integrate intelligence and defense systems — the kind of architecture that could underpin what some call an “aircraft carrier in space” concept. Think orbital platforms equipped to deploy, defend, or neutralize threats like killer satellites or hypersonic systems.
It’s early and still highly speculative, but the Jones view is that Firefly now sits on the cusp of being more than a rocket maker — potentially a strategic defense asset in orbit. Whether it can execute on that vision remains to be seen. Maybe some, maybe none — but FLY is one to watch as the space race shifts from launch to control.
For those watching new trends, there was some chatter linking FLY to the concept of an “aircraft carrier in space.” That wasn’t far-fetched. Around the same time that the U.S. Space Force began funding early orbital-carrier demonstrations, Firefly was expanding into the same neighborhood — launching payloads, transporting assets, and now, through SciTec, building the kind of command-and-control systems that could one day make such a platform operational. So while Firefly isn’t officially building the “carrier,” its tech and partnerships may well make it the launchpad that helps bring the idea to life.
Maybe some, maybe none.
Having nice gains is one thing — keeping them is another. Account appreciation and growth are great, but preservation is equally important. When feeling bullish, like “a long,” also think cautious optimism — especially in a tax-free IRA account where trading can breathe a little.
Sometimes, when things take too long and stocks start wavering, it’s okay to stay long — but also to think about trimming, keeping a few “back burner” shares that relieve the worry of what we can’t control. The market rewards patience, but it also respects prudence. Keep the faith, stay aware, and never forget — the best traders learn to protect their gains as carefully as they earn them.
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More later so ....Stay tuned, if you dare !
For now, we close by noting that any view on the market and stocks on any particular day may change in the future days to come. That is why we watch and see how our views match up with the reality of the time. But trying to look ahead a few months into the future may be a way to do things. If you think too deep about world events and the recent alliances forming, projecting ahead can be a dicey endeavor. In all - we use the word maybe "some", not "too much" and play it accordingly. Remember, never get arrogant in our various notions because things do change in the market and individual stocks are subject to many factors outside of our control.. So we try to -stay aware.
With all the above caveats and attempted prognostications, I will close this post. Stay tuned for more opining on the market and stocks to watch.
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